#but the logical lesson and the practical one are not things that can be learned at the same time

[monster-noises]

I'm really hoping I can get some work done today but the mouse in the wheel that powers my brain is not up and running so I think I may have to go for a walk, given that it's already 2:30pm this does not bode well for said work getting done but I'd rather take a nice walk and feel alert at least a little bit than sit at my desk for several hours feeling the slow dark slide down into the abyss while still not getting any work done and also probably developing a gnaaarly headache. Doesn't help that I'm kinda stuck for what to work on, cause I want to do this illustration project but it's Kicking my Ass still and I realized last night, while mopping about my seeming inability to build an audience, that hey, maybe if I try being more Vocal and Engaging with my Projects by say like.... Actually describing them and telling people details about them. I might attract a bit more attention? So now I kinda want to make some short kinda introduction thing for Dragon's Daughter but also I'm in like a Huge Stress-induced Depression Mud Pit and the thought of making promotional materials feels silly and pointless and like Who Cares? No One Is Interested, Has Ever Been Interested Or Will Become Interested so like.... Don't Bother? And that's Not True but like even if that Was true I should probably try anyway, even if just a little bit... It may have some affect like, who knows? So I think I should go for a walk to shake this stinkin thinkin out the ol' bitinkin by which I mean Brain. My tags got cut off so I'm adding them to the post instead

So maybe making a little introductory graphic will help Dragon's Daughter pick up some steam, maybe it'll drum up some interest and excitement and make people want to know about it and engage with it and be excited for it to come out, maybe it'll make people want to keep tabs on it or ask questions. Or maybe it won't. And my funny little slide show will settle gently like any other unique but functionally identical snowflake on the top of the pile. Unnoticed but as part of the larger whole of Art Posted On The Internet. Only really one way to find out. Though that doesn't make it feel any less silly and pointless to do anyways.. Just have to swallow that and try anyway.

[incognit0slut]

Lesson learned

PART 3 OF KINKTOBER | MAIN MASTERLIST

Unit Chief!Spencer x BAU!Reader Your boss decides to teach you a lesson when you question the motivations behind a certain case.

Content: (18+) 6k, breath play, fingering, a little case description, BDSM discussion, softdom Spence but borderlines to dom because hello this is breath play and reader being judgy judgy but don’t worry he’s here to teach you a lesson or two a/n: The initial plan was to make him a hard dom but breathplay is already overwhelming so I decided to go the educational route. I am, by all means, not as smart as him, so there might be some inaccuracy

You would think that after joining the BAU for two years, you’d start to understand the twisted logic of a criminal’s mind. But you don’t. Not really. You’ve dissected motives, uncovered patterns, and profiled suspects more times than you can count, and yet this case makes no sense. 

Your eyes go over the photographs pinned to the board again. And again. And again. It’s become almost a ritual now, like maybe if you look at it just one more time, the pieces might finally fall into place. But all you find staring back at you are three victims with the same marks on their necks. There was clearly a sign of struggle, but not one of fear. Not one that fits any pattern you know.

“I don’t get it,” you say. “The profile suggests the victims knew their attacker, but this doesn’t look like anything close to rage. Or brutality.”

Spencer shifts beside you, his shoulder brushing lightly against yours as he leans closer to the board. “It might not have been an act of violence,” he observes thoughtfully. “Not in the traditional sense, anyway.”

You furrow your brow. “If it wasn’t violent, then what was it?”

“The bruising pattern is too symmetrical, and there’s no sign of panic or defensive wounds on their hands. I think there’s a chance the victims might have willingly participated.”

“Willingly?” Your eyes snap at him. “What do you mean, ‘willingly participated’? No one willingly gets strangled.”

He meets your eyes for a second before looking back at the board. “I know it sounds unlikely,” he admits, “but not impossible. See how the bruises are evenly spaced? They wrap around in perfect circles. The pressure is distributed just enough to leave a mark but not to crush the windpipe.“

“Spencer, that’s exactly what happened. The windpipe was crushed.”

“Yes, but not immediately. That’s the point.” He turns towards you again. “The intention wasn’t to kill them outright. The unsub wanted to bring them to the point of unconsciousness but not over it. At least, not at first. He was counting on their trust before pushing it too far.”

You let out a huff. “That’s insane.”

“It might seem that way to you, but it’s not unheard of. Sexual asphyxiation is a consensual act for some people. The lack of oxygen when someone’s airflow is restricted can trigger a euphoric sensation which intensifies pleasure."

You stare at him like he’s just spoken a different language. “So, you're saying they get off on... not breathing?”

“More like they find excitement in giving up that control."

You cross your arms and study him, tilting your head with a skeptical frown. “How do you even know this?”

The corner of his mouth twitches in a half-smile. “I read,” he says simply, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“You have a book on sexual asphyxiation?”

“It’s more comprehensive than that. The book covers a wide range of kinks, fetishes, and other forms of sexual exploration which are considered extreme by societal standards.”

"You’re telling me you read up on BDSM practices in your spare time?”

"I think of it as research,” he replies. “It’s part of understanding human behavior. You can’t afford to be ignorant about the complexities of people's desires."

"Huh." Your eyes travel back to the images again. "You know, I still don't understand. I mean, willingly letting someone cut off your breath? That’s not just trust that’s… I don’t know, crazy?”

His eyes narrow towards you as if he's carefully considering how much to say.

“It's not crazy,” he insists carefully. “For people who engage in it, it’s not only about losing control. It’s about reaching a heightened state of awareness, finding excitement in walking that line.”

"But what if that line gets crossed? What then? How could anyone think that sounds… fun?”

“Well, have you ever tried it?”

“Of course not!” you reply quickly, almost laughing at the absurdity. “Why would I?”

“Then you wouldn’t know,” he counters, his tone calm but pointed, like he’s presenting a fact rather than an opinion. “You can’t really understand the mindset until you’ve experienced it. It’s not something you can fully grasp from the outside.”

"I don’t think I could ever trust someone enough to do that to me."

“Maybe you just haven’t found the right person to trust.”

You scoff. “What? Are you offering?”

You laugh at your own joke, and you expected him to do the same. Or perhaps a quick “Of course not”, even some rambling about how he didn’t mean it that way. But when all you’re met with is silence, your laughter dies down, and your eyes dart back to him.

Spencer’s not looking at you, his eyes are fixed on the photographs pinned to the board. He’s studying the bruises, the faces, the details like he always does, but there’s a stillness in his expression, a tension in the set of his jaw that makes you think he’s considering something else entirely. And for a moment, you’re not sure if he’s really thinking about the victims or the case at all.

Maybe you shouldn’t joke about things like that. He is your boss, after all, and even though there isn’t exactly a strict superior-subordinate dynamic between the two of you—he’s always been more of a peer than an authority figure—you wonder if maybe this time you crossed a line.

Spencer’s eyes remain on the photos for a long, agonizing second, and you think maybe he’s not going to respond at all. But then, slowly, he turns his head and looks at you, and the room suddenly feels impossibly small.

“If I were to offer,” he says quietly, “Would you take it?”

His words knock the breath from your lungs, and all you can do is stare back at him. You don’t know what to make of the question. Was it a dare? A test? Or perhaps something more?

There’s a part of you that wants to laugh it off. The conversation was absurd to begin with, so brushing it away like it’s nothing would feel like the safest option. The easy way out. But there’s another part—one you don’t want to acknowledge—that can’t help but wonder what it would mean to say yes.

What if you did? you ponder.

What would it feel like to trust someone like that?

What would it feel like to trust him?

But before you can reply, the door to the meeting room creaks open, the noise echoing through the dimly lit space of the police precinct. A uniformed officer pokes his head inside.

“Dr. Reid, we found a new lead on the vehicle.”

Spencer’s eyes stay locked on yours for just a beat longer as your heart hammers in your chest. Then, without a word, he nods to the officer, and any trace of whatever passed between you dissolves like it never happened at all.

The next few days turn into a blur. The lead on the unsub’s vehicle takes you across town, a chase that ends with the suspect cornered in an abandoned old house. It’s almost anticlimactic how quickly it all happens—sirens blaring, doors kicked in, and in less than an hour, the unsub is in handcuffs. The case is finally closed, and it’s the kind of victory that usually brings a sigh of relief.

But today, you can’t find that peace.

Back at the precinct, the rest of the team has already moved on to debriefing. You’re left cleaning up the mess of photographs and notes scattered across the table. But your movements are slow, distracted, your fingers fumbling over the papers. There’s a prickling awareness that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and you know exactly why.

It’s because Spencer is watching you. You don’t even need to look to feel the weight of his gaze. He’s leaning casually against the doorframe, hands tucked in his pockets, but there’s nothing casual about the way his eyes track your movements.

You pause, photos in hand, and finally address him. “What?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he pushes off the wall and starts walking toward you. He stops just short of arm’s length.

“Have you thought about what we discussed the other day?”

You feel a rush of embarrassment, and the awkwardness of the moment makes you shift uncomfortably. Clearing your throat, you turn your attention back to the table, hastily grabbing a stack of photographs and shuffling them into a folder.

“We didn’t discuss anything,” you mumble, avoiding his gaze. “It was just a joke.”

“Was it? You don’t joke about things like that unless you’ve thought about them at least a little.”

You let out a dry laugh, keeping your eyes firmly on the table. “I wasn’t being serious. We were in the middle of a case, and we were all exhausted. I just said whatever came to mind.”

Spencer tilts his head, the way he does when he’s analyzing something, his eyes flickering over your face as though he’s cataloging every twitch of your expression.

“Maybe,” he concedes, and takes another step forward. “But the offer wasn’t a joke, and you didn’t say no.”

Your fingers freeze over the photographs, the papers crinkling under your touch.

“I didn’t say yes either.”

You mentally wince at how weak that sounds, almost as if you’re trying to convince yourself. You slowly look up at him, searching his face for any sign of hesitation, but all you find are those intense brown eyes staring back at you.

It unnerves you how calm he is, how easily he’s holding this conversation when your mind is spinning in a million directions.

“You do realize what you’re offering?” you start to press, feeling the need to put it out in the open. “What this means?”

Spencer doesn’t flinch, doesn’t break eye contact for a second. “I do.”

“Do you? Because it seems to me like you might be taking this too lightly."

“I’m not taking it lightly. I’m acknowledging that there’s more to it than what you’re seeing on the surface.”

“And what makes you think I want to see beyond the surface?”

He leans in closer. Close enough to feel the warmth of his breath, but not enough to cross any boundaries. “I’m offering a perspective, not forcing you to accept it. Understanding doesn’t always come from reading about something. It comes from experience.”

You can’t quite decide if his words make sense or if they’re completely absurd. It’s like he’s challenging your logic, your assumptions, but at the same time, there’s a strange clarity to what he’s saying.

“Why does it matter so much to you?”

Because he’s your boss? Because someone in his position always tries to make sense of everything for everyone else?

“Because shaming people for their interests, for something they might find pleasure in… it isn’t fair, and it isn’t right.”

Now that was something you didn’t expect him to say.

