#we are in a delicate balancing act

[tennessoui]

if you're still looking for things to help with your cough: hot tea with honey is good. or hot apple cider. anything non-dairy and warm really. also steam and moist heat are good. If your cough is worse at night, I find that sleeping propped up instead of flat can help. oh! it might help your ribs to hug a pillow tightly to your chest when coughing. no idea why but it seems to help reduce the pain for me. feel better soon!!

ooo you are actually not the first person to suggest steam and moist heat to help, which is interesting because i've never heard this before!! apparently it is a common thing where i live because i have had two friends and one concerned mother of a flatmate tell me to put my head over a bowl of hot water and breathe in the steam - i will be trying this tonight, right after i try your apple cider tip (because i love apple cider so i need very little excuse to have a cup 🧡)

and apparently pushing something like a pillow against your ribs while coughing helps with stabilization? or puts pressure on them, which is a good thing 🫡

thank you so much for these tips <3

[two-sides-halved]

Jail Break | @blackstardiopside

The sound of a melody lingering in the darkness, a voice unfamiliar to the young fusion before he woke with a start. He looked around the room he was now in. He groaned as he got to his feet, feeling the pulsing pain in his right eye from the blackeye that he was given from being headbutt by Jasper. He looked around seeing that he was in a cold, green cell. There was no toilet, no sink, no bed…. it seemed more barbaric than any cartoon jail that either of the Stevens had ever witnessed, but of course, this was a jail made for a Gem… they don't eat, they don't need to go to the bathroom, they don't need to sleep. "Where are we?" He had muttered to himself, themselves. He was still sort of new to the whole fusion thing, and this was the first time since he's seen action was being eaten by a corrupted fusion of gems that he had deemed a giant bird.

As the fusions pink colored eyes with their differently shaped and colored pupils, a white star in his semi swollen right eye and a black diamond in his left. They scanned around the room for more information of their settings, their eyes landed on the piss yellow colored forcefield keeping them contained in this jail cell. A subtle air of hopelessness filled the air. His eyes squinted as the fusion had thought.

"Wait, this holding sell was built to hold gems… that's why Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl haven't come to bust us out… so that means it's up to us." The pupils of their eyes changed to white as the fusion following Human's logic pushed their finger tips against the barrier, he jolted backward the pupils turning black. "Ah!! That feels weird… I don't like it…"

"Just like I thought, it was made to keep a gem contained… but we're not just a gem… just bare with me… I think we can get through this just… let's push it a little further ok? Ok…" The fusion took a deep breath, their pupils turned turned to their respective colors of white star in their right eye and a black diamond in their left, as the fusion pushed through the forcefield with some resistance. The yellow destabilization field started trailing up their arm lighting up just beneath the skin in the pattern of something similar to a circuit board. "Ewww… Cool!" The fusion replied with a tone of discomfort before shifting to a tone of interest, then pushed through the barrier fully, a shiver trailed down their shared spine, frizzing out their fluffy dual toned hair.

"Uh… hello… are you ok?" The fusion asked, startling the gem in the cell. The gem in question was a Ruby... not that the fusion would know that. She had long red fluffy hair that went down to just below her shoulders. She had a dark red pair of shoulder pads, a matching belt and thigh high boots. She had a maroon vest with matching shorts with a sort of pinkish or really light red v neck type shirt underneath where the points of the v had met where her gemstone was. The gemstone in question looked almost familiar to the fusion cause it sported a 5 facets with a square at the center and was the same placement as Garnet's own.

"We're out… Wooo!" Steven Squared pumped their fist as if they scored a goal, before shaking his head reminding themselves they need to get back on task. "Gotta find the gems." He headed down the hallway, almost passing another gem before it sounded like she was going through literal torture despite her just being alone in the cell.

"Is that another gem? She looks frustrated…"

"Steven, we don't know this gem… we need to find Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl…"

"Yea but she could help us find the others."

"Or she could be dangerous like the other homeworld gems… do you really wanna risk that?"

"Steven, she needs our help… I'm sure if we show a little kindness we'll get home sooner than us having to deal with this ourselves… please just trust me on this."

"Fine."

She slammed her fist into the wall beside her. The fusion stood back on guard from the sound, checking the hallways wanting to make sure that Jasper or Peridot wouldn't find them.

"Great, this is just perfect!" The red gem said aggravated, raking her fingers through her long fluffy red hair.

The fusions left eye twitched a bit, indicating that Gem Steven was getting irritated with the confusing mixed signals, while Human Steven was focused on the gem wanting to help in any way they could. The gem then paused turning to look at Steven Squared. "Wait… how did you get out of the forcefields?" She asked seemingly more confused than frustrated at this point.

"Do you need any help?" The fusion asked.

"No!! I mean… ugh… don't look at me, just go away." The other huffed with an irritated grumble, turning away from the fusion.

"Oh… well, I just sort of walked through it like this." He replied, demonstrating by pushing his hand through. The gem behind the barrier went to warn them but seeing as they could just pass through confused her even more. She attempted to do the same and yelped as the barrier had made her form glitch out. "What's going on here?"

Before the fusion could answer the question about how he was half human, the melody from before could be heard once more. The pupils on the fusion turned from their black and white colors respectively turned to completely black pupils in both eyes as his tone of voice seemed confused. "Is someone singing?"

"Sapphire." The red gem replied.

Steven Squared holding the forcefield open, breathing heavily as the weird feeling and the tingling spread showing more of these circuitry lines under neath his skin. His voice sounding like he was talking into a fan. "And we'll do this together." She slide out form underneath the arch that Steven had created and already started running down the hallway.

"Sapphire... is she your friend? We- er I'm looking for my friends too.... well they are more of my family, but either way..."

"Let me outta here, please! I need to find Sapphire!" The gem spoke with desperation in her voice, almost to the point where she was pulling at her hair again. "She's all alone, I need to find her!"

"Right. We'll find our friends." He replied holding the forcefield open.

Steven Squared followed the hyper focused red gem, "Hey. My name's Steven... what's yours?" He asked attempting to get some sort of name to go with their face, only to be met with a harsh. "Quiet..." She held her head again, before muttering about being unable to see. Steven Squared seemed confused since the gem could clearly see him before, was the panic over this Sapphire causing her some sort of blindness. He paused, before the unnamed red gem headed down the corridor, while Steven Squared did his best to keep up.

Eventually coming across another gem. The outline of the dress excited the red gem before her expression soured seeing that it was Lapis. "Oh... it's just you..." She racked her fingers through her hair as she passed around. Steven Squared looked at Lapis through the piss yellow barrier that shielded the colors from him other then the various shades of yellow that the force field had tinted her gems light formed body. "Lapis?"

"How many other gems are trapped here?"

"Don't know, don't care." Before she skidded to a stop, in front of the window. Steven Squared pausing to admire the beauty of out space despite the current situation they were in. Before his attention was brought back from the pretty look of the Earth viewed from the Homeworld ship they were on, hearing the red gem note that Sapphire had stopped singing, and ran down the hall way again.

The fusion was so glad to see a familiar face but seeing her new form implied to them that she was hurt when she had left to return to homeworld. Gem Steven's thoughts swirling into a frenzy.

"This bitch."

"Steven, be nice."

"Steven, be serious here... how the hell would the other gems know where we lived? Homeworld hadn't bothered Earth for thousands of years then suddenly this bitch heads home and we have gems knocking at our front door like the FBI... she told homeworld where we lived... I mean look at her."

"Yea, she looks like she was hurt badly like Pearl was when I was first learning how to sword fight."

"Or, she was just given a fancy new set of clothing and status and this is just a fucken front to make us sympathize with the enemy!"

"Steven! She was trapped in a mirror for thousands of years."

"Yea, and you ever think to why she'd be trapped in a mirror if it weren't for being a double crossing backstabbing two sided bitch? Even she told the gems off for not knowing who she was like they had a clue in the first place... bitch."

"Steven, she was upset for being trapped for thousands of years... look at her... she looks so scared and lost."

"Yea, she's so lost and scared, and she totally knows who I am in every way, shape and form, because I'm totally a liar and she knows me better than I know myself... oh wait she doesn't know jackshit about me and then claimed that I wasn't who I said I was... then went back to the same people who put her into the fucking mirror in the first place. I don't trust her."

"Steven, I know that you and her got off on the wrong foot, but clearly she needs our help... please."

"UGH, fine, we will offer our help... if she does anything to piss me off I say we bounce... I'm not gonna waste my time to help someone who doesn't appreciate the help I've already given her."

"Steven, you healed her gem because you thought she was a tool..."

"Well, maybe she should have told Pearl in the 1000s of fucking years that she was in a mirror that she was actually a gem who was nice and trapped in a bad situation, but nah, fuck that idea, I guess."

"Steven, be nice... you don't know how it was to actually be in the mirror and forced to work all the time... maybe she never thought to ask for help because she didn't think it was an option to ask for help."

"Bull fucking shit, how the fuck are you able to capture and replay moments you've witnessed while in a mirror during a fucking war yet never witnessed someone yelling for back up or that they're trapped?? Cause she was talking to you but she was using moments she had watched and she replayed them in all sorts of orders to create cohesive sentences when she was talking with you, so I don't wanna hear that 'oh maybe she never thought to ask for help.' You are the perfect kind of person to be manipulated because you are so wonderful and kind and trusting and she's a bitch, who played you like a fucking fiddle."

Gem Steven's rage made the fusions left fist clench into a ball, wanting to punch this gem in the face for calling them disgusting. It was one thing for her to be upset about being trapped, he could understand being falsely accursed for crimes that he didn't commit since not even half an hour ago, he was confronted with Jasper calling him by his mothers name... hell, he even recalled Lars telling them off about how their 'weird' mom had ruined his chances with the cool kids, because NO ONE IN THAT GROUP HAD THE COMMON SENSE TO STAY OUT OF A TAPED OFF AREA THAT SAID "KEEP OUT" ALL OVER IT.

The fusion rolled their eyes before the pupils went from black to white as he went to talk to Lapis. Lapis seemed joyed to hear the familiar voice, until she turned around and saw the two of them fused together. It was already unheard of for two gems to fuse of different rankings to fuse, but a gem and a human, it was even more disgusting than two gems fusing. The look of disgust clear on her face, shot a small pang through the fusion's chest.

"Lapis... I can get you free." The fusion had stated despite Lapis' clear disgust in seeing them.

"Stop!"

"It's ok, Lapis, the barrier doesn't hurt me..."

"No, I don't want your help! Things were bad enough on Homeworld." She held herself. "I've already made too much trouble."

"See I told you she ratted us out."

"Steven, shhh."

"Once we get to homeworld, they are gonna decide what they are going to do with us... and it'd be best if you got out of that disgusting form you're using." Lapis remarked.

But this was not just some jerky teenager, or some dumbass from Steven's school, or a battle hardened gem who didn't know or bother to learn his name... this was someone his brother cared about openly calling them disgusting for just showcasing their close bond as brothers. It made his cheeks burn red with rage, but Human Steven's calming presence and gentle touch on his arm caused the fusion to mimic the motions of trying to hold back his arm from raising a hand against another person.

"Lapis... do you really wanna stay trapped in this prison instead of letting me help?"

"UGH, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS." Ruby yelled in the middle of their conversation as she sped off. The fusion turned, Gem Steven shared the sentiment but Human Steven was determined to convince Lapis. He was her beach summer fun buddy after all.

"Steven... or whatever you call this thing, I don't know what you're trying to do, just stop. If we do everything they say they might go easy on us."

His pupils went from both being white to having the usual white and black with his left eye twitching from the sheer irritation that this gem is putting him through. "But they're mean... they hurt my friends, they hurt my face... they put you in a jail cell... and you're just gonna sit there and take it?? Because they might go easy on us??"

"That's why we can't fight them."

Steven Squared's eyes shifting colors to having black pupils again, the rage evident in his voice.

"That's why we should! This is not the kinda thing that my mom had stood for, she stood against the tyranny of homeworld, that's why this big war was fought for Earth and you're telling me to forget all that my mom fought for and to sit back and just let it happen?!"

Steven Squared looking Lapis in the eyes with his pure black pupils, while his right arm holds his left arm back, before it relaxes as he turns away so only the black diamond eye is looking back.

"Ugh, I don't expect you to understand a thing, you're just some freak. If you really valued your brother like you claim, you'd stop this nonsense and just go back to your cell and just let them decide what's best."

Steven Squared clenched his teeth shut, Gem Steven was this close to fighting this so called scared, lost, defenseless gem while she was in her cell, but Human Steven held him back.

"Steven, we don't have to keep trying to convince her... we should find the gems... we can try and help her later."

"No... I told you already that I am not going to waste my time with anyone who doesn't appreciate my help... if she'd rather have Homeworld punish her for crimes she didn't do, so be it."

"Steven..."

"No, don't 'steven' me with that tone of voice... er... internal echoey voice thing... I told you we'd offer she told us to fuck off, end of discussion... Like the other gem, we don't have time for this. We need to get the gems, and get back home."

"Fine.. you don't want our help.. enjoy your punishment while we get off this ship and leave you here since you clearly made your bed, I'll let you lie in it." Lapis held herself, and the fusion went to go find where the red gem had rushed off too.

Eventually, heading down just the right hallway with a branching hallway that the fusion hid in. As Peridot and Jasper had walked by. "We can't leave yet! The whole point of this mission was to check on the cluster!"

Jasper huffed irritated before slamming her fist on the wall by one of the sealed up cells. "STOP SINGING!"

"Go to Earth, they said... it'll be easy, they said." Peridot walking down the hallway not seeing the short fusion in the hallway adjacent before heading out as soon as the coast was clear, then walked to the gem who was in her cell, and singing again.

Peridot shrunk down a bit at the noise, before Jasper turned, "Rose Quartz take's priority." Peridot looked a bit irritated, as Jasper continued. "Go back to the bridge and set a course for Homeworld."

Peridot lingering behind before Jasper walks away.

"Thank you, Steven." She replied ducking under the others self made archway. The Sapphire in question was about Steven's height. She had a light blue short bob cut with an almost off white bluish tiara accessory, with a strapless dress that had a heart shaped top with blue shall that went over the darker blue dress that covered her legs, and she sported a pair of nearly full arm length gloves.

"Hey... I like your song." The fusion smiled, "You must be Sapphire... the other one said that was your voice."

"You escaped?"

He pushed through the barrier, letting her through the forcefield.

"Of course..." Much like before the fusion sounded like they were talking into a fan as the ushered her out the opening they made. "Come on it's safe."

Steven Squared paused, confused on how the other already knew his name, but before he was given time to respond with a thanks or ask how she knew his name. They heard the gem from before yell out Sapphire's name, and without so much as another word, the blue gem, held the fusion's hand and zoomed down the hall before they were at the other end of the hallway.

