#and how the development of money and the development of the idea of money expanded offerings

[chaoticwriting]

Part 1

Gotham New Rogue 2

It's been a few weeks since Danny started to become the Trickster. To be honest, it is working very well. His core is expanding fast as ectoplasm is regenerating faster than ever before. He is also slowly developing new abilities and gaining more control and powers to his already established abilities.

For instance, Danny used to struggle making clones, but now he can easily create dozens of them with just a thought. He can also change his clothes to whatever he imagines using ectoplasm now. His ice power is also stronger and easier to control. His superhuman body is developing and slowly getting stronger and faster.

Overall, Danny will say that make a smart decision to become a rogue especially since no one has caught him yet. Danny is currently laying on top of a building watching the sun slowly set in the horizon. His stomach suddenly grumbles and he decides to hit the shack before he gets to "work" tonight.

Jumping off the roof, Danny lands and walks to the nearest Batburger while still wearing his rogue suit. He has a totally funny idea today and it involves him being seen in public. Entering the Batburger is like entering a library for some reason. As soon as he enters, everyone goes deathly quiet.

Danny slowly walks towards the cashier and orders his food.

Danny: 5 sets of set C please.

Cashier: Ermm, that will be 60 bucks.

Danny: Here.

After paying for the food, Danny gets his food and sits at one of the tables alone. It's only after he is through his 3rd set that reality is set in for the people. They begin to move and contrary to Danny's expectations, approach him to ask for pictures. Danny allows them some pictures and unknowingly raises his status as Gotham's friendliest rogue.

Suddenly, a white man that screams rich guy, a woman with blonde hair and a black guy wearing Signal's merch approach him. Danny has learned a lot of things from his 14 years of life and 2 years of half life and Danny knows when a rich guy approaches you, it's never good (Sam doesn't have the rich vibe).

Rich guy: Hello Trickster! May we have a meal with you?

Danny: Sure.

Rich guy: Ah, how rude of me. My name is Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne. These two are my friends, Stephanie Brown and Duke Thomas. You can call me Tim by the way.

Danny: Sure, Tim.

They sit opposite him with their meals and try to make small talks with him while eating. The trio realize that Danny seems to respond a lot better when Steph or Duke is the one to ask the question.

Steph: So, Trickster. Why don't you like my friend here?

Duke: Way to go in being subtle, Steph. Why not ask who is he really next?

Steph: Hey, I can't help it you know. He seems so snarky whenever Tim asks questions. I wanna know if Tim pissed him off or something.

Danny: He is rich, right?

Duke: Err, yes?

Steph: Let's say he is. Why does that matter?

Danny: I hate rich people. And government. But who doesn't hate the government?

Duke: So, eat the rich?

Danny: Yes.

Steph: Cool cool. We are also here just so we could leech him off anyway. We're not really friends.

Tim: Ow, you hurt me by saying that. What happened to our vow of eternal friendships?

Steph: I cross my fingers.

Duke: I lie.

Danny: Hahahaha. You're like my friends.

Tim: You have friends?

Danny: Of course I have friends. And unlike you I don't need money to have friends.

Tim: Sorry sorry. Are your friends also rouges?

Danny: Wouldn't you like to know? Last I need is Batman investigating my friends. I'm sure Batman is part of you rich people group chat or something.

Steph and Duke: *Snickers*

Tim: *Glares at the two* Why would you think Batman is in contact with the rich people?

Danny: Isn't it obvious? Batman has all these high tech gadgets and is always there fast whenever a Wayne is kidnapped. I would even say Batman is being sponsored by the Wayne.

Danny: I also don't like most heroes in general. They are just the government lapdog doing whatever the government wants.

Tim, Steph and Duke frowned at that statement. From the way Danny speaks, it is clear that he has some history against the government. Him being here also means he is at least confident enough to run away if any of the bats are here. Is it just blind confidence or a truly competent ability will remain to be seen.

Tim is just about to refute him when Danny suddenly stands up. All of them tensed up and ready for battle when Danny turns towards one side of the window, waves and disappears right in front of them. They are very confused and when they turn towards the direction Danny was just looking at, they see Batman and Black Bat right on the rooftop across the building.

Batman and Tim nod to each other and they all return to the caves.

-Batcave-

Tim: So you all hear the conversation right?

Dick: Except at the end where the sound becomes blurred for a moment, we hear everything.

Tim: Good. So what are your thoughts on this?

Damian: It is pretty self explanatory Drake. He has a personal hatred towards the government and that extends to all bodies of government or people he thought is connected to the government.

Tim: But why though? Is the hatred towards the government something as simple because he is a criminal? Or is there something else towards it?

Bruce: There is nothing to find about him currently with our limited resources about him. Return to the manor for today and take some rest. We will investigate it later.

All of them return to the manor and rest for the night.

-2 weeks later-

The Trickster is standing in front of an unconscious and tied up Batman. He is giggling loudly that evolves into full blown laughter.

He takes off Batman's belt and starts to pull out stuff one after another. Soon, he found the item that he needed.

Trickster: Hahahahahahaha. I have finally got it. The strongest weapon in the world!

The batfam that is watching the live broadcast shiver as they watch Trickster holds out the black object high in the sky.

Part 3

[astrologydray]

Ruler of the 2nd through the houses

when you track the ruler of the 2nd house through the houses, you’re looking at how you make money, where your values lie, what you prioritize, and what brings you a sense of security and self-worth.

1st House 🏡:

I am the resource.

Your body, presence, or identity is a source of value. You might attract wealth through personal branding, entrepreneurship, or just being YOU. Confidence = currency. You naturally radiate value, but must learn to own it.

2nd House 🏡:

Born to build.

This is a powerful placement for money, stability, and long-term growth. You naturally know how to build wealth and manage your resources. You’re probably very grounded and value quality over quantity. Shadow side hoarding, fear of change, or stubbornness.

3rd House 🏡:

Money through the mind.

Your voice, ideas, or communication skills are your goldmine. You might make money through writing, teaching, media, or even tech. You value curiosity, mental stimulation, and versatility. Prone to having scattered energy or difficulty monetizing ideas. Your Strength = quick thinking, adaptability, networking = resource magnet.

4th House 🏡:

Home is the foundation of wealth.

You could inherit money, make money through property, or work from home. Emotional security and family support directly affect your money flow. Your values are deeply rooted in your upbringing.

5th House 🏡:

Creative currency.

You attract money through self-expression, creativity, pleasure, or even romance. Think artists, performers, designers — or people who monetize their passions. You value joy, fun, and being seen. Shadow side here = risky money behavior; tying worth to external validation.

6th House 🏡:

Work = worth.

You build wealth slowly and steadily through dedicated effort, skill development, and service. You might work in healing, wellness, administration, or service industries. You value discipline and reliability. Overworking or tying self-worth to productivity may be a problem for you. Relax and give urself grace.

7th House 🏡:

Money through others.

Your values and income may come through partnerships, collaborations, or clients. Business and romantic relationships affect your money deeply. You value harmony, balance, and reciprocity. Be careful of falling into financial dependency or people-pleasing around money.

8th House 🏡:

The wealth alchemist.

You’re drawn to shared resources, investments, and transformative wealth. You might make money through occult work, finance, psychology, or sex-related fields. Power, trust, and depth play a big role in your money story.

9th House 🏡:

Expand to receive.

You attract abundance through travel, teaching, spirituality, law, or publishing. You value freedom, knowledge, and growth. Belief systems around wealth are HUGE here — mindset is everything.

10th House 🏡:

Public success = personal wealth.

You may gain money and security through career, status, or reputation. You value ambition, recognition, and doing something that matters. This placement often pushes you toward visible leadership or high positions.

11th House 🏡:

Money through the collective.

You earn through networks, innovation, tech, or social causes. Think online businesses, group work, or digital platforms. You value progress, originality, and future-oriented thinking. Be careful of being overreliance on external validation or digital platforms. Your unique ideas, group alignment, big-picture wealth building is where it’s at.

12th House 🏡:

Mystical money flow.

This is the most non-linear placement. You may make money through spiritual work, healing, art, or behind-the-scenes roles. Money may come and go mysteriously, and your values are more ethereal than material.

[moonastro]

Juno persona chart

jupiter in the houses

what is a juno persona chart? looking into juno persona chart gives more detailed insight of how the relationship and marriage overall of you and your spouse will be like. it also describes them in a sense as well. The Greek Goddess Juno is described to rule over love and marriage and hence why the asteroid is looked into for that theme.

jupiter represents luck, it expands anything it touches and gives prosperity in that area. in the juno persona chart, jupiter signifies the luck the couple has within the marriage, what possible expansions marriage life of the couple receives and what possibly wisdom the couple takes.

reminder: this is my interpretation from observations and first hand experiences, so don't take this to heart.

**reminder no.2 that this can be used for signs as well, so for example if jupiter is in aries in 6th house, make sure to check out jupiter in 1st house also as it may resonate.

jupiter in 1st house: marriage may be full of quick decisions, not waiting around brings luck to the couple. acting right away is the way to go for this placement. the couple may find luck in cars, perhaps you always have access to transport, have access to cars, may even own lots of cars or some sort of quick transport. marriage may bring growth to developing how to cope with anger or short temper, this placement may bring expansion to have healthy coping mechanisms when it comes to short temper or raising voice. marriage may bless the individual with courage to show the real them for example showing off their real style, personality, likes and interests etc. these individuals may have a very nice and luxurious (a grand) home after marriage, exterior of home may look big and expensive so this may be an indication of having a big house after marriage. jupiter here may brings lots of movement to the individual after marriage, their life may liven up a bit and there may be lots of movement during marriage. life can be full of life, full of passion, desire and motivation so a sense of fulfilment may occur and make the individual feel alive.

spouse may have natal jupiter in aries, 1st house, fire sign or fire house.

jupiter in 2nd house: marriage may bring luck to resources, money, materialistic things and ones value. the couple may receive lots of gifts from other people, not cheap also, this placement just attracts gifts and luxury. also expect people offering you to go out for dinner or lunch after marriage, this brings expansion in areas of socialising and allowing oneself to destress and rewind. marriage can be full of relaxation, after marriage the native can have luck in having s stress free mind or a less one. jupiter here may bring growth to having patience with one another, adapting to foreign environments and finding comfort in anywhere one may go. marriage may bring luck in artistic fields related to the voice, the arts, dancing, cooking, food related and beauty related. this placement may have luck in those themes and may have a business or open up a store related to these themes.

spouse may have natal jupiter in taurus, 2nd house, earth sign or earth house.

jupiter in 3rd house: marriage may bring luck in communication, writing, expression of oneself and getting to the point. this placement bring expansion to speaking so couple much talk things out even if they are the tiniest of little misconceptions they should be sorted out rough communication. i feel like this placement also gives luck in education, so this placement go back to school, college or university after marriage or they decide to study something they have been interested in after marriage. marriage may bring this placement extreme motivation and inspiration from their partner so they may want to complete everything at once as ideas keep coming and coming. this placement may find lessons to do with trust and talking behind each others backs, also learning how to stay within each others energy levels and keeping up with each other ideas and supporting each other in that sense.

spouse may have natal jupiter in gemini, 3rd house, air sign or air house.

jupiter in 4th house: marriage may bring luck in family relations. perhaps getting closer to family through marriage, visiting family more often after marriage, spending more time with the mother especially after marriage. this is also an indication of having luck in having a family of your own, so having kids may bring more luck in that field. having a comfortable home of your own will expand your luck, being comfortable in your own home is very important for example, having every detail of the house according to the way that makes you feel warm and cosy can make a different in your growth as a person. this placement is spiritually gifted with their intuition and learning to believe in themselves. Jupiter here has a lesson to never diss oneself and always believe in your abilities after marriage. through marriage connecting with ones ancestors may bring great fortune also.

spouse may have natal jupiter in cancer, 4th house, water sign or water house.

jupiter in 5th house: the couple may have luck in children. this placement really enhances the amount of children the couple may have, so most likely people with this placement have lots of children. also the couple may find happiness and expansion with children, perhaps it helps with their mental health, their spiritual journey, their mindset and their luck in general. also this placement may find growth in their confidence may grow in confidence and have their own way. also this placement most likely will be quite well known whether its within the community, neighbouring, worldwide etc. This placement finds growth in their ego, so usually after marriage their views of life and their mindset may drrastically change for the better especially after having kids.

spouse may have natal jupiter in leo, 5th house, fire sign or fire house.

jupiter in 6th house: marriage may bring luck to health and fitness. this placement may have fortune in their health for example getting more fitter by going to gym, eating more healthy, changing unhealthy life style, changing up their routine for the better after marriage. the couple may find expansion in the field of taking care of something, perhaps taking care of each other, taking care of pets, taking care of friends, taking care of grand-parents and so forth, however, that will bring luck. jupiter here may bring lessons it terms of criticality, judgement, lack of mentality and perfectionism after marriage. jupiter here brings luck in routine, their day-to-day life may be lucky for example someone with this placement may just get opportunities when going to the store or finding a valuable item while walking a dog and so forth.

spouse may have natal jupiter in virgo, 6th house, earth sign or earth house.

jupiter in 7th house: marriage may be favourable in having good relations to each others grandparents. this placement may experience lots of luck in law situations such as legal matters related to the government and documents. the couple may never be involved in problems related to the law or always have luck in that field. marriage may bring luck to connections and relations in general, you may have more ease connecting with other people, you may get on with people more easily. this may work to this placements favour as it can expand the amount of opportunities one can receive, getting more compliments, being liked by people you thought disliked you and so forth.

spouse may have natal jupiter in libra, 7th house, air sign or air house.

jupiter in 8th house: couple may have luck in keeping secrets, what i mean by that is they keep things private very well so that comes to an advantage to them because it shocks the people around them and question things like 'since when??' or 'whatt?' that sort of vibe. this placement keeps people wondering, guessing and interested in your marriage and this placement never gives them the satisfaction. this protects the couples privacy and protects their energy also. this protects the couple from negative energy which protects their luck. this is a very powerful placement to have since this expands the spiritual bond between he couple also. strategizing goals and researching and just planning in general may bring luck to this placement for example, planning outings, shopping, researching contracts and the background of the contract before signing, researching what holiday you'll be travelling to and so forth.

spouse may have natal jupiter in scorpio, 8th house, water sign or water house.