“I wasn’t shaming,” you protest quickly, the words coming out defensive even to your own ears. “I was just…”

“Curious,” he finishes for you. “And curiosity isn’t a flaw. Neither is wanting to understand, and if you’re willing to explore that curiosity, then I’d rather you experience it in a way that’s safe. That you know is controlled.”

“So what?” you snap back. “You want to prove me wrong? Show me I’ve been looking at this the wrong way?”

A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, but it’s not playful. It’s gentle, almost thoughtful, as if he’s carefully weighing each word. “No,” he says softly. “I don’t want to prove you wrong. I want to teach you.”

You blink at him. You open your mouth, but nothing comes out at first, the words tangled somewhere between shock and disbelief. It takes a few seconds until you manage to find your voice.

“You… want to teach me?”

“A lesson, if you will,” he explains, and the way he says it—so calm, so certain—makes your heart stutter. “Not to prove you wrong, but to help you understand. You have your perceptions about… control and trust. I think the only way to really understand is to experience it yourself.”

You don’t know what to say, what to do, and all that comes out is a shaky, barely-there laugh.

“A lesson,” you repeat, trying to make sense of the concept.

He nods, and there’s no pressure in his voice, just an offer. Simple and clear. “But only if it’s what you want.”

You aren’t sure what to feel, much less what to say, and the uncertainty must show on your face. Sensing your hesitation, Spencer takes a step back, giving you space.

“It’s a lot to consider, and I’m not expecting an answer now. But the offer still stands… whenever you’re ready.”

And with that, he gives you one last smile and turns away, leaving you alone with your conflicted thoughts.

You’re pacing in your hotel room, your footsteps muffled by the worn carpet as you make the same path back and forth over and over again. Every time you try to sit down, your leg bounces with restless energy, so you’re back up again, moving without purpose but unable to stop.

You tell yourself it’s just stress. The case, the pressure, the weirdness of being in a small-town motel with creaky walls and awful lighting. But you know better. You know exactly what’s got your mind spinning and your stomach doing flips.

Spencer. And his damn offer.

You scoff to yourself, trying to laugh it off like you always do, but the joke doesn’t land when it’s just you, alone with your thoughts. And, really, what’s the harm in admitting the truth—to yourself, at least? That maybe the whole concept doesn’t seem as insane as it did a few days ago. That maybe you’ve found yourself wondering what it would feel like to trust someone that much.

You stop pacing, staring at your reflection in the mirror across the room. There it is, that nagging curiosity, that flicker of intrigue that Spencer saw before you even knew it was there. You let out a sigh, the weight of the realization hitting you.

God help you, but you’re actually curious.

And that might just be the scariest part of all.

You slip into your shoes and take a deep breath before stepping into the hallway. The motel’s quiet, most of the rooms dark as you walk past, and for a moment you hesitate, wondering if this is a mistake. The team’s staying one more night here, the last bit of downtime before flying back tomorrow. A chance to decompress, to shake off the adrenaline of the case. Yet here you are, anything but relaxed, heading out because you can’t stand one more second of pacing back and forth.

Your footsteps come to a stop outside Spencer’s room, and you stare at the numbers on the plaque for a moment. You could turn around right now. You could pretend you didn’t walk all the way down the corridor with his words echoing in your head. But as much as you try to convince yourself that walking away is the logical choice, your hand moves on its own, and you knock.

Spencer doesn’t look surprised when he opens the door. Without waiting for an invitation, you push past him, barging into the room before you change your mind.

“If we’re going to do this, I have some ground rules,” you blurt out, the words rushing out all at once. “I don’t know what you think this is going to be like, but I need control over some things. Non-negotiable.”

He closes the door with a soft click. “Of course,” he responds calmly. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“First,” you say, spinning around to face him. “I’m in control of when this starts and when it stops. If I say no, then we stop. Immediately. No questions, no convincing, none of that.”

“Absolutely.”

“Second, I need to know exactly what we’re doing. No surprises. You explain everything to me before we do anything.”

He quickly nods.

“And third… this doesn’t leave this room. We don’t talk about it to anyone else. Not tomorrow, not next week, not ever.”

He takes a step forward towards you. “This stays between us.”

You let out a shaky breath, the adrenaline settling into a nervous, thrumming pulse beneath your skin. “Okay,” you mumble, more to yourself than to him, trying to process the reality of what you’ve just laid out. “Those are my rules.”

Spencer takes another step forward, close enough now that you can smell the faintest trace of him. A mix of something clean and warm, like soap and worn cotton, an understated scent that’s distinctly him.

“Then those are the rules we follow,” he reassures you. “Your terms. Your pace.”

“Thank you.”

He nods his head again. “Is there anything else you want to discuss?”

There is, actually. There’s a question that’s been hovering in the back of your mind. It feels awkward to say out loud, but the uncertainty gnaws at you, and finally, you force the words out.

“Are we… are we going to have sex?”

He holds your gaze. “Do you want to have sex?”

You go quiet again, letting the silence settle around you as you think about what you want, what you came here for. You slowly shake your head. “No,” you reply. “No, I don’t.”

“Then we won’t. There’s more to explore in this than just sex.”

“Right, that’s—good.” You clear your throat. “I have… one more question.”

He gestures for you to continue.

“You’re not going to fire me for this, are you?”

His soft chuckle fills your ear, and it’s the first time you’ve seen him genuinely smile tonight. “No,” he confirms, amusement flickering in his eyes. “I’m not going to fire you. Whatever happens between us won’t affect your work, I promise.”

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, feeling a little of the weight lift off your shoulders.

“Okay, so… now what?”

“Now,” he says gently, “We take it slow.“

He guides you toward the edge of the bed, and you find yourself moving automatically, sitting down on the mattress. The bed creaks slightly as he settles beside you.

“If we’re going to do this,” he starts, turning slightly to face you. “I want you to be comfortable. And that means talking. You can start by telling me what you’re thinking. ”

“That’s… it? We’re just going to talk?”

Spencer’s mouth lifts into a soft smile. “Yes,” he confirms, “If that’s what you want. There’s no pressure to do anything else.”

The idea of just talking feels safe, but there’s also a flicker of curiosity that you can’t quite shake. You shift on the bed.

“What if I want to do something more?”

Spencer’s eyes search yours, and he doesn’t move closer, doesn’t do anything that could make the moment feel rushed. “If you want to, then we can. Something simple to start.”

Your fingers trace the fabric of the bedspread. “Like what?”

“Something small. It could be as simple as letting me guide your breathing. A way to practice trust without anything overwhelming.”

You swallow, the idea feeling both intimidating and oddly… reassuring. There’s comfort in the way he talks about it, the lack of pressure, and the way he makes it feel like there’s nothing to fear.

“Okay,” you agree softly. “Let’s try that.”

He moves a little closer to you. “We’ll take it slow,” he promises. “Try to focus on your breathing and follow my lead.”

You close your eyes, feeling your breath shallow and quick, your heart racing as you try to find a steady rhythm.

“Take a deep breath,” he instructs softly. You inhale deeply, feeling the air fill your lungs, and when you open your eyes for a moment, you find his face inches from yours.

“Good. Now let it out… slowly.”

You follow his lead, exhaling, and you can’t help but notice he’s mirroring your breathing—his chest rising and falling in time with yours. It’s oddly comforting, and a little unnerving, like he's syncing with the rhythm of your pulse.

“Again,” he guides. “Deep breath in… hold for a count of three… then let it go.”

You do as he says, feeling your nerves steady slightly with each breath. In, hold, out.

“You’re doing really well,” he murmurs, leaning just a fraction closer. His lips are so close that you can feel his breath brushing your skin. “I’m going to ask you something, but I need you to know you can say no. At any point.”

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak.

“Can I touch you?” he asks gently, his words so soft they almost melt into the air around you. “Just on your shoulder, or your hand. I want to see how you feel about being touched while you focus on your breathing.”

Your heartbeat thuds in your ears, but you manage another nod. His hand moves carefully to rest on your shoulder, but even with the light pressure, you feel your body stiffen. Spencer notices immediately.

“You’re tense,” he observes, his thumb brushing lightly against your shoulder.

You let out a small laugh, one that comes out more like a nervous exhale than anything close to amusement. “It’s kind of hard not to be,” you admit. “I guess I’m a little nervous.”

“That’s okay. It’s completely normal to feel nervous.” He pauses for a second before continuing, his tone thoughtful, like he’s considering what might actually help. "There are a few things that can help when you’re feeling this way. One of them is focusing on your breathing, which we’re already doing. But there’s also physical touch."

"Physical touch?”

"Kissing, for example," he explains, “can actually help regulate your nervous system. It releases oxytocin, lowers cortisol levels. Basically, it signals your body to relax."

Your eyes fall on his lips. "Really?"

A flicker of a smile plays at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, but it’s only helpful if it’s something you feel comfortable with.” He tilts his head slightly, studying you. “Would you like to try?”

You meet his gaze again and, before you can overthink it, find yourself nodding, swallowing the nervous lump in your throat. “Yeah… okay. We can try.”

Before you even finish the sentence, Spencer leans in, his lips brushing yours with the kind of gentleness that catches you off guard. It's soft at first, like he’s testing the waters, and you can feel the slight hesitation in his movements as if he’s making sure you’re comfortable. It’s sweet, almost too sweet, and for a second, you wonder if this is how he kisses—gentle, thoughtful, deliberate.

But as the kiss deepens, you feel the warmth of him pulling you in. Your heart’s doing this erratic thing where it skips every other beat, and your mind’s racing to catch up with what your body’s already starting to enjoy. And sure, maybe the science behind this kiss makes sense after all, because there’s a part of you that’s actually relaxing, even with the buzz of nerves still humming beneath the surface.

Then he pulls back, just enough for your lips to barely part, his breath warm against your skin. “How are you feeling?”

It takes three heartbeats to find your voice. “Uh... yeah, good,” you manage, a little breathless, a little more flustered than you’d like to admit.

“Do you want to keep going?”

You pause, thinking it over, and despite the swarm of nerves in your chest, curiosity wins out again. You nod, maybe a little too quickly. The moment you do, Spencer leans in again, and this time his kiss is deeper, more intent. The softness is still there, but there’s a quiet intensity in the way his lips move against yours, the way his hand lightly cups the back of your neck.

Then his tongue brushes lightly against your lower lip, and a ripple of goosebumps spreads across your skin. You part your lips for him, and the sensation of his tongue slipping past m has you gripping the fabric of his shirt a little tighter.

Just when you think you’re getting used to it, his hand shifts, sliding up to wrap gently around the front of your neck. Not tight, not restricting—just enough to make you aware of it. The warmth of his palm against your throat sends a jolt of something sharp right through you. He seems to notice instantly, and without pulling his hand away, he breaks the kiss.

“Are you okay?” His thumb gently strokes the side of your neck. “I don’t want to push you, if it’s too much—”

But before he can finish, you shake your head quickly, surprising even yourself with how fast the words leave your mouth. “No, I… trust you.”

His eyes soften at your words, and his grip on your neck stays gentle, almost protective. “Would it be okay if I touched you more?”

Your pulse beats rapidly beneath his fingers, a rhythm you’re sure he can feel, as if your heart is answering for you. “…yes.”

“Do you want to lie down? Would that be more comfortable?”

You feel the heat travel along your veins. “I think… that would be good.”