The two gems start smooching and hold each other close, Ruby scooping up Sapphire into her arms, and spinning around with the other as they giggled. Steven Squared paused, questioning if he should be watching this but couldn't look move to look away or cover his eyes, only to be met with the sight of the two of their forms merging into one another, revealing Garnet.

"Ruby!" She let go of Steven as the other two embarrassed each other.

"Did they hurt you?"

"No, no, I'm ok... Did they hurt you?"

"Who cares?"

"I do!"

"Garnet, you're a fusion?!"

"So are you!" She smiled and held his cheeks.

"We are??" He looked down at himself. "Oh right, I am... so uhh... did we make a good first impression?"

"Aww, Steven, we already love every part of you rather you're together or not." She holds the other close in a hug. Thought it was short lived with Jasper let out a bloodcurdling scream wondering where she was.

Steven Squared nodded, and headed out of the room that would be home to Garnet and Jasper's fight, eventually finding Amethyst and Pearl, freeing them, then heading to the control bridge catching Peridot off guard, she attempted to use a destabilizer on Steven Squared, but he held it despite the weird tingling it had given him, he snapped it in two, while Amethyst tied her up in a whip, while Pearl took over the controls. Steven Squared watching on the screen seeing Garnet and Jasper fighting, while Peridot then used the escape pod to leave and she was flung somewhere into the great North.

"It's Jasper. You need to find the others and get to the control bridge."

"We don't know where they are."

Garnet smiled and give them a kiss on the forehead passing their future vision to him briefly. "Haha, fusion vision... wait are you gonna be able to take her on all alone?"

"Don't worry Steven... I'm never alone." She replied with a wink.

Human Steven had a pang of worry about Lapis, and debated with his brother while still in the fusion on rather or not they could go back for her, only for Garnet to return and tell them that the ship was going to crash and to brace for impact.

"What about Lapis?!" Human Steven's worry evident in the fusion's voice. "There's no time!" Garnet replied. Before she huddled everyone into the corner as the ship had finally crashed into the side of the temple, making a massive explosion, spreading shrapnel everywhere.

It was calm only briefly until Jasper had crawled out of the debris of the destroyed handship. She huffed and puffed. It was surprising she didn't poof with the amount of energy she was hit with when she was knocked into the the ship's power source. She snarled upset, "Don't think you've won, you only beat me because you're a fusion...if I had someone to fuse with I'd.--" Jasper was interrupted mid sentence by Lapis pushing off other shrapnel. She huffed, seeing Jasper coming she tried to fly away only to but pulled back by Jasper.

Lion eventually seeing the explosion from where he was taking a nap, then went to go find the crystal gems, smelling out for the sent of Gem Steven's gemstone, eventually finding them. Lion had freed them from the rubble with a powerful destructive roar, then the bubble that the fusion of Stevens had created to keep them safe, had dropped the three of them giving him props for his quick thinking and faster actions.

"hey buddy." Steven Squared replied as Lion joined in on the cuddle pile, before Steven Squared gasped. "I can't believe you're a fusion all the time!"

"You met Ruby and Sapphire?"

"Oh no.... we were going to introduce you... Garnet, your plan."

"We were waiting for your birthday."

"We can still do it... we'll just pretend we didn't know. Honestly I kinda forgot that I was even a fusion myself... but something feels kinda right about being like this... kinda comforting." He replied, as they got up.

Jasper holding her by the wrist. "Aw, don't fly off so soon."

"Lapis!" Human Steven's worry for Lapis being justified in the moment when she was being held by the very same gem who hurt Garnet, who hurt him, who ruined his future birthday surprise, the gems as well as his own left arm had to hold the fusion back from trying to run to intercept Jasper and Lapis' interaction as Jasper continued to talk to Lapis.

"Lapis, listen, fuse with me."

"What??"

"How long did they keep you trapped her on this miserable hunk of rock?" She dropped her to where she landed on her knees on the dirty ground. "These gems... they are traitors to their homeworld. They kept you prisoner, they used you, this is your chance to take revenge!"

Lapis looked over at the gems, her gaze solely on Steven Squared, seeing the white pupils looking at her, begging, pleading silently with her. "Come on... just say yes."

"Lapis, don't do it. Please..." He was being held back by the gems, by his own left arm, but Human Steven's personality shining through, while Gem Steven's nagging thoughts were put on the back burner, as he held his tongue hoping hoping maybe Lapis could see the right decsion.

Lapis look shifted into anger, how dare this abomination order her around. Then she turned to Jasper and held out her hand, in which Jasper took it. they danced. "Lapis No!"

Their gems glowing before the two of them fused into a massive fusion sporting 6 arms, featuring traits from both the Lapis Lazuli and the Jasper, before the fusion laughed raising the ocean to form some sort of shaky wave before the fusion itself was surprised by the water taking form of ice chains. It was clear that Lapis was was in control of that moment, Jasper trying to separate the fusion but the ice chains held them together the fusion in Lapis' voice telling them, "I'm sick and tired of everyone always using me for some sort of gain... I was their prisoner, I was your prisoner, and now your my prisoner and we're staying on this miserable planet, TOGETHER." Then they were dragged out of sight by the Earth's ocean that Lapis had control over.

Steven Squared looked out on the water, before the two of them unfused. Both of them sporting a black eye over their right eyes. Gem Steven's was more of a pink rose patterned bruise while Human Steven's looked more like a traditional bruise. Lion went over to comfort them while placing cookie on the ground between the two of them, laying down in a protective manor over the three of them, while Pearl double checked over both of their bruises worried about how the Steven's were handling having black eyes.

[euclydya]

everyone in this system is so fucking funny about one of our friends like "oh god what if we're bothering him by sending Too Many Asks" and I'm like lmao? i doubt he thinks that?? chill out??? it is not that big a deal? jesus christ y'all are a MESS lmfao

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

I think the funny thing is that worship teams, in my experience with pretty chill nondenominational churches, tend to have weirdly specific ecosystems. the vocal leader and the keyboardist are best buddies. sound techs and visual techs tend to have beef, for whatever reason. backup singers and/or vocalists who don't play an instrument usually need a confidence boost. sound techs and the rhythm section are basically telepaths with each other. the drummer is always a goofball. the visual media tech is all but all-knowing. everything is held together by duct tape and prayers.

[egophiliac]

Your first initial impressions of any Twst character vs your current feelings about them?

honestly, my perception of pretty much every character went through some metamorphosis of "this guy looks like a jerk" to "oh, he's a stupid jerk? now hold on." it's all about that balancing act between a dark brooding asshole and a dark brooding asshole who is also totally ridiculous, and it really does make ALL the difference.

perhaps most ironically, I've mentioned before that I was absolutely not into the Diasomnias at first, because the impression the website gave pre-release was somehow even less favorable than for everyone else and I was mad at Lilia for getting my hopes up for a token girl). and then we got their stories and, well, I kind of just haven't stopped thinking about them since. 🤷

also, I went in thinking that Crowley was going to be. y'know. competent at his job. a helpful guide. a mysterious yet caring mentor figure, a fitting leader for this band of delicate young magic waifs with their fancy little magic outfits and their perfect, perfect hair. I've never been so glad to be wrong.

[esotericalchemist]

𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧 ☽˚｡⋆.

Masterlist - YouTube (subliminals)

The rising sign in astrology represents the lens through which we view the world and the role we are meant to play in it. It is the path we walk, guiding how we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. Each Ascendant reveals unique lessons around identity, purpose, and self-expression, pushing us to evolve beyond surface-level appearances. While the rising sign shapes our external persona, its deeper influence lies in the soul’s journey toward greater self-awareness and growth. Understanding your rising sign uncovers the hidden themes of your life, offering insight into how you can align your personal power with your soul’s purpose.

𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with an Aries Ascendant (or Rising sign), your soul’s journey revolves around mastering the art of initiation, courage, and self-leadership. As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries rising invites you to be a trailblazer, carving out your unique path. But the deeper lesson isn’t just about boldness or pioneering—it's about learning to direct your fiery, primal energy into purposeful, conscious action.

The Ascendant represents the life path you’re destined to walk, the persona you present to the world, and the first impressions you leave behind. With Aries rising, your approach to life is direct, assertive, and often fueled by a sense of urgency. However, beneath the surface, the true lesson for Aries Ascendant is not simply about pushing ahead with sheer force. It’s about mastering the wisdom of restraint—knowing when to act and when to pull back, reflect, and allow things to unfold. Courage, for you, isn’t always about charging forward; it also lies in standing still, surrendering control, and trusting the process.

On a soul level, Aries Ascendant is learning the delicate balance between independence and interdependence. While you’re meant to express your individuality and trust your instincts, your journey often brings challenges that teach you to consider the needs and perspectives of others. Many Aries rising souls come into this world with a karmic imprint of defending themselves or proving their strength, only to discover that true strength lies within, not in external validation.

The Deeper Path of Aries Ascendant

Embracing Self-Leadership: You are here to lead by example, but true leadership inspires others, not controls them. Your challenge is to balance your fierce independence with empathy, learning that influence comes through inspiring, not overpowering.

Mastering Impulse and Patience: While your nature drives you to act swiftly, the real power comes from learning to pause. Patience becomes your greatest ally as you refine how and when to channel your fiery energy.

Understanding the Self through Challenges: Life may feel like a series of battles, but wisdom comes from discerning which ones matter. Growth arises when you learn when to push forward and when to let go, realizing that not every conflict is worth engaging.

Initiation and New Beginnings: You excel at starting new ventures, but your journey is about seeing them through. A key lesson is learning to stay committed to projects and relationships, even when the initial excitement fades.

Developing Emotional Maturity: Acting on emotion comes easily, but you’re learning that true strength is found in emotional wisdom. Responding thoughtfully, rather than reacting impulsively, is the key to personal growth and empowerment.

Learning to Work with Others: Though independence is your cornerstone, collaboration will teach you invaluable lessons in balance. Engaging with others doesn’t mean losing yourself—it enriches your growth and deepens your understanding of shared purpose.

Healing the Wounded Warrior: You might feel the need to constantly defend yourself, but healing arrives when you let down your guard. True power isn’t found in endless battles; it’s discovered in cultivating inner peace.

Learning about Boundaries and Balance: Knowing when to forge ahead and when to step back is crucial. Your path is about striking a balance between action and rest, independence and connection, intensity and calm.

The Soul’s Path of Aries Ascendant

Aries Ascendant souls are here to embody courage, but not in the way it’s traditionally defined. Your journey is about discovering that courage goes beyond charging into battle or proving your strength. It’s about showing up as your authentic self, facing your fears, and stepping confidently into the unknown. You are here to explore self-discovery, leadership, and the impact your actions have on the world.

In this lifetime, you’re being called to balance your warrior spirit with wisdom, your fierce independence with meaningful connection, and your impulsiveness with patient reflection. The deeper lesson for Aries Ascendant is that true leadership comes from within, and the most powerful battles are often the ones fought in the heart.

This is the path of Aries Ascendant—full of fire, passion, and initiation, but ultimately guiding you toward a more evolved expression of personal power and authentic selfhood.

𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

With Taurus as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey centers on mastering stability, self-worth, and building something enduring. Ruled by Venus, Taurus rising gifts you with an appreciation for beauty, comfort, and the material world. Yet, the deeper lesson for this Ascendant lies in understanding how to balance your innate desire for security with the need for personal growth. While Taurus Ascendant individuals often seek peace and simplicity, their true path involves learning to embrace change without sacrificing their inner grounding.

The Ascendant represents your approach to life, the energy you project, and the path you are destined to walk. As a Taurus rising, you move through life with steady determination, always seeking to build security and foster an environment of peace. However, the challenge with this sign is recognizing that true security doesn’t come from material possessions or external comforts—it resides within. You are here to cultivate a deep sense of inner worth and stability that transcends the physical realm.

Taurus Ascendant people come into this life to confront their relationship with value—both in terms of self-worth and their connection to material success. There is often a karmic lesson in releasing rigidity and embracing flexibility. Clinging too tightly to comfort and familiarity can prevent true growth. Ultimately, your journey is about creating something lasting—whether that’s a legacy, a relationship, or a profound sense of self. Yet, knowing when to let go is as vital as knowing when to hold on.

The Deeper Path of Taurus Ascendant:

Building Inner Security: You are here to discover that true security is born from within. Developing a strong sense of self-worth and inner peace is a fundamental part of your soul’s journey.

Embracing Change: Though you naturally value stability, life often calls you to embrace change. Flexibility is your greatest opportunity for growth, allowing you to evolve while maintaining your grounding.

Learning Patience and Persistence: Your nature is steady and patient, but your lesson is in discerning when persistence serves you and when it keeps you stuck. Finding balance between patience and progress is key.

Exploring Self-Worth Beyond Material Success: While you may seek comfort through material possessions or accomplishments, your deeper journey involves learning that true value stems from self-acceptance, not external achievements.

Mastering the Art of Letting Go: Taurus rising often clings to what is familiar, but you are here to understand the power of release. Letting go of attachments opens the door to greater abundance and inner peace.

Connecting to Earth and Body: With a strong connection to the physical world, you are learning to balance indulgence with discipline. Grounding yourself in nature and maintaining your physical well-being supports your spiritual growth.

Balancing Pleasure and Responsibility: While you find joy in life’s pleasures, your path involves learning to balance enjoyment with duty. True fulfillment comes from integrating both pleasure and purpose, savoring life while honoring your commitments.

Developing Emotional Resilience: Although you prefer emotional stability, life will challenge you to cultivate inner resilience. Facing emotional tests builds lasting strength and helps you navigate life's ups and downs with grace.

The Soul’s Path of Taurus Ascendant:

As a Taurus rising, your soul’s journey is about building a strong and lasting foundation—one capable of weathering life’s inevitable changes. While you are driven to create security, comfort, and stability, the deeper lesson is that true security must come from within, not from external accomplishments or possessions. You are learning to embrace change without losing your sense of grounding and to balance your desire for peace with the courage to grow and evolve.

Your path is one of patience, persistence, and understanding the true value of what matters. While Taurus energy moves at a slow and steady pace, you are also learning that sometimes you must release what no longer serves you in order to make room for greater opportunities. The essence of Taurus Ascendant lies in recognizing that lasting security is an inner state, not defined by external conditions, but by the strong, self-assured foundation you build over time.

𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Gemini as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering communication, adaptability, and intellectual exploration. Ruled by Mercury, Gemini rising imbues you with a boundless curiosity and a deep desire to understand the world. Your path is one of constant learning, gathering knowledge, and forming connections. However, the deeper lesson of Gemini Ascendant isn’t just about acquiring information but learning how to integrate that knowledge meaningfully and discovering your own truth amid the flood of endless possibilities.

