#Mastery Bridge

[dravidious]

You're more amazing than cues

You're more amazing than the heavenly steppes

[fogaminghub]

🌟 Want to grab the Hang Ten Trophy in Marvel's Spider-Man 2? Our detailed guide is here to help you perform 30 Air Tricks flawlessly! 🕸️✨ 

Discover easy strategies, settings adjustments, and the best places to ace your tricks. Check it out now! 

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Meet Mr Sylvain Zyssman, a Tech Expert

Sylvain, from France, is the technical brain behind the Illumination Substack Mastery Boost Dear Subscribers,  As an editor, content curator, and now a founding member of the Illumination Substack Mastery community I started introducing my editor and writer colleagues. It is a great pleasure for me to do so.  My latest one was about David Mokotoff, MD. If you missed it, you can read from this…

[annievrse]

LABYRINTH

FEATURING: TRAFALGAR LAW x FEM!READER

SUMMARY: When your captain, Luffy, tells you to run from Bartholomew Kuma on the Sabaody Archipelago instead of fighting, you end up on a submarine...

CONTENT: Fic structure: Sabaody Archipelago → Zou spoilers, canon timeline but majority canon-divergent events, acts are organised by scenes, she/her pronouns, no use of y/n. Content Warnings: Panic attacks, anxiety, descriptions of injuries, blood, passing out, trauma (Luffy & Law), drinking (one instance), torture and violence, guns + getting shot, Doflamingo (+ his past).

Crossposted on AO3: Here

ACT I... IT ONLY HURTS THIS MUCH RIGHT NOW [15k] ACT II... IT ONLY FEELS THIS RAW RIGHT NOW [18k] ACT III... BREAK THROUGH, BREAK DOWN [20k] ACT IV... HOW'D YOU TURN IT RIGHT AROUND? [20k]

See below the cut for the Reader's Devil Fruit! (This can be considered a spoiler for the fic if you want to be surprised).

The Sew-Sew Fruit: A round fruit wrapped in white thread.

The Sew-Sew Fruit is a uniquely versatile Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants its user the ability to control and manipulate needles and thread. From creating intricate garments to dealing devastating blows, the user’s mastery of their powers can drastically affect the battlefield—or even the very fabric of a person’s being.

Powers & Abilities 1. Needles: The user can materialize and control a variety of needles of different sizes, from tiny, sharp pins to enormous, thick needles that can pierce through armour. These needles can be used offensively, defensively, or subtly, such as sewing together injuries or fabricating traps. The user has full control over these needles, manipulating them at will to attack or defend in a variety of creative and dangerous ways.

Offensive Uses: The needles can be fired at high speed, becoming deadly projectiles capable of piercing even the toughest materials. By controlling the thread that attaches them, the user can manipulate the needles mid-flight, ensuring they find their mark.

Defensive Uses: The user can also create shields or swords, using needles to form a web-like structure of thread that blocks incoming attacks. Needles can also disarm opponents by targeting their weapons or controlling their limbs, making it harder for enemies to retaliate.

Tactical Uses: Needles can be used to stabilise ropes for abseiling, stitch up broken structures, fix broken buildings or stabilise bridges in an emergency.

2. Sew: This technique involves manipulating large quantities of thread to bind, subdue, or harm targets. The user can weave and manipulate threads in almost any environment—whether in the air, water, or solid ground—and use them to entangle or control opponents. With enough control, the user can manipulate threads to create clothing or equipment out of nothing, even adjusting their own garments to suit various needs. This ability is as creative as it is practical and can be used for a wide range of applications.

Offensive Uses: The user can conjure thick, sharp threads to slice through enemies, creating ribbons of deadly silk that can cut through flesh and bone. Alternatively, they can form spools of thread that tighten around enemies, squeezing them into submission or piercing their skin.

Defensive Uses: Threads can be used to bind attackers or shield allies. Users can also create large thread nets to slow opponents or trap them. In desperate times, the user could stitch up a torn sail or make an emergency parachute from their clothes.

Healing Uses: The thread can also stitch wounds or close injuries.

3. Seam (The Mindscape): The user has the power to pull the soul of a living being out of their body and sew it into a mental "seam"—a space where the soul can wander freely, but their physical body is left in a dreamlike, almost immobile state. While in this mindscape, the target's consciousness is free to roam, but their body remains comatose, trapped in a state where they are unaware of the passage of time.

Effect on Target: When a soul is sewn into the seam, the target's body becomes a puppet, barely alive and completely unaware of what’s happening around them. They can wander freely inside the mindscape, but they cannot control their physical body, which may be left defenceless in the outside world. Time seems to pass differently inside the seam, and a target can lose days, months, or even years while only moments pass outside.

Mindscape Reality: The mindscape can reflect the target's deepest fears, desires, or memories, often manipulating their perception of reality. This can create a disorienting environment where the target cannot tell what’s real and what is an illusion, effectively trapping them in a twisted version of their own mind.

Adverse Effects on the User: While powerful, the use of the Seam technique is taxing on the user. If the user does not manage their energy properly, there can be severe consequences. Prolonged usage can lead to excessive blood loss, typically through the hands—where the thread seems to extract life force—and chronic lightheadedness, causing the user to faint or collapse after extended use.

Permanent Effects: If the user keeps a soul inside the seam for too long without letting them return to their body, there is a risk of permanent damage to the victim’s mind, making them a mindless shell of their former self. Similarly, if the user remains in the seam for too long, they risk losing their own soul to the space, becoming trapped in a dreamlike state themselves.

4. Seam Ripper: A powerful counter-technique designed to protect the user’s consciousness from being influenced, infiltrated, or manipulated by external forces. Using the same fundamental principle as the Seam ability, which allows the user to trap souls and manipulate the mindscape, Seam Ripper acts as a mental defence mechanism, "cutting" away any attempts to tamper with or enter the user's mind.

Psychic Battles: In situations where the user is up against an enemy that manipulates minds, such as someone with telepathy or mind control, Seam Ripper is invaluable. It can break the opponent’s hold over the user’s body and mind, allowing the user to regain control and counterattack.

Countering Other Devil Fruits: Against Devil Fruits like the Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit) or Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit), Seam Ripper could be used as a defensive tool to sever any threads of control the enemy tries to establish over the user's mental state, preventing them from becoming disoriented or easily manipulated.

Protection for Allies: If the user is in a team fight, Seam Ripper can also be used to protect allies from mind control or illusions. By keeping their mind free of external influences, the user can focus on helping others without losing control over their own actions.

5. Interfacing: A complex defensive technique where the user manipulates large quantities of thread to weave a nearly invisible network of fine, bulletproof walls. These threads create a labyrinthine structure—an intricate maze—around the user or their allies, effectively confining enemies within a maze of unyielding walls. Each wall, while deceptively thin, can withstand bullets, blades, and even larger attacks, making them ideal for defence, trapping enemies, or controlling the flow of battle.

The technique's true strength lies in its versatility and ability to adapt to the environment. It can be deployed instantly, forming walls of thread that act as both a physical and mental barrier, disorienting opponents as they navigate the maze.

Trapping Enemies: Interfacing is an ideal technique for trapping large groups of enemies or powerful foes who rely on brute force or ranged attacks. It confines their movements and limits their ability to retaliate, while also providing the user with the ability to pick off enemies one at a time.

Control of the Battlefield: The labyrinth not only serves as a trap but as a tool for controlling the flow of battle. The user can close off certain paths, funnelling enemies into chokepoints or force them into confined spaces where they are at a disadvantage. It can also be used to protect allies, making it difficult for enemies to get to them.

Psychological Warfare: The maze is a tool for disorientation. Enemies trapped within it are often at a disadvantage as they struggle to navigate through the confusing structure. Over time, the maze can break the spirit of enemies, making them more susceptible to mistakes or surrender.

6: Binding: An advanced and highly dangerous technique that allows the user to pull memories from a person's mind and transform them into solid, real-world objects or events. When someone’s memory is extracted using the Seam or similar techniques, Binding solidifies the memory by "weaving" it into reality, making it materialize as though it had always existed.

This ability manipulates the very nature of a person's memories, turning the intangible (thoughts, recollections, or imagined scenarios) into something that can be interacted with physically. The user must be cautious, as these manifestations are not limited to harmless recreations—they can be objects, environments, or even people who appear precisely as they were in the person’s mind. Once bound, these memories can have an unpredictable impact on both the person who owns the memory and the world around them.

Trapping Enemies with Memories: The user can trap an enemy in a situation by binding a specific memory to reality. For instance, a traumatic memory can manifest as a real-world trap, forcing the enemy to relive their worst fear in physical form, distracting them long enough for an attack or escape.

Manipulating the Battlefield: Binding can be used to manipulate the environment around the user. A memory of a past battlefield, a familiar place, or even a natural disaster can be made real, distorting the surroundings to give the user an advantage or to confuse the enemy.

7: Stitch: This is the most dangerous and enigmatic ability of the Sew-Sew Fruit. It is an advanced and final step in manipulating memories. When used in tandem with Binding, Stitch takes the already manifested memory and secures it permanently in the physical world, making it an unalterable fixture of reality. Unlike Binding, which creates temporary, often unstable manifestations, Stitch locks the memory into existence, preventing it from fading, shifting, or dissipating.

Once a memory is "stitched" into reality, it becomes as permanent as any natural part of the world—whether it’s an object, an event, a place, or even a person. This technique allows the user to cement entire histories or scenarios into the present, permanently altering the world around them.

Creating Permanent Allies or Minions: If the user wishes, they can create a permanent army of memory-constructed figures or allies. Once these individuals are stitched into existence, they are real, living beings, albeit based on the memory from which they were drawn. This can be a powerful tool in battles that require long-term assistance.

Alterations to the Battlefield: Stitch can also be used to permanently alter the environment in the user's favour. A battlefield memory could be "stitched" into existence, creating an environment that traps or confuses enemies or provides a constant source of cover for the user’s team.

