#when you can’t draw and the creative juices are finally flowing

[finn95o]

Ollie drawing I made before my iPad broke🙌

(And I forgot to post it)

Prob the only thing I’m able to post in the next 3 weeks😔

[kayentokk]

Portraying Bakugo Katsuki

— Pairing; Katsuki Bakugo x GN! Reader

— Synopsis; People often see Bakugo in a harsh light, and he’s gotten used to it. However, when you portray him in your fluorescent light, he thinks he likes it a bit more. Based on this Drabble I made. —contains; fluff, doting, frustration, soft! Bakugo(?)

—wc; 682

—A/N; just a cute lil thought

“Ughhh,” that was the 10th time you sighed, in 3 minutes.

You frantically dragged your poor abused eraser across your paper, for the 6th time, and created a hole in your erased pencil stained paper. Angrily, you balled up the paper and threw it in the trash bin by your desk, which was overflown with countless of your other crumbled up drawings.

It was like nothing was working. You had great models right in front of you on your tablet screen, and you just didn’t like what you were producing.

Shutting the computer screen, you dug your head into your arms and closed your eyes. Deciding that he’d had enough of your ‘fits’ Bakugo gruffly asks,

“The hell is wrong now?”

“I just can’t do it,” you reply defeatedly.

He sighs, ”do what?”

“This art class assignment,” you groan, “no matter what I do or who I draw my creative juices just aren’t flowing to me, ya know?”

He just grunts a “mm”

Then it hit you, and you sat up to stare at him. And almost like clockwork, he had sensed what you were thinking and immediately huffed out a,

“No.”

“Awww cmon’ pleasee?”

“No Y/n.”

“Please? I’ll help you with anything, anytime.”

“No.”

“You just want me to fail,” you mumble under your breath with a pout.

“Oh for fucks sake,” he says running a hand through his hair, “make it quick.”

He gives in. He always gives in to you. Most times, he wants to punch himself in the face for it, but he just can’t say no.

“Yay! You’re the best Kats!” You quickly perk up.

“Yeah yeah,” he replies.

You got him a stool from your kitchen and placed it next to your spinny desk chair.

“Okay sit and I’ll tell you how to pose.”

He sat with hesitance, as you pulled up a picture on your phone of a model with their arm over their head facing towards the left, the perfect pose.

You showed him with the biggest smile on your face,

“No.”

“Aww cmon,” you whined.

“Y/n.”

“Fine, just sit still, straighten your back, and lift your chin.”

He did as you asked, a bit awkwardly at that but he did it. You turned your lamp light on the right side of his face and sat for a moment amazed at what you saw.

His sharp jawline relaxed but still prominent in his features, the vein in his neck bulging a bit at you staring deeply at his features. His beautiful dark crimson eyes aren’t tensed or harsh they’re just perfect, and his skin almost glowing from the radiating fluorescent lamp light.

You quickly began sketching, noticing the small drop of sweat that rolled off of his neck and down to his collarbone, he was nervous. He’d never been sketched before.

“Calm down I’m almost done,” you said trying to ease his nerves.

When you were finished you put your pencil down, looked at the drawing, looked back at him, and smiled. You were content, no more than that, happy? You finally got the drawing you wanted. You captured his full essence on the paper, from the neck up.

You turned the notebook around to show him, well there wasn’t many pages left after an hour of you trying and failing, with the biggest grin on your face.

“Look! It’s good right? You’re such a good model maybe you can do this for me all the time-“

“Y/n,” he promptly cut you off.

“I know I know, thanks for helping me. I’ll go get some water for my hard working model,” you giggled while getting up to walk to your kitchen.

Bakugo found himself staring at the drawing intently, was that really him? The way you captured him on the blank piece of paper made him seem almost, calm?

You came bustling back into the room with two chilled glasses of water.

“Here ya go, and thanks again,” you said handing him the water.

“Mhm,” he grunts.

And deep down inside he thinks maybe he wouldn’t mind you drawing him again…

@/firefly-graphics for the divider

[biscuitblinkeu]

Build A Bitch [1]

Park Chaeyoung x Fem!reader

Word count: 3884?

Warnings: this applies to every chapter: Profanity is used, and there is trigger warnings

A/n: Don’t ask why this chapters so long because I have no idea what possessed me to write that much, it’s practically two chapters in one… And, maybe, just maybe, I waited till I reached 400 followers (Wow! Thank you!) to post this series.

“Why is it that I always find you hiding in here?”

…………………………………………………………………………

Multiple times, when you have nothing to occupy your mind, the question is drawn about and you find yourself asking: what makes someone a Crazy Bitch? The term most indefinitely applies to women, and is said by a “friend” or man in most cases.

Is it a woman that has emotional problems?

“I don’t know how you deal with that crazy bitch. I’d never put up with her antics.”

Is it a woman who after a break up slashes the tires of your car, burns your clothes, and tries to get you fired from your job, that calls you the next day to reconcile?

“That crazy bitch keyed my car!”

Is it a woman who has suffered during their childhood, and as a result of the experience matures to be simultaneously lascivious and sexually aggressive?

“I refuse to go clubbing with her, she’s constantly acting like she’s going to fuck everyone— it’s embarrassing, you can’t go anywhere with that crazy bitch without getting into some kind of trouble. She needs to get help.”

You believe, contrary to the stereotypes that come with the term, that a “crazy bitch” is an intelligent woman who will call you out on your behavior. That will not put up with your bullshit and will hold everything in until you push her to the point that she explodes, and tells you everything about yourself. Verbally destroying your existence, and exposing you for the true piece of shit you are. There’s little to nothing (at all) mentally wrong with these women. Calling them crazy is the only defense a person has to make her seem unstable to everyone.

You slide into a chair, dropping your backpack to the floor with a sigh. You decided to go to your on-campus Starbucks to pass time till class starts. The campus is partially empty because no one takes morning classes. You’re here because you are, in fact, a morning person— though it doesn’t feel like that today. Today, you’d do anything for an extra hour or two of sleep. You’re here because you’re an art major, because your professor, Mr. McCarthy, believed waking up at the (ass) crack of dawn is the most effective way to get those “creative juices” flowing. In short, you and your peers had no choice.

On any other day you would’ve enjoyed your 8:00am life drawing class, but your head is killing you, and so are your feet (you should’ve taken the train) since you wanted to walk across campus and enjoy the morning dew of spring. You’re thirsty and you have half the mind to go and get free water at Starbucks but you don’t want to get up. Everything is just so bright and dizzy. Thus why your head is situated on the oh so cool table top, offering you short relief and bliss.

“(Y/n)!”

You groan, slowly lifting your heavy head from the table in hope of easing the splitting throb and squint at the woman who’s robbed you of your peace. She finishes the journey to you and pulls out a chair next to you and you wince. Everything she does is too loud for you right now.

“Lisa,” you sigh, exasperated. “Would it kill you to be a little more subtle?” You sound tired and your voice is a little raspy from the lack of hydration.

Lisa stops talking about her multiple cats and pauses, finally giving you a look over. “Oh.” She whispered, looking apologetic. She gives you a deprecatory smile. “Hangover?”

You nod numbly and Lisa gets up without another word. You close your eyes, only to feel the back of them throbbing in tandem along with your head. About two minutes later, Lisa is back with a Gatorade and banana walnut and pecan loaf.

She sets them in front of you, smiling. “Here, for you. I hope you feel better.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to Lisa, thank you.” You uncap the Gatorade and take a few sips, feeling much more comfortable now that your throat is wet. What would you do without Lisa?

The Thai befriended you freshman year when you shared the photography-I class with her. You didn’t even know how to use a camera if it wasn’t your phone’s. She helped you get through the class with good marks. She ignored what others told her about you and approached you— and you don’t know why she did, because freshman-year you was a trip. You bonded over your love for the arts and animals, quickly becoming close friends. Now, it’s your junior year and you’re still close as ever. You wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your friendship.

You and Lisa don’t share as many classes this year as you did prior, but you still hang out often. Lisa shares the photography-III and English class with you this year. She majors in dance. Lisa excels in all her classes— especially dance. (This girl can really move!)

As you eat the banana-pecan bread, you wonder why Lisa hasn’t asked you why you have such a bad hangover. Usually she’s on your tail about that, lecturing you on why you should stop going out so much. She knows you went to a party in the upperclassmen’s dorms last night with your Fine Arts major friends.

You observe Lisa, who rambles on about the new choreography she’s learning that she wants to show you, and wonder. Has she finally given up on making you a better you? Is she dissatisfied and disappointed that you still went to the party against her wishes? That you continue to mingle with those:

“Poor excuses of a friend group.”

“Bad influences.”

“Scrooges.”

“Substandard stick-figure drawing shit-heads.”

The last one makes you laugh because it’s the first time you heard Lisa use obscenity and curse. She was really mad that time: when she found out the art portfolio assignment you worked on won the drafting to get featured in a student art showing at a popular museum, she was ecstatic for you. But it failed to be submitted because you were suspected of plagiarism.

For some reason your work looked incredibly similar to your friend’s. It was obvious she copied you. Lisa thinks that your friend had very obvious intentions. If she doesn't win, you don’t win. You go down with her. So when it was obvious you were going to win, she pirated your hard work. Even acted like you stole hers— and the fact you were “friends” didn’t make anything better.

You were devastated at the time, but got over it. Lisa never did, and with a vengeance, she even got her law major friend Jennie involved. Now that? That was a whole mess.

“Why are you staring at me?” Lisa pipes up, and you realize she’s finished her rant and has been calling for your attention for quite some time now.

“You’re not going to ask…?”

“Do you want me to?” Lisa smiles knowingly.

“Yes, actually. Please bestow some of your wisdom on me.” You joke.

“Well,” Lisa begins. “How was the party?” Internally letting out a sigh at her broad question, you know she has to start somewhere.

“It was…interesting.” You say, trying to give a noncommittal response, which you suppose will suffice, considering that you were drunk and can hardly remember the whole event anyway.

“Interesting how? What were you up to?”

Oh, just your usual sexual escapades— can’t tell her that, though, can you?

You shrug and sip from your Gatorade, avoiding eye contact with her. “I don’t remember much…just drinking, dancing, I might have kissed a few people too.” You mutter, almost to yourself.

Lisa furrows her brows. Her gaze flickers to your neck, scrutinizing the expanse of revealed skin. She does this for a moment more before speaking again, seemingly satisfied with what she saw: no marks. “Did you hook up with anyone?” She asks, and the hint of concern in her voice doesn’t go unnoticed.

Lisa wasn’t fond of you sleeping with people you or she didn’t know well, even if those said people went to your college. Lisa may not approve of some things you do, but she’s a loyal friend who just wants you to stay safe.

Your face feels warm. “No,” you assure her. “Just kissing.”

Right.

She lets the topic go after that, and she tells you what’s happening in her life right now. Along the way, she got up to buy herself a drink as well, having to stand in a line now that more people are arriving.

It's then when you get a text. Upon opening the chat, your heart drops to your stomach. A text, followed by a chain of photos of you that are absolutely humiliating. The pictures seem to have the one focus to show you in some type of lewd way— like you’re some kind of horny bitch.

The first attachment has you captured during a passionate kiss as you're grinding onto a man’s lap, arms hooked around his neck as he holds your hips. Another shows you with hands slightly under a woman’s dress, you have her pinned against the wall, your lips together in an eager manner. The rest of the pictures follow a similar fashion, some even having inappropriate comments edited on the bottom.

Your phone dings again. It’s a message this time.

Oh God. Your stomach lurches and that deep feeling of anxiety begins to boil. You reread it over and over, irrationally hoping the words are just an illusion and that if you read it again and again the words will change. (They don’t.)

What if I were to post these online?

Your first thought was that whoever this is, is joking. This is just some sick prank from someone who was at that party last night. Who would be that invested in your life to go to the extent of stalkerish behavior?

You must’ve taken too long to reply because another one is sent a minute later.

Everyone knows you're a crazy bitch, what harm will it do?

Oh?

Your jaw is clenched and you stare at the images and texts, seething. That two worded term gave them away. There’s only two people who still call you that, so it’s either both or one of them responsible for this.

With trembling fingers, you turn off your phone. Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes. Hundreds of thoughts are racing through your head— but the recurring question lingers: How dare they?

It’s another thing that you’re not even disappointed. A little shaken, yes. Shocked? Totally. But disappointed? Not at all.

You knew.

So, it feels like cold water was poured on you, it feels like being slapped; with reality. It’s the long awaited, big and regretful I-told-you-so moment— because Lisa told you so.

And because Lisa told you so, you’re going to do what Lisa told you not to do (if this situation was to come).

You open your eyes to Lisa, still in line, looking at you in concern and confusion, probably wondering why you look so distressed. “You alright?” She mouths, brows knitted. You smile weakly, giving her a thumbs up before looking at the white marbled floors.

A moment later you open the contact again and stare blankly at the screen, thinking about your plan of action. This is considered blackmail, isn’t it? That means that the course of action you should take is talking to a blackmail attorney and reporting who sent those photos. And as satisfying as that sounds— that whoever sent those would be fined or sent to prison— you don’t plan on doing that. (Yet.) There’s much more satisfying ways to deal with this, afterall.

You nearly fall out of your chair when a hand touches your shoulder.

“(Y/n)? Who sent those?” (Thank God) It’s Lisa, who now stands directly behind you looking over your shoulder. She’s frowning and looks as if she’ll blow a fuse if you don’t answer her, and quickly too. But all you can think about is finding the person/s who took these. The chair you were sitting on skids on the marble as you abruptly stand, shoving your phone into your sweatpants’s pocket and gathering your things at a fast pace.

“Where are you going?” Lisa asks, alarmed as you start walking towards the building exit. “Wait!” She reaches out and grabs your arm. “…Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, alright?”

“I won’t.” After today passes, you think.

Loud laughter that turns silent, turns into grumbles and bitchy whines very quickly.

“Hey guys!” You shout when you’re a few footsteps away from their little circle, moving towards them quickly. They’re always in the same spot, it wasn’t hard to find them. Iseul, Ramus, Riley, and Krystal were all surrounded around Jackson, looking down at his device giggling like little girls. They barely had time to react as you bulldozed through. “What’s so funny? What are we laughing about? Let me see,” you forcefully snatch the phone out of his hand much to his shock.

So funny. Just fucking hilarious. They were laughing at the pictures of you— of course, and they seemed to have had lots of fun coming up with captions at the bottom of the photos and playing with the dumb filters.

Almost immediately, you delete the file from the photo editing app they used, exit out, and click onto his photos. Krystal, the Barbie wannabe is on her toes a moment later, ready to snatch the phone out of your hands. You see, you have to be careful around her; you all call her “Swiper” (no swiping) for a reason. She swiped your ex; Jackson; your cash, your clothes, your art, your— you get the point. But she’s the clumsiest person you know, so you're not really surprised she tripped onto her ass when you dodged her outstretched arm.

You deleted the photos from the Camera app on his phone, and then you had to go to the Photos app and delete them again, permanently. On to the Messages app now.

You can’t help but question why this is so easy. Your little group has five people, but only two of them are actually trying to get the phone back. Jackson chases you down and wow, is it hard to run and tap on a phone at the same time. You’re lucky you ran track in highschool. Eventually you ran out of places to run due to the lake behind you that cuts the campus halfway into two parts. Maybe you shouldn’t have ran onto the dock. It’s not like it was built all the way to the other side, so you’re trapped.

“Give me my fucking phone back (Y/n),” he growls. You shake your head.

Just as you deleted where every trace of those pictures you can guess were saved, he’s lunging towards you. And you do the only thing you can think of— kick him in the groin. He falls to his knees right after a curse leaves his lips, crumpling into a ball as he holds that area.

You gasp. “Oh I’m so sorry, you can have your phone back now.” You purposely place the phone near the edge of the dock where he lays and walk away. His hand reaches out for it but, not surprisingly, it falls in the water. “You fuckin’ crazy bitch!” He all but screams, fist hitting the wood of the dock. You roll your eyes and pick your bag up from the picnic table before heading to class.

…

Lisa doesn’t ask you what you did when she came to your dorm in the late afternoon. (It was just you and her, no Krystal).

You shake your head. “I can’t stay in this dorm anymore, Lisa. I was lucky to come back and see my things still intact but she’ll make my life a living hell if I stay, I know it.”

Lisa bites her lip as she looks elsewhere, presumingly thinking. “Well. I have a friend who doesn’t have a roommate right now. She hasn’t for a while, somehow,” you raise a brow, interested. “If you ask me, I think the school gives her extra attention but she denies it every time. She even has one of the big dorms with a kitchen and bathroom, and she turned the extra space into a living room.” Lisa laughs.

“So you think she might let me move in?” You ask hopefully.

“We’re talking about Roseanne here,” she muses. Lisa watches your eyes grow wide, recognition highlighting your features.

You melt into the beanbag chair lazily, looking at the ceiling. “Roseanne is really nice,” you start, and Lisa nods. “But I’m sure she likes her privacy. And me? I’m nosey as hell and loud— unintentionally. What if she thinks I’m annoying? Or what if she remembers how I acted Freshman year and immediately says no? What if she thinks I’m some mean bitch?” You groan, every good trait of yours you can think of is canceled by a bad one.

“Hey,” Lisa raises an eyebrow at you. “Don’t write yourself off yet, you never know. I don’t believe she thinks that either.”

“How do you know?” You question.

Lisa throws her hands up, smiling teasingly. “I don’t, but my words still stand.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

You’re about an hour into a movie when Lisa move’s suddenly. “Shoot,” she says, looking at her watch. “I have to go out for dinner with some of the dance majors, but I’ll bring the roommate thing up to her tomorrow and we’ll see what happens, okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks Lisa.” You hug her goodbye and then with a click of the door she’s gone.

***

True to her words, Lisa seeks out Roseanne in a free time period they share. She had traveled from the new arts building to the old arts building, and hoped to find her there. (A part of her hopes she wasn’t in that creepy building.)

The building’s lights still worked, but there was no one using the classrooms, so dust and spiders made them their homes. You had to have a key to get in the main door, and only one person had it. Lisa walked down the long hallways, jumping at little noises or shadows (including her own), and looking around wearily. Lisa knew Roseanne was slightly odd, maybe that’s why she’s able to be alone in an empty abandoned building.

Further down, she hears it, and makes her way to the soft melody that escapes from a familiar battered oak door. Lisa pokes her head in, and just as she suspected, she was there.

“Why is it that I always find you hiding in here?” Lisa muses as she squeezes past the door frame, blowing out a puff of air. That door only opens so much, and she thinks she might have skinned her knee on the lower hinge. (That’s gonna burn in the shower later…)

Slender fingers once gliding across ivory keys halt their movements. Roseanne rests her hands in her lap and turns to her friend with a smile. “Who said I was hiding? And what if I like being holed up in here?”

Lisa rolled her eyes playfully. “You know what I mean and I know you like being holed up in here.” Looking around, she spoke again, “I see you cleaned up some more and moved things around.”

The room was an old music classroom that was abandoned when classes were moved to a newer building, the old equipment stayed. It was a small room but now that Roseanne had moved and stacked up the old music stands and chairs, it was spacious. The curtains were open and the sun shone through, enhancing the satisfying rustic look of the room. She had to have also dusted and swept the floors since Lisa didn’t sneeze immediately upon walking in. “It looks nice.”

Roseanne hummed, eyes flickering across the painted vines and colorful roses on the piano’s surfaces. “Thank you. But you never come back here without very good reason to, what’s up?”

Lisa shrugged and sat herself on the windowsill. That was true, Lisa doesn’t do spiders, spiderwebs, dust, or creepy, mostly empty hallways. “I missed you, that’s one thing.” Roseanne was in Melbourne on vacation, so they haven’t seen each other since break.

Roseanne’s expression shifted into one of amusement. “I missed you too Lisa. It’s good to be back,” her fingers began picking idly at the piano's edge. “But what else brings you over? I can tell you want to ask me something.”

“Ah, do you remember (Y/n)?” Roseanne nods. “Well, the relationship between her and her current roommate is sour— it’s always been sour if you ask me, so she wants to move dorms.”

“And?”

“I told her that you don’t have a roommate...”

Roseanne knew what Lisa was implying already yet asked her to continue as she found amusement in Lisa’s nervousness. “And would ask if you’d consider letting her move in. But it’s totally okay if she can’t, she knows you like having the privacy.”

Roseanne let out a heavy breath and leaned against the piano, running a hand through her hair as she thought.

Other than some factors, she doesn’t see why she would deny. If she agrees, it would save you the time of being put on a waitlist with the other students who want to move dorms. It could be fun to have a roomate again, she thinks. It’s not like you’re total strangers either, both friends of a friend, Lisa being the link between.

“Okay.” She says.

“Okay?” Lisa repeats.

“I won’t say yes till I talk with her.” Roseanne runs her fingers across the small dips in the piano keys. She’ll have to lay down some groundwork and ask you some questions. The worst thing she wants to do is let someone nasty into her dorm— not that you are…hopefully.

“Oh! We can arrange that, um when did you want to meet up? I can tell her,” Lisa looks happy.

“Tomorrow is fine.”

“Alright then, thank you for considering this.” Roseanne nods and Lisa stands up. “I’ll head back for dance class now,” she says, “Stay safe okay? Watch out for ghosts too— I swear I’m hearing things.” Lisa shivers.

“I will Lisa,” she cocks her head to the side, “don’t get scared walking back.” Roseanne’s teasing earns her an eye roll.

“Yeah, yeah.” After Lisa slips out the room, she waits a few seconds to see if Lisa will come back; she does. Lisa pops her head back through the door and yells, “if you get a call in a few minutes you better answer it!” Lisa may need to call her if she gets scared walking through the hallways.Then she is gone.

Chuckling under her breath, Roseanne scoots back to the edge of the bench, her back straight with her arms relaxed and in front of her, before resuming to play. An upbeat song, she began with and played, before the music slowed to something soft and melancholic, and Roseanne closed her eyes at the sound, allowing herself to be drawn into the world of the music. These keys— any piano keys really— to her, were like a past memory. Something she can fall back on whenever her thoughts get the best of her.

And tomorrow, she’d have to meet up with you.

-

Would you like to continue?

-

Another A/n: Y’all don’t know the hell I went through italicizing words. Like why doesn’t tumblr do that for me? Why don’t you transfer exactly what I write on a google doc here? (😭)

[deliriumsdelight7]

TMI Tuesday

Bad news, I’m afraid - I have gotten exactly ZERO writing done since last week’s post. Four and a half months of fucked up sleep have finally caught up with me (she says, as though she wasn’t ignoring the signs of it gradually catching up with her). At this point, when I’m not working, chances are I’m sleeping or otherwise resting because I just can’t stay awake. So. That’s fun.

Anyway. My appointment with an ENT is less than two weeks away, so I will FINALLY get looked at. I really, really hope they take me seriously and do something ASAP because otherwise my sleep study isn’t scheduled until JULY. I’m more or less a zombie at this point. Adding three more months to this won’t do me any favors.

So… all of that is to say, updates will be sporadic at best. I’ve looked at the three WIPs I’ve been working on, and… it’s not good. Not in my usual, “blurr blee blurr I’m so terrible” way but in a legitimate, “I cannot keep a thought in my head long enough to write it to completion, so these chapters are disjointed as fuck” way. Basically my choices are 1.) keep forcing words out and put out something shitty, or 2.) stop writing and hope I don’t lose momentum for another 15 year dry spell. Neither option appeals. So I’m going for a third option: write one sentence a day. That’s it. If the words keep flowing, I’ll keep writing. If they don’t, I’ll close my document and do something else, like draw or transcribe my DnD sessions. Something that keeps the creative juices flowing but gives my brain a rest.

You guys should ask me stuff! Ask about my DnD character (he’s so cool you guys he’s SUCH a wife guy loser). Throw art inspo at me. Or just drop in and say hi! Not to put too fine a point on it, but I could really use the pick-me-up.

Hope to hear from you!

[c-e-d-dreamer]

And They Were Roommates, OMG They Were Roommates: Part Four

A/N: So I can’t lie, this chapter was tough to write. Felt at times like I was pulling teeth. So if it also reads that way, apologies. If the lack of motivation continues, I may have to pause this fic for a bit. It’s just that the ideas and creative juices are flowing more for my kid!fic at the moment, and trying to force a fic when all you can think about is another fic is no fun. But it really would just be a pause, not abandoning. I promise :) 

Chapter Masterlist // Previous Part // Next Part 

“Hurricane Isaiah is expected to make landfall Friday morning. Upgraded to a category three, Isaiah will have winds over one hundred miles per hour and a whole lot of rain. So, stock up and get ready for a weekend spent inside, Velaris.” 

Cassian sighs softly, unable to stop a grimace as the weatherman shows the hurricane’s projected path on the green screen behind him, pointing to where the worst will be. They’re far enough inland that hopefully it won’t be too bad, but Cassian is definitely glad he thought ahead the last time he went to the grocery store. If things get bad, at least they have plenty of canned food, granola bars, and water. 

The click of the front door opening and closing draws Cassian’s attention, and when he glances over Nesta is finally stepping inside. Even from where he’s set on the sectional sofa, Cassian can see the dark circles clinging under her eyes, the tired set to her face. A number of flyaways have broken free from her braid, and Cassian wonders if that’s due to her running her fingers through it. 

“Long day at the office?” Cassian asks teasingly, earning a scowl in response. “I left you a plate in the fridge. You just have to heat it up.” 

Nesta mumbles something that Cassian suspects is a thank you then vanishes into her room. It’s not long before she reappears again, having changed into a pair of soft looking shorts and an oversized tee. Her hair is still braided, but rather than pinned up, it hangs loosely over her shoulder. Her bare feet pad back into the kitchen so Cassian returns his attention to the television where they’ve switched to talking about the latest local sports scores. 

He hears the beep of the microwave then Nesta is settling on the sectional sofa. She folds her legs up under her and rests her plate of dinner on her lap, glancing toward the television and scrunching up her nose. 

“You’re watching the news?” 

“They were talking about the hurricane. It’s supposed to be pretty nasty.” 

“They always say that, and then it’s just a little rain.” 

Cassian can’t say that he disagrees, but he’d still rather be safe than sorry. If the weather predictions are wrong, then they’ll just have extra food and water for a few weeks, but if the predictions are right, Cassian is sure Nesta will be thanking him. Maybe he’ll even make her say the words he was right and she was wrong before he lets her enjoy the different things he bought. That would be a sight to see. The mental image of it alone has him biting back a smile, but to distract Nesta from taking notice, he just grabs the remote and changes the channel. 

~ * * * ~

When Cassian steps out of his bedroom, still rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, he finds Nesta standing in front of the large floor to ceiling windows that line their living room. Rain lashes against the glass in angry streaks, the wind whistling and blurring the whole landscape an ugly gray color. Cassian can just barely make out the river beyond, the trees that line it bowing sideways with each powerful gust. 

“Just a little rain, huh?” Cassian asks teasingly. 

Nesta doesn’t say anything, and while Cassian can’t see her face, he can perfectly imagine her rolling her eyes at him. With a light chuckle, Cassian heads for the kitchen, turning his attention to breakfast. With the weather so dreary, he decides to pull out the waffle iron, letting it heat up while he prepares the batter. 

Cassian has a decent stack of steaming, golden brown waffles, the buttery sweet scent filling the apartment, when Nesta makes her way over to the kitchen. She pulls down plates and glasses from the cabinets, pouring them both a glass of juice while Cassian divvies up the waffles between them. They end up settling with their breakfasts on the sectional sofa. While Nesta has absolutely drenched her waffles in sugary maple syrup, Cassian has opted to top his with some fresh strawberries and bananas. 

"The one good thing about the hurricane?" Nesta starts, reaching for the remote and navigating to the streaming service. “It’s the perfect weather for bingeing.” 

“And what are we bingeing?” 

“I don’t know what you’re bingeing, but I’m watching Love is Blind.” 

Cassian doesn't bother to hide his grimace at that. "I would've thought you were above those types of trashy reality shows, but maybe all those smutty books you love really are rotting your brain." 

"Well, you'd certainly know what it feels like to have a rotting brain." 

Cassian puts on his best mocking laugh in response to the retort, but he doesn't say anything else, not even at the proud little smile that tugs up Nesta's lips. Instead, he turns his focus to the television. That is, until a soft groan pricks his ears and draws his attention again. He practically whips his head around only to find Nesta with her fork poised to her lips, eyes closed and a blissful expression painted across her face. 

"These are really good waffles," she tells him. 

"Is that a compliment?" Cassian asks teasingly, unable to taper down a smirk. "From the Nesta Archeron?"

In a second, Nesta's expression morphs back into a scowl. "Don't get used to it." 

"Wouldn't want it to go to my rotting head, right?" 

"Exactly." 

At the haughty, clipped tone of Nesta’s voice, Cassian can’t help but laugh. He turns his attention back to digging into his own plate of waffles while the show continues to play on the television. He tries his best to feign indifference, to pretend he doesn’t care for these reality stars trying to find “love,” but he has to admit that Nesta was right about the entertaining label. 

“Did he just call her the wrong name?” Cassian exclaims a few episodes later. 

Nesta snorts softly from where she’s now wrapped up in a blanket on her end of the sectional sofa. “She likes him too much to drop him after that.” 

“What? She should absolutely drop him after that.” 

Cassian is about to continue to rant about all the things that are most definitely wrong with this budding relationship when suddenly the television cuts out. Along with everything else in the apartment. In a second, all of the lights flicker out, the hum of the air conditioning giving way to eerie silence. Cassian has to blink a few times before his eyes adjust to the new darkness. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Nesta’s annoyed grumble breaks through the quiet. 

“I’ll get some flashlights.” 

Cassian gets up from the sectional sofa, moving carefully toward the kitchen so as to not bump into anything. He fumbles around in the drawers until he finds what he’s looking for. Much to his disappointment, the batteries in the flashlight seem to be dead, but he does find some candles. He digs around some more until he finds a lighter, carefully lighting one of the candles and setting it on the kitchen island, an orange glow filling the space and leaving flickering shadows dancing across the walls. He lights two more candles and carries them back into the living room, setting them on the coffee table so he and Nesta can see. 

“How long do you think the power will be out?” Cassian wonders aloud, settling back against the cushions. 

“Hopefully not days.” 

“Lucky I stocked up then, huh?” 

“Clearly you didn’t think to stock up on batteries, though,” Nesta shoots back, standing up and grabbing one of the candles. 

Okay, maybe Cassian deserves that one. 

He watches as Nesta vanishes down the dark hallway and into her bedroom. It’s not long before she returns, though, a book tucked under her arm. She settles back on the sectional sofa, and it takes some maneuvering, but she’s able to find the perfect combination of candle placement and lounging comfortably to be able to read her book. 

Cassian lets his head fall back against the cousins, closing his eyes, but it’s not long before he’s feeling bored and restless. He supposes he could scroll through his phone, but it’s probably best if he doesn’t waste the battery. Maybe he should ask Nesta to borrow one of her smutty romance books, or better yet, ask her to read her current smutty romance book aloud. Would she stutter through the words? Or would she hold her head high as she read even with her cheeks deepening in the flush Cassian knows will slink across her skin? 

When Cassian glances over to the woman in question, her nose is still firmly buried in her book. She bites down lightly on her bottom lip as her eyes dance across each page. In the red and orange glow of the candlelight, her hair looks like burnished gold where it falls in a loose braid down along her shoulder. She looks so relaxed, blanket covered legs tucked up where the book rests against her knees. 

Cassian blows out a heavy breath through his lips, but Nesta doesn’t even bother to glance in his direction. Cassian frowns, letting out a lamenting sigh next , but Nesta just continues to read like he’s not even there. 

“Nesta,” Cassian tries.

Still nothing. Cassian shifts on the sectional sofa and flings himself across Nesta’s legs. 

“Nesta,” Cassian repeats, dragging out the final vowel of her name. 

Nesta finally relents, glancing down at where he’s now laying with a scowl. “What.” 

“I’m bored.” 

“How is that my problem?” 

“We could play a game?” 

“No.” 

Nesta goes back to her book, but Cassian has officially had enough of that. He plucks the book right from her fingers, pointedly ignoring the annoyed sound that tears from Nesta’s chest. Nesta tries to snatch the book back, but Cassian just hops up from the sectional sofa, holding the book high above his head where she can’t reach. 

“Cassian, I’m serious,” Nesta seethes, tugging at his arm and trying to pull it down. “Give it back.” 

“Just one game,” he offers. 

Nesta settles back and crosses her arms, but she’s not arguing, so Cassian decides to take it as a win. He steps around the sectional sofa, gently setting Nesta’s book on the kitchen island as he passes it. He finds his stack of old board games in the closet by the front door. He has to squint against the low light emanating from the candles, but he finds Guess Who, which will be perfect for just the two of them. 

Cassian and Nesta settle on pillows on the floor either side of the coffee table. Nesta looks less than impressed as she makes sure all the cards on her board are upright and takes one of the cards from the deck. Cassian does the same, setting his card in the slot on his board, before settling Nesta with a smile. 