As a Gemini rising, you approach life with a flexible, versatile mindset, always seeking new experiences and perspectives. Your natural talent lies in connecting with others through conversation, ideas, and social engagement. However, your challenge is learning how to ground yourself and find focus amid the myriad of interests and possibilities that captivate you. While your adaptability is a gift, your true growth comes from channeling your mental energy toward something that carries real meaning and depth.

On a soul level, Gemini rising individuals are here to learn how to balance their mental agility with emotional depth and consistency. While you excel at seeing multiple perspectives, your challenge is staying true to your own voice without being overly swayed by external opinions or influences. Gemini Ascendant souls often come into this life with a karmic need to develop focus and discernment, understanding that not every path is meant to be explored, and not every connection is meant to endure.

The Deeper Path of Gemini Ascendant:

Mastering Communication: Your journey involves using your natural gift for communication to forge meaningful connections. The challenge is learning to communicate with depth and sincerity, rather than skimming the surface.

Finding Focus Amid Variety: While you thrive on variety, your soul’s evolution comes from focusing your mental energy. You’re here to learn that depth, rather than breadth, often brings the most lasting growth.

Balancing Logic and Emotion: Though you may lean heavily on logic, your deeper lesson is about harmonizing intellect with emotion. True wisdom lies in balancing both the heart and the mind.

Learning to Commit: You’re energized by change, but the deeper challenge is learning to commit—whether to relationships, projects, or ideas. You’re here to stay with things long enough to see them fully bloom.

Discovering Inner Truth: With so many perspectives and ideas swirling around you, your path involves uncovering what resonates as true for you. Your journey isn’t just about absorbing information but integrating it in a way that aligns with your inner essence.

Embracing Stillness and Reflection: Though you prefer motion and mental stimulation, your growth lies in embracing moments of stillness. Reflection gives you the clarity to process and integrate your diverse experiences.

Understanding the Power of Words: You’re quick-witted and articulate, but part of your journey is realizing the true impact of your words. Words can heal or harm, and you’re here to use them consciously and with intention.

Learning to Ground Mental Energy: Your mind is constantly active, but your soul’s lesson is about grounding this mental energy. Cultivating practices that center and calm your mind will help you stay focused and present in the moment.

The Soul’s Path of Gemini Ascendant:

As a Gemini rising, your soul’s path is one of exploration—of ideas, experiences, and human connections. While your curiosity drives you to explore new horizons, the deeper journey is about focusing your energy and translating what you learn into something meaningful. You’re here to master the balance between your quick, adaptive mind and the emotional depths that anchor you, understanding that true wisdom is not just found in facts but in the meaning you derive from your experiences and connections.

Your journey also teaches you the immense power of words and communication—not just as a tool for gathering knowledge, but as a force for creating understanding and fostering healing. As you grow, you will learn to use your adaptability not as a way to avoid commitment but as a means to gracefully navigate life’s complexities. The essence of Gemini Ascendant is about mastering the art of connection, both with others and within yourself, so you can move through life with purpose and clarity.

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Cancer as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey centers on mastering emotional depth, nurturing, and creating a sense of belonging. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer rising connects you deeply to your emotional world, family, and home. Your approach to life is sensitive, intuitive, and driven by a desire for emotional security. However, the deeper lesson of Cancer Ascendant isn’t solely about protecting your emotions—it’s about learning how to nurture without losing yourself. Your soul’s path is to cultivate security from within, rather than depending entirely on external circumstances for comfort.

With Cancer rising, you instinctively care for others and form strong emotional bonds, but the key to your growth is finding balance. You must learn how to protect your own energy while offering support, recognizing that boundaries are necessary to sustain your emotional well-being. This placement highlights not just emotional sensitivity but the need to develop resilience and to navigate the ebb and flow of life’s emotional tides.

On a soul level, Cancer Ascendant people are here to confront their relationship with vulnerability, family patterns, and emotional security. You may come into this life with unresolved emotional experiences from the past, making it essential to explore and heal your deeper emotional self. Your challenge is learning how to embrace vulnerability without becoming overly defensive or retreating into self-protection. As you progress on this journey, you’ll discover that true emotional security is cultivated within, not through external validation or control.

The Deeper Path of Cancer Ascendant:

Emotional Mastery: Your journey is about balancing emotional sensitivity with resilience. You’re here to understand that vulnerability is not a weakness but a source of strength when approached mindfully.

Creating Inner Security: While you seek comfort in relationships and family, the deeper lesson lies in developing emotional security within yourself. No external source can truly provide the lasting security you desire.

Balancing Nurturing with Boundaries: You have a natural instinct to care for others, but your path involves learning to set boundaries. Saying no when necessary is key to preserving your emotional energy and well-being.

Healing Family Patterns: You may carry emotional imprints from family or even past lives. Part of your journey is to heal these patterns and create a healthier emotional legacy for yourself and future generations.

Trusting Intuition: Cancer rising blesses you with strong intuitive abilities. You’re here to learn how to trust and follow your inner guidance, using it to navigate challenges and safeguard your emotional well-being.

Learning to Flow with Change: Ruled by the ever-changing Moon, you’re here to embrace life’s natural cycles and transitions. Learning to release emotional attachments that no longer serve you is essential for growth.

Embracing Vulnerability: While you may feel the need to protect your heart, your deeper journey is about being open. True intimacy comes when you allow yourself to be vulnerable and trust in the process.

Caring for Yourself as You Care for Others: You are naturally a caregiver, but part of your lesson is learning to nurture yourself. True caregiving starts with self-care, and you must nourish your own emotional needs before giving to others.

The Soul’s Path of Cancer Ascendant:

As a Cancer rising, your soul’s path is deeply intertwined with emotions, family ties, and the quest for security. However, your greatest growth comes from realizing that true security comes from within. You are here to master the art of nurturing—not just for others but for yourself as well—while maintaining healthy emotional boundaries. While you may feel deeply connected to your roots and family, your evolution depends on healing past emotional wounds and breaking free from patterns that no longer serve you.

Your journey is one of emotional mastery. It’s not about avoiding your feelings but about fully embracing them and understanding their impact on your life and relationships. As you grow, you’ll come to realize that true strength lies in emotional openness and resilience, not in hiding behind protective walls. The essence of Cancer Ascendant is about building a foundation of inner security, allowing you to nurture both yourself and others from a place of emotional wholeness.

𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Leo as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey is about embracing self-expression, leadership, and discovering your unique personal power. Ruled by the Sun, Leo rising grants you a magnetic presence, a strong need for creative expression, and a drive to leave your mark on the world. However, the deeper lesson of Leo Ascendant isn’t simply about seeking attention or standing in the spotlight—it’s about finding authenticity and purpose in the way you shine. You are here to explore your inner light, not for external validation, but to honor your true self.

As a Leo rising, you approach life with boldness and confidence that can inspire others, but your journey also involves learning humility. Your soul’s path includes balancing your innate charisma with self-awareness and leading without overpowering. While you are naturally drawn to leadership roles, the deeper lesson is understanding that true leadership comes from empowering others, not just yourself. You are here to learn how to lead with heart, using your talents to uplift those around you, rather than seeking control or approval.

On a soul level, Leo Ascendant individuals are here to explore their relationship with ego, self-worth, and how they define success. You may come into this life with lessons around self-importance, learning that true greatness is measured not by external achievements, but by the depth of your authenticity and your ability to inspire others. The challenges you face will push you to move beyond superficial validation and into a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly seen for who you are.

The Deeper Path of Leo Ascendant:

Embracing Authentic Self-Expression: You’re here to fully express yourself, but the key lesson is about authenticity. True self-expression comes from the heart, not from a need for approval or validation.

Balancing Ego and Humility: While you naturally seek recognition, your path involves balancing confidence with humility. True leadership isn’t about always being in the spotlight—it’s about empowering others and lifting them up.

Discovering Inner Confidence: Leo Ascendant teaches you to find confidence from within. External validation can be fleeting, but real strength comes from knowing your worth, regardless of others’ opinions.

Learning the Art of Leadership: You are destined to lead, but authentic leadership involves inspiring others to reach their potential. Your challenge is to lead without overshadowing or dominating those around you.

Tapping into Creative Power: You are a natural creator, but your journey is about using your creative energy for a purpose greater than yourself. You’re here to create not just for attention, but to leave a meaningful impact.

Facing the Fear of Rejection: As a Leo rising, you may fear not being seen or appreciated. Your path involves learning that rejection doesn’t diminish your worth—it’s part of the growth process and helps you develop resilience.

Letting Go of Superficial Validation: While admiration energizes you, your deeper lesson is finding fulfillment beyond external praise. True recognition comes from being true to yourself, not from performing for others.

Leading with the Heart: Leo Ascendant teaches that true power comes from the heart. You’re here to learn how to lead with compassion and authenticity, using your gifts to inspire and uplift others.

The Soul’s Path of Leo Ascendant:

As a Leo rising, your soul’s journey centers on personal empowerment, creativity, and learning how to shine in an authentic way. While you are naturally drawn to leadership and recognition, your deeper lesson is about using your gifts to inspire others rather than seeking approval. You’re here to embrace your inner light, learning that true greatness comes not from external achievements but from living with integrity and heart-centered purpose.

Your path is about discovering what makes you truly unique and expressing it boldly. However, the challenge lies in balancing this self-expression with humility and service to others. As you grow, you’ll learn that being seen isn’t just about standing out—it’s about connecting with others through authenticity, inspiring them to find their own light. The essence of Leo Ascendant is leading with love, creativity, and a deep understanding that your true power comes from the heart, not the ego.

𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Virgo as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering the art of service, discernment, and self-improvement. Ruled by Mercury, Virgo rising gifts you with an analytical mind, a deep need for order, and a desire to refine both yourself and the world around you. However, the deeper lesson of Virgo Ascendant isn’t about striving for perfection—it’s about embracing imperfections in both yourself and others, while still working toward improvement. You are here to develop the skill of discernment over criticism, learning to balance your drive for excellence with compassion and acceptance.

As a Virgo rising, you approach life with responsibility and practicality, always seeking ways to improve, organize, and serve. Yet, your journey also involves understanding that true service comes from a place of humility and self-compassion. While you often seek control through routines and structure, your path teaches that life’s greatest growth comes from adapting to change and embracing the inevitable messiness. The challenge is to realize that not everything can be perfected or fixed—acceptance is just as important as improvement.

On a soul level, Virgo Ascendant individuals are here to explore their relationship with control, health, and their need to feel useful. You may enter this life with a strong sense of duty and a desire to prove your worth through productivity. However, the deeper lesson is that your value doesn’t stem from how much you do or how perfect you are, but from living your life authentically. Learning to let go of the constant need for improvement and finding peace in simply being is a key part of your growth.

The Deeper Path of Virgo Ascendant:

Embracing Imperfection: You’re here to improve both yourself and others, but your deeper lesson is to accept imperfection. True growth occurs when you understand that flaws are an essential part of the journey.

Balancing Service with Self-Care: As a Virgo rising, you naturally focus on serving others, but the deeper challenge is learning to care for yourself as well. Balance is essential—you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Letting Go of Over-Control: While order and routines help you feel secure, your path involves learning to adapt. True mastery lies in flexibility, not rigidity.

Learning to Trust the Process: You are analytical and often seek the “right” way to do things, but your journey involves trusting that not everything can be planned or perfected. Let life unfold as it’s meant to.

Developing Emotional Intelligence: While Virgo rising tends to focus on practical matters, your deeper lesson is developing emotional intelligence. Balancing logic with empathy and intuition is key to your growth.

Transforming Criticism into Discernment: You have a keen eye for detail, but your growth involves using discernment rather than criticism. Your insights are meant to uplift and heal, not to judge or hurt.

Healing the Need for Perfection: Virgo rising often feels pressured to be perfect, but your journey is about releasing that burden. Your value comes not from what you do, but from who you are at your core.

Finding Meaning in Service: You are drawn to helping others, but true service comes from the heart, not obligation. The deeper lesson is to serve with love and find joy in uplifting others.

The Soul’s Path of Virgo Ascendant:

As a Virgo rising, your soul’s journey is about refining your ability to serve, improve, and discern, but it also challenges you to balance this with self-acceptance. While you are naturally inclined to seek perfection, your deeper lesson is embracing the imperfections that make life real and meaningful. You are here to master the art of service, not through judgment or criticism, but through humility and compassion.

Your path involves learning to trust the process, understanding that not everything can be controlled or perfected. As you grow, you will find that true peace comes from accepting yourself and others as they are, while still striving for personal and spiritual growth. The essence of Virgo Ascendant is about healing and service, using your analytical gifts to better the world, but always with an open heart and a sense of inner peace.

𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Libra as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey centers around mastering balance, relationships, and the art of harmonious connection. Ruled by Venus, Libra rising endows you with natural grace, charm, and an innate desire for peace and beauty. While Libra rising is often seen as diplomatic and cooperative, the deeper lesson of this Ascendant goes beyond maintaining harmony with others—it’s about finding true balance within yourself. You’re here to learn that harmony begins inside, and that relationships flourish when you honor your own needs just as much as those of others.

As a Libra rising, you instinctively seek fairness and equality, always mindful of how your actions affect those around you. However, your journey also requires learning how to assert your individuality without losing yourself in the pursuit of keeping the peace. The path for Libra Ascendant involves integrating the self with others, balancing giving and receiving, and understanding that sometimes conflict is necessary for growth. This rising sign challenges you to cultivate inner equilibrium, so you can navigate life with poise while not relying on external validation or approval.

On a soul level, Libra Ascendant individuals come into this life with lessons around partnership, self-worth, and decision-making. You may struggle with indecision, trying to please everyone, but your deeper growth comes from learning to make choices that reflect your true values. Libra rising is about mastering the art of relationships—not just in romance, but in all interactions—by learning to assert your needs without fear of disrupting the peace. Ultimately, you are here to explore the dynamic interplay between self and others, creating harmony through authentic, balanced connections.

The Deeper Path of Libra Ascendant:

Learning to Balance Self and Others: You’re here to master the balance between your own needs and the needs of others. True harmony arises when you honor yourself while fostering genuine connections.

Cultivating Inner Peace: While you seek external harmony, your soul’s journey is about developing inner peace. External balance is a reflection of your internal state, and true peace comes from within.

Mastering the Art of Decision-Making: Libra rising often struggles with indecision, but your path involves learning to make choices with confidence. The deeper lesson is trusting yourself and standing firm in your values.

Embracing Conflict for Growth: Although you prefer peace, part of your journey is about accepting conflict as a catalyst for growth. Not all tension is negative—sometimes it’s necessary for deeper understanding and evolution.

Balancing Relationships and Independence: You thrive in relationships, but your growth lies in balancing partnership with independence. You are here to learn that you can be whole on your own, while still deeply connected to others.

Finding Authentic Expression: While you’re naturally diplomatic, your deeper lesson is to express your truth, even if it disrupts the harmony. Genuine relationships are built on authenticity, not just agreement.