Weapon Creation: By extracting memories of powerful weapons or tools, the user can create permanent, reliable sources of combat strength. Once stitched into reality, these weapons would become unbreakable and always available.

Historical Manipulation: In larger-scale battles or political maneuvering, Stitch can alter the course of history by creating a permanent record of a particular event. For instance, the memory of a legendary battle or a famous leader could be made tangible, affecting the outcome of future events.

In essence, Stitch is the final, irreversible step in altering reality with the Sew-Sew Fruit. It allows the user to permanently cement a memory into the real world, creating a lasting change that cannot be undone. This powerful technique has the potential to reshape the world, but it comes with the risk of unintended consequences, personal trauma, and a heavy toll on the user’s energy and mind. It is a tool of immense power and responsibility, capable of creating eternal legacies or causing irreparable damage.

[plutosunshine]

Built-in Resistance: Life with Saturn Square Your Personal Planets

Saturn square Sun

Saturn is like that strict teacher who never smiles, always grades harshly, and thinks every lesson should come with a side of struggle. The Sun is you — your core, your identity, your ego, your light. When Saturn squares the Sun, it’s kind of like you’re trying to dance freely on stage while someone in the audience keeps shouting, “You call that dancing?!”

People with this aspect often grow up feeling like they have to earn their right to exist — like they’re only valuable if they’re responsible, useful, or constantly improving. There’s often some early-life dynamic where a parent or authority figure was extra hard on them. Encouragement might’ve been replaced with criticism or emotional coldness, which leads to this lifelong inner voice that goes, “You’re not enough. Try harder.”

Yeah. Ouch.

Saturn square Sun doesn’t hand out trophies for just showing up. But weirdly, that’s kind of its gift. You do become incredibly resilient. You do learn discipline. You do build self-respect — but the long, slow, Saturn-approved way. Not the “overnight success” route. You might feel like life delays your wins or makes you work harder than others for the same results, but when you finally do succeed, it’s solid. Nobody can take it from you because you’ve earned every inch of it.

It’s also the “late bloomer” aspect. Your glow-up isn’t rushed. You’re not peaking in high school or riding beginner’s luck. You’re becoming the kind of person who ages like fine wine — and yes, Saturn would absolutely approve of that metaphor. 🍷

The hard part? Self-doubt. Feeling blocked. Feeling like your own worst enemy. Like no matter what you do, there’s a wall. That’s Saturn. But Saturn is the planet of mastery, and squares are pushy — they push you to grow. So yeah, you might feel restricted early in life, but that pressure makes you strong, wise, and deeply self-aware. Eventually, people look at you and think, “Damn, how are they so calm and composed?” Meanwhile, you're like, “Because I’ve been through it.”

Bottom line: it’s tough, but it makes you tougher. Saturn square Sun doesn’t give you a free ride — it gives you the long road, with better scenery and stronger legs.

Saturn square Moon

Ahhh, Saturn square Moon — the emotional equivalent of trying to hug a cactus that keeps reminding you of your responsibilities. 🥲

So, picture this: your Moon is your emotions, your instinctive needs, how you seek comfort and nurture. It’s the soft, gooey center of your emotional world. Now enter Saturn, the planet of structure, responsibility, restriction, and sometimes the cosmic buzzkill at your emotional birthday party.

When these two square off, it often shows up as an inner tug-of-war between what you feel and what you should do. You might have grown up in an environment where expressing emotions wasn’t safe, welcomed, or even allowed. Maybe emotions were treated like weakness, or you had to "grow up fast" — emotionally or literally. So your inner child kind of got a memo that said, “Stuff those feelings down and get to work.”

The result? You may come off as super composed on the outside — calm, responsible, maybe even stoic. But inside, there can be deep emotional insecurity, a feeling that your needs are “too much,” or that if you do express vulnerability, people will reject or judge you. So, often, you don’t. Or you wait until it explodes, and then you’re like, “Wow, didn’t see that one coming”... even though you totally did.

One of the roughest parts? This aspect can create what I call emotional imposter syndrome — feeling like no matter how much you try to show up emotionally, it’s never enough… or maybe it’s too much, and either way, you just can't win.

And relationships? Whew. They can feel like walking a tightrope. You want connection (Moon), but you also fear vulnerability (Saturn). So sometimes you build walls instead of bridges. Or you attract emotionally distant partners, because that dynamic feels “normal.” But that’s just Saturn playing puppeteer until you call it out.

Now for the good news: Saturn square Moon people become some of the most emotionally mature, loyal, and grounded souls out there. You might not wear your heart on your sleeve, but when you love, it’s real, and it’s deep. With time, and yes — lots of self-work — you learn to mother yourself. You stop waiting for external permission to feel things. You start trusting that your needs matter, even if they weren’t validated growing up.

This is a slow-burn healing process. But if anyone can turn emotional lead into gold? It’s someone with this aspect. You’ve got that inner alchemist energy.

Saturn square Mercury

Oooh, Saturn square Mercury — now we’re talking about the mental pressure cooker of the zodiac. 🧠⏳

Mercury is all about communication, thought, curiosity, wit — it's your mental vibe, your inner narrator. Saturn? He’s the cosmic taskmaster with a clipboard and zero patience for fluff. So when they square off, it can feel like every word or thought has to go through airport-level security before it’s allowed out.

What’s it like to have this aspect? Well… imagine you’re trying to give a speech and there's a grumpy old professor in your head muttering, “That’s not smart enough. Say it better. Actually… maybe don’t say anything at all.”

This aspect can make you hyper self-critical when it comes to expressing yourself. People with this placement often second-guess what they say, how they say it, or even if they should say it at all. Sometimes there’s a fear of being misunderstood, or sounding “dumb,” or getting shut down — maybe because at some point in life, that actually happened. Cue the internalized “don’t speak unless it’s perfect” vibe.

And then there’s the tendency toward mental overwork. Like, your brain is always on, but it’s not chilling in a hammock — it’s climbing a mental mountain with a Saturn-branded backpack full of “What if I mess this up?” rocks.

This can make learning feel slow or frustrating early in life — but not because you're not intelligent (you are, in a deeply structured, analytical way). It’s just that Saturn doesn’t hand out lightbulb moments for free. He wants you to earn your wisdom. So while other people might grasp things quickly, you build your knowledge brick by brick — and by the end, your mental castle is solid AF.

People with this aspect tend to have a dry, sharp, understated sense of humor — think “sarcastic sage who’s seen some things.” They’re also fantastic editors, researchers, and strategists because their brains are naturally built for refinement. You might not speak first, but when you do? It’s thoughtful and real.

The flip side? Yeah, sometimes you can come across as blunt, overly serious, or even pessimistic. That’s Saturn’s shade. But as you grow, you learn to wield that seriousness like a sword — cutting through BS and fluff, and communicating with depth and purpose.

Eventually, Saturn stops whispering “You’re not smart enough,” and starts saying, “You’ve earned your voice.” That’s when things get powerful.

Saturn square Venus

Ahhh, Saturn square Venus — the classic “Why does love feel like a job interview I keep failing?” aspect. 💔📄

Let’s get real for a sec: Venus is your charm, your ability to connect, to love, to enjoy the sweet stuff — beauty, art, pleasure, relationships. It’s where we want things to feel easy. Then Saturn walks in like, “Easy? Not on my watch.”

When Saturn squares Venus, you end up with this inner tension between desire and deserving. You want love, connection, affection… but there’s this built-in brake system that says, “Not so fast.” Maybe you grew up learning that love had to be earned — with achievement, with behavior, with being better. So even as an adult, there’s often this invisible wall where intimacy should be.

And yes, that wall can wear different disguises:

Picking emotionally unavailable partners

Feeling like you're never "enough"

Struggling to receive love even when it's right there

Or being super hard on yourself about how you look or what you “bring to the table”

It’s like having a little Saturn on your shoulder whispering, “Sure, they say they like you, but do they really? Better not let your guard down just in case.”

Sound familiar? 😬

This aspect doesn’t mean you’re doomed in love, not even close. But it does mean that you may carry emotional scar tissue — patterns built on rejection, self-doubt, or fear of not measuring up. It often points to early life experiences where love felt conditional or inconsistent. So now, adult-you sometimes expects rejection even before it happens.

And the irony? People with Saturn-Venus squares are often incredibly loyal, loving, and dependable — once they feel safe. But that’s the keyword: safe. Trust takes time. Vulnerability takes effort. And affection? Sometimes it feels like a risk, not a reflex.

Money and self-worth are also wrapped up in this one. You might feel you have to hustle for security, or that pleasure must be earned, not simply enjoyed. Saturn isn’t exactly the “treat yourself” type.

But here’s the glow-up: Saturn-Venus folks age so well, emotionally and even physically. Why? Because with time, you learn how to build real love — love with boundaries, depth, commitment, and staying power. You stop chasing fairytales and start creating something more meaningful. Love that’s earned, but not forced. Love that’s built to last.

And when that wall comes down? What’s behind it is solid gold.

Saturn square Mars

Ah yes — Saturn square Mars, also known as: "Why does it feel like I’m driving with the gas and brake pedals pressed at the same time??" 🚗💥

Mars is your raw drive — action, passion, aggression, motivation. It’s how you chase what you want and defend what’s yours. Saturn, as always, is the planet of limits, rules, structure, and the dreaded delay. So when these two lock horns in a square, it can feel like you're constantly hitting resistance every time you try to move forward.

The vibe? Frustrated ambition. You’ve got fire (Mars), but Saturn throws cold water on it — not to kill it, but to teach you how to control it. But in the moment? It’s so annoying.

You might have felt early on that you had to fight for everything — attention, respect, even basic freedom. Maybe your willpower got shut down or punished growing up. So instead of being encouraged to go after what you want, you learned to hesitate, to second-guess, or to push so hard that you burned out. It’s like your inner rebel has a probation officer watching their every move.

