#it keeps coming more frequently and with more difficulty

[oblique-lane]

Spy tf2 and his identity

Character analysis (or at least my vision on him, if you believe my reasoning)

What do we know about Spy? He's a disguise mastermind. He can pretend to be anyone in order to infiltrate into the scene to do his job - quite literally, stab people on the back. But when he's not in the battle, what is he to his teammates? A suave Frenchman, a gentleman with taste, somewhat a leader.

At least, that's the persona he prefers to show. But is he really..?

What if I tell you that this person never drops his disguise?

For a man who always wears a mask and who's identity being secret is a sacred part of his role in this job, isn't this persona too much to show if it is real? Frenchman, rich, ladykiller... Wouldn't it be too easy to decipher his identity with so much clues provided? Wouldn't it be dangerous?

While Miss Pauling and the Administrator definitely know Spy's real identity, hiding it is a major thing for whatever reason. One could assume it might be because of Scout (obvious guess) but I doubt he's a sole reason. Spy very much enjoys being the Spy all by himself. Do what's the deal?

Let's start from the beginning.

Why did Spy join Mann Co. in the first place?

Let's take this assumption as a fact: people come here out of desperation. They are professionals in their field, yet in their past/casual life there is a pattern of them having difficulties that push them into joining this service. I don't see why Spy would be an exception.

The reason for joining is usually money. Some people question why Spy, a wealthy man from higher society, would join Mann Co. if he has it all already.

Well, probably because he really does not.

Have you ever met an aristocrat? Wealthy people don't get so protective about their expensive suits, they can afford cleaning or a new one. Regardless, rich people don't usually get stingy about material goods, especially if they're mass produced.

At least, not those who were born into wealth.

Spy's defensiveness about his "wealthy stuff", his pomp-ness, disgust and arrogance towards "plebs" gives off a man who knows what it means to live in poverty and who doesn't want to be associated with it ever again.

(Not even talking about his own filthy habits such as not washing his mask and pissing on walls? Jesus Christ)

Dare I even guess that he might be not French at all? His French is so broken. (Although, so is Medic's German, but at least he uses his language much more frequently and in more complex sentences, while Spy only uses French to say some basic expressions, occasionally confusing them with other languages). Definitely not a native.

If anything, he's not giving "rich man" at all, he's giving con man. And that fits my picture perfectly.

So, poor upbringing. How old is Spy? If he's Scout's father (and he was young when he was conceived), I'd say he's no less than 20 years older than him. I'd give him a few more years actually. So, approximately Spy is around 50 at the events of the game (1968-1972). Let's assume he was born somewhere in the 1910s.

Even if he's not French, I still agree that he's probably European. Hmm, what was happening in Europe at the time Spy was a kid?

Oh yeah. The Great Depression.

See my picture: imagine, a child from a lower class family during the Great Depression, his parents were most likely to not take good care about him (both because of the economical situation AND as an echo to Spy's struggles with his own fatherhood). He has to run away from home early and start to make money. Any way possible.

Unavoidably, it leads to crime.

Petty theft, blackmail, scams. Changing identities. Selling low quality products and services. Changing identities again. When older, seducing rich women to stay at their homes overnight, be fed and supported. Running away from the police. Walking into a trap of the mafia, and then joining them as their goon.

In this nightmare of a life he just had to keep pretending to be someone else, someone better and stronger, in order to his ego to not completely shutter. He had to imagine he was an invincible mastermind trickster of some sort, not just a poor boo-hoo victim of poverty who has never knew normal life and care.

And if you pretend for long enough, you become your role eventually... Right?

His true self was long lost forgotten under many layers of new identities. Worse, his true self was never known. And he didn't want it to be known in its ugly and disgusting vulnerability. Narcissism became his lifeline.

It's so much better to be Spy. To be rich and elegant and respected. His ego rebuilt.

[ddarker-dreams]

(reader here is described as fem)

loose collection of thoughts for a mildly normal anaxa (non-yan but still weird) and you, his beloved wife:

he keeps a small notebook on him to record his thoughts/impressions for the sole purpose of sharing them with you later.

he vehemently denies it, but the mere mention of you has his features softening. just thinking about you is good for his health because it instantly elevates his mood.

his students love when you attend his lectures because he's less harsh when they make mistakes.

since anaxa insists on conducting one-on-one oral exams instead of traditional tests, his more brazen pupils used to ask to practice with you, as you're the most familiar with how his mind works. he put an end to this practice when it started cutting into the time you could spend together.

anaxa once learned a language thought to be lost because you expressed an interest in a book written in the its script. he dutifully translated the work, adding annotations wherever he knew you'd have questions. the finished piece was an anniversary gift.

almost all of the times he's smiled in his adult life are attributed to you. you have a knack for bringing out his more lighthearted side, though he'll only ever show it in private.

he has some difficulty sharing you with others, especially those with warmer dispositions. he's always had this fear that you might wake up one day, decide he's too much trouble, and move on. you are essentially his only social contact, as he's always viewed maintaining friendships to be a waste of time. he'd be left utterly alone without you.

he makes caustic comments about the company you keep whenever these doubts intensify. it's normally small, petty remarks, but you can tell it's a symptom of a larger issue. should you make your displeasure known, he'll try and watch his tongue. he secretly still judges your companions because he doesn't believe anyone is worthy of your presence (even himself, occasionally).

not sfw beneath the cut!

this man's libido skyrocketed when he met you. he went from being apathetic about sex to blushing at the sight of your collarbones in a matter of days. you did a number on him.

he finds it a bit embarrassing, but he's gotten hard just from engaging you in a battle of wits. especially when you're heated about the topic. the passion in your eyes, your willingness to challenge and subvert him; it gets his blood rushing south. there's a reason why he crosses his legs when you're in the throes of making a point you're particularly proud of.

anaxa kinda forgets about chasing his pleasure because he gets so immersed in exploring you. he's very interested in your body, especially once he discovers where you're most sensitive. watching you squirm, pant, and moan might be more gratifying than any scholarly endeavored he's pursued.

really has a thing for fingering you. he just likes the sight of his digits slipping in and out of your pussy, how they become coated in a thin sheen, the way your head lolls back when he makes a come hither motion... he would finger you for hours if you let him.

his actions are often accompanied by his verbal observations. you don't know how he manages to say half the stuff he does with a straight face, but expect to hear the low hum of his voice near your ear frequently. he talks you through everything yet isn't content until you're left incoherent.

he struggles to last long when he's finally inside you, because he's so overwhelmed by how attractive you are and how good you feel around him. the first time you rode him he barely lasted a minute, the poor guy was fighting for his life. he gets flustered about it despite your reassurance.

he tries to keep his noises to a minimum, but the closer he gets, the less possible it seems. you know he's about to come when he makes these breathy, high-pitched noses, though he tries to muffle them against your neck.

[jjjjisun]

Coming In First (Part 1)

Eunchae X 2 Male OC | 19535 words

TW: Incest

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Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

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Jinwoo's brain wasn't working quite as fast, having just woken up, but he was sure he wanted to hear that oddly satisfying sizzle of his breakfast cereal. Hopefully, his older brother Jae hadn't finished the milk; he was sitting at the island, lazily spooning his bowl of cereal into his mouth a few feet away.

"Sup," Jae uttered with exaggeration. He and his brother always enjoyed acting like a couple of meat-heads when their mom wasn't around to correct them.

Jinwoo gave his brother a tired grunt and slumped into a chair at the end of the granite countertop.

They ate silently, slowly waking, clinking bowls and tapping at their phones, which lay on the surface beside their breakfast.

Jae finished first; he didn't eat nearly as much as his brother. At 6'-3" and just under 200 pounds, Jae was pretty trim. He was going into his senior year at the state university and played golf for the school team. He always laughed at the amount his brother ate. He was younger by 2 years at age 20. Weighing the same despite being hardly taller than 6'0", Jinwoo didn't balloon at the gut like some of his buddies because he had walked onto the football team at the same university as his older brother. He didn't play much, but it was an honor to have made the team. Plus, it won him points with the girls at school occasionally.

Despite Jinwoo's stockier build, the two brothers looked the same. Jae had shed some of the boyish features his younger brother still retained, but both were handsome young men in their ways. Their biggest difference was in hair color: Jae with his clean-cut dark brown hair and Jinwoo with a longer, more unkempt head of sandy blonde hair.

Both Jae and Jinwoo looked up from their phones as they heard the sound of feet sliding toward them from the bottom of the foyer stairs.

Their mother would undoubtedly instruct her daughter to pick up her feet if she had been home. Like her brothers, Eunchae was always a slow-mover in the morning.

She walked into the kitchen wearing what she had worn to bed: a tiny pair of soft cotton shorts and an old, faded T-shirt she had cut on a significant slant, so it struck across her midsection and left a hint of her smooth skin beneath.

Eunchae was too tired to notice her two older brothers were watching her closely as she padded across the kitchen, but she knew they would be, anyway. Their watchful eyes might have made her uncomfortable some time ago, but now she was used to it. The young brunette could even hear her father's words droning in her head: "You two are responsible for your little sister now, keep an eye on her" he would say anytime the kids were going to be left alone in the house for more than fifteen minutes it seemed.

That was the one order that her older brothers had no problem following. Both were troublemakers in their way, so much so that she had difficulty getting away with anything now that her parents had seen it all. But they did listen to their dad in that one regard.

Since Eunchae was in her early teens, Jae and Jinwoo had been looking out for her. Right about the time that her body started showing hints of the pretty young woman she would become, her brothers had been instructed frequently to protect their little sister from all the "dangers of being a young girl."

Eunchae always thought her dad was being overly dramatic about that. It was just a cheeky boy here and there - nothing she couldn't handle. Nonetheless, Jae had more than once given a clenched handshake or an evil eye to one of the boys he didn't approve of Eunchae spending time with. Once he graduated and went off to college, Jinwoo took over the role. Though he was a bit more unspoken about it, he seemed satisfied merely to intimidate her male suitors with his size.

It used to be annoying, but the protectiveness of her two older brothers didn't bother her so much anymore. At eighteen, she was closer to her two siblings than any of her other friends were to theirs - friends who typically regarded any brother close in age as the spawn of the devil and someone to be avoided at all costs.

No, Eunchae felt quite lucky to have brothers that paid so much attention to her, though they tended to take the 'job' of watching over her quite a bit further than just making sure she didn't get into trouble with boys or school.

Eunchae looked up to her oldest brother, Jae. He was sharp, witty, and he could charm the skin off of a snake, or at least that's what her mom always said. He could be rude sometimes; Eunchae knew when she was getting on her brother's nerves because he had no qualms about telling her. But of the two brothers, she and Jae could sometimes talk for hours and hours. Every so often, Eunchae would curl up on Jae's comforter, talking intently with him long after he hoped to get to bed. Still, he seemed to always make time for her.

Jinwoo was different but sweet in his way. He wasn't as old as Jae, only one year and ten months older than her, as she was sure to remind him whenever he said two years. But despite being only 20, he had a kind of unassuming quality about him that made him seem older, like he was always thinking more deeply than her. He was the kind of guy who didn't smile often, but she could feel her heart jump at its sincerity when he did. Instead of staying up nights chatting, she and Jinwoo had more fun playing one sport or another outdoors against each other; Jinwoo was a bit of a jock in that way.

The fact that she could feel two pairs of eyes on her when Eunchae reached to get a bowl from the cabinet was more than their protective instinct. But whatever it was, Eunchae didn't mind. Either that or she was too naive to know that her two older brothers were hoping to glimpse those little dimples in their sister's lower back as she stretched up for a bowl.

From the corner of his eye, Jae watched his little sister move around the kitchen as he rinsed his bowl in the sink. At some point, years ago...Jae couldn't remember when, he had realized that his little sister was becoming...well...fucking hot. There was no better way to put it. His buddies said as much, and the way he simply couldn't help staring at her and that incredible curve in his sister's bare waist, just before her low-riding shorts where her t-shirt was cut high... that was evidence enough.

At 18 years old, Eunchae was probably too young for a guy like Jae to be gawking at. Typically, he went for girls closer to his age, or at least out of high school. But his little sister was something else. Somehow, despite their age difference, Jae couldn't come up with a girl he found more attractive, and being related to her didn't change that. His dad was probably so keen on Jae and his little brother keeping close tabs on her.

She had a killer body. Maybe it was all that yoga or the tennis his little sister played, but more likely it was just pure genetics that gave Eunchae her beautiful shape. Nothing was oversized on the 5'-3" brunette; everything was proportioned right. Her tits looked like a nice handful, probably 32C at the most, and she had a habit of wearing tops that accentuated them, much to her father's dismay. Last he remembered, Jae's little sis had told him that as a part of her recent health kick, she was trying to hit 105 lbs. From the looks of her thin waist and the wonderful curve before her tight little butt, she had reached it.

And her face... God, was it gorgeous. Her cute little nose and that jaw-dropping smile were the features of the face that the younger of the two brothers, Jinwoo, liked best about his little sister. Like Jae, he hadn't failed to notice that his teenage sister had a body to drool over, but he liked how the beautiful brunette looked when she smiled. It floored him, and since she constantly flashed him a big grin when she scored on him in basketball or soccer or whatever they were playing, it might have had something to do with the inordinate amount of points she seemed to score on a much more athletic older brother.

"Hey, boys!" she sang loudly, knowing they would probably hate the volume so early in the morning.

"Ugh..." Jae grunted.

She was tired, too, but Eunchae felt like bugging her brother Jae some more. She wrapped herself around one of his arms and pushed up against him. Feeling his little sister's bare breasts press against him from underneath the thin, old shirt, Jae was glad to be standing against the kitchen counter.

"Gooood moooorning, Jae," she hummed, eliciting a lazy smile from her oldest brother.

He responded in kind, making her smile back. The 22-year-old didn't mean to have troublesome thoughts of swiftly grabbing the tattered hem of his baby sister's t-shirt and exposing her perfect breasts to him and his brother, but he couldn't help it all the same.

He'd never do something so brazen, but how could he keep his mind from venturing to such things? She was wearing so little; it was torturous to have such a pretty young teenager prancing, scantily clad, around him like that all the time. Jae could hardly keep himself from hardening at a mild sex scene in a TV show, and now he had a sexy young brunette pressed against him firmly enough that he thought he could even feel one of her tiny nipples.

Meanwhile, Jinwoo looked on, pretending he wasn't envying his older brother as he saw her long legs flex and show her toned thighs. A moment later, she did the same to him when she came around to sit next to him at the island, and Jinwoo felt the same hint of her bare nipple poking out from his sister's t-shirt.

Neither boy considered themselves hot for their little sister. Neither of them had ever made a pass at her or ever did much more than look. Sure, they had taken an opportunity to misplace a hand somewhere near where other boys only dreamed of touching, but it was nothing that she had ever flagged as inappropriate. Both boys had individually concluded that their frequent daydreams of what lay beneath their little sister's daily outfits were simply hazards of being a brother to a beautiful young brunette like Eunchae.

Still, Eunchae wasn't dumb. She knew more now what kind of impact even the slightest touch or glance at her could have on man and boy alike. She wouldn't have risked such interactions with her older brothers if she didn't love them unconditionally and feel like they would care for her no matter what. Heck, sometimes knowing that Jae was checking her out made her feel older, or seeing Jinwoo's look of shock when she walked out of the bathroom in only her bra and panties made her feel like she must stack up well against the kinds of girls who liked to toss themselves at a football player.

The harmless attraction was mutual, too. Eunchae knew (before all her girlfriends started reminding her) that her brothers were handsome. Jae with his dark scruff on a Saturday morning or Jinwoo with his dimples and the big forearms from his football workouts... Yep, they were a couple of dreamboats, her older brothers. Or maybe she just thought that she was admittedly proud because they were her family.

Whatever it was, thoughts passed between them as usual, and Eunchae and her older brothers chatted around the kitchen and snacked on things in the fridge their mother would have yelled at them for. Every part of the morning told Eunchae that it was going to be another normal day, and if it meant spending time with either or both of her older brothers, it was exactly what she wanted it to be.

When Eunchae skipped out of the kitchen to take a shower, Jinwoo happened to see her young breasts bouncing freely beneath her shirt. The combination of that sight and her round little backside scampering up the stairs made him speak his thoughts aloud.

"Jesus," Jinwoo muttered.

He heard his older brother snort and look in his direction, causing Jinwoo to realize he had said it rather than thought it. Jae saw a look of shock and embarrassment on his brother's face and gave him a questioning look.

"What?" Jinwoo responded guiltily, wondering how his older brother would take what had been a knee-jerk reaction to his little sister's incredible sexiness.

Jae laughed aloud this time. He knew exactly what his brother had been referencing.

"Eunchae, right?" Jae asked.

"What?" Jinwoo repeated, still thinking he'd been caught red-handed.

"It's cool man," Jae assured him, "I think she's hot too."

Jinwoo gave an empty look, not knowing what to make of his brother's confession. It could easily be a trap; all Jinwoo had to do was admit that he found their little sister attractive, and Jae would hold it over his head until the day he died. But it wasn't a test.

"Yeah, I know you saw her, too." Jae continued. Likely, the look on his little brother's face as he watched their sister leave the room, one he knew all too well, gave Jae the nerve to relate to Jinwoo about their eighteen-year-old sister's beauty.

Finally, Jinwoo gave in, laughing uncomfortably, "Yeah, I guess I was a bit obvious about that."

"She's unbelievable, right?" Jae pried. He'd long wondered if Jinwoo was immune to his sister's looks or weak to them like himself.

"YES!" The younger of the two replied, "When the fuck did that happen?"

"Pretty sure it's been happening under our noses for a while now," Jae responded.

There was a moment of silence between them as they felt the relief of admitting something so taboo. Jae and Jinwoo didn't agree on everything, but it seemed that on this, they could.

"When she hugged you, you felt her...?" Jinwoo started, unable to finish the sentence.

"You mean, did I feel our little sister's bare tits on me?" Jae asked, relaxing his brother further and getting a hearty chuckle from him. "Yea, she HAD to be aware that we'd know she wasn't wearing a bra, right?"

"That's what I was thinking." Jinwoo related. He felt immeasurably glad to have someone to talk to about the brunette who had caused him a few sleepless nights over the last few years.

"Have you noticed that she's gotten a bit bold around us lately?" Jinwoo asked his older brother.

"Now that you mention it, yeah.' Jae confirmed. "Maybe it's because she's getting closer to graduation or something? Or maybe now that she's technically an 'adult,' as she is fond of reminding our parents?"

"Do you remember that outfit she was wearing on her birthday; you know... that one with the black sweater like this?" Jinwoo used his finger to draw a big swooping motion from one shoulder to the other.

"You're right... Jesus," Jae repeated his brother's earlier words, "Those white shorts she had on were so fucking tight on her I swear I could see her... but the sweater, I thought the damn thing was going to fall off all night."

"You wish," Jinwoo joked.

Both boys were silent for another couple seconds, still overcome with disbelief of what they were sharing.

"I feel bad, dude," Jinwoo said. "I'm not supposed to think about my little sister like this. Dad always told us..."

"Oh fuck what Dad always told us, I've seen Dad checking her out too." Jae interrupted.

"No way," Jinwoo said flatly, shaking his head.

"You better believe it," Jae said convincingly, "watch out the next time she wears one of those damned swimsuits and mom's not around. He's always willing to play around in the pool with her then."

Jinwoo looked like he was deep in thought. More revelations... and more and more he was feeling not quite as bad for the dreams he'd had of his little sister at night, the ones he wasn't going to share with Jae despite their mutual appreciation for Eunchae.

"I guess I just chalk it up to nothing we can do. Yes, she's hot, certainly hotter than any of the girls I've ever seen YOU hanging around school with, that's for sure." Jae insulted.

"Oh fuck you!" Jinwoo said, throwing the kitchen towel across the island at his brother, who caught it handily before it could drape across his face.

"She makes that chick Brianna you brought around here look like a mule!" Jinwoo fired back. "Heee HAW, Heee HAW!" the younger brother sounded, giving his best, most offensive impression.

They both laughed and gathered themselves, smiling sideways so similarly that there was no question they were brothers.

"Sometimes, though..." Jae said as his brother reflected inwardly, "Sometimes I swear she knows what she's doing, like she's almost... asking for something."

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean." Jinwoo agreed.

A little twinge of competition sparked somewhere deep in Jae's mind. He had no idea what about, but perhaps it was his protectiveness for Eunchae in the face of another guy desiring her as he often did.

"I've fended off a few guys, but I'm sure they're all over her now that neither of us is in school with her. To tell you the truth, I kind of miss looking out for her, " Jinwoo admitted.

"Me too, man, but I wouldn't worry too much..." Jae stopped short, feeling like he couldn't say more without betraying his little sister's trust.

"Wait... what do you mean?" asked Jinwoo, knowing his brother was withholding something.

"Nah, you'll have to talk to her about it." Jae refrained.

"What the heck, Jae? NOW you draw the line?" Jinwoo scoffed, though he could tell his brother wouldn't say more. "She doesn't talk to me like she does with you."

"She would. You just have to ASK her." Jae said, seeing his brother a bit puzzled, "I mean, start by talking to her about nothing, you know: school and stuff. As soon as you get her going, she will talk and talk and talk..." Jae mimicked her jokingly with his hand for a puppet.

Jinwoo had always been envious of his big brother's relationship with Eunchae. Not for the reasons they had discussed before; he just wanted to be close with her like Jae was. His older brother could read it on the twenty-year-old's face.

"Hey, you're the one that gets to spend so much time outside playing with her. Don't tell me you mind playing a little defense when she's wearing one of those sports bras and spandex shorts she likes to work out in."

The thought triggered some fond memories for Jinwoo, and he smiled as his brother called him out.

"I can't be blamed," Jinwoo said, putting his hands up. "I just ask, and she always wants to hang out or go outside to shoot some hoops."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's all it is," Jae said sarcastically.