“You can go first,” he tells her. 

Nesta folds her hands neatly atop the coffee table and stares Cassian down. “Does your person look like someone with low enough standards to date you?” 

Cassian is positive that his jaw is on the floor at the clipped question with the way his mouth hangs open in shock. Even over the flickering candles positioned between them, he can see the challenge blazing in the stormy blue of Nesta’s eyes. Another minute of silence from him, and her face morphs into a smirk, clearly proud that she’s hit her mark. 

“What?” Nesta questions, her tone mockingly innocent. “You’re the one who wanted to play rather than leaving me to read my book.” 

“Fine,” Cassian gets out through gritted teeth. He glances down to his card, at the cartoon drawing of a pretty woman with blonde hair. “Would date me.” 

Nesta hums in response and starts to knock down the different characters on her board with a flick of her fingers. Cassian can feel annoyance begin to spark and flare through his veins as she knocks down nearly half the board. 

“I think you may have eliminated too many,” Cassian comments. 

“Agree to disagree.” 

Cassian lets out a heavy breath through his nose, trying to steel his temper before it boils over. How is it that Nesta constantly gets under his skin like no one else? A few barbed words, sometimes just a look, is all it takes. Of course, if there’s one thing that Cassian takes pride in, he can do the same to her. Which reminds Cassian that it’s now his turn. He crosses his arms and offers Nesta a crooked grin. 

“Is your person someone who would agree you’re a bitch?” 

The glare Nesta settles him with is withering. “No.” 

Just as Nesta did, Cassian proceeds to knock down near half the cards on his board with a smirk. “You’re turn, sweetheart.” 

“Is your person someone with an ego bigger than their giant head?” 

The game doesn’t last much longer after that, and by the end, neither of them is successfully able to guess which card the other has. Cassian puts the game back in the box with more force than is probably necessary, but Nesta still looks a bit too smug with her string of retorts. He stands and heads back toward the closet, setting Guess Who back on the stack and looking at the other game options. 

“Twister?” Cassian offers, already pulling the box from the stack. 

“With two people?” 

“We’ll make it a rule that you can only go for the furthest dot for each color to keep it interesting.” 

Nesta looks like she wants to argue further, but Cassian pointedly ignores her, moving aside the coffee table to make space. He opens up the box and pulls out the mat, spreading it down across the floor and setting the board to spin beside it. 

“Ready?” 

Nesta rolls her eyes, but she stands up from her spot on the floor, going over to stand at the edge of the mat. Cassian leans down, hitting the spinner on the board. 

"Left hand red," he announces. 

They both lean down toward the mat, each placing their left hand on one of the red dots. Cassian moves the spin board closer, hitting the spinner once again. 

"Right hand yellow." 

Cassian reaches over and settles his right hand against the yellow dot near Nesta’s end of the mat. Nesta, on the other hand, sets her right hand on the yellow dot just below her left hand, causing Cassian to frown. 

“We said furthest dot for each color to keep things interesting,” Cassian reminds her. 

Nesta huffs but she moves her right hand to a yellow dot further down on the mat, leaving her arm crossed over Cassian’s and shoulders almost brushing together. It takes some creative maneuvering, but Cassian is able to hit the spinner with his foot, craning his neck to see where it lands. 

“Right foot blue.” 

Nesta stretches her right leg out, right under her own arm, and sets her foot on the blue dot all the way at the other end of the mat. Cassian blinks in surprise a few times at the near splits she’s now in, the way it doesn’t even look like a strain for her. He knew that Nesta used to dance when she was younger, but he didn’t realize she was that flexible. 

With a jolt, it hits Cassian that he’s absolutely staring and has yet to move his own right leg. Quickly, he brings his knee up and places his right foot on a blue dot. When he glances back toward Nesta, she’s smirking at him. Embarrassment flares to life in Cassian’s chest at the look, and he’s thankful for the low light of the candles that will hopefully hide the heat beginning to flood his skin. Did she catch his blatant staring? 

“Furthest dot for each color to keep things interesting,” Nesta repeats Cassian’s words from earlier, her tone mocking. 

There’s no denying the relief that washes over Cassian at that, but he still rolls his eyes in annoyance. He stretches his leg out to a blue dot further away, grimacing at the pull in his hip at the position. He’s determined to hold it though, refuses to let Nesta win. 

With each new spin and keeping to the furthest dot rule, Cassian and Nesta end up more and more tangled, limbs criss-crossed over one another’s. By the time that the spinner lands on left foot green, Cassian has to lift his leg fully over Nesta to reach the furthest dot. In the new position, each breath she takes has her back pressing against Cassian’s chest, as he tries to hold himself up. This close, Cassian can smell the vanilla of her body wash, the jasmine scent of her shampoo. All it would take is a dip of his head for his lips to brush against the skin of her neck exposed by the loose hang of her tee and then—

Cassian lets out a groan as he goes sprawling across the ground, pain blooming and spreading across his abdomen. He rubs at the spot before turning a glare at Nesta. She really just punched him. Hard. 

“Mother’s tits,” Cassian gasps out through clenched teeth. “When did you start working out?” 

“I take kickboxing classes with my friends,” Nesta explains like it’s nothing, standing up from the mat and straightening out her clothes. “Now, since I’ve played and won one game, can I finally go back to my book?” 

“Won?” Cassian repeats, barely swallowing down an incredulous laugh. “You cheated. Rematch.” 

“Fine, but this time, keep your hands to yourself.” 

One rematch becomes two rematches. That then turns into various rounds of card games. Cassian has always been quite competitive himself, but he quickly learns that Nesta is just as bad. She stares at him with narrowed eyes over her hands of cards, cheers and gloats when she wins, grumbles and pouts every time Cassian wins. It shouldn’t be as adorable as it is. A thought he shakes away as quickly as he has it. 

As the sky starts to darken, the afternoon giving way to evening, the power remains out. They pause their games long enough for Cassian to use the canned chicken to prepare some buffalo style wraps, and they eat quietly while the hurricane continues to rage in the shadows outside. They play a few more rounds of cards after dinner then Cassian finally relents, freeing Nesta from her game obligations. Nesta doesn’t need to be told twice, grabbing her book and one of the candles before retreating to her room. It’s not long before Cassian follows suit, heading to his own room. 

Cassian settles back against his bed with a soft sigh, trying to relax and will himself to sleep. The faster he falls asleep, the faster he can wake up the next morning to, hopefully, the power restored. It’s easier said than done, though. The rain continues to lash against the windows, the winds almost rattling the glass in the frames. A particularly powerful wind gust actually startles Cassian, and he squints through the dark at the line of windows along his bedroom wall skeptically. The wind couldn’t break them, could it? The line of tall windows are great for natural light for his bedroom, but he’s suddenly realizing that there would be a lot of glass if they shattered. 

Before Cassian can think twice, he clambers out of bed. He grabs his pillow, tucking it under his arm and pads out of his bedroom, knocking gently on the door across the hall. 

“Nesta,” Cassian calls quietly, slowly pushing open her door. 

Nesta is sat on her bed, her book nestled in her lap and the candle flickering from her bedside table. She looks confused and surprised to see Cassian standing in her doorway. Her eyes track downward and it’s then Cassian remembers he changed into just a soft pair of shorts to sleep in. Before he can make a teasing joke, Nesta’s gaze snaps back up to his face, blue gray eyes narrowing. 

“What are you doing?” she asks him. 

“Can I sleep in your room?” 

“What.” 

“I have a whole wall of windows in my room.” 

“Wow,” Nesta drawls sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “It must be so hard having the nicer bedroom.” 

“I’m just saying, what if a tree falls through one of them?” 

“We live on the fourth floor.” 

“Please, Nesta. Please,” Cassian pleads, folding his hands under his chin and offering his best pout. 

“Fine,” Nesta relents with a sigh. 

“Thank you thank you thank you.” 

Cassian wastes no time stepping fully into Nesta’s room and closing the door behind him. The last thing he needs is to give her enough time for her to change her mind. He jumps up onto the bed, placing his pillow behind his head and shifting until he’s comfortable. 

“Just stay on your side of the bed,” Nesta tells him, her tone firm and leaving no room for disagreement. 

“That won’t be a problem.” 

It turns out, it’s a problem. 

When Cassian wakes the next morning, it’s to a face full of golden brown hair. It takes his sleep addled brain a few moments to remember exactly where he is, to recognize the warm body pressed up against him. But then it all comes rushing back like a slap in the face. The hurricane. The power outage. Begging Nesta to let him sleep in her room. Carefully, Cassian risks lifting his head and glancing down, but thankfully Nesta is still fast asleep, her face soft and completely relaxed when she’s not awake and scowling at him. He’s not sure which of them exactly moved in their sleep in the night, but their legs are now firmly tangled together, his arm slung snugly across her waist. 

Moving as slowly as he can so as to not jostle and wake Nesta, Cassian untangles himself and slips off the bed. He practically sprints back to his own bedroom and finally releases the breath he was holding once safely behind the closed door. He gives himself a moment, letting his head fall back against the wood with a soft thud. He’ll just pretend that never happened and never speak of it again. He and Nesta are just roommates and fake engaged after all. Nothing more.

—

Taglist (let me know if you would like to be added or removed): @moodymelanist​ @hellogoodbye14​ @nestaspegasus​ @nesquik-arccheron​ @sv0430​ @lady-winter-sunrise​ @talkfantasytome​ @secretlovelybeauty​ @dontgetsalmonella​ @swankii-art-teacher​ @mis-lil-red​ @bookstantrash​ @vinylcryes​ @sleeping-and-books​ @wonderland--memories​ @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter​ @sayosdreams​ @ubigaia​ @cannellefawn @duskandstarlight​ @live-the-fangirl-life​ @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens​ 

[showerthoughtsonly]

Inspiration

Captain Rex x reader (mostly platonic with romantic undertones) 

Summary: There are times where creating something to unwind feels like wrangling a swarm of angry bees into a much too small jar. It piles up into frustration and ire that you can’t quite help. The sweet Captain reminds you that  creating can be hard, yes, but that you are also more than capable of tackling the task. 

A/N: Ngl, I’ve been hardcore struggling with writing and drawing rn. I took spring break in the middle of bfn, and its a bit better now, but I can’t promise how much I’ll be able to produce, lol. Enjoy, my loves, and remember that you are loved and appreciated! 

Tags: @sugarpuffsstuff​ @misogirl88​  (lmk if you wanna be tagged in future works ;))

You squirmed slightly in your seat, pen in hand as you stared down in distain at your datapad. It had been quite some time since you’ve struggled with this and you had foolishly believed that time wasted staring at a blank page had passed. This wasn’t quite the matter of desire either, you had even put down a few lines on the paper just to try and start it, but nothing seemed to follow and thus, you had erased your progress.

There was a firm brick wall between you and your creative well at the moment and it was causing you great distress. It was bad enough that working for the military had cut your normal creative time in half.

Running back and forth across a ship, helping out where you could as an officer, had you busier than you had ever been, excluding some of your earlier years of school. You barely got a second to sit down and breathe, let alone create. With your current day off, however, you had the time, just not the creative juice.

It had literally been hours of staring and trying to get ideas flowing through your head now. You hadn’t vacated your room all day, save for a ten minute tea run. Unusual for you, as you usually at least attempted to hold normal food hours so you could engage with your little friend groups on board, but it was your day off, so you weren’t exactly expecting anyone to check in on you.

Perhaps that’s why you nearly jumped out of your seat when a loud round of knocking broke you out of your looping empty thoughts.

“Come in! Door’s unlocked!” You shouted, unable to completely muster the energy to get out of your chair to welcome the intruder into your thinking space. When the door slid open to reveal Captain Rex, you sat up straight.

“Is something wrong, Captain? Do you need me?” You asked, already starting to stand up to gather your stuff. He’s never visited your room before, unlike some others of Torrent company, and you didn’t really believe he would come unless it was an emergency.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I was just asking around deck and no one’s seen you today. So, I wanted to check in. I brought some rations as an offering.” Rex extended his hands to show two energy bars and a bottle of water. His mannerisms were slightly sheepish, as if he didn’t quite know if he was welcome in your personal space yet.

The sudden show of concern for your well-being lifted the cloud that had been hanging over your shoulders. It wasn’t entirely unexpected from the sweet Captain, you had noticed that he occasionally checked in with everyone, but now that it was your turn to be on the receiving end of his attention, everything got a little bit brighter.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it, Captain. I didn’t really realize that I’d been holed up in here all day.” You said, gratefully taking the food and drink from him. Your fingers brushed in the exchange and you were struck by how warm his hands felt.

“Don’t mention it, kid. Anything else I can help with? You look a little, um…down.” Rex continued. The concern in his warm eyes had you melting in seconds.

“Not really. I just finally had some time to indulge my hobby and it , uh, didn’t go as planned.” You said, shrugging softly to try and lessen the feelings welling up in your chest. Your gaze was suddenly on your pen in your hands, busying yourself with spinning it back and forth to avoid his gaze.

A warm hand clasped your shoulder through your loungewear, bringing your head back up. Rex was suddenly much closer, a fact that had your heart suddenly racing.

“That sounds frustrating. Do you wanna take a walk with me? Let that unconscious brain do some processing and get your thoughts flowing? I was about to go back to the barracks. The boys are settling down for a couple of games.” He offered. The offer was sincere and sweet, you could see it in the way he offered his arm and glanced nervously from your face to the wall and back to your face.

Still, you were loath to part from your desk, especially if this walk ended in hanging out with the men back in the barracks. There was no guarantee that you would return in a timely manner if you got sucked into whatever insane game they had concocted this time. Rex must have sensed your hesitancy because he continued on.

“We can talk about your frustration, if you want. It might be good to vent and move around a little.” He said quickly, clearly wanting you to move around. You took another second to ponder, then joined him at his side.

“Sure, why not. Might be a bit nice.” You muttered, still slightly sour at the thought of leaving your hovel before you had produced an acceptable masterpiece. To your delight, Rex offered his elbow. You slid your arm through his, relishing in the smooth slide of plastoid against your soft top and the warmth that basically seemed to radiate off his body.

The two of you stepped out of your room and established a steady rhythm quickly, settling into a leisurely pace down the gray, stale hallways. You hadn’t had the pleasure to really get to know the Captain quite yet. Nearing upon three months aboard, you were just now settling into some friendships and a nice routine. Rex was around as you tended to hang around the Torrent company often, but you had alone been alone together once or twice.

Him intentionally seeking you out in order to make sure that you were alright really touched your heart. It was nice that he cared.

“So, would you like to talk about it? Try to nibble on that bar when you can too.” Rex gestured to the bar that you hadn’t set down while vacating the room. You slipped your arm out to unwrap it before quickly replacing it, unwilling to part from the physical point of contact that he had offered.

“Sure, I guess. Creating is kind of… a release. It’s hard to start sometimes and often doesn’t want to go, if that makes sense, but not putting things down on paper really bugs me. It’s, for a lack of a better analogy, it feels like you want to crawl out of your skin.” You explained hesitantly, hoping that your analogy wouldn’t seem too graphic to a captain used to the horrors of war.

Rex squeezed your arm briefly, nodding for you to go on as you rounded a corner.

“It’s just really frustrating when I finally have the time to sit down and nothing wants to come out. It’s all bundled up in my head and desperate to escape, it’s just that every time I start it, it feels wrong. Not good enough.” You said, a little sigh punctuating the end of your small rant.

Rex waited for a couple of seconds, only responding when you took a bite of your snack to make sure that it was his turn to speak.

“I get it. I have a tough time believing that anything you could create wouldn’t be good enough, though. I can’t exactly speak from experience, but it sounds like you’re struggling with tension and some anxiety. See if taking a deep breath and letting some of that go helps. Do a couple of idle warm-ups. Your brain needs exercise just as much as the rest of you does and you never just leap into a physical practice without warming up.” He offered. Rex’s tone of voice was a soothing baritone that had your body nearly melting. To your surprise, his words seemed to make your earlier struggles make a bit of sense.

The words seemed to linger in the air as you swallowed your snack. This hallway had enormous, open windows, displaying stars and space swirling past as the ship flung through hyperspace. The passing lights swirled over Rex’s face and lingered on the smooth round of his cheek and bridge of his nose as he looked at you, warm emotions you weren’t exactly ready to confront lingering in his eyes.

“That makes sense. I’ll try some things when I get back. Thank you, Captain.” You smiled softly at Rex and something in your chest twisted pleasantly as a new color flushed through his cheeks faintly.

“Anytime. And, uh, call me Rex when you’re off duty.” He said, not seeming entirely comfortable with all of your attention on him. You continued on with your little walk, resisting the urge to lean further on him or softly put your head on his arm.

Captain Rex was a soothing presence, one that you hadn’t really noticed before. Just being around him made tension bleed out of your posture, despite being a figure in authority above you. It was nice to have his support behind you.

When you returned back to your room after a quick round of some random card game that Fives had created on-the-fly in the barracks, you sat down, took a deep, calming breath and put your pen to your holopad. This time, thoughts bled onto metaphorical paper, flying from your mind to your hand.

This time, it wasn’t long until you had effectively created something that you felt proud of. You had a suspicion that your Captain would be proud of you as well.

[cellsshapedlikestars]

Hello!

I love all your work so much and I saw that you were going to be taking a break from your Bachelor universe so I wanted to throw some prompts your way to maybe help get some other creative juices flowing *waggles eyebrows*

1) switched at birth AU

2) Everyone already knows their dating AU

3) Law and Order (SVU AU)

4) you’ve got mail AU

Thank you anon, I'm glad you like my writing!

Now that I've finished my Bach fic, I've been at a bit of a loss what I want to do next. Maybe it's because I'm all out of new ideas, maybe it's because work has been absolutely hectic, but my creative brain is completely empty. So I figured, why not try to do one of these prompts?

Here's the thing: I have never seen SVU or You've Got Mail. And I'm pretty sure Switched at Birth is also a TV show I have never seen? When I saw "everyone already knows" my immediate thought was "oh! like in Friends!" but then I remembered I have absolutely read that fic somewhere?? Like someone already wrote that for Jonsa. (I tried to find it again but have had no luck.)

So I chose switched at birth as a concept - I'm not sure if you meant the TV show or not, but I just wrote whatever popped into my brain.

A warning: this turned out a bit more angsty than I intended, and isn't necessarily Jonsa? It is if you squint. A few other notes, Alayne is a completely separate person from Sansa, Lysa is not related to Catelyn, and Baelish never knew Catelyn either. Sorry if it's confusing and/or not at all what you were looking for!

.

.

Sansa feels as if the world has dropped out from beneath her.

They all sit in the drawing room of what she can only describe as a mansion (and she knows that next to her, Father is likely seething. This is the kind of money he aspires to, but will never be able to reach. He will never have a name. Father is a Baelish, he could never be a Stark.)

She stares at the family sitting opposite and her heart sticks in her throat at the sight of them – the mother, the three sons, they all have the same copper hair that she does and she swallows against the rising tears.

This is what she could have had, she thinks as she averts her eyes, but she only manages to catch sight of the family portrait above the mantel. A father, a mother, siblings. She could have had all of this, if not for the slip-up of an overworked, underpaid nurse sixteen years ago. She could have been Alayne Stark. Instead she is Sansa Baelish.

Switched at birth.

Alayne sits with her family (that should be Sansa's family), and she doesn't look as out of place as she should. Her dark hair matches Mr. Stark's – matches the other daughter, Arya. Alayne fits right in.

Sansa sits with Father (no, not her father; the man who raised her) on the opposite couch and wonders if her Mother (no, not her mother) had known, somehow. Is that why Mother had always been so cruel to her? Why she always seemed to hate Sansa for reasons she could never figure out? Perhaps Mother had known, somehow, that Sansa wasn't hers. Sansa remembers reading fairy stories of Changelings – how the mother would know, insist the child wasn't hers, how no one ever believed her. Is that why Mother threw herself off the roof all those years ago?

“Well this is fucking awkward,” the girl, Arya, mutters, and it breaks the silence as Mr. Stark sighs and presses a hand over his face and Mrs. Stark begins to scold her for her language and impropriety. Sansa watches Alayne laugh, and she feels more than ever like an intruder. She may share the Stark blood, but it seems as if Alayne and Arya are more alike than not. And by the way the brothers are trying to hide their own laughter, it seems Alayne fits in with all of them.

Perhaps it wasn't a mistake to switch them, Sansa thinks bitterly. Perhaps the Starks are better for having Alayne.

….

She is forced to get to know the Stark family, though she does not think she wants to. She doesn't want to look at their life and wish it could have been hers – wish that Ned Stark with his kind eyes and calm voice could have been her father. Wish that Catelyn Stark with her smiles and her freshly baked cookies could have been her mother. Wish that she could have been surrounded by siblings and dogs and even two strange psuedo-adopted-but-not-really brothers that she meets later on named Jon and Theon. The Stark household is chaotic and confusing and Sansa tells herself she would have hated growing up here.

….

She isn't surprised to find that she's not sad Father isn't her real father. In fact, there's a sort of joy inside her that when she turns eighteen, she can be free of him. He is still her legal guardian, the courts have decided, but she has less than two years before she is free and they aren't actually related and so she doesn't have to feel guilty about her dreams of leaving him.

It grows inside her as the weeks and months go by – a hatred she has never truly let herself feel before. She hates him, despises him. She always has.

Catelyn Stark is insistent on getting to know her because Sansa is her daughter, but Sansa can tell that Father has no real desire to get to know his own real daughter. He does not care about Alayne – no, what he cares about is ingratiating himself into the Stark family. She wonders if the Starks can see it like she can. She hopes not – she doesn't want them to think she's only coming to these weekly meetings for their money and their name.

In all honestly, she's not actually sure why she keeps coming to these meetings. All they do is remind her that the Starks will never truly be her family. All they do is highlight how much Father cares about social climbing. These meetings are painful and every week when she finally gets home and takes a shower and gets into her pajamas and climbs into bed, she sobs into her pillow for what could have been.

…

“You know the party's inside, right?”

Sansa startles out of her reverie and whirls around, heart pounding, to find Jon Snow standing behind her, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket.

It's Christmas and the snow is thick on the ground and she's shivering in the thin wrap that she came outside with, her coat in a closet where Mrs. Stark had taken it hours earlier.

“Are you allowed to be smoking?” she asks instead of answering and he laughs, pulling one out of the pack and placing it between his lips.

“I'm eighteen,” he shrugs, speaking around the cigarette dangling out of his mouth. His hands come up and he lights it, with one cupped around the end against the cold winter wind.

“I can't imagine Mrs. Stark approves of smoking,” she sniffs, then shakes her head no when Jon holds the pack out to her in offering. She watches his mouth twitch into a smile for a moment, like he knew she wouldn't take one, before putting the pack back in his coat pocket.

“Seems you don't approve, either.”

“Well, I am her daughter.” She says it and means it to be a joke, but the words come out soft and it wavers at the end.

Jon watches her for a moment, then unzips his coat and shrugs it off and holds it out to her and she stares at it blankly, her mind not processing the gesture. He shakes the coat, like he's insisting she take it and she finally does, slipping it on and then closing her eyes at the immediate warmth of it.

“I get it,” Jon says after a while, when he's halfway down to the filter, clouds of smoke drifting up into the night sky. “I mean, not exactly, I'm not sure there's anyone who can understand... you know-” he gestures at her. “But I get what's it's like - to be a Stark, but not. They practically raised me, but I'm not... I'll never actually be one of them.”

“I used to read fairytales,” she admits, turning her face from him because it's easier to talk into the dark, snow-covered landscape than him. “About secret princesses, and the king and queen were always so happy to have their daughter back. In the stories, there was never another princess who already took her place. Who fit in better.”

Alayne is a perfect Stark, she thinks. Over the months, she's seen it – how Alayne plays football and hockey with her brothers and sisters, makes jokes that Sansa would never. She's nothing like Sansa, who always preferred reading poetry to playing outside, with perfect manners and perfect posture. Cold and reserved. She wishes she were more like Alayne – more like a Stark.

She hears Jon sigh and take one last drag of the cigarette before he puts it out in the snow. “You're a lot like Cat, you know,” he says finally, and she feels something twist painfully in her chest. “And Bran. I mean, I don't know you that well, I guess, but...”

She shakes her head because he's wrong. She's nothing like any of the Starks (though she's not a Baelish, either). Jon sighs again, louder this time, with more annoyance.

“You are,” he insists, and she finally turns to face him again and opens her mouth to argue, but he gets there first. “You'd see it if you let yourself. If you actually tried. Cat's... Cat is trying so hard. You should see how she gets before you come over. Everyone is freaking out about it but you won't even try to get to know them. And I might not get how you feel, but Alayne? Have you even tried to talk to her?”

That painful twist in her chest tightens, it swoops down into her belly and up into her throat. “I am-”

“Like I said, I can't imagine how it feels, you know? And I'm sure it's a lot, and you're allowed to feel how you feel, but the Starks are... they want you here, I promise. But if you don't want to be, if you don't want them in your life, maybe this should all stop, cause it's hurting them and I think it's hurting you. Maybe we shouldn't be trying to force it if it's not what you want.”

Her mind is blank, she can't think of a single argument, though she wants to argue. She wants to say that Alayne hasn't tried talking to her, either. She wants to insist that she is trying, but... but she's not. Not really. She's holding herself at a distance, she's already decided she doesn't belong.

“What if they don't like me?” The words slip out of her, unbidden, her voice barely a whisper. It wavers in the dark. (Her deepest fear – that if she lets them get close to her, they'll decide she isn't worth it, that they don't want her.)

She's not sure what response she was expecting, but it's not for Jon to smile – he does, gives her a little half smile and raises his shoulders in a shrug. “I don't know you that well yet, but so far I like you just fine. And I'm not even a Stark.”

“You seem like a Stark,” she tells him, and watches something flicker across his face and she doesn't know him well enough yet to tell what it is.

“I'm not actually related,” he says, though she already knows this. “Not by blood or anything.” For a moment he brings his hand up to rub at the back of his neck and he suddenly won't look at her and she wonders if she said something wrong. “We should go back inside,” he seems to change the subject and she hesitates, but then he holds out his hand. After a moment, she takes it, and follows him back inside, out of the freezing night air and into the warmth of the house. In the distance, she can hear voices and laughter, she can smell the cinnamon and pine in the air.

She could get lost here, if she let herself.

“There you are,” Mrs. Stark looks up as they enter the kitchen, and Jon lets go of her hand. Mrs. Stark narrows her eyes at Jon, then looks at the back door, like she guesses what he was doing out there and doesn't approve.

“I'm uh...” Jon starts, looking between Mrs. Stark and her, “I should get back to the party.” Before he goes, he turns back to her and she remembers she's still in his coat and she hurriedly takes it off, feeling heat high up on her cheeks as she does. “Try,” he says, voice too low for Mrs. Stark to hear. Then he takes his coat and leaves the kitchen – leaves her in the kitchen. Alone. With Mrs. Stark.

“Are you having fun?” Mrs. Stark's voice is light, but there's something underneath, a hesitance.

“I am,” she says back, wondering if she should make some excuse and leave. Wondering if Mrs. Stark doesn't want to be here talking to her.

(Try.)

“I wanted to thank you for inviting me,” she blurts out, and Mrs. Stark looks at her sharply. “I had some of the pumpkin pie, it was really good.”

It's such a stupid, nonsense thing to say, but Mrs. Stark looks pleased.

“It's a family recipe,” Mrs. Stark says, and then – a bit of hesitation - “I could teach it to you, if you'd like.”

Sansa's breath catches in her throat and it takes her a moment to say, “I like baking.”

“So do I. I could never get Alayne or Arya into it.” Mrs. Stark says it with a fond smile and Sansa feels something break open inside of her and she realizes, she knows, that she wants this. She wants to know this family, she wants to be a part of it. She doesn't want to take Alayne's place, she never could, but she...

“You could teach me,” she whispers. “Sometime. I'd like that.”

“So would I,” Mrs St- her mother, says with a smile that lights up the room.

[ooops-i-arted]

2022 Art Goals

Every year I make an art goals post and since it’s almost the end of January I figured I might as well get around do it, even though I feel like I’m just slogging along at everything all the time these days.

Not really sure what goals to make besides “keep going and drawing and writing” since these days my mental health lives in the shitter (consequences of doing the already high-stress job of teaching in a country that thinks books and masks threaten children more than assault rifles or a pandemic with potential long-term effects).  But at least I have Making Stuff to keep me afloat.  So anyway:

The Din Djarin cosplay.  It’s slow going but it’s going.  I tend to have a Do Everything Now Or Nothing At All mentality so I am consciously trying to take it slow and pace myself.  Right now my steps are:

Work on draft version of the flightsuit using scrap/leftover fabrics to make a technicolor monstrosity to practice on

I got the blaster and need to paint it, though that will have to wait til warmer weather

Researching options for 3D printing armor, both looking into local printing options using purchased files or purchasing the armor pre-made

I’m constipated with my writing rn but I AM working on it.

Starting The Siege on ACCPOV.  I actually have a clearer idea of where I want to take the fic episodes 5-8 so I’m hoping those will go a bit smoother, because this one is really challenging me with pacing + how I want to reveal Grogu’s emotional arc and character development.

The Hunter and the Hunted:  Not forgotten but I’m mega stuck!!  Hoping to get back to it over the summer when I have more time.  Apologies to the twelve of you reading it, know I feel super guilty whenever I look at the file. 😬

Instead of trying to force what I’m “supposed” to be working on, taking time to do the writing equivalent of doodles and doing little short things for fun, to keep the creative juices flowing.  May or may not get cleaned up and shown off.

Art:  Loving the tablet!!  I miss the physicality of pencil and paper tbh but the tablet has so many advantages.

Thanks to the layers thing I feel like I’m making a bit of progress understanding faces better by practicing drawing directly on reference images.  It’s been my goal for years to understand faces better, especially POC faces, and I finally feel like I’m making progress.

Also just experimenting more with art and challenging myself.

And posting stuff in a reasonable time frame.  I don’t expect to achieve this one though lmao.  (The aforementioned Mando blaster was acquired in November and I kept forgetting to post about it.)

Also I am just going to block people who are rude on my posts instead of reasoning with them.  Mainly because a certain actress has such obnoxious stans.  If you can’t handle I have a different opinion of an actress, you don’t get my Cara Dune content.  I’m done trying to reason with people who aren’t willing to have an actual discussion in good faith when all I want is to make content for a character I like even though I don’t like who originally portrayed her.  I’m trying to escape real world bullshit and enjoy fandom here on Tumblr and my tolerance for assholes is extremely low these days.

There you have it.  May we all make it another year.

[leakyrocktarot]

Minor Arcana suit of cups and their meanings

If you do not wish to read this entire post, here are some links to youtube videos. There is no excuse for ignorance. https://youtu.be/vMz_1SllYt4 https://youtu.be/vP4U8uhWmrY https://youtu.be/hWWuGKGxgR4 https://youtu.be/bVhEG2_olMs

Here is a list of pictures with the meanings attached

THE MINOR ARCANA TAROT CARDS The remaining 56 cards together make up for what’s called the Minor Arcana. These cards reflect day-to-day events and can give more context and detail to the Major Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana is divided into 4 suits (of 14 cards each): Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords. Starting with the Ace, the cards go up from the 2 towards the 10, then closing with four Court cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and lastly, the King (making it 14 cards). Each of the suits has a ruling element you can see here below, corresponding to specific areas in life:

Suit of Cups – Element of Water – Emotions & Relationships

Suit of Pentacles – Element of Earth – Property & Achievement

Suit of Swords – Element of Air – Wisdom & Communication

Suit of Wands – Element of Fire – Passion & Inspiration

It’s important to consider these elements and areas when working with the minor arcana cards, making it much easier to for an intuitive reading to happen (after a bit of practice of course)! Suit of Cups The Suit of Cups is related to the water element and deals with matters of the heart. The primary aspects that surround this suit are love, emotions, and relationships.Cards of this suit can also bring attention to how you react to your environment. If mostly Cups cards appear in a reading, it is indicative of emotional dealings such as problems in a relationship. The Ace of Cups shows a chalice overflowing with five streams of water. The cup represents the vessel of your subconscious mind; the five streams are your five senses and the abundant emotion and intuition flowing from within you. The hand holding the cup is sliding out of the clouds, a symbol of your awareness of spiritual energy and influence. Below the hand is a vast sea covered with lotus blossoms, signifying the awakening of the human spirit. A dove descends towards the cup – a symbol of Divine love flowing through the subconscious mind to conscious awareness. The Suit of Cups Tarot cards deal with the emotional level of consciousness and are associated with love, feelings, relationships and connections. The Suit of Cups is associated with the element of water. Water is fluid, agile and ‘in flow' but it's also very powerful and formative. It can be soft and gentle, like waves lapping against the sandy shore, or it can be powerful and even forceful, like a raging river. The element of water is symbolic of fluidity, feelings and emotions, intuition, relationships, healing, and cleansing. It is a feminine element and reflects the subtle power that often resides within women. It is receptive, adaptable,purifying and flowing. In a deck of playing cards, Cups corresponds to Hearts. Cups Tarot cards indicate that you are thinking with your heart rather than your head, and thus reflect your spontaneous responses and your habitual reactions to situations. Cups are also linked to creativity, romanticism, fantasy and imagination. The negative aspects of the Suit of Cups include being overly emotional or completely disengaged and dispassionate, having unrealistic expectations and fantasising about what could be. There may be repressed emotions, an inability to truly express oneself and a lack of creativity. Cups Tarot cards often represent the astrological signs of Water – Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio. When you see a Cups Court Card in a Tarot reading, it often relates to a person with a Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio star sign. Generally, Cups people are emotional, artistic, humane and creative. They are connected with their emotional selves and will draw energy from what they feel within. Should a Tarot reading be predominantly Cups cards, you are seeking solutions to what are primarily emotional conflicts, personal interactions, love matters, feelings and creativity.