People with this aspect often feel like they’re in a constant internal tug-of-war: “I want to do this… but what if I fail? What if I’m not good enough? What if I lose control?”

Here’s the thing though: this aspect creates grit. Pure, slow-baked, battle-tested determination. Saturn squares don’t hand you gifts — they hand you a toolset and make you build it yourself. With Saturn-Mars, you might feel like you’re always having to prove yourself — but guess what? You do. Over and over. And you get stronger each time.

This aspect can make you:

Hyper-disciplined (eventually — after you work through the rebellion or avoidance)

Physically enduring (if you learn to channel the tension into something like sports, martial arts, or intense physical work)

Strategically aggressive — you don’t waste energy on impulsive stuff. You move with precision.

But yeah, in the meantime? There’s anger. Sometimes buried deep, sometimes leaking out as passive-aggressiveness, sometimes erupting because you've been holding it all in. That’s Saturn saying, “Control it — don’t suppress it.” Mars needs movement. Saturn says “only if it’s worth it.”

The emotional lesson? Learning to be your own coach, not your own prison guard. You’ve got big energy — Mars knows what it wants. Saturn says, “Cool. Let’s make sure you do it right, even if it takes a while.” It’s a long game aspect, and people with this end up achieving some pretty epic things — but they rarely take shortcuts. Your growth comes through friction.

[velvetseahorse]

Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Bhadrapada, and Revati in music 𓃔𓃰

Uttara Phalguni and Uttara Bhadrapada share a significant connection to music, but they express it in distinctly different ways.

𓊬

Uttara Phalguni, known for its poetic and lyrical brilliance, often produces artists who excel in raw, soul-stirring lyricism and emotive vocals. This nakshatra thrives in the realm of storytelling through words, as seen in the work of artists like Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Lorde, Bruce Springsteen and Kurt Cobain. Their songs are narratives confessions and philosophies wrapped in music, each lyric a meditation into the depths of human experience.

𓁀

In contrast, Uttara Bhadrapada shines through vocal mastery and innovative soundscapes. Artists born under this star often possess a powerful, soulful voice one that can both soothe and shatter. Their music is a journey of layered emotions, combining profound depth with inventive arrangements. This is evident in the iconic voices of Lady Gaga, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Lykke Li, Chaka Khan, Ari Lennox, Halle Bailey, Joan Baez and Mariah Carey. For them, the voice is an instrument in itself, a vessel for emotion and artistry.

𓃔

Both nakshatras share a unique connection through their animal yoni, the Cow (Cow Yoni). Cows are known to respond positively to music, particularly jazz, which has a soothing effect due to its rhythmic, melodic frequencies—similar to the natural, calming cadence of a cow’s lowing. Studies have shown that slow, gentle music, like Indian instrumental pieces, can increase milk production and reduce stress in cows, while faster, louder genres like rock can have the opposite effect, increasing stress hormones.

This sensitivity to rhythm and harmony may explain why artists like Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse both tied to these nakshatras While Amy Winehouse has always been Jazz influence and Gaga have gravitated toward jazz at some point in her career. (Sidenote: Gaga reminds me of Uttara Bhadrapada ↑ Barbara Streisand in this video)

𓆟

I also want to mention revati, Revati is a nakshatra deeply connected to drums, percussion, and ethereal soundscapes. Artists born under Revati possess a unique gift for creating music that feels otherworldly, blending primal beats with futuristic tones to craft sonic experiences that transport listeners to dreamlike realms. Revati’s connection to drums is symbolic. Its rhythmic essence is reminiscent of modern drums. In ancient cultures, drums were the bearers of news used to announce important events or send messages, much like Morse code. This connection emphasizes that communication, in all its forms, is a core aspect of Revati. ( Source: The Book of Nakshatras by Prash Trivedi) Musically, Revati is a bridge between the ancient and the futuristic a hypnotic dance of rhythm and transcendence. Artists like Thom Yorke and Sade showcase this beautifully Yorke’s haunting, electronic landscapes and Sade’s smooth, transcendent melodies both channel Revati’s ethereal quality. Pharrell’s genre-blending production, Kelela’s shimmering, futuristic R&B, and N*co’s dreamy, avant-garde sound all reflect Revati’s ability to weave rhythmic magic. Even in Bladee’s cloud rap, where his dual influence of Revati and Uttara Bhadrapada merge, there is an airy, surreal quality that feels like drifting between heaven and earth. But Revati’s connection to drums goes beyond percussion it’s about creating an atmosphere, a sound that feels alive, pulsating, and transcendent. Whether it’s King Krule’s melancholic, poetic compositions or Arca’s boundary-pushing synth explorations.

While for Uttara Bhadrapada a nakshatra known for creating music that is haunting, ethereal, and deeply intimate. Artists born under Uttara Bhadrapada often venture into the surreal, the dark, and the sublime transforming their emotions into sounds that linger like a half-remembered dream. Grimes’ futuristic, synth-heavy soundscapes, with their blend of eerie and angelic tones, perfectly capture Uttara Bhadrapada’s ethereal essence. Billie Eilish’s sleepy vocals paired with haunting beats, and Soko’s raw, emotionally charged indie pop, are other clear examples of this nakshatra’s influence. Damon Albarn, known for his melancholy yet expansive sonic explorations (from Gorillaz to Blur), embodies the nakshatra’s ability to drift between genres and worlds. Similarly, artists like ABRA and Kilo Kish explore moody, genre-blending sounds that feel like secret conversations whispered in the dark.

[venusiastro]

Mercurians have an insatiable need to synthesize and create efficacy. Their greatest talent is creating a flow or harmony within chaos. Being the “middle” planet between terrestrial and ether, they are like natural bridges. Vessels almost, they can create true harmony and innovation within chaos. This can manifest as some form of mastery over a craft or art. Taking the most raw and unformed material (emotion, disarray, physical messes etc) and alchemizing it into a higher octave of refinement. Though venusians are also strong at expression in the arts, mercurials are masters at skill and dexterity. This natural inclination and talent can cause and stir jealousy and competition as it seems to effortlessly flow from them, their minds are very keen on finding the silver thread to create the best finality.

[venussaidso]

𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙝𝙖 & 𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙖 𝙋𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙜𝙪𝙣𝙞

Finally, Ketu x Venus serving through Hades and Persephone.

Fanart by momithastobeclever.

Persephone or Underworld feminine archetypes seem to be commonly played by Venus nakshatra natives.

Bharani Sun Rosario Dawson as Persephone.

Ketu's void is with Hades being the Lord of the Underworld — Ketu = poverty, detachment, hidden realms and darkness. So his appearance is dark and not abundant, he resides away from the land of the living, and his wealth is associated with hidden resources of the earth.

Technically, this is how the Ketu nakshatra-Venus nakshatra pairing conceptually looks like in this tale, with both nakshatra lords being combined with fire rashis. DeviantArt.

While Persephone is the Goddess of Spring — Venus = beauty, harmony, pleasure, and values. Hades' obsession with her is definitely due to their polarity. Magha and Purva Phalguni are yoni consorts, after all.

Magha Moon Cheyenne Jackson as Hades.

Hades is related to Wealth. This makes a solid connection to Magha nakshatra, as Magha's wealth is associated with the dead.

Purva Phalguni Sun & ASC Salma Hayek as an Underworld exotic dancer.

Purva Phalguni nakshatra is associated with pleasure, art, and romance. It is related to Bhaga, the god of marital bliss and prosperity, symbolizing the fulfillment of desires and the celebration of love, fruition, creativity etc. Blending so well with Persephone's purpose of being a goddess of flowers, vegetation and agriculture. In my Venus Dominant Themes post, I talked about Venusians finding themselves between crossroads, conceptually blending their beautifully harmonious nature with a violent or gothic side.

Persephone makes so much sense for Purva Phalguni as well, as this nakshatra is the final stage of creation. Magha nakshatra is related to the power of manifestation through detachment & other ascetic means.

Magha Moon Neville Goddard, the mystic writer who taught various self-help methods for testing his own claim that the human imagination is omnificent, therefore God. Coining the Law of Assumption and claiming himself a witness to his own manifesting powers.

Magha's relation with leaving the body associates to manifestation powers simply through the principle of detachment and accessing higher realms of consciousness. This idea of leaving the body is tied Ketu’s influence, which governs moksha (liberation), past life experiences, the ability to transcend the physical and to therefore master it (rather than getting caught up with it, as seen with Rahu's tendency to be immersed with Maya).

Mystic author & teacher, Magha Moon Lester Levenson. His Release Technique focuses on letting go of attachments to emotions and desires to clear the mind for effortless manifestation and mastery over the physical. He taught that by releasing egoistic attachments, one can access a state of pure being, allowing desires to manifest naturally.

Hades symbolically represents the power of manifestation, from themes of hidden wealth, transformation through detachment, and the unseen forces which shape reality.

Mula Sun Ralph Fiennes as Hades.

Mula nakshatra, through its natives, are often powerful agents of change. This is seen through Hades being a catalyst for Persephone's profound transformation from being the Goddess of Spring to the Queen of the Underworld. Mula nakshatra is ruled by Nirriti or Kali Ma, the goddess of dissolution and destruction. Persephone's identity essentially dissolves after he abducts her.

Marvel's Hela, portrayed by Ashwini Moons Cate Blanchett & Nika Futterman, is Ruler of the Underworld, just like Hades is in Greek Mythology.

Persephone symbolically represents the power of transformation between crossroads, the balance between light & dark, and cycles of renewal — serving as a bridge between the seen and unseen realms, as beautifully tied in Bharani nakshatra. Her myth embodies the themes of death & rebirth, and the integration of opposites, making her a symbol of absolute creation which complements Hades, who is impoverished in ways that she is abundant.

