#emotional vulnerability and introspection

[bluee08]

✨️ Solar Return Chart Observations ✨️

These are my own observations and experiences so its totally fine if you don't relate. I am not an astrologer either so please take everything with a grain of salt.

🎁 Venus in the 2nd house has got to be one of the most peaceful years financially. There is no shortage of money when it comes to buying stuff that you love. I discovered my favorite food place that year and spent so much on food compared to any other year. I also spent on games that I enjoyed playing. Might make you a bit spendthrift at times, but with no major casualties. It’s really hard to save money though. But people were giving me money without asking too :)

🎐 I was known as a playgirl the year I had Lilith in the 1st house. I handled so much bad reputation and controversy... it’s funny. Guys kept getting attracted to me for no reason, and girls envied me to the point of shaming me for getting male attention. A girl legit told me—and I quote—“It’s not good to throw yourself at everyone.” Bbg, I never approached him in the first place.

🎁 Mercury in the 1st house is feeling confident in your voice and speaking freely, as well as expressing yourself in a much bolder way than you would normally.

🎐 Sun in the 1st house is a placement of self-reflection. It’s like after a long overdue fight, you’re sitting alone in a room with all your thoughts and emotions. And you are introspecting slowly—what good and bad decisions you took about yourself and how you can improve yourself in terms of your own happiness. People might see you as a bright soul, like sunshine after a heavy rain.

🎁 Moon in the 3rd house can’t hide what they feel this year. Whatever they feel is on their tongue directly. They would rarely lie and end up oversharing at times without intending to. It’s a good placement, to be honest, if you have problems expressing your emotions with others.

🎐 I started exploring astrology again when I had Pluto in the 5th house. I took a break from astrology, but this year I have read more birth charts than books. I even started drafting a dark romance book and revisited every other creative aspect of my life that I left a few years back. It’s truly like a rebirth. Also, I have had quite a flirty year this time.

🎁 Saturn in the 6th house can’t, for the love of life, submit anything without procrastinating it till the last minute of the deadline. And don’t even get me started on the sleeping schedule... the most fucked-up sleeping schedule I have ever had. Sleeping at 6 a.m. and waking up at 2 p.m. Yeah... not to forget the sudden loss of appetite and skipping meals for no reason.

🎐 North Node in the 7th house is your indicator of forming new relations this year that might seem fated. Might be romantic, business, or platonic. If you ask me, my experience says all.

🎁 Vertex in the 7th house is someone from your past life knocking on your doors. Be aware.

🎐 North Node conjunct Vertex in the 7th house? Blimey! That’s just a straight-up relationship aspect which is linked to your past life. A true karmic connection indicator. Another life, another lesson.

🎁 Chiron in the 7th house has got to be crying to bed every single night because they feel unloved, not being valued or prioritized in the relationship. Feeling pain, insecurities, and vulnerability when it comes to their partner is very common. It really hurts, ngl. Might even be a breakup indicator in some cases, because problems will come, and the partner has to be very careful with these peeps so as not to hurt them too much. If the partner is not mature enough... sigh. My condolences.

🎐 I experimented with something very new in my sexual life when I had Uranus in the 8th house. It might even indicate unexpected sexual encounters, experimenting with your body, and learning new stuff. Be aware of one-night stands or intense connections starting from something sexual.

🎁 Jupiter in the 9th house is a chill year when it comes to studies. Doesn’t matter if you are failing your courses or doing absolutely nothing... everything is pretty chill for no reason. It’s like at the end of it all, everything works out well for you.

🎐 I participated in many events and outdoor activities the year I had Mars in the 10th house. Made many new connections in my college and locality. I was pushed to become an extrovert despite being an introvert from inside. Beef with authority figures is to be expected, and people forming biased opinions too.

🎁 Virgo rising in the solar return chart is a year starting off with absolutely nothing and ending up with getting all your shit together slowly. The amount of self-discipline I had to force into my lazy self after almost giving up is a miracle in itself.