"I'd have the same advice for you then. She's always up for anything. I'm sure she'd say yes if you asked her to hang out with you."

It was lovely to be helping each other out like that. A small part of both boys felt the typical family rivalry for who was the better brother to their gorgeous little sis, but it was all in good fun. Jinwoo felt like Jae sincerely wanted him to talk to Eunchae as he could, and Jae likewise thought he would just ask her to come out with him sometime.

"Well..." Jae said, placing both palms on the table and nodding at his brother, "Glad we could get that out of our system."

"Haha, yeah."

"I guess I'll know who to roll my eyes at when we are in Mexico in a few weeks and Eunchae decides to wear that fucking strapless bikini that is way too small for her," said Jae.

"Jesus," Jinwoo agreed, repeating it for the last time and looking forward to a whole week of their little sister wearing hardly anything when they vacationed in Mexico later that summer. He'd have to remember to pack his sunglasses with the dark lenses so he could undetectably and thoroughly keep an eye on her. For the first time, Jinwoo thought with little guilt of that undersized bikini his brother had mentioned and the way Eunchae's breasts looked even better as they threatened to spill out of it. Maybe, just maybe, it was luck and not torture to have such an attractive little sister that he got along with so well.

-----------------

Over the next few weeks, as they became more comfortable with it, the two brothers enjoyed the benefits of having a sounding board for their frustrations and the benefits of having Eunchae as a sister. It wasn't always about the outfits she wore or the states of undress they seemed to be catching her in more often, but they also related how their attempts at improving their relationships with her were going.

It was like practice for the real world, Jae told his younger brother at some point. Jinwoo's most significant obstacle with girls was always how to talk to them once they were standing right in front of him, and Eunchae was perfect for that. Far more beautiful than most of the girls he encountered, Jinwoo confronted the same nervousness when he started treating her like a love interest rather than a sister. It was all harmless anyway; she was still his sister, and the pressure of going home with her at night was absent.

And despite his confidence with girls and ability to chat them up at a moment's notice, Jae was realizing through his brother that he did have a bit of difficulty with the physical aspects of relating to women beyond sex. He saw how natural it was for Jinwoo to throw his arm around Eunchae or to grab her side and make her squeal adorably. He found himself wanting to relate to her in that way too, and though his little brother wasn't so much a coach as Jae had been, he was a good act to follow.

During that time, poor Eunchae had no idea what had spurred it, but was feeling a marked increase in attention from her older brothers. She and her oldest brother Jae used to spend time together only after it got dark, but suddenly, he was more playful and attentive during the day. And Jinwoo!... the quiet one all her friends admired for being dark and mysterious... even he was talking to her more than usual. Sure, as soon as they were out of the house, he was his same old introverted self, but Eunchae felt like he was opening up to her at least.

Needless to say, she loved it. Every extra minute the bubbly brunette spent with her brothers, no matter what they were doing, made her happy.

Because of the constant presence of watchful men around her for as long as she could remember or a simple lack of interest in the boys her age, Eunchae had to admit that Jae and Jinwoo were the closest men in her life.

Sometimes, the young brunette felt like she was missing out, like she was supposed to have stories to share with her girlfriends in the locker room, too. There was no shortage of male attention for her at school, but word had gotten around about Eunchae's brothers, and if it hadn't, then most simply assumed Eunchae was a prude.

She hated that word—' prude.' Just because she wasn't interested in having an awkward encounter in the backseat of Freddy's dad's Jaguar (which he was always keen to mention when he came on to her after their math class) didn't mean she was 'prude.'

"Girls mature faster than boys," her mother told her when Eunchae complained about boys harassing her at school.

That had proved accurate, no doubt about it. Ever since Eunchae's boobs had started showing around sixth grade, she'd been immersed in a sea of immaturity, a.k.a. her male classmates. But things were better now; going into her senior year of high school, Eunchae had learned how to deal with the pushy boys who either didn't remember her brother Jinwoo or didn't seem to care.

And then she came home to her brothers. They didn't tease her for being a prude, they didn't try to cop a feel (except on accident when they were fooling around in the backyard or something), and they allowed Eunchae just to be herself. Oddly enough, the eighteen-year-old saved her more revealing outfits for home, where she wouldn't be subject to the leering eyes of high school boys. Maybe that was a risk, given that her big brothers still seemed to notice, but nothing had come of it...yet.

So, as the day wound down one Thursday and Eunchae felt like dressing as comfortably as possible on one of the hotter days that summer, she donned a particularly small pair of boxer shorts and a gray tank top so soft she could have found it among the rest in complete darkness.

"Where is everybody?" said the slender brunette as she wandered into the family room where her brother Jinwoo was watching TV.

"Uhh...I think Mom and Dad are at some dinner party," he replied, "and Jae... I think he mentioned getting hammered after work today if I'm not mistaken."

Eunchae giggled and joined her brother on the couch. As she glanced at him, she noticed how her sibling had grown up. Jinwoo had been a little pudgy as a boy; the photos hanging around the house were proof of that, but not anymore. He wasn't a starter on the football team or anything, but he worked his butt off, and it showed.

Her friends were correct; both of her brothers were good-looking guys. Jinwoo was a bit more 'cute,' and Jae was more masculine and handsome. Occasionally, Eunchae had to remind herself that they were her siblings, not to be thought of inappropriately.

At some point, they talked, and Eunchae marveled at how little she knew about her brother. He conversed differently than Jae, seeming to take care in choosing each word he spoke. The more they talked, the more he seemed to take care of her as usual, asking about school and her friends and seeming genuinely interested. She had already told Jae almost everything; sharing things with her second oldest brother of a much different character, was nice. And as with Jae, they started to get into more personal topics after a while, like whether she'd been on any dates lately.

"What about you?" she stopped him at some point. It's my turn to ask the questions. How come you only ever brought that girl Katie home for Jae's birthday last year? Have you been seeing anybody, Mr. Football Player?" she said with emphasis.

Jinwoo shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, things didn't really work out with her..." he said, though he looked like he wanted to say more. And no, I'm not seeing anybody else right now."

"Why didn't things work out with her?"

"Nope, my turn," Jinwoo interjected. "I could name at least three guys on your school's team who told me they wanted to take you out while I was still there. As far as I know, you haven't gone out with any of them. Why not? Don't you like boys? Or maybe it's girls?" He asked, raising his eyebrows, teasing her.

"You shut up," she said, leaning across the couch to sock him in the arm. "It's not that I don't like boys; I just don't like how it's always the same with them."

"How do you mean?" Jinwoo asked, feeling his little sister leaning toward him after the punch.

Eunchae answered as if pre-recorded, "We go out on a date, probably dinner and a movie. They act all charming, put their arm around me, and then..."

She took a deep breath and paused.

"What Eunchae?" Jinwoo beckoned.

"You know..." she said coyly, "They try something...on the ride home or try to get me to 'go somewhere quieter at a party... They want to make out, but usually more than that. Like, eeevery tiiiime"

"Yeaaahhhh..." Jinwoo drew out, sounding like he understood. Though, seeing his little sister sprawled out on the couch and leaning lightly against him, he wondered if he could blame the guys even younger than he.

Her older brother remembered some of the encounters he'd had around her age. Except, with Jinwoo it was somewhat the other way around. Girls expected things from him, like he was supposed to take charge all the time and initiate; that wasn't really his style, except lately in terms of conversation with his little sister.

"Why does it always have to be like that?" Eunchae begged of her brother, hoping he had the answers.

"I don't know Eunchae, not all guys are like that." he said despondently, "I'm not."

Eunchae looked at him and knew... had always known that he wasn't like that. Jinwoo would never push her into something she didn't want to do. She knew that her brother treated girls with probably more respect than necessary; he was pretty shy when it came to the fairer sex..

"I know Jinwoo, that's why I guess I'd rather just hang out with you and Jae and wait until college to date anyone."

"You know, it's funny. Once you get to college, it's even harder to date. Nobody takes it seriously. "Jinwoo related.

"Really? Arghhh!" She expressed in frustration. "When am I ever gonna..."

But then Eunchae stopped, she'd almost blurted something to Jinwoo that she'd never considered telling anyone but Jae. Yet, here she was wanting to tell her other brother too. Jinwoo gave her a squinting look, inviting her to say more. So Eunchae sighed and finished:

"...HAVE SEX. All my friends have, or at least it seems like it, and everybody just thinks I'm prude!" Eunchae winced as she said that stupid word.

Seeing the wide-eyed look of surprise on her brother's face, it lightened Eunchae's mood. But her brother's red cheeks and the way he looked away from her slightly made her speak up:

"Oh come on," she bargained, "don't look so shocked, you're in college now and you're on the football team. I'm sure girls are throwing themselves at you all the time. Sex is nothing for YOU to be so bashful about."

But he was bashful about it. First he was contemplating the truth behind his sister's words, then unintentionally thinking about how unbelievable it was that a lithe little brunette like her, with the perfect mound of each of her breasts beneath her top, the incredible curve of her waist and legs, and that incredulous look on her face...that she could be a virgin.

And then he was thinking about the other truth. He remembered his brother telling him that part of relating to Eunchae, beautiful girls like her, or really any female at all, was in sharing about himself too. He hadn't told anyone, though he suspected Jae knew, but he just had to blurt it out.

"I'm a virgin too," He said as quietly as possible, like somebody else might hear him if he wasn't careful.

Eunchae's mouth fell open slightly. She thought she must have misheard him. Football players were supposed to be dogs, they took whatever came to them, and LOTS came to them.

"You're just saying that," Eunchae said after sharing a moment of eye contact with her cute older brother.

"No.... I'm not." Jinwoo assured her. "I mean, I've done, like, other things. But never IT."

"Really?" Eunchae asked, almost hopeful.

"Really."

She was actually smiling when he told her. Jinwoo was yet another person she just assumed had more experience than her in the physical department, and he probably did, but she felt closer to him than ever now. Eunchae snuggled up to Jinwoo tellingly after a moment or two of silence had passed between them, she felt like hugging him for telling her something that was obviously so private. Because of it, she felt... relieved, and she loved him for it.

"Thanks for telling me," Eunchae told him,

"Ditto," said Jinwoo, "And honestly, I'm glad I don't have to be as worried about the boys at your school getting their hands all over my little sister."

He sounded oddly protective, borderline jealous, but it was a sentiment that Eunchae appreciated for some reason. In a strange way, she kind of related to it. Not that she had any say in what her brothers did in college, but now that she knew Eunchae was glad that some of the jersey-chasing bitches she knew spent time around football players hadn't gotten any of her big brother either. She loved having something like that in common with Jinwoo, and a deep affection welled in her heart, drawing her closer to him.

As she cozied up to him on the couch, Jinwoo thought their proximity, and the way Eunchae was nuzzled against him with an arm across his chest was a bit more intimate than was appropriate. But he didn't say anything. Maybe this was part of the whole process that Jae had been helping him with. Eunchae hadn't just warmed up to him in conversation, but she was expressing it in other ways too. The way her chest was pressed against him, he could feel, once again, that she wasn't wearing a bra. Jinwoo decided he quite liked having his beautiful little sister like this, though he wondered what Jae would have to say if he saw them just then.

They watched TV like that for an hour or two. Even when Eunchae got up to grab something to drink from the kitchen, she laid right back down and draped her brother's arm across her like it was no big deal. A few times, she even felt his fingertips grazing the exposed skin beneath her tank-top, moving a little bit more than by accident; it sent a shiver up her spine that Eunchae would remember that night as she went to sleep. The goosebumps that appeared on her skin as Jinwoo moved his fingers ever so slightly against his little sister's smooth side marked a new dynamic to his relationship with Eunchae that her older brother hoped could stay acceptable; he was enjoying it so much.

-----------------

"So, I know why you said I 'didn't need to worry about' Eunchae," Jinwoo told his older brother with air quotes, though one hand was covered in his baseball glove. He snagged a high throw out of the air before it could go whizzing into the bushes behind him.

"Oh yeah, 'she tell you?" Jae asked, glad he didn't have to dig through the pine branches to find a misplaced throw.

"Yeah man, I guess I just didn't think... you know, with the way she looks and all. I thought some guy would have worked his way in, without us around anymore."

"Nope, as long as she wasn't fibbing to us," said the elder brother, "and I'm pretty sure she wasn't"

They tossed the ball back and forth a few more times. Every once in a while, Jae would throw it particularly hard to his little brother. It used to be that a throw like that would scare the crap out of the blonde-haired Jinwoo, but when he threw it back even harder nowadays, Jae usually decided not to continue the competition. Sometimes, Jae would even have to rub his hand through the glove or wince if he didn't catch it just right; Jinwoo was always pleased to see that happen.

"So did you tell her then?" Jae asked, after a heater smacked against his palm with an exceptionally loud 'thwap.'

"Tell her what?" Jinwoo played dumb.

"Come on man, I'm your big brother, you think I don't know?"

A few more tosses.

"Yeah I told her," Jinwoo said finally. His brother laughed, but not too cruelly.

"Bet she liked hearing that," Jae bated

"Yeah, I think she did, she kinda got close after I told her; it was funny."

"Yeah, that must have been awful," Jae said, rolling his eyes.

Jinwoo was intimately reminded of how sexy she had looked and felt in that tank top and boxer shorts. Was he lucky to have such a pretty 18-year-old for a little sister, or cursed to only look but not touch. But he HAD touched, and looked. What was getting into him? Ever since he and Jae had shared their appreciation for Eunchae, or maybe before... like when she'd turned 18... Either way, Jinwoo was finding it hard to drown out the visions of his little sister, a virgin like him, and wonder why cozying up to her on the couch had felt so...nice...normal, even.

-----------------

"3 to 1" Eunchae called out proudly.

Jae had asked her out to play a game of basketball and she had quickly scored a few baskets on him. Either he wasn't as good as his younger brother, or he was letting her win, whichever it was, she didn't really care. It was nice to be spending time with her oldest brother; usually he'd be out with his friends on a Saturday instead of hanging with her.

*Paaaangggg* Jae swatted her ball right out of the air like a fly. She was pretty sure now that he was letting her score, Jinwoo would have had trouble reaching that high for a ball, but Jae made it look easy.

"HEY!!" She shouted, watching the ball roll into the lawn.

"What did you think? I was just gonna let you throw up some garbage like THAT uncontested. Uh uh!" He said, wagging his finger at her.

Eunchae growled in frustration and took off after the ball, giving Jae a good opportunity to watch her from behind. Those damned dimples in her back showed with each stride, revealed as the only top she was wearing was the supportive, red sports bra. Her big brother was guiltily glad to see her wearing it when she came outside. Seeing, the way it crisscrossed in a big 'X' across her toned shoulders with only a thin band around her back at the level of her breasts, Jae admired the fantastic shape she was in. She had on a pair of yoga pants, simple black ones that rode tantalizingly low on her little hips. Jae's head rolled back at the sight of her, even more blown away when she turned around and he was treated with the way her top pushed her tits up so they were extra visible from above.

The thought occurred to the 22-year-old that girls that looked like Eunchae didn't show off like she was now without meaning to. However, the big, innocent grin on her face as she dribbled the ball back onto the court caused Jae to waver.

He let her score again, which made her happy, though he quickly followed up with two quick baskets before she knew what hit her.

A few times, Eunchae felt her brother's hands on her bare sides. She was trying to get closer to the basket, backing into him the way her dad had taught her, and Jae was holding onto her with much firmer touches than Jinwoo was usually willing to use.

She liked it.

Her heart beat faster each time he touched her.

Eunchae took longer dribbling for the basket each time she found her brother's body pressed up behind her and his fingers spread across her abdomen. She probably shouldn't have enjoyed it so much, but it was only her brother, so it was mostly innocent. What girl wouldn't like a touch here and there from a handsome, older guy like Jae?

It was new, a fun and unexplored way she was interacting with Jae. He was handsy with her, but not too rough. She was excited that he was getting more comfortable with her; Jae had always been more distant in that regard than Jinwoo.

On the other side of the ball, Jae could tell his little sister was opting for more of the one-on-one physical kind of game that she would surely lose if he decided to give her his A-game. So he backed off a little, at least in his defense, and every time he felt her tight little backside pressed against him, Jae's thoughts strayed further.

Her soft skin felt so good in his hands; he did his best to make it seem like he was guarding her rather than just trying to feel her exposed sides. A couple of times, his hands slipped down lower, holding her hips and almost guiding her back against his pelvis. Both enjoyed the way their bodies seemingly spoke to each other, hips moving in unison.

Before long, Jae noticed that his little sister wasn't shooting much anymore. More often than not, his hands were on her, and she was leaning back into him. He caught the alluring scent of her shampoo as his head aligned with her neck. Eunchae swooned at the feeling of his breath on her skin; she even struggled to continue dribbling once or twice.

As she backed into him once more, Jae wondered if Eunchae had been like this with his younger brother. However, the thought crossed his mind that, given the amount of times the two had shared a game of basketball, they probably wouldn't be virgins anymore if she always played like she was now.

What was getting into him? Jae had always been proud of controlling himself when it came to Eunchae's beauty, and that infectious quality about her that made most men's hearts skip a beat when she smiled in their direction. But now, for some unknown reason, when he passed her the ball and she smiled at him from the top of the key, he was hoping she would turn around and dribble slowly toward him so he could get the chance to feel her again.

Likewise, the buzzing 18-year-old was starting to wonder what it was she was feeling as she rhythmically backed up against Jae, if maybe something was stirring in his shorts... when his phone went off. She almost whimpered aloud when he slid away from their contact. It had rung twice before he could even snap out of the trance his sister had put on him.

"Oh...um yeah....when will you be here?" she heard him say into the phone.

"Five minutes, yeah I'll be ready." he continued. "See you soon."

Jae could see the look of disappointment on his little sister's face as he hung up the phone. Whether she had wanted to continue playing basketball, or continue the escalating intensity of their attraction, he couldn't say. He was sorry to see the frown on her face as he spoke.

"I totally forgot," he said, "I'm supposed to go catch a movie with some friends, they're going to be here in five minutes."

Eunchae's look didn't soften. It felt like he was ditching her for some better plans. Maybe Jinwoo would come out and play with her when he got home, though she'd never felt such a rush playing him as she had with her brother that day.

Jae couldn't stand seeing her that way, and furthermore, he didn't feel like letting his beautiful little sister out of his sight just then.

Eunchae was about to dribble back toward the basket and continue shooting around alone when her oldest brother spoke up:

"Would you want to come with me?"

She tried not to look too excited, but her eyes widened and her posture changed involuntarily. The way her chest perked up for his view, Jae was hopeful she would accept his invitation.

"It'll be a few guys and a few girls. I think you know my friend Duri, and of course In-sik and Ha-joon."

Eunchae smiled cutely and bit her lower lip, trying to look like she was considering it. Of course she wanted to go! But she didn't want to look too eager.

"Yeah, I guess I'd go. I gotta be ready in five minutes?" she asked. Jae could see in her eyes that she was excited to accept his invitation, whether she was acting neutral or not. He didn't care. Frankly, Jae would have probably cancelled with his friends if Eunchae had said no, just to stay home with her.

"Yep, we'd better hurry. Ha-joon is a fast driver." Jae warned.

They both glanced at the side door of the house, silently agreeing it would be a race to their bedrooms.

Jae got the first step, but his little sister was much closer to the door. She was up the stairs before he could even reach them.

The athletic young brunette was quick, but Jae's strides were considerably longer than hers; he caught up to her by the time she was only up a few stairs to the second floor.

Grabbing her from behind, Jae snatched his little sister and lifted her right off the step with ease. She waved her legs in protest but it was no use. Both siblings were laughing uncontrollably as Eunchae struggled fruitlessly in her big brother's grasp.

It was nice to have his hands back on her. Within a few seconds, the wiggling teenager realized the position of her handsome brother's hands: one wrapped right around her stomach and the other crossed over her chest with his palm halfway across her breast.

He hadn't done it intentionally, but they both felt it. Jae could feel the pliable mound trapped beneath his hand and the taut fabric of her top along the way his fingers were outstretched over her entire tummy. He wondered what his younger brother might say if he saw them horse-playing like that.

After enough time had passed for them both to fully acknowledge the suggestive interaction, Eunchae stopped fighting her big brother's hold.

"You win, you win!" she surrendered.

Jae placed her back on the stair, reluctantly sliding his hands from her... and immediately she took off! She was up the stairs at once, stopping only once she had reached the top to stare triumphantly down at her on-looking brother.

"Sucker." She taunted, cocking her hip to the side. Her midsection flexed and Jae's heart fluttered to see it.

"Yeah yeah," Jae called up at her, following, defeated, up the steps.

When he neared the top, Eunchae let out a final, satisfied 'hhmph.' and turned for her room. 'Dear God she is beautiful,' Jae admitted to himself; watching her cute lower half sway subtly as she walked.

As if in a dream, Jae was positively floored by what she did next. Before she could reach her room, his little sister crossed her arms over her chest and thumbed the elastic band at the bottom of her red sports bra. It was up and off her, leaving her entire backside unclothed and free for her brother's gaze.

Maybe she thought he was already heading for his own bedroom that he wouldn't see her, but he had. And right as she turned into her own room, he glimpsed the side of one of Eunchae's 18-year-old breasts, as youthful and ample as he had ever imagined, and yet so much more.

Eunchae intentionally neglected to look back at him through the door. If he was watching her, as she hoped, the mischievous brunette didn't want to give herself away. She wasn't trying to show him everything, but just a little wasn't too naughty. She couldn't help herself either - feeling the tingle of his hands still on her body, Jae's little sister felt compelled to make him feel as aroused as she did. 'A little teasing couldn't hurt,' Eunchae thought.

In-sik had just honked the first time when Eunchae came bouncing down the stairs in a crimson halter top with just a tiny cord hanging it around her neck. He was glad to see her top covered more of her stomach than the sports bra had, as if that was difficult, and it still left visible a few inches of that tan skin his fingers had been exploring five minutes earlier. From the way her breasts were moving, it seemed she might have been wearing a bra, thank God, but when she turned he could see her entire back was bare save the little tie keeping it on at her lower back. And to cap it off, she had a pair of black shorts that hugged her little hips so well Jae wanted to once again hold them in his hands, let alone run his palms over her long, smooth legs below.