Bharani ASC Anya Taylor Joy as Sandie, a beautiful aspiring singer, who gets trafficked into an Underworld of sorts, very akin to the kidnapping of Persephone.

So the union of Magha and Purva Phalguni ultimately serves as a complete royal experience, as Magha is the throne & of hidden wealth and Purva Phalguni is the bed of pleasures & creation. Persephone becomes Queen of the Underworld beside her dark King.

Pinterest.

(more fictional Venus-Ketu pairs calling to these themes.)

[garagepaperback]

What are your favorite drarry fics?

oh. ooooooooooooh oh oh.

here are my staples:

draco, the magic dragon - libbydrew a fic i first read on livejournal (showing off the varnish of my casket here) that i thought about regularly for the almost two decades i fell out of fandom. canon to me tbh. libby invented my draco rubric: proud lil showboat even when everything around him has gone to rancid shit, sarcastic and aloof personality as a poor facade to distract from the big ol' gaping well of hurt.

Potter took a great breath, then let it out slowly – a low whistle between his teeth. "Malfoy, I had no idea. I thought—" "Why are you here?" Draco cut him off before the idiot embarrassed them both. Their shared past was water under the bridge – even if Draco had drowned in it.

nightingale - michi_the_killer

another back-in-my-day fav, even though i can only stand to read half of it. actually even thinking about it is making me stare off in a distance for upwards of three minutes. this one i would hand off wrapped in about a million miles of caution tape. + also a huge fan of michi's gory veela fic.

It was better than fighting, Harry thought, although sometimes he still wanted to rip into Malfoy, to hurt him. Other days, he thought, it was better than anything.

rookie moves - peu_a_peu

what can i say that hasn't already been said - peu is a MASTER. if you somehow know who i am but haven't read this, reassess your life choices through professional means but not until after you dive in.

“Feels kinda big,” Malfoy said, smirking. “For a guy your height.” “My height is average,” Harry said, although he was undeniably glaring upward at Malfoy’s face when they stood so close together. “And it is kinda big.”

stately homes of wiltshire - waspabi another one that crept into my heart and made a home. hard to choose between this and waspabi's other drarry fic, but there's something about the decrepit manor that just does it for me. a perfect harry and draco, perfect soft reaching towards each other.

Draco smiled and dragged Potter from the shop before he could charm any more elderly ladies with his unkept, take-care-of-me-I’m-confused-and-have-nice-shoulders aesthetic. Once outside in the drizzle, he realised he still had his hand around Potter’s forearm. He yanked his hand back immediately.

i wake up falling - warmfoothills

warmfoothills :,) just reading this moniker makes me vision go soft around the edges. their writing has made me out loud, quietly say "oh," multiple times. the prose is darling, this story is such a brief, aching glance. it was also really hard to pick just one (flashback, warm nights i also go in for).

“I love you,” he says, unable to stop himself. Draco blinks, a barely-there flinch, like Harry’s taken a swing at him. “I know,” he says, still oblivious to the reference, oblivious to the way his words scoop right into the meat of Harry’s stupid, hopeful heart. “It’s not enough, is it?” Draco shakes his head. Above, the stars watch unfeelingly on.

the pure and simple truth - lettered no one does dialogue with the mastery lettered does. my GOD. my god. i feel like this fic is drarry perfectly distilled.

“What’s he going to be?” Blaise raised a brow. “Pardon?” “You said he says Hermione should be Minister, and all those other things. What does Malfoy think he should be?” There was something much like pity in Blaise’s eyes. “He thinks he should never, ever be forgiven for the things he’s done.” Harry felt ill. “That’s not fair.” “When has Draco ever been fair?” “I meant―” Harry swallowed hard. “That’s not right.” Blaise looked more pitying still. “When has Draco ever been right?”

far from the tree - aideomai

the writer i avoid talking about the most bc once i start i cannot physically restrain myself from going on about their beauty forever. i sat for forty-five solid minutes frowning, trying to choose between this one and in the hand. and dwelling. okay anyway. i keep a doc of quotes from fics that resonate and it's 50% aideomai.

Draco wondered what Potter thought of this day, in the future the twins came from. If he had told Ginny about it. If he had forgotten it. He couldn’t forget it, could he? It felt burned into Draco’s body already, a final point that he had been moving toward for years without knowing.

i could go on but i think seven is a nice solid number tyvm for this ask!

[loredrinker]

The Inquisitor - The Thread and Key - and Something Else?

A thread runs from Inquisition to Veilguard that makes it hard to believe the Inquisitor walked away from the Anchor unchanged. The evidence suggests a transformation - not just symbolic or emotional, but something metaphysical. Possibly even physiological.

One of the clearest insights into the nature of the Anchor comes during Here Lies the Abyss, from the Justinia spirit/entity: “It is the needle that passes through the Veil, as little else can. You are the thread. And it is the key that locks or unlocks a door to the Fade. It lets you walk in the Fade physically and survive. Without it, Corypheus must find another way to the Black City. It is part of you now, and cannot be removed without your death.”

There are some interesting implications here. The Inquisitor doesn’t just use the Anchor - they are the thread. And threads don’t just pass through - they bind, they weave, implying the Inquisitor is stitched into the Veil itself.

But it’s the spirit’s warning that carries the most interest for me: “It is part of you now, and cannot be removed without your death.” This reads as though the Anchor is too woven into the Inquisitor's being to be severed without fatal consequences. According to this denizen of the Fade, the removal should be impossible.

And while it’s not framed as a prophecy in the traditional sense, the spirit’s words seem to carry truth as only a being of the Fade can speak it. It's a statement of what is - yet, what is doesn't come to pass.

Because the Inquisitor does live after its removal. 

That act of Solas removing the Anchor points to an extraordinary understanding and mastery of magic. If the Inquisitor is the thread, then Solas would have had to have found a way to unstitch and restitch them back together.

Which leads to a lingering question: How has this affected the Inquisitor?

The Thread in Veilguard

In Veilguard, the “thread and key” metaphor returns - but now it’s a statuette, not the Anchor.

When Harding asks where they found it, the Inquisitor responds: “I found it right around the time Solas’ ritual failed, when he was pulled into the Fade. We’ve examined the magic. And it’s tied to the Veil. To him. Somehow.”

That “somehow” feels like something is still there. The Anchor is gone, but how do they know the tie is there? Is the Inquisitor still threaded into the Veil - still connected to the Fade?

And the statuette is significant. No matter how many of them Rook finds, the sequence can’t be completed without the Inquisitor’s, implying they are still the thread that completes the weave, the key that opens the door to Solas.

Morrigan says, “The Inquisitor brought something no one else could.” And it’s not just that they had the final piece - it’s that no one else could have had it. The magic inside it feels personal, like it’s bound to something only the Inquisitor possesses. Maybe it’s the lingering imprint of the Anchor.

Solas’ Unique Magic

Morrigan says: “Solas is ancient, and his magic is part of him in a way far beyond that of mortals.” Solas doesn’t wield magic like a mortal mage. He is magic.

The Anchor was born of Solas’ magic - so when his Orb exploded and marked the Inquisitor, like the statuette infused with his essence, the Anchor forged a connection between Solas and the Inquisitor. Which means the Inquisitor potentially carries a trace of Solas' essence.

Which brings us back to the wolf statuette - why was it meant for the Inquisitor? Perhaps it was reacting to that lingering essence of Solas. Drawn to it. Resonating with it.

The Inquisitor - the Key to Solas

Throughout the games and extended stories, the Inquisitor is consistently positioned as the thread and key - bridging Southern and Northern Thedas, the Fade and the waking world, Solas and those who are looking for him.

And that may not be purely symbolic. The Inquisitor carried the Anchor, manipulated the Fade, physically walked through it more than once, and survived an act that should have killed them. They now stand apart from ordinary mortal experience - threaded into the Fade, impacted by ancient magic. Perhaps even transformed into something new - a liminal being. That may be why a romanced Lavellan shows no fear in following Solas into the Fade at the end: they alone are equipped - physically, metaphysically - to walk that path beside him.

It’s narratively fitting, then, that their story with Solas begins in front of a tear in the Veil, where he says, “It seems you hold the key to our salvation.” Everything that follows gives the line a deeper, almost prophetic meaning because by the end of Veilguard, they stand before another rift. And while this time it's Solas who closes the rift - the Inquisitor’s presence remains essential.

Without the Inquisitor, you can’t access Solas’ regrets. You can’t uncover what haunts him. You can’t walk the path to gain Mythal’s essence - and without Mythal’s essence you can’t unlock the final choice: atonement. The game makes it clear - Solas’ path to redemption is unlocked through the Inquisitor.

He said they were the key.

And they were.

[estrellogy]

My First Astro Note 🤍

Natal Chart

- MC is who you want to become in relation to others’ recognition and approval. NN is who your soul wants to be independent of others. In spiritual terms, it can be outer manifestations versus inner knowing.

- MC is what you bring into the physical world. It is the bridge between heaven and earth, the material and non-material. That’s why it’s often associated with career and public image. Self-mastery and reaching your full potential.

- NN is where your soul will learn to recognize itself the most:

For example, NN in 8th house will learn about itself the most through surrendering to another. To share instead of possess. To dissolve the self into someone else and realize the oneness of everything.

NN in 2nd house may learn about itself through possessing and then letting go. To achieve and then realize that nothing is permanent. All one ever possesses is who they are at the core.

———————————————————————————

- When evaluating attractiveness, I often look to the 2nd house more than the first. The first is super important of course! But the 2nd house is like the accessories and adornments. The first house is the base outfit and the 2nd is all the extra details that make the first house stand out even more.

Maybe it’s my Virgo Venus or something, but beauty to me lies in the details. Memorable beauty is not always in your face. It’s subtle and it makes you wonder about it. That’s why the deeper layer of the 2nd house can be so indicative of charm that goes beyond the physical.