🎐 Pluto in the 7th house is getting into a relationship or breaking up… in the worst case, perhaps both. Definitely a major change in your love life.

🎁 Chiron in the 10th house is crying because of disappointing everyone and their expectations. The pain comes from destroying the one thing you’ve built over years and years—your image.

🎐 Juno conjunct Venus can be a relationship indicator too—probably meeting someone who feels like your ideal match. Your own secret manifestation.

🎁 It’s not good to say this, but I lied so much and so many times the whole year when I had asteroid Lie in the 1st house. I had no other option.

🎐 Uranus in the 11th house is gaining and losing friends online too quickly. One moment you think you’re all close, and the next it’s over and you don’t even talk anymore.

🎁 Do check out your Nessus in the solar return chart. It’s very important. The year I had it in the 9th house, I destroyed my studies. The year I had it in the 6th house, I destroyed my mental health—by my very own hands.

🎐 Neptune in any house is overestimating yourself and being blind. Absolutely blind. If it’s the 7th house? You go blindly into a toxic relationship. If it’s the 9th house? You go blindly hoping you’re gonna get into a good uni without studying. I mean gurl...

[aventurineswife]

Could I request the Astral Express trio (you can choose Stelle or Caelus) with a reader (GN) who is also a member of the Express who is like an older sibling? Reprimanding them when they get hurt, or comforting them when they're upset?

No One is Alone

Summary: Life aboard the Astral Express isn't just about fighting enemies or exploring new worlds—it's also about looking out for each other. As the team's older sibling figure, you take it upon yourself to reprimand Dan Heng and Stelle after they return from a mission injured. Through scolding, comforting, and heartfelt conversations, you remind them that they're part of a team and don't have to face their struggles alone.

Tags: Astral Express Trio x Reader, Platonic, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Sibling Dynamics, GN!Reader, Protective!Reader, Team Bonding, Angst with a Happy Ending.

Warnings: Mentions of injuries (non-graphic), Mild guilt/self-blame themes, Emotional vulnerability and introspection.

The hum of the Astral Express filled the air, a comforting backdrop to life aboard the interstellar train. You sat in the lounge, scanning over a datapad while keeping half an ear tuned to the faint commotion from the infirmary. It was a sound you'd become all too familiar with since joining the crew.

Dan Heng and Stelle—recovering from yet another scrape they shouldn't have gotten into.

The infirmary door swished open, and March peeked out, her expression torn between amusement and sympathy. "They're ready for the scolding..." she chirped.

You sighed, setting your datapad aside. Rising to your feet, you felt the weight of your role—neither a fighter nor a strategist, but the de facto big sibling of this unconventional family.

The scene in the infirmary was almost comical. Stelle sat on one of the cots, a bandage around her upper arm, her usual unbothered expression firmly in place. Dan Heng stood nearby, his arms crossed over his chest, looking stoic despite the gash on his shoulder that hadn't been there when the mission started.

"Care to explain?" you began, arms crossed and gaze level.

"It was just a minor miscalculation." Dan Heng replied calmly.

"A 'minor miscalculation' doesn't leave you bleeding, Dan Heng," you said pointedly, turning to Stelle. "And you—didn't I tell you to call for backup if things went south?"

Stelle gave a sheepish shrug. "I thought we could handle it."

"You thought wrong." You sighed, your tone softening as you crossed the room. Grabbing a chair, you sat between them, your expression gentler now. "I know you're both incredibly capable. But even the best make mistakes. You're part of a team—you don't have to shoulder everything alone."

Dan Heng's gaze flickered to the floor, and Stelle's shoulders slumped slightly.

"You don’t need to push yourself to the point of breaking to prove anything," you added, standing to place a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders. "We're in this together. If something happened to either of you, we’d all feel it. And you’d feel the same if it were March, right?"

Both nodded, though they didn’t meet your gaze.

"Good. Now, promise me you’ll call for help next time."