Spencer nods as he helps you shift back onto the pillow. He stays close but doesn’t crowd you, his hand returning to rest lightly on your neck, that same soft pressure that keeps your heartbeat thrumming in your ears.

“Remember, focus on your breathing,” he reminds you. “The way your body responds is tied to how much you let yourself feel. Trust that.”

His other hand begins to move. His hand trails up toward your shoulder, then lightly brushes over your breast. It’s barely a touch at first, like he’s testing the boundaries, waiting for your body to tell him how far to go. Your breath catches for a second, but when you don’t tense up, he takes that as a sign to continue.

“Is this alright?”

“Yeah,” you manage to whisper, your voice a little breathless than you expected. And, God, you mean it. It’s more than okay—it’s… unexpectedly good in a way that feels almost too intimate to think about.

His hand moves lower now, tracing a path down your side, before sliding gently across your leg. You don’t even realize you’re holding your breath until you feel his fingers brush against the inside of your thigh.

“How about this?”

You nod, biting your lip as you meet his gaze.

Spencer’s lips curls into the faintest smile. His hand inches higher, moving up your thigh with excruciating slowness until his fingers finally reach the heat between your legs.

Oh. Oh.

Your hips instinctively tilt toward him, your body responding before your mind can even catch up. The heat pooling low in your belly intensifies as his fingers press lightly against you.

“Still with me?”

You nod, but internally, your mind is spinning. He begins to move in slow, circular motions, his fingers dragging against the fabric in a way that makes you bite back a moan. The friction sends jolts of pleasure through you, and you can feel your arousal sticking uncomfortably to your panties. It doesn’t shock you—you know understand how being touched like this will make you wet—but what surprises you is how much more intense it feels when his grip around your neck tightens.

Your breath hitches, and before you can stop yourself, a moan escapes your lips.

He pauses for a moment, his grip relaxing just enough for you to catch your breath. “I want you to feel the difference,” he explains. “The pressure changes everything. It makes you more aware of every sensation, more focused on how your body responds. But if it’s too much, you tell me, okay?”

You nod, your breath still coming in uneven gasps. “I’m good.”

His thumb traces the outline of your jaw. “Do you want me to continue?”

“…yeah.”

His hand travels towards your hips, fingers toying with the waistband of your pants. “Should we get rid of these?”

You don’t have to think about it for long. The answer is already there.

“You can take them off.”

Spencer’s fingers slip beneath the waistband of your pants before tugging it down. But as the fabric pools around your ankles, you hesitate for a second before your hand instinctively reaches for your shirt. You fumble with the hem, glancing at him as you pull it halfway up, your breath coming out in a small, awkward laugh.

“I mean, it’d feel weird to be naked from the waist down and still… you know, fully dressed on top.”

His eyes linger on you, and his reaction is subtly amusing. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

Without thinking too much about it, you tug the shirt over your head, tossing it aside. Your bra follows, quickly joined by your panties, and before you know it, you’re lying naked on your boss’s bed.

Or, technically, the bed he’s been sleeping on these past couple of days.

Spencer’s eyes move over you slowly, lingering on the curve of your perky breasts, your smooth skin, and the unmistakable wetness between your thighs. His gaze is careful, appreciative but never lingering too long in one place, like he’s taking you in while still giving you space to breathe.

“You’re so pretty.”

Pretty? The word feels almost quaint given the situation, but the way he says it makes it feel like it’s more than that. Like he’s seeing all of you, the parts you don’t often reveal, and he still thinks you’re beautiful.

And somehow, that simple compliment leaves you more exposed than the fact that you’re lying naked in front of him.

“I can’t believe we're doing this,” you admit, the words slipping out before you can stop them.

His hand brushes along your arm. “You don’t have to overthink it. You’re in control here. We can stop whenever you want.”

“I know.”

He tilts your head with his hand. “Is this okay so far?”

You offer him a smile. “It’s okay.”

His other hand lands on your knee. “Can you spread your legs for me?”

You feel the nerves buzzing beneath your skin, but there’s also a warmth, a curiosity, a pull toward him. You inhale deeply, letting the breath steady your nerves, and then, without letting your mind spiral any further, you slowly part your legs.

His palm glides along your inner thigh, and then he touches you again, only this time, there’s no barrier between you. You can feel the rough pad of his fingertips as they gently caress your folds that it pulls a sharp breath from your lips.

“Does this feel good?”

You nod. It’s more than just good—it’s everything. The way he’s paying attention to every inch of your body is overwhelming in the best way. His fingers trace a slow path along your skin, finally pausing as they brush against you between your folds. Without hesitation, Spencer slides a finger inside you. The sudden stretch pulls a gasp from your lips.

The slick wetness between your thighs coats his fingers almost instantly, and you feel yourself responding to him, opening up in ways you didn’t even know you could. He studies the way his finger moves in and out of your cunt, and the more he touches you, the more your hips begin to move on their own.

He takes your response as a sign to continue.

"I'm going to wrap my hand around your neck again," he tells you, without waiting for more than a slight nod of your head, his fingers curl around your throat.

"The pressure here," he begins, his thumb lightly pressing at the side of your neck. "Isn't just about cutting off your air, it also means restricting blood flow to your brain.”

He pushes another finger inside you, and the increased fullness draws a sharp intake of breath from you.

“By limiting the blood flow like this,” he continues, applying a bit more pressure around your throat. "It triggers your body to release adrenaline and dopamine. That rush you’re feeling? It’s your body chasing euphoria."

Euphoria. You never really thought about it like this before, how something so controlled could unlock a part of your body that felt so overwhelming. The feeling isn’t just pleasure, it’s a raw intensity that borders on something deeper as your cunt clenches around him. Your breath stutters, caught in a sharp contrast between the slow burn in your throat and the urgent heat flaring between your legs.

He’s unraveling you, pulling you apart thread by thread, yet leaving you desperate for the moment he puts you back together again.

You need more.

“You’re doing so well,” he murmurs soothingly. The words send a new wave of heat rushing through your body. Your hips move restlessly, and you can hear the soft whine escaping your throat, growing louder with each thrust.

Spencer notices immediately, his fingers slowing just for a moment. “Too much?”

You quickly shake your head, almost frantic, the last thing you want is for him to stop. The moment you do, his grip on your throat tightens slightly and your eyes flutter closed as a wave of euphoria washes over you. Head falling back against the pillows, your vision starts to blur. You feel the air restrict in your throat.

“I need you to breathe for me, sweetheart.” His thumb strokes lightly against your neck. “The more you control your breathing, the better it’ll feel.”

That word alone almost undoes you. It rolls off his tongue like it’s meant to be soft and soothing, but instead, it sends a bolt of pleasure straight through you. Your chest rises and falls as you do exactly what he says, because apparently, being called sweetheart with his fingers wrapped around your neck makes you want to obey him, more than you’d care to admit.

"That’s it, keep focusing on your breathing."

You force your eyes open, but everything feels hazy, unfocused. You’re not sure if it's from the lack of air or the way he’s looking at you, but you can feel yourself losing control. Your eyes flutter half-closed again, lips parting in a breathless moan, and before you realize it, your tongue slips out, barely grazing your lower lip.

Spencer knows you’re close. His thumb presses just a little harder against your throat, not enough to stop you from breathing, but enough for your inner walls to grip his fingers tightly.

“I know, I know, I've got you,” he whispers. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart. Just let go whenever you’re ready."

You can’t decide if the sound of his voice is making it easier or harder to hold on. There’s a brief moment where you think you might hold it together, but then your body betrays you. Your muscles tense, your breath catches in your throat, and all the control you had slips away in an instant. It’s as if your brain is giving in to exactly what he said it would—a surge of chemicals that makes your limbs feel heavy and light all at once.

Your orgasm slams right into you, the most intense thing you’ve ever felt. It floods your senses so completely that your lungs struggle to catch up. The tremors rack your body, and it’s only when your legs give a final, uncontrollable shake that he finally releases your neck, allowing the air to rush back into your lungs in a dizzying, breathless moment of relief.

Before you can fully recover, his lips are on yours in an instant. He moves against your neck, kissing the very spot where his hand had held you. “Shhh, it’s okay, you’re okay.”

When you manage to catch your breath and blink through the lingering haze, he lies down on the bed and pulls you into his arms. It takes a whole minute before your breathing fully steadies, his hand stroking your hair the entire time.

“How are you feeling?”

You don’t know what to make of it all, so you laugh breathlessly instead, the only response you can muster.

“Like I’m about to pass out.”

“What?” He looks at you in alarm. “You are?”

You shake your head quickly, offering him a small smile. “No, no, I’m fine. It’s just… it was really intense.” But the worry doesn’t completely leave his face, so you try again, placing your hand on his chest. “Good intense. I’m okay, I promise.”

He lets out a slow breath and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. “So I take it you liked it?”

A flush of embarrassment washes over you, and you can’t quite meet his eyes as you nod. “Yeah… I did,” you admit, your voice soft, almost sheepish. “Go ahead, you can gloat. Tell me I was wrong.”

Instead of taking the bait, he gently traces his fingers along your neck. “It was never about proving you wrong. The judgment you made that day, about not getting why someone would like this… it’s hard to fully grasp until you feel it yourself.”

“I wasn’t judging,” you murmur, feeling a need to defend yourself.

“Maybe not intentionally,” he says thoughtfully. “When it comes to BDSM, there’s a lot of misunderstanding or assumptions people make from the outside, it’s really more than just control or pain. There’s trust, communication, boundaries. And I think, in a way, that’s what happened tonight. You trusted me enough to let go.”

You’re quiet for a moment, processing what he’s saying. “Are you suggesting I could be into all of this?”

“Not necessarily,” he replies carefully. “But I think it’s possible that there’s more to it than you realize. You trusted me tonight, and that’s the most important part. That’s where it all starts.”

You chew on his words for a second. It’s not something you’d ever considered before, but now that he’s brought it up, you can’t deny that the thought has sparked something.

“So you think I might want to explore this further?”

His lips curl into a soft smile. “It’s not about what I think. It’s about what you want. If you’re curious, then we can explore it together.” He leans in slightly. “Is that you want?”

The spark you felt moments ago? It flickers stronger now. The idea is both thrilling and terrifying, but with him, it feels… possible. Safe, even.

You feel a tightness in your chest.

“I think… maybe, yeah.”

His smile deepens just a fraction. “We’ll take our time,” he reassures you, his thumb brushing lightly over your throat. “We can talk about this when we get back. You need to rest for now.”

You shift closer to him, feeling the rustle of his clothes against your bare skin. “Can I stay here tonight?”

His chin lands on top of your head. “You can stay with me as long as you want.”

What a dangerous offer, you think as you sink further into his arms. But not as dangerous as the way your heart flutters at the thought.

[helianthus-tarot]

FUTURE SPOUSE: Why will you choose to be in a relationship with them?

As written in the title; however this is mostly for people who hold a stronger feminine energy in their connection with their fs. I posted the extended version on my Patreon which includes why they will choose to be in a relationship with you 👀❤️ There are also other 80+ readings on Patreon so definitely check it out, pick a card reading is posted every week plus extra mini pac every month! 🎉

Disclaimer: Here | Instagram: Here

Instructions: Focus on the topic and ask yourself the question. Choose a number/picture that you feel the most drawn to or that you can’t stop looking at. Trust your intuition. May the message resonate. Let me know which pile you choose! Feedback is appreciated!