Ace of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: New beginnings, new relationships, new romance, love, happiness, joy, conception, fertility, pregnancy, celebrations, socialising

With the Ace of Cups, Divine love and compassion are pouring through you. You are a vessel for deep, spiritual love from the Universe, and you can’t help but let that love flow through you and into the world. You receive love, you give love, you ARE love. Your heart overflows. Now is the perfect time for you to open your heart and experience the rich flow of emotion available to you right now. You are more receptive to creative opportunities, loving connections, and deep compassion for other living beings. As with all Aces in the Tarot, this card comes as an invitation. Will you take it? Will you say “Yes!” to Divine love and compassion, and will you run with it? The Ace of Cups carries the potential for spiritual and emotional fulfilment – but only if you embrace it with an open heart. This card often appears in Tarot readings when you are open to creative expression, especially when you can allow your emotions to shine through your endeavours. You may be inspired to start a new project, take an art class or even engage in interpretative dance. At this point in your life, you are comfortable with who you are and happily express this part of yourself to others. You see fresh potential in allowing your creative juices to flow. Let your imagination and talent unfurl to new possibilities. The Ace of Cups often represents a new relationship, be it a friendship, a new family connection or blossoming romance. It is exciting – fluttery even – and you are so glad to have met someone with whom you can share a special connection. Give yourself permission to open yourself to giving and receiving unconditional love, and you will notice that affection flows effortlessly when you are in this loving state of mind. The water in the card reflects the flow of emotion, and thus, the Ace of Cups suggests that the enthusiasm you two generate will get you fired up about yourself and life. There is a generous, compassionate side to the Ace of Cups, too. See this as a time of giving (not taking) and make the most of any opportunity to help others. You have the power to share your inner radiance and positive energy, bringing great happiness to those around you. And you will find that the more you give, the more you receive on multiple levels. Finally, the Ace of Cups can signify conception, pregnancy or birth. Look to the other cards in the reading for further confirmation, such as the Empress, Page of Cups or Four of Wands. On a more metaphorical level, it may mean the birth of a new idea or a spark of inspiration – something in which you can invest a great deal of loving and creative energy. In a general context, the Ace of Cups Tarot card in an upright position signifies new beginnings, usually in terms of love, empathy, compassion and/or happiness. When this Minor Arcana card appears it indicates that you will be feeling happy, positive and good about yourself. Now is a great time to begin new friendships and get out there and socialise. People will be very receptive, kind and friendly to you with this card appearing in your Tarot reading. It can also be an indication of good news or celebrations coming your way.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single the Ace of Cups is a great omen as it represents new relationships or romance. Now is a great time to meet new people! The Ace of Cups represents the beginning of a relationship when everything is new and exciting. If you are in a relationship, the Ace of Cups can signify an opportunity for renewal in the relationship where you and your partner can let go of past wrongs and open your hearts to each other bringing joy, harmony and contentment. The Ace of Cups can also be a sign of upcoming celebrations such baby showers, engagements or weddings. It is also a signifier of pregnancy and fertility.​ In a career context, if you are looking for work, the Ace of Cups is a positive omen as it indicates new opportunities coming your way. If you have a job, the Ace of Cups can signify a promotion. It also indicates that you will get recognition for your hard work and you will be feeling creatively inspired and fulfilled. In a financial context, the Ace of Cups is an indicator of good things coming to you financially. You may receive good news in relation to finances such as loan or mortgage approval.​ Money & Career (Upright)​ Health (Upright)​ If you have been having health issues, the Ace of Cups is an indication of good things to come for you. You may see an improvement in your health or an increase in your energy levels with the fresh start the Ace of Cups can bring. The Ace of Cups can also be an indicator of pregnancy and fertility so it is a good omen if you are trying to conceive.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Ace of Cups is a sign that you will open your heart to the love the universe is sending to you. You should feel a deep connection to spirit when this card appears and you may find new spiritual gifts or abilities come your way.​ Ace of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Sadness, pain, unrequited love, blocked or repressed emotions, infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy issues, breakups, bad news, cancelled celebrations or social events

Yes, this is the self-love card of the Tarot deck! In the upright position, the Ace of Cups is about love for all things. In the reversed position, it speaks to love for oneself. So, before you send your love out to the world, send love to yourself, filling up every cell in your body with Divine love and happiness. And the more you do this, the more you can exist in flow with life itself. The reversed Ace of Cups is a sign that you are in connection with your subconscious mind and attuned to your intuition. You are exploring this part of yourself privately right now, and discovering how you can bring more intuition and flow into your life. On the flipside, the Ace of Cups reversed may be a sign that you are repressing your emotions, not wanting to express yourself fully to the outside world. You have your reasons for keeping your feelings close and not wanting others to know what’s going on inside. You may feel embarrassed or afraid of what might happen if you were to express your emotions. You may worry that if you allow your feelings to flow, they might turn into an overwhelming flood that can’t be switched off. However, be careful that you do not create an internal blockage by repressing how you feel. If you are not ready to share your emotions – that's okay! You can find ways to release them privately, through journaling, creative projects, movement, or screaming your frustration and anger out in the car. In a relationship reading, the reversed Ace of Cups can show that you are withholding your emotions for fear of getting hurt. You know that you must trust in your partner for the relationship to move forward, but, for the time being, you are holding back. In a reversed position, The Ace of Cups Tarot card generally can indicate sadness, pain or blocked/repressed emotions. It can also signify that you may receive some bad or upsetting news. This Minor Arcana card reversed can indicate that you may find that you are not in the mood for socialising or meeting new people. It can also signify cancelled social events or cancelled celebrations like a broken engagement or cancelled wedding.  It can also be a sign that people around you may be reacting to you in a negative way or may have ill will towards you.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ If you are single, the Ace of Cups in a reversed position can signify that you may be finding it difficult to find or maintain a relationship at this time. This may be due to repressing emotions or being unwilling or unable to approach new relationships with an open heart as you are still holding on to your feelings for an unrequited love. The Ace of Cups reversed can also indicate that you have unrealistic expectations of your potential partners which are leading to disappointment. If you are in a relationship, the Ace of Cups reversed can indicate that you are not fully opening your heart. Perhaps you have been hurt in the past and are struggling to allow yourself to be vulnerable. This will ultimately hold your relationship back if you do not resolve these issues. The Ace of Cups reversed can also indicate a breakup or divorce.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Ace of Cups reversed can signify that you are feeling unfulfilled in your career. You may be finding that you feel creatively blocked or uninspired in your current position. If you have been looking for work, the Ace of Cups reversed can indicate that you may not receive the news you’re hoping for in relation to a job application. In a financial context, you may receive some back news or a loan or mortgage application may not go in your favour.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Ace of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate that blocked or repressed emotional issues may be having a negative effect on your health or depleting your energy levels. It can also signify fertility issues, difficult pregnancies, miscarriage or stillbirth.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Ace of Cups reversed can signify that you are blocking or repressing your intuition. You may be feeling disconnected from spirit or that you have lost faith in the universe when this card appears in your Tarot spread. Don’t give up, it is only your own doubts that are blocking you and you can overcome them.

The Two of Cups shows a young man and woman, exchanging cups and pledging their love for one another. Above them floats the Caduceus of Hermes – a winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it – the ancient symbol of commerce, trade, and exchange. At the top of the caduceus is a lion’s head, signifying passion and fire energy and suggesting that there may be a lot of fiery, sexual energy between these two people. Two of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings:

Partnership, unity, love, compatibility, happy couples, potential soulmates, relationships, harmony, balance, equality, attraction, connection, proposals, engagements, marriage, mutual respect

If the Ace of Cups represents the flow of love from within, the Two of Cups is the flow of love between two people. With this card, you are creating deep connections and partnerships, based on shared values, compassion, and unconditional love. While these relationships are still in the early stages, they have the potential to grow and develop into something deeply fulfilling and rewarding in the long-term. You have mutual respect and appreciation for one another, and together you reach higher planes of consciousness and understanding. When the Two of Cups card appears in a Tarot reading, you may enter a new partnership, perhaps with a lover, friend or business partner. You are both focused on creating a relationship that is mutually beneficial, one that will create a win-win situation for both parties. You see ‘eye to eye’ and appreciate what each other can bring to the table. In a romantic relationship, the Two of Cups shows a blossoming new union based on mutual attraction. There is both a physical and soul connection that leaves you giddy and weak at the knees. You bring out the best in each other and lift each other to even higher levels of potential. The exchange of emotion is heartfelt, and you are both willing to do whatever it takes to support one another. In some cases, the Two of Cups can refer to a marriage, proposal or engagement. In a business partnership, the Two of Cups is a sign you are both on the same wavelength and share a similar vision for the venture you are creating together. You may not have the same skills as each other, but you create a beautiful synergy when you work together. For example, one of you may be talented at sales and marketing while the other excels at managing the business's operations. A partnership like this – built on trust, harmony, and mutual respect – is likely to succeed so long as you continue to communicate with one another and focus on your shared alignment. (Though, it never hurts to have a contract or agreement in place to ensure this dreamy business partnership continues this way.) In a general context, when the Two of Cups Tarot card appears things should be going well for you and life should be very harmonious.  The Two of Cups is a very positive card. While it normally relates to unity and love in romantic relationships it can signify harmony and mutual respect and appreciation in friendships and partnerships. This Minor Arcana card can also signify equality and balance when it appears in your tarot spread. As this is an attraction card, you may find you are popular or sought after in many areas on your life!​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, the Two of Cups is a great card to get! If you are single it represents a blossoming romance or the offer of a relationship with a person who you will share a strong connection with and who will be mutually attracted to you. It can also indicate a reunion with someone from the past. If you are in a relationship, the Two of Cups represents a perfect union, proposals, engagements and marriage. It a great omen as it indicates that your relationship is harmonious, loving, balanced and mutually supportive and that you are both feeling very content. You should soon find yourself taking your relationship to the next level of commitment or finding a deeper level of connection with your partner when this card appears. Although the Two of Cups is less intense than similar cards in the Major Arcana, it is an indicator that the relationship this card relates to is potentially with your soulmate.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Two of Cups can represent a strong and successful business partnership. If you are considering entering into a business partnership with someone when this card appears, it is a good omen that indicates that you and your business partner will work well together and will have similar goals and mutual respect for each other. If you are not in or entering into a partnership, the Two of Cups is still a good sign, representing harmony and balance in the workplace. You should find that things are going well and that your working relationships with colleagues should be going well. Financially, things should be balanced at the moment. You may not have an excessive amount of money but you will have enough to cover your bills and not worry.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, if you have been suffering from health problems, the Two of Cups is a good omen indicating that things should be coming back into balance very soon. If you are pregnant, the Two of Cups can sometimes indicate a twin pregnancy, look to the supporting cards to confirm this.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Two of Cups indicates that your connection to spirit should be strong at this time and you will be finding balance and harmony on your spiritual path. You will be very open to the love and positive energy the universe is sending you. Two of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Disharmony, disconnection, imbalance, inequality, incompatibility, unhappy couples, arguments, breakups, separation, divorce, ending partnerships, losing friendships, abuse, dominance, bullying

At its essence, the reversed Two of Cups is about self-love. Love, in any form, starts with love for yourself. When you love yourself unconditionally, you accept and appreciate who you are, and you respect and honour the most authentic version of yourself. You welcome a life of happiness because you fundamentally believe you deserve it (and you're right!). When you come from this place of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-respect, you will have more fulfilling, loving relationships with others. It all starts with self-love. Here’s the thing: if you don’t love yourself, you’ll end up projecting that lack onto others, becoming clingy and attached, attracting the wrong kinds of relationships to you, or worse, ending up in harmful situations. Here is the shadow side of the Two of Cups reversed. So, before you seek out your Prince Charming or tie the knot with your lifetime love, make sure you’ve filled your cup with all that beautiful love juice for yourself first. To find fulfilment in your life and relationships, find the love within you and give it to yourself. No other person, material possession, or accomplishment can do it for you. The Two of Cups reversed can sometimes signal a break-up or a falling out. You are out of sync with each other and don‘t share the same emotional connection you did in the past. You may notice a lack of trust and being open with one another is proving difficult. Communication may be restricted or withheld, and the energy flow between you stifled. To turn this situation around, open up, share, and hold a safe space for one another to express your feelings. Even with one conversation, you can shift the energy flow dramatically. In a general context, the Two of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate a lack of harmony or balance in your life. It can signify that you may fall victim to some form of inequality, abuse or bullying. Again, while this Minor Arcana card in a reversed position usually relates to a romantic relationship, it can also signify falling out with a friend or being in a friendship that is imbalanced or one-sided in some way. It can indicate a partnership breaking down or a lack of equality or mutual respect in a partnership. It can also be a sign of arguments with friends, family, partners, business partners or colleagues.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are single, the Two of Cups Tarot card reversed can signify a romance with someone who you are incompatible with. It can indicate that someone you are dating may blow hot and cold on you. You may find that they can’t get enough of you one minute and disappear or give you the cold shoulder the next. If you are in a relationship, the Two of Cups reversed is not a great omen as it can signify arguments, broken engagements, separation or divorce. It can signify that you and/or your partner have been taking the relationship for granted and not putting the work in. You may find yourself drawn to someone other than your partner. Alternately, you may find that you and your partner have become so co-dependent that it is creating resentment or arguments in your relationship. Whatever the issue, if you want your relationship to survive, this card tells you that you need to re-balance the relationship. Or you may need to rebalance yourself by getting your own emotions, issues or ego in check, which may naturally balance out the relationship. The Two of Cups reversed can, in some Tarot readings, signify abuse, dominance or controlling behaviour. Look to the supporting cards for confirmation of this.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Two of Cups reversed can signify dissolving a business partnership that has turned sour. You and your business partner may no longer have the same goals or respect for each other that you once did. If you are not in a business partnership, you may find yourself butting heads with your colleagues or falling victim to some sort of inequality, harassment or bullying in the workplace. Your finances may be lacking balance with this Minor Arcana card in reverse so watch your spending when it appears.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Two of Cups reversed can suggest that disharmony, stress or tension may be causing a knock-on effect on your health. You see a lack of balance within you manifesting itself in physical symptoms such as headaches or migraines, high blood pressure or chronic fatigue. Try to resolve the imbalances in other areas of your life and see if your health issues subside.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Two of Cups reversed can indicate that you are disconnected from the love and positive energy the universe is sending you. You may find it difficult to connect to spirit and find that you powers are very off balance at the moment. Try some meditation or energy work to bring yourself back into alignment with your spiritual path.​​

In the Three of Cups, three young women are dancing with each other in a circle, raising their cups high in the air in a toast of joy and celebration. They look to one another with appreciation, honour and respect, and are bound by their emotional connection and friendship. There is a sense of lifting each other up and celebrating each woman’s unique contribution to the group. The ground is layered with flowers, fruit and a pumpkin, symbolising the celebration of an abundant harvest and the goodness in life.

Three of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Reunions, celebrations, parties, socialising, gatherings, indulgence, festivals, festivities, gatherings, happiness, wedding, engagement party, graduation, baby shower, happy times

The Three of Cups is a card of celebration, friendship, sisterhood, and creative collaborations. Your friends and family are here to support you and lift you up to even higher levels of success. Celebrate with them and enjoy their camaraderie. This card reminds me of the wonderful connection shared by the four female characters in Sex and the City—Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda. They stand by each other through thick and thin, and they are always there for one another as they make their way through relationships, careers and different life journeys. Nearly every episode shows them enjoying each other’s company, often over a cosmopolitan at a swanky Manhattan restaurant. You get the feeling that these girls will be friends forever and know they can always count on each other for support and compassion. When the Three of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, you are encouraged to gather with your closest friends and have a good time together, talking, laughing, sharing and creating. Together, you give and receive the love, support and compassion each of you needs from one another. You may be inspired to host a girls’ night out, a weekend away, or start a women’s circle so you can join forces with like-minded people. The energy is high, and you’re here to do amazing things together. The Three of Cups often indicates a very sociable period – perhaps a birthday, a wedding, the holiday season or a vacation with friends. See it as your opportunity to let your hair down and forget about your day-to-day commitments and obligations for a while. Instead, spend quality time with friends and family and enjoy yourself! This card also invites you to collaborate with others on a creative project and inspire one another to reach new heights. Collectively, you are working towards a common goal for the greater good of others, and by reaching out to others and banding together, you can achieve a great deal by sharing your positive energy and passion with the wider community. The Three of Cups is a very creative card, suggesting that you may pursue a creative outlet within a group environment, such as an art class or a dance class. This is a great way to connect with others and to access your creative abilities. In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card is the Minor Arcana card of reunion or celebration. It can signify someone from your past coming back in to your life. It can also signify parties, festivals, weddings, engagement parties, baby showers and other similar celebrations. With this card appears in your Tarot reading you can look forward to a happy event in your life. It signifies group of people coming together with open hearts and minds to celebrate important events. It is a very positive card that indicates happy times, uplifting and positive energy and good feelings.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups Tarot can indicate that someone from your past may reappear in your life in a romantic capacity. It can also indicate that you will have an abundance of potential suitors after a period of solitude or loneliness. If you are in a relationship, it can indicate that you may have a celebration to look forward to such as an engagement, wedding, baby shower etc. When this card appears you can look forward to happy times or events to celebrate in your relationship.  It can also simply be an indication that you and your partner will find yourselves attending lots of weddings or engagements.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Three of Cups can indicate that there will be a celebration in relation to your work or career. This may be in the form of graduating from a course, a successful launch event for a business, a celebration of the successful completion of a project or an office party. It can also indicate that there will be a good atmosphere in your workplace or that there will be a buzz about the projects you are involved in. Any team work you’re involved in will be going very well and everyone will be getting along nicely. This card can also signify that a promotion or job offer could be coming your way. In a financial context, the Three of Cups tells you that you may have an abundance of money coming in but you could find yourself spending a lot too with all these celebrations!​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Three of Cups Tarot card indicates that you may have a lot of social events or celebrations coming up that could tempt you into overindulgence or excessive partying. Enjoy yourself but be mindful of the impact excessive indulgence could have on your health and try to moderate things.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Three of Cups can indicate that you may find yourself doing group work or interacting with others on a spiritual path in group scenarios that will boost your energy and teach you new ways of connecting to spirit. Embrace these new spiritual friends and accept the opportunities to learn. Three of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Over indulgence, gossiping, bitchiness, lack of social life, lack of friends, cancelled celebrations, broken engagements, cancelled weddings, miscarriage, termination, cheating, affairs​

While the upright Three of Cups is a card of friendship and social events, the reversal of this card suggests that you would prefer to go it alone right now. You may have recently spent a lot of time with others and now just need some alone time. Or perhaps you are no longer ‘clicking’ with some of your friends or a social group and are ready to move on. Or sometimes, you might find yourself on the ‘outer’, excluded from other people’s circles and feeling isolated and alone. Honour your desire to step out of the social scene for a while and enjoy this time by yourself so you can get clear on who you most want to connect with in the future. If you are involved in a creative project, now may be the time to work independently rather than in a group. The reversed Three of Cups can show that your creativity is being stifled, or you are being forced to conform to the group. You may be part of a tight-knit club that does things a certain way and is not open to innovation or alternative approaches. You need to consider whether you are willing to sacrifice your creative abilities in favour of the group’s desires. If you are experiencing high levels of stress or you’ve been working hard, the reversed Three of Cups appears as a message to take some time off to recuperate and gain the support of friends before returning to reality. You may have been working so hard that you’ve lost your connection with your friends and family. Now is the time to reconnect and re-prioritise their love and support. See this card as a reminder to reconnect with the people you care about, let loose and have a good time, without worrying too much about the consequences. On the other hand, the Three of Cups reversed may signify overindulgence. You may be out most nights partying, doing drugs or drinking heavily when what you need is balance in your life. Be mindful about the longer-term consequences of your actions and ask yourself whether this lifestyle is sustainable. Take a break from the social scene to regroup and get some much-needed sleep. When it comes to relationship readings, the reversed Three of Cups can sometimes appear when a third person is involved. You may be involved with someone who is already in a relationship with someone else, whether you know it or not. Look to the other cards for more detail. The Seven of Swords signals a betrayal of trust and possible cheating. If you see the Five of Swords, you likely already know about the other relationship, but you are trying to ignore that it exists. If you see the Devil, consider the nature of the relationship as it is likely to be hedonistic and unhealthy to those involved. It is unlikely that this situation is sustainable as ‘three’s a crowd,’ and something has to give. In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate celebrations being cancelled. This may take the form of a cancelled party, a cancelled wedding or an engagement being broken off to name but a few. The Three of Cups reversed can signify that your social life may be non-existent at the moment or that you’ve grown apart from your friends. While the upright Three of Cups is all about people who are open and loving coming together in celebration, the reversed card can indicate backstabbing or bitchiness from those around you. It can indicate that the people who should be happy for you, or alternatively should be empathising with you if an important event has fallen through, are being nasty or gossiping about you behind your back. People you thought were your friends may try to start rumours or sabotage you with gossip when this card appears. Be careful who you trust. The Three of Cups in a reversed position can also indicate a celebration being tainted in some way, you could find that a rowdy intoxicated guest ruins your party or someone gate-crashes or causes a scene. It can also simply be a sign of family and friends going their separate ways after a coming together for a celebration. Look to the supporting cards for more information.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups reversed can indicate a short term relationship that won’t last is coming your way. The relationship may be a joy to begin with but it will quickly fizzle out. It can also indicate a reunion with someone who you will soon realise was out of your life for a good reason! If you are in a relationship, the Three of Cups reversed is not a great omen generally as it can indicate cancelled celebrations such as weddings or engagements. It can also signify someone trying to cause trouble in your relationship. This could be a third party trying to sabotage your relationship with gossip or rumours. However, it could also represent someone trying to seduce your partner behind your back while being nice to your face. Watch your back with this one! The Three of Cups reversed can be an indicator of a miscarriage or termination. Look to the supporting cards to confirm this. If you are not pregnant and not ready for a child, be warned and take proper precautions.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Three of Cups reversed may indicate that people in your workplace or team may give off the impression that they are team players but could be secretly trying sabotage or damage a project to make you look bad. It can also indicate that the gossip mill may be in overdrive in your workplace so try to focus on your work, remain professional and don’t give the gossips any ammunition. It can also indicate a launch being cancelled or a promotional event not going to plan. Financially, the Three of Cups reversed can signify that the financial implications of a cancelled event such as a wedding will cause you some stress. It can also signify that you may be overspending and overindulging, try to reign in your spending before you get yourself in over your head.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Three of Cups reversed can be a strong indicator that you will be over-indulging or partying too much to the detriment of your health.  The Three of Cups can be an indicator of a miscarriage or termination thus cancelling a baby shower or the celebration of a birth. However, the supporting cards would need to confirm this.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, if you have been doing spiritual work in a group or have the opportunity to, the Three of Cups reversed can indicate that there may be some in the group who do not have good intentions. Trust your instincts about people, if someone acts nice to your face but you have a bad feeling about them, go with your gut. Someone may be jealous of your powers. Be discerning of which practices you take on and only use what works for you and what you consider ethical. Don’t go against your own morals!

The Four of Cups shows a young man sitting under a tree with his arms crossed, deep in contemplation and meditation. He is so engrossed in his thoughts that he does not seem to notice the outstretched arm offering him a cup. A further three cups stand at his feet, but again, he doesn’t seem to notice or care about these new opportunities either.

Four of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Regret, refusing offers, missed opportunities, stagnation, apathy, disillusion, focusing on the negative, self-absorption, depression, boredom, nostalgia, remorse, yearning, frustration, weariness, meditation, day-dreaming, fantasising​

When the Four of Cups turns up in a Tarot reading, new invitations and opportunities are flowing to you, but for now, you’re saying “no” and turning them away. Perhaps the prospects do not interest you, or your cup is full, or you already have too much on your plate. Use your discernment to decide on what is truly important to you, and don't be afraid to decline new projects that don't align with your future path. The Four of Cups can also indicate a time when you are turning your attention and your energy internally, to realign to this new phase of your life. You know that you need to be standing on terra firma before you can decide your next steps. While you may need to decline some very alluring opportunities, you do so knowing you will be in a better position to say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that are a better fit for you. You are creating the space within yourself so that you are ready to accept new opportunities later and give them the best possibility of success. Use this time for inward reflection, grounding, and contemplation before accepting the next ‘big thing’. Sometimes this card brings the message, ‘Not now, but maybe later.’ While the man in the Four of Cups doesn’t accept the cups offered to him, he doesn’t wholly reject them either. You may be waiting for a sign or further information before taking an invitation or new project. Check in emotionally and spiritually before you say ‘yes’, to make sure the opportunity is a good fit and that you can commit to it in the long-term. The Four of Cups can appear when you are bored or dissatisfied with your everyday life. You may feel disengaged, apathetic or unmotivated – maybe life has become dull. The Four of Cups invites you to bring your attention inward and re-evaluate your situation to find a deeper meaning in what you do. You may have found yourself disconnected from your emotional self and inner truth, and need to re-establish this connection so you can get a greater sense of purpose and direction. Now could be an excellent time to switch off from the distractions of the external world – social media, the news and other people’s stories – to allow you the space to listen to your own voice and inner knowing and gain more clarity. The Four of Cups may show that you have shut yourself off from new opportunities because you have been hurt or rejected before. The man in this card has his arms crossed as if protecting himself and closing off from the external world. You may have had a relationship end in heartbreak or experienced failure in your career and now want to avoid getting in the same predicament again. However, you may miss out on new opportunities that are an excellent fit for you. Check in on a soul level and question whether shutting yourself down is the best course of action, or if it’s time to open up to the possibilities available to you In a general context, the Four of Cups Tarot Card can represent missed opportunities, remorse or regret. It can also signify becoming self-absorbed due to depression, negativity or apathy. The Four of Cups can indicate that you are feeling bored or disillusioned with your life, you may be focusing on the negative or feeling like the grass is greener on the other side. You may feel like you have lost your passion and motivation for life. When this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot spread it comes with a warning to be mindful of the opportunities or offers available to you. You may be inclined to dismiss them as insignificant now but you could realise later that they would have led on to amazing things. The Four of Cups can also represent feeling nostalgic, daydreaming or fantasising.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Four of Cups can indicate that you may be regretting past mistakes in the love department. It can indicate that you are so focused on what is missing in your love life or the relationships you’ve had that didn’t work out, that you are missing the opportunities for love that are right in front of you. If you miss this opportunity, you may find that you deeply regret it later on so don’t dismiss potential partners or offers of dates out of hand. Sometimes we find love where we least expect it. If you are in a relationship, the Four of Cups can indicate that you have become complacent in relationship or are so caught up in a fantasy of what you want your relationship to be like that you are not appreciating it for what it is. Consider if this is a good use of your energy and what you could accomplish if you put that energy back into appreciating your partner for who they are.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Four of Cups can indicate that you feel bored or unsatisfied in your career. You may feel like your career has become stagnant. In terms of both money and career, The Four of Cups Tarot card can signify that you are oblivious to the opportunities around you because you are too busy envying what others have. Focus on yourself, find gratitude for what you already have and open yourself up to the opportunities all around you and you will find that things will improve.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Four of Cups Tarot card can indicate that health issues have left you feeling depressed, weary or frustrated. You may be feeling sad about the restrictions your health woes are putting on you. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t and don’t be afraid to reach out to support groups or a professional counsellor for support if you are struggling to keep a positive outlook. Sometimes just talking about things and knowing that you are not alone can make a world of difference.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Four of Cups can indicate that you have been feeling disillusioned or are wishing your life away wondering what if. You need to let go of the regrets from your past and focus on the good things that are happening all around you.  A great way to do this is to think of one or two things that you are grateful for in each day, it will help you to focus on the present and on the positive.  Meditation and Reiki would be helpful to bring you back into balance and help to release the negative energy you have been carrying.​ Four of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Seizing opportunities, letting go of regret, end of stagnation, motivation, enthusiasm, being proactive, interest, focus, self-awareness, focusing on the positive, gratitude, zest for life, re-energised​

The Four of Cups reversed reflects a period of introspection and withdrawal. You are retreating into your own inner world so you can concentrate on what is integral to you and what grounds you. Others may want to spend time with you or invite you out, but you’d prefer to stay in and read a good book or meditate in your sacred space. Just be careful that you don’t shut off your friends and loved ones or appear disinterested in their lives. Let them know you need some alone time and that you’ll reach out again when you’re ready to re-emerge. If you are feeling withdrawn, don’t force yourself to go out. Just ‘be’ in this space, and when you’re ready, start to re-integrate with the world around you. You won’t be a ‘hermit’ forever – it’s just a temporary state of being. Appreciate it and make the most of it. You may use this time of introspection to check in with your inner self to make sure your upcoming projects and endeavours are a good fit. Instead of saying ‘yes’ straight away, step back and assess the situation first. That said, be careful that you don’t lose this opportunity as you wait for an answer. Check for an expiry date or deadline and be sure not to miss it. At times the Four of Cups reversed suggests that you feel uninspired, disillusioned, or disappointed with the world around you. Everything seems hard, and instead of dealing with it head on, you’re choosing to retreat. You may avoid the challenges of the external world hoping that if you step out, the problems will go away. But let’s be real: they will need your attention eventually. The Four of Cups reversed might mean you are reluctant to open your heart to someone or to express your true feelings, choosing to withdraw and isolate yourself from the other person instead. Be mindful of how this could impact those who are close to you and consider their needs along with your own. In a general context, the Four of Cups Tarot card reversed indicates that you are pulling yourself out of the rut you have been in. While your life may have previously felt stagnant, that is now coming to an end. The Four of Cups reversed represent leaving regrets, remorse and wishful thinking in the past and focusing on the present and moving forward in a positive direction. You will be seizing opportunities with enthusiasm and focus. It signifies that you have realised that you have been detached from the world and caught up in self-absorption and that has now been replaced with self-awareness and a zest for life. You are done with fantasising about what your life could be or wallowing in grief or self-pity and are ready to re-join the world and take a proactive approach to making things happen. You may be letting go of patterns or people in your life that are no longer good for you when this Minor Arcana card appears. The Four of Cups reversed can also represent acting spoilt as a result of pandered to too much by others. If you are engaging in this sort of behaviour you need to take responsibility for yourself and stop expecting others to do everything for you. If you don’t, it will be to your own detriment.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are single, the Four of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate that you are coming out a period of detachment or solitude where you were not interested in dating or starting a relationship. You may have withdrawn from the world due to the trauma of a bad breakup to give yourself time to heal. The Four of Cups reversed indicates that you are done wallowing in your heartbreak and are ready for a fresh start. If you are in a relationship, the Four of Cups reversed indicates that after a long period of soul-searching, you may have realised that the relationship no longer works and you may be ready to let it go. Alternatively, you may be ready to focus on the relationship and suddenly find you have newfound enthusiasm and interest in making the relationship work.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Four of Cups reversed indicates that you have been going through a period of stagnation in your career which is about to suddenly change. You will be aware of the opportunities that are opening up to you. The Fours of Cups in a reversed position sees you taking a proactive approach to improving your career and finances. You are focused and full of positivity energy, ready to go out and get what you want. You may be feeling grateful for what you have after a period of being overly focused on what you didn’t have and being jealous or envious of others.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Four of Cups Tarot card in a reversed position shows you feeling re-energised and positive. Know that if health issues have been dragging you down, things are about to change. If you have been letting health issues affect you outlook on life in general or stop you from doing things, your focus and outlook should become much more positive when this card appears and you will find new enthusiasm for life.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Four of Cups reversed indicates that you are ready to break out of the spiritual rut you’ve been in. You are ready to let go of the remorse, regrets and what ifs of the past and focus on the beauty and positivity that is all around you. This can only mean good things for your spiritual path as you begin to live an attitude of gratitude and take a proactive approach to discovering your spiritual path.