jupiter in 9th house: this placement brings luck to those who travel abroad, living outside of the environment that they grew up in will bring growth and extreme luck. another thing is that the couple may find luck in being enthusiastic and charismatic, also making jokes and taking things with a grain of salt, not over exaggerating stuff will be favourable for this placement. also marriage may be full of discovery, always learning, always exploring. being in a good relationship with parent-in-law brings luck to the marriage so being in good terms with spouses parents may be very favourable for this placement and may bring lots of opportunities related to travel, fulfilment, study and spiritual growth. another thing with this placement is that jupiter being in its home house, this is very expanding and broadening in terms of their conscious mind, jupiter can guide the couple in marriage and incline their mental and astral growth. basically, marriage is spiritually guided by the higher energies, marriage was meant to happen in order for this placement to achieve and complete their mission of this physical realm.

spouse may have natal jupiter in sagittarius, 9th house, fire sign or fire house.

jupiter in 10th house: marriage may bring luck in image of this placement. the couple may find luck in their career, may get promotions, upgrades, bonuses, movement to higher position etc etc. jupiter here gives luck in other peoples view about you, the vast majority of people may have a different perception of you in a good way after marriage. also marriage may bring reputation to your image that expands your opportunities and respect from other people. also people may find you more serious after marriage. an honourable thing to keep in mind with this placement is that over a certain period of time, jupiter brings severe luck through hard work and determination for this placement during marriage, marriage may strengthen and jupiter offers its full expansion later in life in this marriage. this is also an indication of a very long lasting marriage, even a marriage that last until old age.

spouse may have natal jupiter in capricorn, 10th house, earth sign or earth house.

jupiter in 11th house: marriage may find luck in social gatherings, groups and outings. couple may face extreme luck on social media and technology, for example may have a successful social media platform or have extreme luck with technology, long-lasting, fast running and so forth. marriage may expand social groups also, this placement may find more accepting and understanding friends after marriage especially. may also find their true friend group after marriage. this placement may also experience growth in expressing themselves the way its most authentically true to themselves and being comfortable about it after marriage. this is also a placement that brings unplanned events and turns it into the most luckiest thing ever, this placement may find the most luck through spontaneous events, events that happen through spite for example getting calls from an old friend to go to a café the next day, that day turns out to be one of the best, or another example may be getting invited to an important event having only a short period of time of notice, when arriving at event you see people that are well known and receiving offers from them and so on.

spouse may have natal jupiter in aquarius, 11th house, air sign or air house.

jupiter in 12th house: this placement may have luck in spirituality, the couple may be spiritually guided by the universe and have luck overseas. for example when travelling pay just have the best luck ever and may feel complete when travelling long distances in general. this placement often brings luck when it comes to sleeping, for example you may be guided when in bed with your partner if that makes ant sense, like you may feel better you may sleep better and you may even dream better. marriage may bring luck in artistic areas of life for example having luck in being an artist, singer, model, teacher, poet, also tarot reader. this placement may get oversea recognition in these artistic areas. marriage may expand the mind to prioritise mindfulness in order to not fall into dangerous addiction tendencies so it is very important to find peace and a healthy coping mechanism through spirituality.

spouse may have natal jupiter in pisces, in 12th house, water sign or water house.

thanks so much for reading, have a nice day ahead!🌛⭐🌼

[kleopatra45]

Saturn in the Signs [Solar Return]

Aries

Direct: When Saturn is direct in Aries during your solar return, you’ll feel a surge of motivation to assert your independence. This year is about taking bold steps, starting new initiatives, and embracing your leadership potential. You’ll learn to channel your energy constructively, tackling challenges head-on. It’s a time to define your goals and pursue them with confidence. You may find yourself stepping into new roles where you can shine and show what you’re capable of achieving. Use this direct energy to propel yourself forward and cultivate a strong sense of self.

Retrograde: In retrograde, Saturn in Aries prompts you to reflect on your assertiveness and independence. You may face self-doubt or past challenges related to taking initiative. This is a time to reassess how you approach your goals and whether you’re truly following your path. Old patterns of impatience or impulsiveness may resurface, urging you to dig deep and make necessary adjustments. Use this period to work on personal growth and establish a clearer vision of your aspirations. Embrace the opportunity to refine your approach to asserting yourself and cultivating confidence.

Taurus

Direct: With Saturn direct in Taurus, this year focuses on building stability and security. You’ll feel driven to evaluate your values and resources, making practical decisions about finances and long-term investments. It’s a time for patience and persistence as you work toward creating a solid foundation in your life. You may find joy in cultivating what truly matters to you, whether that’s relationships, possessions, or personal values. Direct energy encourages you to take tangible steps toward your goals, establishing a sense of stability that can carry you through future challenges.

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Taurus, expect to revisit your relationship with money and values. You might find old financial patterns or insecurities resurfacing, prompting deeper reflection. This is a time to reassess what brings you security and happiness. Are your current pursuits aligned with your true values? Use this period to let go of attachments that no longer serve you. It’s an opportunity for inner growth and realigning your priorities, helping you develop a more authentic relationship with what you value most.

Gemini

Direct: Saturn direct in Gemini brings a focus on communication and learning. This year, you’ll be driven to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly. You may take on new projects that require strong communication skills or delve into learning experiences that expand your knowledge base. It’s a great time to build connections and foster relationships through dialogue. Embrace opportunities to share your wisdom and engage with others. The direct energy of Saturn supports your efforts in establishing a solid intellectual foundation, allowing you to express yourself confidently and effectively.

Retrograde: With Saturn retrograde in Gemini, it’s a time to reflect on your communication style and the messages you convey. Past misunderstandings or unresolved issues may resurface, prompting you to revisit conversations and clarify intentions. This period invites you to reassess how you connect with others and express your ideas. Consider whether your communication aligns with your true self. It’s an excellent opportunity to refine your thoughts and engage in deeper introspection, helping you emerge with a clearer voice and stronger connections.

Cancer

Direct: When Saturn is direct in Cancer, you’ll focus on nurturing your emotional foundations. This year is all about establishing boundaries within family dynamics and creating a secure home environment. You’ll feel driven to confront any emotional challenges head-on, leading to personal growth and healing. Direct energy encourages you to take responsibility for your feelings and relationships, fostering deeper connections with loved ones. Embrace the opportunities to nurture yourself and others, laying down roots that provide emotional support and stability throughout the year.

Retrograde: Saturn retrograde in Cancer invites you to revisit past emotional wounds and family dynamics. You may feel pulled to reassess how you nurture yourself and those around you. Old patterns of emotional dependency or avoidance might resurface, prompting deeper introspection. Use this time to confront and heal unresolved issues from your past. It’s an opportunity to redefine what emotional security means to you and establish healthier boundaries. Embrace this reflective phase as a chance to cultivate self-awareness and stronger emotional foundations.

Leo

Direct: With Saturn direct in Leo, this year is all about embracing your creativity and self-expression. You’ll feel empowered to take on leadership roles and showcase your talents. It’s a time to set clear goals for your creative projects and pursue them with confidence. The direct energy of Saturn encourages you to shine brightly and take responsibility for your unique gifts. Embrace opportunities to inspire others while staying true to yourself. This is your moment to step into the spotlight and make your mark on the world!

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Leo, you may find yourself reflecting on your self-expression and creative pursuits. Past insecurities or fears of judgment might come up, prompting you to reassess how you share your talents with the world. This is a time to dig deep into your creative identity and confront any blocks you encounter. Use this period to redefine what it means to express yourself authentically, letting go of any limiting beliefs that hold you back. Embrace the opportunity for growth and personal transformation.

Virgo

Direct: When Saturn is direct in Virgo, it’s all about honing your skills and improving your daily routines. You’ll feel motivated to focus on health, organization, and productivity this year. It’s a time to set practical goals and implement systems that enhance your efficiency. You may take on new responsibilities that require attention to detail and hard work. Embrace the direct energy of Saturn to cultivate healthy habits and streamline your daily life. This is your chance to make lasting improvements that will benefit you in the long run!

Retrograde: With Saturn retrograde in Virgo, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your routines and habits. Past issues related to perfectionism or self-criticism might resurface, prompting you to reassess your approach to work and health. This is a time to evaluate what’s truly necessary in your life and let go of what no longer serves you. Use this period for introspection, allowing yourself to confront any fears or insecurities that impact your daily life. Embrace the chance to refine your goals and establish a more balanced approach to productivity.

Libra

Direct: Saturn direct in Libra highlights relationships and partnerships this year. You’ll feel driven to establish balance and fairness in your connections with others. It’s a great time to take on commitments that require mutual support and cooperation. You may find yourself focusing on how you engage with others, learning valuable lessons about compromise and collaboration. Embrace the direct energy of Saturn to strengthen your bonds and create harmonious relationships. This is a powerful year for setting healthy boundaries and cultivating deeper connections with those around you.

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Libra, expect to revisit past relationship patterns and commitments. Old issues may resurface, prompting you to reassess how you approach partnerships. This is a time for reflection on fairness and balance in your connections. Are you giving too much or too little? Use this period to confront any unresolved conflicts and redefine your expectations. Embrace the opportunity to learn from the past, helping you create healthier and more fulfilling relationships moving forward.

Scorpio

Direct: With Saturn direct in Scorpio, you’ll experience deep transformation and empowerment this year. This is a time to confront your fears and dive into the emotional depths of your psyche. You’ll feel driven to take responsibility for your own healing and growth. The direct energy of Saturn encourages you to embrace your inner strength and make necessary changes in your life. It’s an opportunity to let go of what no longer serves you, paving the way for personal transformation. Embrace the intensity and depth of this year for profound growth.

Retrograde: Saturn retrograde in Scorpio invites you to reflect on past emotional wounds and power dynamics. You may find unresolved fears or insecurities surfacing, prompting deep introspection. This is a chance to reassess how you handle intimacy, trust, and control in your relationships. Use this time to confront your shadows and work through any emotional blocks. Embrace the opportunity for healing and transformation, allowing yourself to emerge stronger and more self-aware. It’s a powerful period for personal growth, helping you reclaim your power and authenticity.

Sagittarius

Direct: When Saturn is direct in Sagittarius, you’ll feel an urge to expand your horizons and pursue new adventures. This year is all about exploring higher knowledge, philosophy, and travel. You’ll be motivated to set long-term goals related to education, spirituality, or personal growth. Embrace the direct energy of Saturn to take on new learning opportunities and broaden your perspective. It’s a time to cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around you. Step outside your comfort zone and embrace the journey of discovery—it’s your chance to grow and evolve!

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Sagittarius, expect to reflect on your beliefs and philosophies. You may find yourself revisiting past lessons learned or reassessing what truly resonates with you. This period invites introspection, allowing you to confront any limiting beliefs that hinder your growth. It’s a time to evaluate your goals related to travel, education, and spiritual pursuits. Embrace the opportunity to refine your vision and align your path with your authentic self. Use this phase to deepen your understanding and clarify your aspirations moving forward.

Capricorn

Direct: With Saturn direct in Capricorn, this year is all about ambition and responsibility. You’ll feel driven to set practical goals and pursue your long-term dreams with determination. This is a time for hard work and dedication, allowing you to establish a solid foundation for your future. Embrace the direct energy of Saturn to take on leadership roles and tackle challenges head-on. It’s your moment to shine and show what you’re capable of achieving. Focus on building your career and personal aspirations, laying the groundwork for success!

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Capricorn, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your ambitions and career path. Old challenges or insecurities related to responsibility may resurface, prompting you to reassess your goals. This is a time to evaluate what truly matters to you in your professional life. Use this period for introspection, allowing yourself to confront any fears of failure or limitations. Embrace the chance to redefine your ambitions and make necessary adjustments to your path. It’s a powerful opportunity for growth and realignment.

Aquarius

Direct: When Saturn is direct in Aquarius, it’s all about innovation and social change. This year, you’ll feel inspired to contribute to your community and embrace your unique perspective. You’ll be motivated to set progressive goals that align with your values. The direct energy of Saturn encourages collaboration and teamwork, pushing you to take responsibility for your role in the collective. Embrace opportunities to advocate for social causes and challenge the status quo. This is your chance to make a difference and inspire others with your vision!

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Aquarius, expect to reflect on your social connections and the impact of your ideas. You may find past friendships or group dynamics resurfacing, prompting you to reassess your role within the community. This period invites introspection, allowing you to confront any limiting beliefs related to your individuality and contributions. Use this time to refine your goals and clarify your vision for the future. Embrace the opportunity to deepen your understanding of your social values and how they align with your personal aspirations.

Pisces

Direct: With Saturn direct in Pisces, this year focuses on spiritual growth and emotional healing. You’ll feel inspired to explore your intuition and embrace your creative side. It’s a time to take responsibility for your inner world, setting boundaries that support your emotional well-being. The direct energy of Saturn encourages you to cultivate a deeper understanding of your dreams and aspirations. Embrace opportunities for self-discovery and healing, allowing yourself to connect with your spiritual path. This is your chance to create a life that reflects your true self!

Retrograde: During Saturn’s retrograde in Pisces, expect to delve into your subconscious and reflect on your spiritual beliefs. Past emotional wounds or illusions may resurface, prompting you to reassess your connection to your intuition. This is a time for introspection and healing, allowing you to confront any fears or insecurities that impact your emotional landscape. Embrace the opportunity to let go of what no longer serves you and redefine your spiritual goals. This reflective phase can lead to profound insights and growth, helping you align with your authentic self.

©️kleopatra45

[annlyticalarchive]

CHAPTER SIX: Humanity’s Aegis

”You will be different, sometimes you’ll feel like an outcast, but you’ll never be alone”

Mark Grayson X Kryptonian/Clark Kent! Reader

Prologue | Chapter Five| Chapter Six (Here) | Chapter Seven

w/c: 4.2k

a/n: could not figure out how to cut/end this so this chapter is a teeny bit lengthier than the previous ones. also, am playing with the idea of writing one shots of Kent and Mark. I’m kinda playing with an Absolute!Kent X Mark too

The ballroom glittered in gold and crystal. A sprawling art-deco dream with vaulted ceilings and marble floors, it looked like something out of a movie rather than a fundraiser for a city initiative. Dozens of the cities most elite mingled under the soft light of chandeliers, drinks in hand, false smiles plastered across expensive faces.

You stepped inside, instantly hit by the wave of perfume, cologne, and the underlying scent of old money and polished ego. Lois still had your wrist and was weaving through the crowd like she’d done it a thousand times. Jimmy followed with his camera already up, snapping shots of the crowd, pausing briefly to admire the lighting.

You tried not to fidget. The jacket felt too stiff, the shirt too crisp, and the city suddenly too loud again.

“You know,” Lois whispered over her shoulder, eyes scanning the crowd for prey, excuse you, interviews, “you could learn to loosen up.”

“I’m loose!” you hissed. “I’m the definition of loose!”

Jimmy coughed behind you. “You sound like someone who rehearsed saying that.”

You sighed and looked to Jimmy. “Want to tag-team the mingling?”