Like my readings? Tip here!

PILE 1

Why will you choose to be in a relationship with them: Ace of Swords Rx (Knight of Pentacles), The Lovers, 10 of Pentacles Rx (6 of Cups), 3 of Swords, The World. 

For many of you, I don’t think you’ll think much before deciding to get into this relationship. The decision may be motivated by pure feelings and spiritual pull instead of logic and practicality. If you chose the same pile for the previous section, the spiritual pull is quite similar to what your person will be feeling, it’s just that... they will perhaps have a more grounded and pragmatic acceptance/view of it; “if we end up breaking up, that’s unfortunate, but the connection will be appreciated (by me) either way”. But your spiritual pull will come with some anxiety. It’s like, you will really want it to work. You’ll acknowledge that it may not be forever, you’ll know you would still learn from it and the connection would still be an important part of your life journey even if you guys ended up breaking up, but you’ll hope it won’t end; and this hope will be mixed with some anxiety, unlike your person’s (which will be imbued more with acceptance instead of worry). 

Some of you will get into this connection because you are subconsciously motivated by a desire that stemmed from your childhood; something you lacked when you were a child. So if you didn't get paternal/maternal love, or stability growing up, your person might give off the vibe that they can give you that, and you’ll get drawn to them because of that. You will also be able to sense that this connection will be spiritually significant, spiritually enriching and that you will be able to grow through this and become wiser. Maybe your person is or looks intelligent and experienced, maybe they come from a different place/country, and it makes them appear like they hold a wealth of new experiences (to you) that can expand your world in some way. Like I said, I feel like you’ll mostly be guided by your intuition, maybe your soul will be seeking this lesson or this experience and it will recognise that your person can give you that. 

Some of you will be guided by your own pain. This is quite similar to the message above, but this pain may be more related to romantic love instead of your childhood. If you have suffered a broken heart before, or has had bad experience in love, you’ll hold hope for a true love connection. And so when you meet this person and feel drawn to them, it’s likely that you’ll feel that this person is your person. Whether they are truly your The One or not, this doesn’t negate the possibility that your attraction to them may at least be partly driven by your old pain/wound. Just keep that in mind. Check in with yourself regularly. If we are drawn to something/someone because of old pain, this can put fear and anxiety of losing that thing/person in us, and it can make us behave in a way that is not really healthy. That’s all. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it doesn’t make your feelings for them any less real, it’s just that past pain can trigger some unhealthy behaviour if it goes unchecked. 

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! Why will they choose to be in a relationship with you? Will it be love at first sight for them? Will it be because of what you bring into their life? Find out here! ❤️

PILE 2

Why will you choose to be in a relationship with them: 3 of Swords (The Sun), The Devil, Death, The High Priestess, 6 of Wands. 

I’m addressing this reading from the perspective of the person who’s got a stronger feminine energy in this connection. I think for many of you, you will choose them because you think they can provide relief from your pain, like, they will end that difficult period of life for you. For some of you, your person may not appear that way. Usually when we think about people who can provide relief, it probably makes sense to imagine someone who is calm and gentle and peaceful, right? But this person does not come across that way, especially if you choose the same pile for the previous section. Your person comes across fiery; there’s this unapologetic conviction and confidence about them, they are ruthless too sometimes, and could be very goal-oriented. But somehow you will feel like they can soothe your pain, and that’s why you will get into a relationship with them. Some of you will actually love those traits; you will like them rough around the edges, you will like them a little arrogant and uncompromising, you will like their control and their intensity. 

You will also be intuitively drawn to this person; there will be that instant, spiritual or intuitive awareness of their presence and their potential significance in your life. It is also possible that you’ll feel understood when you are with them, or you’ll feel like they can see through you or they can see the real you. So there will be this deep bond between you two, it will sometimes feel unexplainable, it will sometimes feel like they are the only person for you and you them, it will feel Scorpionic. The type of connection where your eyes meet across the room, the type of connection where you are aware of their presence without having to turn around and look for them, you know they’ve entered the room. Sometimes you guys may annoy each other but your gaze will often get pulled in their direction. Something very mystical and deep like that. Those are the reasons why you’ll choose them. 

Since this is a general reading, for some of you, this may be a little toxic (i.e. toxic attraction) so just be aware of that. For others of you, this relationship isn’t toxic (your person may have some questionable traits tho), but you may be right that they can give you want you need/want. Whether or not this attraction is toxic, some of you may also grow obsessive, and this connection can turn unhealthy if you are not careful. You guys will probably have some Pluto contact somewhere in your charts.

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! Why will they choose to be in a relationship with you? Will it be love at first sight for them? Will it be because of what you bring into their life? Find out here! ❤️

PILE 3

Why will you choose to be in a relationship with them: 7 of Pentacles, Knight of Wands, The Star, Ace of Cups, The Hermit Rx (8 of Pentacles, The Moon). 

Some of you may have a tendency to get caught up in doing inner work. You know, some people keep watching or consuming content about self-improvement or shadow work, but they don’t really act on the info; they keep consuming it, and as a result they... kinda stay there? This either makes them feel like they are doing something, or it slows them down and it pulls them away from actually living their lives. You may be like that. Some of you may have a belief that you need to work on yourself to be deserving of love, or a belief that you need to change before you can experience love. Some of you are thinkers, you spend a lot of time in your head, trying to understand yourself and the world over and over and you have a tendency to stay there. This person will bring you out of your own head, or you will feel that way when you are with them. And that’s one of the reasons why you will choose them.  

Directly or indirectly, they will make you want to live life to the fullest, to explore things in life and to experience a connection with someone. They will not take away your desire for self-improvement, or distracting you from your inner work; you will still do these, but you won’t just do them and stay stuck at home/in your bubble, you will also go out and live your life. They will make you feel excited about taking actions, about trying new things, about going after your goals and taking risks of seeing your desire/vision materialise. They will make you want to try and experiment, and they will make you feel calm and at peace while you do these things. They will open up possibilities and broaden your horizons. You will also feel more confident around them, more accepting of yourself including your flaws, more honest with your feelings and your shortcomings. If you struggle with self-love, I think you will feel the desire to love yourself more whenever you are around them.  

You will also feel more emotionally fulfilled with them, hence why you’ll choose to get into a relationship with them. They will ‘make’ you feel carefree, happy, and very in touch with your emotions. You will feel spiritually and emotionally enlightened too, being able to see the bigger picture and being able to retain your trust in the Universe and Life, instead of feeling dragged down by all the (inner) work you have to do. So basically, you will not just focus on the negative and serious part of life, you will be able to balance it out with something more optimistic and fulfilling because of your person’s influence. That’s why you’ll choose them. 

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! Why will they choose to be in a relationship with you? Will it be love at first sight for them? Will it be because of what you bring into their life? Find out here! ❤️

PILE 4

Why will you choose to be in a relationship with them: The High Priestess, 8 of Pentacles, The Fool, 4 of Wands. 

I think there will be a balance between inner work / self-improvement and enjoying life, which is quite similar to one of the other piles, but not completely the same. I think you will like that they ‘make’ you think; there will be things that they say or do that will make you go inward and get closer to who you truly are. It feels like being with them will make your inner voice clearer, like, you can hear it better and thus you can follow it. They are probably wise, or you will learn a lot from them, and this will make you feel motivated to work on yourself, to do something with your life, to enrich your life, to try again or to try new things. So the connection will make you feel enlightened yet carefree (instead of being weighed down by your knowledge), serious yet light-hearted, committed yet experimental. You will move back and forth between these two energies, they will work seamlessly. 

You will choose them because they make you feel understood and seen, in a way that not many people have been able to do. You will choose them because subconsciously you are also intuitively drawn to them. It’s not that they are mysterious (although they could be), but the connection or your interactions with each other have this enchanting quality that makes you want to sit and talk for hours and sift every section of their mind. There will be soul intimacy that makes you choose them. You will also feel welcomed by them, they will open their arms to you, no resistance at all, so you will feel like you can move towards them very easily. This person could be charming, to be honest. There’s just something with the way they smile or the way they make you feel comfortable and the way they accommodate you. It will feel like they want you to be with them, and you will see no reason why you should resist that.  

You will also feel like you can reach for the stars when you are around them. They will ‘make’ you believe in yourself, in something better, in the possibility that you can get what you want, in the possibility that you can build the life that you want. For some of you, your person may also welcome you into their social circle or family before you guys get into a relationship, they could share their connections with you and let you be a part of their life, so you’ll see what it feels like being with them. And it all may feel very harmonious and joyful, maybe you will feel welcomed and supported (if not by other people, you know your person is there with you to support you; it’ll feel like they won’t leave you alone in this crowd but they will give you some independence and freedom to explore for yourself). It’s like them showing their world to you and gently pressing their hand on your back, encouraging you to take a step forward. This whole thing will make you want to be with them. 

EXTENDED VERSION IS ON PATREON! Why will they choose to be in a relationship with you? Will it be love at first sight for them? Will it be because of what you bring into their life? Find out here! ❤️

[adhd-fandom-hyperfocus]

✧₊⁺ Little Secret✧₊⁺

Pairing: Roboute Guilliman x Reader(f)

part 2

Arthur's Note: Guilliman has a new serf and she isn't taking his bullshit. The Imperium held on with less for 10k years. Man will stop and take care of himself. I am also finishing higher than hel.

Warnings: General Grimdarkness.

+18 Minors DNI

★。------ ＼｜／------。★

He could smell the food and hear you humming a little diddy down the hall; his gaze looked over at the clock, was it that time already? His stomach growled, which surprised him. That was not something his body did, ever.

Roboute smiled as he put the documents aside, you have gone and spoiled him is what happened. Not that he minded, your cooking was one of the few things he looked forward to in this new millennium. It was hardy and rustic, but bursting with flavor.

It was a home-cooked meal. It was real food.

When you open the door and greet him with your warm smile, the room feels a bit brighter. And now that the scent of his lunch filled the air around him, his mouth watered. Roboute wondered how you did it. He knew full well how much food it took to nourish him, which was why he was content to eat, or swallow the paste and other types of gruel. It was efficient and practical. But you didn't care about those things. At least not in this sense. Complained it lacked heart and care. That no man or woman could function eating such boring tasteless things.

"Good afternoon Mister Guilliman!" you say with that bright smile, "Time to let the Imperium wait so you can eat."

Guilliman chuckles gesturing to the cleared spot on his desk, "I have learned my lesson." he teased.

The first time he refused to eat properly you did something that triggered a long-buried fear. You slipped off your sandal and threatened to beat him with it should he not eat his meals. When tried to argue about what he wrote in his codex, his own logic was turned against him in righteous fury. That the codex should be a guideline, and more importantly you argued he was simply wrong.

Roboute realized you were not a woman to fight with. He knew what a woman could do with a sandal. Even thinking about it now gave him a chill down his spine.