The Five of Cups shows a man in a long black cloak looking down on three cups that have been knocked over – symbolic of his disappointments and failures. Behind him stand two cups representing new opportunities and potential, but because he is so fixed on his losses (the over-turned cups), he misses the opportunities available to him.In the background, a bridge crosses a large, flowing river and leads to the security of the castle or home on the opposite side of the riverbank – if only he can move on from the over-turned cups. The bridge is a message to 'build a bridge and get over it!

Upright Five Of Cups

The Five of Cups often appears in a Tarot reading when a situation hasn’t turned out the way you expected, and you are sad, regretful, and disappointed. Instead of moving on with your life, you are choosing to wallow in your self-pity. All you can focus on right now is what went wrong and how you failed. Sweetheart, it’s time to get over it! Sure, feel the feels, but set yourself a time limit for your self-pity and then pull yourself together and move on. The Five of Cups suggests you’re stuck in the past and can’t let go. Old wounds and bitter memories flood your mind as you think about what happened. You may blame yourself or believe you’re a victim of life’s circumstances. These negative emotions are holding you back from your fullest potential – release them so you can move on and create positive change. Forgiveness is vital with the Five of Cups, both of yourself and others. If someone has disappointed you, find it within your heart to forgive that person, releasing yourself from the disappointment. And if you are frustrated with yourself, know that you did the best you could under the circumstances and have now learned from your mistakes. Remember, too, that hindsight is much clearer than foresight and wisdom in the present moment comes from the mistakes of the past. Reflect on what led you to this point and understand what valuable lessons you can take from the experience. Even when things go pear-shaped, you can always take away something positive by reflecting on the lessons learned. The Five of Cups shows you that, even though things aren’t going your way, new opportunities and possibilities are waiting for you – but only when you are ready. It’s time to shift your mindset and focus on what can go right from this point onwards. Be open to the brighter side of life and know many blessings are in disguise right now. Instead of giving in to a ‘glass is half empty’ perspective, look at it as the ‘glass is half full’.

Five of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Sadness, loss, grief, despair, abandonment, guilt, remorse, regret, trauma, bereavement, mourning, heartbreak, unwelcome change, emotional instability, focusing on loss, focusing on negative emotions, isolation, loneliness, emotional baggage, divorce, separation, anger, disappointment​

How many negative emotions can one card represent? Quite a few in the case of the Five of Cups! In a general context, the Five of Cups Tarot card can represent sadness, loss, loneliness and despair. When this card appears it indicates that you are focusing on the negative. This may be the result of some sort of trauma or unwelcome change you have suffered. As such, this card can signify heartbreak, divorce or separation. The Five of Cups also tends to appear if you have suffered a recent bereavement as it represents mourning and grief. It is a card of emotional baggage and instability and can signify that you feel deep remorse, regret, anger, sorrow or disappointment. It is also the Minor Arcana card of abandonment and can either represent you being abandoned by someone significant to you or you abandoning plans or people in your life. It can also indicate loneliness or isolation. However, for all the negative connotations this card can bring there is a positive message underneath it all. The figure depicted in the card is crying over the spilt cups and seems to be oblivious to the fact that two cups are still upright. This is reminding you that no matter how bad things may seem there is always a silver lining, you just have to choose to see it.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Five of Cups can indicate that you are overcome with sadness or despair about a past relationship that did not work out. You may feel as though “The One” has slipped through your fingers and could be oblivious to potential partners as you are so focused on your sense of loss. You may also be consumed by remorse, regret or guilt. Perhaps due to mistakes you made in a past relationship. The Five of Cups is also a card of bereavement and as such, can indicate the loss of a loved one. If you have lost a partner, the Five of Cups can signify that you are isolating yourself as you feel too heartbroken to even contemplate dating anyone. If you do not feel up to dating, that is OK! However, try not to isolate yourself. You must deal with the present and try to stay grounded. Keep a supportive network of friends around you or join a support group if you need help. There is still love in your future even if you are not quite ready for it at the moment. If you are in a relationship, the Five of Cups is not a great omen as it can signify a break-up, separation or divorce. It can also indicate that you may be still harbouring old feelings about an ex rather than emotionally committing 100% to your current relationship. If so, you will need to work on resolving these feelings, if you want your current relationship to move forward. The Five of Cups can also represent abandonment or can simply indicate that fear of abandonment is causing friction in your relationship.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Five of Cups can indicate a job loss or the collapse of a business. If you are in business it can also signify a business partner or staff member abandoning the company or it can signify you leaving the business or abandoning a business plan. Although this indicates an unwelcome, difficult change in circumstances there is still something that can be salvaged from the situation so try not to let anger, frustration or despair overwhelm you. It can also represent a career in grief or trauma counselling. In financial Tarot spread, the Five of Cups can indicate a financial loss so now is not a time to be frivolous with money or to make investments. If you have suffered a recent bereavement, the Five of Cups can indicate that you will receive some sort of inheritance.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Five of Cups can indicate emotional baggage causing mental health issues. It can represent grief or sadness causing depression or your need to isolate yourself causing you panic attacks in social situations or agoraphobia. Try to get back out into the world. Take small steps at first such as a quiet coffee with a trusted friend and gradually bring yourself back to the world around you. If you are struggling, you may benefit from speaking to a professional counsellor.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Five of Cups indicates that you may be holding on to feelings of deep anger, frustration or resentment. As the saying goes, holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. You need to forgive those who have wronged you, for your own sake in order to move forward on your spiritual path. Consider therapy or energy healing to help you put these emotions behind you. Try to visualise those who have hurt you coming to you to apologise for the pain they caused you in the past and ask the universe to help you to forgive them, forgive yourself and release the pain you have been holding onto.​ Five of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Moving forward/ moving on, accepting help, healing, forgiveness, re-joining the world, releasing emotions, letting go of grief, letting go of regret or guilt, letting go of sorrow, overcoming despair, releasing emotional baggage, acceptance​

The reversed Five of Cups suggests that you have recently suffered a personal setback or disappointment. You may worry that you are a ‘failure’ and don’t want to let others know you’ve taken the wrong path. Or you may not be ready to admit it to others and are choosing to keep your feelings to yourself instead. However, now might be the time to open up. People around you may not see how much pain you're in right now, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or talk with someone you trust; you may find it lessens the emotional pain. You’ll find that by sharing your feelings with others, you’ll realise that you can overcome this temporary setback. If you feel guilty or ashamed about what happened, blaming yourself for the mistakes you made, the reversed Five of Cups encourages you to forgive yourself and move on. Know that you did the best you could. This may be the perfect opportunity for you to practice the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual, Ho’oponopono, where you say sorry, ask for forgiveness, express gratitude and move into love. When this card turns up in a Tarot reading, you are realising the full implications of the past, and you appreciate the lessons learned from the experience. You may even recognise the value of the painful experience in the broader scheme of things. The Five of Cups reversed serves as a reminder that you cannot undo the past – what has happened, has happened. It is now time to let go of what no longer serves you emotionally, and open to the new opportunities available to you. You are discovering how to be open and take risks again, especially those of the heart. If you have suffered setbacks, you will find that you will be more hopeful about the future and engage with the exciting, creative side of life again. In a general context, the Five of Cups Tarot card reversed represents acceptance, forgiveness and healing. You have come to terms with your grief and sorrow. You have realised that living the rest of your life in regret, mourning or sadness will not change the past and have accepted that you have to move on with your life. You are beginning to open up your awareness to the opportunities that have been all around you all along. Alternately, the card can also indicate the negative feelings of the upright card being prolonged or dragged out. However, the Five of Cups reversed usually signifies that you are ready to begin re-joining the world. You are letting of the past, releasing your negative emotions and emotional baggage. You may also be willing now to accept help from those around with this Minor Arcana card in your Tarot reading. This is a positive step forward as previously you were so caught up in despair that you could not accept the help that was offered to you, which left you feeling lonely and isolated.  If you have been bereaved, the Five of Cups reversed can signify coming through a period of intense mourning.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a Love Tarot reading, if you are single, the Five of Cups Tarot card in a reversed position can indicate that you have let go of your regrets or sorrow over your past relationships and are ready to move on. You are beginning to see the possibilities for romance that are all around you. You are starting to re-join life and get back out there and meet people. You are finally able to forgive others for the pain they have caused you. Alternately, it can indicate that you are still holding onto the negative feelings of the upright version of the card, to the detriment of your future. You may want to consider counselling or healing if you are struggling to resolve these feelings by yourself. If you are in a relationship, the Five of Cups reversed indicates that you may be ready to forgive past mistakes in the relationship so that you and your partner can move forward.  It represents a time of healing and renewal in the relationship. Alternately, it can signify that you are still holding on to old pain which is stopping the relationship from progressing.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Five of Cups reversed can represent getting back on your feet after a job loss or redundancy. It can also represent beginning to rebuild a business after a loss or after being abandoned by a business partner. With this Minor Arcana card appearing in a reversed position in your Tarot spread, you may even find that you are able to recoup some of your losses or salvage the business or part of the business and build it into something even better. In a financial context, the Five of Cups reversed indicates that your finances should be improving after a period of financial difficulty. It can also signify problems or disputes over an inheritance.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health Tarot reading, the Five of Cups reversed indicates that allowing yourself to let go of past pain and opening up to positive healing energy will be key to resolving any health issues you are experiencing. If you are struggling to let go of negativity, some energy healing may be beneficial.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Five of Cups reversed can indicate that you are coming out of a period of great loss or sorrow ready for a fresh start and new spiritual path. You have learned some important karmic lessons from the pain you’ve experienced and you’re allowing those experiences to make you a kinder, more spiritual and more empathetic person. Alternately, you may be wallowing in your pain or sorrow and refusing to let the past go. This will hold you back from learning your karmic lessons and continue on your spiritual path. Surrender your sorrow and grief to the universe and ask the universe to help you heal.​​

In the Six of Cups, a young boy leans down and passes a cup filled with flowers to a younger girl. The girl looks up to the boy with love and respect as he offers the flowers to her. Love, harmony and co-operation – all key elements of the Six of Cups – shine through this gentle act. The young children also represent childhood memories. In the background, an older man walks away in the distance, as if to say you no longer need to worry about adult issues; just enjoy the moment of being young, innocent and free again. The children also appear to be standing in the courtyard of a large home, symbolising comfort, safety and security. In the foreground stand four more cups filled with flowers, and a fifth cup sits on a pedestal behind the boy.

Six of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Children, childhood memories, past influences, yearning, homesickness, nostalgia, reunions, playfulness, youthfulness, innocence, creativity, kindness, goodwill, simplicity, childishness, immaturity, sharing, gifts, charity, family, support, protection, childhood issues, childhood abuse​

The Six of Cups is a card that takes you back to the happy memories from your past, whether as a child, teenager or young adult. You may simply be revisiting those memories in your mind, or you may travel back to your childhood home or reconnect with your childhood friends. You could go to a high school reunion or reconnect with an old buddy. A teenage sweetheart or past lover may turn up again. These connections bring you a sense of joy and happiness as you reminisce over all the fun times you had together. Take this occasion to explore whether you still have a lot in common and if you wish to continue the relationship now. The Six of Cups often shows an increased level of harmony and cooperation in your relationships. You are ready to give and receive, without expectation. You are also willing to give each other the benefit of the doubt, having moved on from the challenging emotions of the Five of Cups. It’s time to turn over a new leaf and start afresh from a more positive place. The Six of Cups invites you to get in touch with your inner child and experience the fun, freedom and innocence that comes with being a young child again. You might like to sit down with an adult colouring book, dance like no-one is watching you, play your favourite childhood games or spend more time around (happy) children. When you give yourself permission to be playful, spontaneous, and creative, you connect more with your authentic self and your intuition. The Six of Cups can also refer to children in your life. It can suggest a pregnancy (perhaps twins), a birth and siblings who play nicely together. It may also be a sign that you are about to spend more time with young children, playing, laughing and learning together. Children are often here to teach you something about yourself and can serve as great advisors. Kids also set good examples for how to stay present, open-minded and curious. They see the world as a magical place and their hearts are open to the myriad of pleasures available to them. In general context, the Six of Cups Tarot card can represent nostalgia, childhood memories and focusing on the past. When this card appears in a Tarot spread you may be being influenced by past events, reminiscing about the past or thinking about someone from your past. The Six of Cups is also the Minor Arcana card of children, young people and youthfulness and can represent having children or taking care of or working with them. It can signify simplicity, playfulness, innocence, goodwill and sharing. It can also represent protection and family. If you have been going through a tough time, the Six of Cups may be telling to take the support available to you from family and close friends. When the Six of Cups appears in a Tarot spread it can also indicate that you are being childish or immature. If combined with certain supporting cards it can, in some cases, indicate childhood abuse. It can also signify homesickness for those that live abroad.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Six of Cups can simply indicate that you and your partner are childhood sweethearts. If the surrounding cards are positive, it can signify having children. However, it can also indicate problems or issues being caused in a relationship by immaturity or childishness. It can signify that your relationship is being held back because you are yearning for a past love or that a previous partner is influencing your relationship or causing arguments. If you are single, the Six of Cups can signify a past lover coming back into your life, becoming romantically involved with a childhood friend or finding love in the area where you grew up.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career reading, the Six of Cups is generally a good omen. It signifies creativity, sharing and goodwill. When this card appears it is a great time to get involved in creative or team projects. It can also indicate working with young people or children. In relation to finances, the Six of Cups can represent giving or receiving gifts or charity. It can also represent receiving an inheritance. The Six of Cups can also appear when you are thinking of making a will or in the process of making one.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health reading, the Six of Cups can simply be telling you to be charitable or caring towards someone with ill health, they may need your support more than you know. It can also be an indication that a fast paced life may be causing you undue stress or illness, try to simplify your life as much as you can and get back to basics. If you are trying to conceive the Six of Cups is a good omen as it represents children and family.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups can indicate that you need to keep spiritual practices simple. Our spirituality an intrinsic part of who we are but sometimes in our eagerness to connect to spirit we can over-complicate things. If you have been struggling to connect, go back to basics. The Six of Cups can also indicate that you may find yourself rediscovering rituals or traditions from your childhood and integrating them into your spiritual practice.​ Six of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Letting go of the past, focusing on the future, maturity, growing up, leaving home, independence,  rose-tinted view of the past, boredom, lack of creativity, stagnation, being stuck in the past, resolving childhood issues, childhood abuse, stolen innocence, completing therapy/counselling

When the reversed Six of Cups appears in a reading, ask whether you're clinging to the past and losing touch with the present. Reflection and nostalgia may bring up positive or negative feelings, but either way, when you find yourself wishing for ‘how things used to be’ and not living in the present, you miss out on the opportunities right in front of you. It's OK to indulge a little in reminiscing about the past, as long as you understand that true and lasting change can only happen in the present moment. See the Six of Cups as an opportunity to make peace with the past so you can focus on the now. Learn from your mistakes, forgive others and yourself, and acknowledge that life is continually evolving. Let go of the past and bring your attention firmly into the present.The reversed Six of Cups may also be a sign you have lost touch with your inner child and life has become boring, repetitive, and ‘stale’. You might be closed off from new opportunities and gifts from the Universe, simply because you are taking on too much of the responsibility and heaviness that come with 'adulting'. Open yourself to a curious mind and to have fun as though you were a child again. If you find yourself saying, “Oh but I don’t have time!” then make time!! Play! Have some time out. Go jump in puddles or build sand castles.The Six of Cups reversed might be a sign that you are taking a private walk down memory lane. Perhaps you are thinking about an ex, or you’ve even started seeing each other again, but you want to keep this information quiet. You may be reluctant to let others know that you are revisiting these old memories or relationships, in fear that they may judge you. In a general context, the Six of Cups reversed can signify letting go of the past and being ready to move on to the future. It can be an indicator of growing up, becoming more mature or leaving home. It can also indicate letting go of childhood issues or childishness. The Six of Cups reversed can indicate childhood abuse or stolen innocence. This Minor Arcana card reversed in a Tarot reading can also indicate overcoming such abuse so look to the supporting cards for clarification. If you have been going through counselling or therapy, the Six of Cups reversed can be a good omen, signalling that you have worked through the issues of the past and are ready for a fresh start. Alternately, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are stuck in the past or looking at past events through rose tinted glasses, if that’s the case you need to bring your focus back to the present moment and appreciate what you have today.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Cups reversed can represent boredom or a lack of passion in the relationship. Although the relationship gives you security, you may be finding it stifling. If you are single, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are ready to put your past relationships behind you and move onto something better. Alternately, it can indicate that you are still looking at your past relationship through rose tinted glasses and comparing anyone new you meet unfavourably to your ex. In order to move forward, you need to remember that your past relationship is over for a reason. Holding onto the past will not change anything and you could end up wishing your life away. Give someone new a chance! The Six of Cups can also signify that childhood issues or childhood abuse may be preventing you from finding the love you deserve or affecting your ability to open up to your partner if you are in relationship.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are feeling bored in your current role or that it’s stifling your creativity. You may decide to leave the security and safety of this job to do something that you will find creatively fulfilling. It can also indicate working with children or young people who may have been traumatised or are disadvantaged in some way. This, while worthwhile, could be emotionally draining for you so make sure you take care of your own well-being too. In a financial context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are becoming financially independent and mature in the way you manage your finances. For a young person still living at home with their parents, it can indicate becoming ready to move out and live independently.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Six of Cups reversed can be an indicator that any health issues you are suffering from may either be genetic or a physical manifestation of unresolved childhood issues/trauma.  If you are planning a family, the Six of Cups in a reversed position can represent fertility issues or problems conceiving.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that now is a time to discover new beliefs and try new things rather than clinging rigidly to the beliefs or traditions you learned in childhood. Keep what works for you but don’t be afraid to branch out and incorporate new ideas that appeal to you.​​

In the Seven of Cups, a man stands before seven cups filled with various gifts. Some cups bear desirable gifts such as jewels and a wreath of victory. But others hold gifts that are not gifts at all; instead, they are curses, such as the snake or dragon. The clouds and the cups symbolise the man’s wishes and dreams, and the different gifts inside suggest that you need to be careful what you wish for as not everything is as it seems. Choices need to be made, but in doing so, you must go beyond illusion and allure, and instead focus on what’s right for you.

Seven of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Lots of options, choices, multiple possibilities, opportunities, picking and choosing, decisions, procrastination, dreaming, fantasy, illusion, wishful thinking, imagination, hallucinations, meditation​

The Seven of Cups is a card of new opportunities, choices, and at times, illusion. When the Seven of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, you have many options and opportunities from which you can choose. But be careful! You are prone to illusion and unrealistic ideals. An opportunity with promises of more money, more fame, or more power may sound appealing, but as you look deeper into what is on offer, you may realise it’s not everything it’s cracked up to be. Your ego may pull you in a specific direction, but it’s important you check in with your Higher Self first. Evaluate your options and dig below the surface to discover what’s involved with each choice. Often, the Seven of Cups can be a sign of wishful thinking and projecting into the future about what you would like to create, rather than taking action here in the present to make it happen. For example, you may wish for a fitter, more healthy body, until it's time to get out there and exercise. Or you might wish for a successful business fuelled by passive income, but you’re not ready and willing to put in the hard work now to enjoy the fruits of your labour later. If you spend most of your time wishing but not doing the work, then it’s time to choose just one thing and make it happen. You may find that your ideas are not grounded in reality. Your plans might sound fabulous in your imagination, but when it comes to implementing them, you may realise they do not work in the real world. The Seven of Cups may be a sign of ‘shiny object syndrome’, where you keep finding the ‘next big thing’ but fail to see any of those new opportunities through to the end. When you are constantly in the idea phase, you miss the chance to bring your designs into fruition. Again, now is a time to focus on the one thing that will move you closer to your goal; resist the temptation to get side-tracked with other ideas as they arise. If need be, note your ideas as they come up, but stay focused on the one thing you’re doing. This card is inviting you to move out of the ideas and options phase and choose. Each will have its pros and cons – it’s up to you to make sure that the option you select is in alignment with your purpose and your Highest Good – even if you feel somewhat paralysed by the options available to you. In a general context, the Seven of Cups Tarot card represents having lots of options to choose from or multiple possibilities open to you. It can be an indication that you have so many choices or so many things going on at once that you may be overwhelmed or unable to focus properly. You need to limit the amount of things you are taking on to a manageable amount. There is no point in agreeing to do things if you can’t give them the time and attention they deserve. Try to be realistic about what you can commit to. The Seven of Cups can also signify that you may be indulging in wishful thinking, fantasies or living in a dream world. When this Minor Arcana card appears in a Tarot reading, it indicates that you need to make a decision in your life and realistically look at where you are. Take proactive steps to make your situation better rather than fantasising about how you want it to be. Your imagination is a great tool to help you envision your future but it will never happen unless you take action to make it happen.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Seven of Cups indicates that you will have lots of potential partners interested in you and lots of opportunities for romance. If you are in a relationship, the Seven of Cups can indicate that a new potential love interest may appear and cause issues in your current relationship or cause you to question the relationship. Alternately, it can be a sign that you are putting too much energy into fantasising about what you wish your relationship was like instead of dealing with the reality of the relationship. If can also indicate that you may be feeling discontented with the fact that the initial “butterflies in the stomach” phase of the relationship has passed. Just because the initial excitement may have worn off, doesn’t mean you can’t have a passionate, fun relationship if you put the effort in. Remember, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Seven of Cups is a good omen indicating that multiple possibilities for career advancement are open to you. Just be mindful of biting off more than you can chew. It can also be a warning not to spend all your time brainstorming and forget to take practical steps to make your dreams a reality. Don’t commit to things you can’t see through to the end. In financial context, you should have lots of opportunities to make money but you need to be careful before making investments.  You should check any investment opportunities out thoroughly and consult a professional financial adviser first as they might not be as good a deal as they initially appear to be!​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Seven of Cups Tarot card can indicate that you may be overexerting yourself and taking on too many things at once which may be leaving you run down and susceptible to illness or injury. Try to reduce your workload to a manageable level and make time for yourself.  It can also represent hallucinations associated with mental health problems.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Seven of Cups indicates that you are exploring your spiritual side and there are many forms of spiritual practice that you are interested in. When is appears in a tarot reading, it can also indicate that you are ignoring your many spiritual gifts as you are not putting the work into developing them. If this is the case, try to choose a handful of spiritual practices that appeal most to you and work on them one at a time. You should find it easy to meditate with this Minor Arcana card in your Tarot spread.​ Seven of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Reality, clarity, sobriety, poor choices, lack of choice, opportunities or options, lack of spiritual growth, feeling trapped, avoiding issues,  decisiveness, reality check,  missed opportunities, focusing on the superficial/materialistic

The reversed Seven of Cups often appears when you face several different choices and, instead of choosing the option that may appeal to others, you are relying on your inner wisdom and guidance to show you the best way. You may come up with your own criteria to help you make decisions in alignment with your inner being. If you find yourself with multiple opportunities or ideas, ground yourself first and reflect on what you want for the long-term. All these shiny new objects in front of you have a certain ‘magic’ power over you right now, and you’re at risk of losing focus if you chase after pipedreams. Take a step back and assess the options against your priorities to work out which opportunities will be a real benefit to you. As a card of choices and options, the reversed Seven of Cups can mean you are overwhelmed by choice and cannot move forward. Reduce your options and focus on what is important to you. You don’t need to keep searching for that big idea; you have what you need. Make your pick and move forward with it. In a general context, the Seven of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate that you are finding clarity and getting back to reality after a period of indulging in fantasies or living in a dream world. You may be finally starting to act decisively and to see the correct path for you clearly, having previously felt indecisive or lost. It represents getting a reality check. Alternately, when this Minor Arcana appears reversed in your Tarot spread it can indicate that you may have a lack of options, choices or opportunities or you may be feeling restricted or trapped in some way.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Seven of Cups reversed indicates that you are starting to get a reality check about where your relationship is after a period of avoiding reality. You need to use this clarity to take stock of the relationship and take action to fix any issues that need to be resolved. Ignoring issues will not make them go away. If you are single, the Seven of Cups reversed indicates that you may be limiting the possibilities for romance by sticking too rigidly to an unrealistic or idealised notion of your perfect partner. Try to loosen up and date people you might not normally date.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Seven of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be feeling trapped in your career or that your opportunities for advancement are restricted. Perhaps you feel that you’ve missed out on the perfect job as you weren’t focused enough on your goals in the past. Don’t dwell on what you’ve missed rather take proactive steps to create opportunities for yourself now. In a financial context, you should be feeling more decisive about financial matters.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health Tarot reading, the Seven of Cups reversed can represent poor lifestyle choices having a negative effect on health. If you have been overindulging or binging on food, alcohol or drugs for instance, the Seven of Cups reversed tells you it’s time to get back your control. If you are finding it difficult to stop your negative indulgences get help from a professional or speak to your doctor. Alternatively, you might be getting so into health and fitness that you could be over doing it. It’s great to look after your health but give yourself a break from time to time. It’s important to allow yourself time to relax.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Seven of Cups reversed indicates that you are neglecting your spiritual side and are overly focused on the superficial or materialistic elements of life. Materialistic pursuits will not bring you true contentment. Try to develop your spiritual side to find contentment and enlightenment. Don’t limit yourself, you are capable of so much more than you realise!​​

In the Eight of Cups, a man walks away from the eight cups standing in the foreground. The cups are arranged in such a way that it looks like one is missing, a sign that emotional fulfilment and wholeness is lacking. The man has turned his back on these cups with a sense of loss and disappointment and shuffles away into the mountains. A nearby river symbolises his emotions, and the mountains represent the awareness that this will not be an easy journey (though it will be necessary for true long-term happiness). The moon in the night’s sky illuminates the path ahead – the man is leaving in the dead of night hoping to go unnoticed, suggesting that there may be a level of escape or avoidance in this card.

Eight of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Abandonment, abandoning plans, walking away, letting go, travelling, escapism, reaching limit, self-analysis, self-discovery, introspection, looking deeper, withdrawal, disappointment, looking for the truth, loneliness, leaving a bad situation, emotional strength, courage, fatigue, weariness

When the Eight of Cups shows up in a Tarot reading, you may feel compelled to walk away from a disappointing situation. It could mean turning your back on an unfulfilling relationship, job, career path, living arrangement or creative project that was once a source of great happiness to you but now only brings you pain. You have invested yourself emotionally but, despite your best efforts, are disappointed; it hasn’t turned out the way you had expected it to, and you realise that you are no longer getting anything out of this situation. Now, the only choice is to put it behind you and move on with your life, even if it brings you sadness as you say goodbye. The Eight of Cups suggests you sense that something is missing, particularly on an emotional or spiritual level, and instead of waiting around for things to get better, you know you need to leave that unfulfilling situation. It may not make sense to others because on the face, it looks as if you have everything you had wished for – but, deep down, you know it’s not serving your Highest Good, and it’s time for you to let it go and move on. The Eight of Cups can be a sign that you are trying to escape a problematic emotional situation or avoiding some major psychological issues and concerns. The Cups in the foreground represent emotional issues that remain real and present in your life. Yet you are trying to pretend as if they no longer exist, refusing to deal with them. You may repress your emotions or refuse to have open conversations with others about what’s happening, instead preferring to pretend as if everything is okay, or avoiding the scene altogether. The Eight of Cups invites you to ask yourself what brings you joy, contentment and fulfilment on a deeper level. Without it, you might pursue goals that fail to give you the satisfaction you’re seeking. For example, you may think being in a long-term relationship is what you want, but when you manifest it, you realise that it’s not just the long-term relationship you want but a deep soul connection with someone. If that’s not there, then the relationship will not fulfil your needs no matter how long you stay together. So, if you find yourself repeatedly in these Eight of Cups situations where you have no choice but to walk away, spend time exploring what will bring you true happiness and realign your goals with your values. n a general context, the Eight of Cups represents abandonment. It can signify walking away from people or situations in your life or abandoning your plans. It can indicate disappointment, escapism and turning your back on or leaving bad situation. The Eight of Cups can also represent the exhaustion or weariness that can prompt such a decision. Strength and courage are necessary to walk away from what you know into an unknown future and these qualities are also represented in the Eight of Cups. It is a Minor Arcana card representing travel so you could find yourself embarking on an adventure when this card appears in your Tarot reading. The Eight of Cups can signify loneliness, introspection, self-analysis and looking for the truth.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ The Eight of Cups is not a great omen in a love or relationship Tarot spread. It represents abandonment or abandonment issues. If you are in a relationship, it can signify either you or your partner walking away from the relationship.  It can represent leaving a bad relationship. You may be so weary from the relationship that you feel you have no other option but to let it go. This Tarot card can also be an indication that abandonment issues may cause arguments in your relationship. If you are single, the Eight of Cups can indicate loneliness or being weary of getting into a new relationship. It can also be a sign that abandonment issues, perhaps due to a bad past relationship or abandonment by a parent, are preventing you from believing in love or trusting people you are in relationships with, look to supporting cards to confirm this.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Eight of Cups can indicate that you may walk away from a job that you no longer find fulfilling. You may be feeling like you are not on the correct career path and may be considering a complete career change. If you are in business, you may find yourself walking away from a business that is no longer viable or searching for new innovations or ideas to make your business competitive. The Eight of Cups can also simply indicate travelling in relation to work. In a financial context, the Eight of Cups warns to make prudent financial plans and to be smart with your money. Be sure you are aware of what’s going on with your money and if you are not happy with your financial advisers don’t be afraid to let them go and hire someone you trust. In some cases the Eight of Cups can indicate a financial loss, look to supporting cards for confirmation.​. Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Eight of Cups indicates that you may be spending too much time dwelling on the negative things in your life which could be having a negative impact on your health. Try to shift your focus as a positive outlook may help your health improve. A holiday might do you the world of good and give you a much needed boost.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Eight of Cups indicates that you may be taking a voyage of self-discovery. You could find yourself doing a lot of soul-searching and introspection when this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot spread. You could find yourself abandoning old spiritual beliefs in your search for your own spiritual path.​ Eight of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Fear of moving on, stagnation, monotony, accepting your lot, lack of self-awareness, lack of emotional maturity, staying in a bad situation, faking happiness, low self-esteem, lack of self-worth, clinginess, fear of commitment, fear of abandonment

The reversed Eight of Cups raises the question, “Do I stay or do I go?” You may be caught between walking away from a disappointing situation or trying one last time to make things better. But the real question is, 'Can the circumstances improve, or is it a lost cause?' Check in with your intuition to understand whether you should give this situation one more chance, or if you should release and let go. If the reversed Eight of Cups is paired with more passive cards such as the Hanged Man or the Four of Swords, then it may be a sign that you wish to try one more time. However, if this card couples with a more active card such as the Eight of Wands or Chariot, it may be time to move on and pursue a different path. The reversed Eight of Cups invites you to listen to your heart about your next course of action. Others may have an opinion, but it comes down to what’s important to you. Only you know whether this situation is serving you and if there is hope for the future. Be mindful of what you want and then check in to see if this move is in alignment with your goals and dreams. At times, the reversed Eight of Cups can show that you are drifting from one place to the next because you never feel satisfied with staying in one place. “The grass is always greener on the other side.” If this resonates, ask yourself what makes you happy and how you can design your life in alignment with your deepest contentment. In a general context, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate stagnation. When it appears you may be accepting your lot in life or staying in bad situation that makes you terribly unhappy because you are afraid of moving on or worried about what the future might hold if you leave. You may appear happy to those around you but underneath it all you know you need to get let go of certain people or situations in your life in order to move forward. You are resisting this change because you are paralysed by fear. It can also be a sign of running away from situations, not because they are bad but because you are afraid to take a chance and be vulnerable. This Minor Arcana card in a reversed position can show a lack of emotional maturity and can also be an indicator of low self-esteem or low self-worth. It can also represent returning home after a long period of travelling or living abroad.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be unhappy in your relationship but unwilling to let it go for fear of being alone. You may be doing a great job of appearing to the outside world to be happy in your relationship while on the inside things have become monotonous and stagnant. It can also indicate fear of commitment or lack of emotional maturity causing problems in a relationship. If appearing in relation to a divorce or separation, the Eight of Cups reversed shows things being handled badly for example: a father or a mother abandoning the family or a divorce turning nasty. If you are single, the Eight of Cups Tarot card in a reversed position can indicate that may be putting off potential partners by being too clingy. It can also indicate that you accept bad treatment from partners due to low self-esteem or self-worth. Alternately, you may be running from relationships as soon as they get serious as you fear commitment. Whatever the issues are, you will need to work on them in order to have a healthy relationship in the future. Once you resolve your own issues with relationships and raise your self-worth you will attract the right partner to you.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Eight of Cups reversed indicates that your career may have become stagnant and unfulfilling to you but you are sticking with it because you are afraid to change. You may have not explored all the options available to you, instead choosing to accept your lot in life. When this card appears you need to be embrace change. If your career is unfulfilling to you, the only person who can change that is you, even if that means making a total change in career path. Be brave and go for what you want. Even if you don’t get everything you want, you will at the very least know that you tried.  If you are self-employed, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be holding onto a business that is no longer profitable for fear of letting it go. Similarly, in a financial context, it can signify clinging to a job or business that you should be walking away from because you are afraid losing the financial security it gives you.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Eight of Cups reversed can be an indicator that you are keeping yourself in a situation that is having a negative impact on your health. You need to evaluate what is impacting your health and what you can do to improve things. You have the power to improve your health, whether that means changing your diet, taking up exercise or letting go of the things in your life that are causing you undue stress.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, when the Eight of Cups reversed appears in a Tarot reading, it indicates that you may be lacking in self-awareness or your spiritual growth may be stunted at the moment. You may need to do some soul-searching to connect with your spiritual self and discover your true life path. If you find yourself drifting through life without any direction, a connection to spirit might help you see your path more clearly and give you the strength and courage to leave behind that which no longer serves you. Don’t be afraid! Spirit is always there lovingly guiding us to fulfil our destinies, all we have to do is listen.​

In the Nine of Cups, a man sits on a wooden bench. He is comfortable, but not too comfortable (you wouldn’t want to sit on that wooden bench all day!). His arms are crossed, and he has a smile on his face, expressing contentment and satisfaction. Behind him is a curved structure draped in blue material, with nine golden cups arranged in an arch. The cups represent emotional fulfilment after you carry out your deepest desires.