“Let me get a few more wide shots,” he said, lifting his camera. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

You nodded, making your way into the throng. The deeper in you got, the more chaotic it felt. People clinked glasses, posed for photos, and name-dropped like they were giving out candy. You were pretty sure three different people claimed to be the one responsible for funding the city’s new railway reconstruction effort.

Still, you did your job. You kept your eyes open. Listened. Asked questions, quietly and curiously.

And you didn’t push. That was the key.

Lois, on the other hand, was pushing, with the subtlety of a bull with a battering ram.

You found her again about half an hour later, mid-interview with a tall man in a very expensive suit. Her brow was furrowed, her arms crossed.

“So you’re saying you don’t know where the funding came from?” she asked, tone sharp.

“I’m saying I don’t have the clearance to discuss it,” he replied coolly.

Lois leaned in. “So it’s private money?”

The man stiffened. “I really couldn’t say.”

You watched as his smile grew thinner by the second. Lois opened her mouth again, but you gently stepped in.

“Sorry to interrupt,” you said with a small smile, looking up at him. “But I overheard you mention you’d visited Coast City recently? What was it like this time of year?”

His gaze flicked to you, visibly relieved. “Oh—actually, quite nice. Weather’s been better than expected. They’ve done wonders with the waterfront.”

You nodded, jotting that down like it mattered. “And was that a personal trip or something to do with development?”

“Business,” he said, more relaxed now. “We’re looking into expanding energy partnerships out west.”

You smiled again. “That’s exciting. Can I follow up with your office sometime next week?”

He nodded, offered a card, and left with a polite bow of his head.

Lois stared at you. “You asked him about the weather.”

“And he told us about the energy partnerships.”

She made a face, but didn’t argue. Instead, she turned away with a loud sigh and waved toward Jimmy. “Get this. Apparently weather talk is the new journalism.”

Jimmy chuckled as he joined you both. “Well, you did kind of come at the guy like a steamroller.”

“I just want answers!” Lois huffed, lifting a tiny quiche from a passing tray. “These people think their money makes them bulletproof.”

“It kind of does,” Jimmy muttered.

“I heard that!”

You grinned. The three of you slowly fell into rhythm, circling the room like a mismatched flock of birds. You trailed behind them, asking lighter, friendlier questions that made people forget they were being interviewed.

“How long have you lived in the city?”

“What inspired you to get involved in local reconstruction projects?”

“Do you think the mayor will actually follow through on their housing promises?”

That last one made Jimmy snort behind his camera lens. “You really are sneaky, huh?”

“I just ask them to talk about themselves,” you said. “People love that.”

Eventually, you all reconvened near a buffet table that had been thoroughly picked over. Jimmy flipped through his shots, Lois reviewed her notes, and you checked your recorder for anything interesting.

“You know,” Lois said, nudging your elbow, “for someone who didn’t want to come, you’re doing scarily well.”

“It’s my job,” You shrugged your shoulders simply, trying to avoid the compliments. “I should be good at this.”

“Lois isn’t doing good,” Jimmy said with a poorly hidden smile as he grabs a drink from a moving tray.

“Lois is the reason I’m getting answers. We’re like a one-two hit.”

“Flattery gets you nowhere, Kansas,” Lois rolled her eyes at you.

“Flattery gets me everywhere here.” You shot back with a smile. “These people like getting to stroke their ego with the idea that all the flattering stuff will get printed front page.”

“Ladies and gentlemen! Please, enter the main room. The unveiling is about to begin.” A voice rings through some loud speakers.

The crowd started to move like a lazy tide, drifting toward the large double doors at the end of the room.

Jimmy quickly raised his camera. “Time to catch the money shot.”

Lois tucked her notepad into her purse. “And time to see what kind of PR stunt we’re all here to pretend we care about.”

You followed them, notebook and recorder tucked under your arm. You couldn’t help the unease that crept up your spine, not because of nerves, exactly. Something felt off.

The second you stepped into the main hall, you understood why.

At the center of the room stood a massive object draped in a deep velvet cloth. Beside it: men in suits with military posture, clearly not just part of the event staff. Their eyes scanned the room, unmoving.

“Okay,” Jimmy whispered, already snapping photos, “this is either government-funded tech… or alien.”

Lois raised an eyebrow. “You think they’d unveil alien tech here?”

You didn’t answer. You were too busy listening.

Your focus zeroed in past the surface-level noise of champagne flutes and murmured pleasantries.

And then you caught it.

Lex Luthor. Speaking quietly to someone near the front of the room. You didn’t recognize the other voice, but you did recognize the words.

Names.

Names you remembered writing. Names tied to an investigation you and Lois had been digging into for weeks.

Names that had no business being spoken aloud at a public event like this.

Names that belonged in an article about organized crime.

“Oh no,” you muttered under your breath.

Lois glanced at you sideways, catching the shift in your tone, but didn’t ask. Not here, not yet.

You reached the side of the main room just as the lights dimmed and a spotlight landed on Lex Luthor, standing tall and proud at a sleek podium near the veiled shape.

He smiled, all teeth and practiced charm.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “we live in a time of miracles and monsters. Of beings who can move mountains, bend steel, and level cities. For too long, the people of our city have relied on hope, hope that someone else will protect them. Hope that they will show up.”

Lex continued, voice rising with theatrical flair. “But the world needs more than hope. It needs certainty. And certainty… comes with strength.”

With a dramatic sweep of his arm, the velvet cloth was pulled free, revealing a massive robot standing at least fifteen feet tall. Gunmetal grey with glowing green eyes, it looked more like a weapon than any kind of protector.

Murmurs rippled through the room.

“I give you: humanity’s Aegis.” Lex gestured to the machine. “Fully autonomous. Controlled through secure satellite uplinks. Designed to protect us, from them.”

Lois muttered, “Oh, hell no.”

Before you could say anything back, a loud crack sounded overhead. Then came the smoke.

Dozens of small canisters exploded around the room, flooding it with thick, gray fog. Screams broke out. People stumbled. Cameras flashed wildly, trying to catch the moment before disaster but only causing the fog to light up.

You caught sight of someone running across the stage just as the lights flickered, and the robot powered on with a deep mechanical hum.

“I’m going to call the cops!” you yelled over the chaos, “You two get out of here!”

You were already bolting toward a corner to get out of sight.

The robot moved.

It stepped off the platform, metal feet shaking the floor, as several dark-clad figures pulled at a hidden panel on its back.

And Aegis responded.

Its eyes flared.

Its arm cannons slid open.

And you didn’t even hesitate.

You pulled off your jacket mid-run, ripped the dress shirt off, ducked quickly outside of the room, and tore free the hidden scarlet skirt and cape from your bag.

You crashed through a side window, high above the crowd, hoping it would pull attention away from civilians.

The air was thick with smoke, screams, and fear.

But your voice cut through it as you hovered, cape billowing behind you.

“Step away from the machine.”

The masked men turned and looked at you a few pulling guns from concealed holsters, as Aegis took one slow, thunderous step forward, and then another, before its thrusters flared, launching it through the shattered ceiling and into the sky.

You barely had time to process before bullets started flying.

Your body moved on instinct, arms raised in a half-shielding gesture.

But the bullets didn’t tear through you. They bounced off.

One struck your shoulder, another pinged off your ribs with a metallic clink. It didn’t even hurt, simply felt like someone tossing pebbles at you.

Your breath caught. You were bulletproof. Oh thank God-

One of the gunmen froze in disbelief. “What the hell is she?”

You shot forward, grabbed the nearest metal rail that had fallen during the chaos, and bent it around two of the men like a steel bow. They hit the ground with a grunt, pinned and disarmed.

Another raised his gun again, but you were faster

You closed the distance in a blur, yanked the gun from his hands, and crushed it in your fist like it was made of clay.

Grabbing the man by the shoulder, you zip him over to the other two, using your free hand to bend the metal around him as well.

You weren’t about to hit them. They hadn’t actively hurt anyone, so you weren’t about to hurt them in return. You didn’t even want to, regardless.

Running back out of the building, you scanned the crowd. The selfish bit inside of you looking for Jimmy and Lois first, letting out a small breath when you saw that they were fine. No one else was hurt, and you could hear sirens approaching, so you ran back inside and flew through the hole the robot left.

You hovered, squinting into the skyline, tilting your head slightly to isolate frequencies, your cape catching the wind behind you. Your brows furrowed.

Where did it—

WHOOSH.

A sudden rush of air beside you broke your focus as someone rocketed into your peripheral vision.

You turned sharply, shoulders tense, ready to defend yourself—

Only to freeze.

Because floating there in front of you, hovering with practiced ease, was a figure you didn’t recognize. At least, not personally.

But you knew of him.

Blue and yellow suit. The goggles. The dark hair poking out from under the mask. Breathing a little hard from the flight.

“Lose something?” Invincible asked, tone light, but you could see the shift happen mid-sentence. He froze. Mouth still open. Then he shut it, jaw tightening visibly.

“Luthor has. Or so it seems,” you replied, keeping your voice as steady and confident as you could manage.

You caught it, just barely, but you caught it. The twitch in his jaw. A subtle shift behind the lenses of his goggles. An emotion you couldn’t quite place a finger on. But one that definitely didn’t seem good.

“I’m handling it,” you added.

“Yeah?” His voice was cool now. Guarded. “That thing looked like a walking nuke.”

“It’s definitely been stolen, if not sold off and a made to look stolen.”

That snapped him back to focus.

“Then let’s find it,” he said, already accelerating, his body cutting through the air like a bullet. You followed close behind, heart pounding in your chest.

You hadn’t exactly had practice flying. At most you floated. So you struggled to keep up with him as he shot through the air, but based on how short his responses were, you were completely fine flying behind him.

It wasn’t long however, until you picked up a voice talking about the robot in the warehouse district.

“Down there!” You call it out to him as you let yourself dive down. Invincible paused before following you down.

The warehouse was dimly lit, its metal walls groaning in the wind. You landed just outside the entrance, Invincible touching down beside you with barely a sound.

Inside, Aegis stood motionless. The glowing red core in its chest pulsed slowly like a heartbeat, casting a sickly light across the empty space. It didn’t move. Not at first.

“I don’t like this,” you muttered, eyeing the thing.

Invincible took a cautious step forward, voice low. “Trap?”

Before you could answer, the robot’s eyes lit up.

And it fired.

Twin beams of concentrated energy blasted toward you both. You dove right, tucking into a roll, while Invincible darted left, the shot narrowly missing him and melting a steel beam behind him.

“Definitely a trap!” you yelled.

The battle was fast, quick in a way that nearly made you sigh with relief. He moved before you did. Invincible punched it square in the chest, cracking the core’s casing, only to be swatted into a stack of crates that exploded in splinters.

When it aimed its arm cannon at him again, you grabbed its wrist and crushed it in your grip until wires sparked and snapped as you ripped the arm from its socket.

Then, while it staggered, Invincible launched forward and drove a fist into the cracked core. The casing gave way with a blinding surge of light.

Then silence.

Aegis collapsed with a metallic groan, the light in its eyes flickering out.

You stood over the wreckage, chest rising and falling, dusting yourself off. Your ears rang from the blast, and for a moment, all you could hear was your own breath.

And then the scrape of boots on concrete.

You turned, but Invincible was already walking away, shoulders tense, his silhouette vanishing into the darkness of the warehouse entrance without a word.

“Thanks for the help,” you said, voice just loud to carry.

He didn’t turn back. Didn’t say anything. Just left.

You stood there, still catching your breath, confusion knotting in your chest.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

You don’t think you’ve ever seen a more horrifying sight.

Pinned to the corkboard in the intern office, bold and unmistakable, was the front page of today’s Daily Planet.

And there, dead center?

Was you.

Blurry, sure. Back turned. Cloaked in harsh shadows, cape fluttering behind you in the wind. But you’d recognize that symbol anywhere.

“Smallville! About time.” Lois snapped you out of your frozen panic, tugging you fully into the room. “So, last night? New hero shows up. A Superwoman, literally. Crashes the party, wraps up the robbers in metal, and takes off like it’s a Tuesday. I’ve got it on good sources that she helped Invincible take down the Aegis.”

“Oh, wow, that’s… uh—” You stammered, brain stalling as you tried not to look directly at the photo of yourself.

Lois was still talking, practically buzzing with excitement. “She’s strong. I mean really strong. Did you see how fast she moved?”

You tried to recover, playing it off with a shrug. “What makes her so special? I mean, there’s already a bunch of heroes out there.”

“That’s just it,” Jimmy cut in, turning his phone to show you another photo, this one much clearer. A woman in white floating midair, wind tossing her short hair. “She’s different. Like Omni-Man different. Or like this villain Invincible fought a month ago!”

You nodded numbly, recalling how hard Mark had struggled in that fight.

“Exactly,” Jimmy said. “Who just shows up like that and ties guys up in a stainless steel rod like they’re a Christmas present?”

“She’s powerful,” Lois said, eyeing the blurry photo like it owed her answers. “And smart. No wasted movement. No ego. Just in, out, done. The city is eating that up. But I want to know more. Who is she? What does she want? Is she just playing nice?”

You tried not to flinch under her gaze. It wasn’t accusatory, but Lois Lane didn’t miss much. And the glint in her eye was making your stomach twist.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” she added, flipping through her notes, “I like her style. But anyone that strong? They don’t stay anonymous for good reasons.”

You laughed, weak and nervous. “Well, maybe she just wants to help. Do good, you know?”

Lois raised a brow. “You’d be surprised. Not everyone is like you, Smallville. People aren’t good to be good.”

“Yeah. Sure.” You frowned as Lois and Jimmy, mostly Lois, began to discuss how they could find ‘Superwoman’ to force her into an interview.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

You don’t think you’ve ever been so excited for lunch.

Well—you were excited. That changed a little when you realized Lois and Jimmy were coming too.

Normally, you wouldn’t mind. But today? Today they wouldn’t stop talking about Superwoman. Every second was a new theory, a new article idea, or another blurry photo Jimmy swore he could clean up. It made your stomach turn.

Still, despite the growing knot of anxiety, you sent a text to Mark. He’d been quiet since the warehouse incident. Too quiet. But maybe this would be a good way to break the silence.

You: Me, Jimmy, and Lois are heading to the cafe on the corner of 4th and 16th for lunch if you want to come with!

You sent it, locked your phone, and tried to stay focused. Tried.

Then, a few minutes later, the read receipt popped up.

Read 11:38 a.m.

And that was it. No bubbles. No reply. Nothing.

You stared at the screen for a moment too long. Mark could be bad at texting, sure—but he never left you on read. Ever. Even when he was late to reply, he always said something. A thumbs-up emoji. A dumb meme. A joke about Jimmy's hair. Anything.