Learning to Give and Receive: Libra rising tends to focus on giving, but your journey also involves learning to receive. You’re here to find balance between generosity and allowing yourself to accept support.

Developing Inner Confidence: While external validation may feel important, your path is about building inner confidence. You’ll learn that your worth isn’t determined by others’ approval but by your own sense of self.

The Soul’s Path of Libra Ascendant:

As a Libra rising, your soul’s journey revolves around balance—both in relationships and within yourself. You are here to master the art of connection, learning how to create harmonious interactions without sacrificing your individuality. While you’re naturally inclined to avoid conflict, the deeper lesson is recognizing that true peace sometimes requires difficult conversations or decisions. You’re learning to stand firm in your truth, even when it challenges the external harmony you cherish.

Your growth comes from embracing the complexities of relationships, understanding that balance doesn’t always mean compromise. Often, it means knowing when to assert yourself and when to yield. The essence of Libra Ascendant lies in finding harmony across all aspects of life, from relationships to personal values, while maintaining an authentic and confident sense of self. As you grow, you’ll discover that true beauty and peace come from within, and that the most meaningful connections are built on mutual respect, authenticity, and balance.

𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Scorpio as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering the themes of transformation, power, and emotional depth. Ruled by Mars and Pluto, Scorpio rising brings intensity, magnetism, and a profound need to understand life’s mysteries. While often perceived as secretive, determined, and complex, the deeper lesson of Scorpio Ascendant is about navigating the cycles of life, death, and rebirth—both in literal and metaphorical terms. Your path is one of constant transformation, where you’re called to shed old identities, face your fears, and embrace the unknown.

As a Scorpio rising, you approach life with intensity and purpose, always seeking to go beyond surface-level experiences. Whether it’s in relationships, career, or personal growth, you are drawn to explore the depths. However, the challenge of this rising sign is learning to let go of control and trust the process of transformation. Often, you resist change out of fear of vulnerability or loss, but the real lesson here is that true power comes from surrender, not control. Your path involves facing your shadow, healing from past wounds, and emerging stronger, more empowered, and more authentic.

On a soul level, Scorpio Ascendant individuals are here to explore themes of power, control, intimacy, and trust. You may come into this life with karmic wounds related to betrayal, abandonment, or emotional trauma, making it essential to heal and transform these energies. Your lesson is to move through life with courage and emotional depth, rather than fear or mistrust. Ultimately, you’re here to discover the alchemy of transformation, using the challenges you face to evolve into a more resilient and powerful version of yourself.

The Deeper Path of Scorpio Ascendant:

Mastering Transformation: You’re here to experience cycles of change, growth, and rebirth. Embracing transformation, rather than resisting it, is key to your soul’s evolution.

Balancing Power and Vulnerability: While you crave control, your deeper lesson is that real power comes from vulnerability. Being open and emotionally honest makes you stronger, not weaker.

Learning to Trust: Trusting others can be difficult for you, but your path involves learning to trust both yourself and those around you. Healing past betrayals allows you to open up to deeper connections.

Facing Your Fears: Scorpio rising challenges you to confront your deepest fears—whether it’s fear of loss, betrayal, or emotional exposure. True growth comes from facing these fears head-on.

Healing Emotional Wounds: You carry intense emotional energy, but your journey is about healing past wounds instead of letting them define you. Emotional transformation is central to your path.

Mastering Intimacy: You crave deep, meaningful connections, but your lesson is to balance intimacy with personal freedom. True closeness comes when you let go of control and allow trust to build naturally.

Using Power Wisely: You have a magnetic presence and influence over others, but your soul’s lesson is to use your power responsibly. Manipulation or control will backfire—authentic empowerment is your goal.

Surrendering to Life’s Mysteries: Scorpio rising calls you to embrace life’s mysteries rather than trying to control every outcome. Trusting the process of life, and knowing when to surrender, is key to your growth.

The Soul’s Path of Scorpio Ascendant:

As a Scorpio rising, your soul’s path centers on deep emotional and spiritual transformation. You are here to master the cycles of death and rebirth—not just in a literal sense, but in how you handle change, loss, and personal evolution. While you naturally crave control and intensity, your true growth comes from learning to let go of fear and embrace vulnerability as a source of strength.

Your journey involves healing past wounds, facing your shadow self, and discovering that real power lies in surrender, not domination. As you evolve, you will learn to channel your emotional depth and intensity into meaningful transformation, both for yourself and others. The essence of Scorpio Ascendant is about rising from the ashes, continually transforming into a more empowered, authentic, and resilient version of yourself. True strength is found in vulnerability, and your path is one of embracing both the light and shadow aspects of life with courage.

𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Sagittarius as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering freedom, exploration, and the pursuit of truth. Ruled by Jupiter, Sagittarius rising brings a natural optimism, a thirst for adventure, and an insatiable desire for knowledge. While this sign is often associated with wanderlust and philosophical exploration, the deeper lesson of Sagittarius Ascendant is about understanding that true freedom comes not just from external exploration, but from inner growth and wisdom. You’re here to expand your horizons and deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you.

As a Sagittarius rising, you approach life with a sense of adventure, constantly seeking new experiences, cultures, and ideas. However, the challenge of this rising sign is learning to balance your desire for freedom with responsibility. While you may resist confinement and seek constant exploration, your deeper growth lies in recognizing that structure and commitment can be tools for deeper exploration rather than limitations. Your soul’s path is about discovering that true expansion comes from integrating life’s lessons and cultivating wisdom, not just seeking the next thrill.

On a soul level, Sagittarius Ascendant individuals come into this life with lessons around belief systems, truth, and personal growth. You may have a karmic need to break free from dogmatic thinking or rigid structures from past lives, pushing you to seek your own truth. However, the deeper challenge is to understand that freedom isn’t simply about escaping or rebelling—it’s about finding meaning and purpose in what you explore. Ultimately, your journey is about aligning your adventurous spirit with a deeper sense of purpose and inner wisdom.

The Deeper Path of Sagittarius Ascendant:

Seeking Inner and Outer Freedom: You’re here to explore the world, but the real lesson is discovering freedom within yourself. True liberation comes from personal growth and wisdom, not just external adventures.

Balancing Adventure with Responsibility: While you crave freedom, your journey involves balancing exploration with responsibility. Commitment, when aligned with your values, can deepen your experiences rather than limit them.

Discovering Personal Truth: You’re naturally drawn to philosophies and belief systems, but your deeper path is about finding your own truth. The lesson is to explore openly without clinging to rigid beliefs or dogma.

Facing Restlessness: Sagittarius rising often brings a sense of restlessness, constantly seeking new horizons. Your growth involves learning that true satisfaction comes from integrating your experiences, not just chasing the next adventure.

Cultivating Wisdom: Ruled by Jupiter, your journey is about expanding your mind and heart. True wisdom is gained not just by learning, but by applying that knowledge to create a meaningful and purposeful life.

Learning to Commit: You may resist commitment, fearing it will limit your freedom, but your deeper lesson is understanding that commitment can lead to deeper fulfillment. True freedom can coexist with dedication to a path, person, or idea.

Expanding Beyond the Self: While Sagittarius rising drives you toward personal growth, the greater lesson is about contributing to something larger than yourself. You’re here to use your wisdom and experiences to inspire and uplift others.

Balancing Idealism with Realism: You’re naturally optimistic, but your journey involves grounding your ideals in practical reality. True growth comes from aligning your grand visions with actionable steps and realistic goals.

The Soul’s Path of Sagittarius Ascendant:

As a Sagittarius rising, your soul’s journey is about seeking and expanding—both in terms of knowledge and experience, but also in spiritual growth. You are driven by a need to explore, learn, and discover, but the deeper lesson is finding a sense of inner freedom that transcends external circumstances. Your path involves balancing your desire for adventure with the wisdom gained from reflection and commitment.

You’re here to explore not only the physical world but also the realms of philosophy, spirituality, and personal growth. However, your growth comes from understanding that constant movement and external exploration aren’t always the answer. Sometimes, stillness, reflection, and deepening your understanding of life’s lessons bring the greatest expansion. The essence of Sagittarius Ascendant is about the pursuit of truth, meaning, and wisdom—using your experiences to live a life aligned with your highest ideals and values. Ultimately, your journey is about finding freedom in every aspect of life—mentally, spiritually, and emotionally—so you can inspire others to do the same.

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Capricorn as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering discipline, responsibility, and the path of self-mastery. Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn rising brings a strong sense of purpose, ambition, and a deep desire to build something lasting. While Capricorn is often associated with success and structure, the deeper lesson of this Ascendant involves learning to align your external achievements with inner values. You’re here to walk a path of steady progress, embracing patience, persistence, and the understanding that true mastery takes time.

As a Capricorn rising, you approach life with a pragmatic and grounded perspective, often driven by long-term goals and a sense of responsibility. However, the challenge is balancing your external ambitions with inner fulfillment. You may feel pressured to meet societal expectations or climb the ladder of success, but your deeper journey involves finding meaning in what you build. Capricorn Ascendant isn’t just about material success—it’s about creating something that reflects your soul’s purpose and inner integrity.

On a soul level, Capricorn Ascendant individuals come into this life with lessons around authority, responsibility, and self-worth. You may carry karmic imprints of feeling burdened by duty or a need to prove your worth through hard work. However, the deeper lesson is understanding that true success isn’t defined by external validation—it’s about achieving inner mastery. You are here to take responsibility for your life, while also realizing that rest, emotional nourishment, and flexibility are vital to the journey.

The Deeper Path of Capricorn Ascendant:

Mastering Discipline and Patience: You’re here to build something lasting, but your lesson is understanding that real success takes time. Patience and consistent effort are crucial to your soul’s growth.

Balancing Ambition with Inner Fulfillment: While you strive for external success, your journey involves learning that true fulfillment comes from within. Aligning your goals with your deeper values is essential.

Letting Go of External Validation: Capricorn rising often feels the pressure to meet societal expectations, but your deeper lesson is learning that your worth isn’t defined by status or achievements.

Embracing Emotional Vulnerability: Though you project strength, your soul’s path involves learning to open up emotionally. True strength comes from vulnerability and allowing others to see your softer side.

Building a Legacy with Integrity: You are driven to create something meaningful, but the real lesson is about doing so with integrity. You’re here to build a legacy that reflects your inner values, not just external success.

Learning the Value of Rest: Capricorn Ascendant often pushes too hard, but your journey involves recognizing that rest is as important as work. Balance is essential for long-term success and well-being.

Taking Responsibility for Your Life: While you are naturally responsible, the deeper lesson is taking full ownership of your life’s direction. This involves letting go of blame and embracing your power to shape your destiny.

Transforming Fear of Failure: You may fear failure or struggle with self-doubt, but growth comes from understanding that mistakes are part of the journey. True mastery is built on resilience and learning from setbacks.

The Soul’s Path of Capricorn Ascendant:

As a Capricorn rising, your soul’s path centers on responsibility, perseverance, and the art of building something enduring. You are here to master discipline, but not at the expense of your emotional well-being. While you are naturally driven to achieve success in the material world, your deeper lesson is about aligning those achievements with your inner truth. You’re here to learn that true success isn’t measured by external accolades, but by the integrity, purpose, and fulfillment you find along the way.

Your journey involves learning to embrace vulnerability, rest, and emotional nourishment—understanding that these are essential for long-term success. Capricorn Ascendant teaches you that while hard work and ambition are important, balance is key. As you grow, you’ll realize that true mastery comes from building a life that reflects both your external goals and internal values, creating a legacy that is both meaningful and sustainable. Ultimately, the essence of Capricorn Ascendant is about walking the path of self-mastery, building something lasting, and achieving success that aligns with your soul’s purpose.

𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Aquarius as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering individuality, social consciousness, and revolutionary thinking. Ruled by both Saturn and Uranus, Aquarius rising combines the discipline and structure of Saturn with the innovation and radical change of Uranus. While Aquarius is often seen as progressive, detached, and intellectual, the deeper lesson of this Ascendant involves balancing your unique vision with the need for meaningful connection. You’re here to push boundaries, challenge societal norms, and break free from outdated structures, but the real growth lies in using your individuality to uplift the collective.

As an Aquarius rising, you approach life with a strong sense of independence, often feeling like an outsider. You are driven by a desire to explore unconventional paths, question authority, and seek out new ideas. However, the challenge of this rising sign is learning how to maintain your individuality without isolating yourself emotionally. While freedom is important to you, your soul’s journey is about integrating your personal ideals into the larger collective. You’re here to learn how to use your visionary thinking to create meaningful change, both for yourself and society.

On a soul level, Aquarius Ascendant individuals come into this life with lessons around community, freedom, and innovation. You may struggle with balancing your desire for autonomy with the need for connection, often resisting conformity or traditional structures. However, the deeper lesson is that true freedom doesn’t come from rejecting all limitations—it comes from mastering the balance between independence and collaboration. You are here to revolutionize, but also to build meaningful relationships that honor both your individuality and the needs of others.

The Deeper Path of Aquarius Ascendant:

Embracing Individuality with Purpose: You’re here to be different, but the lesson is about using your uniqueness for a higher purpose. True individuality comes from aligning your personal vision with collective progress.

Balancing Freedom with Connection: While you crave independence, your growth involves learning to balance this with meaningful relationships. True freedom doesn’t come from isolation but from mutual respect and shared goals.

Learning to Lead with Vision: You’re a natural visionary, but your path is about leading in a way that inspires others. Your ideas are revolutionary, but you must ground them in reality to create lasting change.

Mastering Detachment and Emotion: Aquarius rising can lead to emotional detachment, but your journey is about learning when to engage emotionally. Progress comes from both intellect and heart.

Breaking Free from Old Structures: You’re driven to challenge the status quo, but the lesson is about doing so constructively. Revolution is necessary, but you’re here to replace outdated systems with something meaningful and sustainable.

Embracing Your Role in the Collective: While you’re fiercely independent, your growth comes from recognizing your place in the larger community. You’re here to uplift others with your ideas, not just stand apart.

Innovating with Integrity: You’re a natural innovator, but your deeper lesson is about using your ideas with responsibility. True progress comes from integrity and care for the greater good.

Finding Freedom Through Structure: While you resist restriction, you’ll learn that some structure is essential for long-term progress. True freedom comes from discipline, allowing your vision to take form.

The Soul’s Path of Aquarius Ascendant:

As an Aquarius rising, your soul’s path revolves around blending innovation with responsibility, individuality with community, and intellectual freedom with emotional connection. You are here to be a trailblazer, challenging conventional thinking and creating new paths for others to follow. However, your deeper lesson is learning that true progress isn’t just about breaking free from the old—it’s about building a new, more enlightened future that benefits everyone.