With that being said, I think Venus and Pluto in 2nd house are often found in very attractive people, even when they’re not conventionally good-looking.

Venus in 2nd house is enchanting, really. They are sensual and deeply connected to their physical body and senses. They enhance whatever experience you’re having. If you’re eating a meal, they know what to add to bring out the flavors even more. They know what fragrance to use for what purpose. They just understand how things visually work together. And their voice is sweet and coy and irresistible. They weave themselves into your senses to the point where you begin to think about them whenever you experience pleasure.

Pluto in 2nd is magnetic. It is the hidden charge in someone’s energy that you can’t physically pinpoint. It is in their voice, the slight strain that makes you wonder what they’re holding back. It’s the slight force of power wanting to dominate. It is the subtle, Taurus-infused energy of elegance and authority. Being around them make you want to submit without them needing to exert power or control. You just want to because they seem so solid and stable. But it’s Pluto so they’re also destructive and dangerous. But human nature always seems to yearn for what is dark and painful but pleasurable.

[reborn-readings]

What does your voice need from you at this moment?

Tip Jar | Masterlist | Personal Readings

Hello hello! Back with a new Pick a Pile, the second one in my 'needs from you' series, this time focused on steps you can take to heal your voice 💙

This is a group reading, so take what resonates and leave the rest. Don't force anything if it does not fit. Remember that the future is not set in stone and that other potential paths exist depending on your movement through the course of time.

Pile 1 (Left)

King of Pentacles | The Lovers | Eight of Coins – Ganesha | Rx Nine of Pentacles | Ace of Autumn | Citrine – Abundance | Power | Wisdom – Asking Questions 

This is an odd pile to start out with in the context of this being a spread about your voice. In this spread, I see you doing more than telling or saying. I see you as someone with a mastery over money, a willingness to train and grow, maybe to the point of your own detriment, and someone with a lot of impact and opportunity. But what I don’t see is recognition. 

In traditional Ride-Waite-Smith tarot, the journey of the pentacles is not complete until we recognize and enjoy the fruits of our labor and pass them on to the people we love. I see some blocked energy when it comes to this. The cycle is not complete without play and recognition. You are a very hard worker, but you are not being recognized for it. 

Is there a person in your life who’s driving you away from your due reward? If so, you should look deeply at your relationship with this person. They may not be doing this on purpose, but it is starting to wear you out. You are a powerful person, and they know it, so maybe it’s difficult to be frank and honest with them when it comes across as intimidating to them. But your voice wants you to know that you are sacrificing it to keep the peace. It wants you to ask earnest questions, to seek to connect, to understand and be understood at an even pace. You will not have the answer to every question, and you will learn to live with that, but right now, questions and answers are the bridges that you build using your voice to access a better life. 

Other messages - New opportunities abound, though you may not see them yet. Take a break. Gather your inner strength. If there’s someone you trust to mediate, pull them in. You are guarded. You are secure. Trust me. 

Symbols - The four elements. White dragon. Lemons. Spiting your face for others. Sitting on a couch at night. Overextended favors.

Pile 2 (Middle)

Nine of Wands | Rx Strength | Five of Coins – Lucifer | Ten of Cups | Six of Summer | Clear Quartz – Peace | Friendship | Grief – Accepting Loss 

My friend, Pile 2, I could feel the lump in your throat from the moment I drew the first card. Life is heavy right now. Not just heavy with grief or sorrow, but also heavy with joy. Does that make sense? There is so…much...going on right now. There are areas of your life where you feel exuberant, euphoric, absolutely bursting with joy, as if you’re a child frolicking through a field of flowers, barreling through the woods in full summer foliage. There are other parts of you that are choked with grief, areas of your life that perhaps you miss, what feels like holes in you from past events. You don’t feel like you’re strong enough to contain all of this, am I right? 

I ask you this: why do humans have strength? Why can we hold only so much? Why can we lift some burdens and not others? Why, after carrying what was easy for a long time, does it suddenly become difficult? Whatever the answer may be, burdens are meant to eventually be set aside, though it may feel heartbreaking to let go. And your voice is a wonderful conduit to take what you carry inside you and set it down in the outside world, whether that be in the ears of others or muffled into your pillow at night. 

Your voice wants you to let the waters loose. It may feel overwhelming, like a flood, at first, but soon, with proper care given to your voice, it will feel like a babbling brook snaking its way through you, carrying out what no longer helps you. The only way to get rid of the dirty water is to let the faucet go for a bit. This will help you feel better, let you think more clearly, and ease the burdens in your heart. 

Don’t be afraid to be still for a while. Don’t get so caught up in life that you miss what it feels like to become relieved and at peace. Those are experiences just like everything else. Strive for balance, but don’t strive too hard. Pay attention to your emotions and your expression and, over time, they will lead you along the right way. 

Other messages - Keep friends who care for you close and let other relationships go. In stillness the answer will be revealed. Major FOMO vibes – enjoy what you can in the moment. 

Symbols - Pale snow. Watercolor. A basket full of something that you’d carry in a grocery store? Going out with your friends. Magic show.

Pile 3 (Right)

Nine of Cups | Queen of Wands | Nurturer of Coins – Khem/Min/Khemnu | King of Swords | Four of Autumn | Red Aventurine – Journey | Faith | The General of Knowledge 

I have to say, Pile 3, in all my years of tarot, I’ve never pulled a spread and so quickly went ‘Wow. This person really has their life together!’ I get ‘cool’ vibes from you. The kind of person always showing up in daring but trendsetting outfits, never afraid to speak their minds, someone who people naturally gravitate toward even if they’re too cool to be seen hanging out with any old Joe off the street. 

Yet I can tell that you feel like something is missing, and I can tell you what it is. You’re smart as a whip and about as gentle as one too, someone who knows how to make their way through life in a calm and clean manner, and someone who knows how to be hot and passionate when it’s called for, but there’s a distinct lack of fulfillment in the emotional department. You are a fortress standing tall on a hill, but when you look down and see the trees bunched up together to make a forest, you wonder if maybe you’re doing something wrong by being solitary. If you already have it made, are you missing out on the pleasure of making? 

Of course, it might feel awful to think about showing this to anyone. It would tarnish your shine. And you don’t know if you could ever work your way back from that. But there is a transformative power in you. You can take any shape you please and guide others to be the best that they can be as well. You just have to have faith in yourself. 

Your voice is the tool you can use to help others. And when you help others, you earn their respect and they will help you in turn. Everybody loves a role model, a helper, but they also love to be useful in return. If you open yourself up to the people knocking on the door of your soul, you will find a menagerie of polite houseguests who can help you find that missing piece. 

Telling the truth doesn’t always mean sitting down and making a big show of it. Sometimes it can be something quiet and intimate, a true, one=on-one connection that fulfills you. I see you forging some genuine and mutually beneficial contacts with others. You, despite and because of your talent, are a part of the world. Come live in it! 

Other messages - Find a balance. Spirit is guiding you. Look for the most obvious solution.  

Symbols - Hands in the mud. A distinctive stud earring. Gentleness. Cherry. A thick coat. Many, many animals showing up—swan, butterfly, seabirds, big and small cats, farm animals. Something having to do with heat and hoarding.

If this was helpful, please consider donating and/or getting a personal reading💙

Dividers by @/saradika-graphics

[coquelicoq]

every scene in this episode shows natsume's growth. right at the beginning, he asks shigeru to teach him how to make a flowerbed - no longer is he going to the library for books because he can't let himself trust anyone enough to ask for help. he agrees to help the youkai but asserts his boundaries consistently. he doesn't hide what's happening from tanuma. he's making peace with his memories, building a bridge between his past and his future. he trusts now that he has a future. he smiles fakely exactly zero times the entire episode. i'm so impressed with midorikawa's mastery in portraying slow character growth over time. all of this feels earned and 1000% more emotionally resonant because it follows from and builds on everything that came before. it coheres.

[beckyninja]

Trust

Pairing: Roboute Guilliman x FemReader

Warnings: some suggestive content; implied torture

Description: This is a direct sequel to At First Sight. Guilliman and his intended break the news to their entourages and face the first test of their relationship.

His calloused hands move over your body, mapping each curve and divot. You feel the heat of them, the strength of them. They could hurt you, you know. They could tear you apart with so little effort. But they won’t. You know they won’t.

He whispers your name. You’ve never heard it spoken that way before. Like he’s drinking in each syllable and is awed by the taste. You whisper his in return.

“Roboute…”

He takes your mouth again and you melt further into his arms. He encompasses you. Overwhelms you. Drowns you in his presence. 

By the Light and the Void, you sink willingly.

But then he pulls back. 

You feel his massive chest heaving against you, hear his breath coming in great gasps. When he speaks, it sounds as if he is trying to hold back an avalanche with will alone.

“I… I must stop.” 

***

“My Lady?”

The voice ripped you from your reverie. You jerked upright, blinking. Before you, the great view port stretched to the ceiling, what was usually a view of endless starfield now taken up by the bulk of The Macragge’s Honor. The Ultramarine flagship, at least the size of your homeworld’s capital city, flew alongside and dwarfed your own ship.

It should have been an intimidating sight. Instead, you found the brutal and beautiful lines of the behemoth comforting. Your betrothed was there. 

Betrothed.

You bit your lip and tried to hold back a delighted laugh. 

Are you thinking of me right now, Roboute? 

An impatient sigh reminded you of your company. You composed your face into a pleasant mask and turned to face the frowning attendant. She bobbed a half-hearted curtsy.

“Captain Takahashi, her officers, and Her Grace’s diplomats are assembled, my Lady. As you requested.”

You took a deep breath and rose from the cushioned window seat. “Thank you, Nita. I will be along shortly.”

The woman barely tried to hide her scoff, bobbed another perfunctory curtsy, and scurried off without waiting to be dismissed. You sighed. You’d done all you could to endear yourself to the attendants Grandmother provided. And still they treated you like some provincial hick fresh from the high country.