Jae was going to have to keep an eye on her today with all his buddies around. Her appearance was sure to incite more lewd comments, as it always did, when next he hung out with his friends. And yet, he was glad to have Eunchae with him as he opened the door for her and she walked below his outstretched arm, smiling up at him with her dark brown eyes

He was so sweet, making sure to pay enough attention to her on the ride there. She sat next to him and watched how all of Jae's friends fed off of his humor and energy. When Jae shot his friend Ha-joon a look for hitting on Eunchae from the front seat, she felt like wrapping herself around his arm in pride.

Then, after they'd met up with two more friends at the movie theater, they sat down and she kept holding on to him. The rest of the group thought it quite normal given that Ha-joon and one of the guys they'd met up with, Tae-ho, were almost relentless in trying to make passes at Jae's little sister.

Jae might have gotten angry about it, but instead he fell more in love with Eunchae for the grace with which she handled his friends' pursuits. That and the further confirmation of his baby sister's universal appeal made him ever grateful to feel her teenage body pressed up against him and return her furtive glances on their way into the theater.

"Ignore those d-bags!" said a laughing Hana loud enough so In-sik and Tae-ho could hear. Eunchae had been chatting with the pretty blonde while her brother was buying their tickets. For some reason, they got along really well; maybe it was that they both had experienced the obnoxious boys' attention at some point.

"Hey, your brother said you were a big runner, right?" Hana asked, to which Eunchae responded with an enthusiastic "Yep!"

"We don't live too far away from each other, we should run together sometime." suggested Jae's friend.

"I've been needing a good running buddy," Eunchae revealed, "I'd like that."

They were about to find their seats, so Hana told the younger brunette to get her number from Jae and text her before the movie. They found their seats, and Jae felt his heart thump at the big smile he witnessed on his little sister's face. He gave her the number, huddling close with her to exchange it, and Eunchae beamed with pride. She'd not only gotten to spend time with her cool, older brother and his friends, but she'd made one of her own.

Eunchae pushed the armrest up between them and snuggled as close as was appropriate to her brother, glad to be on the end and tuck his arm between her legs as she held it, and gladder still when the lights turned off and it almost felt like privacy.

A few times throughout the movie, Jae would turn to the eighteen-year-old and whisper some observation about the movie or a joke that would inevitably send her into a giggling fit. She loved the way his words tickled her ear, and how the bass in it seemed to resonate somewhere in her brain near the part that was causing her to love him so much. At times throughout the movie, Eunchae had a hard time paying attention, distracted by the thumping of her big brothers heart or the warmth of his hand between her thighs.

By the time the credits rolled and Eunchae was reluctantly forced to disengage from her handsome brother's embrace, she had nearly forgotten they were with Jae's friends at all.

"Looks like we have a few too many," observed the driver, In-sik, as they got back to the car.

"We'll smash into the front," agreed Hana and the other girl in the group, Ji-hye.

"Eunchae can sit on my lap if we need more room." Suggested Tae-ho, "or you could Jae."

"You fucking wish, on both accounts," Jae scoffed. Turning to Eunchae, who was doing that thing where she kind of scrunched her shoulders when she was uncomfortable, he said, "You okay sitting with me Eunchae?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Eunchae agreed; she had no problem with that at all.

As they all piled in, Eunchae took her seat atop her brother and hunkered down to get her head in the door. He did his best to accommodate her, and Eunchae almost sighed aloud as she felt the warmth of being seated in her brother's lap. It was innocent, or at least it looked so, but the others didn't know how Eunchae and her oldest brother had been flirting that day, how easily it came for Jae to work his hand onto the teenager's hip.

Jae did his best to keep up conversation, not to let on that he was utterly distracted by having his gorgeous little sister bouncing atop him with each bump in the road. His grasp on her hip pulsed involuntarily while his thoughts clouded with far less acceptable ways he might find her atop of him. It was wrong; he didn't want to give in to the intense desires he was feeling for her. They were causing his cock to think independently of his reservations, to stiffen slightly as her weight pressured it.

What's worse, Eunchae was enjoying her brother's touch even more. The way his fingers were snaked in the bend at her hip and thumb around her backside... the feeling of soft pressure of him grabbing her. Maybe he was just holding her in place, but Eunchae couldn't help herself from rotating her hips ever so slightly against him. She'd never had sex before, but a deep, naughty part of her brain suggested that this might be a wonderful position to do it in, especially given the large hardening bulge she could feel where she was seated on her brother.

She dared not look back at him, nor make a sound, though she badly wanted to. Was this just something in her mind? Was she just horny and she was dreaming up that her big brother might be interested in her, that his touch was nothing more than a friendly way of keeping her from falling off when In-sik took a hard turn? 'God, it couldn't be,' she thought as Jae's hips flexed and he seemed to pull her down toward him.

"You'll call me, right Eunchae?" She heard Hana say, realizing her brother had opened the door to the car and they were parked in their own driveway. She could have stayed like they were forever.

"You bet," Eunchae said, trying her hardest to snap back to reality.

On her way out of the car, Eunchae reached back to support herself as she set a foot down on the driveway. Jae winced, feeling her hand right on his semi-rigid member. He couldn't fathom that it had been by accident, but he wasn't about to ask her as his friends all said goodbye from inside the car. He didn't have a chance to read her intentions on her face either, for their parents greeted them as soon as Eunchae opened the front door.

Eunchae knew it was no accident. She couldn't help herself; she just wanted to know. Now she did: he was at least a little hard, and it was big... she thought, smiling as she said hello to their parents.

-----------------

"Anything interesting going on with Eunchae lately?" Jae asked his little brother, wanting to tell him about what had happened a few days ago at the movie.

"Not too much," Jinwoo told him, "although the other night she told me she's never given a blowjob either."

Jae laughed, "you sound surprised?"

"I guess I'm not, but the way she was getting all close to me and stuff like the first time we talked about sex, I thought she was going to..." Jinwoo trailed off.

Intrigued, Jae wanted to know what his little brother was going to say, "Going to what?"

Jinwoo hesitated, "No, it's stupid, she wouldn't."

"Oh come one man, we've talked about how hot we think our little sister is, what could you say that's going to suddenly make me think you're crossing the line."

"Well she kept saying how she wanted to learn, and for a second I thought she was going to ask me to...to.......I don't know - try it on me or something."

Jae's eyes widened. He might not have believed his younger brother, but given the events over the past few days, it wasn't that farfetched.

"Whoa," Jae said, "don't worry I don't think you're crazy."

"Why do you say that? You don't think she'd really do that do you?" asked the younger of the two.

Jae considered whether to tell his brother about all the touching and such the day before. "I don't know man... we played a little basketball the other day, and went to the movies with some of my friends..."

"Yeah I remember she was wearing that red top when she came home... sheesh."

"I KNOW," Jae said with wide eyes, "But I was going to say that things got a little... touchy that day between us too."

Jinwoo stared at his brother, waiting for him to continue.

"I guess I kind of put my hands on her a few times, probably more than I should have. But she just...went along with it. She almost encouraged it. I kinda felt like she wanted something."

Jinwoo felt a little better about the way he'd been talking with Eunchae the other night. He'd thought maybe he was venturing too far, talking about things he shouldn't have with his little sister, and he remembered how she had laid on top of him in bed with her whole body pressed against his. If Jae was getting some of the same vibes, maybe it wasn't as inappropriate as he thought.

"Would you?" Jae asked out of the blue, causing Jinwoo to end his daydream.

"Would I what?" Jinwoo asked, not following.

"If she asked you to teach her... would you?"

There was a long pause as Jinwoo tried to piece together what his older brother was asking. Was this a trap?

"Of course not," Jinwoo replied instinctively, but as the words came out of his mouth, they felt, simply, false.

They sounded it too, and Jae's eyes narrowed at his brother. "Really?" he doubted, "because the way the two of you were wrestling on her bed the other day, it sure looked like you might,"

Jinwoo didn't know his brother had seen that. "Come on Jae, we were just playing around, I wasn't trying to..."

"Hey hey hey," Jae interjected, "I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, seriously. I'm just asking because after the other day with her..."

Jae paused; he didn't want to say something that would alarm his brother or anything.

"I dunno man," continued the older brother, "If she asked..."

Jae was thinking about the way Eunchae had felt as she was slowly rubbing against him in the car, and how her little fingers had curled just a bit around his cock when they 'mistakenly' landed there.

Jinwoo too, was recalling the wrestling match that had taken place over an affectionate note Jinwoo had written to Eunchae when they were little, one she had kept for years and finally pulled out of her drawer of knick-knacks to tease him. He thought about the electricity he'd felt when Eunchae had kissed him on the cheek as she straddled him victoriously (he'd let her win of course) and then dismounted him and run out the door.

But more importantly, both boys were considering their deepening love for the beautiful teenager they'd watched out for her whole life. The new facets of their relationships with her were exciting, and confusing and addictive all at the same time. Perhaps it had started out as an exercise - one to improve their charisma or charm, but Jae and Jinwoo knew that somehow how it wasn't that anymore.

That smile on their little sister's face when Jinwoo had told her that he, too, had never had sex was the same as the one Jae had seen when she made a new friend by his invitation. Both boys craved the happiness she seemed to spread all around her, more so even than the innate attraction brought on by her looks.

They spoke no more of it that day, but they had approached a line with their little sister, together, and they knew it. Jinwoo was glad to have Jae to corroborate with him, and Jae likewise for his younger brother.

What they didn't consider, quite unfairly in fact, was the overwhelming amount of emotion their little sister was dealing with... without anyone to tell about it. The confused brunette would barely manage to temper herself and the desperate magnetism she was feeling toward one brother, and a few days later she would find herself powerless to fend off her desire for the other.

Back and forth it went, causing her to stay awake long past her head hitting the pillow, wondering what in the heck was happening to her. Why had she so inappropriately teased her older brother Jae on the court and in the car? Why had she thought so naughtily that she might want to learn how to give a blowjob from someone so obviously forbidden: Jinwoo?

-----------------

The week in preparation for the family's trip to Mexico was a breath of fresh air. Her brothers were distracted by working longer hours at their summer jobs to allow for spending a whole week on vacation. Eunchae got a bunch of workouts in, ran twice with her new friend Hana, and wondered if her brothers would notice her hard work when she wore her newest bathing suit on vacation.

''Stop it!' Eunchae chastised herself, as she packed the strapless bikini into her suitcase. She was so excited to go on this vacation she could practically burst. Somehow, when her parents had suggested it months ago, going on vacation for a whole week, actually it was closer to 10 days, with her family alone seemed a little much. But now, Eunchae was ecstatic that she was going to get as much time with Jae and Jinwoo given how wonderfully they'd been treating her lately. She tried her damndest to keep her thoughts sisterly, and she was doing a good job... except every time she packed another swimsuit into her bag and thought about wearing it in front of them.

Thankfully, the week flew by, and Eunchae wasn't even that sad to tell a few friends she wasn't going to make it to a party during the time she'd be gone.

"The limo is here," said their dad as Eunchae was frantically prancing around the second floor looking for her phone charger.

Her brothers made eye contact as she descended the stairs wearing a summery looking tank-top with a zigzagging print all over it. As she got closer, they could see that every other line was actually transparent, and the glint of her belly-button piercing showed through along with a black bra covering her bouncy chest. Her jean shorts were rolled once to make a little cuff at the bottom, which was totally unnecessary as they were so short Jae thought their dad might spit out his coffee.

But knowing that he was about to witness his little girl running about in only a bikini for an entire week, Eunchae's father decided to just keep his mouth shut.

"Jeez guys!" she said, rocking back and forth in her seat on the airplane and trying to make room between her two large brothers. "Give a girl a little room."

Obviously, they laughed and squished her between them instead.

Taking advantage of being surrounded by Jae and Jinwoo instead of some smelly or overweight stranger, thank god for that, Eunchae decided she wanted to lay down across both their laps.

"Only if he gets your feet," said Jae, "I don't want to be smelling those things all the way across the border."

"Bullshit," said Jinwoo, "you get to talk to her all the time. I won't be able to if she's laying over there."

He was probably right. They were close to the wing so it was pretty loud near their seats.

More arguing ensued over the tiny brunette, and after enjoying being the center of attention for a moment, Eunchae decided to resolve it.

"Relax you big dumb apes," she said to them. They weren't really mad at each other, more like they were arguing for the sake of arguing, something Jae obviously loved to do. "I'll switch up if you want me so bad."

Eunchae hadn't meant it that way, but the look of surprise on both her brothers' faces and the glance they exchanged made her blush. She quickly moved on to squash it, "And to decide who gets to choose...you two play rock, paper, scissors.

It was a silly suggestion, and an even sillier thing they were arguing over in the first place, but Jae and Jinwoo looked at each other and seemed to be unable to think of a better solution.

"On shoot," Jinwoo laid out,

"Rock... paper... scissors.... shoot!"" They said in unison.

Jae's rock beat Jinwoo's scissors.

Sure it was stupid, but what guy likes losing? Jinwoo grimaced and Eunchae made up for it by kissing him on the cheek before unbuckling and laying across her brother's laps with her head in Jae's.

As Jinwoo had predicted, the two siblings, Jae and Eunchae, chatted and giggled while Jinwoo closed his eyes and took a nap. He was awoken by his little sister asking him if he wanted anything to drink from the flight attendant, and then he was happy she told him it was their turn to talk.

For the first time, the two brothers had been confronted by a bit of actual competition for their sister's affection, and it had actually turned out alright. Jae saw on his brother's face something he recognized: he was just as happy to be conversing with the pretty high-schooler as Jae was. Jae could see it on his face, and when the two brothers made eye contact as Eunchae drifted off to sleep, they nodded at each other in understanding.

It took an un-air-conditioned bus ride, some failed attempts at speaking Spanish, and more than a few eye-rolls by their mother until the three kids and their parents were happily in a mid-size sedan with the air blowing cold. It was a hot day, and everyone was looking forward to getting to the beach to cool off.

When they arrived at their two suites, the family was floored. Their father had done well that year, and after skipping a vacation the year before, decided that he was going to raise the bar with this trip. Mom and Dad got a suite on the corner of the building, with incredible views over the landscape and ocean. Down the hall, but no less expensive given the two bedrooms, Eunchae and her two brothers checked out where they would be staying for the week.

"Oh my God Daddy! This is for us??" Eunchae said, dropping her bags and jumping into her father's arms. Before he could protest at his young daughter wrapping her legs around him the way she had, she was already back on the floor and flitting from room to room and out onto the balcony.

White, glossy marble floors spread across the entire suite. A cozy arrangement of furniture was situated in the middle of the room, one of the sofas appearing to be the pull-out bed Jae and Jinwoo would take turns sleeping on. It was funny, with floor to ceiling glass on the outer wall of the suite, it didn't appear they would be getting much privacy, but then you couldn't see anything except the water from their room so their father supposed nobody would be peeking in on his daughter.

The shower in one of the rooms was a little too suggestive for his liking, with a rainfall-style shower head that looked large enough for two, at least. Luckily, Eunchae's brothers would be around so he didn't have to worry about any funny business going on.

"Why don't you kids get ready to go down to the beach and meet us in the lobby in 10?" Their mother asked.

"Sounds good mom," Jae replied from the balcony, he wasn't ready to leave his post just yet; the cooling breeze felt magnificent against his skin.

"Alright then," started Jae after the door had shut behind their parents. "Obviously, Jinwoo and I will take the bedrooms and you can sleep on the couch Eunchae."

"Uh!" Eunchae gasped, put-out. "whaT!"

Simultaneously, Jae and Jinwoo mimicked the way Eunchae always sharpened the end of her words when she was upset. "whaaaaaT!" they teased.

"You can have the big bedroom," Jae corrected, knowing he intended to give it to her all along.

Jinwoo plopped himself down on the armchair and put his hands behind his head, causing Eunchae to quiver briefly at the sight of his muscular arms.

"Not bad," he reasoned. "Should we get ready?"

"I'll just take a minute," Eunchae said, seeing that her brothers were already both in their suits somehow.

Jae and Jinwoo exchanged glances again, knowing that the other was wondering what would be the first of the bathing suit fashion show they were sure to see that week.

Sure enough, Eunchae came out wearing one that made both boys swallow deeply before they were able to speak.

"What do you guys think?" She said, spinning around in a plain white top and skimpy pair of simple red bottoms. It didn't have to be anything over the top; Eunchae would have looked incredible in a paper bag.

"Looks good," said Jinwoo, trying to sound unenthused.

"Yep, nice one sis," Jae followed, "time to go."

Eunchae furrowed her brow. She was hoping to get a bit more of a reaction. She donned a loose, cover-up shirt and they all headed to meet their parents.

Usually, her dad would never let her drink, but apparently this trip was an exception.

"Now listen to me kids," he said as he handed each of them a daiquiri, "I can't prevent you from drinking down here so I'm just going to tell you I'll allow it...If..." he paused while handing the last one to Jae, "you watch over your brother and most of all, your little sister."

"I will dad." Jae promised, wondering if he really meant it the way his dad intended upon seeing the tiny bottoms she was wearing peek out from below her cover-up shirt.

Over the course of the next few hours, everyone started to settle in and realize what an incredible trip they were going to have. The sand on the beach was stark white and the water cool when Eunchae tested it, leaving her sandals at the end of the dark spot where the water had reached. She smiled at Jinwoo who was standing next to her, sipped her drink and then turned to look out over the water.

Eunchae spent the first hour or so laying on a towel near her parents and sipping drinks that were provided quite steadily by an army of servers. Even though they'd already seen it, the eyes of both her brothers were glued to Eunchae's body as she shed her shirt. Somehow, the sunlight seemed to double her beauty.

Jinwoo tried to just lay down near the family and relax, but every time he looked up to take a drink, he would see the rising and falling of his little sister's chest or the glimmering surface of her skin where she'd just rubbed some suntan lotion.

"Needed a little break huh?" Jae asked when Jinwoo joined him by the water's edge. Jae drained his glass of the icy blue liquid.

"You too?" the younger of the two asked. "I don't know what's gotten into me. It's hard to see past her anymore. I think I'm going to need to cut out my eyes or something."

"Might make you look better at least," Jae joked, batting down some of the wet sand his brother lobbed at him after he said it.

"Don't beat yourself up; I had to come down here too." Jae commiserated.

"Hey losers!" called Eunchae as she made her way toward where her brothers were sitting. "Wanna go for a swim?"

The boys responded by standing up and racing each other into the water, leaving their little sister behind. She followed after them and their big, stupid goose-stepping, chuckling at how childish they could be. God did she love her brothers. As she watched them, Eunchae noticed how freaking good they both looked without a shirt on. Jae was thin but honed everywhere, and Jinwoo was huskier and stocky looking. The teenaged brunette was secretly proud to have such attractive and fit siblings.

They swam around silently for a moment or two, getting used to the cool water and looking up to acknowledge the picturesque resort situated on a bluff over the ocean. All three kids could feel their limbs heavier with the effects of the sweet, alcoholic beverages they'd been sipping for the last two hours.

"It's a little too deep out here for me," Eunchae whined, coming close to Jinwoo who reached out for her and offered support. She was shorter by almost a foot than both of them, and only the tops of their shoulders were all that shown above the surface of the water.

Eunchae was giddy as Jinwoo slipped his hand around her waist and she felt his body heat in the cool, blue water. Maybe it was the alcohol, but his hands seemed to be holding her a bit more firmly than she was used to from the younger of her two big brothers. She didn't mind it a bit and even urged herself closer to him, enough so that he could feel her breast squeezed between them.

"This is so beautiful," she said, looking around her. "I'm so happy you both could come, that vacation two years ago where you guys were only there for a few days SUCKED."

"Aww, thanks sis," Jae said, splashing her like he was bashful. "We're glad to be here with you too."

Jinwoo sensed that the close contact with his little sister was having more effect on him than he had expected. His swim trunks tightened and he took that as a good time to dunk his little sister.

She flailed as he did it, totally unsuspecting given how sweetly he was holding on to her, and both brothers laughed heartily until she came up.

Jinwoo made a fake-apologetic look as Eunchae splashed him, "Mean!" she said defiantly, swimming over to her oldest brother.

She hugged him straight on, pressing her chest against Jae and glaring back at Jinwoo.

"Ho hohh," Jae sounded, cautioning his brother "you're in trouble."

The three siblings had drifted away from their parents. They weren't so far to have gone beyond the big rock outcropping and out of sight, but they were close.

"He's mean, Jae. I want you to beat him up." Eunchae said, playing mad.

Jae, like his brother, was immediately aware of the eighteen-year-old's breasts pressing against him. There wasn't much to that bikini of hers, and if he wasn't mistaken, the cold water was making her poke out at him with her undoubtedly pretty little nipples.

"Do you?" Jae asked, taking her in his arms. "You want me to beat him up?"

He hunkered down to Eunchae's level and let her hover right in front of him, face to face.

"Uh huh," she told him, "Dad told you to protect me!"

Jae was feeling the alcohol too, probably more so than both his siblings because he hadn't stopped to take a nap. He just sat by the water sipping that over-sweet liquid and soaking in the rays of sunlight by the water. He remembered the way Eunchae had felt in his hands as she backed up to him on the basketball court, so he placed his hands on her hips. He recalled the way her hips had writhed for him when he squeezed her tight, so he urged his thumbs against her tiny pelvis.

Eunchae cooed ever so quietly, but she knew Jae had probably heard it. Maybe he wouldn't make anything of it.

It was so early in the vacation, so soon to be feeling like he couldn't tear his mind from the things he so badly wanted to do with his little sister, but here she was, and everything felt so natural. Her legs were wrapped around him, and that sound she'd made when he grasped her...