Your journey involves balancing your desire for personal freedom with the understanding that meaningful change comes from collaboration. You’re here to lead, but not from a place of detachment—instead, you’ll find your greatest strength comes from connecting with others and uplifting the collective with your unique vision. The essence of Aquarius Ascendant is about creating a new world, one where individuality and community coexist, where innovation serves humanity, and where freedom is found through the integration of personal and collective growth.

𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭

If you’re born with Pisces as your Ascendant, your soul’s journey revolves around mastering compassion, spiritual growth, and the ability to transcend the material world. Ruled by Jupiter and Neptune, Pisces rising brings a natural connection to the unseen realms, deep sensitivity, and a desire for unity. While Pisces is often associated with dreaminess, creativity, and emotional depth, the deeper lesson of this Ascendant is about learning to navigate life’s illusions and emotional complexities. You’re here to cultivate inner wisdom, spiritual awareness, and the ability to merge with the collective consciousness, all while maintaining a strong sense of self.

As a Pisces rising, you approach life with fluidity and openness, often seeing beyond the surface and into the emotional or spiritual core of situations. However, the challenge of this rising sign is learning to balance your sensitivity with boundaries. Pisces Ascendant can blur the lines between self and others, making it easy to absorb the emotions and energies around you. Your path involves finding a way to serve and heal without losing yourself in the process. You are here to develop discernment, knowing when to give and when to protect your own energy, so you can stay connected to both the physical and spiritual worlds.

On a soul level, Pisces Ascendant individuals come into this life with lessons around compassion, service, and mastering emotional boundaries. You may feel drawn to escape the harshness of reality or struggle to ground yourself in the material world, but your deeper growth comes from learning to balance your spiritual sensitivity with practical action. Ultimately, you are here to bring your dreams and ideals into the world, using your innate compassion to inspire and heal while staying connected to your own truth.

The Deeper Path of Pisces Ascendant:

Balancing Sensitivity with Boundaries: You’re deeply empathetic, but your lesson is learning to protect your energy. Boundaries are essential to avoid emotional overwhelm and maintain your sense of self.

Learning to Ground Your Spirituality: You’re naturally connected to the spiritual realm, but your growth comes from grounding that energy in the material world. Your challenge is turning dreams into reality.

Mastering Emotional Discernment: While you’re deeply intuitive, part of your journey involves learning to discern between your own emotions and the energies you absorb from others. Clarity comes from emotional awareness.

Healing Through Compassion: Pisces rising gives you the gift of compassion, but you’re here to learn that true healing comes from balance. You can’t save everyone, and your journey involves understanding when to step back.

Navigating Life’s Illusions: You may be prone to seeing life through rose-colored glasses, but your soul’s growth involves facing reality without losing your optimism. The lesson is in balancing idealism with practicality.

Serving Without Sacrificing Yourself: You’re naturally inclined to serve others, but your deeper path is learning to give without losing yourself. True service requires self-care and personal boundaries.

Embracing the Unknown: Pisces Ascendant teaches you to flow with life’s uncertainties, embracing the unknown rather than fearing it. Your spiritual growth lies in surrendering to life’s mysteries.

Bringing Dreams into Reality: While you’re naturally idealistic, your soul’s journey is about manifesting those ideals in the physical world. You’re here to learn how to take your visions and make them tangible.

The Soul’s Path of Pisces Ascendant:

As a Pisces rising, your soul’s journey is about merging the spiritual with the material, using your deep sensitivity to heal and inspire those around you. You are here to master the balance between compassion and self-care, learning that true service comes from a place of strength, not sacrifice. While you may be tempted to escape the harsh realities of life, your deeper lesson is about embracing both the seen and unseen worlds, finding a way to bring your spiritual insights into practical form.

Your growth comes from learning to navigate life’s illusions, finding clarity amid the emotional and spiritual currents that surround you. As you evolve, you will discover that true fulfillment comes from turning your dreams into reality, using your gifts of empathy and intuition to uplift others while maintaining your own emotional and spiritual integrity. The essence of Pisces Ascendant is about transcending the ordinary, finding meaning in life’s mysteries, and sharing your compassion and wisdom with the world in a way that honors both your soul and the greater collective.

Masterlist - YouTube (subliminals)

[heavysighing-dreamyeyes]

"Why do you still love me?"

Red Hood is a mask for Jason Todd. It's a front. The last line of defense from a world that's only ever been harsh to him. You're well aware of that, well aware of his need to protect himself.

He acts like two separate people sometimes, whether he's donning the mask or not. You've gotten used to it, the harsh juxtaposition between vigilante and civilian, between the boy you knew and the man that you know now.

It's why you're so surprised, after helping him take down one of Black Masks' shipments, he stops you when you go to leave, fingers curled around your wrist.

He breathes out your name, your real name, and asks, "Why do you still love me?"

It's the first time you've seen the line between Red Hood and Jason Todd blur. It nearly leaves you speechless. A part of you bristles, wanting to be defensive. To demand to know how he even knows that.

But his hand is digging into your skin, his shoulders are tight, and he seems desperate, like his very world hinges on your answer.

So you tell him the truth, "Because I can't stop. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to."

He says your name again, almost frustrated, "I'm not good. I'm not– I'm not worth it."

"I don't think that's for you to decide," you say simply, tugging your wrist free, "It doesn't change how I feel."

He drops your wrist reluctantly, helmet tilted towards you, "You'll regret it."

If he's annoyed by the subject change, he doesn't show it. He just softens his voice, "Yeah. See you tomorrow."

"I haven't yet," you tell him, grinning with all the confidence you can carry.

"I'll disappoint you," he protests, tucking his hands in his pockets, as if he needs to do something to keep from reaching for you again.

"Or I'll disappoint you," you counter, shrugging like the thought doesn't bother you, "We really can't be sure."

You think you nearly get him to laugh, and he falls quiet, thoughtful, his gaze never straying from you.

"I'll see you tomorrow for that Penguin case, okay," you ask, fondness spilling into your voice and smile.

You leave him to think about it in the chilly Gotham air. He'll understand, eventually, that you aren't going anywhere.

Until he does, you're happy to navigate between Jason Todd and Red Hood, to walk the line between less and more with him. It's a delicate balance, but to you, he's always been worth the wait.

[bread-crum206]

A Game of Hearts

Chapter eight: Cracks in the Armor

Summary: Y/N’s father is a VIP for the games, he makes a deal with the Frontman that if he marries his only daughter that he will continue to sponsor the games. However, Y/N is not fond of this decision as she loathes the games and in turn, loathes the Frontman as well. Will she grow to love him? Will he let his walls down?

previous | 8 | next

Series Masterlist

The day that followed felt like a delicate balancing act. You and In-ho moved through it like two people walking on tightropes—never quite crossing the line, but always just teetering on the edge of something more. The small moments that had once seemed so insignificant were starting to carry weight. A glance that lingered too long. The sound of his voice, softer than usual when he spoke to you. The way he seemed to watch you when he thought you weren’t looking.

It was these tiny shifts, these tiny changes, that were starting to wear on you. Each second you spent in his presence, you felt like you were learning something new about him, even when he said nothing at all. His mask was always on, and yet, for some reason, you were starting to see past it. Or maybe you were just starting to look harder. Either way, it felt like something was shifting. Something was changing.

But the more time passed, the more you wondered if it was all in your head. Was it real? Did he really feel what you were starting to feel? Or were you simply projecting your own desires, your own confusion, onto him?

The thing was, you couldn’t deny it anymore. There was something. Even if it was just a flicker. A fleeting moment that was too brief to hold on to, but still too strong to ignore.

That morning, you had just finished breakfast. The sound of silverware scraping against your plate echoed through the quiet room as you set it down, the clink of it loud in the otherwise still air. You weren’t in the mood to talk, but you could feel the tension hanging between you and In-ho. It had been there for days—this quiet undercurrent that neither of you had addressed. Something unsaid. Something hanging in the space between you, getting heavier by the minute.

He had walked into the quarters from the sprawling hallways of the complex, his usual mask in place, the slight hum of his footsteps on the polished floor the only noise as he approached. The tablet in his hands was open to some report, something to do with the Games, no doubt. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t looking at you. You weren’t looking at him either, but the silence was suffocating. Every minute felt like it was stretching out in slow motion.

It was unbearable. And you couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Why are we doing this?” The words spilled from your mouth before you could stop them. Your voice cracked, breaking the calm like glass shattering underfoot. It wasn’t even a question you had thought through. It was more of a desperate plea for something—clarity, understanding, maybe even a glimpse of the truth behind the mask he wore so rigidly. You didn’t even realize how much emotion was in your voice until it came out.

In-ho’s eyes flicked up from his tablet, his gaze flickering toward you. His jaw tightened, the briefest of flickers passing through his dark eyes, but his expression remained unreadable. “Doing what?”

“Playing this game,” you said, the frustration in your chest leaking into your words. You stood up from the table, pushing your chair back a little harder than necessary. The tension was suffocating, crawling under your skin like ants. “Pretending everything is fine when it’s not. Pretending that this” you gestured between the two of you, “is fine. Pretending that this marriage is fine. That everything in this place is fine, when nothing about it feels real.”

You wanted to take the words back immediately. To shut up. To go back to the cold silence where everything was easy to hide behind. But it was too late. You’d said it, and now it was out there, hanging like a raw nerve between you. The words felt like a release, but they also felt like a mistake. You had no idea what to expect from him.

In-ho was silent. His eyes were still locked on you, but the look in them had shifted, no longer the calculated distance that he usually kept, but something deeper. Something heavier.

“I don’t know,” you muttered, more to yourself than to him. “I just… I can’t keep pretending. Can’t keep going through the motions when it feels like we’re both stuck in a game neither of us wants to play.”

In-ho set the tablet down on the counter, his fingers lingering on the edge for a second before he finally looked up at you. He didn’t speak right away. His expression was distant, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes, a recognition. Maybe even a kind of understanding.

“Because we have no other choice,” he said, his voice low and quiet. There was no edge to it, no anger or frustration—just an emptiness. Like he had said it a thousand times before, and maybe he had. The words didn’t sound like an explanation; they sounded like resignation.

You stared at him, your heart pounding in your chest, frustration and sorrow mixing together. “But that’s just it, isn’t it?” you whispered, shaking your head slowly. “We don’t have any other choice. And that’s why everything feels like it’s slipping through our fingers. Like we’re drowning, but we can’t even admit it.”

There was a heavy silence that followed your words. You could feel his gaze on you, his eyes watching, studying. You wanted him to say something. Anything. But he didn’t. And you couldn’t bring yourself to speak again. It felt like if either of you said anything more, something inside would break.

You didn’t know how long you stood there, just looking at him, feeling the weight of the moment press in on you both. The room felt small, too small for all the things you had just laid bare.

And then, for the first time in what felt like forever, In-ho spoke.

“I know,” he said simply, his voice quieter than before, like the words had drained the last bit of weight from him. “I know exactly what it feels like.”

The words landed like a punch to the gut, and you felt your breath catch in your throat. He knew. He knew. The realization hit you hard. The man behind the mask, the man who had spent so long behind walls of silence and distance, was human. Just like you. He was stuck too.

He didn’t say anything else. But at that moment, you didn’t need him to. The truth between you felt like a raw nerve, an open wound that neither of you knew how to heal. But it was the first time you hadn’t felt like you were talking to a stranger.

You felt like you were talking to someone who understood the weight of this world—the weight of the Games. The weight of being forced to play a role you didn’t choose. You weren’t alone.

In-ho looked down, his fingers rubbing the edge of his tablet absently. “I didn’t sign up for any of this either,” he muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for you to hear. But the words were there. He didn’t sign up for this.

You weren’t sure what it meant, but in that moment, it felt like the first crack in the wall he’d built around himself. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

Before you could speak again, he turned towards his office. His back was to you as he walked toward the door, but just as he reached it, he stopped.

There was a long pause before he spoke again. His voice, softer now, more human than you’d ever heard it.

“I didn’t choose this either,” he said quietly, almost as if to himself. He turned back to you, his mask still in place, but there was something different in the way he stood. “But I’m still here.”

And with that, he walked into his office, leaving you alone in the room, the weight of the conversation hanging between you like the air after a storm it was heavy, thick, full of possibility.

———————

Chapter eight!!! Yippee! Lemme know what you think! 🫶

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[pretty-little-mind33]

James Potter x muggle fem!reader

Summary: Three weeks after his devastating break up with Lily, James wanted Remus and Sirius to bring him to a muggle bar in central London.

Genre: Fluff / prequel to my fic Timeless / pt.2 Sweeter Than Fiction

Warnings: swearing, mentions of injury, intoxication

Remus has warned him him has always had a flair for the dramatics.

"I mean, why did I even like her?" James slurs loudly as he slams his whiskey glass onto the counter, white foam spilling over his hand, and he curses.

Remus rests his hand on James's arm to shush him and he glances over at Sirius with a concerned expression for their friend. "Prongs, you promised you were okay," his eyebrows quirk and, crossing his arms, he looks at James with a saddened expression.

James's eyes just narrow and he nods his head furiously, "I am okay," He insists, "I just don't understand why – "

When James flings out his arms in exasperation, his hand accidentally collides with your hip as you pass by. All the wine glasses you had been balancing on your tray suddenly shatter to the ground with a loud crash. Sirius and Remus hurry to stand as the spilled alcohol barely misses their trousers.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry," You say, clearly embarrassed as you kneel down and frantically pick up the shards of glass as everyone turns to stare.

"Woah," James cries as he jumps up. Just as he starts to warn you not to hurt yourself, you cut your palm and hiss in pain. James is immediately kneeling next to you and, with a movement unusually delicate for someone so drunk, moves to hold your wrist in his hand, "Shit, that looks nasty." He mutters.

You look at him, "Yeah, it hurts like a bitch," you say plainly and stand. James drops your wrist. Sirius hands you a napkin and you press it to the wound.

James stands next to you now and you look at all three of them. "I'm sorry again, I hope I didn't spill any on you. Shit, I'm gonna lose my job for this," you look away, your hair falling in front of your eyes as you groan.

"No. Don't worry. We aren't hurt or anything, right guys?" James exclaims, again a little too aware for someone so drunk and slaps Sirius on his back.

Sirius frowns and sends him a knowing look but smiles at you reassuringly as Remus nods. "So, you really shouldn't get in trouble and," James adds, "Hey, I don't think you're okay…" His train of thought seems interrupted by the amount of blood on the napkin.

You glance down, eyes widening, "Oh, shit yeah," you tilt your head up, feeling heat rise in your cheeks, and look at them bashfully, "Fuck, ah—sorry I keep cursing. This just hurts a lot. I think I have to clean go it."

James eyebrows crease for a moment as he watches you turn around and quickly walk away, the bloody napkin still pressed to your hand.

"Oh," his eyes light up like a child when you turn around and address them over the loud bar, "Thank you," you say with a smile and while he's unsure why you're thanking him, his stomach fills with a thousand butterflies.