Which I suppose I was not too long ago. 

Oh well. You’d grown used to their slights. They didn’t sting as much as they used to.

Holding your head high, you left the Observation Deck and headed toward the Bridge. Time to deliver the news.

Void only knows how it will be received.

***

“I… I must stop.”

He forces the words through gritted teeth. Every primal instinct he thought himself above roars in protest. They rage against his better judgment, urging him to dominate, to ravish. You’re warm and willing. Your very scent cries out to him. You want this as much as he does.

When he pulls away and you whine in confused protest, his will nearly crumbles. 

“Oh My Hearts,” he groans, “do not tempt me.”

“Roboute?” Your soft hand slides along his jaw. “Why…?”

He closes his eyes and fights to master these foreign desires. “I will not dishonor you like this. You deserve better.” When he finally feels he has mastery again, he looks at you. “You will be Lady of Ultramar, my wife. I will not treat you like a mere mistress.” 

You are silent for a moment, then, “I understand.”

Taking your hand in his, he presses another kiss to your palm. “Forgive me my rashness.”

“There is nothing to forgive, Roboute.” Your smile lights the dim room. “You’re a good man.”

If you had reached into his chest and plucked out both his hearts, Guilliman assumes he would feel much the same as he does now. Throne! His adoration is painful in its intensity.

“Sleep well, my Love. Fear nothing, and know that I am near.”

***

Roboute Guilliman was never more grateful for his skill at multitasking. His stylus flew over the parchments and data-slates before him with unerring focus, part of his mind steadily solving the unending problems of Imperial government one by one. As usual. 

He trusted his face remained set in its usual mask. No one near could possibly guess at the turmoil beneath.

You. You. Youyouyouyou….

Your scent. The floral, herbal fragrance you favored, mixed with something he could only describe as fresh. Like the mountain air of Macragge. 

Your touch. Cool in comparison to his and impossibly soft. 

Your taste… the sounds you made….

Throne damn it all!

The stylus in his hand snapped in two. He growled and leaned back in his chair, dragging a hand across his face. For the thousandth time that day, his eyes went to the view port, and the sleek ship that floated beyond. 

He understood your need to address your crew and fellow diplomats. His rational mind did, anyway. Every other part of him chafed at the thought that you were no longer in reach. You were so fragile, and this universe so capricious.

Whatever chance granted him this bit of solace could snatch it away just as easily. His chest constricted at the thought. He needed you close. On his ship. In his arms. In his bed.

No, damn it! 

There were rules, in both your culture and his. Rules that needed to be followed. He would not permit you to begin your life at his side under a cloud of scandal. Throne knew acclimating would be hard enough without that. Besides, he wanted to court you, like the lady you were.

His impromptu proposal would already raise eyebrows. He frowned. You needed a proper ring. He’d have to see to that-

“My Lord.”

Sicarius marched into his office, sabatons striking the floor with slightly more force than usual. Guilliman could read the displeasure on the Commander’s face as he stiffly saluted.

“Are they all assembled?”

“Yes, my Lord. The Victrix Guard, the Ultramarine Captains in attendance, all the most senior baseline officers and officials, and the Mechanicus ArchMagi. As you ordered.”

“The Astropaths are prepared to transmit?”

“They are, my Lord.” Sicarius hesitated a moment. “Forgive me, Lord Guilliman, but, may I speak freely?”

Here it comes. Guilliman sighed.

“Speak.”

“I do not understand your reasoning behind this decision, my Lord.”

Not for the first time, Guilliman regretted the Commander’s presence that fateful night. Hiding anything from Astartes’ ears was nigh impossible, and he remembered well the look of utter horror on the Commander’s face when he’d exited your quarters.

Guilliman stood and made his way toward the door. “I shall make my reasoning clear during the official announcement, Sicarius.”

I doubt you would understand even if I explained it to you. I doubt any of your brothers will either.

Somehow, that saddened him.

***

“In conclusion, Lord Guilliman has made me an offer of marriage, and I have accepted.”

As you expected, your announcement is met by stunned silence, followed by a flurry of hysteria from the other diplomats.

“What?!”

“This is not what was planned!”

“What would Her Grace, your grandmother, say?”

“Have you lost what little mind you ever possessed?!”

You winced at the last outburst, coming from Lord O’Rourke. The stout career politician was the senior diplomat in this delegation, though your superior rank placed you in the position of Ambassador. 

A fact he’d never forgiven you for.

You watched his face turn from its usual red to a truly alarming shade of purple. He lurched toward you and you had to fight the urge to shy away.

He can’t hurt me here. Not in front of everyone.

O’Rourke halted just a few feet in front of you. You could see, and smell, the sweat dripping from his face. He jabbed a finger at you.

“Foolish, brainless, naive little girl!” Spittle flew from his lips. “Get back over there and tell that barbarian warlord you’ve come to your senses and refuse his disgusting impertinence!”

Your eyes narrowed at the insult. He’d been singing a different tune when he’d actually met the Primarch, cringing and quivering on his knees.

“I’m afraid it’s far too late for that, O’Rourke. As we speak, Lord Guilliman is delivering the message to his staff, and then on to the wider Imperium. What’s done is done.” Indignation emboldened you. “And I, for one, am glad of it.”

The stinging slap caught you by surprise. A few of those present gasped, more smirked, as you stumbled back.

“Selfish bastard bitch!” O’Rourke snarled. “Have you any idea what you’ve done? You’ve sold your people into slavery because you couldn’t keep your legs close-”

“That will be quite enough, my Lord.” Captain Takahashi’s quiet command cut through the politician’s rant.

He whirled on her. “This is my delegation! You cannot tell me-”

“This is the Lady Heir’s delegation.” The Captain approached from her position by the helm.  “But you stand on the Bridge of my ship.” She stood a good two feet shorter than the politician, but commanded far greater respect. “And I will not tolerate such undisciplined behavior. Will you, my Lady?”

The Captain sent you a meaningful glance. You swallowed tears of pain and shame.

“I-I will not. L-Lord O’Rourke, please remove yourself from my presence until you have r-regained your composure.” 

Void! Why can’t I stop my voice from shaking?

O’Rourke looked as if he was about to argue, when a motion from the Captain brought two men-at-arms to your side, hands on their weapons. The politician seethed and stormed off the bridge, followed by the rest of the diplomats. They did not bother waiting for your dismissal.

You let loose a long, unsteady breath. “Thank you, Captain.”

She nodded. “I know my duty, Lady Heir. Even if some have forgotten theirs.” A brief pause. “Would you do me the honor of joining me in my stateroom?”

You managed a smile and followed her off the bridge. Once inside the rather spartan stateroom, the Captain pulled a chair and motioned for you to sit. She then called a steward, who vanished into a sideroom before re-emerging with an ice pack and a flask.

“For your face.” The Captain handed you the icepack. “And for your spirit.” She handed you the flask.

“Thank you.”

You pressed the pack to your aching cheek, but did not drink from the flask.

“You’ve always been kind to me, Captain.” The stoic woman bowed her head in acknowledgement. “I would know your thoughts on this matter, if I may.”

A long silence. The Captain seemed to stare off into the distance before speaking.

“In my time in your presence, I have come to know you as a conscientious young woman. You care for our people, and would never take a course of action that would harm them.”

You warmed under the rare praise.

“In fact, I believe you would sacrifice both your dignity and your honor if you believed it necessary. You have been taught to do so.”

Your eyes widened. “This isn’t like that, Captain!”

“Is it not?”

You set the ice pack on the table. Your mind spun with a thousand different arguments and rationalizations. Finally, you settled on the simplest.

“I love him.”

Her expression didn’t change. “But do you trust him, Lady Heir?”

A bucket of ice water dashed over your head would have felt much the same. “I….”

By the Light and the Void, do I? Or am I being played for a fool yet again?

You finally chose to take a swig from the silver flask. The liquor burned its way down your throat, but failed to supply the courage you sought.

“Captain, I…I don’t-”

“Captain!”

A naval officer burst into the stateroom, eyes wild. “Someone has armed the nuclear arsenal!”

Captain Takahashi was on her feet in the blink of an eye. “Shut down the firing systems, immediately!”

“We’ve tried, Ma’am. We’ve been locked out of the computer!” He swallowed. “They’re aiming at the Imperial flagship.”

Roboute. 

You felt your heart still. “Light help us.”

***

Guilliman stood in his massive audience chamber. The vaulted ceilings, great pillars, and vast murals of Ultramarine triumphs never failed to awaken mixed feelings of pride and melancholy in him. But today, today he allowed himself to feel just a sliver of joy as well.

He knew few enough in the multitude shared the sentiment.

Shock seemed to be the prevailing emotion, followed closely by confusion, especially among his sons. At least they didn’t all express the same blatant disdain as Sicarius. He hoped some of them would eventually come to appreciate your presence. Part of him wished Calgar were aboard, just to see his reaction.

The baseline officials traded glances and whispers amongst themselves. They all knew of your existence, of course. But relatively few had ever come into contact with you. This news must seem to come out of nowhere to them.

Only the Mechanicum Magi had no response at all. Guilliman could imagine them wondering why he’d interrupted their work for such a trivial announcement.

He found himself oddly disappointed.

Then he noticed the serfs.

They moved among and on the edges of the crowd, unnoticed by nearly all. But his Primarch’s eyes caught the smiles beneath their hooded robes.

It seems some did share his joy after all. The thought lifted his hearts.

He turned to Sicarius. “See that the Astropaths transmit this message not only to Holy Terra, but to the Captains of the Companies as well.”

Sicarius nodded, but did not leave immediately. “My Lord, what if this is all some sort of trap?”

A few eyes glanced their way and Guilliman growled. “Lower your voice, Commander.”