Eunchae's eyes snapped open. Jae looked down and saw the straps of her bikini disappear beneath the water.

"DAN!" she shouted, reaching across her chest to cover herself.

"I swear it wasn't me!" Jae said, raising his hands up in the hair in innocence. Though, she should have known it wasn't him given that both his hands had been occupied under the water.

The way she was squeezing her tits, they spilled out around her cupped palms. Jae's first thought was to pry her hands from her body and gaze at her beautiful bust. Instead, he looked around, and found the eyes of his little brother, who was backing away with an exceedingly guilty look on his face.

They'd done this before, when Eunchae was little, but they were just kids then. 'This isn't funny!' she thought.

Jae was shocked at his brother, and yet not all that upset.

"Jinwoo!" she cried, turning around," give it back!" She was sluggishly making her way to him as she could barely touch the ground beneath the water and didn't want to remove her arms because it would expose her to her brothers and anybody else that cared to look.

Jinwoo wasn't about to give her suit back, though. Like they had when the boys were still teenagers like their little sister, this was the perfect opportunity for a game of keep-away. Jinwoo dangled the white suit in front of his little sister, but she was not yet brave enough to reach out for it.

A couple of tosses between them, and she gave up trying to cover herself; there wasn't really anyone around to see her.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY YOU JERKS!" She said, though they could hear her laughing through her angry shouting.

Jae got a few good glances at his little sister's bare breasts through the water, but nothing very clear. She would bob toward him as he held the suit out for her, or dash toward it when Jinwoo intentionally threw it short and Jae would see the faintest hint of her pink nipple beneath the surface.

It wasn't enough. One time, Jinwoo threw the suit but it had unfurled and caught on his hand as he let go. It came splashing down close enough for the enraged brunette to grab. Jae wasn't ready to let his topless sister cover up just yet, so he reached for her and snagged her foot. He pulled Eunchae toward him, dragging her under the water and then grabbed her from behind with both hands. She came up sputtering water, wiping her eyes and trying to catch her breath.

As soon as she did, she could feel her big brother's hands. They were both...firmly...intentionally it seemed... palming her bare tits.

She couldn't believe it. Not only had one of her brothers taken off his own sister's top, but the other one was now fondling her seemingly careless of her consent.

The trapped brunette struggled, twisting around in her big brother's arms. She couldn't believe he would be so bold... that he would grab her like that with no warning. She fought, quite impressively thought her brother, to escape him but she knew he was containing her with little effort. As she wiggled about, Eunchae could feel his fingers teasing her nipples. They were hard, and as the teenager's writhing lessened, she felt her body begin buzzing from the inside out. She wasn't supposed to be enjoying this... she should have kept fighting him, but didn't..

Eunchae reached for where Jae's hands were grasping her, and instead of prying them from her, rested her own on top of his. The teen's body came to rest snug against him, urged by the grasp of her older brother at her chest. The yelling had stopped, and for a moment, Jinwoo wondered why Eunchae wasn't fighting for the bikini top that was now within her reach.

When they came to rest, Jinwoo could see what had stopped the two from causing commotion. He was immediately envious of his brother for having the guts to do so first.

Jae could feel his little sister's heart pounding in her chest. For only a second that he wished could have lasted far longer, the oldest of the three felt the youngest wiggle her butt against him. If she hadn't known before, Eunchae now knew that he was rock hard, and the pressure from her wiggling backside had assured that completely.

Eventually, after what had actually been less than a minute, Eunchae slid from her brother's grasp. She looked at the top in front of her and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say: 'whatever,' and headed for the shore. Her two older brothers looked on in amazement as she slowly made her way closer and closer to the edge of the water, and her shoulders started to be revealed above the surface of the water.

"Wait, Eunchae!" Jae called after her.

"We give up, you can have it." Jinwoo continued holding up the white bikini so she could see.

She didn't turn; she merely shrugged again and continued on.

They had drifted further, but from where the boys were, they could still just see their parents way down the beach. Jae hoped to GOD that they couldn't see his little sister about to walk out of the water topless.

The rock outcropping pretty much marked the end of the resort's beach, and what lay on the other side was too rocky to be enjoyable. Eunchae was heading right toward that mark. Jinwoo shot his brother a scornful look, to which Jae replied that he didn't mean to upset her.

"She'll probably be fine," Jinwoo told him.

After agreeing apprehensively, they both swam hard after their sister who was now up to her waist in the water. Even though they wanted to see her, neither brother wanted anyone but them witnessing their topless little sister coming in from the ocean.

She got to the beach quite a bit before they did. Eunchae had known she would be relatively safe from anyone's view, especially her parents, if she headed straight toward the big overhanging set of rocks.

Her head was swimming. It wasn't the alcohol anymore, it was the way she had felt when she was hanging on to her brother, Jinwoo, in the water, the way Jae had pressed his thumbs into her hips, and most of all, the incredible surge of excitement she had experienced when Jae finally took her tits in his hands. Eunchae's nipples still tingled from how they'd worked between his fingers as he held her.

She'd gotten a break in the week leading up to this vacation, thinking maybe she was just being a silly 18-year-old girl, thinking that two older boys were simultaneously interested in her, let alone ones that treated her so darn well all the time. And now... now all of those feelings were back in full force. Her mind and body were begging for her to appease the desire to let her brothers have their way with her. They obviously both wanted something, she was just nervous to find out exactly what.

All of those thoughts were zipping through the synapses of her brain when Eunchae noticed a little cleft between the largest boulders in the outcropping. She turned towards her brothers, who were still halfway out in the water. She was in a 'whatever' kind of mood so, topless and all, she pressed her hands against her breasts to make herself as skinny as possible and sidestepped through the divide in the rock face.

"Where did she go?" Jinwoo asked.

"I don't know, she was here and then I saw her just like...walk into those rocks."

The boys had touched down a little further on the beach so they couldn't quite see the cleft that their sister had. It took a moment of searching.

"Through there?" Jinwoo asked when Jae pointed it out.

"I think so... not sure you'll fit fat boy." Jae teased.

"Oh fuck you," Jinwoo retorted, "I'll fit."

Jae went in first. It was longer than he expected, and it got even tighter at one point so he had to hunker down to get through. He still didn't see his upset little sister yet, so the channel must have gone further.

"Eunchae..." Jae called ahead of him.

"You see her yet?" Jinwoo asked from behind him. Jae laughed, seeing Jinwoo struggle at the pinch-point to fit his broader chest through.

"No but I think it opens up at the end."

Eunchae heard them coming, but she was busy making peace with what was happening between her, Jinwoo and Jae.

When the older of the two came finally into the clear, he was awestruck at the sight before him. The claustrophobic rock channel gave way to a massive cave. But it wasn't quite a cave. At the top, there was a big oculus of open sky, almost the entire width of the clearing with plumes of foliage spilling over its edges. And the pool of water in the middle... it was so picturesque that Jae could hardly stand it.

Yet, all of that was no match for the goddess who sat perched atop a rock she'd climbed halfway into cave. She was seated with her arms planted behind her and her beautiful breasts, naked and thrust upward toward the sky, basking in the sun that shone down into the little hideaway she'd discovered.

There were markings on the wall; obviously people had found this place before. But they were definitely alone, and from the looks of it there was only one way out save the equally small openings that occasionally emitted the surf which was pounding away at the rocks from the other side.

"Eunchae, your top..." Jinwoo said as he stumbled into the blissful sanctuary.

He hadn't seen his little sister yet, sitting proudly atop her throne and indifferent to the view of her bare breasts her brothers were getting. He stopped talking as soon as he did.

She let them drink her in.

It was all so naughty, so wrong that she would let Jae and Jinwoo see her like that, let alone what she'd been thinking about while the two of them were making their way to her. But they were alone now, and Eunchae liked feeling their eyes on her worshipfully. She liked hearing the silence that went with the pure admiration of her body as she posed for them. She certainly didn't hear any complaining.

"You two obviously didn't want me to wear it," Eunchae said, responding to Jinwoo who was still dangling the bikini out in front of him, "unless you want me to put it back on?"

Jinwoo shook his head, and set Eunchae's little white top down on a nearby rock.

"I didn't think so," she said. Standing up on the boulder she had mounted. They watched her set her feet, and then observed the brunette's lithe, teenage body as she dove off boulder and down into the clear, glassy water.

Jinwoo looked at Jae, hoping he would know what the hell was going on here. Their sister was decidedly calm about having her top stolen from her, and she seemed utterly confident about being topless in front of both her older brothers. Jae only shrugged; he had not expected such a reception from Eunchae in the slightest.

They watched as the sexy brunette swam towards them and then slowly walked out of the water. She approached head on, giving both siblings a direct and up-close view of her topless form. She had been amazing before, but with water dripping from her hair as she wrung it out, the way her hips swayed as she walked closer, and the newly revealed patches of skin with tiny, pink nipples to complete the teenager's perfect breasts... she was impossibly beautiful.

"I have an idea," she said to her two speechless brothers, who were staring down at her, all of her, as she came to a halt but a few feet from them. Boys could be so predictable sometimes.

"We're gonna play a game... well, you two are going to play a game."

"I don't know if I like the sound of this." Jinwoo said, wondering what the mischievous little brunette in front of him had cooked up.

"You don't? Because I think you will..." she said, looking as cute as she could muster and biting her thumb between her front teeth, she once again pushed her breasts out for the two boys to see ,"...if you win."

Something had changed, like an entire chemical reaction within Eunchae's body. She could hear it in her own voice. The past few weeks with her brothers, Eunchae had felt nervous around them - unsure about her feelings and guilty about the thoughts and desires she was feeling. But Jae's boldness had unlocked a feeling that she no longer needed to be the coy one in this game she was playing with Jinwoo and Jae. She was positive now that the building romance in their relationships wasn't something innocent, and if she was going to allow it Eunchae wanted to make damn sure that she set the rules.

"So what's the game then?" Jae asked anxiously. He couldn't put his finger on it, but thought that perhaps Eunchae didn't intend to stop at baring herself for her brothers that day.

"See that big log up there?" She asked, pointing up to the rim of the opening on the other side of the hideaway.

Jae and Jinwoo shook their heads. Sure enough, a big log that must have rolled toward the opening but not fallen in, was peeking out over the edge.

"And do you see the branch hanging off of it?"

Once again they shook their heads. Sure enough a wide branch, about a foot and a half long, was dangling much more precariously toward the water.

"You'll take turns throwing rocks and trying to knock it down," she said. It sounded simple enough.

"The loser goes back and gets sandwiches and one of those buckets of beers I saw the couple near us drinking. Tell mom and dad we went hiking or something."

"And the winner?" asked Jinwoo, sounding confident that it would be him.

"The winner," Eunchae said, looking quite a bit naughtier than before, "stays here with me."

The way she said it made both boys want to win so badly they could practically taste the victory. They knew the prize would have something to do with the brazen toplessness of their little sister, and the fact that her pink nipples were now standing erect even though the air was plenty warm.

"So, do you wanna play?" She asked sweetly, looking up at them hopefully with her big brown eyes.

Jae and Jinwoo shook their heads in unison. They carefully selected the largest rocks they could expect to throw from the edge of the cave, and stood near each other while Eunchae sat down on a smooth looking rock nearby. She had no idea who she wanted to win, but she loved seeing the determination on both of their faces, despite neither of them knowing what was actually in store for the victor.

They played rock, paper, scissors to decide who went first, and this time Jinwoo won with paper. "Hah!" he exclaimed.

Jinwoo, the overall stronger of the two, eyed his target. It was a long throw and the target small. He looked over at his little sister, who was watching intently with her knees pulled up against her chest. When she saw him looking her way, she lowered them to give him a better view of her missing top. It was the motivation Jinwoo needed.

He flung the rock hard, aiming high, and all three siblings held their breath.

*Thwaaattt*

The rock missed low and hit the rock wall below it, skidding off it until it came all the way back down into the water. Jinwoo looked dejectedly over at his sister, who raised her eyebrows at him and was pursing her lips in anticipation.

"Shit." Jinwoo murmured, hearing a little chuckle from his big brother.

Jae took his brother's place and lined up his throw. Like his younger brother, he looked down at the adorable, topless brunette before he threw. She shrugged and pressed her arms towards each other so her breasts were thrust together, on display for her big brother. God he wanted to win, whatever the prize was.

Jae threw hard, knowing it had been a tougher throw than his little brother had anticipated. This time, Eunchae drew in a breath; it was right on.

Only the shushing sound of his rock disappearing into the brush beside the log was echoed back down into the cave. His distance had been good, and he was damn close to hitting the log, but it missed all the same.

Seeing the look of relief on Jinwoo's ugly mug, Jae retreated back and gave his sister a disappointed grin. She smiled at him brightly as if to say 'I thought you had it!'

Next was Jinwoo again, who flung his rock without much deliberation, so that Eunchae had to shoot her eyes up at his target when she realized he'd thrown.

It missed low, again, but much closer this time. He cursed inwardly for giving Jae, who had been too close for comfort the first time - another chance!

Jae knew he had it. He winked at Eunchae as she sat there, watching and wondering if Jae was going to be the one to stay alone with her in their hidden alcove at the end of the beach.

He tossed it, straight and true, smiling as he knew he'd found his mark.

*Thunkkk* it sang, hitting the dangling branch so the sound echoed through the entire space.

Jae watched the branch sway in response, heard a dry cracking sound at its joint with the log and looked down at Eunchae, expecting to hear the splash of the branch in the water below as he stared at his prize.

No sound came. Only the quiet chuckling of his little brother as Jinwoo watched Jae stare incredulously at the swaying branch.

"That's bullshit," Jae complained, looking down at his little sister, "I win right?"

"Uh uh," Jinwoo said from behind him, "She said you have to knock it down. You do NOT win yet."

Eunchae shrugged, staying quiet so she didn't incite any arguments. Jae knew his brother was right, and he still stared at the branch until it came to a full stop. 'Bullshit,' he said in his head again.

If only he had thrown it a little higher on the branch, right at the spot where it was hanging on by a few dry flakes of bark to the log.

That was the last thought Jae got, because Jinwoo's next throw was dead on. It hit the branch in almost the exact same spot as his brother had, the branch swayed backward and detached from its parent. Jinwoo watched it the whole way down, dreaming about what Eunchae might have meant when she smiled as she described the winner's prize. Eunchae's whole body had buzzed when she saw Jinwoo's throw was right on, and she'd felt an incredible warmth spread through her as the log dropped the forty feet or so into the water.

"Try doing that without me hitting it for you first," Jae said, sourly.

"Shouldn't have hit it first then," Jinwoo quipped. "I'll have my sandwich with no mayo please."

"Fucker," Jae muttered.

"Don't be so sad," Eunchae reassured him as Jae walked back toward the entrance to the clearing. She stood up and kissed him on the cheek, quickly guiding his hand to her breast again, surprising him. He held her there, with his thumb and forefinger supporting her soft mound and squeezing gently at it.

"I liked when you did that earlier," she told him. "I'll make it up to you."

She gave Jae one last kiss, this time a more lasting one on the lips before she gave him a little push towards the channel between the rocks. Finally, she turned back towards Jinwoo, who was watching them curiously from the spot he'd been in when he threw the winning rock. Eunchae saw the fallen branch floating idly in the water at the center of the pond.

"So, what was all this about anyway?" Jinwoo finally spoke up, feeling a little more at ease now that they were alone. He was still baffled by seeing her topless, but that was to be expected.

Earlier, when she had devised the game while sitting and waiting for her brothers in the clearing, Eunchae had expected to feel nervous. She wondered then, if she would get up the courage to go through with this. They had already done a lot of things together that were more or less forbidden to them, and the 'reward' she intended to give to Jinwoo definitely outdid all of that.

But the words came far more easily than she expected. Looking at Jinwoo, Eunchae didn't feel half as anxious as she had assumed she would. She felt excited, not only to propose something unthinkable to her brother, but to see his reaction as well.

"Well..." she started, "I've been a little confused lately. You and Jae have made me feel kind-of... I dunno... naughty, over the last few weeks."

Jinwoo was listening intently, seeing his little sister revealed to him in more ways than one. He had had all these complex thoughts about Eunchae for a while now, some of which he'd shared with his older brother. But standing in front of him was a girl, a beautiful girl whom he loved to immeasurable depth, who had even less life experience then he, only eighteen years in fact. If Jinwoo thought he was conflicted about his relationship with Eunchae, she would be equally so, perhaps doubly with Jae in mind.

"And when Jae touched me like that in the water, I guess I sorta knew why I was feeling that way. Or at least I think I do."

She was staring up at her big brother now, who had wandered closer to her as she spoke the thoughtful words.

"Do you think I'm crazy? I feel like I sound crazy?" she asked.

Jinwoo reached out his hands and took both of her shoulders in them. He looked right into her eyes, her big, brown, hopeful eyes, and told her:

"No. Not crazy at all."

Eunchae felt like she could melt right into her brother's arms as he said it. She was far from where she expected to be if things played out, but took a satisfying breath of relief anyway. For the first time she'd actually acknowledged how she was feeling aloud, and let alone with her 'brother-of-few words,' Jinwoo!

"I know how you feel," said her brother, "and I think Jae does too."

Jinwoo's hands had moved from his sister's shoulders. They slipped down her arms until they were level with her waist, which he moved his grip to next. She felt incredible, and touching her so deliberately was far more rewarding than the crude attempts to do so he'd made in their many games on the basketball court. He understood why Jae had done what he'd done in the water not long ago. In fact, Jinwoo badly wanted to take his sister's perky tits in each of his own hands and squeeze them the way his brother had, but he decided he would probably get the chance soon enough and not to rush it.

Eunchae, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying what her brother was doing, but she knew they didn't have a long time until her oldest brother got back and she wanted to reward her winning brother before Jae returned.

"So I haven't given you your 'prize' yet." Eunchae said tentatively.

"Yeah, what do I win for all my hard work?"

"Welllllll... I guess I shouldn't have assumed you would want to, but..." she trailed off, leaving Jinwoo hanging.

"I would want to what?" he asked impatiently.

"You know how I said I hadn't ever done more than kiss?" she suggested nervously, seeing her brother shake his head 'yes.' She could have let apprehension take hold of her, but Eunchae spoke up again to overcome it.

"I was thinking maybe you would show me how to...like... you know," Jinwoo's heart was beating hard. He watched as Eunchae made a gesture like she was holding something cylindrical in her hand and stroking it up and....'oh,' he thought. He knew she might be heading them in this direction, but to hear her say it aloud, and see that hopeful, puppy-dog smile on her face... Jinwoo was ecstatic.

"Would you?" she asked.

"Hmm..." he said, pretending he needed to consider. Of course he wanted to, the word 'yes' threatened to leap from his mouth. He thought quickly, always the economical kind of guy who could turn an inch into a mile.

"I will," Jinwoo agreed, seeing the smile widen on her face. "IF..."

The cute brunette scrunched her face at him, "Hey, that's not how this works! I am the one making the rules!"

"Oh just wait a second will you," Jinwoo urged her, "I'll let you 'practice' on me...IF... you let me take these off..."

He dropped a hand to one of the two precarious looking bows holding his sister's little red bottoms on.

"And 'practice' a little on you."

Eunchae saw him look lustfully down at her lower half. She hadn't expected him to suggest touching her there, but the increasing warmth between her thighs and the feeling of wanting to scream out in excitement was enough to convince the teen to agree to Jinwoo's terms and then some.

"Okay," she said, looking happily up at him, Her brother looked surprised she'd so readily agreed, but was glad of it.

"So... how do you want to start?" Jinwoo asked tentatively, not wanting to push his little sister too hard in this unknown territory.

"Do you wanna maybe... make out for a little first?"

Obviously, her brother agreed. When he first put his hands on her, she could see the bulge in his shorts grow. It got larger still when she had mentioned what she wanted to learn, and now, when she suggested they kiss, it directed straight out at her in an uncomfortable looking way.

Jinwoo was eager to put his hands all over his little sister's incredible body. He couldn't wait to take off her bottoms and see what was beneath. But first, the 18-year-old reached down and tugged at his waistband with one hand, while using her fingertips to push his erection to a more comfortable position beneath the band with the other. He smiled at her, wondering where she'd learned the trick, and seeing the look of pride on her face, Jinwoo could no longer help himself.

He leaned in and kissed her.

At first it was just a peck. Their lips lingered only an inch apart while both Jinwoo and Eunchae took in the brief moment they'd touched. Eunchae wanted more, immediately.

She closed the gap this time, swiftly reaching her arms around her brother's neck and pulling him closer. She was shorter than he by nearly a foot, so he had to lean down to meet her. It would have been an incredible sight to witness, the topless young beauty kissing her handsome brother against the backdrop of their sanctuary. But nobody was there to witness it, a fact of which Eunchae was glad given that she intended to follow through with her promise of a prize for a her brother.

Eunchae was so excited she soon began flicking her tongue against her big brother's lips. She wanted to go further; she was so hungry for him she couldn't stand it. Jinwoo's hands were resting on her hips; she quickly brought one up over her abdomen and deliberately atop her naked breast. He groaned into her mouth.

"God you're sexy," her brother said when he got a chance between kisses. His little sister smiled against his lips and swooned in his affection.

Standing there was nice, but Eunchae still needed more. She wanted to lay on top of her brother and kiss him and then feel that wonderful hardness in her hand when the time was right. She pushed back on him.

"Lay down," she instructed.

The blond-haired young man lay back and brought his sister with him, stumbling a little so she ended up falling into him as his back hit the sand. They laughed aloud together before Eunchae went in for another kiss.

She couldn't believe what was happening. She'd only made out with a few boys before in her life, and it had never been all that enjoyable. This one though, the boy she was now straddling and whose erection she could feel situated between them... he was turning her on so much that the only thing she could do to cope was kiss him more. And the boy was her very own big brother! It seemed impossible that it could ever happen, that somebody she loved so much and who loved her equally in return could ever go for such a forbidden encounter in that hidden reservoir within the rocks. But the way his hands were now pawing at her, at her breasts and her stomach and everywhere in between... he was undoubtedly complicit.