Nine of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Wishes coming true, realising dreams, happiness, cheerfulness, joy,  fulfilment, positivity, optimism, satisfaction, success, abundance, prosperity, achievements, rewards, confidence, high self-esteem, triumph, celebrating, entertaining, fame, acclaim, recognition, pleasure, sex, sensuality, pampering

You know those moments when you glance around and feel your heart overflowing with love and appreciation for everything you have created in your life? That’s what the Nine of Cups is about: emotional fulfilment, happiness and contentment. When this card appears in a Tarot reading, you are content in all aspects of your life – relationships, work, lifestyle, well-being and more. You are basking in the abundance of life and experiencing your emotions with such intensity and pleasure. This is why the Nine of Cups is often called the wish card. It comes as a sign that the planets aligned and you have everything you wished for. You could not be happier! If you made your wish and are patiently waiting for it to come to fruition, then this card is an excellent omen that it will soon be granted. The Nine of Cups is an invitation to splurge, indulge and enjoy life’s pleasures. This includes enjoying good food and wine, appreciating the arts, making love, relaxing in a luxurious resort or experiencing beauty. Live in the moment and give yourself permission to indulge temporarily without any guilt about the possible negative consequences of such pleasure. When you see the Nine of Cups in a reading, remember to count your blessings and express gratitude for what you have. Start or end every day by creating a mental list of the three things for which you are most grateful. Over time, you will intensify your sense of contentment and your ability to attract what you wish for – it is the Law of Attraction. If you are struggling to find the positive side of life, then expressing gratitude will help you see that you have a lot to be glad about. One thing to keep in mind with the Nine of Cups is that he is sitting on a wooden bench that is comfortable for only a limited period. Realise that contentment and fulfilment, too, are only temporary as everything is always in a state of change. That’s why it is so important to appreciate what you have now and cherish it because it may disappear later or you may need to adjust and adapt. In a general context, the Nine of Cups Tarot card is a positive card which indicates your wishes will be coming true or your dreams will become a reality. If you have experienced hardship, sorrow or pain recently, this card tells you that the bad times are behind you now and a time of happiness, joyfulness and fulfilment is coming. With this Minor Arcana card appearing in your Tarot spread you will be able to accomplish anything you put your mind to as it represents triumph, success and achievement. Your efforts will not go unnoticed either as it also signifies recognition, acclaim and even fame. The Nine of Cups also represents having high self-esteem and self-confidence. It is a card of celebrations and parties.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Nine of Cups is a good omen indicating that the relationship is in a good place. You should be feeling happy and fulfilled with your partner when this card appears. It is also an indicator of good sex, sensuality and pleasure so you can expect plenty of romance. If you have been hoping for a bigger commitment in the relationship it is a good card to get as it can represent engagement, marriage or pregnancy. If you are single, the Nine of Cups indicates that you are in very healthy state mentally and emotionally. You have learned from your past experiences and gained a level of emotional maturity and self-esteem that will benefit you greatly in your future relationships. When you are ready to get involved with someone, the positive energy and confidence that is emanating from you should help to ensure that you attract the right type of person to you. Now is a great time to get out there and meet new people!​ Money & Career (Upright) Things should be going great with the Nine of Cups in your career Tarot reading! It is a card of success, achievement and acclaim so whatever projects you are involved in should not only be going well but your success will get you noticed! You can do anything you set your mind to so if you have been dreaming of a promotion or starting your own business, this card is a great omen for success. In a financial context, the Nine of Cups indicates abundance and prosperity so things should be going well in terms of money and investments. It is also a card of recognition and reward so you may find that you receive some sort of monetary reward or bonus for your hard work.​ Health (Upright)​ In a health Tarot reading, the Nine of Cups is a positive omen, so if you have been suffering from health issues you should see some improvement or be feeling more positive about your health when it appears in a reading. If your health is good, this card indicates that it should stay that way.  When this card appears, it is a good time to pamper yourself or to have some “me time”. However, it can also warn you to avoid overindulgence as it can have a knock on effect on your health.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Nine of Cups indicates that you will be feeling happy and fulfilled on many levels and you will be emanating positive energy and love to those around you.​ Nine of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Shattered dreams, nightmares, unhappiness, devastation, misery,  lack of fulfilment, negativity, pessimism, disappointment, lack of success/accomplishment, disadvantage, underachieving, unrewarding, low self-esteem, addictions, eating disorders, self-hatred, arrogance, immaturity

​Even when it appears that you have everything you ever dreamed of, it can still feel like something is missing deep down. Have you pursued material gain at the expense of your spiritual growth or emotional fulfilment? For example, you might own the most expensive home or car on the block, but you never see your friends and family and are pretty miserable. This is the essence of the reversed Nine of Cups, and when it emerges in a Tarot reading, it asks you to reconsider what you’re wishing for and align it with your Highest Good. You may have lost touch with what’s important to you, instead favouring the ego and chasing what will impress others. The reversed Nine of Cups is a sign that instead of looking outside yourself for your happiness, you should search within. Success and happiness mean different things to different people. So, instead of doing what you think will make other people happy, do what will make you happy. Ask yourself, 'What does success look like to me? And how will I know when I am successful?' If your outside world is not bringing contentment, change your definition of success. Sometimes, the reversed Nine of Cups suggests that you are frustrated that your wishes have not yet come true. Your expectations may be unrealistic, or you may not be actively pursuing your dreams, hoping that they will manifest with little input or action from you. You may have chosen goals that are not satisfying to you, and if so, it’s best to let them fall by the wayside. Now is the time to reconnect with your goals and dreams and recommit to bringing them to fruition. You may need to tweak your goals to keep them in full alignment with your personal values. And you may need to be more proactive in creating an action plan to see your goals come to fruition. The Nine of Cups reversed serves as a reminder not to over-indulge at the expense of your health and well-being. You may be prone to overdoing it on food, alcohol, drugs, partying or spending. Keep everything in moderation and focus on the long-term consequences of your actions, even if they bring short-term pleasure. In a general context, the Nine of Cups reversed is not a great omen as it can represent shattered dreams or wishes turning into nightmares. You may have gotten what you wanted but now find that it’s not how you hoped it would be. Alternately, you may have gotten what you wanted and subsequently lost it and are now feeling the devastation that can bring. The Nine of Cups reversed can represent unhappiness, misery and lack of fulfilment. It can also indicate negativity or pessimism. You may feel let down or disappointed when this Minor Arcana card appears reversed in your Tarot spread. You may also be struggling to achieve your goals, lacking in accomplishments or feel that you are not gaining the rewards or recognition you want. The Nine of Cups reversed can also be an indicator that you are lacking self-confidence or have low self-esteem. This card in a reversed position can also indicate problems such as eating disorders or addictions being caused as a result of low self-esteem and unhappiness.  On the other hand, it can signify arrogance or conceitedness and a lack of emotional maturity.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Nine of Cups reversed is not a good omen as it can indicate that the relationship is not in a good place and that one or both of you is feeling let down or disappointed with it. To the outside world, it may look like everything is fine but on the inside there may be unhappiness and lack of fulfilment. For example, you may have settled for someone who looks great on paper but you don’t truly love and are now regretting it. However, while it can point to deep seated issues, the Nine of Cups reversed can simply represent the feeling of stagnation within a relationship that sometimes comes after the initial excitement has worn off or the honeymoon period has ended. If you are single, the Nine of Cups reversed can be a sign that you are not in the right emotional/ mental state or lack the maturity to make a relationship work at the moment. If you find you have been attracting the wrong type of person, you need to work on building your self-esteem and confidence and finding your own inner contentment before you bring anyone else into the equation. Nobody else, no matter how amazing they are, can make you happy if you have not found contentment within yourself. It can also indicate emotionally unhealthy sexual behaviour or sex without love. Alternately, the Nine of Cups can indicate that you have gone to the other extreme and that your arrogance or conceitedness could be putting off potential partners.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Nine of Cups reversed can indicate that your dream job or business may have turned into something of a nightmare. Maybe you have started your own business or landed the promotion you wanted but now find that it is not as fulfilling as you thought it would be or the workload is making you miserable.  It may also indicate that you are struggling to find a career you like and feeling somewhat like a failure or an underachiever. The Nine of Cups in a reversed position can also represent being overlooked for a promotion or position. It can signify that you are working as hard as you can but feel like you are not achieving what you wanted or your hard work is not being recognised. In a financial context, the Nine of Cups reversed can be a bad omen as you may find that promising investments or financial opportunities turn out to be disappointments.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Nine of Cups reversed can be an indicator of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, over eating or excessive indulgence and addictions. If you are suffering from any of these you may need professional medical assistance and or counselling to help you to get to the root causes of these issues and to overcome them. It’s not a great health card to get as it can indicate disappointment. At the same time, it can simply indicate that you will be feeling pessimistic or letting negativity make you feel worse so try to remain positive if you are having health issues.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Nine of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be feeling a lack of spiritual fulfilment and looking for external ways of filling this void. True fulfilment comes from within so you would do well to shift your focus back to your spiritual side and concentrate on discovering your spiritual path.​​

On the Ten of Cups, a loving couple stands together, arms outstretched, as their two children play nearby. They look towards their home on the hill and a beautiful rainbow in the sky filled with ten cups. These two have true, everlasting love and have everything they could ever wish for – the home, the kids, and most importantly, fulfilling love – and they share this bond with the people around them. The family home symbolises stability and comfort, while the grassy hills signify fertility and the river marks the flow of emotion. The rainbow signals the end of difficult times and is a sign from the Divine that everything will be okay. The idyllic scene is one of true emotional fulfilment and Divine love.

Ten of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Happiness, family,  happy families, reunions, homecomings, family gatherings, marriage, long term relationships, stability, security, harmony, abundance, domestic bliss, happy ever after, caring, children, fun, play, creativity, soulmates, fate, destiny, good luck, blessings,  well-being, fulfilment

The Ten of Cups embodies happiness, joy, and emotional contentment, particularly in your relationships and family. You have created an abundance of love and happiness in your life, and you now share this love with others, expanding your heart even more. This card often appears when you are surrounded by your loved ones with whom you share a powerful and deep connection. You appreciate and support one another, and together, you help each other reach your highest potential. It brings you so much joy to see your loved ones succeed and live happy lives.The Ten of Cups is the ‘happy family’ card, suggesting that your family relationships are harmonious and loving right now. No one is fighting or causing any tension; all family members are getting along with each other and sharing in the love and happiness that surrounds you. This card may appear in a reading when you are spending more time with family, perhaps on a holiday, reunion or event, where you can rest and relax together, creating fun and happy family memories and strong bonds.The Ten of Cups is a positive card for romantic relationships and may indicate either a new and blissful relationship or a long-term commitment, such as engagement, marriage or starting a family together. You share an everlasting love and may believe that you are soul mates destined to be with one another.When the Ten of Cups pops up in a Tarot reading, you have a sense of wholeness, completion, and alignment in your relationships with others. You are experiencing an idyllic state of peace, harmony and love where your dreams and wishes have come true. Take a moment to step back and appreciate everything you accomplished. You created a life of connection and bliss by following your heart and trusting your intuition.The Ten of Cups encourages you to follow your heart and trust your intuition to lead you to the opportunities aligned with your Highest Good. Your feelings and emotions will guide you. When something feels fantastic, do more of it; and when something doesn’t feel right, do less of it. Allow your inner guidance to lead the way. Seek out opportunities that fulfil you and align with your personal values instead of following the path that others expect you to take. In a general context, the Ten of Cups Tarot card is a great card to have in your Tarot reading as it represents true happiness and emotional and spiritual fulfilment. It tells you that you will be living your happy ever after and can look forward to domestic bliss. This Minor Arcana card represents happy families, children, caring and fun. You should be feeling very happy and secure when it appears in your Tarot reading. Life should be full of true contentment. This applies to you and your circle of family and friends. Everything you need you should have in abundance and you will be feeling truly blessed. Now is a time to reap the rewards of your previous hard work. The Ten of Cups Tarot card also represents playfulness and creativity so you may find the fun factor in your life goes up a notch when this card makes an appearance. The Ten of Cups can also signify reunions, home comings or family gatherings so if you have been away from your family, friends or partner or they have gone abroad, you can expect to be reunited with them.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are married, the Ten of Cups is a great omen for long term relationships and marriage and it is a soulmate card so things should be going very well when it appears. It represents a happy and harmonious relationship. If you are hoping to move to the next level of commitment or to have children this is a great card to get in your Tarot spread. If you have been separated from a lover it can indicate that there may be a reunion in the future. If you are single, the Ten of Cups can indicate that you will be starting a new long term relationship which will give you security and stability or that you are looking for that type of relationship.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Ten of Cups is a good omen. It indicates that things should be going well in work as you should have reached a point where you are reaping the rewards of your hard work. It can also indicate that you may be finding now is a time where you have the opportunity to focus on family life and enjoying the fruits of your hard work. In a financial Tarot reading, the Ten of Cups is also a good omen. Investments you made previously should be going well with this Minor Arcana card in your Tarot spread. It is a good luck and abundance card so your finances should be in an upswing when it appears.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, if you have made some changes to improve your health, the Ten of Cups tells you that you will soon start to feel the benefits. If you haven’t made those changes, start now. It is generally a positive health card so if you have been ill recently, you should see some sort of improvement or increase in your energy levels.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Ten of Cups indicates that you will be feeling very happy and positive. Those around you will also feel the benefits of the good energy radiating from you. It is also a card of good luck and destiny so you may find your spiritual path is really falling into place when this card appears.​ Ten of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Unhappy home/family life, dysfunctional family, broken home, lack of security/stability, divorce, separation, conflict, disharmony, lack of teamwork, rocky relationships, keeping up appearances, non-traditional families, not wanting marriage/children, infertility, miscarriage, social services, losing your home, homesickness, isolation, foster families, family secrets, neglect, abuse​

When the reversed Ten of Cups card appears in a Tarot reading, you are seeking greater harmony and connection in your relationships. In your mind, you had wished for a beautiful, harmonious relationship, but in reality, you feel disconnected and disengaged from your loved one. It may seem as if something is missing, and you’re struggling to communicate honestly, empathise, and engage with one another. Each time you try to connect, something goes wrong, and you end up with even more distance between you. You may have unrealistic expectations of the relationship: that everything will be perfect and rosy every minute you are together. If this resonates, then realign your expectations and realise that every relationship has its ups and downs. Or, you may no longer be a fit for each other, in which case you may consider leaving. The Ten of Cups invites you to seek out common ground with your loved ones and rebuild the relationship from there. See the other person as a Divine Being worthy of your love; and equally, see yourself as a Divine Being worthy of theirs. Love and be loved. Open the lines of communication and be ready to hold space for one another so you can reconnect on a deeper, more loving level. Be compassionate, understanding, and respectful, and seek harmony with one another. The reversed Ten of Cups can also appear when you are contemplating what a loving relationship means for you. Rather than building relationships with others, you are focusing your attention inward so you can gain clarity around what you want from a relationship. Ask yourself what an ideal relationship looks like to you and how you want to give and receive love. Consider how you can bring more of this energy into your future relationships. You may look at your existing relationships and check in to see how these relationships align with your desires. Let go of any that no longer bring you fulfilment and happiness, and welcome in new relationships in alignment with your Highest Good. The Ten of Cups reversed can reveal a misalignment of personal values. You are not living by your own values, nor are you being true to yourself. Instead, you are allowing others to decide what will and will not make you happy when you know you should determine that for yourself. As a result, you are questioning whether you believe in what you are doing. Bring your focus back to what truly makes you happy even if it differs from what others expect. Finally, the reversed Ten of Cups may suggest that you are neglecting your family while you pursue more material goals such as progressing your career or making more money. Your work-life balance is out of whack, and you are spending less and less quality time with your family. If you continue to neglect your family, you’ll find that relationships will suffer and you may not achieve an overall sense of contentment and happiness as planned.​ In a general Tarot reading, the Ten of Cups Tarot card reversed is not a great omen. The love, harmony and contentment have disappeared and are replaced with discontent, arguments and conflict. The Ten of Cups reversed can generally refer to an unhappy home life, broken home or dysfunctional family situation. It can indicate family breakdowns, problems within a family, neglect or abuse. The Ten of Cups reversed can be an indicator of family relationships not being as stable as they may appear outwardly. There may be secrets, problems and/or disharmony and someone may be trying to keep up appearances when this Minor Arcana appears. It can also represent infertility or miscarriage. On the lighter side, it can simply represent a non-traditional family situation or a foster family.  It can also signify homesickness or feeling isolated.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ If you are in a relationship, the Ten of Cups reversed is not a great omen in a love Tarot reading. It can indicate a rocky relationship and can be an indicator of one partner not wanting commitment, marriage or children. It can also represent a breakup, separation or divorce in some case however the supporting cards would need to confirm this. The Ten of Cups reversed can also simply indicate a non-traditional relationship. If you are in a relationship and struggling to conceive, the Ten of Cups reversed can indicate that there may be issues with fertility that need to be addressed. If you are single, the Ten of Cups reversed can signify that you may be holding onto some negative patterns or beliefs in relation to love and family that are preventing you from finding a happy and healthy relationship. If you grew up in a dysfunctional family environment you may need to reflect on how this has affect your relationships as an adult and change any negative patterns so can find a healthy and fulfilling relationship. Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career reading, the Ten of Cups reversed can simply indicate a career in social work or working with families. It can also indicate a lack of team work or feeling isolated in a work environment. There may be arguments or conflict in relation to work or a hectic work schedule may be having a negative effect on your family life. In a financial context, the Ten of Cups reversed can indicate lack of stability or financial security so make sure you are putting aside money for a rainy day and don’t make risky investments when it appears.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Ten of Cups reversed can indicate a lack of harmony within the body so try to keep a balanced diet and when it appears. There may be unexpected health issues or surgery with this card in your Tarot reading. If you are trying to get pregnant but are struggling to conceive, the Ten of Cups reversed can indicate fertility issues need to be addressed.​ Spirituality (Reversed)​ In a spiritual context, the Ten of Cups reversed can indicate that you are not sticking to your own personal moral code in some way. You need to be true to yourself and follow your spiritual path in order to find true fulfilment.​

The Page of Cups wears a blue tunic with a floral print and a beret on his head with a long, flowing scarf. He stands on the shore, with the wavy sea behind him, holding a cup in his right hand. Surprisingly, a fish pops its head out of the cup and looks at the young man. The fish and the sea behind him represent the element of water and all things to do with creativity, intuition, feelings and emotions. The unexpected appearance of the fish signifies that creative inspiration often comes out of the blue and only when you are open to it.

Page of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Child, inner-child, youthfulness, idealism, sensitivity, dreamer, inner-voice, spirituality, psychic, messages, happy news, naivety, crush, admirer, becoming emotionally mature, romantic proposals, engagements, pregnancies, marriages, births, romance, artistic, kindness, loyalty, beauty, fashion, style

The Page of Cups suggests a new idea or opportunity has come to you out of the blue. Your creative energy is flowing, and now the question is how you will express it. Will you snap up this new idea and turn it into something, or will you let someone else bring it to fruition? It is up to you! Spend time exploring the idea to see if you want to move forward. The Page of Cups invites you to have an open and curious mind. Be open to anything – including a fish popping its head out of a cup! It is with a curious mind that you will discover new aspects of life and yourself. Open your mind to all possibilities, especially those of a creative or intuitive nature, you will be pleasantly surprised. Be ready to dream the impossible dream, and explore the magic of your fullest potential, even if it seems out of reach. The Page of Cups is asking you to embrace your inner child and believe that anything is possible. As each Page asks you to explore a new facet of yourself, the Page of Cups is asking you to explore your creative, emotional self. You may start a new art class, read books about how to express your feelings, or learn more about developing your psychic abilities. Dreamy aspirations race through your mind, and you may find yourself moved by simple things. Don’t be afraid to let your feelings show and wear your heart on your sleeve. This card often appears when you are being called to trust your intuition and be open to the multitude of intuitive messages coming your way. Look for synchronicities and signs from nature that will guide you on your path. They may come from unexpected places, or they may not even make sense to your rational mind; be open to the possibility and ready to discover new aspects of yourself. It is like following ‘intuitive breadcrumbs’ – one intuitive clue leads you to the next thing, and the next, and the next. And before you know it, you have found yourself in a place of full alignment, happiness and bliss. All by trusting your intuition and going with the flow. In a practical sense, the Page of Cups can indicate that you will receive an unexpected and pleasant surprise. The Pages are often known as the messenger cards, and with the Page of Cups, you may receive a message related to the emotions, intuition, or creative endeavours. It might be the birth of a baby, an engagement or marriage, a new love interest, or the offer of a new project. It is not a surprise you can anticipate or force; be ready to receive when the moment comes.​ In a general context, the Page of Cups is a bringer of messages. This can be in the form of happy news, important information, invitations to social events, gossip or the potential for romantic proposals. It can also represent your inner child so don’t take things too seriously when this card appears. It may be a sign that you need to connect to your inner child by embracing the fun and frivolous side of life. It can also represent beauty, fashion, glamour or style so you may be trying out a new personal style or having fun with fashion when this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot spread. The Page of Cups can also signify that you are beginning to gain a level of emotional maturity that allows you to be kind, compassionate, helpful, affectionate and loyal.  If representing a person, the Page of Cups signifies a young person, child or person who is young at heart, who is a bit of a daydreamer, intuitive, naïve, sensitive and idealistic. They may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Page of Cups is a good omen as it can represent the possibility of romantic proposals, engagements, pregnancies, marriages or births. It can also suggest that you need to be more romantic and be willing to be a follow your heart. If you are single, it can indicate that a romantic admirer is interested in you! The Page of Cups can also indicate a relationship with a younger person. If you have a secret crush on someone special, it can signify that you need to let them know you are interested. If you want to turn your crush into something more, you need to take a chance!​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, if you have been waiting on word about a promotion or job application the Page of Cups is a good omen indicating happy news. The Page of Cups can also represent being a dreamer rather than a doer. If you are unhappy with your current work situation or things aren’t going as well as you’d like, make sure you are taking positive or proactive steps to improve things and not just dreaming about it. If you are spending your time wishing for a better career instead of working hard to get the career you want, you need to stop dreaming and make things happen. It can also indicate that you may be drawn to a career in the arts or fashion industry as it is a card of poetry, art and fashion. In a financial context, the Page of Cups can indicate good financial news. It does carry a warning to put the work in with regards to financial planning and investments. Don’t just naively jump in to investments or purchases. Make sure you’ve done your research before parting with your cash.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health reading, the Page of Cups is usually the bearer of positive news. This could be in the form of a test coming back with the result you want, or getting a diagnosis that will clarify things and allow you to take positive steps to improve your health or even receiving information about a treatment which will help you. It can also indicate pregnancy.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Page of Cups is a great card to get as it can indicate emerging intuition or psychic abilities. You may find that spirit is sending you some very positive messages when this card appears. You should be very in tune with your inner voice. Pay attention to your dreams as they may contain psychic messages.​ Page of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Childhood issues, sexual abuse, bad news, broken dreams, cancelled social events/engagements/ proposals, bad news, obsession, envy, jealousy, vindictiveness, emotional vulnerability/ immaturity/wounds, becoming sexually active, promiscuity, seduction, ignoring inner voice or inner child, being obsessed with image, attention seeking, childishness

The reversed Page of Cups suggests that you are keeping your creative inspirations and ideas secret. You may worry that others will steal your idea or tell you it’s destined to fail. Instead, you are choosing to keep your plans private so you can develop them further without the influence of others. You may want to wait until you’ve moved out of the conceptual stage before sharing it with others. With the Page of Cups reversed, you may feel called to pursue a new creative project, but you doubt whether you can really make it work. Your inner critic may be on over-drive or others are telling you that you’re dreaming – so you are stalling and holding back. Ask yourself, “What have I got to lose here?” So what if the idea fails? Isn’t it better to try something and fail than never do it and wonder for the rest of your life what might have happened? And what if you didn’t fail? What if you were to succeed? Again, listen to your intuition to understand if fear is getting in the way and whether it’s time to just give it a go regardless of the outcome. It is possible that you may experience a creative block when the reversed Page of Cups pops up in a reading. There is an aspect of your Self that wants to be expressed, but for whatever reason, you are holding back. You may worry whether your creativity will lead you in the direction you want, or whether it has value in this world. Or, you may feel ‘stuck’ when it comes time to express yourself creatively, and you don’t know how to bring this side of yourself out into the external environment. The ideas are there, but you are having trouble figuring out how to make them into reality. If you are exploring your intuition, the reversed Page of Cups can suggest that you are encountering a lot of doubt. You are trying hard to listen to your intuition, but when the messages come through, you are left wondering if it’s your inner guidance or your ego. Open yourself to your intuition and see where it takes you. At times, the reversed Page of Cups can show someone who is emotionally immature – perhaps someone dramatic, who over-shares and takes their vulnerability a little too far. This may be someone who is prone to emotional tantrums when they do not get their way. Or it may be someone who is overly dreamy about their future and who is not grounded in reality. Some call it the 'Peter Pan Syndrome', in which an adult does not want to grow up and instead remains a child for the rest of their lives.​ In a general context, the Page of Cups reversed is not a great omen as it can bring bad news. For instance, you could find you fall in love with someone who does not return your feelings or you may find that a social event you have been looking forward to is cancelled. Whatever form this news takes it could possibly cause sadness, disappointment, heartbreak or sorrow. The reversed Page of Cups Tarot card can indicate descent into emotional instability taking the form of obsession, envy or vindictiveness. The Page of Cups reversed can also represent shattered innocence, emotional wounds and broken dreams. It can represent emotional vulnerability, promiscuity or seduction and it can also be an indicator of sexual abuse. Alternatively, it may simply indicate that you have lost touch with your inner child or that some unresolved childhood issues are resurfacing. If representing a person, The Page of Cups reversed can indicate a young person, child or person who is young at heart, who is overly obsessed with superficial body image while ignoring their inner emotions or someone who engages in attention seeking behaviour or is a bit of a drama queen. They may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Page of Cups reversed can indicate disappointment in love, cancelled engagements, heartbreak or breakups. It can also be an indicator that you may have become overly sensitive or high maintenance or that childishness or drama queen type behaviour may be causing friction in your relationship. If that is the case, you need to evaluate your priorities and take a more mature approach to your relationship if you want it to work. It can also simply be an indication of losing your virginity and becoming sexually active. The Page of Cups reversed is not great if you are single, as it can represent unrequited love. If this is the case, be careful not to fall in a pattern of childish revenge plots, envy, jealousy or vindictiveness. It can also be an indication that you may be engaging in promiscuous behaviour which is not bringing you the love you want. It’s all well and good to enjoy a bit of flirting but be mindful of what type of relationship you want and stay true to yourself. You could possibly be seduced by a heartbreaker if you’re not careful!​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, if you are waiting for news on a job application or promotion, the Page of Cups reversed can indicate that you may not get the news you hoped for. Alternately, if you have not been acting with integrity in your workplace, it may come back to bite you. If things are going well in a work setting be sure you put the effort in to keep it that way. In a financial context, now is not a time for reckless spending or risky investments. You should be sure that anything you purchase is actually necessary and that you’re putting away money for a rainy day as the reversed Page of Cups can bring negative financial news.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Page of Cups reversed can be an indicator that you may be engaging in behaviour that could be very detrimental to your health such as drug or alcohol abuse. Seek professional help to stop if you need to. It can also be an indication that you need to take a more mature approach to dealing with your health. If have a health issues but you are avoiding the doctor  for fear of getting bad news you need to realise that sticking your head in the sand will not resolve things. Things may not be as bad as you think!​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Page of Cups reversed can be an indication that you are becoming so engrossed in the spirit realm that you are losing your grip on the physical world and forgetting to live! This may take the form of neglecting important material matters to focus on spiritual pursuits, excessive meditation or ritualistic practice or becoming overly dependent on psychic readings. Remember, in order to have balance we be balance on all levels: spiritual, emotional, mental and physical. The Page of Cups reversed can also signify letting negative spirits influence you. Be mindful of this and protect yourself if you need to.​​

In the Knight of Cups, a knight rides on a white horse and holds out a golden cup as if he bears a message from the heart. Over his armour, the knight wears a cloak covered with images of fish, the symbol of water, consciousness and creativity. His helmet and boots are winged, a symbol of an active and creative imagination and an appreciation for beautiful things. Unlike the Knight of Wands or the Knight of Swords, the horse in the Knight of Cups is not charging forward but instead moves slowly and gracefully, giving an air of calmness and peace. The horse represents power, energy and drive and the colour white is a symbol of purity, spirituality and light. The background is mostly barren, except for some trees far away and the river that flows through, symbolising the power of the emotions and imagination to create a new life force, even where it may seem that there is none.