"You're doing it again," Sirius mutters, sipping his drink as he stares at his friend.

"Hmm?" James doesn't tear his eyes away from you until you disappear behind some curtains into a back room.

"You have that look on your face, the one you wear right before you do something stupid," Remus finishes sternly.

James's eyes roll, acting less drunk than he seemed earlier. Almost as if you sobered him up a little.

"Oh please," he lies, "When have I ever done anything stupid?"

* * *

James leans against the brick of the building, a cigarette in his mouth. His cheeks are flushed from the cold air as he looks around. The street is dimly lit and barely anyone is around at this time of night.

He smiles as he pulls the cigarette from his mouth. He had convinced Remus and Sirius to let him have a smoke outside. Something told him you would be out here. James has always been lucky with that sort of thing.

Tonight proves him right because he sees you leave out the backdoor. Your hand seems to be bandaged as you delicately shut the door. You're bundled up in a scarf and a coat that looks a little oversized. James wonders if that means you have a partner. He moves away from the wall and walks over.

"Hi," he clears his throat, making you jump.

You turn around and he can tell you're trying to recognize him in the darkness but then your eyes widen. "Oh, hi!" you exclaim, your voice coming out a little squeaky as you push down your scarf a little. "Can I help you?" you ask him.

James smiles and shakes his head. "I just wanted to apologize," he pauses when he sees your expression shift into confusion, "I'm the one that caused you to slip and hurt yourself. Here?" he adds and holds out his hand to sit on the curb.

He can tell you hesitate to follow him. Understandably. You don't take his hand but you walk with him further away from the building. You sit down and James leans his hands on his knees as he looks at you. "M'name is James. Potter, James Potter."

You laugh, smoothing a hand down your jeans, "You say that like James Bond," you smile but your smile drops when James doesn't look like he understands the reference. You don't mention it. "My name is Y/n Y/l/n, it's nice to meet you, James Potter."

"I hope you don't mind me asking this but you aren't fired are you?"

You shake your head, "Oh, no, thankfully." You look up at him a little bashfully, "I was just more worried than I should have been. I'm not the best at this job."

"Mmm, don't say that. You wouldn't have dropped the tray if I hadn't bumped you," James says reassuringly.

"I'm just clumsy," you chuckle. James smirks a little and tilts his head.

"Do you want to go out tomorrow? I know a good restaurant." He says it so bluntly you can't help but stare at him like he's grown two heads.

"What?"

"I wanna take you out," James pauses, backtracking as his cheeks burn pink, "If you'd like."

Your mind seems to be racing uncontrollably and James feels a little guilty. He doesn't want to pressure you. Could he have misread something? Or maybe he'd just imagined it all.

He stands up and dusts his pants. Usually, James wouldn't be one to up so easily but if he'd learned anything from Lily — persistence isn't the way into someone's heart.

"Wait," you stand up with him, looking into his eyes, "I would love to go out with you." You smile so wide your eyes squint and something in James's chest stirs as he can't help but smile at yours.

You laugh and it's contagious. Then, you walk up to James and rummage through your bag. Once you find your pen you scribble your number onto his palm with difficulty. "This looks much easier in the movies," you mumble with the cap in your mouth. James chuckles, looking at his palm to make sure he can read every number clearly.

"Call me?" you whisper, tucking your pen back into your bag as you look up at James.

"I will," he says, and one day later (he only waited that long because he couldn't figure out how to work the muggle phone) he does.

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

How about Aegon and twin sister after death of jaehaeryss he needs to ahve another heir but he doesn't want to have one with heleana. he wants you

Request: Aegon and twin sister being in love but he married Helaena instead and wants YOU to have his babiess and be the next conqueror

Warning: mention of pregnancy, mention of child death,

my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time

—

After the murder of Jaehaerys, things changed inside the keep. Aegon enforced the security and diminished the number of people who were allowed inside Maegor's Holdfast. His family lived there, he didn't want a repeat of what happened to his little son. And he didn't let you, his darling twin sister, although capable of defending yourself, go anywhere without your sworn protector. 

Aegon was in pain by the death of his little son, and he was hurting for Heleana who had to witness such a horrific act, but if these rat catchers would have come to your chambers, if they would have harmed you, Aegon would have gone completely mad. 

There was nothing in the world that Aegon cared more about, loved more, than you. You were his other half, a part of him. You grew together in the same womb. 

If you had married Aegon instead of Helaena, he would have had no difficulty performing his duties. You would possibly have many children by now. You were the right choice, his darling twin sister. You were the one he wanted to warm his bed at night. You were the one he wanted to stand beside when he would get crowned.

But your grandsire, Otto, didn’t allow the betrothal. He pressed to the King for Helaena, claiming she was more suitable and would balance his depravity. It was all bullshit. Otto wanted her on the throne because she was more malleable and manipulable than you. Unlike Helaena, you could see through his webs and plottings. 

You were fresh out of your bath when you received a knock on your door. The hour was late, making you wonder who it could be. You tightened your robe, making sure it covered your body as modestly as it could, and allowed the servant to come in. 

‘’What is it, Dyana?’’ you asked, hissing as your handmaiden brushed through a knot in your hair. Could she be more delicate?

She stepped in, dressed in her red dress and earth colored apron. ‘’The King is requesting your presence in his chamber, Princess.’’ 

You tried your best to conceal your confusion. 

Tonight, per the small council’s request, Aegon was supposed to summon Helaena to his chamber and impregnate her with a new heir. Two moons had passed since he lost his heir…and another was needed. Aegon had informed you of the duty in the afternoon after meeting with his small council. He was not happy about it, preferring to bed you, but Helaena was the one he was wed to.

Ser Aeron followed you to the King’s chambers, taking place beside Aegon’s guard standing outside the door after you stepped inside, as they have been doing for the past two months. Assigning a sworn protector at your door wasn’t enough for Aegon, he also requested you sleep in his bed, refusing to close his eyes unless he could feel you next to him.  

You stepped into the solar with careful steps and alert eyes, not wishing to walk in on your sister and Aegon having sex. You understood and respected that it was part of their duties, but you could not be a spectator. 

‘’She’s not here,’’ Aegon’s voice echoed through the large space. He came into view, his breeches half unlaced and his tunic untucked. ‘’I sent Helaena back to her chambers.’’

That was fast, you couldn’t help but think. 

‘’We didn’t fuck,’’ he said bluntly, pouring wine into a cup, then a second — for you. 

‘’What do you mean?’’ 

Aegon handed you the other cup while taking a sip of his own. ‘’I didn’t put my cock in her cu—’’

You shot him a look, cutting him off. It was not what you meant. ‘’What of your royal duties? Your small council is demanding a new heir.’’ 

‘’I’ll give them one.’’ Aegon pulled you closer and pressed his palm over your empty stomach, right where a babe should grow. ‘’We’ll give them one.’’ 

The sincere look in his violet eyes told you he was not jesting. He would never jest about having children with you, he’s dreamed of it for so long. To see you beautiful and swollen with his babe. 

Your mother would be furious. She knew of your and Aegon’s adventures behind closed doors and warned you about the consequences of not taking moon tea after he spilled his seed inside you. The shame it would bring upon the family.  

‘’Aegon, we can’t—’’

‘’We can. I’m the King, I take the decisions now.’’ He caressed your stomach, imagining a babe inside. ‘’No more tea,’’ he murmured, pressing his forehead against you, repeating himself. ‘’No more moon tea.’’

‘’What of Helaena?’’ you asked, fighting the smile that was trying to curl on your lips.

Although Aegon didn’t share any romantic love for his younger sister — and neither did she —, to the eyes of the Sevens, she was still his wife. 

His lips turned into a grin. ‘’The Conqueror had two wives. I wear his crown, don’t I? I can too.’’

—

House of the dragon taglist: @khaleesihavilliard @domoron  @ididliquorice @lover-of-helios @lover-of-helios  @shine101 @tanyaherondale @mikariell95 @serrendiipty @lantsovheiress @gilliananderfuckme @shine101 @tetgod @clayzayden @memeorydotcom @tnu-ree @futuregws @blackravena @winxschester @mysteriouslydelightfulchaos @xxlaynaxx @secretsthathauntus @pilarxxxaguayo @emmavan39 @stargaryenx @erylilly @bbblackmamba @rainedrop97 @dreamer087 @gothicgay14 @ashlatano7567 @superkittywonderland @justaproudslytherpuff @evesolstice @buckysmainhxe @padfootsvixen @scarletmeii @evesolstice @dkathl @kaywsworld @tetgod @padfootsvixen @domoron   @weird-addiction @angeliod @xjennyx2 @adaydreamaway08  @mymultiveres  @secretsthathauntus  @puffycreamcakes @thirsty4nonlivingmen @naty-1001 @katiepie67 @moshpot24x @hc-geralt-23 @lovelynerdytraveler @saturn-sas  @zgzgh @sssjuico10 @tabloidteen @timetoten @deekaag @wondxrgurl @aerangi @strmborns @astridyoo15 @daemonslittlebitch @queenbeestuffs @severewobblerlightdragon @agentstarkid @msliz @vane1999-blog @fairyfolkloresposts @todaywasafairytale07 @otomaniac @zgzgzh @thebeardedmoon @golden-library @kikyrizuki @hnslchw @camy85 @winxschester @armstrongscommentsection @withfireandbl00d @randomstory56 @JudgmentDays-Girl @darylandbethfanforever9 @darylandbethfanforever9 @aegonswife @dakotapaigelove @jays-bullshit @blublock404 @Icefyre19 @paulilvsremus @mfedits @aemondwhoresworld @angrybirdxx @YarianyIrizarry @frutiloopslupin @minedofmoria @aleemendoza2425-blog @quinquinquincy @Rosey1981 @maria-reads-everything @eddieslut69 @barnes70stark @baybaybear @prettyduckling22 @Briefwinnerpersonaturtle @darlingcharling-blog @deliaseastar @Wolfgirl-205 @visenyareads @Nanaldy @Lovelywiseprincess @not-neverland06 @newtmyhusb @mikimimic

All and more taglist:  @kenqki@hawkegfs@gillybear17@black-rose-29@fudge13@cece05@laylasbunbunny@gemofthenight@beautyb1ade  @mellabella101 @vxnity713  @bisexualgirlsblog @queenofslytherin889 @thatbxtchesblog @softb-tterfly @ethanlandrycanbreakmyheart  @xyzstar  @graceberman3   @mikeyspinkcup @jackierose902109 @daisydark @laurasdrey @mischieftom @fanatic4niall @peterholland04 @idkwhattonamethisblogs  @lexasaurs634  @notasadgirlipromise @zoeynicolas @thejuleshypothesis @multi-fandom-bi-bitch @lexasaurs634  @notasadgirlipromise @thejuleshypothesis  @katherinejess  @rafesgirlstuff   @lafleshlumpeater @iamluminosity  Anouk nani-2305 @books0fever @papichulo120627 @qardasngan @ghostlyvoidydragon @M0rgans1nterlud3 @dahlia-blossom21 @Spacexdrago @nhlfs

[corseque]

Transferring a twitter Dragon Age 4 theory to tumblr:

This is a theory about the very latest DA4 information that people were upset to learn about because they want to wait for the game rather than hear too much, so look elswhere if that is you. I suspect that Rook is called "Rook" for a reason. I suspect their color is purple for a reason.

Rook is associated with trickery and death, a bad omen.

Hmm.... that reminds me a little of a "dread wolf."

I, for a long time, thought the game was called "Dreadwolf" because the main character would be taking on the trials and tribulations and responsibilities of the Dread Wolf onto their own shoulders. This suspicion has expanded hugely in my mind when I think about DA4 because what exactly is the story set-up, here? What is the Dread Wolf?

Solas, who is playing the role in the story of Dragon Age of an ancient trickster deity, has claim and power over the functions that trickster gods. Namely, power over doorways, thresholds, boundaries.

It doesn't matter what Solas thinks about godhood if he has all the trappings and power of godhood. There is no material difference in a fictional story.

(I love that Solas in the prologue is demonstrating exactly what you would expect from a Trickster God in this situation - manipulating boundaries, and then being Just a Little Guy.)

So the game prologue opens on Solas, a trickster god, delicately manipulating the magical boundary between worlds, which is something that you would expect a trickster god to do. Then unfolds a scene in which a tiny figure (Rook) causes a larger-than-life god (Solas) mischief and, with Rook's foolish meddling, undoes the very fabric of normalcy, trapping the trickster god and throwing the world into chaos, upsetting the very balance of power between the gods, threatening the end of the world.

Rook then recieves power over the Veil the trickster god has, the sacred knife that the trickster god wields, the ability to traverse back and forth between the boundaries only easily traversed by the trickster god, the magical mirror teleportation network of the trickster god, the magical floating Lighthouse home of the trickster god, the responsibilities of the trickster god, etc.

Rook also recieves the advice of the trickster god, whether they want it or not (it seems).

Do you see what I'm saying?

"They call me��the Dread Wolf, what will they call you when this is over?"

I think this game may be about Rook becoming a trickster god.

As Felassan tells Briala in The Masked Empire, "[Becoming a god] is for the stories to decide."

Tricksters in folklore are very often mortal, human heroes. Very often, they act stupidly and foolishly (like we are said to do by interrupting Solas in the prologue) and somehow win anyway.

And what more powerful figure could there be, to fight with gods? Only a little guy like Solas or Rook, could hope to fight multiple gods and win. A little tiny trickster hero who makes foolish mistakes but is unkillable like Bugs Bunny is actually the perfect challenger to all-powerful deities.

Anyway, so if we get all of Solas' powers and his responsibilities, if we're, in a way, in training to become a trickster god. We may be stepping into myth and doing his job for him, disrupting things the way he does, and there will be comparisons. (the articles tell us that Solas is comparing himself to Rook, and that he doesn't like what he sees of himself in Rook). People always acted like Solas' situation was incredibly easy, but imo we could never actually understand what his story was, or see it from his point of view, enough to judge him. But if we actually walk in his shoes, then maybe we can actually have a part of the conversation. And later, maybe part of the myth.

The little Rook-bird that tugged the Dread Wolf's tail and let the creators free again, the little trickster Rook that destroyed or saved the world. I wonder what kind of trickster they will call us, when it is all over?

[brucewaynehater101]

Pre-Batman Time Traveling Tim AU:

CW: OG Bruce is a more comic accurate POS

Tim's life is fine. If anyone bothered to ask him, that's how he'd respond.

He's been a vigilante for over a decade, he's set to inherit WE, and he'll occasionally see his siblings.

Sure, he has to avoid Bruce at all costs while tediously (and unnoticeably) stalking the man's movements so that he can intervene anytime Bruce tries to attack his siblings.

That's an old hat by now, though. At least it brought Tim just a bit closer to the other kids Bruce "raised."