Jinwoo, in turn, was barely able to focus on kissing his little sister with matching passion. So enthralled was he by the way she felt in his hands, how her breasts sat firmly in his palms when her cradled them and her hips were wiggling down against his hardening cock. Jae would probably have loved to be in his position just then; anyone would, but she was his in that moment. He did his best to communicate how much he loved her with passionate kisses and grasping fingers.

Looking down, Jinwoo watched his little sister rock back and forth along the path of his tucked erection. Her little hips looked so wonderful seated on top of him. She was a virgin, as was he, but together their bodies seemed to know how to move against each other.

Jinwoo kissed his little sister's neck and then nibbled at her ear. She had no idea how incredible that could feel, and she moaned aloud into his ear. Feeling his cock pressing against her mound, she decided she wanted to finally feel it in her hand. Her heart raced at the thought, but she had to ask.

"Can I?" she asked, leaning back onto her knees with her fingers at the drawstring of his shorts. Jinwoo winced as her fingers grazed his tip; it was poking up through the waistband of his pants. Eunchae giggled as she felt him tense, and was relieved to see him nod his approval.

Slowly, Eunchae tugged at the string holding his swim trunks together. She breathed deeply and watched as the trunks were soon spread by the force of his throbbing member. The sultry brunette was nervous, but compelled to keep going. She tugged his shorts down and her big brother's cock sprang fully into view.

After a sharp inhale, Eunchae sat herself on her brother's thighs. Jinwoo observed her quietly, thinking how adorable she looked as she took in the sight of him, the first time she'd ever seen a man's penis up close, presumably.

She held her breath and reached out.

The eighteen-year-old's hands, one by one, grasped her brother's upright shaft, one right at the center of him and the other enveloping his head. This time, Jinwoo took a deep breath at the sensation and shock of having his little sister's hands wrapped around him so.

"God it's big," she observed, looking at him in her hands. He was at least two hands long, maybe even more. "And warm!"

"Ohhh..." Jinwoo groaned as she squeezed him gently, "your hands feel really good sis."

Her big brother's cock... in her grasp... bare and hard, bigger than she had imagined... Eunchae held him firmly and moved her hands up and down once.

"Fuck..." he let out. She was looking right at him. No remorse, no more worries, just a look of focus and the hope that she could make him feel good.

"Show me how?" she pleaded. Still slowly moving her hands up and down an inch or so on him. Jinwoo could tell he was going to be quick, but he didn't care, cumming by the hands of his little sister was enough.

Jinwoo looked down at Eunchae and placed one hand over each of hers.

"It's really sensitive there." he said, squeezing the hand that was on his head, "be gentle with the tip,"

He squeezed her other hand, "but here, you can hold me tighter."

Eunchae squeezed, a little too much for her brother's liking so he quickly jerked forward and grabbed at her forearm, "not that tight!" he said, causing them both to laugh.

Her teeth flashed white in a grin and Jinwoo was once again stunned by her presence there, holding onto his bare cock, topless, seated right over his thighs, and giggling because she'd accidentally squeezed him too hard. She was so beautiful, and her touch would never quite feel believable to him.

He started to urge her hands, which had both found their way to his shaft, up and down. She quickly caught on.

"You can touch the tip if you want to, but it's sensitive. Too much and it won't feel good. But just right and I'll..."

"You'll cum on me right?" she finished for him, looking at him approvingly.

"On you?" he asked, surprised, "if you want."

Eunchae shook her head up and down with a grin, "I want you to cum right here, on my tummy," she said, drawing a trail from her abs downward like she'd planned that part already. Even her little belly button was perfect, round and small. He noticed she'd taken off the piece of jewelry she sometimes wore there, probably because their dad didn't approve. Jinwoo sighed when she put her hand back on him and continued stroking.

"Fuck...Eunchae..." he breathed. He might not last two minutes if she kept enticing him like that.

"It's okay," she said, "I'm really horny too. Are you gonna cum soon?"

He didn't respond, or couldn't, but it was fine with her. She knew he was enjoying her attention. The little brunette kept moving her hands up and down on him. After a few strokes she ran two fingers around the ridge of his tip and then gently encircled it with her fingers.

Eunchae decided to do something she'd only seen in a video she pulled up on the internet one day when she was feeling inexperienced. The innocent teenager moved one hand to her brother's balls. Stroking his cock more intently, she tested the weight of them, and then massaged the unfamiliar parts as she had seen. Obviously her brother liked it, because he immediately tilted his head backward and groaned.

"Am I doing okay Jinwoo?" she asked rhetorically, getting only a satisfied grunt from her blonde-haired brother. He looked so good, leaning back on his elbows with his strong chest flexed for her hungry eyes. He didn't have as much chest hair as his older brother - she kind of liked how manly Jae looked with his - but she loved how it left Jinwoo's large pecs unhindered for her to see.

Eunchae was learning fast, so fast that as Jinwoo looked at his topless little sister perched in his lap and working her hands determinedly, he was perilously close to release.

"Oh...fuck sis," he jerked each time Eunchae caressed the underside of his tip with a few fingers.

"Are you gonna cum for me big brother?" she asked, sounding seductive and yet somehow innocent. "Are you gonna cum on your little sister's stomach?"

Jinwoo couldn't believe his ears, and neither could Eunchae believe the word escaping her. How had they gotten here? Why did his little sister's hands feel better than anything he could ever imagine? Why didn't this feel wrong?

Jinwoo looked at the bare-chested little teen one more time, she bit her lower lip at him, and he was toppled.

Eunchae gasped as the first stream of cum spurted from his tip, and she'd only just managed to direct it toward her. It arched high before streaking across her upper abdomen. It almost made it to the underside of her boob, but didn't quite reach. The naughty brunette was glad it missed - she was saving that part of her.

She stroked her hand once more, and a second, powerful stream wetted her tummy. Again she moved her hand up and down, and again his big cock rewarded her with a fresh paint-stroke of sperm across her skin. Eunchae could feel her brother throb in her hands each time his penis readied another rush of his cum.

Jinwoo's head swam incessantly as she jerked him, but he had the wherewithal to see how positively delighted his little sister was as he coated her flat tummy. She was still bearing that lovable little smile with her lower lip pulled in, but she was focused on watching his cock finally starting to relent in its quest to cover her skin with cum.

Eunchae looked up with big, cheerful eyes at her older brother. "You sure cum a lot!" she said. She'd never seen the warm substance that was slowly creeping down her bare stomach, threatening to make it into her bikini bottoms if she wasn't careful!

Eunchae rolled off of him and lay back the way her brother was to stop it from creeping all the way to her unprotected pussy. 'Wouldn't that be naughty,' she thought mischievously.

Again her baffled older brother could only watch as she took a finger to her abdomen and scooped just a fingertip's worth of his spunk, bringing it directly to her tongue.

"Hmmm..." she said, grinning wide as she looked at him and popped her finger out of her mouth, "I kinda like it."

Jinwoo laid back flat against the sand at seeing his little sister taste his cum, "Jesus Eunchae, you are unbelievable."

The teenager knew she was being a bit sluttier than her brother was probably used to...well, maybe a lot. She rolled on her side, smiling, and traced a finger along her brother's only partially soft cock.

"Did you like your prize?" she asked sweetly.

Jinwoo leaned in to kiss her cheek. When he pulled away, the two of them smiled at each other and lay in silence for a moment before Jinwoo finally answered.

"Definitely. But I'm not quite done with you yet."

[victoryai]

SOLAR RETURN SATURN 🪐 IN THE SOLAR RETURN HOUSES...... 🏠.

😮‍💨SATURN IN 1ST HOUSE: I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for you darling 🍃this is a year to be serious! You need to be responsible for yourself and probably for others too💪. This is either gonna break and remold you or break and destroy you!(especially if Saturn is debilitated). It however indicates that you're maturing and therefore you need to stand on your own. This placement alone makes this year"not so fun". Wake up babe!

Second scenario is start YOU decide to fix your life. You wake up early , you plan your day, you quit smoking , you pray to God , you get a job, you eat healthy and you mind your bizness!!. You decide to train yourself to be a better person🎯fr.

😩SATURN IN 2ND HOUSE: Why does Saturn want you to be a penny-pincher 😭 WTF. This year brings difficulties related to finance and money. The might be a sudden loss of money, or your source of income becomes stiffened up. For example, maybe you depend on your Husband for money because you don't work and then suddenly he loses his job. I urge you to save up before entering into this year. It may also be that you have to work harder this year to provide for yourself or family . Or it rather shows you being more conservative/stingy with money or deciding to save for your future. Try to be happy and not keep a low self esteem.

🤐 SATURN IN 3RD HOUSE: Frequent travels will drastically reduce this year, it might have you cancelling trips or going on stressful journeys that you don't want to. You talk less or might be in confusion if you plan to learn something new. You might be at loggerheads with your siblings, cousins, neighbors etc or you might be responsible for either of those this year. They might be hurt coming from your siblings or they're away from you and you can hardly communicate with them.

😓SATURN IN 4TH HOUSE: phew 😔 this year brings responsibility attached with family members. You might have to move in with a family member or a family member moves in with you. Whichever way, it causes discomfort to both parties 😓 or you might move to a house you don't like, incur losses in real estate or because of family members. Apart from the physical effect, this placement is emotionally uncomfortable 😣 and draining too. You don't know how to process your emotions because you're having a number of 'em anger, sadness, pain, happiness, hope, everything just seems to collide in your heart. Sometimes you hold back yourself from crying 😭 but when you do, it's uncontrollable 😔. I'm sorry.

😐SATURN IN 5TH HOUSE: There's this kinda boredom 😭 that makes you feel like nothing excites you sometimes. Sometimes, it feels like people don't see you as attractive. You don't feel like having fun this year😔. Another scenario is that you might newly be a parent(which might not be something you want at the time) thus you have the responsibility of another human being (your kid of course) on. your shoulders . Maybe you have to stop work or all the fun activities you used to do or you have to pay for child support. Another scenario is that you find it difficult to have kids or something bad happens to one of your kids.

I'm sorry 😔.

🤕SATURN IN 6TH HOUSE: This is the WORKLOAD placement, you might really have a lot on your plate, tight schedules and all . Working till you're too exhausted to move an inch. Having issues with Boss and colleagues at work place, doing most of the work. Another scenario is that you might be really sick 😷 it might be chronic and really impact your health. Another scenario is that you have to render service to a sick person (involuntarily) or someone who needs help or you might also be involved in community service

😬SATURN IN 7TH HOUSE: First scenario is that you have a hard time getting along with people or people don't find you friendly or sociable. You might just decide not to have new relationships this year and just keep to yourself. Might indicate a strain in an important relationship. Second scenario is that you may finalize a romantic relationship, I mean you decide to take it to the next level like getting engaged or married or maybe...... you guys breakup this year ouch 😬. Sorry.

😤SATURN IN 8TH HOUSE: This year you might decide to take a break from forming deep relationships with people and decide to be free from intimacy, or it might be that you start a joint account with someone else which might be eating into your funds and draining you. Or rather become responsible for other people's money or property or have inheritance handed down to you with much difficulties and procedures. Slowly but surely there is a long lasting transformation ahead.

🤧SATURN IN 9TH HOUSE: If you're a student or someone involved alot in education then you might need to be extra careful in anything pertaining to that. Sudden obstructions or blockages are common in school life with this Sr placement , stressful times in school, missing exams, losing school work and all.

Another scenario is that your plans on travelling are being obstructed. Problems with your visa getting approved or renewing your travel documents, having long stressful journeys, having issues with your mentors and teachers, contemplating if you have right beliefs or if your religion is the right path, or even people criticizing your beliefs or knowledge.

😏SATURN IN 10TH HOUSE: This is also another placement for responsibility to your work and career this year. Creating a solid public image is important this year as well as performing all your duties at work. It might also show that you're taking public Life more seriously and getting recognized by people but with that comes haters yk and people who seek to put you down. Plus you might also get promoted and your workload increases.

😕SATURN IN 11TH HOUSE: This Sr placement brings strained friendships or your friend community, like being the bad egg among your friends or feeling left out or struggling to make friends . Having a very close friend leave you physically or emotionally, getting picked on online or might even point to building a name for yourself online then you have the haters pop in to say hi 😏. Fighting so much for a higher goal.

😵‍💫 SATURN IN 12TH HOUSE: This Sr placement proves to be helpful if you're seeking to break away from bad habits and addictions like drugs because it places an obstruction at that delulu version of you. It might also be negative in a way that you feel attacked my fate or by forces or negative energy that you cannot comprehend like the lurking of badluck. Might make you depressed or isolated from the world. There's a possibility of jail term!😲.

©Victoryai2025

All rights reserved

[p1astr81]

hey, as a psychology student, I barely see ff involving this area so what if a ff where yn is a psychologist in F1 and she ends up falling for oscar? but you can add some obstacles to make it more interesting haha

for the sake of this, reader is a sports psychologist!

ignore how this lowkey isn’t a psychologists job okay im sorry😭

As part of the sport’s initiate to protect all of its drivers—from Formula 3 to its top competitors in Formula 1–they’ve decided to hire a group of sports psychologists. The group was hired to work track side every weekend, and has their own individual offices in the Formula 1 hospitality. The FIA claimed their hospitality was too full.

You happened to be one of those psychologists.

You spent most days doing absolutely nothing. Most drivers were too embarrassed to pay a visit to any of your offices. Or too conscious of getting caught visiting one and getting blasted on social media.

Some did visit. Particularly the rookies. Lando was the only one to frequent your office. He’d pop in after particularly bad races just to rant to you. He liked how good of a listener you were and how easily you could soothe his worries.

Which is why when he noticed Oscar carry a bit too much tension in his shoulders, he recommended that he pay a visit to you. “One visit wouldn’t hurt.” He reasoned when Oscar was too hesitant.

The next weekend, there was a knock on your door. “Come in,” you called, closing out of your tabs.

“Hi,” you looked up at his quiet voice. Stood as he walked into the room.

“Hi!” You beamed. “Have a seat, make yourself comfortable. There’s snacks, water, take whatever you need.” You gestured to the cart beside the couch and you sat in the chair across from him.

Lando had mentioned how you were nice and a good listener. But he never mentioned how pretty you were, or how infectious your smile was.

“What brings you in?” You didn’t have an intimidating clipboard, nor did you ask him questions like he was in an interrogation room. You also didn’t have those obnoxious overhead lights on. Just the sunlight and a few warm lamps. It was a cozy space.

Oscar leaned into the fluffy sofa, sinking in it like a cloud. “I just feel stressed lately. It’s probably the championship but it’s really having a physical effect on me. I feel really sore lately.”

Still, you smiled. “Have you tried anything to manage the stress? Meditation? Relaxing music? Picking up a hands-on hobby helps a lot of people, too.”

“No.” He said flatly.

“Okay, well trying one of those could help, and I’m always here to talk if you think that might help.”

Oscar definitely thought your talks helped. He’d gone to you almost every single day. Most of the time, he wasn’t even discussing racing. He’d ask you about your life, tell you about his.

And the one day, after a month and a half of ‘sessions’, he’d asked you out for dinner.

He should’ve seen it coming. Your sigh. How you told him I’m sorry, we should keep this professional.

He avoided you for the following three weeks. Three long weeks of his mind plagued by the memories of you. By your laugh. Your smile. Then he decided he’d had enough of his torturous mind.

He went into your office without knocking. “I’m having difficulty focusing on my races because there’s this really cute, nice girl who I can’t stop thinking about, but she doesn’t seem to care about me.” He threw himself onto the sofa like it was another session.

You sighed, finding your usual place in the chair. “I do care about you, Oscar. But we can’t be anything more than-“

“Professional! I know, you’ve said that before.” He grumbled, then sat up. “Why?”

“Why do we have to be professional?”

“Yes!”

“Because we both work for the same people.” You sighed. You were too calm. He envied it. He was breaking down because he couldn’t have what he wanted.

And you were calm.

That should be him. He should be that calm, that composed. It usually came easy to him, but now it was taking everything in him to not get a taste of your lips.

“Last time I checked, you don’t have a contract with Zak brown.” He laughed, pacing the room now.

You tossed him the stress ball you kept on your desk. He took it and sat down, squeezing it like it personally wronged him. “Maybe not, but I can’t date any driver, it’s not just you. It’s not a good look. They’ll fire me for it, I know they will.”

He was thinking quick. “Does it say that in your contract?”

You thought for a moment, then, “no.”

“Then it’s wrongful termination.”

You chewed your lip. Still risky in your mind, but boy were his big brown eyes convincing. You sighed. “Okay. I’ll go to dinner with you.”

“Yes!” He jumped up with a pump of his fist. A bigger victory than you’d ever heard on his radio. “I’ll pick you up uhm- er- Sunday night?”

“Better win then.”

And win he did. Not only the race, but also you.

He married you four years later—and you still had your job in the paddock.

[bouquetface]

Vedic Observations 14

Accurcay is influenced by the ENTIRE chart.

7th H Ruler conjunct Sun - It is better if Sun does NOT hold the lowest degree. If the ruler has passed the Sun and is separated in over 5 degrees, there will be less conflict. If ruling planet has passed Sun and is far in degrees, the ruling planet’s traits will truly shine. Spouse is likely confident, and easily gains attention for the ruling planet traits.

If Sun is dominating the conjunction, you may find after marriage there is some authority ruling over your marriage. Depending on entire chart, this could be a donating spouse, dominating in-law or another figure will enter your life that will attempt to dominate you. The closer the conjunction the harder it will be to separate from this authority figures demands and heat.

For example: Maybe you come from a culture where your parents live with you into adulthood. At least one will attempt to dominate your marriage.

Maybe you don’t come from that kind of culture but you or your spouse still require assistance of some sort from a parent. They will try to assert dominance by using their upper hand over you.

Maybe it isn’t a family member at all. It could be a a landlord causing difficulty by raising rent or creating new rules for the property. 

Or simply it’s the spouse or even you. One refuses to submit to the other. One becomes demanding. It may not even be to an extreme extent. It may be something that occasionally appears in personality and causes annoyance.

7th House ruler in Retrograde - Marriage or wedding will be unconventional. 

Potential examples: Secret wedding or relationship is kept secret for awhile. Child before wedding, pregnant during wedding. Interracial relationship. Wedding is non-traditional. 

If retrograde 7th H ruler makes connection to Rahu or the chart contains prominent Rahu - Sometimes this indicates later in life you may have an open marriage or potential for cheating.

Example: Michael Jordan has 7th H ruler Retrograde Mars in Cancer - His wedding was unconventional as the couple had a child together before marriage.

7th H Ruler in 11th H - Marriage will bring change to your social circles. This is unlikely to be a conscious effort. You will simply find yourself changing social circles.

If 7th is placed well in 11th, you may expand your social circles. You may move up a social class too.

If 7th is placed poorly in 11th, you may experience conflict with social circles after marriage - reasoning will vary. You and others could simply grow distant. 

7th H Ruler in 11th H - Marriage will influence your desires. You may drop previous wishes you had yourself. You will change your life plan in some way.

D9 ASC in natal 8th H - One traumatic setback that indirectly leads to you becoming more spiritual and/or secretive is likely to occur.

Examples: Hospitalized, Loss of a loved one, heartbreak.

2nd H of D1 can indicate spouse’s death. Ex: 2nd H ruler in 8th conjunct malefic like Mars - sudden death, violent death, accidental death.

2nd H ruler conjunct debilitated planet, retrograde planet or malefic in 6th, 8th or 12th H can indicate early death of spouse.

Ketu in 4th H in D9 - Distant or bad relations with in-laws. Check depositor for more information.

Your home later in life is likely far from your birthplace. Not necessarily out of country. Maybe a few hours away - far enough it would be time consuming to reach your birthplace.

You may spend a lot of time away from the home. If negative, you find yourself trying to avoid the home/family in your older age. If positive, you frequently enjoy travel.

You likely have pets. You will likely have imagery of animals somewhere in the home. This won’t occur instantly, it will appear naturally - irl example: Statue of an animal. Child draws a painting of a dog that you keep on display for some time. Photos of your own pets. Painting of wildlife. Randomly found a magazine of national geographic left behind in the home.

If you believe in past lives, this indicates somehow even if for a few hours, the soul of a past life family member will come into your home. For whether this is negative, positive, or natural event, check the depositor’s condition.

You and/or spouse will create a private area - ex: man cave, book corner, etc.

[omnom-obeyme]

hii !! would you mind writing headcanons on how obey me chars would react to finding out that reader self harms? Feel free to ignore this request if you arent comfortable enough to write it !! Have a lovely day or night <3

I just want to start by saying thank you so much for the request and being respectful! I personally don't feel comfortable discussing topics relating to self-harm specifically due to personal reasons, but I didn't want to ignore this ask because I know how comforting reading fics/hcs like this can be when you're struggling because I've been there. So, I hope you don't mind too much, but I kind of reframed it to be about how the characters would help a reader who's struggling in general. I'm also sorry this took so long to get out. I've been so exhausted from work recently, but I finally had the time to sit down and write today. I hope you enjoy!

The Obey Me Characters with a Struggling Reader

Pairings: main cast x reader (separate)

Warnings: discussions surrounding mental illness; mentions of anxiety, depression, insecurity, difficulty eating, and sleeplessness; romantic undertones in most parts; nothing particularly extreme

Lucifer is an extremely supportive demon all the way around. He's also extremely observant, so chances are that he realized you were having a rough go of things long before you did.

He never explicitly brings it up, but he's always there. He never lets you struggle on your own, even when his own schedule demands too much out of him.

He'll always help with classwork, paperwork, student council assignments, and anything else he can.

Is your assigned dinner duty too stressful for you? He'll do all the prep work for you. Is starting your essay too daunting for you? Books on the subject your studying suddenly appear on your desk when you return to your bedroom. You're struggling to take care of yourself? Lucifer just happened to book you a spa day at the Devildom's most luxurious spa. Just as a reward.