Knight of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Romantic proposals, offers, invitations, taking action, following your heart, chivalry, gentlemanly behaviour, being swept off your feet, charm, attraction, dating, affection, warmth, gentle, caring, sensitive, artistic, creative, imaginative, psychic, graceful, tactful, diplomatic, peace loving, negotiator

The Knight of Cups is the classic romantic of the Tarot deck. He is in touch with his intuition and emotions, and he uses them masterfully to charm and attract others. He shows compassion and understanding towards others because he has learned to understand his own feelings and emotions. The Knight is kind, caring and very in touch with his feminine side. He might be found writing a romantic poem to his lover, creating art inspired by his innermost feelings or appreciating a vibrant sunset with a glass of champagne in his hand. His heart is wide open, and he wears it on his sleeve. He shares his love freely with others, without constraint or worry; he is in love with love itself. When the Knight of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, you thrive on all things beautiful and are inspired by the many creative outlets available to you. While the Page of Cups was inspired by an imaginative idea, the Knight of Cups is motivated by action. You have dreamed about what it is you want to create and now are moving forward with this dream to make it a reality. It may be an art project or something you feel ‘called’ to do, based on your emotions, imagination and intuition. Be open to exploring your passions and your big ideas. You may find yourself drawn to a particular passion or hobby and now is the time to turn it into ‘something.’ While you are in no hurry to reach the finish line, keep in mind that true imagination feeds on action; if you do nothing with your dreams, they will remain just that – dreams and not reality. All Knights are on a mission, and this Knight’s is humanitarianism, romance, altruism, compassion, and beauty. You have a vision of harmony and are ready to bring it into reality. You are lead by your heart and want to see peace for everyone involved. When it comes to making decisions, the Knight of Cups is ruled by his emotions and his heart. When this card arrives in a Tarot reading, you are making decisions based on how you feel about a situation rather than what you think, even if others can’t make sense of what you are doing and why, and your intuition guides you in everything you do. In a general context, the Knight of Cups Tarot card can represent proposals, offers, good news and invitations. The news or offers he brings usually carry with them a lot of excitement. They are the kinds of offers or news we hope to receive. Knights as action takers and as such, this Minor Arcana card can be an indication that now is the time to take action and follow your heart or that you are about to get swept off your feet. The Knight of cups can also signify gentleness, affection and warmth. It can also represent grace under pressure or diplomacy so you may find yourself acting as a mediator in resolving any disputes or conflict. If representing a person the Knight of Cups is a charming adult (usually 20-35 year of age and usually male) who is emotional, romantic, caring, gentle and idealistic. He is chivalrous, warm, tactful and a peace lover or good negotiator. He may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ Whether you are single or in a relationship, the Knight of Cups is a great omen to get in a love Tarot spread. If you are single, the Knight of Cups can indicate that you are about to be swept off your feet. Alternately, if you are single and interested in someone, it tells you to bite the bullet now and ask them out. It is a strong indicator that now is the time to take the suggestion of the Page of Cups to follow your heart and go with it. The Knight of Cups can also indicate charm, attraction and affection will be part of your dating future. If you are in a relationship, the Knight of Cups can signify romantic proposals, marriage or an offer of a deeper commitment! It can also indicate that you or your partner or potential partner are is emotional, romantic, caring and gentle. It’s is a card of sensitivity, attraction, love and affection. There is definitely good romantic news coming your way when this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot reading.​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Knight of Cups represents good news or a positive offer. If you are waiting on news about a job or course application, this Knight can represent being successful. It can also represent getting an unexpected offer. Whatever the news the Knight brings, things should be going well in a career setting when he appears. You should find yourself able to handle any work related drama with tact and diplomacy and if you have any important deals coming up the negotiations should go well! The Knight of Cups can also indicate that you may need to use your creative side to resolve any challenges in your work environment and if you are still searching for a career to suit you, the Knight of Cups would indicate that you should do something in a creative or artistic field. In a financial context, the Knight of Cups again is a good omen, you may find that lucrative offers come your way and your finances should be in an upswing. If you have been having financial struggles, it may be telling you that thinking outside the box is the key to successfully resolving them.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health reading, the Knight of Cups indicates that your health should be on the up. It is generally a good omen if you are waiting for tests results that the results should be positive or at least better than expected. You should be feeling healthier soon when this card appears.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Knight of Cups is an indicator of messages coming to you from spirit so pay attention to the synchronicities all around you. If you are seeking to develop your psychic abilities this card is a very good omen. It is a strong indicator that you have the natural gifts you seek.​ Knight of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Unrequited love, heartbreaker, manipulator, one night stand, cheating, deception,  disappointment, revoked offers or proposals, bad news, procrastination, obsession, trouble-making, tantrums, moodiness, turmoil, homosexuality, lack of diplomacy, avoiding confrontation, jumping to conclusions, creative or intuitive blocks

When the reversed Knight of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, a creative project is emerging, but you are not ready to act on it just yet. You may spend most of your time dreaming up what is possible or how wonderful it will be when it comes to fruition. While it can be enriching to be in the dreamy, ideas phase for a while, the plan will not come into being until you take action. You may need to ground your ideas into reality. Figure out how much it will cost, how much time it will take, what resources you will need, and so on. This will give your project more weight so you can move forward with implementing your idea. At times, the reversed Knight of Cups can indicate that you are sulky, moody, and jealous. You may feel frustrated that you are not being given the opportunity to dream and create. You allow your emotions to get the better of you if you are not getting your way. The Knight of Cups reversed can describe someone who has an overly romantic approach to life and is disconnected from reality. You may experience a level of disillusionment that an offer is not quite what you expected it to be because you have found yourself caught up in the excitement or emotion of a situation. For example, you might quit your office job so you can work at home, only to realise you miss the social contact with your co-workers. Or you might sell your house to travel the country, only to find that your campervan needs a whole new engine on Day Two of your journey. In a general context, the Knight of Cups reversed Tarot card can represent revoked offers or proposals, bad news and withdrawn invitations. The news this Minor Arcana brings usually brings with it heartbreak, sorrow or disappointment. The Knight of Cups reversed Tarot card can be telling you not to jump to conclusions or to check your facts before taking action. The reversed Knight of Cups can also signify moodiness, tantrums and emotional turmoil so expect stressful situations when he appears. The Knight of Cups reversed can also indicate that you may be procrastinating or avoiding taking action rather than confronting a situation head on. If representing a person, the Knight of Cups reversed can indicate that an adult (usually 20-35 year of age and usually male) who at first appears to be charming and trustworthy may turn out to be any of the following: disloyal, passive aggressive, commitment-phobic, a drifter, a manipulator, a cheater or a heartbreaker. He may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Knight of Cups reversed is not a good omen as it can indicate the end of a relationship, a broken engagement or a romantic proposal of some sort being revoked. The negative aspects of the reversed Knight of Cups can take many forms:  a partner who turns from happy and committed to suddenly commitment-phobic, a partner who is a heartbreaker or cheater or a partner who becomes obsessive, abusive or misogynistic. It can also represent you becoming any of these things to your partner and can indicate drug or alcohol abuse being an issue in a relationship. Look to the supporting cards for further clarification as to the type of reversed Knight you are dealing with. If you are single, the Knight of Cups Tarot card reversed is not much better. You may find yourself dating a person with the issues listed above. It can also be an indicator that you are in love with someone who does not return your feelings or are engaging in one night stands even though you know that these encounters do not offer you the love you desire. Alternately, the Knight of Cups reversed can simply be an indication of homosexuality.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Knight of Cups reversed is not a good omen as it can represent bad news, missed opportunities through procrastination or revoked/withdrawn offers. If you are waiting on news about a job or course application, this Minor Arcana card can represent being unsuccessful or offers falling through.  The Knight of Cups reversed can also indicate other issues such as losing or leaving your job, underhanded dealings, fraud, gullibility in business, illegal activities or extortion. Look to the supporting cards for clarification. If you have a good and legitimate business opportunity, the Knight of Cups reversed advises you not to dawdle but to make sure you have checked all the facts before you rush in. The reversed Knight of Cups can also indicate that you are in a job that is stifling your creative talents or that you are creatively blocked. In a financial context, the Knight of Cups reversed indicates you may find that lucrative offers fall through or are not as good as they initially looked so make sure you do your research before parting with any cash. It can also indicate financial issues or that you are avoiding dealing with your financial problems or that you are missing good opportunities to increase your wealth. Seek financial guidance from a professional if you are struggling to make decisions.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health Tarot reading, the reversed Knight of Cups can be an indication of drug or alcohol abuse negatively affecting someone’s health. It can also be an indication that a hectic lifestyle may be having a bigger impact on your health than you realise. It can also indicate that you should not jump to conclusions (positive or negative) about your health. If you have concerns just go and get them checked out by a medical professional.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the reversed Knight of Cups can indicate blocked psychic gifts. Perhaps you are so busy that you are missing the messages spirit is trying to send you. Slow things down and try to be more present in the moment in order to pick up on the signs all around you. Alternately, it can also be a strong indicator of over dependency on psychic readings. Watch this tendency as it does not benefit you to become overly focused on psychic readings or exercises at the expense of living your life.​​

The Queen of Cups is a beautiful, introspective woman who sits on a throne at the edge of the sea. In her hands, she holds a golden, cup adorned with handles shaped like angels. Unlike most of the cups in the Suit of Cups cards, this cup is closed – showing that the Queen’s thoughts and feelings come from her subconscious mind and the depths of her soul. She sits upon a stone throne decorated with images of sea-nymphs, fish, and scallop shells. The sea and fish are symbols of the unconscious mind, and water represents emotion, spirit and perception. A cloudless, bright-blue sky and placid water of the sea surround her. Her feet do not touch the water; they rest on colourful pebbles on the shore. It is as if she is connected to her emotions (as represented by the water), but not overwhelmed by them.

Queen of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Mature emotional female, security, femininity, loving, warmth, sensitivity, kindness, happiness, intuition, romance, loyal, faithful, shy, easily wounded, pretty, beauty, daydreamer, psychic, empath, creative artistic, inspirational, healer, listener, counsellor, caring, supportive, good mother

The Queen of Cups is nurturing, caring, compassionate and sensitive. When you see her in a Tarot reading, you are embodying her ‘nurturing mother’ energy. You support others by listening with your heart, being compassionate, and caring for them deeply. You are empathic and can sense the needs of others by tuning in to your intuition, and you hold the space for others to express their emotions and be the truest, most authentic versions of themselves. You have mastered this in such a way that, even though you hold space for emotional expression, you don’t take on other people’s energy or emotional issues because you are well-grounded and know where to create a healthy separation. The Queen of Cups says you are highly intuitive, creative, and in flow with the surrounding energies. In your interactions with others, you can easily read other people to get a sense of how to communicate effectively, enabling you both to feel heard and understood. Others may come to you to confide their personal issues regarding relationships, emotions and feelings. They trust you and know that you always have the right solution. You can instantly tune in to what others are going through and can help them make sense of it. You may be a healer, counsellor or intuitive coach; or maybe just a good friend. You recognise the Divine in everyone you meet. In your creative projects and endeavours, you ‘feel’ your way into them, trusting your heart and your inner guidance to lead you in the right direction. You know when something is ‘off’, and you pay attention to this, even if it doesn’t make rational sense. You may be in tune with the cycles of the moon and nature, using these cycles to manifest your goals and live your dreams. When the Queen of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, you are being asked to trust your intuition and pay attention to your feelings and emotions. Lead with your heart, not your head. Be open to receive the intuitive messages flowing to you, be it through your dreams, meditation or visualisation. And ‘feel the feels’, even if those feelings are tricky or challenging. You are stronger than you know. In a general context, the Queen of Cups Tarot card can generally signify a woman or women in your life who will be supportive and caring towards you. This Minor Arcana card is also a sign that you should be mindful of how you treat yourself and others or to treat people with compassion and sympathy. She can also indicate that you may be more sensitive than you let on to the outside world and that harsh actions or hurtful comments affect you more than you show to the outside world. This card can also indicate a tendency to daydream and a big imagination. As a person, the Queen of Cups represents a mature female or feminine person who is kind, caring and supportive. The Queen of Cups is a sentimental, sensitive soul and a good listener. She is empathetic to the feelings of others. As a mother, partner or friend, the Queen of Cups is affectionate, loving and warm. However, she can also be shy and have a tendency to daydream. She is creative, artistic and intuitive and she appreciates beauty. She may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Queen of Cups can indicate a time of caring, fulfilment and emotional security in the relationship. This card can also indicate that you need to be open and honest about your feelings to get the best outcome for your relationship. If you are single, the Queen of Cups indicates that now is a great time to get out there and meet new people as a new romance could be coming your way! If representing a person, she indicates a female or feminine person who will be warm, loving, caring and affectionate. This person is a great listener and has compassion in abundance. The Queen of Cups can also come across as quiet or shy. She will be a loyal and faithful partner, make sure you treat her well!​ Money & Career (Upright) In a career context, the Queen of Cups can be an indication that you need to consider if your current career is fulfilling your emotional as well as material needs. This card can indicate that you would be suited to a career in a caring profession such as nursing, counselling or healing or a creative field such as art or fashion. It can also indicate that an emotionally mature female will offer you the support and guidance you need in your career. She can also be a reminder to focus on the emotional well-being of yourself and your work colleagues rather than just focusing on business. In a financial context, the Queen of Cups is a good omen as you should be experiencing financial security when she appears. However, this card tells you not to get caught up in making investments or complicated financial deals. Keep an eye on your finances but the other areas of your life should be taking precedence when she appears.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, the Queen of Cups can indicate caring or support being offered to you. This can in some cases be a sign that you will require support in order to deal with an injury or illness. However, it can also simply be an indication that you need to show more compassion to yourself and your body. Try not to treat yourself too harshly if you are struggling with an illness or injury, try to take good care of yourself and give yourself the time you need to heal. Alternately, it can indicate that you will be such a positive state of health that you are able to offer support, caring or healing to someone who needs it.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the Queen of Cups signifies strong intuition or psychic abilities. If you are seeking to develop your psychic abilities this card is a great omen to get as she indicates a big increase in psychic powers. It can also indicate that an intuitive female will help you on your spiritual path.​ Queen of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Emotional immaturity, insecurity, lack of trust, lacking direction,  weak, giving too much, overly-sensitive, needy, shallow, frivolous, silly, self-centred, disorganised, depressed, sulky, smothering, bitter, vengeful, manipulative, spiteful, disloyal, unfaithful,  blocked intuition, stifled creativity

​When the reversed Queen of Cups shows up in a Tarot reading, you need to draw your attention inwards and focus on your emotional well-being. You’re great at taking care of others – but now it’s time to take care of YOU. This card suggests that you are emotionally drained because you have been so busy supporting others, but not yourself. You may need to set firm boundaries with your loved ones so that they know you love them but will not take on their emotional baggage. You can hold space for them, but ultimately, they are responsible for their feelings and life experience, and they need to go on their own journey to learn how to cope. The reversed Queen of Cups could mean you are wrapped up in other people’s emotional responses and have created a co-dependent relationship that is not healthy for either party. You may be giving too much of yourself away, receiving little in return. Or you may be inadvertently fostering dependency so you feel needed. Examine your relationships and see where you can create a healthy detachment. Where can you still give emotional support but not to the detriment of one another? The Queen of Cups reversed is often a sign that your intuition is on overdrive right now, but to hear it, you need to give yourself the time and the space to listen. It doesn’t matter how busy you think you are – see this as your sign to reconnect with your intuition and tune in to your inner voice. At times the reversed Queen of Cups is a warning that you are letting your heart rule over your head and your emotions may overwhelm you. If this resonates, ground yourself, express your feelings privately or with a trusted therapist, and then work through why they’ve bubbled up this way. Be careful not to let your emotions overtake your life in such a way that you worry you are losing control and perspective. Take some quiet time for yourself and meditate or write in your journal. Find a peaceful space to centre and calm your soul. Listen carefully to your intuition and your inner voice. On the flipside, the Queen of Cups reversed suggests that you may be out of touch with your emotions or forced to restrict or hold them down deep inside. You may struggle to express yourself, instead bottling up your feelings. If you do not address these emotional issues, they will reach a boiling point. Your stress levels may increase, and your ability to cope with everyday problems could suffer. The reversed Queen of Cups invites you to explore your innermost feelings and emotions to understand what makes you tick. Spend some time alone with just your Tarot cards, your journal and your pen. Connect in with your feelings. How are you feeling? How are you really feeling? It doesn’t matter whether you’re experiencing positive or negative emotions. You are being called to listen to your true feelings and honour them in the process. In a general context, the Queen of Cups reversed Tarot card generally indicates emotional immaturity. She can also indicate that you may be feeling overly sensitive, insecure, depressed or sulky. This Minor Arcana card reversed warns you to avoid becoming bitter or vengeful if things do not go your way. You should always seek to rise above your challenges and not give way to spitefulness or jealousy. As a person, the Queen of Cups reversed can represent a female or feminine person who is weak, directionless or shallow. The Queen of Cups reversed represents a mature female or feminine person who can be overly sensitive, needy or clingy. She may lack empathy for others as she becomes caught up in being self-centred. As a mother, the Queen of Cups reversed can be disorganised, manipulative or smothering. As a friend or partner she can be disloyal, shallow and unfaithful. She may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship, the Queen of Cups reversed can be a warning not to let your insecurities or lack of trust affect your relationship. If you have been acting clingy or needy you need to get back control of your emotions before you push your partner away. Alternately, if you have been rushing around trying to keep your partner happy, you need to remember to look after your own needs first or you will burn out. Try to find the emotional balance and do not allow others to take advantage of your good nature. If you are single, the Queen of Cups reversed is not a great omen as you may not be in a good place emotionally right now and may attract people who will seek to take advantage of your vulnerability! Take some time out to deal with any issues and find your own inner balance before you date anyone. If representing a person, the Queen of Cups reversed can be emotionally unstable or immature, needy, moody or sulky. She is generally not a great person to be around as she can be self-centred, manipulative or shallow. She can also be disloyal, unfaithful, vengeful, bitter and spiteful!​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the Queen of Cups reversed can be an indication that you may be feeling overly emotional or sensitive to other people’s moods which could be causing you stress in work. It can also be an indication that you are giving too much of yourself to your work or becoming disorganised and not managing your time properly, leaving you exhausted or drained. Try to maintain a balance between your work and personal life. It can also signify a lack of focus or direction causing you to become restless. The Queen of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be feeling creatively stifled or experiencing creative or artistic blocks. In a financial context, the Queen of Cups reversed is not a great omen as it can indicate financial insecurity. Be cautious when investing and make sure you understand all the risks involved and can trust the people you are dealing with, do not leave yourself vulnerable to financial losses. This Minor Arcana card when reversed also warns against being shallow or silly with money.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health context, the Queen of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be extending yourself too much to the detriment of your health. Try to take time out for yourself and find the balance you need. It can also indicate that you may be overly sensitive to harsh or toxic environments, people or situations which could manifest in physical symptoms. Take care of yourself first and foremost. Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the Queen of Cups reversed can signify blocked intuition or psychic abilities not being used to their potential. If you are seeking to develop your psychic abilities this card tells you to slow down, your psychic abilities will develop in their own time. If you try to push too far too fast you could cause yourself frustration and inadvertently block your intuition. Alternately, it can indicate that you are ignoring your spiritual gifts as you are overly focused on superficial matters. It can also indicate that you may be lacking spiritual direction, look to emotionally mature females for guidance on this.​​

The King of Cups sits on a large stone throne and wears a blue tunic and a gold cape – a symbol of his authority and status. A small fish amulet hangs around his neck symbolising his creativity. In his right hand, he holds a cup representing the emotions, and his left has a sceptre, showing power and control. Unlike the other Cups court cards, he doesn’t look at his cup and seems to be focused elsewhere; perhaps he has already mastered his emotional self and doesn’t need to concentrate as hard on this facet of himself. The King of Cups appears to be floating on a granite block in the middle of a turbulent sea. Behind him on his right, a fish jumps out of the ocean, while on the left, a ship sails steadily despite the waves. These images show that this King stays calm and balanced, even in turbulent conditions, and has learned how to stay open to his emotions and unconscious impulses, without being overwhelmed by them. He keeps power and control while balancing his feelings.

King of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings: Mature compassionate male, calm, caring, friendly, sympathetic, wise, tolerant, diplomatic, balanced, affectionate, romantic, charming, devoted, family orientated, generous, easy going, married man, good husband/partner/father, loyal, faithful, spiritual guide, counsellor,

The King of Cups represents mastery over the realms of emotion, creativity and the unconscious. When this card turns up in a Tarot reading, you have gained control of your feelings and can accept them without allowing them to get the better of you. Even when life throws you a curve ball, you can draw on your emotional maturity and stability to help you navigate these challenges. You don’t let things get to you, and you steer clear of the drama, instead choosing an emotionally balanced and calm approach. If you are being challenged personally, the King of Cups suggests you need to remain emotionally mature when faced with negative energy from others. Be firm on your personal boundaries, stating what is and is not acceptable on an emotional level. This King is level-headed and in control of his emotions. He uses his intellect to make smart decisions and does not let other circumstances or whims sway him from his central beliefs and morals. Stay true to your emotions and feelings and do not allow others to steer you off course. The King of Cups embodies the perfect balance between the executive and the heart. Not only are you able to assess and manage a situation logically, but you can also draw upon your intuition and understanding of human interactions. As a leader, you care as much about achieving your goals and objectives as you do about making sure everyone is happy and engaged along the way. If you sense that logic and emotion are out of balance, draw on the energy of this King to realign yourself. As a King, he has a masculine, fatherly energy, and as a Cups card, he brings his emotional self to the forefront. He offers wise advice when it comes to feelings, emotions, creativity and relationships and can see the human dynamic in its entirety. The King of Cups is compassionate towards others, creating strong bonds and relationships based on patience and understanding. As you interact with others, you may need to navigate their strong feelings and emotional triggers so you can create a sense of peace in your interactions. He may appear in your life as a mentor, coach or spiritual guide; or you may step into this role yourself. In a general context, the King of Cups Tarot card represents kindness, compassion and wisdom. This Minor Arcana card can indicate that you will be finding the balance between your mind and your heart. You will learn to control your emotions and find the wisdom to accept that which you cannot change. You should be gaining a deeper level of emotional maturity when this card appears. You will become calmer, more sympathetic to others and tolerant. Like all the cups court cards, the King of Cups signifies emotion, creativity, artistic ability and intuition but in a more balanced form. As a person, the King of Cups is caring, affectionate and empathetic. He is a good listener, diplomatic and easy going. He is the type of older male who will give you sound advice and act as a calming influence in your life. He usually has light hair and has few if any enemies as he is well liked and gets along with the majority of people. He may lack the drive to pursue material wealth as he is more focused on the emotional side of life. He is very family orientated. He may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.​

Love & Relationships (Upright) ​ In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship, the King of Cups can be a very good omen as it is the good husband, partner or father card. It is a very loving card so you should be finding a lot of emotional fulfilment when it appears and petty arguments should be at a minimum. Romance and affection should be abundant in the relationship. If you have been having a tough time emotionally, this card shows that there will be support there for you within the relationship. If you are single, this card is usually signals the qualities of a potential partner coming your way and as such is a great omen! If representing a partner, potential partner or you as a partner, the King of Cups is one of the best cards you can get. He is romantic, charming, devoted and loyal. He is easy going, a great husband, a caring partner and a doting father! He is generally older or at least very emotionally mature and is generous with his time, money and/or advice.​ Money & Career (Upright) In terms of career, the King of Cups can indicate that an older male may offer you support or guidance in a career context. It can also be an indication that you will find your diplomacy skills and wisdom to resolve any career issues and create a pleasant working environment for yourself. You will be well liked and respected by your colleagues. Remember to keep the balance in all areas of your life, give your career the focus it needs but do not give it your undivided attention. If you are looking for a career path or new direction, it can be an indicator that working in a caring or healing field would suit you such as counselling, nursing, Reiki healing etc. It can also indicate that you would do well in a creative or artistic field. In a financial context, the King of Cups is usually financially stable and secure due to his wisdom but he can lack drive when it comes to material wealth. However, when he appears he can also be an indication that you lack balance in your financial dealings: either neglecting your finances or being too focused on finances to the detriment of the other areas of your life. Try to find the balance.​​ Health (Upright)​ In a health context, if you have been ill the King of Cups can indicate healing and as such, is a positive card to get. It reminds you to treat yourself with empathy and kindness.  You should be feeling emotionally positive about your health.​ Spirituality (Upright)​ In a spiritual context, the King of Cups signifies a highly developed psychic or intuitive ability and is a great card to get in a spiritual Tarot spread. This Minor Arcana tells you that you will be receiving and understanding the messages spirit is sending you and using them to help others. You have learned to trust your abilities and intuition.​ King of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings: Emotionally immature male, overly emotional, overwhelmed, anxious, uncaring, unkind, gullible, depressed, cold, repressed, withdrawn, moody, unbalanced, controlling, rape, violence, deviance, manipulation, affair with married man, cheater, conman, blocked creativity, ruthlessness

The reversed King of Cups indicates that you are focusing your attention on your innermost feelings. You are discovering the emotions stored in your subconscious mind and how these emotions affect you. Through this work, you hope to gain a stronger sense of control over your emotional well-being so that your feelings don’t steer you away from living your best life. You may read more self-help books, journaling or seeking the support of a trained counsellor or hypnotherapist so you can journey deep into your subconscious mind. When the reversed King of Cups appears in your spread, you may be more prone to emotional upset and drama. Others may trigger you or push your buttons HARD, even to where you worry you might lose it and throw an emotional tantrum. You may feel moody, depressed, anxious and unpredictable. You may also lack in self-compassion, beating yourself up over small things that have gone wrong. If this resonates, seek to understand the root cause of your emotions and bring your conscious awareness to the impact they are having on your life. Pay attention to your emotional balance and find your place of calm and compassion. Other people may trigger these emotional responses in you, but it’s up to you to stay in control! The reversed King of Cups could show that you are repressing your emotions and withdrawing from the outside world because you fear what may happen if you were to confront your feelings head-on. Your feelings are bottling up inside you, and you are at risk of an emotional outburst if the pressure gets too much. If this resonates, consider finding a therapist to help you to work through your feelings in a safe environment. At worst, the reversed King of Cups can represent someone who is vindictive and has a talent for being able to punish others through emotional manipulation. He uses emotional blackmail to get his way and to push his personal agenda. He leaves you feeling uncertain about yourself and as if you are the problem, not him. This only leads to (undeserved) emotional instability within you. If this sounds like someone you have met in the past, you still have work to do in releasing yourself from his controlling forces.​ In a general context, the King of Cups reversed can represent being overly emotional or too sensitive. It can signify a lack of emotional maturity. It can be a sign that you are lacking back bone or are allowing yourself to be too gullible or putting yourself in a position where others can take advantage of you. You have to be accountable for your own behaviour. It tells you that you need to take responsibility for your emotions and well-being. This Minor Arcana card can indicate that a lack of emotional balance may be causing you to become overwhelmed, anxious or depressed. This can also present itself as bitterness or unkind, uncaring or manipulative behaviour. As a person, the King of Cups reversed is manipulative, controlling and, in the extreme negative, abusive. He is someone who uses his ability to sense the emotional weaknesses of others as a weapon against them and will seek to take advantage of vulnerability in others to get his own way or simply for his own amusement. He can be vindictive and spiteful and is not be trusted.  Alternatively, the King of Cups reversed can represent an older male who is so overly emotional and sensitive that he has lost the ability to function properly in the world. He may be moody, sulky, unbalanced and at risk of becoming dependent on the people around him. He may be a water sign such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.​

Love & Relationships (Reversed)​ In a love Tarot reading, if you are in relationship, the King of Cups reversed is not a great card to get as it can indicate you or your partner becoming emotionally unstable and cause problems in the relationship. One of you may be going through a tough time emotionally and may not be treating the other with the love and kindness they deserve. If that is the case, you may need to take some time to yourself to get control of your emotions and resolve whatever issues are causing this upheaval.  It can also represent cheating, perverted sexual behaviour or disloyalty and in the extreme negative can be a sign of abuse, rape or violence. If that is your situation, seek professional support to get away and create a safe and secure situation for yourself. If you are single, the King of Cups reversed is not a great card to get as it can indicate an affair with a married man. Alternatively, it can represent a potential partner who will be cold, calculating, controlling or will deceive you. It can also be a warning to be mindful of your personal safety when dating as it can be an indicator of violence or abuse and in extreme cases, rape or sexual assault. The man it represents is a great con artist and can appear to be quite charming and kind but he is a dangerous manipulator with a hidden dark side, beware! Alternately, it can indicate that a potential partner will be emotionally immature and become clingy and needy.​ Money & Career (Reversed)​ In a career context, the King of Cups reversed can indicate that you may have to deal with a ruthless, cold or emotionally unstable male in your workplace. This person will stop at nothing to get what they want and can be prone to emotional tirades if they don’t get it. This can also be an indicator of how you are behaving in your work environment if the card is representing you. It can also be an indication that you have chosen a career solely for the money it will make you and that you are getting no joy or fulfilment from it. If that is the case, think about changing your career path to something that you will find fulfilling. If you work in an artistic or creative field, this Minor Arcana card can be an indication that you are feeling creatively blocked as you have lost touch with the joy you get from being creative and have become too concerned with material wealth and success. Try to reconnect with your love of creative expression and you will soon find the creativity flowing again. In terms of finances, the King of Cups is a warning not to be gullible with money. It indicates that you may be a risk of falling victim to a con artist or extortionist. Be very careful who you trust. Only take financial advice from accredited professionals, don’t get involved in deals with people you don’t trust and play your cards close to your chest.​ Health (Reversed)​ In a health reading, the King of Cups reversed can indicate alcohol or drug abuse issues as the emotionally overwhelmed King turns to vices as a coping mechanism. It is generally an indication that something in your lifestyle or environment is negatively affecting your health and well-being. You need to take responsibility for your choices and make healthier choices to improve your health.​ Spirituality (Reversed) In a spiritual context, the King of Cups reversed can indicate that simply indicate that your psychic abilities or intuition has become blocked. However, it can also signify that you are using your powers in the wrong way. You may be engaged in dark practices or using your abilities to manipulate or control others or simply focusing too much on personal gain and not entering into things with the right intentions.  Remember, whatever you give out spiritually will eventually come back to you so make sure you are sending out love and light. Alternately, it can indicate that you are waiting for your spiritual gifts to just drop into your lap, even if you have natural gifts you still need to work at developing them! Try to put a bit more focus and energy into your spiritual development.​​

Sources: https://www.alittlesparkofjoy.com/tarot-cards-list/ https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/ https://www.thetarotguide.com/major-arcana https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list https://www.tarot.com/tarot/cards https://www.thetarotlady.com/tarot-card-meanings/ https://www.astrology.com/tarot/card-meanings https://www.tarotcardmeanings.net/tarotcards.htm

[shining-red-diamond]

My World

Words: 904

Pairing: Artist!Ten x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Rating: PG

Warnings: None

A/N: For the NCT Writers CORPORATE event.

Summary: Ten has a deadline to meet in order to put on his art show, but he’s having artist’s block. That is until he finds inspiration in his wife and newborn son.

Another dunk in the piled high trash bin and Ten exhaled in defeat. Hours of drawing and failed ideas slipped by, and the artist was not satisfied with any of his ideas. They were among the categories of “been done,” “this is a repeat,” “this one was stolen,” and even “mud looks better than this.” His next art show was in four days, but he needed a new conversation piece; and it was the one he wouldn’t sell but just show off his talent. However, his brain couldn’t come up with anything new.

Ten, as he preferred to go by, had been painting since he was a child. It started out in just drawing and doodling on school notebook paper before he started to take art classes to improve and grow in his skills. Over the years, he won many awards for his creations through school events and now, in his adult life, big showcases. Ten even was asked to illustrate a children’s book, in which he also received much praise due to his attention to detail through the use of a brush.

Tossing his now nub of a pencil on his desk, he decided to go eat something for dinner. He figured some food in his stomach would help push his creative juices to flow. Once he stood from his seat and stretched his stiff muscles, Ten exited his studio and made his way to his kitchen.

He had just barely opened his refrigerator when a voice asked him, “Finished already, babe?”

Somehow, he hadn’t noticed his wife Y/N sitting at the table breastfeeding their newborn son. A tired smile broke out on his face as he saw the touching moment.

“I can’t even get an idea off the ground,” he sighed as he grabbed some leftovers. “I feel that I’ve painted everything, but at the same time, I haven’t.”

“It’ll come to you,” Y/N encouraged as she switched the baby to her other breast. “Every artist in each field goes through some sort of block.”

Ten placed his food into the microwave. “I guess you’re right.”

Leon, their cat, then rubbed up against his legs, giving him a sort of comfort. Ten leaned down and pet his head.

“Nice kitty,” he cooed.

“I don’t know if it’ll help,” Y/N spoke up again, “but if you want to look at some recent or old photos we have for inspiration they’re in my closet in a yellow shoe box.”

Giving it a thought, he nodded and headed towards his and his wife’s bedroom. The first thing he noticed when he saw the closet door was the box in question. Once he turned on the light he sat down on the floor and opened the box in his lap. Dozens of pictures stared back at him: some from his childhood, some from Y/N’s, a few of their wedding pictures and even when they dated. One picture in particular caught his eye, however, and when he gazed upon it a light bulb went off in his head.

-

“Tell me about this one,” Mr. Jo, the director of the art museum, requested. “I’ve been intrigued by it since I got here.”

The painting displayed in front of him displayed a beautiful woman wearing a flowing purple shawl and small blossoms in her hair, and cradled in her arms was a newborn baby swaddled in a golden blanket. His eyes were slightly open and gazing up at his mother.

With a proud smile on his face, Ten replied, “I call it ‘My World.’ It’s my wife and our newborn son, Y/S/N. I was inspired by a photo taken the day he was born, and I added my own twist on it. It was the happiest day of our lives.”

“It’s beautiful. The colors, the attention to detail, even the story. Just looking at it reminds me of the day my daughter was born.”

Ten’s eyes lit up. “You like it?”

“Of course! We’ve been needing a piece that reflects on the happiest moments of our lives.” He then leaned in close to him, “Between you and I, I’ve been sick of all the more depressing paintings here, as lovely as they are. Cassandra Lee won’t shut up about how hers expresses the loss of her boyfriend from high school. It’s tragic, but Ms. Lee hasn’t been in high school in thirty years.”

Ten chuckled as he sipped on his champagne.

“Anyways,” Mr. Jo stood up straighter, “what’ll it be?”

“Price?” Ten shrugged. “Gosh, Mr. Jo, I don’t know if I can put a price tag on it and just sell it. I mean it’s here for my showcase as a new piece, but I don’t know if I can give it up just like that.”

The young artist had intended on getting his painting on display and selling a few others, but as he had penciled in outlined and painted every detail he wasn’t sure if he could just give up something he treasured.

“How about this,” Mr. Jo offered, “The painting stays up here for the next in the local art section, and we’ll pay you $2,000 before it’s yours?”

“$5,000,” Ten replied.

“$3,000, and that’s my final offer.”

“Deal.”

[linzeet]

In middle and high school, I would fill composition notebook after composition notebook full of stories. Fiction novels that were bursting to get out.

When MySpace was still the thing, I would go to the bulletin board, which posted publicly for all your friends to see, and I would write a chapter of a story and post it, (secretly hoping the guy I had a crush on would see it and take the hint.)

In college, I didn’t have a lot of time for writing, but thankfully I was in art school and got my creative juices flowing in other ways. But I would still make outlines of stories I’d love to write, characters I’d love to flesh out. Hoping one day that I would be able to actually build a world out of those outlines.

All of them - every composition notebook sheet, every outline, every bulletin board post on MySpace - were love stories.