The silence wasn’t just strange. It was pointed.

Your stomach twinged.

You tried to shake it off, slipping your phone into your jacket pocket just as Lois returned from ordering.

"Two coffees, one iced tea," she said, sliding into the booth beside you with a tray. "And one ridiculous sandwich for Jimmy because he refuses to accept normal portion sizes."

“I need the protein,” Jimmy defended, squeezing in on the other side. “You don’t know what it takes to carry two cameras and Lois’s drama.”

Lois shot him a glare that could’ve melted metal, and you smiled faintly, grateful for the distraction.

“Anyway,” Jimmy added, already halfway through his sandwich, “do we think Superwoman’s from this dimension?”

You nearly choked on your drink.

Jimmy had already claimed a table by the window, flipping her notebook open before the menus even hit the table. “Okay, new theory: what if Superwoman is a plant? Like, not from here. An alien.”

Lois snorted. “We’ve already got Omni-Man. You think there’s a whole lineup of them waiting in the wings?”

“Maybe she’s an alien too,” Jimmy said with a shrug. “Or government-grown. Clone? Weirder stuff’s happened.”

“Can we not accuse her of being a government weapon until she’s done something bad?” you mumbled into your drink.

Both of them paused and looked at you.

“What?” you asked, too quickly.

Lois narrowed her eyes, her expression shifting just enough to make your palms sweat.

"You're defending her," she said, almost amused. "Again."

You forced a laugh. “Sorry for not jumping on the paranoia train. She saved a whole building. That’s a point in her favor.”

Lois leaned back. “Just saying... you seem pretty interested in her lately, Kansas.”

Jimmy smirked. “Didn’t know you were into heroes.”

You made a show of rolling your eyes. But your hands stayed curled into fists under the table, nails biting your palms.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

It wasn’t long after you got home from your shift that the front door opened without a knock.

Mark.

You’d given him a spare key months ago, just in case Pa ever needed anything and you couldn’t make it. He promised he’d be there if that ever happened.

Thank goodness it never did. But that key still got plenty of use. Mark used to stop by all the time, inviting himself in like it was second nature. You didn’t mind. Neither did Pa. He always said Mark was “a good one, raised right.” and was practically family by how much he’d visit.

But tonight?

Tonight was different.

Mark shut the door harder than necessary, his expression unreadable except for the tightness in his jaw and the way his didn’t soften when they met yours.

"Was it all just for show?" he asked, flatly. Coldly. Colder than you’d ever heard it directed at you.

You blinked, stunned. “W-what?”

He took a step closer, his voice rising. “Being my friend. Getting close to me. Pretending to be human. Was that all just an act?”

“Was it all fake? What? Were you just working up to the big pitch? Gonna try to convince me to join Viltrum too?”

You stared at him, stunned. “Mark, what the hell are you talking about?”

“You!” he snapped, jabbing a finger toward you. “You—you stood there last night, in a cape, flying. Like him. Like them. And you didn’t say anything.”

“Who’s them?” you asked, quieter than you meant to, your voice cracking.

“Oh, stop pretending.” Mark laughed. It wasn’t kind. “What’s next? You going to ask me to join Viltrum too?”

Your heart stopped.

“What are you talking about?” you breathed again, trying to hold your ground, even as your pulse pounded in your ears.

“Everything! You lied to me!” Mark’s voice cracked, filled with anger and betrayal. “All this time, and you never said a word. Then you, Superwoman, just show up out of nowhere—”

“Mark.” You tried to keep your voice steady, but even to your ears, it sounded fragile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stop lying!” Mark shouted, his voice echoing off the apartment walls.

“I’m not!” you snapped, your own voice rising despite yourself. “I—I don’t even know what the hell Viltrum is! I don’t know why you’re so angry—”

“Because you’re an alien lying to my face!” he yelled, taking a step forward.

“I’m not! I mean—” you hesitated, your throat closing up, “I am an alien, but I have no clue what you’re talking about!”

Mark stared at you, chest heaving. “So what, you just conveniently left out that you’re not human? That you’re bulletproof? That you fly?!”

You looked away, guilt slicing deep. “Because I don’t know who I am. I—I don’t know.”

And once you started, it was like the dam broke.

“That’s why I left home. I came to Earth in this ship, but there was nothing in it but me. This time, when it activated, I got some insane vision of this man, but I couldn’t understand any of it. It was all fragmented, jumbled. And when I came to, I was in that suit, and—”

Your voice cracked. You swallowed hard.

“Good people help people,” you said quietly, eyes dropping to the floor. “If I can do the things I can, why wouldn’t I?”

Your words felt like shattered glass in your throat. You didn’t expect them to fix anything, but at least they were true.

Mark let out a long breath through his nose, the fire behind his eyes finally dimming. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at you with a mixture of caution and something close to regret.

“You really have no idea?” he asked, more gently this time.

“None.”

Mark sank down onto the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, his shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have come in like that. I thought you were… something else. Someone else.”

“It’s fine. I get it. I probably would’ve been—” You stopped yourself mid-sentence, blinking as a realization crept in. You turned to Mark with a confused look. “The picture in the paper didn’t show my face. Jimmy and Lois didn’t see me clearly either, so how did… you…”

Your voice trailed off as you stepped closer, narrowing your eyes at him.

Mark’s ears turned red almost immediately.

You stared, studying his face. “Wait… no. No way.”

A second passed.

Then it clicked. A bit embarrassingly slow, but undeniable.

You gasped, eyes wide. “Mark. You’re—”

[artsninspo]

006 | Richmond Inc.

「 ✦ full library & archive ✦ 」

「 ✦ aaron pierre & characters library ✦ 」

⇚ 005

♠ summary: Thrust into leadership, Lorence battles pressure, secrecy, and an enigmatic boss—until his unexpected attentiveness causes things to heat up more than expected ☕.

♠ pairing: Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre - Rebel Ridge) X Lorence Cole (Black Fem OC)

♠ word-count: ~2.6K

⌖ - Richmond Inc. HQ

The new demands of my position are both a gift and a curse as I’m required to expand my knowledge base and think as a leader. There’s an element of freedom that I've been robbed of in this new position. There’s no time for fresh ideas and innovation in the same way there's no freedom to make mistakes. There’s no one to ask to review the work I have - I'm the final step in the pecking order before the other’s at my level look and ultimately Richmond’s eyes scan over it. I’d be lying if I said the thought doesn’t unnerve me. Dissatisfaction on his face and the scolding that will undoubtedly follow is a nagging inevitability. I’ve sat through so many briefings that I miss doing the work. This week has been an overwhelming barrage of discourse, planning and preparation. We’ve gone over logistics and transportation which is my specialty. Monaco is a logistical and transportation nightmare but I’ve taken all the necessary notes to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Which includes sending one of my best agents there in person to scope out the scene and get the necessary measurements and blueprints. It’s my first major assignment and with my budget sky’s the limit. Consulting for the organization responsible for the formula one race's security is not something I ever considered in the realm of possibility; so I make the most of it. I add to my list of tasks and lock the documents before going over my new operating budgets. I still have money to spend but until my best guy is back I can’t be sure where the resources will be best allocated. I’m researching local charities in the area when Richmond appears in the doorway. It’s his first time stopping by all week and I can’t say I’ve missed the light eyed giant. 

“Sir” I stand.

“Cole, I’ve received preliminary drafts from all the other teams. Is there something you require assistance with?” He asks, leaning in the doorway. He’s in a white knitted sweater today looking too casual for a man like him. 

“I thought we had another week” I respond, disregarding how his arms fill out the otherwise cuddly, cozy ensemble, transforming it into something different altogether.

“I like to look over things by the project’s midpoint,” he explains, folding his arms.

“Well, I’m new and I didn’t know that” I swallow daring to meet his eyes.

“We can go over what you have for now,” Richmond says entering my office. I straighten, hating his presence and proximity. With Richmond it isn't walking on eggshells, it's like walking on glass barefoot. I stand walking over to the table and pressing the projector button. I unencrypted my files and show him what I’ve been working on. He watches attentively, his eyes scanning through the details projected in front of him.

“They’re color coded by threat level” he says perceptively interpreting the markings I have on the 3D map model of the area the races will take place in. 

“Yeah, it determines what will work in terms of an emergency exits.” I state, explaining my process.

“So you don’t only look at routes?” He asks.

“No, when I develop my plans I consider routes, danger, closures, alternate routes and transportation that is as discreet as possible while being resilient and agile” I explain and he nods zooming in on my tablet.

“You’re looking for places to land helicopters? Possible counter sniper positions.” He says interpreting my work in seconds. Impressive isn’t the word. Nothing is explicitly stated there’s just circles, dots, x’s and stars in a variety of colours.

“Yeah” I nod and he looks from the tablet back to me, with a ghost of a smirk on his lips, only for it to be gone as soon as it appears.

“You’re doing Jameson work for him.” He comments.

“I understand why our teams are separate but I think all aspects should inform each other” I swallow and his expression hardens.

“That’s not your job. It’s to take direction. No one should be fully informed of the other's actions in case of leaks. Your team needs to be agile. Keep your work to yourself” he orders going back to his military facade.

“With all the testing you still don’t trust us?” I ask and he scowls. His jaw sets before clicking as he clenches  it. 

“It’s not about trust. It’s about what a person gives away during torture. How can I protect my team from that? The rules are in place for a reason. Adhere to them” he orders again but his eyes are more sensitive. If I were a psychiatrist I could diagnose his paranoia and mood swings but as a civilian I table my judgement.

“The non patronizing way to say that is;  follow protocol Cole” I quip before he gets carried away and it ends poorly.

“I don’t care if you don’t like my delivery. At least you’ll be alive not to like it” he comments standing. I can't help the sharp look I send his way. If he were anyone else I wouldn’t put up with it. “Good work” he says finally but somehow the praise falls flat.

“Have you lost a lot of people?” I ask and the tension in his shoulders answers the question in an instant. His expression sobers. 

“I’ve seen a lot of death,” he nods. I look him over before nodding. It at least explains his incessant over preparation and commitment to structure, secrecy and preventative measures.

“I’m sorry,” seems the only appropriate response.

“You won’t have to be if you follow protocol. Your safety equipment needs to be fitted before we go wheels up, go see Cassandra. I’m scheduling you for some extra hand to hand” he says adding more to my plate.

“I don’t have time for extra hand to hand, I’m behind” I tell him pointing to the projections.

“No you’re not” he swallows. “You’ll fry your brain if you continue staring at blueprints. Movement will serve you more than sitting at your desk” he says parroting what I’ve heard from Jameson. I wonder if it's advice Jameson has commandeered from the Boss.

“Okay” I concede. RIchmond seems surprised by my concession but he nods, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trousers. Cassandra appears in the doorway and I let out a relieved breath.

“I hope you’re being nice.” she says, looking him over. Richmond doesn’t dignify her with a response. “Are you finished or can I steal Cole - her safety second skins are in” Cassandra says.

“We’re done and I have ten minutes” he says looking at his watch. I go along with them walking to his office suite instead of asking questions. Two suits wait in a box in his conference room. One is my perfect nude shade, it nearly looks like mesh but it's made of something stronger. It’s fully opaque and when I hold it up I frown wondering what in the T’Challa Black Panther, Richmond has paid for me to wear.

I raise a brow. “What’s this for?” 

“Protection, no burns, cuts or bullets can pierce it. A safety precaution” Cassandra responds.

“Try it on,” Richmond says, stepping out of the room.

“Please!” Cassandra scowls at him as she closes the door. I hold it up again and wonder what else money can buy. I head into the ensuite and I undress quickly. I step into the unitard that fits almost like a second skin. I manage the nearly invisible zipper at my side and look in the mirror. I look remarkably naked and tense up when I see shaded contouring that could pass for real hips and ass.

“Need help?” I hear Cassandra ask from outside.

“Uhh?” I respond and she giggles.

“That’s exactly how I felt - can we come in?” she asks.

“I guess” I responded, not quite sure. I remind myself I’m not naked as I leave the bathroom and re-enter the conference room as they come in. Cassandra’s eyes scan me.

“Toes are wonky” she says to Richmond whose eyes are glued to my body. 

“The suit is wonky” he comments with eyes on my breasts. “May I touch you?” he asks without making eye contact.

“Ok” I respond unsure if no is even an option and he stands behind me pulling the material taut until I can feel it on my chest and stomach like a corset. When I look behind he hes standing with a handful of the suit.

“That’s how it should fit” he tells Cassandra, sparing a look her way. The suit feels completely different with this kind of tension. He grapes lower, gathering the same amount of fabric in the small of my back. I feel like a doll in his care as he manhandles the suit. It’s oddly erotic, or maybe it’s been too long since a man has had his hands on me. He goes to do the same around my hips but there’s no stretch left. 

“Can you see if there’s any give?” he asks as if he hasn't already probably made at least five HR violations. I oblige finding some give.

“Hold it like that” Richmond demands and I wonder if he’s this bossy in bed. Girl, get your head out of the gutter!

“Cassandra test its resistance” he says and Cassandra comes over with some sort of scanner gun reading all over my body noting weak points with a red marker as well as what needs to be removed. 

“The suit has to fit like a glove, it’s most effective when the fibres are extended to their limit they interlock creating … well armour.” she explains.

“What if I have to pee?” I ask being practical.

“You’ll get a zipper once everything else fits seamlessly” Cassandra explains. It’s another level of overkill.

“Does everyone wear these?” I ask.

“They aren't required for smaller scale events, I always wear mine for the big ones” she explains. Richmond is still staring at me and it makes me feel naked, the proximity, the physical toughness, the attention. My body hums like a starving stomach craving sustenance. I’m gonna need to see a therapist for sure, I think looking away from him and back to Cassandra who clears her throat.

“Mr. Richmond, you have a call in two” she says to him and he nods, peeling his eyes from my ass. 

“Ensure it fits perfectly...Please” He says, taking one last look at me. He looks at Cassandra who nods with a smirk on her lips before leaving.

“I’m gonna go change” I announce heading into the restroom. When I get out I hand her the suit.

“Is he always so hands on?” I ask, a little unnerved.

“Hands on… he was with me but he was a lot less attentive and there was a lot more back and forth bickering until he pulled it so tight I couldn't breathe comfortably.” she discloses amused.

“I’m pretty sure that’s wrong of him” I remark.

“Terry’s like family - he’d never actually hurt me and lord knows he could” she huffs sitting on the conference table. Her disposition makes me think of them like siblings opposed to coworkers. The most toxic workplaces have the ‘family titles’ it's definitely a red flag.

“So how was your first week?’ she beams crossing her legs but my mind is on how it felt to be constricted in his hold and hugged by the suit.

“I’ve only considered quitting right now” I smile and she laughs.