He won't usually directly bring anything up. He knows how much mental struggles can wound a person's pride. He's always there for you, though. His support is more quiet than most, and he never asks for a reward. Seeing you get through the day, safe and healthy is all he could ask for.

You can't help the way your world seems to crash down around you when Lucifer kindly informs you that you've completely missed the due date for your paperwork. You try your best to keep up with all of your assignments, your student council work, and being tugged in twenty different directions by the demons, angel, and enigmatic sorcerer in your life. Missed calls, ill-timed remarks, and fumbled assignments have all been pressurizing inside you for the past few months, and you crumple down into the chair in front of Lucifer's desk. You don't know if you're more embarrassed to be crying in front of him or that you're crying at all.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid. God, I'm such an idiot," you mumble to yourself. You're absolutely certain that Lucifer is internally jeering at you and wondering how he could have picked such a useless human.

All you're met with, though, is the warm smell of his cologne and the comforting weight of his arms around you as he leans down to hug you.

"You're not an idiot, lamb. Making one error doesn't make you stupid," he soothes. His large hand rubs up and down your back slowly. He lifts you up into his arms and settles the both of you down into his large desk chair. You spend the night cradled in his arms as he helps you finish the overdue paperwork.

Mammon is a bit of an oblivious demon. He's not stupid by any means, he's just not the most observant when it comes to stuff you try to keep hidden from him.

He won't really recognize that you're struggling unless you tell him or he exacerbates the issue. Of course, that frequently comes in the form of his teasing. Most days, you can just brush it off, but it's hard to move past when you're feeling particularly insecure.

He'll be so apologetic once he realizes he hurt your feelings or has somehow managed to inconvenience you when you're already stressed out.

Mammon is a true believer in the idea that laughter is the best medicine. He'll always be on the lookout for ways to brighten your day. He's not above making a fool of himself to get you to smile, either.

He's also fully willing to embarrass himself by getting all sappy and mushy and heaping a bunch of praise onto you. Anything for his treasure, after all.

"Nah, of course you don't get it. You're just a dumb human."

Mammon's words are meant playfully, but sometimes you forget that. The demon has a habit of exhausting your tolerance for being teased. Most days, you're able to grin and bear it, silently reminding yourself that Mammon truly does love you and doesn't mean what he's saying.

Today is not one of those days. Even Mammon can see the way your smile threatens to wobble off your face and the way a subtle shimmer pools in your waterline. His cockiness instantly slides away, and he almost looks like he's about to start crying himself.

"Treasure, no, wait--dammit!" Mammon practically launches himself at you in his haste to hold you in his arms. He tucks you against his chest and squeezes you tightly. "I didn't mean that! You're not dumb! You're the only human worthy enough to be the Great Mammon's companion! That automatically means you're, like, stupidly smart!"

It's enough to make you laugh, and relief courses through Mammon like a wave. He might not be the most tactful, but he'll always bring joy to your day.

Honestly, the only time Levi ever promotes healthy coping mechanisms is for you. He's a mess himself and can't take his own advice, but he'll absolutely push himself out of his comfort zone if it means making his Henry feel better.

Yes, he'll let you hide in his room and wallow. He'll let you tuck yourself away in a pile of plushies if the only way you can fall asleep is with the soothing lights of his aquarium tanks brushing your skin. He'll even set up a special game of DND full of your favorite things just to get you distracted and happy.

Of course, you can't just coast or exist exclusively off distractions for the rest of your life. When you need to talk before everything inside you explodes, he'll silently turn off the lights, sit in one end of his bathtub, and invite you to sit in the other end. There's no pressure and no judgment from Levi. He gets it.

He's not always the best at advice or constructive criticism, but he's always there to listen and provide much needed distractions.

It's another one of those nights. The lights are dim, you're quiet, and Levi is trying his best to not stare at you. He knows you can feel it even when the lights are off. You're both sitting in the tub with your knees against your chest.

He suddenly feels the brush of your fingers against the tip of his tail, and he has to physically stop himself from running away at the contact. He doesn't mind it, not really. He's just not used to the idea that you don't find him gross.

"It's just...been a lot recently," you whisper, your words mixing with the bubbling coming from the fish tanks. "I just feel like I can't live up to anything anyone here expects me to be."

Levi doesn't usually talk on nights like these. He doesn't want to interrupt you, but he just can't keep his mouth shut at that.

"None of us expect you to be anything. I mean, you've already done way more for all of us than anyone else ever has. We just, like...like you a lot," Levi mumbles.

You chew on your bottom lip, and your fingers keep flicking over the end of Levi's tail. These nights always leave a hollow feeling in your chest, but you know your thoughts and feelings are safe in the dark and in the heart of your otaku with a heart of gold.

Satan really, really gets it. He's dealt with his anger for literally all his life. He knows how overwhelming dealing with mental issues can be. He knows how hard it is to overcome your own mind.

He really wants to be your prince charming, in just about anyway he can. He's gentle, understanding, and always patient with you. He never rushes you, and he never judges you.

He loves a self-help book, unironically. He won't be condescending about it or anything. All of his recommendations are always from a place of "I've tried this, and it really helped me. I hope it can help you in some way, too."

He'll help pick up any slack, too. He's always available to help with schoolwork, studying, or exam prep. He'll go slow with you and make sure you understand what you're learning, too. And on the days when you really need it? Yeah, he'll slip you a copy of his homework answers, but only for you.

He's also always there to sweep you off your feet. He'll take you on walks in the most gorgeous forest you've ever seen, you'll visit the most beautiful lakes or mountains--just anywhere Satan thinks you'll find beautiful. He loves seeing you eyes light up when it's just the two of you.

The words on the pages in front of you have been blurring together into incomprehensible nonsense for the past five pages. You keep trying to push through, but you can't make heads or tails of anything, especially since you could barely understand the base concept this chapter is building on anyway.

Tears prick your eyes, and your head droops forward. Satan, as perceptive as ever, is quick to propose a break.

"We've been at it for a while, yeah? Let's relax for a bit," he murmurs. His voice is soothing to your frayed nerves, but his fingers work the real magic as he begins rubbing your scalp. "Do you need anything? Water? A snack? A blanket?"

You respond with a simple shake of your head, content in the moment. His fingers withdraw after a while, and he sits down next to you.

"Now...what exactly are you having trouble with?"

Asmo feels insecure more often than he'd ever admit to himself. He's more of a "fake it til you make it" kind of demon, though, so you'll rarely ever know he's down. It's a bit weird, but it really does work for him.

He sees the beauty in most things, and he'll help you see it, too. Especially when it comes to yourself. You've completely bewitched the Avatar of Lust! Of course you're absolutely gorgeous, and he won't stop adoring you until you see yourself the way he does.

Do I even need to say that he's huge on self-care days? He'll literally lock the both of you up in his bedroom and bathroom, and you'll spend the day doing each other's nails, practicing makeup, doing face masks, doing affirmations, meditating, and trying out different herbal tea blends.

He's incredibly loving, and seeing you hurt hurts him. He's always going to go out of his way to lift you up and make sure you shine just as much as he does.

Sometimes, it's hard not to compare yourself to Asmo. He's just so blindingly beautiful, not to mention how stunning all the demons that surround him are. It's hard not to feel inadequate. You're just a normal human, after all. Some of these succubi were literally crafted just to be gorgeous.

Asmo doesn't see it like that, though. No, you have one of the most gorgeous essences he's ever seen. It goes so much deeper than your appearance, but, even then, it radiates out of your skin like sunlight to Asmo. No one has ever made him feel as seen, loved, or appreciated as you do, and he longs to return that feeling to you.

One too many dejected glances in his direction in public led to Asmo throwing a spa day for the two of you. The rest of his brothers were locked out of his room and banned for the day. This is all for you.

"I got you a new hair oil to try since you were complaining about it being too frizzy the other day, hon! It's lightweight but still nourishing, so it should be just the thing," Asmo explains as he runs his fingers through your hair. He lets out a quiet sigh. "I just love your hair. It's so perfect on you."

Asmo leans forward and rests his chin on your shoulder, lightly pressing his cheek to yours.

"Look at us! Aww...we're so adorable together! It should be criminal."

A smile tugs at your lips, and you can't fight the laugh that bubbles past your lips.

"Yeah, we are, Asmo."

Beel's another one who's more of a silent supporter. He wants nothing more than for you to feel safe and secure. He's not the most eloquent or expressive demon, but there's never any doubt about how he feels around you and how he wants you to feel.

If you're having a hard time eating, he'll help pick out recipes that sound appealing. He'll even make it for you himself! This is the one time he'd be able to restrain himself from eating all the ingredients. He'd also be super helpful on finding easy, nutritious, and yummy snacks to make if you're struggling with effort. He's also not above influencing you a little to make you more hungry.

He's also someone you can count on to get you moving. Whether it's just stretching, a walk, or a genuine workout, Beel will make sure you get some kind of activity in. He really does believe that getting your blood flowing is a great way to burn off negative feelings and to work up a bit of hunger.

He'll drop everything he's doing just to hold you, too. He's used to carrying Belphie everywhere, and he's happy to do that for you, too. Anything you need from him, he'd happily give you.

Beel's large hand holds yours loosely as you take a walk downtown. He finally managed to coax you out of your room, and he's practically been begging to get you to go to Hell's Kitchen with him. And, really, how could you ever deny him when he turns on his unintentional puppy eyes?

Of course, Beel has a big smile on his face. He's happy to see you out and about again. You haven't told him exactly what's been going on in your head, but he knows something's been weighing on you recently. He doesn't try to pry the information from you, nor is he pressuring you into talking to him. He's a gentle giant, after all.

"I'm really happy you're here with me, MC. I missed eating with you," Beel says once you're finally seated at the restaurant.

Something in your chest clenches, and you reach out to take both of Beel's hands.

"I'm glad I'm here with you, too, Beel."

Well, I think we all know Belphie's solution to most things. He's going to get you to try and sleep it off. Of course, he'll also be all snuggled into your side as he coaxes you to sleep.

Yes, he's a brat, but he'll be surprisingly tender with you if you show him how vulnerable you're feeling. He'll hold you tighter than usual, give you the best dreams ever, and he'll even let you use his special pillow.

He'll be particularly clingy if you tell him you haven't been sleeping well. That just won't do at all. Don't worry, though. Belphie can put you fast asleep in no time at all.

Of course, he'll also drag you down the planetarium to talk. He'll set up a soft blanket and then you'll just lie side by side as he slowly coaxes what's been going on with you out of your head.

He's a really good listener, despite the sleepiness. He'll always listen to whatever it is that you have to say. He knows what it's like to have his voice ignored, and he doesn't want the same for you.

When a knock at the attic door wakes Belphegor up, he's about ready to start swinging indiscriminately. That is until he sees you. You look pretty pathetic, honestly. You're wearing your pajamas, and you've got a throw blanket in your hand that's trailing behind you sadly like you're some kind of cartoon kid.

Belphie tilts his head to the side and looks at you expectantly.

"I can't sleep," you mutter, slightly embarrassed.

"Typical human. Come here," Belphie yawns as he pats the space next to him.

You slowly pad over to him and curl up against his side. He slips his pillow under your head, and his tail as well as one of his arms wraps around you. You're instantly soothed, and you can already feel sleep creeping in on the edges of your consciousness.

"G'night, Belph," you whisper as your eyes slip shut.

"Goodnight," Belphie whispers back, content to fight off bad dreams for the rest of the night.

Honestly, Diavolo won't really get it until you explain it to him fully. He's been sad before, and he's absolutely experienced negative emotions, but chronic anxiety? Yeah, he doesn't really have anything to be anxious about. There are some perks to being the strongest, wealthiest being in the entire Devildom. He's also not the kind of person to get down very often, so you do have to sit him down and explain your experiences and your point of view to him.

After that, he'll be extremely conscientious of your feelings. The last thing he ever wants to do is hurt you or add to your stress. The second he hears about teachers giving you too much work or demons making negative comments toward you, he's on the case. He's very protective of his exchange students! That's his official excuse anyway

Diavolo's honestly like a walking ray of sunshine most of the time, and it's hard not to feel energized in his presence. He's silly, loving, and pretty joyful overall, not to mention his positivity. It's easy to feel more relaxed and forget about your troubles in his presence.

Regardless, he'd do anything in his power for you. He'd build you your own luxury retreat in a cozy spot in the Devildom just for you to escape to. He's got unlimited resources, and he'll put them to use for you! Just say the word.

"I'm sorry, Dia, I just--I couldn't stay in there any longer. They all just stare at me, and I can't take it. It's--" Diavolo gently interrupts your rambling by placing a warm hand on your shoulder.

"It's no trouble at all," he says warmly. "In truth, I'd much rather spend the night exclusively with you. You make much better company than the nobles..."

A bit of warmth blooms in your chest, and you duck your head.

"I don't think that's a very hard standard to beat."

Diavolo's laughter warms you further, and he rubs your arm tenderly.

"No, dear. No, it's not. I'm certain Lucifer will be able to cover for me. Now, why don't we get into something more comfortable and sit by the fire, hmm?"

Barbatos is a very pragmatic individual. He very rarely feels anxious due to the fact that he kinda knows every possible future. That being said, he's still extremely sympathetic toward your feelings because he knows how things can go wrong, even if they won't actually go wrong.

He'll give you reassurance and comfort, but he won't let you wallow. He has too much respect for you to let you spiral. He's like a lifeguard, always keeping your head above water in that sense.

He'll craft a special magical blend of tea just for you to soothe you. Drinking it puts you at ease and gives you an almost serene feeling.

He's someone who'll go mother hen mode on you. It can feel a bit overwhelming having someone always checking in on you, but he just wants to make sure that you're taking care of yourself.

He won't always be able to be there for you physically, but he'll leave little good luck charms and positive energy attractors as little gifts. Of course, you won't know their true nature, but Barbatos prefers it that way.

I was just thinking of you, MC. Are you perhaps free tomorrow? I'd like you to come to the castle to sample the potential dessert menu for Lord Diavolo's party.

You stare down at your DDD as the text from Barbatos rolls in. The light from your screen is the only light available in your dark bedroom, and you squint. You can't honestly remember the last time you left the House of Lamentation, despite requests from the brothers for your company.

You sigh. Barbatos is never bad company...

Yeah, I can come by tomorrow. Is 1:00 good?

Of course. I will await your arrival with baited breath.

Barbatos sets his DDD down on the kitchen counter. Lord Diavolo's party isn't happening for another two months, but you don't need to know that. He'd gladly spend the rest of his day baking if it meant getting you back by his side.

Solomon might seem like he might not be the best person to talk to, but he's still a human. He may not worry about dying anymore, but his nervous system is still wired just the same as yours is. He understands the way your emotions work better than anyone else in the cast, really, since he's the only one who can directly understand the bodily experiences associated with them.

He can't cook for you, but he's always willing to get some sweet treats and have a chill day doing nothing.

On the flip side, he's also down to drag you out of the house to force you to get some external stimulation. He's very big on getting out and touching grass. He'll be especially keen on private trips up to the human world, so you can feel the actual sun on your skin and touch flowers without worrying about them giving you a rash.

He's more than willing to be your cheerleader on the sidelines. He'll always be your number one believer. As a mentor, a friend, or a partner, he's always got your back.

Your eyes watch the way Solomon's deft fingers move while crafting a spell. It's a relatively simple spell--you're just changing the shape of a wine glass to a champagne flute--but you can't seem to get it down for some reason. This is the tenth time that Solomon's demonstrated the spell, but your fingers still fumble on the third movement. Instead of changing shape, the glass in front of you shatters.

You let out a frustrated noise and collapse back onto the chair you're sitting in.

"It's pointless. I'm useless. I'll never be able to do it."

Solomon tuts, and he suddenly appears behind you. His snowy hair blocks out the candlelight, and he's now the only thing you can focus on.

"Don't say never, MC. It's not a good look on you. The reason you're struggling so much is due to the fact that you have too much raw magical energy in you. It just wants to flow out all at once. We just have to get that under control, and then you'll be just as good as me. Probably better. Maybe," he winks at you.

"But, still...I think that's enough for tonight. Would you like some cupcakes?"

You shoot him a slightly horrified look.

"No, I didn't make them," he sighs. "Simeon made too many."

Simeon would be so gentle with you, and it's not even in a condescending way. He's just so incredibly sweet, and he'd be so worried about you once you tell him you've been having a hard time.

Of course, he's an angel, and I personally HC that angels have an innate ability to be soothing toward humans without even doing anything. You can't help but mellow out a bit once you're around Simeon.

He's so easy to talk to. He's completely understanding and never interrupts you. He gives great advice, too. He's always able to help you find a path forward.

He's also more than willing to help you take care of yourself. He'll cook for you, make sure you're eating, make sure you're drinking water, he'll check in with you before bed, and he'll also make sure to reach out if he knows you have any difficult assignments coming up. He's a very warm, supportive presence all-around, and he'll always be there for you.

Simeon's smiling at you, and it's like the gates of Heaven are opening just for you. A sense of calm soothes the anxiety in your chest, and you let out a short huff.

"It's nothing that anyone's done, really, I just can't believe that everyone here likes me enough to actually want to be my friend. It's...I dunno. It's weird."

Simeon's hand settles over yours gently, and he pats your hand. You came over to Purgatory Hall for a much needed break from the chaotic House of Lamentation. It's not like you'd ever turn down the chance to eat Simeon's food, anyway.

"Oh, dear...you don't realize how lovable you are do, you?" Simeon murmurs.

Heat crawls up the sides of your neck and you stammer out a weak, "Wh--I don't...uh..."

Simeon just shakes his head gracefully, though the fond look in his blue eyes never dissipates.

"You are the most amazing human I have ever met, dear. Never forget that."

do not use my headers or repost my work without my permission. art and characters belong to the obey me franchise and are not my original works.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update: june 2025

hello, gang! I don't usually strive TOO hard for themed monthly reading, but I have to say I was surprised when I realized that I didn't even manage to fit one gay romance novel into pride month. (although I have three coming up in July, so stay tuned.) still, it's been a really interesting month of reading, and I'm overall feeling really good about my 2025 reading :)

so, what did I read in June?

They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South (Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers, 2019) - this is a really interesting piece of US women's history, specifically Jones-Rogers' exhaustive efforts to demonstrate the hands-on role that white southern women played in the economy of slavery. Jones-Rogers is dismantling a misconception that the chivalrously misogynistic culture of the era would prevent white women from dirtying their hands direct involvement in the slave trade, making them relatively innocent observers compared to their male relatives and husbands. Jones-Rogers builds her case with extensive historical documents and interviews with formerly enslaved Americans, demonstrating the extremely proactive nature that white women played in every part of the southern states' slave-based economy. it's a grueling read, given how much of the argument relies on detailing the horrific violence and indignities that countless enslaved people were subjected to—frequently at the hands of, you guessed it, white women who stood to financially benefit from the continuance of slavery. some of the firsthand accounts, such as letters and newspaper postings, are genuinely stomach-turning, but a really vital read to understanding the direct role countless white women have played in the history of American racial oppression.

Just Playing House (Farah Heron, 2024) - I expected this romance to be pretty outlandish, given that the premise involves a voluntary double mastectomy and letting a guy you barely know move into your house to be a caregiver, but honestly, it was a lot more grounded than all that. and you know what? I love being wrong. I put a lot of romance novels on my TBR on the assumption that they'll be absurdly silly, but some of them really do surprise me by being genuinely delightful, and I get a kick of that every time. Heron's main characters, Marley and Nikhil, are likeable, surprisingly communicative, and have enough charm to keep this book breezy even when it runs longer than it needs to (which it absolutely did). I'd happily grab brunch with them, and that is NOT something I say about many romance couples. Nikhil, in particular, is one of the most likeable leading men I have encountered in a LONG time—and unlike most of them, he even has a valid excuse for his improbably defined abs.

Beloved (Toni Morrison, 1987) - reading is obviously not a competition but god, I do feel like I've achieved some higher literary cred by finally reading my first Morrison at the big age of 28. and god, is it ruinous!!! the timing wasn't intentional, but Beloved felt like a natural fiction pairing to follow up They Were Her Property, serving as a deep slice into one particular family's multi-generational trauma as a result of enslavement. although the story is fictional it's inspired by the true story of Margaret Garner, a woman who escaped from slavery with her children and ultimately killed her young daughter to prevent her from being captured and taken back into subjugation. Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved, lives very literally haunted by having done the same to her own infant daughter, with the infant's ghost residing uneasily in the house Sethe shares with her only remaining child. the story has so much to say about the nature of love in bondage, and the particular difficulty of mothering a child whose life is the legal property of another. a difficult, demanding, and emotionally dizzying book; I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time.

Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature (Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, 2025, read by Aven Shore) - this was an impulsive audiobook listen that cemented for me that I may be developing a real soft spot for audiobooks about the natural world. mycologist Kaishian is a thoughtful, deeply expressive writer; I would go so far as to say that the connection she feels to the natural world and various "unloved" creatures within it—snakes, insects, and of course fungi—borers on spiritual. I enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes, warm with appreciation and wonder, and learning a bit about the field of queer ecology, which seeks to understand the natural world without the binaries presumptuously imposed by many previous generations of scientists. Shore's smooth narration made for soothing, meditative listening, making it delightful to soak in the enormity of Kaishian's adoration for the world around her. I'd really strongly recommend for anyone who enjoyed Sabrina Imbler's memoir in essays, How Far the Light Reaches, in which queer experiences are examined through the medium of sea creatures.