So, life is alright. It's not bad. It's not good. It just is for Tim. He was fine with it until he was chucked into an alternative reality with no reliable way to get home.

For some fucking reason, he arrives years before Timothy Drake is born. There's no Flash, no JL, and no record of time travel/alternative realities quite yet. Hell, there isn't even a Batman. Bruce is still traveling abroad to train.

There's absolutely nothing... And it's eerie. Crime in Gotham is at an all-time high, Gordon isn't commissioner (meaning the GCPD hasn't been cleaned up yet), and there are no rogues. It's just normal and frequent crime.

Tim tries. He really really tries not to mess with anything and focus on getting home... but he's been a vigilante for over a decade. He's incapable of not responding to people in need.

And, unless he re-invents a significant portion of technological advancement, Tim won't be able to go home for years. He's trying not to think about it, how he's trapped without any of his resources or allies, but it's an inescapable fact. He's stuck here and, while he's bidding his time, it's better for him to focus on how different Gotham is (and by the gods is every piece of technology so fucking slow and clunky and ancient).

Fuck. Bruce is lucky that Tim isn't following in Red Hood's footsteps because getting away with crime is so fucking easy now. The technology is old, most records are paper, and Gotham officials accept briberies as if they are regular parts of their jobs. In fact, Tim's forgery is simple in comparison to the ones he's had to do before. If Tim wasn't trying to clean up Gotham, it would be child's play to become top dog of crime.

Overall, he manages to start a technology buisness that instantly takes off with his success (using his future knowledge might be cheating, but fuck it. He's going to need clean money for his plans). He isn't able to keep either of his last names for obvious reasons, but his forged identity still maintains "Timothy."

While Bruce is abroad, Tim painstakingly rearranges Gotham's underworld, weeds out corruption, and bolsters his vigilante persona. He focuses on rehab programs, increasing clean job opportunities, increasing access to affordable healthcare, and overall decreasing reliance on crime to survive (if he ensures that a Willis Todd is hired at his company, then that's simply a bit of helpless meddling). He also attempts to carefully take down the CoO and monitor the LoA.

How is he managing all of this while also patrolling near nightly? Practice. Years of practice with juggling his many responsibilities in life. At least he doesn't have any social or familial requirements to also manage.

It's a delicate balancing act.

One that almost gets completely thrown by Batman's first appearance.

Tim has been Gotham's only vigilante for two years now. Even though this Bruce is older than Tim (a 28 to Tim's 26), the younger man can't help but to think of Bruce as a baby vigilante.

Don't get him wrong. Bruce is highly, highly trained. He's skilled in various forms of combat, is strategic, and is extremely capable. That doesn't change how new he is to vigilantism. It doesn't change how he hasn't yet established his patterns, modes of engagement, and equipment. He's new to every aspect... which is why it shouldn't surprise Tim when Batman commits murder.

To be fair to Tim, he completely forgot that Bruce hasn't always had his moral code. It is such an integral part of the man that has caused him and his loved ones a great deal of pain. The idea that Batman didn't always believe this?

Tim called into work for a week so he could stare at his apartment walls for three days and then plan.

[pearlymel]

Think i like you, best when you’re just with me—Alhaitham

꒰ Pairings ꒱: Student council president!Alhaitham x fem!reader.

꒰ warnings ꒱: none. Just kissing and a few touches.

“Are you done with your temper tantrum?” Alhaitham asked, a hint of mockery in his voice as he stared at you with a reserved calm expression.

“My temper tantrum?” You gasp, eyes blinking twice dramatically before clearing your throat to straighten.

You both are now standing outside at the school’s field where they held the yearly festival. Food stalls, and activities, plus the laughing students when snow started falling from the sky, lightly coating the landscape in dusting white. 

And as usuals, it wouldn’t be a normal day without fighting the president. 

“I was merely stating your flaws since you weren’t listening.” You continued huffing out while hugging yourself tightly.

Alhaitham sighed, clearly irritated with your attitude. He knew fully well that you were being dramatic, but he didn’t have the energy to entertain your antics any longer.

“And those flaws are…?” He inquired, raising his eyebrows questioningly and you roll your eyes.

“Oh don’t act so… so… perfect. I told you we should’ve picked another day for this stupid festival. Bur you insisted it should be today, when it’s clearly snowing!” You hissed at him before turning your back on him. He only stared at you blankly, clearly unimpressed by your attempt at offending him. 

“Well, I’m going back inside. This festival is rather too boring.” He informed you flatly, and casually draped his blazer around your shoulders before walking away.

You stand still, frozen and the gears in your head seemed to stop working for a moment.

Him? Giving you his blazer? Because you were cold? Your gaze travels down to his blazer, and a faint fragrance of his cologne drifts up to your nostrils. It’s subtle, a hint of warmth in the cool air. The scent mingles with the crispiness of the winter air, a delicate balance between the outdoors and his presence.

Your focus snaps back to reality as you hastily shake yourself from your thoughts. With a sudden realization, you quickly turn on your heel and stride back into the school building.

You feet takes you to a familiar place, the library where he usually resides for peace and quietness. When you reach the library corner he always makes a spot for himself, he takes off his noise canceling headphones and turns to you.

“And here I thought you enjoyed being outdoors?” Alhaitham commented with a sarcastic smile, but you only sigh and shake your head as you stepped forward to take off the blazer and place it on the table.

“Everyone outside is having fun yet you still chose to rot in this library.”

“That is correct. Perhaps you should stop always coming to me to look for trouble.”

“What if i just love annoying you and watch your expression change, can’t i do that?” You said for once, confidently stepping closer to where he was sitting, bending down to be on his level, eye to eye.

The unexpected move catches him off guard, his amusement deepens, and this time he’s surprised, his smile widens. 

You wonder why he’s smiling at first, but the close proximity makes your breath hitch slightly. Wait, snap out of it—you can’t possibly think he’s good looking up close or—

He took a deep breath, and locked eyes with you, the heat from his breath brushing against your chin; the temptation was too strong. The way he could touch you, and you would not move at all.

“What are you…” As your nerves take over, you swallows noticeably, your body acting on its own. Your hand automatically reaches out and grips his shoulder, fingers clenching the fabric as if to steady yourself. It's an involuntary reaction, The weakness in her knees only adds to her dependence on his support. His eyes roamed your body, noticing the way the back of your dress hugged the smooth curves of your body. He could practically see the exact outline of her hips, and the way your neck bends when you move your head is just…

No one was watching. They were in a dimly-lit library.

With a swift motion, his hands grip your waist, gently but firmly pulling you towards him. You find yourself settling on his lap, your body fitting perfectly against his, “Hold on—“ how did you end up on his lap again? 

You freeze for a second before glaring at him, but again, but you didn’t move away, “now this is inappropriate.” 

Your legs were dangling on his sides off the chair, it was almost funny to him, how your words contradicted your actions. “You can always get up if this is truly inappropriate,” he replied, taking in the scent of your hair, of your body, of your fragrance.

Your legs were dangling on his sides, hands still nestled on his shoulders, and you give him an almost pouty expression, “what?” He asked quietly, eyes drifting to your lips. Your noses almost touching.

It took all of his willpower to not pull your face forward and close the gap. You were so, so close, feeling your body heat was already driving him insane.

He finally leans in, his breath warm against your skin. His nose nuzzles your neck as he inhales deeply, taking in your scent. His hands tighten their grip on your hips, making you gasp. His fingers pressing into the soft flesh, ensuring you're close. There's a mix of tenderness and possessiveness in the gesture, the gentle pressure both comforting and dominating.

"It just seemed like you've been waiting for this," he whispered against your skin, further making your body feel even hotter. Your heart rate quickens, your skin tingles, and an undeniable rush of desire courses through your veins.

The words on the tip of your tongue were about to escape when he suddenly dips his head and brushes his lips against your neck. Your voice catches in your throat, the unexpected sensation sending a shiver down your spine. His lips are gentle but firm, their touch leaving a trail of shivers as he kisses a path up to your jawline. The sensation is both surprising and intoxicating, leaving you momentarily speechless.

"What if someone sees—" but you're interrupted again when he flattens his tongue on your sensitive skin, making you almost moan when he licks a stripe along the curve of your pretty neck.

"Still resisting?" He whispered, his breath evidently quickening as his hand gently massages you back, his fingers rubbing against your skin like it's the most intimate experience of his life.

You then attempt to move away, pushing yourself off his lap, but his reaction is immediate and swift. Before you have a chance to fully distance yourself, he rises with you, his body closing the gap between you. He follows your movement, taking control of the situation and pinning you against the nearest bookshelf. His chest presses against yours, his strength making it clear that escape is not an option. His arms cage you in, trapping you between his body and the hard surface behind you.

His buries his face into your neck, his hand snakes behind to the back of your neck while the other one firmly on your hip.

He leans in, bridging the remaining distance between your mouths, "Alhaitham—" his name leaves your lips so sweetly that he almost groans, lips pressing against yours, the contact gentle yet insistent. There's a possessive quality to his actions, as if to claim you as his own. The pressure of his lips against yours is both demanding and intoxicating.

He tried making your lips move together slowly, and passionately. "You taste better than i imagined," he panted between the kisses, his tongue sliding down to brush along your lower lip, which ultimately made you fail to hold in your moans.

"Sweetest voice too," alhaitham grunts, jead tilting and capturing your lips messily, taking advantage of your parting lips by pushing his tongue into your mouth, your fingers tightening around his necktie and collarbone as he was literally taking the air out of your lungs. His hand hiking up to your skirt, squeezing the flesh underneath it and pulling it closer to wrap it around his waist, making you mewl as his fingers brush under your thighs and closer to—

"... Excuse me." the sound of a hesitant voice suddenly interrupts your connection. Both your eyes flicker open as the unexpected intrusion breaks the spell of intimacy. The voice behind him seems to shake him from his own haze of desire, his body stiffening slightly as he registers the disruption.

It was a girl standing there. Behind alhaitham. Looking like a 7th grader at most.

Shit, you thought. You're both doomed.

"Watching two seniors... Kissing near the story books wasn't something i expected to see." The girl's shoulders deflate, and you immediately push Alhaitham, both of you fixing your appearances and smiling at the girl.

"about the story..." You laugh nervously, eyes glancing towards Alhaitham and he does the same.

But the girl is unimpressed, her fingers adjusting her glasses, "fifty dollars and i won't say a word." She offered blankly, and your eyes widen. Where in the hell are you supposed to get fifty from?

The girl watches you struggle to say something, and her lips almost curl smugly.

"oh you little shi—"

"I will get your fifty tomorrow morning," Alhaitham cut you off, smiling bitterly at the girl who left with a satisfied smile.

"next time we'll—"

"there won't be a next time." You quickly mutter out, also running off from embarrassment of the situation.

[arminsumi]

Hi! I hope ur having a good time. Sorry, for the phrasing, English is not my first language hehe (｡>\\<) btw i really like ur writing! u keep them in character and also ur amazing at writing fluff ♡(੭´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭ can I please ask for a gojo fluff where he realizes reader always wanted to have a small boyfriend to like call him baby boy to sit on her lap and spoil him and stuff and then gojo goes apeshit like trying to sit on her with his long ass limbs trying to be a babyboy idk hehehe anyways tysm

"I'm your baby boy, right?"

GOJO さとる + fem!reader

Satoru thinks he's smaller than he actually is, and tries curl up on you like a cat.

Note : hey hey! srry i took so long to write this omggg it got lost in my drafts. but!! it's such a sweet idea thank u for sending it in!! big beefy satoru trying to make himself ur small boy is a thought that gave me life 💗😖 and thank u so much for ur kind words it means a lot!!

Satoru tries to curl up on you as if he's a little cat.

But he's not.

Ah, but he really thinks he is sometimes.

And he wants to be a little cat to you, not a big burly man or a strong intimidating menace but just a small, soft, delicate thing to be held and touched and pampered with love and care.

It makes you laugh, as you listen to him grunting and struggling to position himself on your lap and get those long limbs in order — it's one of the funniest sights; a big boy trying to box himself up like he's not 6'3 with broad-shoulders 'n thick arms 'n long spider-like legs.

"Do you think you're a cat or something?"

"Yes." he grins dumbly, balancing precariously on you as you sit. Then he sees your smile and slips off. "—oopsfuck!" he falls, gets up, acts it off, then tries again.

In bed, he wiggles down the sheets so his head is level with your chest. He wraps his arms around your middle, arches his back, and encases you between his legs. He clings to your body on his side like that, and snuggles his cheek on your chest as if it's his rightful pillow, the place where he belongs.

"Play with my hair, please?" he mumbles with pouty lips.

He smiles to himself when you fulfil his request.

Feeling both your warmth and your fingers stroking lovingly through his hair makes him drowsy. And when he's drowsy, he mumbles mental notes like "we need to buy orange juice tomorrow..." as he falls asleep.

His grip slackens as he falls asleep. In the middle of the night, he'll wake up and look at you with that puffy pouty sleepy face of his and stare for a moment, appreciating you, before tightening his embrace on your body and returning to slumber.

When he wakes up the next morning with you, he makes the same request; "Play with my hair." but with a raspy voice.

While you do so, he groaningly complains about having had nightmares all night.

"I keep dreamin' about saving the world 'n failing... but it's fine. I wake up and you're right here. So nothin' to worry about. Doesn't matter if I fail if I still have you."

He's so happy to be getting spoiled and pampered by you while curling his body up as small as possible. Happy that he has someone he doesn't have to be big and strong around. Someone who he can be a baby boy around.

Sometimes he's resting on your chest in the mornings in silence, when suddenly he rears his head up and asks "I'm your baby boy, right? Say it, please."

"Mhm. You're my baby boy, Satoru. Don't worry."

"Mm yay." he smiles to himself and resumes resting on you, his white hair tickling under your chin. "Say it again, please. Just keep saying it."

So you do, you say it repeatedly and it sounds like a soft lullaby to him. He falls back asleep with his ear pressed to your heartbeat, and feels a safe warmness in his chest.

"Oh." he startles out of his shallow sleep, "We need to buy orange juice, don't we?"

© arminsumi

I do not permit the copying/reposting/translation/plagiarism of my works. Do not steal what I've worked hard to create.

This is fictional work.

[inkyquillstories]

A Firstborn with Second Thoughts (A Body Swap Story)

Note: Lucky for you if you saw the original post (which was flagged for some reason?), here's a definitely more SFW version I guess haha

(Brandon) 

(Tom)

My name is Brandon, and I have an older brother named Tom. We’re brothers, but you wouldn’t think so at first glance because we look so different. Tom is tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, while I’m shorter, thinner, and lack his athletic build. Our personalities are just as contrasting—he’s outgoing, carefree, and not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, whereas I’m bookish, reserved, and tend to overthink things. Despite our differences, we’ve always had a relatively good relationship. He’d tease me sometimes, but never in a mean-spirited way, and I’d help him with his homework when he got stuck. We had a balance, and it worked.