"Promise." Stelle said, a small smile tugging at her lips. Dan Heng gave a slight nod, his stoic mask cracking just enough for you to catch the faintest hint of guilt.

Later, in the privacy of the archive, you found Dan Heng surrounded by stacks of books. He looked up as you entered, his expression as composed as ever.

"You didn't just come here to read, did you?" you asked, pulling up a chair.

"...No," he admitted after a moment, his voice quiet. "I thought I could avoid putting others at risk by keeping things to myself. I didn’t think about how that might affect the team."

You smiled softly, resting a hand on his. "Dan Heng, you're not a burden. You're not just running from your past anymore—you’re building a future with all of us. And we need you to trust us enough to let us help."

He hesitated, then gave a small nod. "I'll try."

Later that evening, Stelle found you in the lounge, sitting with a warm drink. She plopped down beside you, her usual confidence dimmed by something you couldn’t quite place.

"You were right," she said, uncharacteristically subdued.

"About what?" you asked, setting your drink down.

"About asking for help." She stared at the floor for a moment before meeting your eyes. "I’m used to going it alone. But... it’s different with you guys. It’s like, I know you’ve got my back, and that’s scary because now I care. You know?"

You smiled, ruffling her hair like a younger sibling. "That’s not a bad thing, Stelle. Caring means you’re not just surviving anymore—you’re living."

She leaned into your side, her head on your shoulder. "Thanks, big sibling."

"Anytime," you said, wrapping an arm around her. "Just stop scaring me with the near-death experiences, okay?"

"I’ll try." she mumbled, and for now, that was enough.

(yonagi on X)

[disarm-and-conquer]

[amaveon]

By The Candlelight: A Collection of Poems

Entry No. 20

[in-tenebris-et-in-solitudine]

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I'm falling for You, Don't make me go Blue.

[dailydivination365]

No matter what you do, you feel the projects you've been building collapse. Regardless of the circumstances, you feel stuck. Almost like God or the universe have a vendetta against you.

Regardless, you seem full of ideas that could turn into something, but they never get past the beginning stages.

Upon further reflection, the output of work seems just too much. You can't handle it alone, and it's making progress impossible.

Fortunately, the answer is quite simple. There needs to be unification, whether that be from aspects within yourself or partnership with someone in the outside world.

This approach leads to rapid growth. Suddenly, there's a direction to follow, but it's not one that you can force.

Your favorable circumstances may lead to you being generously aided or giving generous aid to someone else. Finally, one of your projects may move forward.

However, you must sacrifice something to complete such a project and overcome the constant destruction. It may be the desire to actually complete a project.

You can be impatient in your approach. This makes progress extremely difficult because you're using too much force. A young idea cannot be subject to such force, or else it will break.

Ultimately, it's a calling to reflect on yourself. You are the reason you're not making any progress and constantly encounter disaster instead of the natural process of destruction to creation.

Look within yourself and understand your intentions. Why do you want to accomplish your goals? What makes you want to forcefully complete them so fast? These answers will lead you to a deeper understanding of yourself and finally break the cycle.

TAROT INFO:

The tower - reversed

Page of wands - reversed

8 of pentacles - reversed

2 of cups

8 of wands

6 of pentacles

The hanged man

Queen of Wands - reversed

The hermit

[indiestar]

Do I value our relationship? Certainly, everything's different.

[sunnyanddumb98]

ODE TO SOFIA

Sofia sits to my left in the office. It is big, but we crumple. That makes us close, at least in distance.

Sofia likes horror and dresses in full black. Her favorite color is pink, she hates yellow because it’s too bright, too happy, leaves no space for much else.

I really admire her. She is an enthusiast for cooking and reading, collecting figurines, and making perfect gifts: baskets with your favorite character plushie, sewn by hand. She sends you a birthday cake to your new apartment in Japan. She is considerate and remembers everything I say.

Sofia is violent. She tells the truth. Diplomacy exhausts her; she wants more. She is angry at people she has never met. She is happy when someone expresses their rage.