“I came to your office because I was sure there was going to be fireworks. Terry was too but with how at ease he was I'd say you’re doing amazing on your first assignment. What was his feedback? I can help you decode its meaning to stay on his good side.” she smiles and I’m excited until I realize there was none.

“He just told me to stick to the protocol and that I did a good job. Oh and he prescribed extra hand to hand” I explain and her eyes light. Her smile widens like a Cheshire cat and she shakes her head.

“He’s setting me up to fail isn't he?” I ask, afraid of some humiliation ritual test.

Cassandra shakes her head. “No Lorence, it means you're keeping him up at night. He must think you're one of the best”

“I don’t copy.” I confess.

“The best agents are all the same Lorence and they never leave their people behind when shit hits the fan. He doesn't think you’ll be tripped up by the plans so he’s preparing you for the people.” she explains.

“Do I have anyone but him to fear?” I ask.

“No, that’s how I know you’re keeping him up. The guys that we’d need to fear see us as menu options - they don't know we’re trained to kick their ass and so they never have security with them. They’re easy to outsmart before things get ‘hand to hand’” Cassandra explains and it’s consistent with training. I get a reverie of the intensity in Richmonds eyes as he held the extra fabric of my suit taut, again. I never put much stock in her words before.

“I think you're wrong. Richmond doesnt look like he needs help attracting women. I’m sure you’ve had to shoo away your fare share.” I respond.

“Are you kidding?! He’s a work-a-holic. I've only seen him flirt for better access. His indiscretions are kept from me if they exist” she comments. “Come on, let's go shopping for after hours  in Monaco - I have a few party invites with an open plus one slot.” she winks and it sounds like a good way to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Retail therapy is still therapy after all.

Cassandra and I end up in the heart of the city in stores with names that English speakers need tutorials to pronounce. Cassandra can sell salt to a snail because she convinces me to indulge in whims that are unfamiliar and then she swipes the company card stating outfits while on vacation are somehow a business expense. Paranoia makes me set aside the amounts in case it’s some test or something the Boss intends to scream at me for later. But for the rest of the night from shopping all the way to my night routine I’m a little uneasy. Terry Richmond’s ability to rattle me is unmatched. Whether in anger or cloaked kindness. The intensity of his expression is imprinted in my mind. 

I lay awake in bed slightly amused by the irony of Cassandra’s words. At least if they’re true I’m keeping him from sleeping too. It feels like some consolation for all he’s put me through. Maybe my haywire feelings are the result of something akin to Stockholm syndrome. The result of that stupid test. His gaze comes back to me again and the attention held within them. My body heats as recognition clicks into place, its reaction starts to make sense. After years of feeling unnerved and unsure I’ve read the first real emotions from him. There was real sincerity in his eyes. No resentment or animosity. Maybe hints of more complicated emotions but at its core it seemed to be pure preoccupation with my safety.

My body seems to settle at my brain's recognition of the day's events. The anxious energy leaves my body and I settle when it becomes clear to me that before all else my boss wants me to be okay. Before I take my last conscious thought, I promise to move forward with Richmond with that at the forefront of my brain.

authors note: what are you doing if you're Lorence and the boss gets all close and touchy feely? Fight, freeze, call HR - I have to know! Let me know what you think in a comment or reblog 🖤 if you enjoyed things heating up dont forget to comment, reblog and like!

007 ⇛

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[ghostlyferrettarot]

✨️💎Jupiter and the signs💎✨️

❗️All the observations in this post are based on personal experience and research, it's completely fine if it doesn't resonate with everyone❗️

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💎Masterlist💎

♣︎Jupiter in Aries: They tend to be more enthusiastic, assertive, energetic, and full of ideas about how to initiate, promote, or expand ideas. You can also be more stubborn and very persuasive in getting people to embark on your plans and ideas. As Jupiter represents the principle of growth and the notion of something higher, the actions of those born under the influence of Jupiter in Aries can lead to personal development more easily.

♣︎Jupiter in Taurus: indicates a predisposition to use money and material resources correctly and beneficially. Jupiter in the sign of Taurus has a strong tendency to attract wealth and have a good sense of the value of things. Those who obtain it like to enjoy material comfort, good food, various forms of art and the good things in life in general. They appreciate what is good and what has personal value, even if it is expensive.

♣︎Jupiter in Gemini: they tend to be intellectually curious, they can read a lot or be that type of person who is always on the Internet looking for new information, news, curiosities and teachings. Their curiosity can be aroused in different areas, so they tend to be mentally restless and enjoy movement. Valuing communication is an essential part of those who have this position, for example Working in the communication industry, whether with journalism , advertising, public relations or tourism.

♣︎Jupiter in Cancer: these individuals focus on family experiences, knowledge base, past and personal roots. The place where they belong and call their own, is also a place where friends and acquaintances can find greater comfort in case they have problems guiding the course of life. There is a desire to create a safe, comfortable, friendly, welcoming and prosperous family environment that can also be used for educational and fun activities.

♣︎Jupiter in Leo: Optimism, generosity and a kind way of being are highlighted. You tend to like to be admired and valued. Jupiter in the sign of Leo brings the tendency of leadership. Its natives generally arouse enthusiasm in other people, and therefore have the potential to be good leaders. The generosity, firmness and reliability of these natives stands out.

♣︎Jupiter in Virgo: The person will care about the details and the precision of his behavior. It influences the person to appreciate the details, the kind that he can do a lot with a little. They have a superior, prudent, intellectual, analytical and practical nature; They differentiate what is essential from what is not essential, truth from fiction, what is valid and what is not. Their judgment is generally excellent.

♣︎Jupiter in Libra: They are people who tend to worry about the moral principles that guide society, their unions and their interpersonal relationships. Natives with Jupiter in Libra believe that love and justice can create a much more harmonious social order, being more generous people and, for this reason, more popular and loved. These personal characteristics can make them develop activities related to the public. It is not uncommon for people with this position to be attracted to becoming diplomats, salespeople, presenters, etc.

♣︎Jupiter in Scorpio: tends to have a greater appreciation for everything that is hidden, secret. They like to investigate and delve into other people's minds, as well as more ethereal topics, such as death, the occult and religion, for example. Jupiter in Scorpio can discover secret information about the private affairs of others in an extremely natural way. People have the potential to become more resourceful and have very strong and resolute opinions regarding their beliefs.

♣︎Jupiter in Sagittarius: One of the main interests of those who have Jupiter in Sagittarius is higher knowledge. Topics such as philosophy or religion, education and foreign cultures have a lot of meaning and are appreciated. They tend to choose their own system of thought that will govern their behavior and the way they view life. This is the type of attitude that can earn a person the respect and admiration of others in many situations.

♣︎Jupiter in Capricorn: You can demonstrate greater economic or political responsibility, being prudent, cautious and trying to be fair in your judgments. For people with Jupiter in Capricorn, management, status and recognition tend to gain more importance. Due to Characteristics such as ambition, patience, administrative ability and the wisdom to deal with the resources acquired throughout life, those born with this position generally manage to save money and own property.

♣︎Jupiter in Aquarius: they tend to enjoy interacting with people of all classes, races or creeds, without much distinction or prejudice. They tend to be more tolerant and understanding, recognizing more easily that everyone has their place in the world and that in all positions there are lessons to learn. Jupiter in Aquarius are more likely to engage in philanthropic activities aimed at helping others.

♣︎Jupiter in Pisces: they tend to be more emotional, understanding and endowed with a greater sense of compassion. Having spiritual or philosophical convictions, with this positioning, becomes more possible; People can develop a more comprehensive, universal and fulfilling spiritual understanding. Because of this greater search for elevation, they tend to eventually enjoy moments of isolation, becoming more introspective. By meditating, you can better develop this intuition and renew yourself spiritually.

[winchesterwild78]

The Tutor

Master List

Characters: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Warnings: Nothing too bad yet, just a chapter to establish the story. Some language and some physical grabbing.

**Trigger Warning: Some of this chapter could be considered Domestic Violence. It’s grabbing an arm, and being controlling.**

A/N: Just a quick idea that popped in my head. A short series, maybe 2 or 3 chapters. I don’t know yet. No disrespect to Jensen or his family. This is a work of fiction. Jensen has children in this, but I do not use their real names. 

Reader is a teacher and is asked to tutor Jensen’s child. Things develop between Jensen and the reader. I do not condone cheating, again, this is a work of fiction.

This chapter got a little long. Sorry not sorry. 😀

Minors DNI 18+

It was about 5 am when your alarm went off. You rolled over, grumbled and turned it off. Your husband was still sleeping next to you. Crawling out of bed you went to your bathroom and jumped in the shower. 

About 15 minutes later you were dressed and ready for work. You’d been a teacher for about 10 years, and you loved every second of it. Your husband encouraged you to expand your talent and offer tutoring in the afternoons as a way to help save money for the summer months when you didn’t get paid. 

You talked to the principal of your school and she told you she’d put out feelers to see if anyone had a lead on a possible need for a tutor. 

Grabbing your coffee, lunch and bag you headed for your car. It was a chilly morning, but you welcomed the change in temperature. As you pulled in the parking lot to the school, you noticed you were one of the first ones there. 

You sighed, gathered your things and got out of your car. As you walked in the building you saw the principal was in her office already. “Hey, Y/N, hold on a second.” You walked to her office door and waited for her to get off the phone.

“Hey, Y/N. I’m glad I caught you. So I talked to a friend of mine and she said she knows a couple who is looking for a tutor for their children. They have 3 kids, an older daughter, and a set of twins, a boy and a girl. The mother is out of town, but the father wanted to come in and see you in action and then sit down with you. Is that okay with you?”

“Oh, yeah that’s fine. Is he coming in today?” “Yes, if you were okay with it he wanted to come in today. If they decided to go with you, they’d want you to start ASAP.”

“Um, okay. Yeah. That’s fine. Hopefully it doesn’t distract my kiddos, but sure. Tell him to come by whenever.” “Great! I’ll give him a call.” You nodded and walked to your classroom.

Before the kids arrived, you sent your husband a text.

You: Hey, I might have a potential tutoring gig. Ms Smith is having a dad come in today. He and his wife wanted to see me in action. I’d be tutoring their three kids. I’ll let you know how it goes. I love you, babe.

Hubby: That’s great, you sure three kids won’t be too much? I love you too.

You: 3 kids? I teach 22 kids all day. I think I can handle 3.

Hubby: Yeah, you’re right. 

You finished getting things ready for the day as the kids started to arrive. “Good morning Ms Y/L/N!” The kids greeted you as they came into the room. “Good morning everyone.” 

Once the students got settled you called them to sit on the carpet to talk about today and how there might be a visitor. They were excited. You taught 5 & 6 year olds, so anytime there was a visitor it was always a big deal. 

“Now I want you all to be on your best behavior, and if we have a visitor I want you to do your best to ignore them, okay?” The kids nodded in agreement. 

A few hours later you were reading a book to your students when you heard your classroom door open. Glancing over you saw the principal and a man walk in. You kept teaching, not paying attention to the people in the room. 

When you read books, you are very animated. The kids would giggle and were completely engaged. At the end of your story you asked questions and called on some students to answer. A few minutes later you had them go back to their desks to complete the writing assignment you had given them. 

As you walked around checking their writing the principal approached you. “Ms Y/L/N, this is Mr Ackles. Mr Ackles, this is Ms. Y/L/N, our favorite Kindergarten teacher.” Your eyes went wide. Standing in your classroom was Jensen Ackles. His green eyes sparkling like emeralds under the fluorescent lights, his sandy brown hair perfectly styled, and he smelled like heaven. 

He extended his hand to shake yours. “Hello Ms Y/L/N, I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.” You took his hand in yours and your breath hitched. You knew who he was, you’d been a fan for years. “Nice to meet you too, Mr Ackles. I look forward to speaking with you more about the tutoring needs of your children.” 

He smiled and nodded. The two of you couldn’t tear your eyes away from each other. You unconsciously bit your lip. The sound of a little voice pulled you two out of your trance. “Ms Y/L/N, is this right?” One of your students came up with her paper for you to check. “So what should this sentence start with?” Her bright eyes looking at you and then down at her paper, “Um, oh a capital.” You smiled and nodded.

She went back to her seat and fixed her paper. “Okay guys, remember to capitalize, and illustrate your writing. Don’t forget your setting and color.”

Your principal came up to you, “We are going to head out, I’ll give Mr. Ackles your number so you two can set up a meeting.” You nodded and thanked them, then they left.

Your heart was still pounding in your chest and you felt a warmth fill your body. Girl, get it together. He’s way out of your league, both of you are married, and you might be tutoring his children. This is just a celebrity crush. Keep it professional. 

The end of the day came quickly. You were cleaning up your classroom when you heard a knock on your classroom door. Looking up you saw Jensen. Your breath caught in your throat. “Excuse me Ms Y/L/N, I hope I’m not disturbing you.” “Oh no, I’m just cleaning up before heading home. How can I help you Mr Ackles?” 

“Well I really liked what I saw today. You were engaging and gentle but you can see your students know your expectations. I’d like to offer you the tutoring job if you’d like it.” “Oh, of course. May I meet your children before I officially start? This won’t work if the kids don’t like me.” 

Jensen smiled and nodded. “I’ll text you my address and you’re welcome to come by this afternoon.” “Sure, that would be great. I can’t wait to meet them and your wife.” You smiled. “Well, she’s out of town right now, so that will have to wait.” “Okay. If you need to wait for her, that's fine. I want her to be fine with me tutoring the kids too.” “Nope, this was something we’d talked about before she left, and she knew I was going to hire someone as soon as I could.”

“Okay, great. I’ll come by this afternoon then. I’ll see you later Mr Ackles.” “Jensen, please call me Jensen.” “Jensen, then. Feel free to call me Y/N.” He smiled and so did you. When he left you pulled out your phone to text your husband.

You: Hey, heading to meet the kids I might be tutoring. The dad asked me to come by this afternoon.

Hubby: Okay, I’ll see you at home later then. Love you

You: I love you too. 

You set your phone down and finished cleaning. A few minutes later your phone went off.

Unknown: Hey, Y/N. This is Jensen. My address is 123 E Main Street. Can’t wait for the kids to meet you.

You: Hey, Jensen. I can’t wait to meet them either. I’ll be there in about 20 minutes. Just finishing up here. 

Jensen: Great! See you then.

You finished what you were doing and grabbed your stuff heading out of the school. Driving to Jensen’s house you were nervous but excited. You’d tutored before, but never for a celebrity and definitely not for someone you had been crushing on for decades. 

Pulling down the long driveway you were in awe at the spacious home that stood before you. Putting your car in park, you grabbed your bag and got out. 