He did, but did not stop speaking. “I do not know how this… female has ensnared you, my Lord. But have you considered that she could be some sort of psyker? How do we even know her people possess any useful technology? Perhaps this is all an elaborate ploy to get you to lower your-”

“Enough!” Guilliman winced as his retort echoed throughout the chamber.

He retreated to his office. Sicarius followed, silent but obviously displeased. Once inside, Guilliman whirled on him.

“Commander, I understand your concerns, but if you ever, ever question my judgment in front of such a multitude again, I will see you demoted and dishonored. Do you understand?” 

Sicarius went rigid. “Yes, my Lord.”

Guilliman closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “Do you think I have not considered each and every one of the things you named? I have. And I have discarded them all.”

The Commander’s facial muscles twitched in such a way that Guilliman knew he was struggling to remain silent.

Guilliman turned away.

How can I explain this in a way you could understand, Cato? How can I say that I truly do not care if her world is of value to the Imperium or not? As long as I have her.

He remembered the look in your eyes when you accepted his proposal. The love he saw there. He knew what betrayal looked like. Few knew it better. 

You would never do that to me.

Alarms blared. A mechanical voice screeched through both his and Sicarius’s personal vox-casters: “FOREIGN WEAPONS SYSTEMS’ ACTIVATION DETECTED. ALL HANDS TO STARBOARD BATTLE STATIONS.”

Sicarius leapt into action. “My Lord! We must get you to the armoring room!”

But Guilliman broke away and strode to his view port. Your ship slid into view, small and silvery and somehow more aggressive than it had been just hours before. He saw portals, like mocking mouths, opening  all along the side facing The Macragge’s Honor. Missile ports.

“My Lord!” Sicarius bellowed.

The mechanical voice screeched again. “COUNTERMEASURES READY. AWAITING ORDER TO FIRE.”

Behind him, he heard Sicarius activate his vox. “This is Cato Sicarius, Commander of the Victrix Guard, I hereby give the order to-”

“Wait.”

Sicarius’s voice rose into octaves not usually attained by an Astartes. “My Lord?!”

Guilliman ignored him, eyes fixed on your ship. In a mere millisecond to the average human, his mind raced through every possible option. His flagship could atomize your’s without even putting a dent in its munitions stock. Your crew knew they had no chance. That left malfunction as a possibility.

Or suicide. Your ship had been allowed closer to The Macragge’s Honor than any non-Imperial ship in millenia. This could be some desperate, sacrificial attempt at assassination. Sicarius’ words, dismissed moments before, now gnawed at him.

Had that been your plan all along?

“Lord Guilliman!” Sicarius all but screamed.

He did not speak, eyes still fixed on the open missile ports. He should give the order. But something… something held him back. 

“INCOMING MESSAGE FROM FOREIGN VESSEL.”

He let out the breath he’d been holding. “Patch it through to my personal vox.”

Behind him, he sensed Sicarius was nearing an apoplectic fit.

“Roboute?”

Your voice, thin and staticky from a barely compatible communications system. But still your voice.

He activated his vox and spoke your name.

***

You gasped in relief at the sound of your name over the transmitter. “Roboute! Don’t fire. There was a mutiny among several of my delegation. They hijacked one of the firing systems.” You knew you were babbling, but couldn’t stop yourself. “We managed to stop them just in time and things are back under control. Don’t fire!”

Tears filled your eyes. You couldn’t decide if they came from the stress of the last few minutes, or the idea that your love might think you’d betrayed him.

“Please don’t fire. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I-I would never….” Your throat nearly closed. 

Beside you, one of the naval officers reported. “Their weapons’ systems are still active, Captain.”

Captain Takahashi’s face, blackened from weapons’ fire, was grim. She motioned to another officer.

“How quickly can we cloak?”

The officer just shook his head.

You swallowed. It was all up to you.

Do I trust him? Does he trust me?

“Roboute, please.”

You felt a strange sense of calm as the realization you’d done all you could came over you. Now it was up to him.

The officer next to you suddenly laughed. “They’re powering down!”

The transmitter cracked to life. “Are you well?”

Tears fell. You replayed the last few minutes over in your mind. Chasing after the Captain and her men-at-arms as they rushed to the Fire Control Center. You hadn’t known what else to do, and waiting seemed unbearable. 

There you’d found the door held by Lord O’Rourke’s personal guard. Shouts. Screams. Smoke in the air. Someone had shoved you to the floor. You remember wishing you had a rifle.

In seconds that seemed like hours, your group had forced their way past the door, and found O’Rourke poised to fire the missiles.

He’d looked so proud. “I do this for our people, and by the command of the rightful heir-”

 Light and Void, had you really thrown yourself at him? At that moment, you hadn’t thought of the alliance, shattered before it had a chance to begin. You hadn’t thought of the hundreds of innocents who would die. You hadn’t even thought of your own life.

You’d thought of impossibly blue eyes, looking at you like no one had ever looked at you before.

When you awoke moments later, ribs aching from where you’d been thrown against the computer bank, all you could think about was getting to the nearest transmitter.

“Yes, Roboute, I am well.”

The next hours passed in a blur. Roboute insisted you return to his flagship, and Captain Takahashi had agreed. She couldn’t know who else among her crew might be plotting mutiny. But she did have one thing to say when she met the Primarch in the docking bay.

“Nothing will stop me from launching every bit of ordinance I have at your ship, if the Lady Heir comes to harm under your care.”

The Ultramarines had stiffened, but Roboute only nodded. “If I allow harm to befall her, I will lower our shields myself.”

Then he’d swept you into his arms. You snuggled against him as he carried you through the halls of his ship, ignoring the glances from those you passed. 

“Where are you taking me?

“I have had new quarters prepared for you, adjacent to my own.” He smiled wryly down at you. “I am not letting you out of my sight again. Not, at least, until we reach your homeworld.”

You stiffened. “You’re taking me home?”

“Of course. How else will I officially ask for your hand?”

You pressed your face into his chest, not wanting him to see the dismay that flitted across it. Home held fewer happy memories than he thought. Still….

You trusted Roboute Guilliman to keep you safe.

***

Guilliman made sure you were tucked safely in bed, a medica on hand and one of his Victrix Guard stationed by the door, before he made his way back to the docking bay. Commander Sicarius and a rather plain-looking baseline man fell into step behind him. 

The warmth and comfort of your presence faded with each thunderous step, changing into cold rage.

A tiny woman met him outside of a shuttle similar to the one in which you’d first arrived. He nodded to her.

“Captain Takahashi.”

He saw her shiver slightly at the expression on his face, though she quickly regained her composure. “Lord Guilliman.”

He glanced toward the shuttle. “My thanks for bringing me what I asked for. I sincerely hope you will not be reprimanded by your superiors.”

“I would endure any level of reprimand necessary for this. Besides,” her dark eyes glittered coldly, “prisoners are often ‘shot while trying to escape’.”

She snapped an order into her comm-link and the ramp of the shuttle opened. There was a muffled shriek as a bound and gagged figure tumbled down and into the docking bay. He’d been stripped to his underclothes, and his skin already bore numerous mottled bruises.

The Captain eyed him. “The Lady Heir managed to land a few good hits before he threw her off.”

Guilliman felt a surge of pride. “She is stronger than she looks.”

“In more ways than one.” The Captain saluted. “My Lord, I leave you with your baggage. I trust you’ll share whatever information he divulges. I am most interested in whoever gave him his orders.”

“As am I.”

The Captain strode up the ramp without a second glance at the bound man, even when he whimpered something that sounded like her name. A second later the ramp closed, and the shuttle departed.

Guilliman walked slowly toward the man, stretching to his full, armored height and never breaking eye contact. The pathetic figure immediately soiled himself. 

“Interrogator,” Guilliman motioned to the unassuming baseline, “how long before you extract every secret this insect has to give?”

The man cocked his head, the implants where his eyes used to be whirring, “Oh, an hour at most, my Lord. Faster, if you don’t mind more… extensive damage.”

“Proceed.”

“And when I am finished, my Lord? What shall I do with what remains?”

Guilliman stared down, unblinking, at the screaming form of Lord O’Rourke, the man who’d come so close to extinguishing one of the only lights in his life.

“The lower decks are always in need of more servitors.”

@remembrancer-of-heresy @solspina @sleepyfan-blog @moodymisty @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

@bispecsual @kit-williams @cosmic-cryptid-from-beyond @adhd-fandom-hyperfocus @lemon-russ

@justeverythingnothingelse @scriberye @bleedingichorhearts @c-u-c-koo-4-40k @mooniequeen

@passionofthesith @noncon-photobomb @sinistermojo @b-rabbitboss

[urfavfrenchgrl]

private lesson

Mattheo Riddle x F!Reader ᥫ᭡ words: 1.7k ᥫ᭡ warnings: 18+ | SMUT | MDNI | fingerfucking, penetration ᥫ᭡ summary: he gives you a private lesson but you provoke him

You were alone in the Arithmancy classroom with Mattheo, time slipping away as he guided you through a private lesson.

The intricate equations and symbols scattered across the parchment seemed trivial compared to the tension simmering between you. Seated casually against your desk, arms folded, Mattheo wore a sly smile that revealed more than words ever could. His gaze was unwavering, intense, and you felt it—felt the magnetic pull of his desire, impossible to ignore. Every brush of your fingers, each accidental touch as you examined a page together, only thickened the air between you.

You bit your lip, fighting to contain the tide of emotions rising within you. This session had drifted far from academia. It was a dance, sensual and charged, with neither of you ready to let it end.

"Mattheo?" you ventured, breaking the silence that had enveloped him.

"Hmm? Yeah?" He leaned in, his focus suddenly sharp and attentive.

“I finished it,” you announced, holding out the parchment with a confidence that felt foreign, as his eyes scrutinized your work with his usual precision.

After a brief silence, he looked up. “Not bad…”

“Not bad?” you feigned offense, a playful light in your eyes. “I got it right!”