He takes the platter from you and eyes the food. Large cuts of meat mixed with apples and peaches, clearly slowly cooked together to make the harmonious scent that he had been enthralled by. Heaping side of potatoes smashed, but hand by the looks and some of the freshest bread he'd seen in a while.

How lonely and depressed was he that looking at this meal, made by someone whose duty was to serve him, made his heartache? Surely if you were not his serf you wouldn't be this caring. If he wasn't what he was...

No, he refused to believe that. He'd seen you fixing socks and scolding his men, mothering them, some grumbled, but he could tell they enjoyed it. Someone looking out for them in a gentler manner.

"Hope you like it. It's something my momma used to make. Generally, it's for supper, but you need more meat on you. Can't find a Mister or Missus Guilliman looking half corpse half god."

Roboute felt his cheeks flare up, and his throat get tangled with the air in it. There was so much in that comment he wanted to unpack and he didn't know where to start. A rarity for the primarch.

"Mister or Missus'?" he asked with far more inflection of shock than he would have liked.

You nodded, "Yes, Momma always said we love who we love. Maybe you aren't so big on the ladies, maybe you are, Maybe you like both? Not my place to judge."

Guilliman felt genuine shock. So casually talking about him marrying like he was just another man. That such simple aspects of life were his to have. Even if marrying was something he thought on, and found himself wanting, he couldn't. Not in the current state of things. He was viewed basically as a god; a son of a god. No marriage would be from love, but pure disgusting lust and fantastical eroticism. It made him ill thinking about it.

"No, I mean think you for your openness, but I mean just the married part. How would I find someone who doesn't see me as.." a tool, a stepping stone, a thing, "well as anything but the son of a god?"

You shrug, "Well, that I don't right know, just a serf after all. But I am sure we could find someone with that big brain of yours and my baseline human charm!"

What if he didn't want someone else, he thought suddenly. He had you. You joked with him, talked to him about boring dull things like weather. You asked if he had hobbies outside governing. Fed him food, real food! Not just that, food your mother made! You shared basic things all took for granted or didn't see the importance of.

Why did he need anyone else?

He let out a small chuckle, not wanting to focus on the thoughts that just came to him. They were terrifying.

"I am sure you're right."

You patted his arm, "Well, I must be off Mister Guilliman. I have work to do, I am afraid I cannot sit and chat while you eat."

Roboute frowned. That was the other reason these extra meal breaks meant so much to him. You would sit and chat with him, about things not world-ending. What was so important you couldn't stay and talk to him?

"What work? Did I give you orders while half asleep last night? If so disregard them." Roboute replied before tearing into the bread.

Throne, it was warm and soft with a harder exterior, and clearly made this morning. You spoiled him, and he wish he didn't like it.

"Oh no! It is a little surprise I am working on. No worries Mister Guilliman you will be the first to see it when I am done. It is a surprise for you after all." You reply happily.

Something for him? He didn't like surprises. Hated them some might say. He couldn't work theoreticals and practicals when he wasn't aware of what something was. Couldn't plan for what he didn't know. But you looked so happy about this little secret! And you should be, as he had no idea you were working on anything.

Perhaps this surprise he would allow. He trusted you. Even if he was feeling moody over you not spending this break with him.

"Very well," he did his best to not look like he was pouting. Thorne was he pouting?! Roboute Guilliman did not pout! "I do hope dinner will be as normal?"

You perk up and smile, "Of course! I found a baby bird I wish to tell you about! Oh and we need to talk about your sons bathing! They stink!"

Guilliman snorted between large bites of food. Food this good would be considered heretical by the Inquisition he was sure. Mostly because he figured they thought all things good were heresy.

Satisfied he would have your ear tonight, and you his, you made your way out of the office and moved through the corridors. The fortress was in the cold mountains, and not ideal conditions for things to grow, but he was seldom down in the Capital. He was either in Hera or on Terra. It wasn't easy she convinced some of his sons to help her make this gift. There outside the fortress a small greenhouse. Well, small to Astartes and Primarchs. It had been so hard to keep this from Guilliman, and the strings pulled, but it would be worth it.

It was no Agi world Iax, where you overheard Guilliman talking to Lion about how he really did wish he could have retired there to farm, but perhaps a nice little garden would suffice.

[crystallilytarot]

This is for people who are in a relationship or a situationship, or have a crush

Choose a random jewelry! Are they The One?

Pile 1

This can be a beautiful relationship and it can grow rather quickly. Maybe other people think that it's naivity to be in a relationship so fast after you met, or it's too soon to move in together etc. But you just know that it's the right thing to do. One person can be a little more practical, logical, the other is more emotional, but you will complete each other well. You can be soulmates.

Pile 2

You are very attracted to each other sexually, and it's very strong, but maybe in other areas you aren't a good match actually. The 2nd option is that you can be a good couple, but you should focus more on the emotions and bonding, not just your chemistry. But I feel more that you both need to learn, grow, maybe heal, and only after you can be good for each other. It's possible that you will even brake up and reconnect later.

Pile 3

This feels a little bit karmic. You need to learn something from each other, a life lesson. But even if one person try to do everything for the relationship, the other person is not ready. It's no one's fault, but there's just too much difference, you don't want the same things. So even if there's emotions, this could only work out hard, and you suck out each other's energy.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Deity: Boccob, the God of Magic for Magic's Sake

Artsource

It is strange (especially for those who view their relationship with the gods as transactional) that one might offer up prayers to a figure known widely by the epithet " The Uncaring". Why perform oath and ritual for a being that will not intercede on your behalf? Or grant you good favour in exchange for your sacrifices? Those that study the words of Boccob understand they have no need to beg for miracles when they have magic at their command.

Known to commoners as a god of magic, foresight, and balance, Boccob is not so much a deity as he was a great teacher, a philosopher-sage who's now ancient treatise on magic and council on it's use are as much an object of faith for many as a more ordinary god's scripture. In instructing his students how to be wizards, Boccob taught his students how to be good wizards, and these lessons form the ironshod foundations of innumerable magical traditions practised to this day.

Central to Boccob's teachings was the idea that magic was a path that must be walked to gain greater understanding, and that an adherent of this path should study, experience, and witness as much of its wonders as possible in order to become better arcanists, leading to the adoption of the open and unjudging eye as his symbol. Boccob himself followed this path to the outer planes and beyond, never to be seen again, leading many to credit Boccob with being the first mortal to climb the fabled infinite staircase, or perhaps even its architect.

Adventure Hooks:

Millennia after his (literal or figurative) ascension, a scroll containing hitherto unseen passages of Boccob's writings have been discovered in a crumbling library, setting off a disastrous chain of events as jealous archmages scrabble for the text like seagulls after a frenchfry. Their clashes are frequent, leaving the surrounding area scattered with hastily summoned servitors and all manner of misfired magic. Perhaps if the party is quick and clever they could sneak in and take the text for themselves, learning its wisdom or using it as a bargaining chip with one of these powerful spellslingers.

If it’s one thing Boccob’s Acolytes like almost as much as uncovering the arcane secrets of the universe, it’s proving their intellectual superiority by hiding their findings behind inscrutable riddles and logic games, the way The Uncaring did for his first pupils. Ledoran’s Labynthical Libram is an infamous example of this practice, a spellbook containing all manner of useful rituals and genuinely brilliant insights hidden behind a gauntlet of ciphers, mazes, and "gotcha" enchantments. Any self styled master of the arcane is likely to have a copy on their shelves, meaning that' it's only a quick looting spree away from ending up in the party's possession.

If "a wizard did it" is the answer to the age old question of "how?", "because they were listening to Boccob?" is the answer to the inevitable follow up of "why". Arcane crossbreeds, inexplicable puzzle dungeons, magical items amounting to bad jokes with bodycounts, all of these are created by The Uncaring's followers as a means of testing and expanding their abilities.

More of my adventures involving Boccob and his followers can be found HERE

Lets get into some philosophy...

While Ioun promotes the study of arcana for the sake of furthering knowledge, Mystra maintains and obscures the secrets of the weave, and Corellon glories in the wonders spellcraft might create , Boccob focuses on the pursuit of magical ability as a means and end of its own.

To Boccob, " I want to learn magic so I can be great/help people/make life easier" is a false start, because it ties the acquisition and understanding of magic to an external metric, encouraging the practitioner to take shortcuts with the magic to achieve their worldly desires.

Greatness, beneficence, and ease of living are but some of the infinite virtues that follow from being a great mage. Indeed, a reoccuring theme in Boccobian writing (especially in the ensuing literature made by his followers) is the idea of the Panexplicatic endstate of magic, where the perfect mage (and the body of wisdom they represent) has an answer for all things, specifically a magical awnser.

While some followers have taken this to mean that a mage's pursuit should always be towards omnipotence (Vecna's grasping eye motif can be seen as a direct response to Boccob's unjudging one) the largely more accepted thought is that arcanists should specifically dream small, creating a self sufficient life for themselves withdrawn from the world while focusing on the inward path towards enlightenment. That's why you'll so often find wizards at the top of spires in remote areas, interacting only with their apprentices or whatever travellers have gone far afield to seek them out for magical guidance.

This leads into one of the main critiques of Boccobian thought, which is that it alienates the practitioner from the world at large, not only focusing on magic to the exclusion of all else but also contextualizing magic as something that exists only to help the practitioner along their individual path, other people and consequences be damned. A hedgemage living a simple life in the forest may seem like they're hurting no one when they create a tree that grows a full crop of apples every day so they don't need to worry about stocking their larder... but what happens to the local ecosystem when these everladen trees start cross pollinating with others, to say nothing of the drain/disruption to nearby laylines and how such magic might have downstream consequences. To take a completely different tack with the same problem, the poor in the village nearby might LOVE to have a bottomless supply of apples, but the Boccobian adherent would say that because they haven't devoted the years of study required to create the tree, they're not entitled to its fruits.

Titles: The Uncaring, the Master of all Magics, Archmage of the Infinite

Symbols: An eye in a pentagram, often crowned with a crescent arc.

Signs: Light through a cracked open door, stars that seem longer than they should be, the appearance of inexplicable magical text.

Worshippers: Sorcerers, wizards, and any with an access to magic innate or otherwise. Adherents usually worship in private practice but occasionally band together into temples or schools.

[thewritetofreespeech]

Heyo!! Could I request Dali learning that his s/o has been teaching the kids (minus Ul cause he's a baby) how to defend themselves?

Dali wasn't sure what woke him up. Maybe it was the sun warming his back a little too much. Maybe it was his hand falling asleep next to him as the numb tingling crawling up the rest of his arm. What he was sure of, was that it was not the sound of children that woke him.

The noble lifted his head from his desk. Scrubbing his eyes and wiping the drool from his chin. Trying to make sense of his surroundings and how long he had been out for.

“Good morning, Master Dali.” He turned to see Clara in the door way. Prepared to enter the room with a tea tray and her ever calming smile.

“Morning?”

“Just a figure of speech in this instance, Master Dali.” She clarified as she pour the tea. “It's actually the afternoon. But I thought that would be more confusing after your nap than if I just said 'good morning'.”

Dali hummed. Appreciating some logic in that as he sipped his tea. “I'm making a very poor figure of a father if I keep falling asleep on the job.”