Before you could knock on the door it opened and Jensen greeted you with a smile. “Hey, Y/N, glad you could make it.” “Hello, Mr. Ackles, thank you for having me.” “Please, call me Jensen.” You nodded and smiled, “Okay, Jensen.” 

He welcomed you into his spacious home and led you to the living room. “Please have a seat, and I’ll get the kids down here. Would you like anything to drink? Tea, water?” “Um, sure, I’ll have water if you don’t mind.” “Sure thing. I’ll grab it and the kids.”

You sat on the couch as Jensen left the room. You heard him calling the kids and the sound of feet on the stairs. 

Jensen and the kids came back to the room. He handed you the water. “Thank you.” He nodded and smiled. “Kids, this is Ms Y/L/N, she’s going to be your tutor. Ms Y/L/N, this is my oldest, Annie, and the twins, Jessica and Jensen Jr., we call him Jr.” “Hi guys, it’s nice to finally meet you three.” “Hello Ms Y/L/N, it’s nice to meet you too.” Jensen’s son walked over and sat next to you, “Are you married? Do you have any kids?” “Yes I am married, and no I don’t have any children yet. I’m a teacher so my students are like my kids right now.” 

The five of you sat in the living room talking and getting to know each other. After the kids got tired of talking and asking you questions, they left the room. Leaving you and Jensen alone. “So, Y/N, what do you think? Think you can handle them?” You smiled and nodded, “Yes. They seem really sweet, I’d be just fine with them.” 

“Well, all that’s left is to talk about schedule, pay, and the NDA. The NDA is to protect everyone involved. You’re more than welcome to contact an attorney to look it over.” You smiled and nodded. About 45 minutes later you and Jensen had talked about your schedule, the pay and he’d given you the NDA.

“So, Y/N, do you have any additional questions for me?” “Yes, when will your wife be back, I’d love to meet her too.” “She won’t be back for a few weeks, but you’ll get to meet her when she returns.” You nodded and stood, “Well, Jensen I better leave you to it. I need to get home anyway. I have some things to do for work.” “Of course, well thank you again for coming by this evening. Let me walk you out.” 

The two of you walked towards the door. “Thank you again, Y/N for agreeing to take this job. We’ve interviewed so many people and they couldn’t get past my status to focus on the kids.” “If I’m being honest Jensen, I’ve been a fan of yours for years, but I promise that will not interfere with my job.” Jensen stepped a little closer to you, and your heart beat faster, “I’m glad. I think this is going to work out for everyone.” A blush filled your cheeks and you bit your lip. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.” “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jensen. Please tell the kids goodbye.” He nodded as you stepped out of the house.

Getting into your car, you let out the breath you’d been holding. Driving home you couldn’t focus on anything but how gorgeous Jensen looked. Stop it girl! You work for him now. If you can’t stop these thoughts there is no way you’re going to be able to work for him. Your focus should be on his children. Both of you are married, and his wife is absolutely gorgeous. 

About a half hour later you were pulling in your driveway. Your husband was already home. Walking in the house you announced you were home, “Honey I’m home.” Your husband, Jeff, came around the corner and pulled you into a hug and a kiss. 

“How was the meeting with the family?” He asked as he pulled back. “It was great. The kids are so sweet. The wife is out of town and the dad is super nice too. There is a little problem. Well, not really a problem, but something I need to tell you.” “Okay, babe, is everything okay?” “Yeah, so the dad asked me to sign an NDA.” Your husband laughed, “Why is he a secret service agent or a celebrity?” You got a serious look on your face and your husband’s laughter died down. “What? Is he really?” “He and his wife are celebrities. It’s Jensen Ackles.”

Your husband pulled away and looked at you in surprise. He knew how much you liked Jensen and how much of a fan you’d been. “Yeah, I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with you working for him.” You looked at him confused, “What? Why not?” “Oh I don’t know, maybe because you’ve had the hots for him for years.” 

“Jeff, come on, really? I have no interest in him. I love you and I’m married to you. This is a job to help bring in more income for us. Besides, the pay is incredible. I tried to negotiate because I felt it was too much, but he insisted. We’d make enough in two months to pay off our credit cards.” 

Your husband’s jaw tightened, “I don’t care. I forbid you to take this job!” “I’m sorry, what? You forbid me?!? What the hell is wrong with you?” He stepped closer to you, “You heard me. You can’t take the job.” You scoffed and walked away. Jeff grabbed your arm, “Don’t fucking walk away from me!” “Let me go Jeff!” You pulled your arm away and walked to your shared room, locking the door behind you.

You sat on your bed and cried. How could he act like this? You two had been married for years and never had you given him a reason to doubt your loyalty. He’d never grabbed you before and you would never let him do it again. 

You pulled out your phone and sent a text to your best friend.

You: Hey, can I come crash at your place for a bit. Jeff and I had a bad fight. I don’t want to be here right now.

Y/B/F: Absolutely. Are you okay? Do you need me and hubby to come over?

You: Yeah, I’m okay. No, I’ll be okay. I’ll call if I need you.

Y/B/F: Okay babes, see you soon.

You grabbed your suitcase and put some work clothes and casual clothes in it. You grabbed your toiletries and other things you needed. As you walked out into the living room Jeff was sitting on the couch. You could see he was still pissed. “Have you come to your senses, Y/N?” “Yes I have, I’m going to Y/B/F’s house until I figure things out. You will NEVER put your hands on me again!” 

He stood and your heart beat fast. As he walked closer to you, you could see the rage in his face. You had been with him for years and you had never seen him like this, you were scared. 

Jeff stepped closer to you, mere inches from your face, “That’s right, go run to her house and go be his whore.” You didn’t say anything. You grabbed your bags and left. 

Driving down the road the tears started to fall. How could he act like this over a simple job? Why was he so jealous over Jensen? Sure you liked him, but you would never act on those feelings.

Pulling into your friend’s driveway you saw her open the door before you got out of the car. She ran up to you and threw her arms around you. “Oh sweetie, what happened?” She saw your tear stained face. “I told him about the tutoring job I took and he lost it. Told me I couldn’t take it and then he grabbed my arm. When I told him I was leaving he told me to go be the dad’s whore. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” 

“Let’s get you inside, eat and I’ll open a bottle of wine. Then we can talk.” You nodded and grabbed your things. Her husband walked over and gave you a big hug, “I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’m gonna head out so you girls can chat. Enjoy dinner.” He placed a kiss on your head before heading out the door. 

Y/F/N and you grabbed the food, and wine and sat down in the living room. “So why would he get so pissed about a tutoring job?” “Well the dad asked me to sign an NDA, he’s a celebrity. I guess Jeff thought I’d sleep with the dad or something. I just don’t understand.” “Oooh who is it?” “I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. Maybe I can ask if I can tell you, but I want to respect his privacy.” “I get it, but Jeff still shouldn’t have gotten pissed about it. Sounds like he’s got something to hide honestly.”

You hadn’t thought about that before, but now you couldn’t get it out of your head. Maybe he was the one cheating on you and was projecting. “Well even if he is, I don’t think I can go back to him. After he put his hands on me and the way he tried to intimidate me before I left. I can’t live with that fear.” “You are welcome to stay here as long as you want. We’ve got you girl, and don’t worry he won’t get near you here.”

*Time Jump 3 months*

“Okay guys, let’s get up and stretch for a bit. We’ve been working hard. Who wants to go outside and play for a bit?” You asked the kids after spending about an hour working with them at the kitchen table. The kids jumped up and ran outside, laughing and racing each other. You smiled as you started to clean up the table. 

Jensen walked into the kitchen and smiled, “Break time, I see.” “Yeah, they needed a break and so did I. Can I get you a coffee, Jensen?” Jensen walked over to the coffee pot, “No, let me get one for you. You’ve been busy educating my children. It’s the least I can do.” 

Jensen grabbed a coffee cup and filled it up, sliding it to you at the kitchen bar. You nodded and told him thank you. He filled one up and leaned against the counter. “So, how are they doing? Are you still okay with working with all three of them?” “Oh they are amazing children. You and your wife should be very proud of them. I adore them.” 

“Thank you, Y/N. I appreciate that.” “So if you don’t mind me asking, when is Mrs. Ackles coming home? I know she’s been out of town on a trip for about a week.” “Oh, yeah she’s on a girls trip. I believe she will come back next week. Maybe she’ll be around more after she gets back.” You could see the pain in his eyes and it broke your heart. “Well I can’t wait to sit and chat with her. I enjoy talking to you, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy sitting and talking to her too.” 

There was a pregnant silence that fell between you two, you looked up and met his eyes. They had a softness to them and were full of kindness. You blushed and smiled. The silence was broken by the sounds of crying. Jensen and you jumped up and ran outside. His daughter, Jessica was sitting on the ground crying. You and Jensen ran over to her and saw her knee was bleeding. 

Jensen scooped her up and carried her in the house. He sat her on the counter and you stood next to her. “Shh, it’s okay baby girl. Your daddy is going to get the first aid kit.” You rubbed her back and wiped her tears. 

Jensen came back carrying the first aid box. You held Jessica’s hand as he cleaned up the wound. “So Jess, what do you want for dinner? I bet you can get your daddy to get you whatever you want.” “I want cheeseburgers and ice cream, she sniffled.” “Ooh that sounds yummy. Does your daddy make good burgers?” She smiled and nodded. 

“Okay baby girl, all done.” Jessica looked at Jensen, “It didn’t even hurt.” Her eyes were wide. You smiled and Jensen looked over at you and smiled. “Well I think Ms Y/N has the magic touch then.” “Yes she does. Ms Y/N, can you stay for dinner?” Jensen was shocked, “Oh honey, Ms. Y/N has to get home to her husband. She can’t stay for dinner.” 

“Well, Jessica, if it’s okay with your dad I’d love to stay for dinner.” “Yay! I’m gonna go tell Jr and Annie.” You helped her down and she took off. As you were helping Jensen clean up, he looked at you, “Thank you for keeping her calm, but you really don’t have to stay. I’m sure your husband is waiting for you.” 

You put your head down, trying to hold back the tears. Taking a deep breath, “No, he’s not. I really would like to stay if you’re okay with it.” “Yes, that would be great. Jess really wants you to stay.” “Okay, let me help you cook then.” “Oh no ma’am, you are our guest.” 

You smiled “Please, it’s the least I can do.” “I’m not going to win this argument, am I?” “Nope, you’re not.” You laughed. “Okay, fine.” He chuckled.

Thirty minutes later you and Jensen were calling the kids in to wash up for dinner. Dinner was delicious and after dinner Jensen pulled out the ice cream. Jessica was excited, because they didn’t get ice cream often. “My wife would kill me if she knew I was giving them ice cream. They tend to get a little wild.” You both laughed. 

After ice cream, the kids went to the living room to watch tv while you helped Jensen clean up the kitchen. His phone rang as you two were cleaning. He sighed before he answered and walked out of the room. 

You kept cleaning and a few minutes later he came back in. “Sorry about that. It was my wife. She wanted to talk to the kids.” “Oh it’s not a problem. That’s sweet she calls when she’s away.” “Yeah, it is.” His jaw tightened a bit. 

The two of you reached for a bowl at the same time and your hands brushed against each other. A chill went through your body. You two looked at each other and you bit your lip, he swallowed hard. 

“Sorry,” you said as you pulled your hand back. “It’s okay.” Jensen cleared his throat, “Well it’s getting late. I’m sure your husband is worried about you.” You took a deep breath, “No, we um, actually split up a little over 3 months ago.” Jensen placed his hand on yours, “I’m so sorry, Y/N. That has to be hard.” “Yeah, it has been. Things just got really bad, so I left. I’ve been living with my best friend and her husband since.” 

“Well, if it gets too crazy there we have a guesthouse you’re welcome to stay in. I know the kids would love to have you around more.” You smiled, “That’s a generous offer, but I think I’m okay where I am right now. Besides, that’s a decision I think your wife should be included in.” “I understand, the offer stands though. She’d be fine with it. She’s always willing to help people.” “Thank you, I appreciate that. I’ll keep it in mind.” 

About an hour later the kids were in bed and you were getting ready to head home. “Well, thank you for dinner and a wonderful evening. I will see you on Monday.” Jensen stood to walk you to the door. His hand brushed lightly on the small of your back and a shiver went through you. “Good night, Jensen. Thank you again for dinner and the conversation.” “Good night, Y/N, and you’re welcome.” Jensen reached out and pulled you into a hug. You took a deep breath and breathed him in. God he smelt amazing, and he was so warm. 

When you two pulled away he lightly ran his thumb over your cheek. You instinctively leaned into his touch. Your breath hitched, “I should go.” You whispered. “Yeah, you probably should.” 

Jensen stepped closer, you bit your lip. His thumb ran over your chin, pulling your lip out of your teeth. Your breathing grew more rapid and your heart beat wildly. His lips were inches from yours, your breath mingling with his. He licked his lips and leaned even closer. You felt his lips ghosting over yours. “Jensen..” “Tell me to stop and I’ll stop.” You looked at him, your voice caught in your throat. “Y/N, do you want me to stop?” “No,” was all you said. 

Jensen’s lips crashed into yours. Soft but forceful and full of passion and need. Your mind swirling, your heart pounding as his tongue licked your lips asking for entrance. You parted your swollen lips and his tongue took dominance in your mouth. Jensen’s hands went into your hair and pulled you closer to him. Your hands wrapped around his neck. 

The kiss seemed to last for hours, the need for air causing your lungs to scream for oxygen, but in that moment Jensen was the only thing you needed to live. When the need for air became too much, you both pulled away, panting with swollen lips. 

You were blushing and Jensen was smiling. “I’ve been dying to do that for a really long time.” You smiled and bit your lip. His hand brushing against your cheek, “So beautiful”. You took a deep breath, “Good night Jensen.” He placed a soft peck on your lips before you walked out of the house. 

Driving home all you could think of was the kiss. You’d dreamed of kissing him for years, but he’s married. What did the kiss mean to him, to your job? Would he want to do it again, would you? Your mind was racing with thoughts of the kiss and how you could still feel his lips on yours. The sound of your phone pulling you out of your head.

Jensen: So I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I swear I didn’t plan that. 

You: You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I liked it. Honestly, a little too much. 

Jensen: I liked it too. I’d like to do it again if you want.

You: I like that more than you know, but you’re married and my boss. I’m not sure it’s a great idea.

What the hell are you doing!? Jensen Ackles is telling you he wants to kiss you again and you’re shooting him down. Ugh!

Jensen: I understand. Please don’t think this changes anything or affects your job. It doesn’t. You’re amazing with my kids and I wouldn’t want to mess that up.

You: Thank you. I appreciate you saying that. Good night, and I’ll see you Monday.