The Fade #1 & #2 (Aabria Iyengar and Mari Costa, 2024) - I've been really looking forward to checking out Aabria Iyengar's new portal fantasy comic series. I've long been a fan of Iyengar's work building and playing in fantasy worlds on Dimension 20, and was especially compelled when I heard that the series was partly inspired by her regency-ish romance season A Court of Fey and Flowers, which combined mechanis from 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons with the Austen-inspired game Polite Society. ultimately, though, I'm left feeling like I've barely had an appetizer of the series. Costa's art is beautiful, and there are compelling hints about what's to come, but the series seems to have frozen in its tracks. the first two issues were released in November and December of 2024, but since then nothing new has materialized, and #3 and #4 are both listed as "TBD." this is the comic I had planned to read to fulfill the comic book space on my own book bingo board, and I had saved the prompt until halfway through the year hoping there would be a decent little backlog of the comic to enjoy, only to discover that it seems to have flailed right out of the gate. I hope we get to see more someday; I'd really like to see Iyengar tell a story in a different medium than I've seen her in before.

All Things Are Too Small (Becca Rothfeld, 2024) - in May I read Rothfeld's essay "All Good Sex is Body Horror" and liked it so much that I immediately looked to see if she had a book and then promptly put it on hold. All Things Are Too Small is subtitled "Essays in Praise of Excess," and it more than lives up to this mission statement, extolling the virtues of being bigger, messier, hornier, and more. in this vein Rosenthal turns her criticism on everything from mindfulness practices to decluttering gurus to a very specific type of contemporary novel, such as My Year of Rest and Relaxation, about young women stifling their various appetites. even when I found Rosenthal maybe a little overwrought (ironic, I know) I liked the surety of her style a lot, and she made me want to watch a surprising number of movies through description alone. (if you know how seldom I'm moved to watch a movie, you know what high praise that is.) by far my favorite chapter was the lengthy one delving into modern discourses on sexuality, specifically those fervently against it, during which Rosenthal took a nail-studded bat to the piñata of Christine Emba's deeply Catholic 2022 book Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, a deeply unprovocative book that argues primarily that women ought to remember that we ought to remember that we're biologically different than men and that sex is dangerous, and moreover that something might be very wrong with us if we want to have too much sex outside of romantic commitment. I've hated this book with a passion since I read it but have never seen anyone else discuss it, and would, personally, kiss Rosenthal on the mouth for her cool vitriol.

Puck and Prejudice (Lia Riley, 2024) - yep, that's right, it's a romance novel about a 21st century pro hockey player who accidentally gets sent back in time to Edwardian England and falls in love with Jane Austen's bestie. yes, my patreonites did pick this one. and they're the only ones who get the review, give me $1 if you want it. (or, you know, sign up to give me $1 and then immediately cancel. I don't care.)

Go Tell It on the Mountain (James Baldwin, 1952) - again, this was not planned, but this book felt like it was rounding out a trilogy about the legacy of slavery with They Were Her Property and Beloved, moving another generation away from emancipation. the book takes place of the 14th birthday of Johnny Grimes, the stepson of a preacher, who's definitely NOT very based on young James Baldwin. as Johnny spends the day struggling through his own sense of self and faith we also see the histories of his stepfather, mother, and paternal aunt, and the various forces that have shaped their own lives. while I was reading this book I said that Baldwin always makes me see what other authors are still trying to do over half a century later and I MEAN THAT, there's such a staggering level of insight and understanding about the best and worst of every single character. I'm going to be thinking about Johnny going to watch his little movie and identifying heavy with a remorseless femme fatale forever, he was so real for that.

All Systems Red (Martha Wells, 2017, read by Kevin R. Free) - I'm always mad when multiple people tell me I'm bound to like something and then I actually like it, because I'm a contrary little son of a bitch, but damn if I didn't have a good time. I started listening to All Systems Read on a short flight home and was delighted by Free's narration, which I think really added some oomph to the story for me. it's borderline goofy at some points, especially some of the voices Free does to differentiate crew members, but it comes across like a charming little sci-fi radio drama. big fan of Murderbot, love the way that it just fucking hates its job. most employed being of all time. looking forward to seeing what it gets up to next :)

OKAY THAT'S EVERYTHING GOOD JOB ON JUNE EVERYBODY

[the-cosmic-cauldron]

🤫🤔🫢🫦🧠🗣️ Your Communication Issues Based on Your Rising Sign 🤫🤔🫢🫦🧠🗣️

Disclaimer: If it don’t apply, let it fly ☺️😌

Aries Rising:

* Speaking aggressively even when calm.

* Noticeable anxiety when they speak ( voice getting louder, shaky voice, stuttering, mumbling).

* Struggle to listen as their minds are fired up.

* Changing their opinion frequently and playing devils advocate.

* Easily able to manipulate others, watch out for their convincing ways especially when they want something.

* Can come across as judgmental and can make people uncomfortable with this aspect.

Taurus Rising:

* Can be hard to know how they truly feel, they can play off just how emotional they are, closed off.

* Reserved and private, hard to get these people to open up.

* They can tell people what they want to hear, instead of choosing to be honest.

* They can retreat into their own world especially to deal with their emotions, hard to reach.

* If they feel a certain way towards someone they can be stubborn, defensive, and take things personally.

* Can hold a lot of their real feelings in.

Gemini Rising:

* Needs an audience or some form of validation to be talkative and social or they will be quiet.

* A lot of pride over their opinions and perspective.

* They can dish it, but they cannot take it.

* Can struggle to allow others to shine, they want to be the brains, beauty, and more.

* Selectively choosing to engage with those who give their ego a boost.

* Saying things just so people can like them.

* Telling lies.

Cancer Rising:

* Categorizing people into boxes before getting to know them.

* Indirect communication style. ( skimming around topics, avoiding certain conversations, not allowing anyone in, passive aggressive).

* Not being authentic in their communication, saying what they believe the other wants to hear.

* Can become detached and emotionally distant when sorting through their own issues.

* Difficulty expressing their feelings, but can be a therapist for other people.

* Criticizing the way they speak too much, over analyzing their communication.

* Can be a complainer.

Leo Rising:

* Perfectionist about your social image.

* Feeling a sense of importance amongst others that can come off as a superiority complex.

* Easily see the flaws of others, but can have a hard time being forthright and transparent about their flaws.

* Always trying to make everyone happy and feel good, but struggling with their own insecurities.

* Being superficial and caring about outward appearance too much, constant criticizing people’s appearance.

* Have a big ego and feel slighted and personally offended fast.

* Wants to be popular so will people please to fit in with the in crowd.

* Can be avoidant or disappear when issues come up.

* Can gossip about people behind their back.

Virgo Rising:

* Can be detached due to their introspective and analytical nature.

* Withdraw a lot and need a lot of time to themselves to process their experiences.

* Intensely introverted and retreats a lot into their own world.

* Going through extremes of isolated and constantly socializing and talking.

* Either dead silent or chatter box’s.

* Scrutinizing themselves too much so others feel awkward around them.

* If not scrutinizing around others, mentally doing it in a conversation and then feeling the need to be quiet.

* Psychoanalyzing and probing others but get uncomfortable when people do this to them.

* Speaking intensely.

Libra Rising:

* There is an excessive need to appear positive, bordering toxic positivity.

* Head in the clouds

* A tendency to overpromise or overextend theirselves to others.

* An issue with instilling boundaries.

* Do things just to keep the peace.

* Will run away at the sight of any issue or problems.

* Friends with people they outgrew but just keep thinking things will get better.

* Can be naive in conversations.

Scorpio Rising:

* Negative, pessimistic, cynical mindset which can often undermine their communication.

* Chronic complainers.

* Feels restricted in speaking freely. Feels they need to speak when spoken to or with people they are close to.

* Reserved and timid.

* Can have a mindset that nothing matters so can a bit dry responding to people’s issues.

* Or may take on other people’s issues as their own and act like a therapist.

* They can probe and psychoanalyze others but keep a lot of their personality and business hidden.

* Need to have control when communicating with others. Control and power dynamics are apparent in their communication.

* May feel more mature than others, so constantly feeling they have to dumb theirselves down or parent others.

* Can be grammar and pronunciation police.

* Judgmental of how people present themselves. May think everyone should be like them.

* Usually ends up trauma bonding or attracting people who vent a lot of their emotions on them.

Sagittarius Rising:

* Has big ideas that often are not yet accepted or people deem crazy, unrealistic, or wishful.

* Want others to join along their ideas, and may deal with pushback from more conservative individuals.

* Interrupts mid conversation cause they have something they have to just get out.

* Doesn’t listen well when people talk to them about things that aren’t interesting.

* Challenges others beliefs which can come off as personal attacks.

* Detached and insensitive when engrossed in a new idea, project, or interests.

* Unpredictable communication.

* Can have random outbursts or random moments where they are super happy and social.

* High energy which can be overwhelming to some. Talks a lot and then distant.

Capricorn Rising:

* Feeling restricted in communication. Wanting to express themselves freely but feeling that they have to control a lot of what they say.

* A sensitive soul with a hard exterior.

* Finding that people project a lot onto them.

* Feeling you they cant be themselves , so choosing to stay silent.

* Being deceitful or lying.

* Having to hold in a secret that weighs heavy on them.

* Needing someone to stimulate a conversation with them or else they don’t know what to say.

* Unclear on how to assert themselves. May come off passive aggressive.

* Off into their own world, withdrawn from the world.

Aquarius Rising:

* Can come across as less emotional and detached. Can say things bluntly and outright that shock or upset others.

* If someone isn’t being forthright and honest you can become irritated easily.

* Needing space to do their own thing. Can feel smothered by too much interaction.

* Unexpected communication. They might go weeks without talking to someone and then call them.

* On the other hand they can attract abrupt personalities where communication is spontaneous.

* Controversial opinions.

* Some of the ways they talk can be strange or odd.

* Females might carry a masculine theme to them that can intimidate others.

Pisces Rising:

* Withdrawn and uncommunicative.

* These people are sensitive and will retreat if they sense an issue or conflict.

* These people struggle to initiate conversation.

* Stubborn towards other people’s ideas.

* Can lie and fabricate things.

* Masters at deflecting and gaslighting.

* Can rationalize their feelings or at times make it seem their feelings are insignificant. They can also do this others.

* Rose colored glasses and can come across as delusional.

* May refuse to take any criticism.

[lunaa007]

Astrology observations #3

These are my personal observations and should be taken in the context of the whole chart, never isolated 😊

Some of this is 18+, no minors allowed

♦️Mars-Uranus aspects can indicate a liking for risky activities and extreme sports, like motorcycling or base jumping. They can even like to put themselves in danger as they need the adrenaline. Routine is super boring for them, they need to try new things very often. They should be careful to release this nervous energy with sports, work they're passionate about or things like that or it can backfire. This aspect can be tempered down with Saturn aspects or a lot of earth energy in the chart.

♦️Venus square mars aspect: can often be mean to the person they like, classic "if he pulled your hair it's because he likes you" stuff. Can be very passionate, might have difficulty to separate feelings from lust. They might have talent for artistic sports like dancing or ice skating. For women, they might like a more sporty fashion style.

♦️Sun-saturn aspects: especially for harsh ones, this can really change the expression of the sun sign. I know someone with sun and several planets in Leo, but they are all square to Saturn and you could never tell she's a Leo; she is very reserved, shy and restrained in life. But as with all Saturn aspects this can change with age, the personality coming through more and more while keeping an amazing sense of discipline, wisdom and grounding.

♦️Moon-uranus aspects: with harsh aspects (conjunction, square, opposition), the mother might have been emotionally cold during the childhood, and she might have been a bit erratic and unpredictable. This could have showed up as frequently moving places, or having a mother considered weird or crazy by society. With soft aspects like trine or sextile this could show up as an untraditional family, maybe having two fathers or two mothers, or parents very into technology, but this was not hard on the person and it helped them develop their individuality and independence.

♦️Taurus mercury: these people can learn much slower than other people (this does not mean they are not as intelligent, their rhythm is just different). At school they might have felt behind their schoolmates or felt like they didn't have enough time to finish their exams/homework. It is important that they don't feel bad about this and take the time they need to do their work. This might be less strong with Uranus influence on mercury. ♦️ Aquarius moon natals and their need to always read and watch self-development content without ever actually feeling their feelings 🙃

♦️ Venus conjunct moon: these people are so kind, they have such a big heart and do not wish harm on anyone, please stay mindful of who has access to you as many people might want to be in contact with this energy but sometimes also energy vampires.

♦️ Mercury conjunct/square pluto and their dark humor! I have this in my chart and one of my colleagues actually said to me three days after she started: "your jokes can be really dark sometimes" 😂 it gets worse when I'm tired as I don't filter my jokes so much before saying them. These aspects might also think a lot about death and dark themes, they can be the type to think "what happens if I die tomorrow", or "I could die if I do this" but not in a worried way, just thinking rationally about what is possible.

♦️ Leo mars women and their secret backup plan of becoming a stripper or an exotic dancer 💃 these women often have a talent for dancing, and performing can make them feel desired and confident.

♦️ Aries moon/mars placements and their road rage! Both my parents have these placements and my god the number of stressful rides to school I had when I was a child 😂 this can also apply to the other fire mars.

♦️ Lilith conjunct ascendant: these people often provoke reactions everywhere they go, they rarely go unnoticed whether it is positive reactions or negative. The women with this aspect might get sexualised a lot, and the men with this aspect might attract animosity from other men. ♦️ Sun-jupiter and moon-jupiter aspects: they might always see the bright side of things, "it will get better", "this is temporary", seeing the glass half-full. A lot of optimism, faith in a higher meaning, maybe too optimistic sometimes and too trusting that things will unfold in the right way.

♦️Mars square pluto women often attract creepy men on the street, interactions with aggressive men might be unfortunately common. It is important to not repress their anger and channel their power in something like martial arts.

♦️Gemini moon/IC: they might love to talk with their loved ones at home, a lot of communication and learning in their private life. If they live alone they might be a lot on the phone or always have music or tv or radio on.

♦️Mercury square saturn: they might doubt their intellectual abilities when young, their learning style might not fit the classic school system. It is important that they are encouraged by their family, and with time they will gain confidence and master the learning techniques that fit them best.

♦️Mars in virgo might care too much about pleasing their partner in bed and have a hard time receiving pleasure without giving anything. They might also feel self-conscious if they do not feel "clean" like not fresh out of the shower. It is important for them to practice letting go of their thoughts and doubts and be present in their body. They deserve pleasure as much as everybody else!

♦️ Jupiter in the 2nd house might have a very good self-esteem, if the moon and venus are not too afflicted. And if it is the case it helps the native deal with the harder aspects.

♦️ That's why it is so dangerous to interpret an  aspect in isolation of the rest of the chart, a challenging aspect might be very beneficial in a chart and less in another one. For instance moon conjunct saturn might be more challenging for a Capricorn moon which is already quite controled and closed off, but in the sign of Aries it might help the native tame their impulsivity and control better their emotions. 

♦️ Or moon square Uranus might be beneficial for a Capricorn moon or a Taurus moon as it might help them break out of their routine and become more adaptable and flexible to change.

Thank you for reading!

@lunaa007

[morlock-holmes]

Towards a Unified Theory of Conspiracy Crank Politics

I've been thinking a lot about what seems to drive the person I will call, for lack of a better term, the conspiracy crank world-view, and particularly, my feelings about the great crank realignment.

A lot of people have said, "It seems like 30 years ago conspiracy weirdos were pretty bipartisan people, but now they all seem to be Trump loyalists."

My belief is that it's not that the conspiracy cranks became more right-wing; rather, it's that the Republicans have largely stopped being a right-wing party and are instead now a conspiracy crank party.

So, I've said this before, and I'm not well enough read in the history of conspiracy thinking to bring up old examples, but as a kid I subscribed to Skeptical Enquirer, and I remember quickly coming to two conclusions:

The reason a lot of the alien conspiracy X Files stuff is so interesting in fiction is that talented fiction writers have used it as a jumping off point to make an interesting story; the primary conspiracy literature is often very poorly written, not very inventive, and frequently openly bigoted, which leads into my second discovery,

A lot of times there is only one degree of seperation between "Big pharma and modern living has severed our spiritual connection to our earth mother Gaia" and "The Jews run the world with the aim of keeping the white race enslaved". Like, the far right conspiracy people were often really willing to ally with and break bread with the far left conspiracy people, and vice versa, in fact much more so then the more grounded parts of the left and right.

And I think that's because the conspiracy theorists have a kind of common mindset with certain shared features, regardless of the specifics of their conspiracy.

These are things that I have noticed as commonalities, and they aren't limited to conspiracy cranks; in fact, probably the vast majority of people have these habits of thought to some extent. My argument is that they are often abnormally strong in conspiracy believers.

Belief in a just world. A lot of fringe types have a really strong belief that the world is fundamentally just, and that in the ordinary course of things bad things do not happen to good people. Bad things only happen because a personified force arranged for the bad thing to happen. The example I've used before is slipping and falling off a ladder. Many of us would attribute such a thing to pure chance; some people will take it as evidence that a witch or a demon has cursed them.

An extreme difficulty with feeling out of control. It is hard for them to accept that in some circumstances they may not have control. Things which make them feel like they are no longer in control are very often interpreted as hostilities against them.

A severe difficulty in actually putting themselves in another person's shoes. Often, the conspiracy minded person is incredibly judgemental about others, and particularly, they really, really struggle with the idea that something might be easy for them, but difficult for someone else, or difficult for them, but necessary to help someone else.

Like I said, we all have these habits to some extent, I just think they are often magnified in the conspiracy crank.

As an example of what I mean by these thought patters, I am in the middle of a podcast reviewing a crank movie about how germs don't cause diseases. And apparently, in this movie, they first have a heroic interview with a restaurant owner who not only never required his patrons to wear masks, he actually banned any mask wearing on the premises.

Which is followed immediately by a scene of a person getting kicked out of a store for not masking, and talking about how it's incredibly shocking that what should be a matter of personal conscience is being enforced by the government.

And there's just no sense that there is any hypocrisy or tension here.

What I mean is, a principled libertarian might say, "Each individual business can require masks, or require you to take masks off, or have no policy, according to their individual decision, and we should allow them to make those decisions and abide by them."

Another principled position might be that we have extremely compelling evidence for the pandemic, and maybe certain kinds of policies should be temporarily enacted to slow the spread, even though they infringe on what would be, in ordinary times, important liberties, because they serve to protect the collective greater good.

Either of these positions sort of takes it for granted that a choice that I, personally, might not fully agree with might still be important to other people.

But the crank mindset says, "I don't want to wear a mask. So forcing people to wear a mask is an imposition on important freedoms. But since I'm already comfortable without a mask, forcing people to take their masks off isn't any kind of imposition on anybody's freedom, that's ridiculous."

You can see what I'm talking about most clearly in certain right-wing Christians. I've seen Christians say that freedom is exactly the same as following God's will, and that disobedience to God is a form of bondage and slavery.

These habits of mind are not, themselves, partisan; the can be applied to any cause, right-wing or left-wing. I might just have easily brought up "Free speech doesn't mean tolerating hate speech."

But I would argue that the reverse is not true, that you can build a political party that caters primarily to people with these habits of mind.

These people tend to flock to politicians who simultaneously promise a strong government which they can borrow to reassert their sense of control in the world, but the actual specific politics of that government are squishy and malleable.

The government has to be strong and able to domineer others because the conspiracy crank understands that they are in opposition to some large portion of the population, and so the government has to be strong enough to say, for example, "We will make sure that no private business will kick you out for wearing a mask."

When the world feels out of control, the government will lend you the tools to reassert your control over the world around you.

But the actual political goals of the government have to be extremely vague and malleable, so that they can move quickly to maintain the illusion that good people don't ever really disagree about this stuff.

A government which is coherently committed to a libertarian project might well say, "Sorry, those businesses have every right to decide who they cater to."

You have to be a weathervane, once a majority of cranks decide that vaccines and mask mandates are bad, you have to swivel and take that position in order to maintain a sort of illusion that whatever freedoms your crank audience wants in the moment are inherently sensible and that no sane person could disagree.

My argument is that Trump has turned the Republicans into the crank party, the party that signals to cranks that it will have their backs, whereas thirty years ago, the parties were still committed enough to coherent political goals that neither one could make that promise, and so cranks had to be politically idiosyncratic.

[gay-dorito-dust]

How do you think dante (from any dmc, it's up to you, because I like them all LoL) and white rabbit would react with a very introverted partner who has difficulty communicating?

Dante

He's social as they come, yet there does come moments where he does feel fatuiged from it all, so you were a breath of fresh air in terms of your introvertedness, as it meant that he could spend time in the house with you because where else would he rather be?

Your difficulty in communication isn't a problem to him either, seriously he's not going to hold it agaisnt you about how much you talked, or how little you talked but would always remind you that he would always be there for you as support for when you do manage to get just a few words out of your mouth.

Dante isn't picky and doesn't feel like he has the right to be picky either, you were perfect the way you are and if comminucation was a difficulty you faced, then you'll face it together and at a pace that was suited for you and by you. Dante was mainly here to make sure that you were happy and not forced to perform or be forced out of your comfort zone becuase people don't have the paitience with you, he wanted you to do whatever you felt was right.

So if you wanted to stay in, who was he to groan and moan that he never goes anywhere, if anything Dante was gratful for being able to find a way to stay inside with you, a way where he could put down the facade he's worn for ages and allow himself to decompress with you even if it was in silence. Dante needed the time to find himself again, his true self and that was a man who didn't want to loose anyone ever again and adorning an outgoing persona in hopes that people wouldn't look too closely to notice the broken man that laid beneath.

You were perfect the way you were and Dante will not have anyone tell you otherwise becuase what would they know about you if they judge the first thing they noticed? They just don't deserve to know you if that's the case because you don't have to constantly be talking to be intruging when your actions did that instead more times then not.

White rabbit

He's unbothered by it as he's more then content with speaking on the behalf of both of you, and also knowing that there was more ways to communicate with one another then with words, and Rabbit liked to pride himself in being able to read you like a book and understand where your mind was at without much effort.