Clara chuckled. “Even parents need their rest, Master Dali. Especially, need their rest.” She said with a manner of expert on the subject. “If you would take a bit of a break now & then, these sudden spells would not keep happening.”

“Never.” He would not give up, nor abandon his promise.

Suddenly Dali realized how quite it was, “where are the children anyway?”

“[Y/N] took the children outside to play, citing the need for quite in here. The other gentlemen well...they left upon message from Lord Johannes and decided it best to leave you here.”

Dali frowned. “Abandoning their post at the first sign of weakness. What blackhearts I've been matched with.” Clara smiled, knowing that Dali was just joking, and he sat down his tea cup. “Outside you said?”

The nanny nodded and told him they were out in the east courtyard, knowing he would go find them. It did not take Dali long to do just that. Finding [Y/N] with the children quickly and spotted them playing. Only, as he got closer and started to slow his strides, he realized that ‘playing’ might not be the correct term.

“Very good Angelico. Superb thrust! Raphael, you need to plant your feet more or you will stumble.” Raphael hung his head, but pitter-pattered his feet around to re-place them and held up his branch turned sword. “Lucia, Elena, why aren’t you practicing?”

“We’re bored!” The girls chime in together. “We don’t want to practice anymore.”

“Yeah. Besides, ladies aren’t supposed to fight.” The girls add one after the other.

“Oooh? So, you would rather rely on men do things for you.” [Y/N] gestured to the ‘men’ beside them as the boys all looked offended, but didn’t seem to understand why. “Even ladies need to know how to defend themselves. Dashing prince and knights are not as easy to come by as in your stories. Should the situation arise, and no prince is available, you’ll need to take care of each other on your own.” The girls seemed to understand and nod before they both pick up their sticks again.

[Y/N] then lifted their own sword, the only real one in attendance, and settled into a starting position common for training. “Now, the key is to keep your weight on your back foot so you can balance but also use it to propel yourself forward. If someone is coming at you, you only have a moment in most cases to strike!” [Y/N] demonstrated a few quick thrusts, to which all the children awe over, while Dali appalled as he came out of the shadows.

“Wise words from an even wiser instructor.” He praised.

“Father,” Raphael said as he looked to his father, “have you come to teach us as well?”

“I would be a poor substitute for [Y/N]’s masterful tutoring.” Dali teased. “This is what you’ve been doing with the children when you’re ‘playing’.”

“I meant what I said.” [Y/N] stated. Seeming to not be even a little bit deterred in their secret lesson plan. “Dashing prince and knights are hard to come by. The children should be prepared to defend themselves. Now, or whenever the time comes.”

Dali smiled. “You’ll get no argument from me. I would like Raphael to one day follow in my footsteps in Vlad, should he so choose. The sword will have to come second nature to him, best start early.”

Dali then dismissed the children from the lesson, citing that it was time for tea, and they all hurry back to the manor. “I appreciate you taking an interest in their safety, [Y/N].” He told the other when they were alone. “But aren’t they a little young?”

“I was about their age when I started learning the sword. Perhaps that’s why I was always better at it than you.” Dali held his heart, pretending to be wounded, but the adults walk back to the manor as well together. Close enough to be hand in hand if one were to squint.

“So I know ‘dashing prince’ are hard to come by, but what about handsome nobles?”

[Y/N] hummed in thought. “I don’t know. You’ll have to let me know when you find one.” Now Dali was really wounded. “But obnoxious, know it all, too cocky for their own good nobles with ‘ok’ smiles seem to be a dime a dozen.”

Dali growled playfully at [Y/N] and gave them a few seconds head start before he chased them the rest of the way back to the manor. He’d have to teach them a lesson of his own later.

[thesophistiicate]

How do you practice manifesting?

i strongly take into account my human design chart, so i use it more to inform how i manifest. for me it’s ingrained into my lifestyle. what i do currently:

mood boarding and visual inspiration. in human design my strongest sense is “outer vision” which makes visuals THE most important way for me to manifest. i am constantly collecting pictures on tumblr, pinterest, and instagram so i’m doing this all the time.

using the correct manifesting type. i’m a non-specific manifester so i focus on the vibes and feelings i want. i don’t place limits and i remain very open to possibilities. i usually do this when i am writing my morning pages and also sometimes at night before i go to bed so i fall asleep on those feelings.

morning pages. i write morning pages every day which helps clear out all the junk on my mind. the solution to any problem i have usually just occurs to me while i write and it comes on the paper. i always know what i should do which makes it easier to get what i want (less doubt or confusion). it did take a long time for me to trust myself though.

trusting my gut. i’m a generator in human design so i listen to my instinctual yes/no reaction. i don’t need to go out chasing and initiating. the options are always presented to me and IF I’M PAYING ATTENTION and TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY and DON’T OVERTHINK IT WITH LOGIC i can tell what is a yes or no pretty much straight away. feeling frustrated is a sign i’m on the wrong path so i also take that feeling really seriously. again, took me a long time to get here but now it is easy for most things. the more i get on a path where there’s a lot of yes’s means i’m successfully manifesting and going in the right direction.

putting the rest under the cut bc it’s getting long lol.

growth mindset. if an opportunity falls through i trust that it was supposed to happen that way. something better is meant for me. i take what i learned from the experience and trust i was meant to go through it to be better prepared for achieving my goals. i’m so much more calm this way which also allows me to see opportunities better, bc I’m not reacting to everything from a place of fear, stress, and scarcity.

understand manifesting = opportunities to act upon. i think people forget this. it doesn’t land in your lap, manifesting just brings options to me. i still have to take some level of action which is the hard part!! if you don’t have self worth or self trust you won’t be able to do this well or consistently. you have to actively say yes and do whatever action it requires to follow through. it can be tiny, like sending a message or buying something. but correct manifesting (as a generator) will bring options to me. it’s up to me if i accept or not.

orient my life around my profile and gifts. i’m a 2/4 profile and my gift is gift 3 (highly related to storytelling and living by example). the more i lean into what these mean (connection to community, deep connections, pursuit of knowledge, nurturing others through my writing and storytelling etc) the more smoothly my life seems to go.

i’m chill about it. bc my type is non-specific it’s crucial to be chill. no timelines. no desperation or anxiousness. no trying to decide how it should look or unfold, that’s not my place. the universe has it under control and i don’t need to waste my energy on this. when i forget and try to control too much is when life goes to shit. a hard lesson to learn when we are told to plan every detail and obsess and that being stressed means you’re working hard as a good thing… basically had to unlearn that whole mindset and start over.

sorry it’s a long answer but overall rather than manifesting being some separate activity or just one thing i do, i slowly shifted my entire lifestyle so that it’s a natural part of how i live on a daily basis 🤍

[martian-astro10]

SUN-MOON Aspects

Sun Conjunct Moon

These people are very focused and driven, they set extremely high goals for themselves and make sure that they achieve them. They are great leaders, as they can be both assertive and gentle. They are not afraid to take the lead. They are more likely to take on projects that have great risks but also great rewards. These people are great project managers because they are able to recognize other people's strengths and weaknesses and distribute the responsibilities accordingly. They don't like working with slow people, they want to get done with everything as fast as they can and move on to the next big thing. It's important that they surround themselves with obedient people as they don't like their decisions being questioned. They don't know how to explain others their thought process, so people around them need to be on the same wavelength.

Sun Opposite Moon

I have noticed that a lot of people with this placement have identity issues, they have difficulty in balancing their sun and moon. Studying psychology can be really helpful for people with this, as studying other people and their behaviors can help them apply those things in their own lives. Learn to trust your intuition, do self hypnosis and meditate. I have also noticed that people with this placement have trouble choosing one pile from pac readings. These people lean more towards logic and science and this weakens their moon, so meditating and practicing hypnosis will make you more comfortable with the more "mysterious" themes of life. Find a balance. These people learn their lessons by projecting their emotions and issues onto other people, this is how they understand themselves. For ex - if they're facing a problem, and someone else is facing the same problem, it's easier for them to solve the other person's problem but have a hard time applying the same solution in their own life as well.

Sun Square Moon

When people say "the head and the heart are not working together", they are referring to this placement. It's better if these people start their own business as it's not easy for them to listen to their bosses. If they are in a group project, and they work on a specific topic, they have this urge to tell everyone that they were the ones who worked on that specific topic, it's really difficult for them to share credit. They can fight with people who they think don't deserve what they've gotten. It's difficult for them to stay at one place for a long time, as they're always looking for better opportunities, many times these opportunities will turn out to be too good to be true. This placement wants you to carefully think about the pros and cons of a decision before immediately making a change based on appearances. This will ultimately help you balance what's in your heart with what's in your head and make you more successful, but you may need to face a lot of setbacks before that happens.

Sun Trine Moon

These people are popular and social, and at the same time they also know how to keep their life private. People love being friends with them, but the downside is that these people don't like being friends with everyone, they have very few close friends, others are just acquaintances. They have this talent of letting others know about their achievements without seeming to be boastful about it. They have a very strong intuition and they use it to climb the social ladder. This, in my opinion is one of the best placements to have in the birth chart. People with this placement have the potential to go from rags to riches. I have noticed that they are emotional in such a way that instead of being seen as pushovers they are seen as angels, like.. Its really surprising sometimes. These people are so lucky, the type to help an old woman cross the road and then she turns out to be the owner of a huge company and has no heirs so she adopts them and boom... Fantastic life.

Sun Sextile Moon

Very similar to the Trine. They could also have a strong intuition just not as developed as the Trine. It's easy for them to make friends, the type to still be in contact with their kindergarten friends. The mediator in a group project, other people love to have them on their team. The only thing that can be considered bad about this placement is that these people doubt themselves a lot, they think they don't have the resources and the talent but they do, be practical but also be willing to take risks, you are the only one who's holding yourself back. It's okay to ask for help. With Trine, the people have an easier time taking initiative, with sextile it's a little hard, but you are still able to do it. It's literally the same as Trine, you just need to SEE It, that's it. Oh and also, these people can be really good child psychologists, this is just an observation.

(all pictures are taken from pinterest)

© martian-astro All rights reserved, 2024

[mesetacadre]

>send me asks im bored

:

something ive read, and then seen people like txttletale talk about; being a marxist isn't just about rattling off a parroted opinion, but developing a framework utilizing diamat to consistently come to a correct conclusion. identify the primary contradiction, etc.

obviously it is a practiced skill, but how would you say is one of the better ways to practice building that framework?

You are completely right! Marxism is not a dogma, but an philosophical framework for analyzing, criticizing and overcoming wage labor and the system that upholds it. As exposed by Lenin in The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism (it's a great book and a short read, highly recommend), "Marxism is a continuation of the teachings of the greatest representatives of philosophy, political economy and socialism [...] German philosophy, English political economy and French socialism". What marxism is, is the logical continuation of these three components; from German philosophy grows dialectical materialism (read: Theses On Feuerbach), from English political economy grows the description of how capitalism works (read: Capital), and from French (utopian) socialism grows scientific socialism (read: Socialism: Utopian and Scientific)

Instead of, for example, just memorizing how reformism is bad and revolution is good, you should instead understand how class struggle influences both of these actions, how reformism is used by the capitalist class to misdirect the workers' struggle, and how the way class struggle functions and has always functioned necessitates that the proletariat take its historic role as the overthrowers of capitalism, and beyond this, how this is worked towards. It's also very important to understand how common marxist positions are reached in order to continue analizing new situations, such as the Palestinian struggle.