When I think about her, the sound of my sister’s giggles comes to mind, in the backseat of my parents’ car, listening to Mr. Jones by Sui Generis for the first time.

She likes gore and blood, but she rejects the passive violence of societal expectations. Day to day, she fears the real horrors of self-destructive, evasive methods. She is soft and sweet.

She is critical thinking skills, getting kicked out of class for laughing way too hard. The pride of growing up when no one is watching. Learning something basic as a full-grown adult, in a quiet street on a Wednesday morning. all alone.

It is the strength you need to protect your identity. It is showing your new sneakers to everyone. Forehead kisses to say goodbye to your friends. Going shopping in pajamas for fresh morning bread. It is the wonderful thing we find in the dark, hidden away from the horrors of the light and polite.

Catching a complicit smile at a funeral. The catharsis after breaking your favorite vase. Spending your last penny on a mistake. The friendship I form with my paralysis demon. A scared kid ready to attack. A tale, a hug, a cookie, and we both say good nigth.

The moment you are forgiven after screaming. Being loved after being wrong, mistaken. The comprehension only a child has: to cry over the doomed one— the serial killer and the rapist, the goner — not for their imminent death, but for prohibiting themselves a slow day, a warm afternoon in bed, tea, toast, and a good book to read.

[thewritehaven]

"I'm an unbridled river, constantly overflowing my banks and nourishing the lives of those around me. I'm unbound by boundaries, recklessly pouring out my waters until I'm drained, never pausing to replenish myself."

— alterego🪐 {M.J.}

[antonettewrites]

Ask me why I'm holding back, go on...

I want you to feel the intensity of my emotions, yet I fear you might run away.

I want to tell you that holding you felt like second nature, and letting go was against my will.

I want to tell you how I can and I will marvel at you, and looking away feels like a mistake I never want to make.

How being in your silence, gives me peace yet it also drags me into a pit of noise.

How your very presence offers the hope I've longed for and the misery I've been trying to avoid.

You are the duality that consumes my every breath.

Living in this gray area is killing me, and I'm unsure how much longer I can hold on.

How do I go on when I don't feel you pulling back, yet I can't feel you stepping forward

[aventurineswife]

I humbly request Amphoreus men with a Halovian reader, reacting to their freaky psychic abilities, the bird wings, halo, and how they absolutely cannot take a hit. Listen, songbirds are infuriatingly fragile, I've had them as pets. Trust me.

Porcelain Divinity

Synopsis: Bearing wings, a halo, and psychic power—but none of a soldier’s resilience—they bewilder, frustrate, and ultimately enchant those hardened by strife.

Tags: Anaxa x Reader, Mydei x Reader, Phainon x Reader, Halovian!Reader, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Psychic Powers, Romance, Soft Moments Amid War, Found Family, Banter, Protective Instincts, Emotional Vulnerability, Character Introspection.

Warnings: Blood/Injury (Minor Descriptions), Emotional Distress, References To Death And War, Fragile Body Horror (Mild), Intense Affection Veiled As Irritation, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms (Grief, Overprotection).

You collapse again—on the obsidian floor of the abandoned observatory—your breath rattling like loose parchment in the wind. A crimson splotch decorates your feathered shoulder, delicate bone nearly shattered by a minor deflection.

Anaxa doesn’t curse. He hisses, like steam beneath cracking stone.

“Did I not explicitly say, do not engage the arcanum juggernaut alone?” he snaps, striding over with the rage of a dying star and the precision of a surgeon.

You try to sit up. “I was… fine until the explosion.”

“Ah yes,” he mutters, kneeling beside you, his gloved fingers glowing faintly gold as they hover over your wound. “Because explosions, I hear, are famously gentle to brittle-boned divines with wings made of hope and denial.”

You laugh—wince—then laugh again.

“Mockery and martyrdom,” he says, dryly amused now. “Tell me, were you also planning to sermonize while bleeding out?”