He'd much prefered to stay within the company he knew then be outside with the company he doesn't know, and your company was more then enough for him, talking or not Rabbit was just content in being in the same room as you as you did your own seperate thing. Though he will express pride with you when you do muster up the ability to communicate, you were doing your best with what you got and he was always going to be there to be a form of comfort and a safe space for you.

A space where you don't have to force yourself into doing things you were clearly struggling with. For Rabbit didn't want you o think that you had to change to be appealing, everyone had their preferences in partners and you were the perfect partner for him without a shadow of a doudt. Rabbit knew if you wanted to talk then you would talk, he wasn't about to demand things from you when you have obviously expressing difficulty in doing so.

He wasn't owed anything from you and he made sure to remind you that often as humans tended to be a demanding species and refused differences and those that don't fit in society in general. Meanwhile Rabbit was paitient with you and has shown that on multiple occasions, so much to the point where you weren't feeling like you were expected to be anything other then yourself, there was no need for you to feel to perfom in order to keep your partner.

Rabbit wasn't shallow like that and will openly express his adoration for you as frequently as he can without it seeming meaningless or an obligation on his behalf, for he meant every word of it.

[featherwurm]

Thinkin' about Karlach's parents, Pluck and Carelach - and how much they loved their little mite (here about three or four.)

Some head-canons:

I think of Karlach's parents as both being tieflings.

Pluck and Caerlach adored each other as much as they loved Karlach, which is saying a lot.

Pluck's hair is sunbleached from his travel as a porter.

Caerlach keeps her claws filed to not snag on cloth at her job as a laundress.

Karlach had more red in her hair as a child, and takes a bit more after her mother, appearance-wise (she still has horrendously sharp little baby claws here).

Pluck and Caerlach changed the spelling on Karlach's name to make it seem more 'Bauldurian' and to try to eliminate some of the difficulties Caerlach had with people saying her name wrong.

Pluck and Caerlach lived in the Tumbledown area outside of Baulder's gate until just briefly after Karlach was born, when they were able to save up enough to rent a tiny place in the Brampton district near Cliffgate. (Pluck and Caerlach took on the last name of Cliffgate when moving to the city, having had both painful relationships with their own families, more below, under the cut.)

Unlike Tav’s huge, predominantly tiefling family, both Pluck and Caerlach had human parents and come from backgrounds much harder on their tiefling nature. These sorts of stories are familiar to a variety of tieflings throughout Faerûn – even if Karlach and Tav have escaped that narrative themselves through their own family’s love.

Pluck was abandoned by his family as a child, somewhere between about five and seven when it seemed nothing would ‘beat the devil out of him.’ At that time his family simply left him in Scornubel (where they were passing through), continuing on without him, no further word or explanation given. This was probably for the best in it’s own terrible way, as any much longer with his biological family and he likely would have suffered worse and possibly lethal abuse. He ended up running with a little gang of street kids who looked after each other with almost nothing to their names, taking up whatever labor they could find to earn enough to eat. Scornubel is a constantly shifting city, and fortunately the kids managed to survive there through whatever means they could. The group changed over time, with members coming and going as their fortunes changed, but they looked out for each other. Pluck was old enough when he was left to never really shake the feeling of being unwanted, but he learned to be strong, shrewd, and clever for those around him.

Caerlach was raised by her mother alone, her father having left the family at her birth, believing Carelach to not be his own child owing to her 'devilish' features (although she was, and it is from his line of the family they derive, though he could not have known this). Her mother was distant to her, poor from lack of familial support because of her daughter (she was disowned by her family for the same reasons her former husband did), moving frequently to try to improve her station, and when Carelach expressed that she was ready to make her own way in the world as a teen, eager to see her out the door. While she did not suffer as much as Pluck growing up, that was a low bar to clear, and she knew herself to be a problem that made her mother’s life difficult (though she would come to accept it as no fault of her own.) They had a strained relationship of limited contact after Caerlach left, and Karlach never met her grandmother.

Pluck and Caerlach met in Scornubel as teenagers working odd jobs and immediately hit it off. It was a bit of a whirlwind romance, but everyone that knew them would have described it as idyllic. They never stopped ‘courting’ each other, never failing to jump at the opportunity to make their affections known in whatever way they could with their limited means. They were married just at the start of their twenties, and were going to stay where they were, but Carelach’s pregnancy came as something of an… accidental surprise. It didn’t take the two of them any time at all to decide to go through with the pregnancy and keep the child – while young, they were still eager to start a family, and to try to give the best start to it they could, they left for Baulder’s Gate, to give their kid everything they possibly could. They were good people, and even though they made it to their 40s, their lives were tragically short.

They poured all of the love they were denied into their very much beloved daughter Karlach. They may have been poor, but they kept a roof over their heads and food on the table, even when it was a narrow scrape and there was nothing else to be had. Karlach never wanted for a feeling of safety or affection, and while sometimes work meant her parents had much to do, they gave her all the attention they possibly could. She was their pride and joy, and she misses them sorely.

[moonsaver]

The Care Package II

Got your first, shiny new gacha character you were working oh-so-hard to get? That's great! Don't know how to care for it? No worries! This guide will have you covered!

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Summary: not doing this, its in part 1 here, this post has Aventurine and Sunday. The previous one has Dr. Ratio and Argenti. Have fun reading !

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The Gem-Deluxe Package

You receive a lavishly decorated box at your mail! It is covered in jewels and black ribbon, and similarly to the Red Rose Package, users may experience difficulty in unboxing Aventurine from his gift box. Please watch this tutorial in case you are unable to do so aswell.

The gift box is lined with a soft material, and several, smaller layers that act as a makeshift bed for your sleeping Aventurine. Please let your Aventurine wake up on his own accord, or you may halt his growth process from Beginner to Intermediate by communicating urgency if you wake him up too soon. When Aventurine wakes up, he will make his presence known very well, and he will naturally call out to you regardless of wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Aventurine comes with a unique combination of accessories that are specific to each model – thus a specific user manual is provided for each of his items. You may receive either one of the following SSR items; Gold Coin [I], Pack of gold Cards [I], Small Aventurine Stone [II], Teal Peacock Earring [I]. Please note you may only be able to request another copy with your specific user manual when you open the package - if you are unable to find it, search Aventurine's pillow or ask him about it. Some users express their delight at Aventurine's tricks of hiding certain things, but it is advisable to warn him of certain valuable items before he hides them to entertain his user.

Aventurine may seem as though he does not mind being picked up in any way, however, he wishes to be held with great care. Please hold out both of your hands so he may feel cared for, and wait for him to feel comfortable enough to climb onto your hands. Aventurine may tell you it doesn't matter, but it is advisable to take great care and consideration of his emotional and mental wellbeing regarding your actions towards him.

Beginner Aventurine enjoys enclosures that are bright with natural light and open, but also safe and guarded well. You may keep him near your windows, on your bed, or any designated spot where he is free to explore that is well-illuminated. However, if he is picked up in the middle of his exploration process, he may whine and sarcastically compliment your furniture.

Beginner Aventurine is more personally closed off, so users are advised to be patient. He is, however, comforted by the sight of beautiful jewels, a comfortable bed, and warm food [Please refer to Care Package for accessories, especially regarding jewels. You do not need to buy real diamonds to impress Aventurine.].

The longest stage is the Beginner stage, so users may not be pleased with the delay in level up when it comes to Aventurine. He is not comfortably accustomed to change. It is advised he grows according to the rate he deems fit. However, the new Companion Feature allows Aventurine to interact with Dr. Veritas Ratio, and Aventurine's level up may be encouraged further if he witnesses Veritas Ratio level up, or receive his advice and help. Users are advised to supervise their interactions closely, as Intermediate Aventurine and Advanced Veritas Ratio are prone to petty arguments.

Intermediate Aventurine shows not much difference with the later stages of Beginner Aventurine, however, he may start interacting more openly with his user. He will frequent your personal space, initiate more friendly conversations and become inquisitive about your personal life – please tell him all about your Friends and Family. Aventurine feels closer to people the more he knows about their personal relationships. Users are also encouraged to compliment Aventurine whenever he decides to explore an area he tends to avoid – this will level up Aventurine's premature skill “Lost and Found [I]” to “Observe and Retrieve [II]”. Aventurine may find objects of precious value to user that may have been lost before, and will help the user find misplaced items with greater ease. It also supports the continual growth until he reaches Advanced level.

At the Advanced Level, Aventurine finds it very easy to accustom to User's routine. His skill may also level up from “Observe and Retrieve [II]” to “Initiate and Succeed [III]”. Advanced Aventurine will be more open to user and relay his personal feelings without hesitance. He may also choose to be called Kakavasha at this stage [Our users are informed that Kakavasha was the name of the previous model Aventurine is currently based upon,and to not fear any errors]. Aventurine at this stage may grow exponentially overnight depending on how deep the bond between him and his user is. If you reach a close bond level, Aventurine grows up to a size of 5’6-5’7 overnight, and delight in his own growth. Users are advised to prepare in advance once Aventurine reaches Intermediate stage.

Congratulations! You now have a full grown Aventurine, who may choose to go by Kakavasha in private. Aventurine is extremely skilful in managing the user's finances and personal relationships, offering advice and deciphering actions of others around his user. However, Aventurine is prone to safeguarding seemingly invaluable things, such as handwritten notes, old jewelry the user may have wanted to discard, and frequently visits the user's personal space. Aventurine, however open he may be, still hides some of his personal feelings. Users are advised to be comforting and patient with Aventurine, and oblige with his unsure nature regarding trust and belongings. Aventurine is prone to Neglect [IV], and users are heavily warned to never ignore Aventurine, especially in times of need or when quarrels occur. You may comfort him during your busy schedule by offering him handwritten notes of small reassurance, or provide him with the Gold Card Pack provided within the Care Package.

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The Raven Package

The box is very fragile, and contains many pieces of accessories, so please do not shake it. It is light blue in colour, and is adorned with a small golden brooch the user may keep as a decorative piece. Inside, you receive a transparent box encasing a sleeping Sunday, and a plethora of neatly arranged accessories beside him. Please handle it with great care.

Sunday does not mind being woken up, but he will be displeased if you let him sleep too much. You may use the clockie accessory to wake Sunday up at an appointed time.

Handle Sunday with dignity! Users are advised to not haphazardly hold Sunday, he holds himself in high regard and does not like being carried with impropriety. However, users may occasionally hold Sunday by the back of his collar like the scrunch of a kitten, for short durations of time.

Beginner Sunday requires a well-organised area with neat schedules and planners. He prefers yellow-lighting and if the user has a study lamp, Sunday may occasionally nap under it. He is open to talking but will maintain an ample distance with his user; but do not be discouraged. Beginner Sunday may become more open if the user manages to help him to their haircare products and share tips on preening his wings.

Intermediate Sunday is a bit difficult to deal with, according to user experiences. Sunday may demand more attention and become more meticulous with manner and speech. He may advise the user in their appearance and presentation. However, Sunday does not mean ill. He is simply trying to help his user. If the user becomes agitated due to his constant advice and expresses their feelings, Sunday may enter Sulking [II], and hide in his gift box. You may comfort your Sunday by arranging his accessories Conference Table Prop 2, Office Chair (8), and Sandpit Prop 1, Musical Instrument Violin Prop 2 and Documents Prop, and asking him to check the current layout which will lure Sunday out of Sulking and into Curiosity.

Intermediate Sunday may experience difficulty reaching the Advanced level, so we advise users to be more supportive during this stage. Sunday may act irrationally or out of character, and pace around in a space, supervise you constantly, meticulously manage seemingly insignificant things, and try to manage things by himself, which will leave him prone to Overworking [II] and Exhaustion [I]. You may comfort Sunday by offering reassurances and feeding him small, sliced strawberries, or sweets.

Advanced Sunday becomes much easier to handle. Sunday will become self-sufficient and engage in many conversations, mainly pertaining to your duties and responsibilities and help you become more efficient at them. Sunday specialises in Planning [II] which greatly supports the skill Initiate and Succeed [I]. He will also greatly help the user form connections and relationships, giving them social advice. However, at this stage, Sunday is also prone to Overworking [III] and Loneliness [I], which affects him in a greater degree than Intermediate Sunday. The user has to directly engage with Sunday and lure him out of work actively, and provide long hours of company.

Congratulations! You now have a full-grown Sunday. He may grow up to 5’6-5’7, and does not require much maintenance. You may request a copy of accustomed accessories with the appropriate specific manual provided in the care package. Sunday's Companion Feature works greatly with Robin, and it creates more resistance to Overworking [II], [III] and Loneliness [I], and helps him feel less lonely. However, users are warned to not use this Companion feature with Aventurine or Dr. Veritas Ratio, as it may create animosity between them and stunt Sunday's growth, along with weakening his resistance to Overworking [III] and deleveling his skill, Planning [II] to Planning [I].

[victoryai]

The ascendant in Saturn persona chart 🪁🪁🪁

Alright guys!! get ready to pull out your Saturn persona chart for this post.

In simple terms Saturn persona chart reflects the traits that become more pronounced as we age particularly during our Saturn return around ages (27-30) and again at (57-60) , highlighting the qualities we work hardest to develop and the challenges we strive to overcome and what we put more effort in than others.

Now in particular, the ascendant in Saturn persona chart indicates our approach to difficulties, themes that come slowly but surely to, and what features will be more prominent during your Saturn return and advanced ages.

In short, reading the note 👇for your ascendant in Saturn persona chart will do more justice ⚖️.

ARIES ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

This ascendant explains that during your Saturn return and advanced ages you tend to be very active and direct in your dealings. Your personality evolves into something more sharper and bolder during those ages. Even as you grow older, you are full of life and vitality, always engaging in physical activities. You prefer to deal with a matter in a direct manner than to avoid it. This placement also implies the need for independence and self reliance as you grow older. Aries traits become more pronounced during saturn returns

For you, age is just a number.

TAURUS ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

This ascendant explains that you find comfort and stability during your Saturn return and advanced ages. Your whole persona becomes remarkably refined in the beautiful ways of taurus. As you age, your finances become more steady and gaining weight easily is certain. This ascendant implies the need for financial stability as you advance in age. Beauty and financial capacity is more pronounced during saturn returns.

GEMINI ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART: This placement explains that during your Saturn return and advanced ages, you find yourself undertaking frequent trips, being more intellectually inclined, focusing on research and knowledge. Information and communication is highlighted during these ages. If you have siblings, your relationship with them might also be highlighted.

The word for you is that "you might age but your mind does not".

CANCER ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

This placement explains that during your Saturn return and advanced ages, you find yourself being more concerned about your family life, parents and relatives. Your personality evolves into something more emotionally inclined and family oriented. You become more reserved and sensitive to your surroundings. During these ages, you pay extra attention to your house/home and family. This placement implies the need for emotional intelligence and lasting family bonds as you advance in age. Your body might age but your heart does not.

LEO ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

This placement explains that you find yourself more creative and childlike during your Saturn return and advanced ages. These ages will never be boring for you. Your kids will a topic of interest during these ages. You find yourself more lucky at later ages and even more open to dating and fun activities. Doing stuff that just makes you happy. It's possible to also attract fame and spotlight too, being a piece of attraction wherever you go. You might particularly need to pay more attention to your children as you advance in age.

VIRGO ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

During your Saturn return and advanced ages you become more of a routine person, being more careful health-wise and adopting orderliness in your everyday life. It's very likely that proper dieting becomes a part of you and keeping fit too. This placement might also be an indication that even at advanced ages, you don't like to be idle so you still work. With harsh aspects it could mean that you frequently fall ill 🤒 at saturn returns or advanced ages.

LIBRA ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

During the ages of your Saturn return and even in advanced ages, you find yourself having a number of acquaintances and relationships. For you, loneliness is not a word. Your personality evolves into something with charm and attractiveness, drawing in people who see it. At these ages, your attention is likely to shift from yourself to others (may include spouse), maybe you become more interested in love or interested in mingling with other people.

SCORPIO ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART Tension and secrecy is a present factor during your Saturn returns and advanced ages. You're likely to be involved with belongings and valuables of others,it could be their secrets, it could be their valuables. You might inherit something from someone or reap where you did not sow. Anything involving another party is highlighted with this placement such as a joint account or even s3x.

SAGITTARIUS ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

The desire for knowledge and enlightenment gradually becomes a part of your life during your Saturn return and advanced ages.

Going on trips to foreign lands, interested in culture and beliefs, engaging in adventurous activities, being more religious or spiritual, taking classes and attending lectures is also part of the bargain with this placement.

This placement implies that you need to strengthen your beliefs and be optimistic even as you age.

CAPRICORN ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

This placement explains that during your Saturn return and advanced years, you'll find yourself in a place of responsibility and authority too. This might also be indicating fame or popularity at older ages. Your reputation and public image is also highlighted too. As you age, responsibilities become a usual part of your life.

AQUARIUS ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

Friendship bonds, cyber activities, technology, innovative ideas and network take center role during your Saturn return and advanced years.

You're likely to become more interested and involved in social media activities, spending a lot of time with friends, believing or joining a radical group fostering unique ideas 💡.

PISCES ASC IN SATURN PERSONA CHART:

During your saturn returns and advanced years, there's a hint of isolation and introspection. It's more certain that as you age, you become more quieter, reserved and sensitive to the energies around you. There's a chance you begin to focus more on spirituality and enlightenment. You prefer to keep to yourself and your favourite companions are your dreams and thoughts.

You easily space out in conversations as is the normal tradition of pisces 😂

[milk5]

Tier list for Balatro decks on gold stake

Explanations below cut

S Tier

Blue deck

It's a 100% guaranteed bonus to both your strength and economy, which are the most important elements of the game. The others aren't even close. A little boring, but overwhelmingly strong.

A Tier

Abandoned deck

Despite breaking a few really good cards (canio, triboulet, and photograph come to mind), the smaller size enables a TON of opportunities that are not available on any other deck; modifications to cards (like suit swaps or enhancements) impact a significantly greater portion of the deck, normally nonviable hands (straight, three of a kind, etc) become viable, and some jokers get huge boosts, like ride the bus, hack, and the rare xmult-for-specific-hand-type jokers. It provides a boatload benefits for a drawback that isn't all that bad.

Yellow deck

Early game momentum is extremely valuable, and this one gives it to you for free. The benefits aren't as consistent as blue deck, and it doesn't really enable any new strategies like abandoned deck. Rock solid deck.

Red deck

An extra discard is good, but not nearly as good as an extra hand. It mostly provides some cushion from bad hand RNG, which feels pretty good. A few jokers, like castle and banner, feel a modest power boost from the extra discard. It's a nice and consistently good deck.

Zodiac deck

This one is a bit misleading. It seems like you'd be seeing fewer jokers than normal, but the opposite is true. There's a detailed explanation for this somewhere on reddit, but to keep it brief, you actually encounter more jokers per store on average. Even if the boost in jokers per-store isn't huge, I still find the extra options to be a really substantial benefit. Tarot merchant is also a very good voucher, in my opinion. I usually avoid planet merchant on other decks, but I don't mind it on this one.

B Tier

Plasma deck

This one was a lot of fun to grind out. The chip/mult balancing mechanic forced me to relearn a nice chunk of the game, and that change of pace was highly appreciated. As far as its ability to get through gold stake, it didn't feel like it was explicitly a help or hindrance -- it just felt different, and different is good.

Magic deck

Kind of gimmicky, but not bad. The extra consumable slot is a nice luxury, and the fool tarot cards provide a modest (albeit inconsistent) early game boost. If you're lucky with your start, it can work out to be like a better yellow deck. I don't fish for good early antes with restarts, so generally the impact this deck has on my run is not huge.

Ghost deck

This one is fantastic when it works out, but usually underwhelming. The problem with the initial hex card is that I usually start the game buying a random trash cards that just give me just enough +mult to breeze through the first few antes, not really cards that I want to hold on to for the entire game. The spectral cards in the store can be interesting, although it can be hard to find a useful one. Pretty inconsistent, but not bad.

Anaglyph deck

The urge to horde everything until you can pop them on a negative tag is overwhelming, but that's actually a pretty bad way to play this deck. Even if you pull this off, a most of the negatives probably won't be that useful (if not outright bad, due to rentals). I found much more success in popping the tags frequently for smaller benefits, although skipping blinds can quickly end up being quite harmful to your run on gold stake. The gimmick here is much more fun on lower difficulties.

Nebula deck

I was pretty disappointed with this one. Telescope is a fantastic voucher, but I felt really restrained by only having the single consumable slot. Clever consumable use is a very fun part of the game, and this deck really hinders doing so. Regardless, the benefit of having telescope 100% of the time is undeniable.

C Tier

Checkered deck

It's the flush deck, but it makes pure flush builds harder to win with. It makes ancient joker unusable without smeared joker, but the benefits of using this deck are invalidated by taking smeared joker. Plus, only half of the suit-specific jokers work with this build (sans smeared joker). When I was grinding it out, I found the most salient way to win was to gather ~15-20 flushes into mid game and then pivot to obelisk if possible. This deck absolutely makes the early game easier, but it was quite boring and can be burdensome in the late game.

Black deck

Unaware of how extremely punishing -1 hand is, this was the first deck that I completed. It's insanely difficult for exactly the inverse reason as to why the blue deck is the strongest. You will fail a lot more on ante 1 or 2, but after that I think the extra joker is actually a very fun bonus. I have a soft spot for this one, but it's hard to succeed with.

D Tier

Erratic deck

I found this deck to be very unpleasant. You can sometimes benefit from a disproportionately large amount of a singular suit or number, but most of the time you just get a very messy deck that's hard to build around. Not fun, but occasionally beneficial.

Green deck

Interest is a mechanic that contributes to player agency and decision making. This deck replaces interest with a marginally greater reward for stomping blinds, and an extremely punishing penalty for tight blinds. Not fun at all.

Painted deck

On high difficulties, a larger hand is a nice luxury. One less joker, on the other hand, is a debilitating drawback. Being able to find your main hand more easily is not at all worth the strength loss from fewer jokers. I found myself relying primarily on getting carried by high tier jokers, which isn't fun.