However, when Tom went off to college, things took a turn. He fell in with a reckless crowd—guys who cared more about drinking, partying, and skipping class than actually studying.

(Tom having fun in college) 

It wasn’t like he was ever the academic type, but his natural charisma had always carried him through. That didn’t work in college. Without discipline or structure, his grades plummeted. My parents were livid, especially my father, who had worked hard to send Tom to a good school. They weren’t about to let all that money go to waste. Meanwhile, I was in my senior year of high school, excelling academically, and on track to get into a prestigious university. I knew my parents wished Tom had my dedication, but I never expected them to take such drastic action to fix things.

When Tom came home for the holidays, our parents sat us down for a serious talk. They explained their plan: they were going to use a secret family heirloom—a body-swapping talisman—to switch our bodies. 

I thought they were joking at first, but when I saw how grave my father’s expression was, I knew they meant it. Tom was furious, shouting that this was insane, while I sat there in shock, unable to process what they were saying. Before we could protest any further, my father held up the talisman and muttered a phrase in a language I didn’t recognize. Everything went dark.

When I woke up, I felt... different. My sheets felt tight, my body felt heavier.

(Brandon waking up) 

Confused, I sat up and noticed that my clothes—my usual loose-fitting boxers—were now straining against a larger frame. I glanced down and saw muscular legs where my thin ones should have been. 

Panic surged through me, and I stumbled out of bed, rushing to the mirror. The reflection staring back at me wasn’t mine—it was Tom’s. His chiseled jaw, his deep-set eyes, his broad chest. It was me. I was him. 

A scream from the next room startled me—my scream. I ran to Tom’s room and found my old body flailing in oversized clothes. Tom—now in my body—looked horrified.

Our parents were waiting for us in the living room, prepared for our reactions. They handed us each a bag containing our new belongings—phones, wallets, even keys to our respective rooms. We were expected to swap everything, down to our names. “From now on, you will call each other by your new names,” my father ordered. “No slip-ups. Act like nothing happened. If you disobey, this arrangement will last even longer.” I looked at Tom, my former self, and saw the helplessness in his eyes. But what choice did we have?

That night, I sat in Tom’s room, getting acquainted with his life. I stood in front of the mirror, my breath shallow as I took in the reflection that wasn’t mine. Tom’s face—my face now—stared back at me, a mix of confusion and curiosity in those deep-set brown eyes. I lifted a hand to touch my jaw, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingertips. My old face had been smooth, youthful, almost delicate. But this? This was strong, angular, rugged. My fingers traced the defined cheekbones, the squared jaw, the broader nose that gave me a more commanding presence. Even the way my eyebrows furrowed looked different—more intense, more... powerful. 

Even my posture felt different, more naturally dominant. My legs, too—thicker, stronger. My calves flexed with every slight movement, and my feet… even they felt bigger, more grounded. I wiggled my toes, marveling at how different they looked, longer and more substantial than my old ones.  

In the next few days, I stood in front of Tom’s closet, my fingers brushing against the rows of neatly folded shirts and stacks of jeans. Everything felt bigger, heavier. I grabbed one of his t-shirts and pulled it over my head. The fabric stretched comfortably across my broader chest and arms, fitting perfectly in a way my old clothes never had. 

Downstairs, Tom—now in my old body—stood awkwardly in my usual hoodie and sneakers, fidgeting with the sleeves. “This is so weird,” he muttered, staring at me like he was looking in a funhouse mirror. “We actually have to go out like this?”

I smirked, grabbing the keys to his car. “Unless you suddenly know how to drive, yeah.”

His scowl deepened, but he followed me outside without another word. As I slid into the driver’s seat, the leather felt familiar yet new beneath me. I adjusted the mirrors, and for a split second, I caught my reflection—Tom’s reflection—staring back at me from the rearview mirror then I looked at the pedals and loved my new perspective. I grinned. “Let’s go.”

We pulled into town, and from the moment we stepped out of the car, it was like I had stepped into a whole new world. “Yo, Tom!” Someone waved at me from across the street, and without hesitation, I lifted a hand in response. A couple of guys I vaguely recognized from Tom’s social media clapped me on the back as I walked by, greeting me with easy confidence.

“Tom, man, you hitting the gym later?” one of them asked.

I laughed, flexing an arm instinctively. “You know it.”

The words rolled off my tongue effortlessly, and it felt… right. No one questioned me. No one looked past me. They saw Tom—the strong, charismatic, confident guy. And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t just the shy, smart little brother. I was someone people noticed. Someone people respected.

Tom, trailing slightly behind me in my old body, kept shifting uncomfortably. He barely spoke, barely made eye contact. The contrast between us was stark. I had spent my whole life in his shadow, and now, here he was—quiet, uncertain, small. And me? I was the one towering over him, leading the way.

As we drove back home, I caught my reflection in the window once more. The smirk on my face wasn’t just Tom’s. It was mine. I dropped my brother home and proceeded to the gym.

Eventually, I had to go to college and college life as Tom was surprisingly easy. I went to his classes, aced his exams, and even managed to keep up his social life. His friends were shocked at how “responsible” I had become, but they admired it. My parents were pleased with my performance, thinking they had fixed Tom’s future. What they didn’t know was that I still partied—I just balanced it better than Tom ever did. I was living his life better than he ever could.

Meanwhile, Tom struggled in my old life. He hated the long study sessions, the lack of social outings, the expectation to be quiet and diligent. He constantly complained, but he knew that failing to keep up my grades would mean a prolonged swap. I tried to encourage him, but he was miserable. He didn’t want my life. But the more time passed, the less I wanted to give his back.

Months went by, and I grew more attached to my new life. I loved the strength, the confidence, the admiration. When I came home for the semester break, Tom stared at me and muttered, “You even look bigger.” I smirked and shrugged. “Kept up your gym routine.”

My parents announced that they had decided to extend the swap indefinitely, claiming that everything was better this way. Tom clenched his fists, but he had no choice but to accept it. Me? I was secretly thrilled.

Later that night, I found Tom sitting on the edge of my—his—bed, hunched over with his elbows on his knees. His expression was distant, frustrated. I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over my chest. “Alright,” I said, breaking the silence. “Let’s go over some things.”  

Tom let out an annoyed sigh. “Seriously?”  

I nodded, stepping inside and shutting the door. “Yes, seriously. You keep slipping up, and if we mess this up, Dad will keep us like this even longer. So, let’s make sure you know who you are.” I sat across from him, leveling him with a firm gaze. “What’s your name?”  

He gritted his teeth, then mumbled, “Brandon.”  

“Louder.”  

“Brandon,” he said again, voice bitter.  

“Good. How old are you?”  

He shifted uncomfortably. “Eighteen.”  

I tilted my head. “And I am?”  

His jaw tightened. “Twenty.”  

“Who’s the older brother?”  

He swallowed hard before answering. “You are.”  

A small smirk tugged at my lips. “That’s right. And what do you like to do in your free time?”  

Tom hesitated before mumbling, “Study. Read. Play strategy games.” The words sounded foreign coming from his mouth—my mouth.  

“And what do I like to do?” I asked, pressing further.  

His fists clenched in his lap. “Work out. Party. Hang out with friends.”  

I nodded approvingly. “See? You’re getting the hang of it.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Listen, you need to start thinking of yourself as Brandon. You need to act like him, talk like him, live like him. The more you resist, the harder it’ll be. The sooner you accept it, the easier your life will be.”  

Tom looked up at me, and for the first time, I saw something in his eyes I hadn’t expected—defeat. A reluctant acceptance of what was happening. He exhaled slowly and muttered, “Fine.”  

“Good,” I said, standing up. “Now, repeat after me. ‘I am Brandon. I am eighteen. I’m the younger brother.’”  

Tom clenched his jaw, but he obeyed. “I am Brandon. I am eighteen. I’m the younger brother.”  

“And I am?”  

He swallowed hard. “You are Tom. You are twenty. You are the older brother.”  

I grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. “Now you’re getting it.”  

As I walked out of the room, I felt a deep satisfaction settle in my chest. The more Tom accepted his new role, the more permanent it all felt. And honestly? That was exactly what I wanted. To solidify this, I changed all his social media passwords, cutting off any connection he had to his old life. If he wanted to live as me, he had to fully embrace it. I wasn’t going to let him live vicariously through the life I had made better.

One evening, after dinner, I found my dad in his study, sipping a glass of whiskey while reading through some paperwork. He barely looked up when I stepped inside, only acknowledging me with a small nod. I hesitated for a moment before speaking.  

“Dad,” I began, keeping my voice steady, “how long do you plan on keeping us like this?”  

He sighed, setting his glass down with a soft clink. “I haven’t given it much thought,” he admitted, leaning back in his chair. “But everything is working out, so why change it?”  

His words settled over me like a warm blanket. I nodded, suppressing the grin threatening to creep onto my face. I had expected some vague reassurance that this was temporary, but instead, he was practically confirming what I had already been feeling—this wasn’t temporary at all.  

Dad stood up and, to my surprise, pulled me into a firm hug. “I’m proud of you, son,” he said, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it.  

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. He had never said those words to me before—not when I aced my exams, not when I won academic competitions, not even when I got accepted into top-tier colleges. But now, as Tom, as his firstborn, he finally said it. And for the first time, I truly felt like his eldest son.  

As I stepped back, I saw the way he looked at me—with pride, with respect. It was a look he had never given the old Brandon. And maybe that was why I felt no guilt when I realized I didn’t want to go back.  

Dad was happy. The new Brandon had adjusted. And I… I loved this. Being Tom felt right. More and more, it was starting to feel like a permanent arrangement. And honestly? I was perfectly okay with that.

The End.

[moonstruckme]

For have a bonfire 🌺

James Potter + angst (comfort at the end) + reader who keeps up this perfectionist persona but James accidentally sees them break down :(

(I'm in dire need of comfort angst it's actually not even funny anymore)

Thanks for requesting!

James Potter x fem!reader ♡ 1k words

James doesn’t know what he’s doing, following you like this. It’s creepy, probably, but there’s just something about your demeanor today that’s not sitting right with him. 

Your party’s great. You’ve made fun drinks and more snacking foods than anyone can eat, been migrating from group to group to make sure everyone is introduced and comfortable, struck that delicate balance in temperature so that Remus isn’t too warm but Sirius isn’t too cold, you’re the perfect hostess. But there’s something about you, in you, that feels off to him. 

You pass the bathroom, going into your room and shutting the door behind you. You want to be alone, clearly. James should respect that. 

He knocks softly so as not to startle you. Waits a few moments, then says your name. 

“Yeah?” There it is again, that wrongness. It’s your voice, and yet it doesn’t sound entirely like you. “Is everything okay?” 

Is it? he wonders. “Yeah,” he says, “can I come in?” 

“Do you need something?” You sound embarrassed to be asking. It’s not really in your nature to deny anyone anything. “I’ll be out in a minute.” 

James should go. He should, but his blood is thrumming in his fingertips. He asks, “Are you okay?” 

Silence from the other side of the door. 

He tries the handle. It moves. “Hey, I’m coming in, alright? Shout if you’re naked or something.” 

When the quiet persists, he opens the door. You’re slumped on your bed, fingertips pressing harshly into your face and your eyes pinched shut. The air in James’ lungs goes stale. 

You open your eyes to look at him, and they’re wet, not quite red but getting there. You say in a hushed voice, “I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s alright,” James says automatically, closing the door softly behind him. Then, “What do you have to be sorry for? Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine.” You give him a watery smile, waving a hand like this state he’s found you in is irrelevant. Laughable. “I don’t mean to take you away from things.” 

“You’re not, angel.” James crosses the distance to you slowly, giving you time to signal for him to stop. When you don’t he eases onto the bed beside you. The mattress dips, making his hip slide until it’s touching yours. “I wanted to come see you. What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” You try to laugh, but twin tears escape from the corners of your eyes, undermining the effort. You catch them before they can get far. “Do you think everyone is having a good time?” 

Your voice nearly cracks on the last word, and James’ heart completes the act. 

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmurs. You squeeze your eyes shut as if his caring stings. “Can I hug you?” 

Your nod is mute and stiff enough that James doesn’t fully trust you mean it. He wraps his arms around you tentatively, only pulling you to his chest when you turn into him, letting your face wet his neck. 

“Everyone’s having a great time,” he answers honestly, thumb sweeping over your shoulder. “If you’re not, though, we can go home. You don’t have to do all this if you’re not feeling up to it.” 

“No,” you say thickly, worming a hand between you to rub cruelly at your eyes. “No, I don’t want to be a nuisance.” 

“You wouldn’t be.” James holds you closer, his body obeying some futile wish to protect you from whatever makes you think things like that. Your face is warm against his shoulder, the slow dampness seeping into his collar evidence that your upset hasn’t dissipated. “It’s your party, you shouldn’t need to cater to everyone when you’re not even getting to enjoy it yourself. We’re being nuisances to you, really.” 

“No you’re not.” Your rebuttal comes quick and ardent, a knee-jerk reaction. You ease away from James’ chest, wiping under your nose. He lets his arms fall to your waist but keeps you in their circle. “You’re my friends, you could never be nuisances to me.” 

He smiles. “You seem to be catching on.” 

Your expression remains solemn. Guilty. “I just feel like…” Your gaze flees downward. James doesn’t give chase, letting you have what space you can. “I think that if I’m not being useful, I’d probably be more trouble than I’m worth. Maybe more of a nuisance than people think.” 

For a second, James can only look at you, any placations or assurances drying up on his tongue. Despite your best efforts, your upset has left little pools of makeup underneath your eyes, and your shoulders are hunched inward like you want to hide this part of yourself. Which you do, obviously. If James hadn’t pried his way in here you would have had your cry in private, probably rejoined the party with a pasted-on smile, back in your role as the perfect hostess and ready to please everyone again. He wonders how many times it’s happened. 

All day James has been thinking you’re not yourself, but maybe he was putting that pressure on you too, to be the self that made things easy for everyone. Put-together, palatable. Perfect. 

“You think we care how useful you are?” he asks, smoothing a hand up your side to cup your neck. He doesn’t force you to turn your face up to his, but you’re amenable to it, following the motion of his thumb on your jaw. “You’re our friend, too. We care about you, not what you can do for us.” 

Your face pinches and then crumples, and James pulls you into his chest again, making half-desperate shushing sounds while he pats your back. 

“Sorry,” you squeak. “I’m trying not to—” 

“Hey, don’t be sorry, angel, okay?” James turns his face into your hair, kissing the side of your head and not letting himself think about what that might mean to either one of you. “You don’t have to do anything. I’ve got you.” The tension seems to slip from your shoulders, and then they’re shaking properly. You wrap your arms around his middle. “It’s okay,” he promises, gathering you closer. “It’s okay, sweetheart, I’ve got you.”