I wanted to experience love in the pages of my stories.

I wanted to imagine what it was like to have someone stare into my eyes, their eyelids fluttering slowly as if hypnotized by my irises.

I wanted to imagine my finger accidentally touching with a secret crush, and feeling the jolt of electricity in my fingers as if I had stuck them in a wall outlet.

I wanted to feel the warm breath of someone enveloping my ear as they shared a secret complement or a private joke.

I wanted to imagine the perfect person — someone who would mould with my personality, my humor, my quirks perfectly.

Isn’t that why they call it fantasy?

Because we write down on paper what we’re not willing to wait to experience. What we have a hunger and a taste for. We draw up and paint the dimensions of that place in our mind, and scribble it down so it will actually be real. If at least in our mind.

I graduated college, and was finally married to my person. Maybe not the ones in my novels — in fact, not much like the ones in my novels, but perfect for me in ways that I didn’t think could work.

Interesting that after finally stepping out of my fantasies and finding the love that I had been desiring for most of my life, I no longer had much of a desire to write about it.

It may not be that way for you. That’s okay.

But now my mind is full of stories that involve a bigger world than I had previously fantasized. Stories that can’t wait to get out, because I have this new taste, this new hunger for something that has always existed but has always taken a back seat to other priorities. But something that may not get to happen again for a while because of the current state of the world.

Travel.

My mind is busy trying to come up with ways to encapsulate the wanderlust that I feel, and all the places I would dream of going.

With maybe a dash of romance.

How? It feels like it’s too much to write about. The logistics feel impossible.

But I want to try.

I’ve been sitting on it for a while. Thinking that I would probably never write the stories that I’ve always imagined. But I want to try.

Maybe this is how I’ll start. Just a little at a time. A chapter at a time. A paragraph at a time.

[gw2commanderweek]

GW2 Commander Week!

Hello fellow Tyrians it’s Commander appreciation time.

WHAT IS THIS?

Welcome to the GW2 Commander Week, a fanrun event taking place over the course of 7 days, starting from May 18th and going until May 24th 2020, to celebrate and appreciate all the different Commanders and their wonderful creators.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

Pick a prompt, think about how it relates to your Commander, let your creative juices flow, and finally, post your creation on the corresponding day. 

Make sure to tag it with #gw2commanderweek and a separate tag for the prompt so I can find and sort it onto the blog. If you want you can also @ the event blog @gw2commanderweek. 

That’s it. Don’t worry if you’re late with a prompt, you can still post it any other day of course!

Everyone who would like to participate is welcome to do so! Whether you do just a few prompts or all of them is totally up to you. You can draw, write, edit, craft something, that is also up to you. All kinds of entries are welcome!

If you feel like you can’t participate by creating something for whatever reason, fear not, you can still participate by answering one or more questions posted with the prompt for each day!

What matters most is that you have fun creating content for your Commander, and sharing it with the fandom. This event is after all meant to celebrate this wonderful community, and to give all of you talented creators out there a chance to show off your characters, to engage with other like-minded fans and share ideas and get inspired, and to just overall have a good time and spread the love for all the heroes of Tyria out there.

Please be respectful, both to other people, their characters and creations, and with the contents you yourself create.

THE PROMPTS

Monday, Day 1: Origins

Where does your Commander come from? How did they grow up? Who influenced them when they were young and impressionable? What were their goals and aspirations? If they are Sylvari, what was it like waking up from the Dream?

Tuesday, Day 2: Champion

How did your Commander feel about being chosen by Glint’s egg as its Champion? Were they excited? Honored? Concerned? How did the people close to them react to it? How is their relationship with Aurene, how does it develop? Did becoming Aurene’s Champion change them in any way, be it physically or mentally?

Wednesday, Day 3: Free Time

What does your Commander like to do in their down time? Do they have any hobbies or special talents? Are there any special places they like to go to recharge? Can they even enjoy their free time or are they a chronic workaholic who plans battles while soaking in a hot spring?

Thursday, Day 4: Turning Point

What was a decisive turning point in your Commander’s life? Was it a great victory? A great loss? Something they witnessed someone else do or say that influenced them? Did they maybe defy expectations that other people set for them? Was it something that came easy, or did they have to fight for that change to happen? Did they have any influence over it at all? Was it a positive change, or would they rather it never happened?

Friday, Day 5: Family

Who does your Commander consider their family? Do they care about blood relations? Are their relatives still alive? What is or was their relationship with them? Do they surround themselves with friends that they consider their family? What is their attitude towards marriage and having kids of their own? Is family important to them at all?

Saturday, Day 6: Opposite Day

What would your Commander be like if they were the opposite of how they are normally? Would they surround themselves with different people? Would they do things differently? Are people aware that they are acting differently in this scenario? What are their reactions? Maybe they’re playing a prank, or they’re drunk? This prompt is literally just to have some silly fun so go wild!

Sunday, Day 7: Legacy

What do you think how Tyria will view your Commander centuries into the future? Will they go down in history as a positive figure, or will they become a cautionary tale? Is your Commander concerned about their legacy at all? What would they want to be known for most to future generations? Or would they rather not be remembered at all?

All of the questions are just suggestions, of course! If you want to interpret any of the promts differently, then absolutely go for it! There is no wrong way to do it.

Got any more questions? The askbox is open!

Otherwise I’m looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations, and learning about all of your wonderful Commanders. ❤️

[mae-gi-writes]

Let it Be Me (Part One)| Kevin Moon Imagine

soulmate au! x badboy! Kevin.

 In which soulmates find each other on their graduation day and Kevin gets the growing suspicion that his is just as artistically inclined as he is. Let the competition begin. 

Thank you @aniyawoos​ for giving me such inspiration, and for always listening to me rant about how perfect Mr.Moon is. 

Genre: fluff, lil angst, soulmates 

Part one | Part Two (Coming soon)

----

Kevin was pissed. 

He glared at his canvas, now caked with bold dark lines that mimicked a caricature of an unfamiliar face that he'd never set eyes upon. The girl's deep set eyes were furrowed into a frown, eyebrows perpetually pinched together in constant permanent thought, lips pursed as though silent protests were lingering along her tongue. But while Kevin would've normally been proud of mastering such a face in such little time, this did not negate the fact that this was definitely not his work. 

Because the fact was that Kevin did not draw caricatures. He did not use dark tones. And he did not recall having seen such a girl, for he was sure that it would've sparked a memory if their meeting had been so significant. 

"Why is this so dark?"

Kevin let out a snort as footsteps walked up beside him. He caught a glimpse of caramel coloured hair, a flash of too-white teeth. 

"That's not your style," Jacob remarked as he leaned in close to inspect its details, "where are your watercolours? And your sceneries?" 

Kevin's grip tightened impulsively onto his paintbrush. His jaw clenched in silence. 

A fresh canvas, wasted just like that. His hand was still throbbing with a familiar tingle that had spread through him the moment his brush had touched the tip of the blank page, and the entire process was like a dream that he had stumbled through only to wake up disoriented and dizzy.

"I don't know," the raven-haired man muttered as his fingers combed through his locks.

"Not bad though," Jacob remarked with a whistle, "not bad at all. Who is she?"

Kevin's shoulders lifted in a half-shrug, though annoyance spiked through him at his friend's curiosity. Today was not one of those days where he could tolerate human beings, especially when nothing seemed to go right.

"Where are you going?" Jacob called out when he stood up abruptly from his seat, chair squeaking in protest as he made a grab for his rucksack and strode out of the room, mind still reeling from the confusion which had come with that sudden artistic turn of events.  

Maybe it was his just off day, he concluded mentally, as he tried to ignore the soft tingling sensation thrumming through his fingers, as though a ghost of a presence was still present.

The second time it happened, he was in the middle of reproducing one of Monet's famous water lilies when his hand tingled with that familiar warmth, electricity dancing up and down his arm and numbing it so that his limb took a life of its own. He watched, horrified, as his beautiful lily pond turned into another stranger's face, flowers transforming into dark orbs staring back at him, the water trail twisting into a bold nose, a vine curling to form a cupid's bow mouth. 

What in the actual fuck. His mouth moved soundlessly over the muttered words, hands fisting in his lap with the sudden urge to throw his artwork --could he even call it his?-- against the wall. 

“Maybe it’s a sign,” Jacob said once Kevin complained about his artwork getting ruined by bold strokes. This was the fifth time this week and the latter’s growing collection of portraits was both alarming and fascinating at the same time. While Jacob understood the artist’s growing frustration with the manhandling of his artistic talent, there was nothing to be said about how beautiful they all turned out to be, even though they weren’t originally part of Kevin’s vision. 

“A sign of what?” Kevin picked at his fries, mood still sour from the thought of his now empty wallet that was now scraped dry, his savings all flushed down the drain from having spent it all on the last pieces of canvas that were now deemed useless unless he painted them over with white and started again. 

But that would take ages and a lot of layers, and a lot of paint. Kevin wasn’t sure whether he was ready for that. Not that he had a choice, considering that these works would count for his final portfolio. 

He couldn’t help but let out another exasperating sigh at the thought. 

“There are theories circulating,” his other friend, Chanhee, piped up from behind his roast beef sandwich, earrings catching the light of the lunchroom as he spoke, “that a few weeks before your graduation, you might get a few hints about who your soulmate might be.” 

Kevin allowed the information to sink in, “why haven’t I heard of that before?” 

“Maybe because you spend all your time holed up in the studio,” Chanhee sasses him, “and when you’re not in the studio, you’re doing that.”

Kevin’s eyes find the joint in his hand when Chanhee gestures towards it, before he puts it to his lips and takes another puff just to insult his friend, “it keeps my creative juices flowing.” 

“You don’t need that to be creative, Kevin.”

“Stick to your account books, Chanhee.” 

“Alright time out," Jacob interrupts before the pair can get into yet another brawl, "Kev, Chanhee's right. You can't keep depending on that to keep going." 

The raven-haired man shrugged but kept quiet nevertheless. He knew, deep down, that Jacob was right. But once he started, he found it was hard to stop. It gave him everything he needed; the relaxation, the creativity, everything. Ever since his life had turned upside down, ever since the school had turned its back on him for apparently dealing with heroin when he'd been completely innocent, Kevin had suffered with the aftermath of rumours and the countless amounts of gossiping about his whereabouts. Jacob and Chanhee had stuck with him, but they were the only ones that had. The rest of his so-called friends now deemed him too weird to talk to, as though a foreign body had invaded Kevin's body with a bright red alarm sign to indicate that he was off bounds completely.

It was one of the reasons why he spent most of his time in the art room in the first place. He wasn't going to entertain their stupidly, made - up stories about who he was and what he did.

If there was one thing that Kevin hated the most, it was tattletales. And there seemed to be lots of them around here.

After that, he decided he wouldn't be bothered by the fact that his artworks were not technically his, and instead just used them to his advantage. If Chanhee was right and it really was his soulmate, then all the more reason to do so. If they were using his hands then he was allowed to use their artsy prowess. 

All was fair in love and art.

It was on the last day of his final submission, as the art prodigy was finishing his final touch-ups of his now so-called portrait series of weirdly strange people, that he got the sudden urge to just stitch. His fingers shook with desire even though he clamped his hands into fists and gritted his teeth, forcing his limbs to continue working. Pins and needles shot up and down his arms like alarm bells, tearing at his muscles and nagging at Kevin’s subconscious. The more he tried to ignore it, the more the sensation pricked, until it actually hurt.

He dropped his paintbrush and gave in to the sensation. His body reacted on its own, dashed over to one of the unused sewing machines and grabbed a piece of cloth. Five minutes later, he was busy stitching his life away on the machine, the only sounds perforating the air being the loud drumming of the needles piercing through cloth.

Twenty minutes later, barely two minutes before he was to drop his artwork to his teacher’s office, Kevin leaned back in his seat and stared, wide-eyed, at the donut plushie he’d just made. 

What astounded him the most was that he didn’t --for the love of god-- know how to sew. He never took any sewing classes and had never really been interested in the field anyway. 

So how in the world had his hands worked on their own? He gazed down at his hands with growing horror and apprehension twisting his stomach into tiny knots. Why? Why why why? 

“Kevin? What are you still doing here?” 

The said young man’s head whipped up at the sound of his classmate’s voice, only to see the ginger-haired girl blinking at him with confusion etched across her features. 

“Are you--stitching?” her frown deepened. 

Kevin rose without as much as a wince when the metal of his chair scraped against the cement floor before dashing over to gather his paintings. He jostled out of the classroom, ignoring his classmate’s questions while lumbering down the hall as quickly as his artwork would allow him towards the teacher’s department. 

He wished he didn’t have to meet his soulmate. 

------

“Can I tell you something?” 

Kevin looked up from underneath his beanie at Jacob, who sat on the other side nursing a cup of tea. The hot chocolate in his hand was steaming, its delicious scent already wrapping around him like a warm hug, giving him that sense of comfort he craved so much.

Prom had gone and passed without much that was memorable enough for Kevin to be deemed as important. As per Chanhee’s predictions, people started discovering their soulmates in the strangest ways possible, though the group of boys guessed it had something to do with what you were good at and what your soulmate’s passion was. For instance, a girl had found herself going for a midnight swim, only for her reflection to be of a young man living just a few weeks ago from hers. Another boy had the sudden urge to take a ballerina class and was entranced by a picture of his soulmate hanging on the wall of the ballet studio.

As of yet, none of the trio had caught any glimpse of their other halves, and Kevin hoped it stayed that way. After all the incidents that had occured in art class and the countless whims that had taken over his body like he’d been possessed, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to know who held the other part of his heart. 

What if she was a psycho? He asked himself as he gazed at his drink, what if she was completely not like him and they’d made a mistake from the very beginning? 

“What is it?” Kevin prompted his friend. Jacob’s eyes were downcast, the muscles in his jaw clenching as though haunted by his own thoughts. 

“Jacob?” Kevin’s fingers toyed with his unlit cigarette. He’d been craving it for the past thirty minutes and now that Chanhee was gone, he was free to do as he pleased. He fished for his lighter and started flicking a flame over the cigarette butt. 

“I found her.” 

Kevin almost did a double-take. He dropped his cigarette, “what?” 

Jacob nibbled on his lower lip, “I found her, I found my soulmate.” 

There were many things Kevin wished to say. He decided to keep quiet.

Jacob continued, encouraged by his silence, “I was cooking, the usual. You know I love cooking. So I was making this dish of grilled vegetables and grabbed my knife to cut them all. And then I--And then, I--she--she appeared. In the knife--in it’s reflection, I mean.” 

Still, Kevin stayed quiet. 

“She’s--She’s not bad looking,” there was the tiniest of smiles, barely visible, on his friend’s face and though Kevin wasn’t an expert on reading emotions, it was pretty obvious that Jacob was already smitten for that girl in particular. 

“How do you know you like her?” he asked so abruptly that Jacob blinks in shock.

“Well--I don’t know I--I just do. I think?” the latter scratches the back of his head, “I don’t know, Kev. There’s just--something about her. I can’t really explain. You’ve gotta see for yourself.” 

“Hm” was all that Kevin managed to sputter out as he picked up his cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag. 

“Chanhee won’t like that,” remarked his friend.

“Chanhee’s not here to tell me what to do.” 

“Did you even try to stop?” there was a tinge of desperation in Jacob’s voice, “we’re not in school anymore. You don’t need that to cope, you know.” 

The raven-haired man exhaled in response, smoke billowing out of his perfectly cupped lips.

He wasn't into his soulmate. Had no interest whatsoever in knowing who laid behind the magic taking over his fingers every time he found himself in the art room. It hadn't occurred since his last deadline and for that, he was glad, because while it clearly hadn't been his style of drawing, his professors had been so touched with emotional depth that they gave him a distinction with passing colours. 

Needless to say, Kevin hadn't set yet another foot in the studio.

He really didn't feel like knowing who had messed up his entire style for the sake of her own artistic endeavours.

The summer went by and grades were up. People shouted with excitement at the prospect of last minute freedom before college would take it away this coming September. Kevin had enrolled in Mathieu's School of Art and Design as a Printmaking major -- his dream was to work in textile and fashion-- while Jacob had decided to take up an apprenticeship with the local Culinary School in town. It wasn't the best, but it would do for his first few steps into the culinary world.

As for Chanhee, who was going down the safe route, he was registered to complete his ACCA certification for chartered accountants.

"Keep in touch guys, yeah?" Chanhee had tearfully stated on their last day of summer, where the trio had taken to drink at their local pub. 

Kevin clinked his beer with his, his spirits quite high at the prospect of starting a new life, turning over a new leaf, "worried you might not make friends?" 

Jacob shot Kevin a look, then said, "relax Chanhee. You'll be fine. You'll probably be the only one making friends." 

"Shut up guys, you're not helping," Chanhee sniffed.

It was a somewhat bizarre sensation to be walking to school without Jacob and Chanhee at his side. Kevin's bag felt a little heavier upon his shoulders, his traveling a little longer than usual albeit the fact that his college was barely two minutes away from his high school, just across the street. Kevin's nervousness racked up the back of his throat, practically choking him as he made his way to his first class: illustration design.

Comprising only ten chairs, the class was round, its walls painted a sheer white and the spotlights illuminating the room casting long dark shadows across each head already seated. Kevin quickly hurried over to the back where he took his place.

The girl beside him shifted slightly, but he preferred not to acknowledge her existence. Instead, he slid his sketchbook from his bag and started doodling on the corner of the page, next to where he wrote the date. 

It was only when the teacher walked in and the girl's pen suddenly dropped to the floor, and Kevin swooped in like muscle reflex and gave it back, that his eyes caught her face-- he stared.

And stared. 

And stared.

She stared back, unblinking. Unflinching. 

"Who--Who are you?" Kevin breathed, all air knocked out of his chest in surprise.

Her hand darted out, whipping the pen out of his hold and turning back to the professor without a backward glance. Astounded, Kevin hadn’t realized his mouth was still hanging open until he felt the warm trickle of saliva dribble down his chin.

He snapped his jaw shut and quickly turned back to focus on the class at hand, all while trying to ignore the weird buzzing that seemed to take over his entire nervous system. His body was heated, as if lit by a wildfire that raged through his insides and swept along his bloodstream so that he was left in a constant state of exhilaration, senses too alert and fingers prickling with the innate desire to just touch, touch her, no matter what. 

Stop it, he told himself off. His mind raged back like an aggressive, untamed horse. 

It took him so much of his energy not to do something stupid that he only came to attention when the sound of scraped back chairs reached his ears. Whipping his head up at the flow of people leaving the studio, he realized a little too late that the said girl in question was already halfway to the door. 

He scrambled up so quickly he banged his shin. Cursing, he ignored its protesting throb as he raced towards her figure, “excuse me--” 

Either the girl didn’t hear him through the throng of introductions being conversed by a group of students by the entrance, or she didn’t want to. Kevin pushed his way past students milling about the corridors, excusing himself as he went, before he finally caught up to her at the library door entrance. 

“Wait--” he called, practically choking on his own breath. Jesus, he should really work out more. Pressing his hand over his side upon feeling the familiar cramp pinch in, he tried not to collapse in front of the girl, who was now gazing at him in a mixture of fear and confusion.

“Is there something you want?” she asked tightly.

“Well--I--Didn’t you--” Kevin racked his brain and wondered, for a brief moment, whether this soulmate thing was one sided, “didn’t you feel it?” 

“Feel what?” Her eyes were growing more and more alarmed.

“You’re my soulmate,” the words left Kevin in a rush, “didn’t you feel the pull?” 

Her mouth shaped itself into a silent ‘o’. Her eyes glanced at the floor for a few beats of silence. When she looked up at his face, her jaw was set and her eyebrows furrowed, “so?” 

“So?” he gaped at her, “so?” 

“Look, I don’t know how they treat people with soulmates in your country,” she shifted uneasily from one foot to another, “but in mine, they’re definitely not something to be proud of.” 

He blinked, “you’re not from here.” 

“No.” 

“Where are you from?” 

“Look, if you’re talking to me just because of that soulmate bullshit--”

“Can’t you feel it?” Kevin cut her off, hating the fact that his voice sounded so desperate and needy, “can’t you feel the bond?” 

God Kevin. You sound like a wimp, his mind screamed at him. Get a hold of yourself.

“No,” she looked at him dead in the eye, “I don’t.” 

And leaving him to deal with the aftermath of the shock, the girl turned and walked away, her soft footsteps echoing down the hallway like the beats to an ending song.

--- 

STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO! :) Let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist <3

[bellesque]

Can you write a smut story with Loki?

Ask and you shall receive! Also on my AO3.

An Inspiring Distraction (Loki x Reader)

Rating: Explicit

Words: 3.3K (yikes)

Tags/Warnings: Smut, Vaginal Sex, Fingering, Orgasm Delay, Established Relationship

Summary: You’re adept at pretty much every genre. Except romance. You take to watching romance movies to help you along the creative process, only to be interrupted by the God of Mischief. Turns out, your boyfriend has a better idea of how to spark inspiration and get your juices - creative or otherwise - flowing.

A/N: Well. This turned out way longer (and way dirtier) than I originally planned. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this.

YOU REALLY TRY to ignore the interruption.

The tapping of a finger isn’t totally distracting, a light rhythm on the top of your shoulder. Almost feather-light. Only you expect it to end at some point, if you disregarded it long enough—but it doesn’t. The movie that plays on the screen in front of you has lost your focus, and because of that you huff in exasperation.

“Loki,” you whine, shifting from your position on your couch to sit up and whirl around to chastise your boyfriend.

Except he isn’t there.

You sigh loudly, hitting pause on your movie. “Loki,” you call again, this time with a little bite in your tone.

“You called, dearest?”

His voice comes from behind you, in between you and your television. You shift against the pillows. Most of the time, you loved Loki and all his tricks and games. Other times, like today—well, sometimes dating the God of Mischief had its disadvantages.

The only one being that he could be such a distraction.

You give him a pointed, unamused look in return of his smug, almost Cheshire cat-like grin. His eyes feign innocence, and you roll your own. “Was there any point to your little Morse code message on my shoulder?”

“Of course. I wanted your attention.”

“For what reason?”

“For no reason at all but to see your beautiful face.” Loki steps forward, and you fight the part of you that thaws at his compliment. Damn him and his silver tongue.

“Yeah, well, this beautiful face is still mad at you,” you mumble as he settles on the couch beside you, pulling your legs on his lap.

“You are most beautiful when you’re angry with me, sweetness. Why do you think I tease you so?” He grins at you in that way that causes your heart to seize (just a little; you won’t admit more than that), rubbing your bare calves absently.

You snort, turning your attention away from him and hoping that the warmth you feel in your face isn’t evident.

Loki too turns his gaze to the television in front of you, and you’re reminded to hit play. You allow yourself to relax into his touch as the movie continues, taking mental notes of key points you think would work in your own project. He’s quiet this time, thank goodness, allowing you to return to the level of focus you were at before his magic interrupted you.

He squints as soon as the music begins to soften and the sexual tension onscreen is evident. Leading to the iconic kiss, you can tell. This moment is big, you note, ready to take notes on every little detail that will concoct the perfect kiss—

“What are they doing?”

The speed at which you hit pause is surprisingly fast. “What does it look like, Loki?”

You can’t keep the frustration out of your tone this time. Your assigned project is a romance—a genre you are not well-versed in. Your concentration is broken and you’re not sure if you can pull off constructing a kiss scene that is both believable and emotional enough, and with enough steam that will fog the screens.

“I was not aiming for petulance this time, sweet. You would do well not to be angry with me over a simple question, gorgeous creature though you may be.”

His words are sweet enough, though you know it’s to mask the confusion—and probably slight hurt—he feels.

“I’m sorry,” you tell him, reaching up to touch his forearm. “I’m just… it’s stupid. I have this big project coming up and it’s a romance. And that’s the thing I’m the least good at. I was hoping maybe this movie could give me a little inspiration, some tips.”

Loki quirks an eyebrow. “Am I mistaken about our arrangement? Are we not dating, pet? Shouldn’t you be drawing inspiration from your personal experiences?”

“It’s different,” you say, this time feeling the warmth of a blush creeping into your cheeks. “Not everyone has dated a god. And…” you trail off.

Loki looks at you expectantly. “And?”

“There needs to be a love scene.” The words tumble out, rushed and embarrassed.

Loki only laughs, sliding his hand onto the curve of your hip before resting his arm on the edge of the couch. “Alright sweet, let’s do it your way.”

“Thank you,” you say with finality, “now no more interruptions until this movie is done, agreed?”

“You have my word.”

True enough, you and Loki watch the movie in comfortable silence. You like to think maybe he’s even enjoying it a little at this point.

Well, until he’s the one pausing the movie.

“I cannot bear this anymore,” he says, rising to his feet.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“This—this show of yours.” He gestures at the TV. “Absolutely useless material for you, sweet. Bland and sloppy. Amateur at best.”

“I’ll have you know, Loki, a lot of people rave about this movie.”

“Yes, yes, you mortals have such poor taste in the arts because you fail to feel and capture the entirety of passion.” He offers you his hand. “It is up to me for your project to be as evocative as possible. Now. What is it that you want?”

“What I want?” you repeat, allowing Loki to lead you to your feet. “I’m not sure—”

“What aspect of romance, darling.” In an instant, Loki transforms his features into a shy, almost hesitant look, not meeting your eyes and shifting from foot to foot. “Is it the novelty of a new love, perhaps?” he asks, his voice timid and tentative.

You’re about to open your mouth to praise him, tell him that wow, he is a damn good actor, but just as quickly he’s wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you flush against his body. You find your hands against the hard planes of his chest and in a split second he hooks a finger under your chin, tilting your head upwards so you lock gazes. The way he looks at you is smoldering, intense and captivating as his eyes pin you in place and you notice just how green they are.

You focus on that color as you forget to breathe, a familiar tingle blooming in the pit of your stomach.

After what feels like way too many seconds, Loki’s eyes flit down to your lips, the subtle dip of his eyelids a subconscious message for you to follow suit in anticipation for a kiss. Sure enough, his head angles towards yours, his eyes fluttering closed as yours do, and your lips pucker just slightly.

The hand on the small of your back moves to the nape of your neck, keeping you in place, bringing you closer towards him for the kiss—

He stops a hairsbreadth away from you, his lips just barely brushing yours. “Or are you looking for the undeniable thrill that sexual tension brings?”

The spell he’s seemingly put you under is broken and your eyes snap open. Your heart is actually beating wildly in your chest, your breathing just the slightest bit heavier. Loki grins at you mischievously.

“Lo—”

Loki spins you around, this time switching your position so that your back is to his chest. One arm snakes around your waist, the tips of his fingers moving underneath your baggy shirt and skimming over your bare skin. His hand creeps up, up, up, until it’s resting under the swell of your breast, his breath hot at your ear.

“Or maybe…” he purrs, moving your hair to reveal your neck to him. He presses open-mouthed kisses along the sensitive spot just under your ear, the hand on your abdomen tracing absent circles now. You can feel the goose bumps rise on your skin, starting at the base of your breasts until your nipples prick up, and your entire body shivers of its own volition, all while Loki sucks a bruise into your neck. “Everything that comes with seduction.”

You exhale, your head falling back against Loki’s shoulder as he continues his ministrations. Everything with Loki is still fairly new, uncharted territory, and you’re honestly liking where this is going.

The plus is that it’s going to help with your project, most likely.

“What will it be, sweet?”

“M-maybe the second option? Or the third…? Since, I dunno, I think that’s what’ll be most helpful for the—the love scene.”

“Well then,” he murmurs in your ear, his silken voice drawing a wanting pang from you, “we’ll just have to continue what we started, won’t we?”

The speed at which Loki shifts your position—yet again—is disorienting. He spins you again so you’re facing him, and he hoists you into the air close to him until you’re sitting on his forearms with your legs nowhere to go but wrapped around his waist. Your hands bury themselves in his soft hair as Loki pulls down the collar of your shirt and begins sucking at the skin of your neck without warning.

“Loki!” you exclaim as he begins walking up the stairs, presumably—where else would you be going?—to the bedroom. The high-pitched squeak you emit as his teeth graze your skin somehow prompts him to squeeze your butt cheek just a little.

Loki uses his magic to fling the door open, a loud bang accompanying it. His lips detach from you as he sets you down at the edge of the bed. You notice that his cheeks are flushed and his eyes are a bit dilated, and you think it’s safe to say you look the same as well.

“I apologize if I got carried away earlier, my sweet. Now, the lesson begins here.” He stands, towering over your sitting figure. “You’ve had a taste of the emotions of romance with me as your partner, but think of this moment, specifically, to aid in your project. Was it a proper seduction? Enough for what you will be working on?”

You give it some careful thought. Or at least, you pretend to—because frankly, there is no way in hell you’re letting Loki leave you high and dry after his heavy petting.

“I think I’m seduced,” you say, surprised to find your voice a little shaky. “But I think it needs a little more… something, I don’t know what I’m looking for.”

“So it was unsatisfactory.” Loki’s eyes glint a certain way; the kind of look you’ve associated with his games, only this one you’re playing seems to be a very sexual one. “What is it again that you need help with?”

“Romance…?”

“And which of my options will aid in your production?”

“The second or thir—”

Loki surges forward and takes your lips between his teeth, rolling his tongue over your bottom lip and then sucking. You barely register it when your back hits the softness of the mattress and Loki settles himself on top of you.

The way Loki’s lips and tongue moves over and with yours is absolute bliss, and you return his actions with equal fervor. His hands roam across your torso, one hand toying with the hem of your shirt until it slides underneath to caress your warm skin.

Loki pulls away from you and nuzzles your cheek with his nose. “This, sweet. This is what you should be aiming for. The chemistry between us is unrivaled and cannot be duplicated, but you may possibly write something very close to it.”

“Okay,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady and as casual as his seems to be. “Uh, I do have a few concerns about the love scene, though.”

He perks up at this, his eyebrows raising and the corners of his mouth lifting in a smirk. “Oh?”

You’re finding it increasingly difficult to form coherent sentences as Loki’s hand travels south and toys with the waistband of your shorts. A finger hooks underneath it, just briefly, before tracing a line from one side of your waist, over your stomach to the other side and back again.

“Y-yeah,” you manage to get out, sucking in a breath as Loki’s fingers dance over a sensitive spot you didn’t know you had, “like how would it transition smoothly from the making out to the actual, y’know—sex.”

The way you say sex is breathier than you want it to be, but it’s because of Loki’s stupid wandering hands leaving you a breathless mess. He’s looking at you, desire clouding his irises, and it takes your willpower not to drag his face back to your lips.

“Well, sweet, it would usually go like this—but, from here on out, no interruptions. Just let me show you…” And his mouth descends on yours again, hot and heavy. An inner voice cheers loudly at this victory, knowing that this is how Loki likes to play his games.

His hands begin to pull up the hem of your shirt over your head, your lips parting for the briefest of moments before he’s latching onto you again and tossing your shirt to the corner of the room. Fumbling, you undo the buttons of his black dress shirt and slide it down his shoulders.

Loki pulls away from you and smooths his hands over your body. “You are a goddess, my sweet.” He bends down and presses a kiss to the center of the column of your throat. “Absolutely breathtaking.” Another one in between your breasts. “Maddening.” Another, just above your navel. “My goddess.”

Butterflies bloom in your stomach at his words, and you feel an instinct to shower him in the same praise. “And you, Loki…” You bring him back up to eye level and try to roll on top of him. He lets you, your knees on either side of him. “You are just exquisite.” You kiss his Adam’s apple, where you feel it bob just slightly at your words. “Marvelous.” On his sternum. “My God of Mischief. My Prince of Asgard.” The final one, this time below his navel, dangerously close to the waistband of his pants.

Loki groans, fisting a handful of your hair. “You are the death of me, sweet.”

“Good,” you say, placing a hand over the tent in his pants and flashing him a devious grin. “I should be.”

Loki growls and pulls you up, rolling over so you’re pinned underneath him again. Your shorts disappear in a flash of green, leaving you in only your underwear.

“Hey, no fair, you used magi—ah—” your complaint is cut off by Loki’s mouth on your breast, his other hand pinching and tweaking. Pleasure hums throughout your body.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Loki comments, smiling victoriously until your hand slides underneath his pants and cups his erection—at which his jaw slackens and he groans.

He cups your mound in response and then maneuvers your underwear to the side. Without missing a beat, he slides two fingers into your slickness. This time, it’s your turn to let out a moan. You grip his erection more tightly, pumping up and down, feeling the trickle of precum on your inner wrist, and Loki curls his fingers inside you. Your body arches upwards.

“All this be damned,” he mutters, and with a green shimmer you and he are naked. Loki presses his thumb against your clit, rubbing lazy yet purposeful circles over it, all the while his other fingers continue pumping in and out of you.

Your hand probably stops groping him at some point; your mind is frayed with the pleasure his hands are giving you, but you’re jolted back when you feel him jerk in your hand. Curiously, you swipe a finger of the slit of his head, and Loki’s hips and fingers stutter.