You glance at his solemn face, and something flickers behind his eye. His palm hovers over your chest, your halo flickers uncertainly above.

“You fascinate me,” he says suddenly, voice lowered. “A being born of sky, dipped in prophecy, yet somehow you break like chalk on the first draft of history. That fragility…” He frowns. “It enrages me. Because I fear it.”

Your breath catches. “Why?”

“Because I can’t predict you. Can’t control it. And it means I might lose you before I finish understanding why your soul sounds like a song I’ve never heard before.”

And with that, he lifts you gently—not like glass, but like truth: weightless, dangerous, and deserving of reverence.

You flutter down from the ridge, landing beside Mydei in a half-collapse of feathers and grace. Your wing twitches. Your knees buckle.

He’s at your side in a flash.

“Not again,” he murmurs, voice soft but grave. “This is the third time you’ve dropped like a sparrow from the sky.”

You grin despite the blood on your lip. “But I made the shot.”

His eyes narrow, flickering with both pride and quiet exhaustion. “Yes. And nearly died again doing it.”

You flop dramatically against a nearby stone. “Halovians don’t die. We ascend.”

“Halovians bleed,” he growls, tearing fabric to wrap your shoulder. “You bleed more than any warrior I’ve fought beside. Even with your psychic shields. You're all mind and light, and not enough armor.”

“Wouldn’t exactly match the vibe,” you whisper, voice waning. “Halo, feathers, choir energy…”

Mydei lifts your chin gently. “Then I’ll be your armor. Even if you hate hiding behind others. Even if you tell me not to.”

You blink. “You’re not scared of me?”

He smiles faintly. “You terrify me. Not for your power. But because you’re fragile… and you keep throwing yourself into storms like you’ve never seen rain before.”

You feel tears build.

“Next time,” he whispers, lifting you onto his back like you weigh nothing, “you fly behind me. And stay behind me, songbird.”

You are unconscious for exactly three seconds after the explosion.

Then you blink awake—to see Phainon hovering over you, white hair dusted with ash, his face absolutely wrecked with concern.

“Oh my stars,” he breathes. “Are your wings bent? Are they crumpled? Your halo’s flickering! That’s not supposed to flicker, is it?”

You wheeze. “They just… clipped me. I’m—”

“You’re not fine,” he says, scooping you up and running fast. “You fell like a dropped porcelain plate. I thought—” He bites off the rest, clearly shaken. “You psychic types need a ‘do not poke’ sticker on your forehead.”

“Maybe a ‘caution: glass soul’ sign?”

“You're laughing again,” he says, scandalized. “How are you laughing?”

You reach up, brushing a soot-smudge from his cheek. “Because you’re cute when you panic.”

He flushes, nearly trips, then keeps running. “I panic because I like you, featherbrain!”

There’s a long pause as you rest against his chest, halo now steadier.

“I don’t care if you’re fragile,” he murmurs. “But I need you to let me help. You're made of light and high notes and cosmic static, and I’m… I’m just a sword. But I can cut through the dark for you.”

You press your head to his shoulder. “Then I’ll be your guiding flame.”

Phainon smiles through the tears he’ll never admit were there. “Deal. But if you faint mid-sentence again, I will wrap you in bubble wrap.”

[cowboycarters]

hmmmm idk how to word this properly but why do people act like being apathetic should be the default for the outer and if you do show an emotion that shows something other than being deeply impacted, you get scolded? it’s okay to be vulnerable, even more so when it’s an interpersonal relationship. that makes you human and more relatable. acting like nothing hurts is worse

[in-tenebris-et-in-solitudine]

You bring good to my lonely life, honestly, It's hard for me to look into your eyes, When I say that I would be nothing without your love, I feel the rush, and it's amazing.