Jensen: Good night, Y/N. Sweet dreams and see you Monday.

As you crawled into bed that night all you could think about was the kiss and how wonderful his hands felt on you. A small pang of guilt crept into your head when you thought about his wife. You still couldn’t believe you told him you didn’t think kissing him again would be a good idea. His lips were so soft and damn was he a good kisser. 

Could you really still work for him after this, or would the pull to kiss him become too much?

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[usafphantom2]

Paint it Black! Making one of the first titanium airplanes was difficult .

Titanium was corrugated to make room for expansion when the titanium heated up at top speed of 2200+ mph. The skin panels were fastened to the underlying structure with oblong holes which would allow the skin to expand and contract without the fasteners causing buckling. And the skin over the wing was also corrugated to prevent warping during expansion, this is actually quite noticeable, you can see the sections that are corrugated quite clearly here in this artistic photo.

Titanium makes up 93% of the SR 71 structure. It’s strength to weight ratio, or specific strength, is better than Aluminium. Yet today very little titanium is used in everyday objects. Planes primarily use aluminum, not titanium.. why is it not used?

The development of the A-12 the Skunk Works, a small division of Lockheed discovered that making the blackbird out of titanium was going to be anything but easy

Titanium is expensive because its refinement process is a nightmare. To make Titanium, we start with a feedstock in the form of Titanium Dioxide, with this chemical formula. This oxide ore called rutile can be found in high concentrations in dark sandy soils.

Build the SR-71 the US needed to buy vast quantities of the mineral from the Soviets. To do this they purchased the material through ghost organizations to hide the final destination of the material. One of the companies that were made up was a company to make pizza ovens supposedly… the Russians believed this story!

Had the Soviets known what they were helping build, they would not have sold the material. However, the US likely could have just purchased the material from mines in Australia. This is a relatively common raw material and is primarily used as a white pigment for paints and is even found in sunscreen lotion as ultraviolet radiation blocking pigment.

The primary titanium alloy used in the SR-71 was thirteen percent vanadium, eleven percent chromium, and three percent aluminum. Both Chromium and Aluminium form thermally stable oxide layers on the outer skin of the metal. Which prevents oxygen from diffusing further into the metal and causing it to become more brittle.

Which raises the max operating temperature of the metal!

Vanadium acts as a stabilizer for a crystal structure referred to as the beta phase. This leads to a material with higher tensile strength and better formability. Through trial and error and problems that were solved by the geniuses that worked at the Skunk Works. They discovered that their cadmium plated tools were leaving trace amounts of cadmium on bolts, which would cause galvanic corrosion and cause the bolts to fail. This discovery led to all cadmium tools to be removed from the workshop.

This article just proves what we already know today when people work together and work hard to solve problems. New ground was broken with the formulation of titanium that led to the success of the SR 71 and the tremendous heat and strength that this magnificent airplane needed.

As Ben Rich head engineer and later, he replaced Kelly Johnson as the head skunk said in his book called the Skunk Works. ‘’I volunteered some unsolicited advice about how we could use a softer titanium that began to lose its strength at 550° to paint the airplane black

From my college things I remember that good heat absorber was also a good heat emitter it would actually radiate away more heat then it would absorb through thick friction. I calculated the black paint would lowered the wing temperature 35° by radiation think of how much easier it will be to build an airplane using softer titanium.

It was my father Butch Sheffield’s boss Ben Rich, who saved the Blackbird program time and money, with his idea of painting it black.

wisconsinmetaltech.com/titanium-and-t… is my Source and SkunkWorks by Ben Rich

Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[kyoteugly]

This rambling is about buddie prediction for the rest of the season assuming there will be a season 9. 

I don't have any inside information, it's just my gut feeling. I'm not describing any potential scenes, just what average viewers should take away from the episodes for buddie to make sense to them.

After talking to my friend, we came up with a kind of “buddie road map”. These are only our assumptions, I have nothing to support what is below, but I am sharing it here just to see in a few months how much of it has come true.

Once again, this is based purely on intuition and the logic that at the end of the day it's all about money. Because no matter how you look at it, buddie equals profit.

What's missing in 911 right now is a love story. All couples are stable and offer beautiful stories about how strong love is and how wonderful partnership is. But there is no story about falling in love in this beautiful and exciting way with turbulence leading to a happy ending. People want to feel in love even indirectly through the characters, people want to watch it, it sells.

The last three episodes are really getting the general audience used to the idea that there may be something between Buck and Eddie. During the last episode, the average consumer of this series questioned Buck's feelings and Eddie's sexuality at least once, creating the idea "what if…?" This question will attract GA to watch the next episode.

The compelling and natural path to buddie has already begun. 

At the moment, the series has a momentum that it needs to maintain, so I think the next episodes will go as follows:

12-13 - Eddie's story. His relationship with Chris, his dispute with his parents, his will - these elements are obvious. To keep viewers hooked these episodes should also include his relationship with Buck. For example, the fact that Eddie misses Buck as much as Buck misses him - this will at least water the idea that the potential feelings between them could be mutual. But the idea won’t keep an average viewer engaged for long, something solid is needed. And here comes Eddie's sexuality arc (this needs to be addressed, either in 8x12 or 8x13). The fact that Eddie is in Texas creates an incredible opportunity to expand on this theme beyond his relationship with Buck. Eddie is a full-fledged character in this universe, his aspects are unique to him, other characters can only complement his storylines. Eddie doesn't need Buck in this arc, to accept his sexuality, and for compelling character development it would have been better if this storyline had been resolved away from Buck.

And once again - momentum. It would be a mistake to leave the issue (I don’t like this word) of Eddie's sexuality aside now. Coming to an understanding of his own feelings may be a slower development (and Buck is needed for that), but at this point Eddie has been "accused" (if you want to call it that) of not being straight and the audience is waiting for the answer from Eddie himself.

(additionally: episode 12 is the 118th episode of the series. 13 - Ryan's 100th episode - personally, I have very high expectations as to what we will see in them.)

14-15 - we know that there will be some kind of major disaster. My private concern is that Eddie will still be in Texas. However...

1. Keeping Eddie in El Paso makes no sense. His storylines will quickly become unattractive, boring even, because either his reconciliation with Chris or the dispute with his parents would have to be stretched (unnatural for 911). As a result the audience will lose interest in Eddie and buddie.

2. Momentum - I know, I use this a lot - episode 11 questions Buck's feelings. Episodes 12-13 should show that Eddie is not straight (no label required) - this creates tension among the audience = it sells. So Eddie's absence in LA in episodes 14-15 would be like a speeding truck colliding with a concrete wall. Because now the GA knows where Buck and Eddie are in the buddie storyline - uncertain of their feelings but with clear information about their sexuality, so there is a possibility, there is “will they/won’t they” tune playing… and they (GA) want to follow them, especially into danger.

I have no doubt that whatever disaster Tim cooked, it will be intense and interesting, but the tension will increase x100 when we throw into the whirlwind of all the chaos characters who are probably in love with each other. 

That's why I think Eddie should return to LA at least at the end of episode 14. It would be a great idea to lull the audience's vigilance. Whatever terrible thing happens to 118, Eddie's safe, right? Wrong! Eddie is at the center of it all (bonus if he’s with Chris - a perfect cliffhanger - a perfect reference to the absolute hit of  911, tsunami). 

Episode 15 should arouse in viewers the same emotions as the firetruck and the well collapse, as the tsunami and the shooting and the lightning strike. It doesn't mean that one of the boys should have a near death experience. This is not necessary. Just show how Buck and Eddie react when one of them may be in danger - these are the primal reactions to which the viewers will react strongly, i.e. momentum, i.e. money. 

I repeat. It doesn't have to be an NDE! But if it is, it will not lead to the feelings realization. 

This is not a movie, but a series, so there is more time to develop the love story between characters that is not triggered by NDE in any way.

So to this point average viewer saw how Buck and Eddie deal with the fact they have to part ways (9 and 10), how they miss each other, and the seeds of Buck's feelings and Eddie's sexuality were planted (11, 12, 13), how much they care for each other regardless of whether they are a couple or not (14 and 15 - those primal emotions).

16-17 - the pace should be maintained or it can slow down. Show the boys' partnership again, how well they fit together, how they understand each other, without directly touching on the issue of feelings - basically keep a very strong "will they/won't they". Deceptively, on "they won't" the guys should live separately - for this relationship to evolve naturally and healthy they can’t be roommates (I mean, they can, for short moment, but in 17 or 18 one of them should move out - that's what I mean by "they won't") . And because they won’t act on their feelings when they live together (I know, tragic, but this will be important for season 9).

18 - in the last episode we should get a bomb in the form of an unfinished kiss scene, they kiss and fade to black, without resolution, without explanation... it may even be the last scene of the episode.

Why such a road map?

The pace set here attracts viewers and the ending encourages people to follow the next season.

An additional element is the break between seasons. If it turns out that the general audience is not satisfied with buddie, the creators can withdraw from it in the next season. This ending gives the opportunity to either explore their relationship or focus the story on rebuilding the status quo of their friendship.

What about the time gap in the plot between seasons? We want to see the beginning of their relationship!

Yes, it can be done very easily. 

Season 9 starts with the guys feeling awkward after the kiss. Fortunately, they don't live together, so they are able to function to some capacity. Their feelings and emotions are shown, and more importantly, it is shown in flashbacks why it is awkward between them - that is, we see the rest of the scene (from the end of season 8) after they kissed, what was said, where the misunderstanding occurred, etc.

And of course we have the opening of disaster, which puts them in a high adrenaline state, where they themselves notice that this kiss has not changed what they have, what they are together. That they are still partners, that they understand each other without words - this is what we, as viewers, see primarily in episodes 15-18 of season 8, and what Buck and Eddie did not pay attention to. The awkwardness disappears, 9x03 they kiss again and that brings us to the actual beginning of their relationship. The rest of season 9 is establishing buddie as one of the power couples.

In my opinion, this pace for buddie is not rushed, it gives the highest viewership and time to research the audience's opinion (and it gives the loophole to back out of buddie if necessary). This is primarily dictated by money. This scenario is the most optimal in the above-mentioned aspects - but this does not mean that it is the best. 

If the show decides to go all-in on buddie, the kiss will happen earlier to secure Buck and Eddie as a couple before the end of the season 8.

I have no doubt the creators are committed to give buddie a shot. The narrative is clearly going in this direction and the media buzz around it is loud. Transferring the TV series formula for male-female relationships (often for the main couple) to a queer relationship in a series intended for such a wide audience is a bold move. And a risky one. A kind of precedent is being created for presenting this type of story, m/m slow burn, friends to lovers, with sexuality arcs, with deep personal growth. This exists in fanfiction, not television. There is no rule book here, everything is new, fresh, unexplored - that's why it's so exciting, that's why it captivates the viewers. 

So when buddie happens, they will automatically become legendary.

[sanshofox]

At this point I am really wondering how the entertainment industry, especially gaming industry, is going to uphold/maintain themselves.

One layoff after another. How are people from that industry supposed to find a new job there when layoffs are happening everywhere? Do studios really think there’s longevity when they aren’t even willing to hire newcomers/juniors so there‘s adequate supply in the work force? Because look at how it’s currently going: investors want more and more money, the workload increases, but people are getting fired, leaving a smaller team to do said work, even distributing them for 2 or 3 projects at the same time, only to crash in a burnout or in later years go into retirement. Then who’s left? AI? Are you kidding me? As if games aren’t becoming more and more repetitive anyway, because of some „safe recipe for good numbers“ strategy. Creativity and the people behind it are suffering.

It’s been almost 2 years since I saw a junior 3D character artist offer. Ever since then it’s been a desert. And it’s not looking all too bright in other departments either. It’s now even a thing in job descriptions where they want you to have „AI abilities“. So as a junior or regular they want you to feed their machine, so in a few years they can fire you. The audacity.

Another audacity are those layoffs just to rehire people for a smaller price (can’t tell me otherwise. For me this is a tactic to put pressure on the work force to say yes to less money otherwise they will stay jobless). People that made projects what they are today, who are seniors and leads for a reason, out of a job just like that. Make it make sense (it doesn’t).

Studios like ubisoft now openly saying that they want to focus on AI, like assets completely made by AI to „save time and money“ and expand AI onto more fields. Shame on them.

The way creative industries like gaming finance themselves is also their biggest poison. And I only see a solution in that by regulating investors demands and upper positions sheaningans. They can’t have „absolute power“ anymore. It’s destructive and greedy and not realistic. Games can not be linearly successful. For the game design „recipe“ to improve it needs iteration just like when you work in a project for example and work on a design that needs to be iterated until it‘s improved or solid even. We see time and time again that „business/numbers people“ and creatives do not go hand in hand. We see an extreme imbalance.

I would predict that with less creative new input and letting mainly AI do the work consumers will be less and less entertained because everything seems to be and look the same. It will stagnate. And then crumble. And the industry needs to start like it did before. And that’s what I guess for the big companies.

With the layoffs happening and not enough job offers in return I could see that big talents get together to build their own studios now and we may get an era of new successful and growing studios happening that may even replace the current triple A studios one day in the future. They may even change the financing game. We saw successful games happening through platforms like kickstarter more often. So it might lead back to a „power to the people“ thing. Having an idea for a project and seeing if enough people agree and invest to see it happening. There’s room for improvement in that system. That’s all what it leads back to; in the end the consumers need to be satisfied to make it a creative and monetary success. BG3 and larian studios was a good example for that. It’s what made coral island grow and grow too. So there‘s potential.

Feel free to comment your theories. I really would like to see what others think about the current state of gaming studios and how it will or could develop.

[toadettely]

I want to thank all of you for your lovely support on Skill & Spill and I wanna hug all of you. It means so much to me to read how much you seem to adore this AU and my (silly) ideas! <3

... So I tried to explain Eevee's job in this AU :3 Please let me know what you think about it and if you have questions or more ideas? ^-^

Short summary here and a lil yap yap under the cut (how he started his job)

<3

Eevee is a freelancer that is known as “Sophist” by his clients. He is a game designer and creative director in some sorts. Game developers and (indie) studios reach out to him for his ideas because he is known for his unusual yet fascination gameplay gimmicks. Sophist adds playful and experimental ideas to games, making them stand out more than “usual/typical” games by a lot.

Some developers respect him and others almost fear him. To the point that a term started to form amongst game developers called "Sophist-proof your game" - as if someone could match Eevee's chaotic and mischievous mind and soul. He laughs at obvious bad copies of his ideas and even sometimes reaches out to developers, asking if they want his help to improve their game. (Sometimes they accept kindly and it's another win for Eevee. But other times they get furious at him - which results in Eevee laughing tears at their responses sometimes)

He makes enough money to cover his bills but he is not living a luxury life at all. Eevee struggles to survive some months but always manages.