I will never grow tired of saying this: the only path towards becoming a better communist whilst advancing the class struggle bit by bit is through constant theoretical and practical education, the involvement of yourself in the workers' struggle and the capacity to extract lessons from it via what you learn by reading the works of other communists, who most probably have already dealt with an analogous situation to yours more than 90 years ago, and then to complete the cycle, reapply those lessons to your work as a communist. You can only get so far by only reading or by only doing things (of course everyone's personal situation will influence the ability to do either or both of these, I think it goes without saying). Synthetically: Learn from the past, learn from the present, exercise your own mind, and never grow complacent. In due time (we're talking more than a year at least, probably more), the marxist framework will be as natural to you as the liberal framework is to most people

[etz-ashashiyot]

I admit, I don’t personally think it’s possible to truthfully combine a worldview that the Torah is divinely inspired, or at least any worldview that involved an all powerful g*d as a source of morality, and slavery.

I don’t really see how an all good all powerful g*d would send plagues to free one people from slavery, but could not even order those people not to keep shaves within their own kingdom

I’m sorry if this comes across as me shitting on your beliefs, evidently you have them so I can’t claim to don’t exist and they’re also very important to you. It simply seems logically inconsistent from my point of view. Although I may also be misinterpreting your point as well.

Hi anon,

Is this in response to this post? If so, I'd ask that you read it again, as that drash explains it far better than I could.

In my experience, Judaism is a very practical religion, with an eye towards elevating the physical by imbuing it with the spiritual. It's why we keep kashrut, it's why we observe the holy rest of Shabbat, it's why we sanctify sex and menstruation through taharat mishpachat. We say brachot over food, but also over sights, pleasant scents, and extraordinary natural events. We even have a bracha for after using the bathroom!

It's a very enbodied, earthy religion.

And because of that, it is typically very pragmatic about how people live and in trying to meet people where they're at, in the society they live in, in the time they live in. That does not mean that this is Hashem's ultimate ideal for us, but rather follows the principle that a middling step that will be followed is superior to an idealistic rule that will be ignored.

See the thing is, we weren't freed just because freedom is good. (Obviously freedom is good and slavery is bad.) Bnei Yisrael were freed specifically in order to become the servants of Hashem and entering into the Covenant of Torah. Their freedom is immediately qualified by the brit.

And the other thing is that we are all given free will. Hashem gives us free will to do what we want. We can make good choices, or bad. We can do good things, or bad things. An oftentimes, what is good and what is bad are less than obvious, and we find ourselves trapped into deciding between two or more bad options, trying to find the least harmful.

If Hashem takes away our free will, sure He could impose upon us a perfect, ideal world.

But that's not what we were made or set up to do. We were given choices and instructed to continuously learn and strive to be better.

So yeah! Yep! The Torah has a lot of things in it that were made for a different society with things we have since learned from and have moved past. We don't stone people to death for violating certain mitzvot. We don't burn adulterers alive. We don't engage the sotah ritual in the case of suspected infidelity. We don't keep slaves, and don't support any model of society that relies on slavery. These are all difficult, painful lessons that we have learned, collectively, over millennia. But they are very human lessons, lessons that we only learnt because we as human beings have the free will to create interpersonal harm and structural inequalities as well as to improve.

People think that just because G-d is all powerful, all-knowing, and all-good that this means Hashem will do all the hard work for us. That G-d will prevent bad things from happening to us good people and deliver divine retribution to bad actors, and are disappointed when it doesn't work like that. It's certainly caused a lot of people to struggle with and even give up their faith. People will ask "where was G-d when— " instead of asking "where was humanity"?

Show me whatever "it" is for you — and lord knows the Jewish people have a small multitude to select from — and I'll show you the ugly and tragic human acts behind it.

"Where was G-d when— " where were you?

[mossy-green-aka-ferrythem]

You know I find it interesting how Faust started off her relationship with Heathcliff by dogging on Heathcliff, sort of doubling down on the mistreatment he received, and acting quite upset over Heathcliff's outbursts. I don't remember exactly what she said to him, but she showed surprise that he made a "logical choice." Very rude behavior coming from her.

However... a sort of shift happened. She began to sort of. Understand Heathcliff. The reasoning becoming clear to her. Why he is the way he is.

I don't remember when this shift happened, but I think it's a general shift, with Faust stepping down from her proverbial high horse, and being kinder to the other sinners. We can see in Murder on the WARP Express, when she was severed from that channel of information she is plugged into, most of her eyes being blinded, she relied on other sinners to see. She began recognizing their strengths, their knowledge, how they live and how they perceive. She recognizes Ishmael's very firm and practical look at things, for example, and thus reached out to her.

Anyways, back to Heathcliff. As I said, since Heathcliff was the one she was the most firm with, and the most frustrated with, her shift towards a more caring outlook is noticeable. She doesn't make snide remarks about him anymore. This is likely because of all of Canto VI. She experienced all of that, and fully understood the weight of it all. The weight of Heathcliff's emotions, and how the most disturbed, cruel Heathcliff there is, had his wailing suffering reverberated throughout the mirror worlds.

Speaking of Mirror Worlds, I would imagine Faust learned a lot from Butler Faust. I don't know if she is in so much a "direct communion" with her IDs, I feel as though it's more about observation. Faust feels very observation heavy, after all.

Like. I don't think Butler Faust is meant to provide any moral direction. I think Butler Faust is meant to be an observer of both Wuthering Heights, and the Wild Hunt. She stands to aid and hone the Hunt. Sharpen that hatred. Exacerbate the cruelty. She is much more of a mechanism, a servant, as Butler Faust, who merely relays the sentiments of Wuthering Heights itself, all from an overzealous chief butler. I am not sure how long Butler Faust specifically was around for, but still, the treatment of Heathcliff is cruel. It is cruel to look at a literal child with such scorn, and it is cruel to dehumanize the twisted child so, as he is fully grown.

Really I don't think most of Faust's IDs have a link to morality. Rather, a link to info. They all observe, and all that observation comes together and results in an interesting base of knowledge. Like, N-Faust is of course, incredibly cruel and unusual, but I believe she serves as a lesson.

A lesson about Nagel Und Hammer zealous and broken doctrine.

While here, to finish my thoughts, I believe Butler Faust serves as a lesson about cruelty, maltreatment, envy, and Heathcliff.

I believe seeing Butler Faust and learning from her was a large contributor to Faust's knowledge, and ended up granting her a massively different overview.

[witchthewriter]

𝑨𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔!

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐘

First Lesson: Sun🌞

Second Lesson: Moon🌙

Third Lesson: Rising/Ascendant💫

Fourth Lesson: Venus 💛

Fifth Lesson: Mars ⚠️

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and its orbit around the Sun is the fastest one we know of. This is why Mercury is associated with speed, communication, and efficiency.

𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔:

○ Day: Wednesday

○ Colours: Yellow, Grey

○ Mercury rules two signs: Gemini and Virgo

○ Mercury rules the third House of Communication. Some astrologers may also refer to it as the House of Sharing.

○ Mercury Retrograde happens four times a year and it doesn't affect us all the same way every time.

○ Mercury spends about two-three weeks in each sign, but when it retrogrades, which it does three to four times a year, it can stay in one sign as long as ten weeks.

○ Mercury represents the principles of communication, mentality, thinking patterns, rationality/reasoning, adaptability and variability.

○ Mercury: Nervous system, skin, face, thyroid. It has a direct influence over mental disorders, ear problems, etc.

𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑅𝑎𝑚

Daring, Blunt, and Deliberate

Modality: Cardinal

Element: Fire

Symbol: The Ram

Ruling Planet: Mars

Stereotypical Traits: Fiery temper, competitive, daring, adventurous, honest (sometimes brutally), brave, optimistic, warm

Ruled by Mars, the planet of action, Mercury in Aries people speak quickly and sometimes without thinking first. People with this placement are passionate in their expressions. They are honest and direct which is great in some situations, but can be harsh in others. They also come up with new ideas, express them easily, and have a talent for convincing people to see things their way. Because of this people with Mercury in Aries make great leaders and public speakers.

𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑙

Enduring, Pensive, and Practical

Modality: Fixed

Element: Earth

Symbol: The Bull

Ruling Planet: Venus

Stereotypical Traits: Steadfast, loyal, enjoys physical comfort, stubborn, reliable, grounded, logical

People with Mercury in Taurus tend to take their time considering things before they speak. They are deliberate communicators who get straight to the point, but unlike Aries, they consider everything they say before they open their mouths. Taurean Mercury placements prefer practical outlooks and solutions. They are very confident in their values, so confident that they can come across as closed-minded in certain conversations. They are not actually closed-minded though. It just takes them a little longer than other people to consider and process a new opinion before they can speak on it.

𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑇𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑠

Effortless, Charismatic, and Beloved

Modality: Mutable

Element: Air

Symbol: The Twins

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Stereotypical Traits: Jack of all trades, flirtatious, social butterfly, curious, charming, unpredictable

People with a Mercury in Gemini placement have an especially easeful relationship with all the Mercurian traits. This is because Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini. People with this placement are particularly quick thinking and logical. They love to learn about the world and people around them and have a way with words in various mediums. For Mercury Gemini people, flirtation is just another way to communicate, so they do have to be careful not to lead people on. Otherwise, a Mercury Gemini placement makes for smooth communication and a life of learning.

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝐶𝑟𝑎𝑏

Quiet, Sensitive, and Adaptable

Modality: Cardinal

Element: Water

Symbol: The Crab

Ruling Planet: The Moon

Stereotypical Traits: Emotional, intuitive, fiercely loyal, romantic, loves being at home, nostalgic, nurturing

People with Mercury in Cancer have a soft and emotional approach to logic and communication. They make decisions based on your feelings rather than what might seem most logical to someone else. People with this placement are great at expressing their emotions and have a way of making people comfortable with deep conversations. They don’t like small talk, which can make them put up a wall. Instead, they open up and relax when they are in the presence of other people who can go “there.” As an intuitive, sign, someone with Mercury in Cancer seems to always know the right thing to say, even in a delicate situation.

𝐋𝐞𝐨 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑜𝑛

Unpretentious, Responsible, and Sincere

Modality: Fixed

Element: Fire

Symbol: The Lion

Ruling Planet: The Sun

Stereotypical Traits: Stylish, enjoys attention, confident, creative, enjoys luxury, jealous in relationships

People with Mercury in Leo may feel drawn to become a performer or entertainer. They are great storytellers and have a way of naturally grabbing peoples’ attention even if they are just talking to friends. They are creatives who don’t enjoy paying attention to smaller details. So, they have to work with others to take care of those parts of projects. People with this placement tend to be leaders because of the way they naturally attract attention. They are also persuasive but have to be careful to allow enough room for other people’s opinions. Someone with Mercury in Leo can easily take up all the air in the room and forget about everyone else if they are not careful. However, in general people with Mercury in Leo are popular and make friends wherever they go.

𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐨 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛

Intelligent, Productive, and Logical

Modality: Mutable

Element: Earth

Symbol: The Maiden/Virgin

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Stereotypical Traits: Nurturing, judgmental, quick thinking, logical, hard-working, intelligent, perfectionist

Like Gemini, Mercury also rules Virgo. So, to have Mercury in this sign is a beneficial and easeful placement. People with this placement are analytical and great at recognizing patterns. They are very realistic and communicate directly. Sometimes this can be a little too direct for some people. Mercury in Virgo people need to learn to add a little sweetness into their communication, otherwise, their directness paired with their love of logic can come off as constant criticism. Mercury Virgo people are very sharp and witty, but also serious thinkers. They tend to have sarcastic humor rather than being flat-out funny.

𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠

Diplomatic, Resourceful, and Amicable

Modality: Cardinal

Element: Air

Symbol: The Scales

Ruling Planet: Venus

Stereotypical Traits: charming, beautiful, and well-balanced. They thrive on making things orderly and aesthetically pleasing. They also crave balance, and they can be equally as self-indulgent as they are generous. Libras are also the kings and queens of compromise, and they like making peace between others.

People with Mercury in Libra have a gift of using their words to create harmony, especially in social situations. They intuitively know the right things to say to smooth things over and can be very diplomatic. Unfortunately, they may often find themselves in the middle of conflicts because they are the ones trying to keep the peace. Mercury in Libra people are often the friend that both people in a disagreement confide in. Luckily, people with this placement are very trustworthy in this situation, because their desire to keep the peace is greater than their desire to spread gossip.

𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑖𝑜𝑛

Secretive, Passionate, and Exacting

Modality: Fixed

Element: Water

Symbol: The Scorpion

Ruling Planet: Mars and Pluto

Stereotypical Traits: Emotional, intuitive, loyal, caring, jealous, moody, secretive

People with Mercury in Scorpio don’t open up easily to most people. They keep their personal and emotional information close to their chest. They only open up when they feel close to someone. Because of this, they are likely to have a few close friendships instead of a larger friend group. People with this placement are also sensitive to people who could be seen as nosy. They don’t like when people pry for information. On the flip side of this, Mercury in Scorpio people are fascinated by the unknown. They are motivated to learn as much as they can about the topics that interest them to find the true answers to life’s deepest questions.

𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑐𝘩𝑒𝑟

Audacious, Eccentric, and Unfiltered

Modality: Mutable

Element: Fire

Symbol: The Archer

Ruling Planet: Jupiter

Stereotypical Traits: Adventurous, confident, friendly, open-minded, can seem irresponsible, braggy

People with this placement can be quite academic. They are intrigued by learning about heady topics that open their mind even more. They may also incorporate travel with study or work. People with Mercury in Sagittarius are direct communicators. Sometimes, they can even be a little too honest for some people. However, they never have negative intentions, they trying to be helpful and are simply calling it as they see it. Socially, Sagittarius Mercury people are charming and witty. They make friends easily but their intensity in debates or arguments can be a turn-off to more sensitive people.

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑡 

Practical, Honest, and Methodological

Modality: Cardinal

Element: Earth

Symbol: The Sea-Goat

Ruling Planet: Saturn

Stereotypical Traits: Ambitious, honest, hard-working, logical, judgmental, demanding, workaholic

People with Mercury in Capricorn have a trustworthy word. When they say something, they generally mean it and they will do what they say they will, even if they don’t want to. People with this placement can feel like they know everything, or that they know the best way to do things. They can seem to speak down to people, but they are really just trying to keep things efficient as they relate to communication and learning. People with this placement can be social, but they may get annoyed if things don’t feel efficient enough for them. Mercury Capricorn people can learn to be more open-minded and accepting of people with different viewpoints and ways of doing things.

𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟-𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑟

Masterful, Well-Rounded, and Confident

Modality: Fixed

Element: Air

Symbol: The Water Bearer

Ruling Planet: Uranus

Stereotypical Traits: Intellectual, compassionate, idealistic, unemotional, eccentric, unique, open-minded

People with Mercury in Aquarius enjoy debating for fun. They can have unconventional opinions on issues, but their arguments are never without merit. Mercury in Aquarius people have done a deep dive to learn everything they can about the issues that are important to them. They prefer to communicate about issues and facts rather than emotions. People with this placement can prefer to learn about the future rather than the past or present. They may be attracted to learning about technology, which can lead to a tech career. Socially, Mercury Aquarius people are witty, and can make you laugh!

𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐬 | 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑠𝘩

Storyteller, Enigmatic, and Private

Modality: Mutable

Element: Water

Symbol: Two Fish

Ruling Planet: Neptune

Stereotypical Traits: Intuitive, creative, spiritual, caring, understanding, naive, illogical, lots of daydreaming

Mercury in Pisces helps people with this placement communicate their inner thoughts and emotions. People with this placement are fascinated by the larger questions of life and may be drawn to spirituality to find out their meaning. They love talking about these deeper issues, like the meaning of life or why we exist. People with this placement can be sensitive, but that also depends on their other astrological qualities. Either way, Mercury in Pisces people are deep thinkers who want to connect with others on a profound level. They are likely to abhor small talk.

[cyle]

I guess my question is “does it matter that nobody wants this site to be Twitter”? Because that’s what all the proposed/experimental changes to reblogs, hyperlinks, enhanced algorithmic dashboard use, logged-out view, etc. come down to - the design is pretty blatantly copying Twitter. What was the logic here, when your userbase has clung to everything that made this place nothing like Twitter?

i've gotten a few asks and replies and whatnot about how this change looks a lot like twitter, and while i agree it does look a lot like twitter, i want to challenge what that actually means. i think two websites can look a lot alike and yet be totally fundamentally different, because it's not about the functionality and the interface, it's about the people and the content on the platform. (some people have angrily yelled at me to "go back to twitter", and fwiw i do not like twitter, i don't use twitter, that's why i'm here on tumblr like you.)

for example, duckduckgo and google look a lot alike -- they're both a page with a search bar -- but they are definitely not the same. we all know that. they're two fundamentally opposed platforms, but they both have the same function and interface. similarly, while our new navigation layout does look a lot like twitter, that does not mean we're suddenly twitter!

it's worth noting that over the last ~15 years of social media's existence, each platform learns lessons that the other ones copy and apply and change in different ways. other platforms have copied us, and we've copied other platforms, that's just a part of the industry. yes, we at tumblr want to stay unique and different, but some things, like information architecture and navigation, tend to coalesce into a set of best practices. this layout change is our test of whether that actually makes sense for the millions of people using tumblr. the answer might be no! we're finding out.

again i'd question whether "the thing that makes twitter... twitter" is the layout of the navigation, or if it's the people and the content and the emergent behaviors that have arisen through many many years of use. because tumblr and twitter both started more or less the same way: as microblogging platforms, which both still are. are they really actually that different? if so, what makes them different? if the answer is that the navigation layout was the primary thing separating tumblr from twitter, then i think we have bigger problems.

[plurapony]

A completely unnecessary dive into My Little Pony Tales! 🩷🐴

My Little Pony Tales is the second cartoon series that came out during the first generation of Hasbro's My Little Pony from 1992 to 1995. It revolves around the life of 7 school aged human-like ponies and their adventures.

Unlike the precursor, My Little Pony N' Friends, MLPT doesn't have an overarching plot or any conflicts that span over multiple episodes. It's episodic and has the girls learn life lessons, with every episode ending with a song sung by the ponies. All of the 7 ponies are in a friendship group, and each has defining personality traits. And uniquely from the rest of the franchise, there are no other species of ponies present in the show - only earth ponies.

Starlight - Responsible and Sensible.

Starlight dreams of becoming a teacher and is considered the leader of the group. Her mother owns the Rainbow Beauty Salon and the ice cream shop where she works.

Sweetheart - Kind.

Sweetheart, like her name, is extremely sweet and always sees the best in her friends and every other pony she encounters. She has dreams of being a doctor in the series and is the oldest pony in her family with three younger siblings.

Melody - Passionate.

Melody is the lead singer of her band "The Rockin' Beats" and aspires to be a famous rock star when she grows up. She can be quite selfish and put her own interests ahead of her friends at times but will always remember at the end of the day her friends matter more than anything else.

Bright Eyes - Intelligent.

Bright Eyes is the brains of the friendship group. She loves to learn things and think logically to solve a problem they are facing. She's the quietest of the group and wants to be an environmentalist when she's older.

Patch - Tomboy.

Patch is the class clown who wants to go on and become an actual clown in the circus when she grows up. She's a member of the soccer team and very much enjoys practical jokes. She's often the one to encourage bad behavior and act irrationally.

Clover - Sensitive.

Clover believes she is either lucky or unlucky and is extremely superstitious and gullible to others ploys. Clover is also clumsy and prone to creating accidents (which are usually blamed on bad luck) and quick to tears when things go wrong. She dreams of being a ballerina like her sister.

Bon Bon - Well-Rounded.

Bon-Bon is very caring towards her friends and her family. She comes from a big family being the second oldest of 7 children and enjoys cooking for her friends and family. She dreams of becoming a world famous model one day.

Now you have been introduced to the main cast of the series, here's the ponies that were released for them! And here's one more thing I wanted to talk about that I found interesting with this series!!

The boys. Even in FIM boys aren't a big subject, there's a small amount of male characters and they aren't often the focus of any episodes. (With the exception of Spike of course) But the secondary cast of My Little Pony Tales is entirely boys! We explore their character traits, and their insecurities. We see them grow as ponies and they're extremely well developed characters overall. It's just very interesting to me considering My Little Pony N Friends never had ANY male ponies at all - until the final two episodes with the big brother ponies.

And that's all! If you were ever looking for a casual show to watch I would absolutely recommend!! It's very fun and the cast is extremely loveable.

If you're considering it -> give it a go!

[thekoalapastriesbakery]

Hii could we get how poly!bearnelli (sorry if I split that wrong) would react to their boyfriend learning to drive?

-🍪

you spelt it right anon dw!

so for the sake of this we're gonna say that reader lives and grew up in a big city. somewhere with lots of transport.

they would tease you endlessly for dating two racing drivers but not having your license. for a long time your response would probably be "well why do i need to drive when both of you can do it for me?" but then when they both move into f1, there's a lot more weeks out of the year that you have to use public transport.

usually that's fine. except now people recognise you on the street because of ollie and kimi. most are nice interactions, but it'd only take a few to convince you that taking the bus/train/etc is no longer a viable option. so you start taking driving lessons. maybe you'd keep it a secret from them at first. maybe it's a surprise, maybe you don't want them to make fun of you (even if you logically know they won't), maybe you just don't want them to freak out over the idea of you behind the wheel of a car.

eventually, they find out. of course they do.

on the one hand, they're kinda sad that you didn't tell them earlier. in theory i think they'd really like the idea of teaching you how to drive. in practicality they'd be soooo stressed that they'd accidentally make you hurt yourself. so it was definitely better that you got a driving instructor.

but then they see you driving, and maybe you do that thing—you know, put your hand on the back of your seat and reverse one handed?—and they forget about any sadness. all that's left is oh hot boyfriend hot boyfriend hot boyfriend. they used to fight over who got to drive you and now they will fight to have you drive them instead.