[sahirshanetrananda]

The Grace of Staying

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? Once, I thought it was a flaw—how easily I felt things, how thin my skin seemed when the world got loud.I used to flinch at my own wanting.I tried to close around it, to harden, to disappear into roles or silence.But the ache stayed. It waited.Eventually, I stopped fighting it.I let it sit beside me. I let it breathe.And in that stillness, I began to…

[blackrabbitphotos]

Pearla's Realm (parts 1-3)

Born from the dust of Morpheus, Pearla is a dream entity who drifts through prisms, scattering pearls across the liminal spaces of the subconscious. She is a veil of light and magic ~ ephemeral, emotions too fragile for the waking world.

[inkandembers]

🪩 Сказки отражения, Mirror Tales

en ⬇️

Сказка о Карпе и Кои

В мутной воде пруда у подножия старого храма жил карп — плотный, тяжёлый, серьёзный. Он знал, как жить: плыть глубже, держаться у корней, не доверять блеску и не тратить сил зря. Еда, тепло, своё дно и редкие всплески — вот и вся философия. Он считал себя мудрой рыбой. Современной. Настоящей. — Всё остальное — пузырьки, — бубнил он, отгоняя светлячков, что прятались под листьями лотоса. — Красота — для тех, кто не пробовал голод. Однажды, во время большого ливня, поток воды вынес его в другой мир. Он очутился в саду тишины и света, в аквариуме монастыря, где жили кои — волшебные рыбы с длинными шелковыми хвостами и светом в чешуе. Они двигались медленно. Они не суетились. Они смотрели друг на друга, как будто чувствовали музыку, которую он не слышал. Карп замер. Он не знал, как дышать в этом свете. — Вы что, не боитесь? — спросил он. — А чего бояться? — ответила одна кои. — Здесь никто никого не съедает. Он плыл рядом, чувствуя, как становится виден — весь. В мутной воде не было зеркала. А тут — каждая чешуйка, каждая складка на брюхе. Он впервые увидел себя. И впервые — понял, что не знает, как чувствовать. — Зачем вы плаваете так медленно? — спросил он. — Чтобы не потерять себя, — ответила кои. Он остался в этом саду на одну луну. За это время он не стал кои. Но в нём зазвучала тишина. Когда вода снова поднялась, он вернулся в свой пруд. Другие карпы хмыкнули: — Где был? — Там, где дышат сердцем, — ответил он. С тех пор он всплывал чаще. И смотрел на свет не как на опасность. А как на напоминание:

всё, что ты считал невозможным — возможно. Если ты готов его впустить.

  🔥 𝔢𝔫 🔥

A Tale of Two Waters

In the murky waters of a pond beneath an old temple lived a carp — heavy, solid, and serious. He knew how to survive: swim deep, stay near the roots, trust nothing that glittered, and waste no effort. Food, warmth, familiar mud, and the occasional splash — that was his entire philosophy. He saw himself as a wise fish. Practical. Real.

“Everything else is just bubbles,” he would mutter, brushing away fireflies hiding under lotus leaves. “Beauty is for those who’ve never known hunger.” One day, during a heavy rainstorm, a powerful current swept him into another world. He found himself in a garden of silence and light — the monastery pond — where koi fish lived: radiant beings with silk-like tails and shimmering scales. They moved slowly. Without fear. They looked at each other as if they heard a music he could not perceive. The carp froze. He didn’t know how to breathe in this brightness. “Don’t you fear anything?” he asked. “What is there to fear?” replied one of the koi. “No one devours anyone here.” He swam beside them, feeling… seen. In the muddy pond, there had been no reflection. But here — every scale, every fold in his belly, every ripple of movement — was visible. For the first time, he saw himself. And for the first time — he realized he didn’t know how to feel. “Why do you swim so slowly?” he asked. “So we don’t lose ourselves,” a koi answered. He stayed in that garden for one moon. He did not become a koi. But something silent began to sing inside him. When the waters rose again, he returned to his pond. The other carps snorted: “Where’ve you been?” “Somewhere they breathe through their hearts,” he replied. From then on, he rose to the surface more often. And he looked at the light — not as a threat, but as a reminder: everything you thought impossible becomes possible when you are willing to let it in.