<3

He started his career as some sort of lighthearted joke: he was asked to test a game, rate it and give constructive advice by a small indie studio that had developed a 2D rpg jump and run with a lot of noticeable love and thought behind it.

Eevee told the developers something along the lines of “Wouldn’t it be funny if you must play through the entire Story of the game to unlock the settings? Because the sound of hitting an enemy is annoying and tiring ngl. I still played through it with the SFX turned on. [...] And the inventory is a mess, I had no clue what the hell I had to do there honestly. And it doesn’t even open nor look like an inventory. You guys could have added a quiz the player has to answer to be able to pick the item they want, and it wouldn’t have changed how messy the inventory feels before figuring it out after like six levels. I still remember dropping my weapon instead of healing myself for an unholy amount of tries.” And the developers of the game were amazed by his ‘ideas’, adding them to the game even though many people in the company were skeptical towards it.

They asked Sophist to explain his ideas further and expand them in any way he wanted, genuinely interested and invested in the almost too ridiculous ideas, which seemed so random and chaotic that they appeared to be a fun gimmick, all at the same time.

Eevee had laughed his ass off and almost fell from his chair as he read their reply. But he obliged happily and added all the ideas and thoughts he could think of into his reply. He felt kind of proud reading through it and pressing the send button afterwards.

And oh Fellas, he had every right to be proud of his chaotic ideas.

The game ended up being their best selling one with unexpectedly amazing ratings. Many people pointed out how random the quiz questions in the inventory were and how surprisingly big the range of the questions were (which Eevee provided himself, too) and how unexpected the options after the finished story were - making some people play the game again in only one color and with increased speed (again, Eevee’s ideas.)

This is how Eevee, or rather Sophist, became more and more known in the scene and got more and more people to seek out to him for his unsual gameplay designs and ideas.

---

Nick knows about Eevee's job and tried some of the games Eevee had added his gimmicks to, but quickly found them annoying and "too sophisticatedly frustrating" (he didn't say that but Eevee knows it is how Nick felt while playing the games.)

Brent played some games that Eevee had helped develop when he felt bored in his rare free time. Buying them because they were cheap and looked promising and appealing in a way they really shouldn't.

But Brent never heard or read the name "Sophist" anywhere while doing so. The only occurrence he ever saw the name and acknowledged it was in marvel rivals, but as "Sofist" - the person that would become his favourite stranger to play games with online.

(I don't know guys but I love the idea so... Just take it...)

[librarycards]

Jenny Odell: I sometimes feel that in an individualistic culture, people get freaked out by the idea of being tied down or responsible for anything. Thinking about a gift economy, they might say, “I want the gift part but not the accountability part.” Lately, I’ve been volunteering in this native plant restoration group, and one of the most surprising parts has been how enlivening it is to help keep something else alive (I’ve never had a garden before). Sometimes I truly can’t tell whether I’m giving or getting. What are some ways that you see participation in a gift economy changing the participant’s sense of herself and her place in a network? In other words, is participation itself part of the gift?

RK: Yes. Exactly. Participation is part of the gift, where giving and getting meld into one another. A garden teaches you that every day. Gifts and responsibilities are always coupled to each other.

Of course, you’re right that given our hyper-individualistic culture, many people are not eager to embrace responsibility. Its often confounded, I think with the notion of “obligation”. Obligation feels to me like an involuntary demand on our time and energy, imposed from outside without the assurance that you’ll benefit in return. I’m sometimes reluctant about that, too. But, responsibility is an invitation to respond to need, an opening to reciprocity in which the benefits flow both ways. The benefits of participation in a gift economy are not only flowing to the gift recipient but the giver as well. Working on your restoration project, or any other gift exchange strengthens your own sense of agency, doesn’t it? It awakens care and compassion, builds relationship and nurtures your own identity as a person of capacity, of having enough abundance in your life that you can share it. I think it contributes to a sense of purpose, which we know is good medicine. It reminds you that you matter, that you’re part of something. That’s a big reward.

I find that some of the times that I feel most fully alive are in experiences of shared physical work in community with others. Like an old-time husking bee or shared planting. We’ve lost so many of the opportunities for that and gift economies provide the opportunity to work in common, to satisfy the need for belonging. And when that work is on the land and the benefits flow into our neighborhood of many species, the benefits are multiplied beyond the boundaries of ourselves.

JO: There is a really beautiful analogy you draw between the economy of nature and the human gift economy. Asking what in the gift economy functions as the “sun”–the constantly replenishing source of energy–you speculate: “Maybe it is love.” Reading this, it occurred to me how love is in essence a surplus, the force that gets things going. Could you speak more to the emotional and practical role that things like love and gratitude play in a gift economy? And how do they change the way we see “resources”?

RK: The fundamental currency of a gift economy, is relationship, not money. I suppose it’s what some people call “social capital”, but I’m not fond of that term. Participation in a gift economy could create a whole continuum of relationships, from the warmth of being cared for or an expanded sense of justice to just plain neighborliness. This can create a sense of security because mutual reliance grows from gift exchange. There is a sense of satisfaction in being able to give, and a sense of kinship in being able to receive, when we share the mutual acknowledgment of human vulnerability. For me, that continuum of relationships includes the possibility of a currency of love and gratitude that motivates the gift exchange, which is the source of the flow, between people and between people and the earth as well.

Gift-giving is a way of saying “I see you.” I see what you need and I see what I have to share. My well-being is tied to yours and yours to mine. It develops a trust that when I am in need, there will be abundance shared with me. The giver and the recipient are honored at the same time. That seems a lot like love to me.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, interviewed by Jenny Odell, Gift Thinking. [emphasis added]

[elysiansparadise]

Hi Elysian ! ✨

First I wanted to tell you that I really love your posts 💖

I have seen that you have your ask open and you haven't post about Neptune in the 2th house so can you please describe Neptune in the 2th ?

I have this placement and wanted to know more about it.

Thanks a lot/ Merci beaucoup ✨

Kiss from France 💖

Hello love, thanks for loving my posts. Of course I can describe this beautiful placement. A kiss right back at you. 💖

Neptune in the 2nd house

These people may not place as much importance on money, they feel that the money a person may have does not define their value and quality as a person. They care about money just enough and necessary to know that it is crucial to have a decent life in which they do not lack anything, but they consider that there are things more important or of greater value than this. They stand out for their generosity and altruism, being people who can seek to help those most in need or provide support to those who do not have enough money. They can really enjoy buying details for others without worrying much about the price. Since this is the house of values, the presence of Neptune here indicates that they place a lot of emphasis on their spiritual world, keeping in mind values ​​such as devotion, tolerance and empathy. You can spend a lot of time investing in your spiritual growth or expanding your knowledge in these areas. They are likely to pay for services such as aura cleansing, tarot readings or other things related to esoteric topics. Likewise, they can enjoy buying things related to art, paintings, notebooks or things that help them develop their creativity in some way, such as instruments.

This is a house linked to self-esteem, so it is likely that these natives are very humble and even shy people when it comes to receiving compliments, not knowing exactly how to take them. These people dream big with the idea of ​​having everything they once lacked, and not only in the material field, but also emotionally, especially that feeling of stability that they may not have had when they were young. These people should be cautious when lending money, because even if their intentions are good, they may more frequently encounter people along the way who will not pay them on time or who do not pay them at all. This house reflects everything we acquire since we were born, so it can represent those talents that we have since we were young. Many people with this placement may have artistic talents, such as painting, singing, music or some other branches of art. Likewise, it can tell us about spiritual gifts of any kind. It is likely that these people can use their talents as a way to generate or invest their money.

One of the things that these natives should be careful about is their disorganization, it is crucial that they be very organized, because they have a tendency to forget where they leave things, if Neptune is making multiple tense aspects [especially with 2nd house ruler or Venus], they can even forget bank passwords or they can even lose documents related to estate. They have a rich inner world, feeling very disconnected from the things or people around them, they may feel that they do not give importance to things that others usually do. They highly value the human quality behind things, they do not like to buy items or things that, for example, are experimented on animals or that affect or damage the environment. Another thing they value a lot is inner wealth, both their own and with others, as I mentioned previously, they give value to things that others hardly put emphasis on.

[brittanyearnestauthor]

Learning More About Character Motivations and How to Write Them

Characters, like real people, are driven by internal and external motivations. Understanding what inspires them to take action makes them more realistic, relatable, and compelling. One well-known theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, suggests that people prioritize basic needs—such as food and shelter—before progressing toward higher-level desires like self-actualization.

In this post, I’ll explore the different types of motivations that influence characters and how to implement them effectively in storytelling.

Internal Motivations

Internal motivations come from within and are often linked to personal growth and self-improvement:

- Autonomy – The desire to have control over one’s actions and choices.

- Purpose – Seeking meaning and direction in life, whether personal or professional.

- Recognition – Wanting acknowledgment and appreciation in social settings or the workplace.

- Achievement – The drive to accomplish goals, leading to a sense of pride and self-esteem.

- Mastery – The need to develop skills and become proficient, which fosters confidence.

- Curiosity – The innate drive to learn, explore, and discover new things.

- Empathy – Understanding and sharing emotions with others, motivating kindness and support.

- Growth – Striving to expand knowledge, abilities, and self-awareness.

- Contribution – Wanting to make a positive impact on the world or within a community.

External Motivations

External motivations stem from outside factors that influence a character’s decisions:

- External Incentives – Rewards like money, praise, success, or social status.

- Competition – The drive to outperform others and achieve a competitive edge.

- Necessity – Survival instincts and the need to fulfill basic needs.

- Social Influence – The pressure to fit in or gain approval from others.

- Vision – A clear understanding of future goals and desired outcomes.

- Passion – Deep enthusiasm or drive for a particular pursuit.

- Significance – The desire to feel important and leave a lasting impact.

Other Motivational Factors

Motivation is further categorized into intrinsic and extrinsic influences:

- Intrinsic Motivation – Acting based on internal joy or fulfillment rather than external rewards.

- Extrinsic Motivation – Acting to gain external validation, such as money, praise, or success.

- Self-Determination Theory – The idea that people are motivated by autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

- Fame – The need to be acknowledged and recognized by society.

Conclusion

Motivation is a complex and deeply personal experience that varies from character to character. When developing your stories, consider how internal and external influences shape each individual’s desires, struggles, and actions.

By using this guide—and expanding on it—you’ll create multi-dimensional characters that feel dynamic, driven, and engaging to your audience.

Happy writing!

[theweirdowithcoffee]

Armored Core, Video Games, Mecha: A Cultural Study of A Genre.

In 1997, From Software (フロム・ソフトウェア) released "Armored Core" (アーマード・コア) for the Sony PlayStation. While definitely not the first "Mecha Game" as we'll be referring to ad nauseam in this bizarre, overly long, essay thing of sorts- it more than the rest is arguable the most important. Through its mechanics, story, gameplay, and even setting- everything about Armored Core reinforces that it is the first Mecha IP made for the brand new at the time "video game medium" that fully embodied everything that defines the cultural and historical influences of the modern Mecha Genre, while redefining that genre for the newer medium. To this day, with the most recent release of "Armored Core VI: The Fires of Rubicon" in August of 2023, the series continues to uphold and redefine this legacy. Yet, what does any of that even mean?

To make a long story shortened, somewhat long once again; as we know it outside of Japan "Mecha", is a niche of a niche in some cases. Not necessarily that it's unpopular, or doesn't make an insane amount of money (which it is and does in both cases quite often), but in that it is a genre almost entirely defined by its roots in Japan, primarily through various Manga Comics and especially Animated Series. Go Nagai's (永井 豪) "Mazinger Z" (1972) is credited most often as the birth of the genre's identity, most notably as the first real breakout attempt at conceptualizing the idea of a large robot that was controlled through the use of a cockpit within the robot itself. In Go Nagai's words within the book "A Brief History of Japanese Robophilia"; "I wanted to create something different, and I thought it would be interesting to have a robot that you could drive, like a car."

From this idea and the incredible popularity of Mazinger Z, "Robot Anime" (ロボットアニメ) was born, and Go Nagai went on to create more influential works that helped further expand the genre as well as develop this particular flavor as "Super Robot". Now, Super Robot being the first and oldest sub-category to the genre makes what came after works like the aforementioned Mazinger Z and later "Getter Robo" (also from Go Nagai, 1974) fascinating from an outsider to the culture and times of the late 20th Century Japan. Without going too much into a side tangent, shows like Mazinger Z and Getter Robo were the foundation of which everything that would come to pass was built on. Discussing Mazinger Z and Getter Robo with friends and people who love it, however, the one thing that was constantly said was that "They still were and are, monster of the week animated shows", the Super Robots being genuinely not too dissimilar to how super heroes or super powered characters in other cartoons or comics were depicted other than they were both vehicle and the powers themselves. They are still shows about cool/surprising fights with evil monsters or wicked folk- and that's what they really want to be.

Not to say there's little under the surface (I would never dare to even humor a claim like that in regards to near any media), but for example- Getter Robo, which introduced the concept of "gattai" (合体), better known as "combination", where these super robots or aspects of them could "combine together" to create a bigger, stronger, or better robot- combined with the introduction of the show's "Getter Rays", the primary antagonists being what are genuinely, dinosaur aliens, Getter Robo has a very clear and distinct theme of "Evolution" that permeates through its entire core- but its also secondary to the actual point of the series from what I've been informed. To quote directly from a friend who's a massive fan and shill for the series: "This is the invention of the wheel, no one has thought to put trims on it," which is not a criticism at all- but I think it's important to especially point that out here and now that this is what the Super Robot era of early Mecha was, really cool and fun ideas for media that wanted to be surprising, fun, and fresh for the early 1970s.

The other thing that was most interesting about the era of Super Robot, was that despite robots- the powers and abilities explored in these series were supernatural or magical in nature; Getter Rays for example is quite literally, human will made manifest- allowing their machines to fire beams of energy, transform their parts, amongst several other things. Some would say it's "on the nose", but frankly it's inspired and has persisted as an idea all the way to present in even modern Mecha that isn't Super Robot.

But then, what did come after the Super Robot era of early Mecha? When a genre has only escalated and expanded, going further into the fantastical and erratic energy of its fore-bearers and contemporaries; bigger, brighter, louder- where do we look once we've waged battle with every single light in the sky? When there's no battles left to be fought with aliens, kaiju, or other such monsters that threaten to snuff out our spark, try to tango with the human spirit and its indomitable will- eventually our sights go from the stars above, back to where all battles and conflict are directed at.

Each other.

(this post is continued in a series of reblogs, be sure to check them out!)