He chuckled, tapping your forehead. “After five lessons on the same topic…”

You rolled your eyes, feigning exasperation. You’d finally cracked his challenging exercise, and you wanted some acknowledgment—some reward.

“Think I’ve earned a little something for my efforts?” you asked, a hint of mischief in your voice.

But he ignored you, his smirk only deepening.

"Let’s move on to the number three," he said, his voice now professional, as though he hadn’t caught your drift. “Do you know what it represents in Arithmancy?”

You sighed, sinking back onto the desk, folding your arms.

He didn’t miss your frustration but seemed unfazed, continuing without missing a beat. “The number three carries layers of meaning. In the magical realm, it’s revered, symbolizing power and mystique, deeply tied to the essence of magic itself. For instance, spells often need three elements to reach their full strength: the word, the wand, and the will.”

Bored with studying, you reached up, loosening your hair, letting it fall past your shoulders as you parted your legs just slightly, catching his gaze.

For a moment, he faltered, eyes flicking over you before refocusing, pretending not to notice. “Three also represents balance and harmony. It’s essential in potions, in rituals, as it brings equilibrium among elements. It’s often seen as a progression—beginning, middle, end—a journey towards self-mastery.”

His words faded to background noise as your gaze dropped to his lips, entranced by the way they moved.

“Don’t you think it’s warm in here?” you asked, voice laced with fake innocence as you slowly undid the top button of your shirt. His breath hitched, eyes widening slightly before he closed them, letting out a long sigh as he loosened his tie, clearly struggling.

"We’ll do an exercise," he said finally, a taunting smile curving his lips as he looked at you.

Then he moved closer, bridging the distance, his hands resting with dangerous ease on your bare thighs. His touch sent a shiver down your spine, but you kept your composure, a smirk gracing your own lips.

You bit your lip, meeting his gaze. "What kind of exercise… Professor?" you asked in a sultry voice, voice thick with challenge.

His fingers traced a slow, deliberate path up your thigh, slipping beneath your skirt to the edge of your underwear, his touch a delicious torment. He slid over the thin fabric of your underwear, pressing gently against your wetness, sending a shiver through both of you. The feeling made his breath hitch, excitement building as he bit down on his lip, his gaze darkening with impatience. His fingers lingered there, teasing, savoring the warmth radiating from you even through the fabric, every touch heavy with restrained desire.

“There’s much more to know about the number three,” he murmured, his voice husky.

With a deliberate slowness, Mattheo pushed your underwear aside, his finger tracing over your slickness, savoring the warmth that met his touch. He paused there for a moment, watching the way your body responded, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Then, without warning, he slipped a finger into your heat, the sudden sensation pulling a sharp gasp from you, your body instinctively arching toward him.

His movements were slow, almost teasing at first, as if he were savoring every reaction you gave him. His gaze remained steady, nearly cold, a stark contrast to the fire his touch ignited in you. “See?” he murmured, voice soft yet commanding. “One finger works—effective,” He watched as you squirmed beneath him, his words only heightening the intensity as he continued his steady rhythm, each thrust calculated and precise.

“Oh Merlin, Mattheo…” you breathed, your hands gripping his shoulders as his pace quickened, the growing friction making it impossible to keep quiet. Your breaths came faster, each one a testament to the fire spreading through you.

After a moment, his lips curved into a wicked smile. Without a word, he added a second finger, stretching you further. “Two… much better, isn’t it?” he whispered in your ear, his voice a low rasp that sent a shiver down your spine. He kept his face close, so you could feel every breath as he continued his rhythm, his fingers working you with increasing intensity.

A low moan escaped you, your head tilting back as his fingers pushed deeper, every movement fanning the heat building within you. The pleasure was mounting, a slow burn turning into something unstoppable.

“Fuck-” you gasped, barely able to form words as his fingers moved with an ease that left you breathless, every stroke pushing you closer to the edge.

A dark glint flashed in his eyes, the corner of his mouth lifting in a triumphant smirk. "But the number three," he murmured, his tone laced with a smooth, sinful pleasure, "that never fails." Without breaking rhythm, he added a third finger, stretching you carefully, perfectly, until a wave of pleasure overtook you.

You whimpered, your body tightening around him, every nerve alight as he continued his relentless pace. Your muscles clenched as you trembled under his touch, utterly at his mercy as he showed you exactly what the number three could do.

His fingers glided over the delicate fabric of your underwear, pressing down firmly, teasingly, against your wetness. The warmth radiating from you fueled his desire, his breath catching as he felt your need through the thin material. He bit down on his lip, struggling to maintain control, each slow stroke only intensifying his impatience. Without warning, he pressed his fingers deeper, harder, his rhythm syncing with the rapid beat of your heart.

You could feel yourself unraveling, the tension building as his fingers worked expertly, and your walls began to soften and weaken, giving in to him completely. Your quiet whimpers filled the silent room, until, finally, you couldn’t hold back any longer. A loud moan escaped you as you came undone, your body surrendering in waves of pleasure around his fingers.

He withdrew his hand slowly, his fingers coated in your essence, and a cocky smirk played on his lips. "Now you see?" he murmured, his voice rough with need.

Breathless, you nodded, the exhaustion heavy in your limbs as you tried to steady your breathing. But before you could fully recover, he gripped your hips and lifted you from the desk, his eyes dark with intent.

“Now that we’re done with the lesson…” he growled, turning you around and pressing your front against the desk, his hand on the back of your head, urging you down until your breasts met the cool wood with a soft slap.

In one swift motion, he slid your damp underwear down your legs, holding you firmly in place. You heard the soft clinking of his belt, followed by the unmistakable sound of him unfastening it. Your pulse quickened—you couldn’t wait any longer; you needed him now.

He teased your entrance with his hardened tip, earning a breathless moan from you as the anticipation grew unbearable.

“Here’s a new lesson Professor Riddle is going to teach you…” he growled, his hips snapping forward as he thrust into you, pulling a gasp from your lips. His pace was slow at first, but the intensity of his movements made you clutch the edge of the desk as he filled you completely, his body molding perfectly to yours.

With each thrust, he went deeper, rougher, his hand sliding down to your hip, steadying you as he quickened the rhythm. A loud slap against your skin echoed through the room, a sharp reminder of his control.

“Never tease me while I’m teaching you something important,” he warned, his voice a cool contrast to the fierce pace of his movements. His grip on your neck held you in place, and with his other hand, he found your clit, rubbing in slow, deliberate circles that sent shockwaves through your body.

"Do you hear me, Y/N?" His voice was cold, holding none of the usual warmth, a testament to the punishment he was inflicting for your earlier teasing.

“Yes-” you managed to gasp, your voice breaking into a moan as he spanked you again, the sting sending a thrill down your spine.

“Yes what?” he demanded, landing another smack on your skin, each impact sending sparks through you.

“Yes, Professor…” you whimpered, your legs trembling, barely able to support you under the weight of his relentless thrusts.

Slowing his rhythm, he pulled out just enough to give you a brief reprieve, leaving you breathless and aching before slamming back into you, making you cry out in pleasure as he filled you once again.

“Good fucking girl.” he murmured, his voice filled with smug satisfaction, reveling in the way you fell apart again beneath him.

[inkie-does-whump]

any word on lab au skizzy?

Content warning: drugs (tranquilizers)

Skizz is unique as the only subject to have escaped the lab (only to be recaptured a few months later)

He was first brought into the lab alongside his best friend Impulse during the start of the 3L SMP (Scientific Mastery Project). They both adjusted relatively well, distracting themselves from their own stress by focusing on helping the other subjects.

Both Skizz and Impulse are almost solely rented by religious or cultish groups because of their demonic and angelic lineage. For the same reason, they are also often in "meetings" with the Watchers to draw blood. They are no stranger to feeling dizzy from blood loss.

During the LL SMP, someone started a fire in the lab. The whole building was consumed in golden flames. The Watchers tried to quickly round everyone up without letting anyone escape by tranquilizing them and physically carrying them into the transportation vehicles one by one.

Skizz was in the practice room at the time. He and Pearl were the last ones left in the room, and the area was quickly filling with smoke. Tongues of fire reached up to the ceiling, which ached and creaked from the strain of the heat.

Soon the building began to collapse. The roof caved into the room. Skizz shielded Pearl from the crash with his wings.

She could see the sky, framed between the crackling fire and Skizz's wings around her. He followed her gaze and knew she was thinking about it too.

He could go.

He could.

There is nothing stopping him from flying through the gap in the ceiling and escaping.

Nothing stopping him except the way Pearl's head is tilted up towards that taste of freedom, her face pale in the glow of his halo.

Nothing except that longing in her eyes.

And he can't hear anything over the raging fire, so he doesn't notice the Watchers come back in the room. He doesn't notice anything until Pearl goes suddenly limp in his arms, tranquilizer stuck in her.

And he has only a couple moments to make a decision.

He considers it the worst decision of his life.

Because he leaves her there, for the Watchers to take away. And he flies.

The Watchers do save her from the flames. They take her back to where the other subjects are kept, all sleepy and drugged as they wait to be moved to the new location. Because of Skizz, Pearl is taken to the next lab and her torment continues.

Skizz doesn't stop flying. He goes as far and as fast as he can. He flies until he collapses from exhaustion, and crawls into a little nook under a highway bridge to sleep.

And when he wakes up, he flies again.

Skizz isn't stupid. He knows the collar stuck around his neck contains a tracker. And he knows he can't get it off on his own, he's tried enough times while he was at the lab.

So his top priority is to find a locksmith.

Eventually the collar is removed and Skizz spends several months keeping his face and wings covered, anything identifiable. He doesn't want to be found by the Watchers again.

But the guilt is eating away at him. He knows what is happening to his friends in the lab, while he is safe and escaped. He knows he could have saved Pearl if he had just chosen to fly sooner. He could have carried her. He could have.

So Skizz doesn't stay away.

How could he?