“Loki,” you breathe, gyrating on his fingers, “I need you inside me now.”

He doesn’t say anything, but covers your neck with a wet, hot kiss, applying just a little more pressure on your clit. You bite back a moan and decide to squeeze him harder, your other hand raking a stripe down his back.

“Need to cum soon,” you pant. “I think you do too.”

Loki pulls his fingers out of you and wordlessly places his fingers in his mouth, tasting you, all the while never breaking eye contact. It’s erotic, maybe a little obscene, but your libido only skyrockets.

“I want your eyes on me at all times.” His voice is dark with desire, practically dripping lust, and you nod, swallowing thickly.

Loki positions the head of his cock at your dripping slit, tracing over it with excruciating slowness until you’re covered in each other’s slick. He rests a finger on top of your clit, and then in a fluid motion he buries himself to the hilt as he presses on your bundle of nerves.

Closing your eyes at the heaven you’re both feeling, you both moan, a broken harmony, and the sound adds to the arousal you both feel.

“You are so warm and wet for me. It is almost unbelievable,” he murmurs.

“Your cock feels really good inside me,” you whisper, a little ashamed once it leaves your lips. But Loki doesn’t seem to mind—in fact, he seems to relish the praise. You stay unmoving for a while, your cunt experimentally fluttering around him, until you can see Loki’s restraint is hanging by a thread.

You grind your hips, a silent signal for him to move within you, and soon you’re a breathy, writhing mess beneath him as he thrusts, first slowly, until his movements increase in speed, a crescendo you can also feel in your body.

You feel yourself coming close to the edge of release, the coiling of energy deep within your core, and you reach down to guide his fingers to your clit.

And when his fingers begin their familiar rhythm, his lips crash onto yours in an urgent attempt for dominance, you clamp your walls around him and Loki groans into your mouth. He presses harder against your clit and he swallows the wanton moan that spills from your lips.

“I’m going to cum,” you tell him, feeling the familiar sensation burning even hotter now. “Cum with me. Please, Loki, I need you to.”

Loki’s jaw is set, beads of sweat forming on the top of his forehead. With a little growl he spreads your legs even wider and ruts into you, hard and fast, though only for a moment. His movements slow to a lazy pace, sliding in and out of you while his hands circle your clit in the same rhythm.

“Loki,” you whine. “Please.”

“I’d like to draw it out.”

“You already are, so just fuck me already.”

You clamp down exceptionally hard around him this time, and Loki captures your lips in a kiss as he goes back to the breakneck speed you were in earlier.

And then you feel your orgasm begin to crest, you and Loki moving in sync, your nails raking patterns all over his back you’re sure they’ll be red raw later.

He presses exceptionally hard, rubbing your clit between his fingers as his other hand cups your breast. “Cum now, sweet.”

Your body shudders as you feel the white hot pleasure explode within you, your walls fluttering around Loki’s cock as you cum with a cry. You feel Loki’s close too, so you continue rhythmically squeezing his cock until he cums with his own shuddering groan.

Loki takes your face in his hand and he kisses you, languid and lazy, as you both ride out each other’s orgasms. He rests his forehead against yours before rolling onto his back, pulling you on top of him.

“That was…” you begin after a few minutes of silent cuddling. You stroke his chest.

“Perfect for your project, correct?” he says, planting a kiss in your hair.

A warmth begins to spread across your lower regions. You prop yourself up on your elbow, giving him a particularly blatant nonchalant look. “I don’t know. I think I need to do a little bit more research.”

Loki pulls you down over his chest, his hands playing with the ends of your hair. “Devilish woman,” he comments affectionately. “Wherever do you get it from?”

“A certain God of Mischief.” Your hand snakes down to between his legs.

“Now. I think it’s time for lesson number two.”

Maybe some distractions are worth entertaining after all.

[acaseforpencils]

MariNaomi.

Bio: I started writing and drawing comics in 1997, and my first published comic appeared in Action Girl Comics. Since then, my comics have appeared in more than eighty anthologies, I've published seven books (four graphic memoirs and a young adult graphic novel trilogy) and have an eighth along the way in November, a gag book about erotic fruits and veggies called Dirty Produce. My comics have appeared on The New Yorker's Daily Shouts, The LA Times, The Rumpus, Razorcake Magazine, Bitch Magazine, and The Comics Journal. Earlier this year, one of my memoirs, Turning Japanese, was translated to French.

In addition to making comics, I'm the founder and administrator of the Cartoonists of Color, Queer Cartoonists, and Disabled Cartoonists databases, which I created to help elevate the voices of marginalized cartoonists. I'm a Bay Area person currently living in the Los Angeles mountains with my partner and a menagerie of animal rescues.

Find this Daily Shouts piece here!

Tools of choice: I never thought I'd say this, but I do most of my work on the iPad these days. I never used to enjoy doing art digitally, but the Apple Pencil (even though I have complicated feelings about Apple as a company) really changed the game for me. I still sketch out roughs on scrap paper and play around with traditional pens, pencils, paints, and paper, but Procreate has allowed me to delve into color and collage in ways I've always wanted to, but were too tedious to do by hand.

Tool I wish I could use better: Oil paints. I love the final product when others use it, but uggggggghhhh it looks so bad and is SO MESSY and uncontrollable when I've tried to use oils.

Tool I wish existed: A pen or pencil with a fast, easily adjustable nib size, especially if it were a brush! The iPad comes close, but wouldn't it be amazing to have something like this in physical form? I have some tools that come close, such as a mechanical instrument from Japan that has four settings I can switch between (ink gel, eraser, 05 pencil lead, and 03 pencil lead), but it's clunky and imprecise.

Tricks: When lettering my comics, I've found that drawing on a graph just can't be beat for ease and speed. Procreate has a drawing guide I use, but when I'm using IRL paper, I have many different sizes of graph paper specifically for this purpose.

A trick for when I get creatively stuck is to have other projects to turn to, and to take lots of breaks. When I'm really stuck on something I need to get done right away, I find it effective to go do something that lets my mind wander, such as going to a hot tub solo, a swim in a pool, or a road trip (without the distraction of audiobooks). Nothing gets the creative juices flowing better than not being able to write down your thoughts!

Misc: Tips for folks just starting out: Take all the gigs that interest you, even if they're not necessarily in your perceived wheelhouse, so you can find out what you like and what you're good at (assuming you haven't sussed that out yet). Experiment within (and outside of) the medium. Keep pushing forward and trying new things. Don't burn out—take breaks, don't quit your day job, DON'T take to heart what people tell you you should and should not be doing. Follow your passion! Be punctual, don't flake, be polite, but don't be afraid to ask for what you're worth (there are lots of ways to find out what you should be charging if you google it). Reach out to fellow creators, but not if you're just going to ask for favors. Give more than you receive. Most importantly, don't compromise your values.

Websites:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

I also founded and run these databases:

cartoonistsofcolor.com

disabledcartoonists.com

queercartoonists.com

—–

If you enjoy this blog, and would like to contribute to labor and maintenance costs, there is a Patreon, and if you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee, there is a Ko-Fi account as well! I do this blog for free because accessible arts education is important to me, and your support helps a lot! You can also find more posts about art supplies on Case’s Instagram and Twitter! Thank you!

[jvnghxope]

love sewn | three (m)

part three;

◦ pairing: Jungkook | reader

◦ genre: boy next door au; fluff, smut, a little angsty at the end

◦ word count: 7.4k+

◦ warnings: sexual themes, penetrative sex, swear words, alcohol consumption

◦ abstract: You’ve never cared about the thin-as-paper walls of your beloved apartment until Jeon Jungkook moved next door. You could hear everything –from his late-night parties on Saturday, to the quality time he spent with his girlfriend in the intimacy of his bedroom. One day, everything ceases. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and you find yourself knocking his door before you can think it twice.

⇥ prologue | part one | part two | part three | final

“So, we are going to steal clothes and you guys are going to lose your job...” Namjoon comments behind your back. 

You exchange slightly panicked glances with Taehyung. 

"We’re not going to steal anything. We’re just going to borrow,” he quickly interjects before the panic gets the worst of you. You need to admit that you are a little nervous about this, too. 

"Still, I think this is a bad idea," Hoseok laughs nervously. 

“Hobi, everything is going to be okay." You take your friend’s hand in an attempt to ease his nerves. He doesn’t like to lie. He is really bad at that and he avoids doing anything illegal as much as possible. 

“Don’t worry. We have a key. It’s not like we are trespassing.”  

Hobi nods, a little calmer now and followed you inside the building. 

The gala is next Saturday and you still don’t know which dress you’ll use. Jungkook texted you about the gala theme just a couple of hours ago –you finally decided to reply to his question earlier that day (yeah, it took you a whole week to answer)– and is 'Family'. You have no idea what that means or how you are supposed to wear in a gala with that theme, but Jungkook kindly replied to your panicked text with ‘Dress formal. Like the type of dresses you designed last time. :)’ 

Your heart jumped at the emoji, but it’s not like you are going to admit that in front of your friends. 

That’s why you are now in front of the building of your office. Besides Taehyung, you are pretty sure only Joon owns a dress shirt. Luckily for you and your besties, the firm keeps every piece of cloth designed in a big ass warehouse inside the building. You remember seeing a collection of beautiful dresses and formal suits the last time you were honored to be inside.  

Once inside, your group of friends split in the seek for the perfect outfit. 

“There’s no way I’ll use that,” you hear Namjoon says from afar. 

“What do you mean?” you don’t need to see Taehyung’s face to see that he’s pulling the ‘Are you serious?’ Face. “It’s a beautiful color!” 

Listening to your friends arguing, even when is over a simple thing like what color of suit to use, always makes you chuckle. Sometimes is like they are 15 instead of in their mid-twenties.  

“Oh my god! This dress is gorgeous!” Anna exclaims next to you. The dress she is holding is gorgeous. Emerald green, long sleeves, lace-made, Greek-style shirt a little over the knees. It is the perfect dress for your cute friend. “I’ll try this one,” she chimes excitedly. 

“Perhaps it was not a good idea to bring you here. I’ll need to tear that dress from you if I ever want to return it.” 

“Yep,” she quickly agrees before running to the nearest dress room.  

You can't help but smile as you keep searching for a dress. But any convince you enough. It is either the design or the color. That pink is too bright; that blue looks so sad; that orange color is not that cute… You are about to give up. Maybe the perfect dress for you is not around here. 

But then, you arrive at a hidden space that is not properly illuminated. This time, the clothes are not scattered in counters, hanging from hooks or ordered by color. Instead, they are carefully guarded inside boxes. The wall is full of them. 

You know for sure the firm doesn’t throw away the clothes from past seasons. They keep the best designs made every collection. There is a high possibility that some of these designs were used by top models in previous Fashion Weeks.  

You open a few of them, finding cardigans, skirts from all shapes, types, and colors. Each piece is carefully saved. You gasp the moment you open another box.  The most beautiful dress is inside of it. It is a beautiful tone of crimson and made of silk. It is soft to touch. You carefully take the dress out of the box and with fear you look for the tag to see if the dress is of your size. It must be your lucky day because it is. 

“Oh, there you are! I want to use black heels with the dress but Tae told me I should use a pair of silver stilettos. Or even gold ones. What do you think-” She stops talking the moment she notices the dress between your arms and how you are holding it, like is a treasure. “That dress is beautiful! You should wear that one.”

You look at her with wide eyes, “But we’re not supposed to take anything from these boxes…”

“We’re not supposed to take anything from the warehouse. Why don’t you try it on?” 

Well, she has a point. 

Minutes later, you are staring at your reflection in the mirror. 

You look… different. The dress is hugging all your curves in the right way and the color enhances your skin tone. The skirt is pooling around your ankles. You love long dresses. It makes your legs look longer and they are pretty elegant. 

Ok. You will just take the dress for one night, like Cinderella, and return it right away. 

You turn around and see Anna taking some snaps of herself in excitement. Your male friends are in the corner. Taehyung and Namjoon still arguing about which color of jacket Namjoon should use with his tailored slacks. Seokjin is rubbing his temples like he’s tired of that shit and Hoseok, oblivious to the situation folding behind him, is admiring himself in the mirror. He looks handsome in that jacket. Floral print designs are very difficult to pull out but Hoseok is one of the lucky ones. 

It was not a good idea to come here, you quickly realize. Because as you watch the anticipation slowly starting to build inside your friend’s –and your own– chest, you know there's no way you'll be willing to return the clothes, putting your job at risk. But seeing the way your friends are smiling, it'll be worth it. 

The rest of the week passes painfully slow. 

You haven’t seen Jungkook in two weeks and you are starting to get anxious. The last time you saw him he asked you on a date and you feel like it is a turning point in your relationship. 

Since you met, you've been friends. But he asking you out means that he is ready to take the next step. The question is, are you? 

Despite the growing feelings you may have about him, you are still not sure if you are ready to be in a relationship. And right now you don't have the energy to stress more about it. So you decide to follow Anna’s advice and let things flow. 

In the next few days, you focus on work and upcoming projects. 

The firm you work for has a new project and asked you to design a dress for a spring collection. Piece of cake. Or that’s what you thought at first. 

On Monday, you managed to draw some decent sketches. On Tuesday, you figured the design was not that good and decided to start over. On Wednesday, you locked up inside your office to get the job done, without good results. On Tuesday, you stayed at your apartment and did some home-office because your creative juices flow better in your studio. Finally, on Friday, it was decided you were having some... creative issues. 

Saturday arrived finally and the gala is the only thing you can think about. Seokjin makes waffles for breakfast, making the day twice as special –Seokjin only makes waffles in special occasions–.  

Today, it is twice as hard to stay focused on your work. The nerves and excitement make it difficult. You haven't talked that much with Jungkook this past week. He’s been busy with all the preparation for his gala. Your phone chimes with a new text and you are surprised it is of him. 

[2:05 pm] Jungkook

The limo will pick you up at 6 pm. Can't wait to see you.

The smile that spreads across your face is unintentional and you feel your cheeks go warm. You are just as excited to see him. Wow, and a limo. That’s so nice of him. You check the hour. Fuck, it is 3 pm! 

You have exactly 3 hours to get ready. You text Namjoon before entering the bathroom. 

You know the basics when it comes to makeup. But considering this is an important event (and a date), you ask Anna’s help. She was an Ace on that stuff. By 3:30 pm, she already had done her hair in curls and perfectly applied makeup when you were still a mess of wet hair and swollen, bare face.

With his help and an hour and a half later,  you find yourselves already tucked inside your dresses and snapping shots in the enormous mirror of the bathroom. You have time to spare while you wait for the boys to arrive. Seokjin even joins you after a while, looking all handsome with his black tuxedo and taking some photos with you and Anna. 

As Jungkook told you, the limo is waiting for you at 6 pm sharp. Dressed as you do, you feel like you are a movie star going to a Movie Premier. Someone steps out of the car and a part of you hopes it is Jungkook, but when a smile of a stranger graces your face, you can breathe properly again. This man is going to kill you someday. 

“Miss ___? I’m here to take you and your friends to mister Min and mister Jeon’s annual gala. Please, get inside,” he opens the door and motions the inside of the vehicle. Excited chuckles come from behind you as your friends urge you to get inside.

"Man, this is so cool," Hoseok comments while Namjoon pours each one of you a glass of champagne you guys found inside the mini-fridge. This whole thing feels like a dream. Dressed as superstars, riding a limo, drinking champagne. 

As time goes by, you notice the limo heading towards a part of the town known as the Art District. It used to be where all the industries held their big factories. Now, the enormous buildings transformed into luxurious art galleries, beautiful museums, bright dance studios, and lush condos. This part of the town supports anyone and everyone who decides to pursue art for a living. Thus, the firm you and Taehyung work for has its headquarters here. 

Several minutes after, you have in front of you the most glamorous building. It looks like a skyscraper, tall and magnificent. In daylight, the windows reflect the sunlight and it looks like the tower is made of glass. The locals know it as the Glass Tower. Now, the windows reflect the orange-ish of the sunset. 

This is the first time you enter the building, so you are not sure where to go. The driver parks the vehicle near the main entrance and opens the door for you. 

“Mr. Min and Mr. Jeon are waiting for you inside. Ask for them in the Lobby. They’ll direct you from there.” 

“Thank you,” you say with a smile.

The Lobby is just as impressive as the outside of the building. The white marble-like floor, the plants embellishing the corners, the mesmerizing paintings and photographies and the furniture make the room look artsy yet elegant. 

“Hey, we’re here for the gala…” Seokjin comments to the beautiful red-haired receptionist once you and your friends get near the enormous mahogany desk. Then, something weird happens. The receptionist's eyes illuminate like she just saw a star as her glance lay on yours and your friend’s frame. Like she recognizes you from somewhere. 

“Yes!” she chimes with an unexpectedly high-pitched voice. “Everyone is waiting for you. Please, go to the 15th floor.” 

With a nod, you do as instructed, not without hearing the receptionist over the phone: “The special guests just arrived!” 

Special guests? 

You don’t have time to dwell in what you just heard, because the next second the elevator doors open with a loud ‘ding’. The 15th floor displays a small lobby –a perfect combination of glass, ivory, and silver. Another beautiful lady is waiting for you in front of a pair of glass doors. 

“Welcome,” she says with a smile. “Please, follow me.” 

You exchange nervous glances with your friends and follow her lead. The moment she opens the gates is like you are in another world. The room before your eyes is enormous and it is already full of people. Just as you enter, two waitresses approach your group with a silver tray and glass cups with a golden, bubbly liquid. More Champagne. 

A man approaches your group once you take the cups. It is not the man you are hoping for but just as welcomed. 

“You are here!” Min Yoongi pulls you into a hug. You’ve been texting with him after your little –and too awkward– encounter at the café a couple of weeks ago. He’s pretty nice once you get to know him. 

“Yoongi! This is amazing!” you exclaim and he smiles, pleased. 

“Thank you.” He just noticed the way your eyes wander around the room looking for him. “I don’t think I have the pleasure.” He gestures your friends and you’re thankful for the distraction. 

The introductory part doesn’t last very long and Yoongi leads the group to a part he claims to be the beginning of the exhibition, each piece arranged to tell a story. One that ends with his and Jungkook’s exhibition. As you made your way through the mass of people, it is not the first time you feel someone else’s eyes glued to your back. 

“Am I the only one who feels everyone is staring at us?” you hear Namjoon asks. 

“I know, right?” 

The early discomfort soon soothes away as time goes by and the cups get purred with more champagne. Yoongi, self-proclaimed as your official guide, stays with you and explains the story behind each photography embellishing the gallery walls. It is supposed to be explained by its author, see, but with a large number of people filling the room, everyone’s busy and Yoongi, as the great host he is, is glad to help. It’s not like it is a bother to him. He is so passionate about the matter. A rosy excitement tinting his cheeks, a gummy smile displayed as he happily explains each one of the exhibitions.  

It is a pleasant surprise to notice that not only photographies are embellishing the walls of the gallery but paintings and sculptures too.  

Yoongi explains to the group the reason why they decided to arrange their gallery as they did: with fake walls placed to form a somewhat labyrinth, each fabricated room gives every exhibition solitude and protagonism. They wanted to enhance the singularities of each of their artists –even when they belong to the same gallery and built their exhibition under the same theme, they wanted to share the beauty in their differences and unique style. 

Each exhibition is just as beautiful and mesmerizing as the last one. The vivacious colors are still dancing behind your eyelids as your cup of champagne keeps getting re-filled with excited waitresses. You find yourself having a really good time in the company of your friends and Yoongi (who is slowly becoming your friend too). It warms your heart to see them just as excited as they were in the beginning and asking questions to Yoongi about the exhibitions. You even forget that Jungkook is, still, nowhere to be seen and the bubbling champagne hides the disappointment that sets in the pit of your stomach. 

It seems you are reaching the end of the exhibition because a not-naturally shy Yoongi turns around on his heels to face you. “Don’t be so harsh on him, okay?” It is the only sentence he says before he leads you to the last prefabricated room –you don’t have time to register the meaning behind his words before you follow suit. The room is slightly bigger than the previous ones and by the sheepish smile Yoongi sends your way, you realize it’s because it holds not one but two exhibitions: his and Jungkook’s. 

His photos are mesmerizing and you don’t have to be an expert on the matter to know he is talented. 

The pictures are arranged to tell a story and it impresses you how much emotion they can portray: You can feel the sorrow, the disappointment, the pain of a young man you were abandoned by his family because he wanted to pursue his dreams. 

You can sense the relief and genuine brotherhood love he might had felt when he met the younger. He finally had someone who supported him no matter what. 

You see a young man who claims to be a loner and cold-hearted but on the inside, he craves the love of a significant other as anyone else and ended being heartbroken when he realized she was in love with his best friend. 

Yoongi has suffered. But he's is strong. That's why you admire him. 

You reach out to take his hand, "Yoongi, this is amazing." You clutch his hand tightly. 

"Thank you," he flashes the brightest of smiles, showing his gums. 

Then, you turn around to see Jungkook's exhibition… and now you realize why everyone was staring at you. 

The whole wall is full of photos of you and your friends. It is like the last couple of months had been recorded. You remember how Jungkook used to bring his camera everywhere and you didn't quite understand why. 

Now you do. 

Looking at the pictures you remember all the adventures you all have had together. Like that day when Anna made all of you go to an improvised picnic because the boys started a heated fight over a video game and she was tired of that shit. Then, the picnic ended in a random football game and Jungkook took the photo the moment Taehyung threw the ball and it landed directly in Namjoon’s face. It was a great day indeed. 

Or that one time when all your favorite male models got the same stomach flu (weird) and you asked –or more like begged– your male friends to be your models for one day. Taehyung and Jungkook agreed right away but for Namjoon, Hoseok, and Seokjin it took you more to convince them. Using ‘don’t know how to stroll in a runaway’ as an excuse, it took two hours and an express class from one of your girls to finally convince them to help you. At the end of the night, despite their worries, they made it perfectly and Jungkook took some snaps to behold the memory. He now could tell how he was a model for one night and had photos to prove it. 

It seems that the photos that embellish the walls of his exhibition are the memories he holds closest to his heart and you can’t help the smile that tugs your lips. 

Your eyes kept wandering around Jungkook’s exhibition with a fond smile, only to find your heart rate rise dangerously high when your eyes landed in a particular photo: just you and none else.

And there are a bunch of them. 

The sound of your friends happily chatting behind you and other people admiring the exhibitions suddenly become background noise. 

Staring at you in the photos is like a third-party experience. It is like you are not seeing yourself but another beautiful woman. And you are doing the simplest of things. Like that one time when it was your turn to feel a little down when one your beloved designs got postponed for the next season and Jungkook took you to a nearby convenience store and he made a super silly joke that almost had you spilling your spicy noodles because you laughed so hard. He took the photo right there. 

Sometimes, you pull all-nighters at Jungkook's when the sanctuary at your apartment didn't help your creative juices to flow. He was more than willing to offer his company and it helped you a little. He took the photo when your brows were furrowed and your tongue peaked in concentration because that skirt wasn't cooperating at all. 

Or that one time when you took him to the concert of his favorite artist and instead of taking pictures of him as promised, he took some of you. 

There are a lot more where you are just laughing, smiling or just doing nothing. There were times when he asked you to take photos of you but you never thought they will end here when you agreed. 

What all of this mean? you muse to yourself. 

"I'm so happy you could make it," a familiar voice chimes behind you. 

Jungkook. 

You turn around to face him and what you see leaves you breathless. He is wearing a black suit. One that you designed. You remember giving it to him as a gift after he helped you with the runway. He is also wearing a black dress shirt that would make Taehyung feel proud. The color makes the perfect contrast with his golden skin. His hair is styled in a way his forehead is exposed. 

He looks amazing and breathtakingly handsome. The mere sight of him has your stomach doing flip flops and butterflies flying. 

“Hi,” you finally salute him with a shy smile. 

“Hi.” 

He reaches you and pulls you into a hug, one that makes the breath hitch in your throat. He surrounds your body with both arms and your face ends in the crook of his neck. The scent of his cologne makes your head spin. He smells amazing. 

“Did you like it?” he asks once he pulls away, too soon for your liking. “The exhibition.” 

He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“I-” 

“Jungkook, dear.” 

A beautiful woman on her late forties gives a loud kiss on both of Jungkook’s cheeks. 

"Oh, Miss Smith! I'm glad you could make it!” 

A warm smile spreads across his features. The woman –Miss Smith– waves her hand. "That's nonsense. I wouldn't have missed it." 

Then, she notices you. 

"Who's your companion?" 

Jungkook tugs you by the hand and, to your surprise, intertwines his fingers with yours oh so naturally that makes your heart jump. 

"This is ___. My-"

"Your beautiful muse!" She muses, her eyes illuminating as she recognizes you from the photos. "Nice to meet you, dear. You two make a great couple." 

You open your mouth to tell her that no, you and Jungkook are not a couple, that you are just friends but your mouth goes suddenly dry when Jungkook replies: 

"Thank you." 

He offers her a tiny smile. 

Wait. 

Your mind takes a few moments to digest what just happened before you. Your cheeks go warm and you raise your free hand to your chest to make sure your heart is working properly. 

"Well, I need to look for my husband but I will call you later. I want to buy one of the sculptures of this artist of yours, Vante. Nice to meet you, ___." 

And she disappears through the crowd.  

Jungkook turns to you and smiles so brightly. 

"Do you want to dance?" 

Ten minutes later, Jungkook led you to another side of the gallery, where all the people who finished seeing the exhibition is gathered, with upbeat music and their cups are being re-filled with champagne just as they are emptied. Now, it looks more like a high-society club. 

Then, you notice two things. 

One, your friends are nowhere to be found. You lost them the moment Jungkook appeared. Two, Jungkook is still holding your hand. 

Your poor heart beats nervously inside your chest as you follow Jungkook through the mass of people to the dance floor. Just when you arrive, the music suddenly changes to a slow love song. Your eyes scan the other guests in panic. More than one couple is already dancing and you spot a very shy Seokjin dancing with a very shy Anna in the corner. 

Your gaze shifts to Jungkook again, who is looking at you with a charming smile. 

"Can I have this dance?" He offers one of his hands. 

You gulp and accept his offer. He tugs you close, placing both hands on your waist. His cologne fills your nostrils again and you don't have other choice but place your arms on his shoulders. You just hope he doesn't notice how hard you are blushing. 

"It was a really good exhibition, Kook," you say after a while. "I'm proud of you." 

"So that means you are not mad?" 

"Mad? No. Surprised? Flattered? Yes." 

He laughs, relieved. Butterflies erupt in your belly one more time at the way he scrunches his nose. 

“I was so worried these last few weeks. I thought you would get mad at me… or something.” 

“Why?” 

“You helped me to stand on my feet again. It made me part of your family. Opened the doors of our home. I thought you’d think this would be an invasion of privacy.” 

You snort. 

“Kook, look at them,” you point to your friends in the corner. All of them are laughing, having fun. “Do they look mad?” Jungkook shakes his head. "You are part of us now. That means we will support you in everything you do." 

You offer him a warm smile. 

"Maybe you should give us a heads up next time. We spent the first half-hour feeling out of place because everyone was staring at us." 

He chuckles at that. 

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry. It was quite an experience."

You continue to dance. Then, he moves his hands. He is no longer resting his hands on your waist. Now, he intertwines his fingers behind your lower back making you move even closer to him. 

You are so close that you notice the freckle under his lower lip. The curve of his cheeks. The sharpness of his jaw. The way the galaxies are reflected in his doe-eyes… 

"You look so beautiful today," he comments after a while, making you feel self-conscious under his intense gaze. Then, he leans in and whispers against your ear, "Red is my favorite color." 

Your breath hitches in your throat when you realize how close his face is. His breath tickles the smooth skin of your lips. You nibble your bottom lip nervously and you watch how his attention shifts from your eyes to your lips. As if in slow motion, he moves forward –shutting the remaining distance between you two. When he is mere inches away, you close your eyes and hold your breath. A content sigh escapes your lips when his mouth brushes gently against yours and… -

“Mr. Jeon?” 

To your misfortune, he pulls away immediately. Without thinking, you rest your forehead on his shoulder as you try to calm your heart. It is a pleasant surprise to find his arms are still clutched around your frame even when you stopped dancing a long time ago. It seems he feels so comfortable to have you between his arms to care. 

“Yes?” 

Jungkook's voice sounds so stern you feel sorry for his poor assistant. 

“S-sorry to interrupt you, sir,” she starts and you don’t need to look at her to know she is doing her best to not run for dear life. Talking by experience, you know Jungkook can be pretty scary. “The curator of the Modern Art Museum is looking for you.” 

He lets out a sigh. 

“Ok, I am on my way.” 

Then, he brushes his nose against your cheek to draw your attention. When you meet his eyes, his gaze is as soft as you remember. 

“I’ll be back soon, okay?” 

He gives you a chaste kiss to the cheek and disappears behind his assistant before you can think of a reply. 

You join your group of friends 5 minutes later and grab another glass of champagne in an attempt to ignore the smirks and pointed looks of your friends. 

What on earth was that? 

Your cheeks burn again when you remember how soft Jungkook’s lips felt when they brushed against yours… What would have happened if you were not interrupted? Would the kiss have led to something more? 

You shake your head. 

You can't dwell on these thoughts right now. Not when your mind is full of hormones. Certainly, seeing Jungkook in a tuxedo hit you hard. Just the mere thought of it is enough to make you feel week on the knees. It is not the first time you see him like that, though. But the sentiment was different back when he helped you in the runway. What changed? Your feelings. Besides, with the amount of champagne you've drunk in the night –especially in the last 5 minutes–, your mind is a mess right now.  

“Are you okay?” 

The voice of your friend brings you back to reality. 

“Yeah… I’m just so confused…” 

“Hey,” Anna gives you a comfortable squeeze, “I dón think this is the right moment and the right time to think about that. Let’s have fun tonight. Okay?” 

Before you could reply, she is dragging you to the corner of the dance floor where Hoseok and Taehyung are having an improvised dance battle. 

One of the things you love the most about your friends is that they are capable of making you forget about anything when you were all together. Soon, all about Jungkook and the feelings vanish. At least for a while. You don't see Jungkook and Yoongi for the rest of the night. 

Time passes quickly. Before you know it it's midnight and your group is one of the few ones that are still at the gallery. 

"Wow, rich people are no fun."

"Yeah. It is just midnight…" 

Then, Tae suggested moving to the party to a club. 

"Dressed like this, we could enter a high-class club and they couldn't look at us weird." 

Hoseok and Seokjin accept right away. Anna is a little reluctant but Seokjin manages to convince her. Namjoon reclines. Something about finishing an article that is due to Monday. 

"What about you, ___?" 

"I don't know, I-"

"Hey, ___," Yoongi appears out of nowhere. 

"Hey, what's up?" 

"Jungkook forgot this in the office," he hands you his cell phone. "Can you give it to him when you see him?" 

"Where is he?" 

"I don't know. He left 10 minutes ago." Then, he notices your confused expression, "Don't worry. He had a problem with a client. Nothing serious but you him. He has quite a mood. He probably went to cool off. I guess his idea was contacting you later but he can't with his cellphone." 

Now, Yoongi turns to your friends. 

"If you need transportation, the limo that brought you guys here is waiting for you outside." 

"Thank you, Yongs. Everything was beautiful," you say with a smile. 

"Thank you. I'll call you later, okay? I still need to wrap up everything." 

In the end, you decide to return home. It was a long day full of emotions of all sorts and your heels are killing you. You plan to return Jungkook his phone in the morning. You are not sure where he is right now. 

The guys drop at your building and then they take the limo to the nearest club. The elevator dings when you arrive at your floor. You lazily walk toward your door and then stop. That's strange. Jungkook's door is wide open and the lights are on. This neighborhood is pretty secure  but how can you know it is not a thief? You probably should call the police but something keeps you going.

You knock the door.

"Hello? Jungkook, are you there?" 

"Yeah! I'm in the living room!" 

You sigh in relief. No thieves. 

"You forgot your phone at the gallery,” you comment as you walk towards his living room. “Yoongi gave it- Is that my photo?" 

The first thing you see when you enter the room is Jungkook holding one of the photos he exhibited and you are the only one in the frame. 

“Hmm… Yeah?” 

You are beyond shocked to notice the faint blush covering his cheeks. 

“Why is it here?” You stare at him wide-eyed. 

"One of my clients wanted to buy it, but I just couldn't sell it,” he shrugs like it is obvious. 

"Why? They couldn’t pay you what you asked?" 

He frowns, “No, that’s not it.” His gaze returns to the photo. "I don't know. This is my favorite photo of you and it was like I couldn't bear the thought of someone else having it." 

At this point your heart has gone crazy inside your chest, beating so fast that you can no longer hear it. 

"What do you mean?" 

He raises an eyebrow, confused. 

"Jungkook, why you chose me as your muse?" 

There, you asked him the question you wanted to since the beginning of the exhibition. 

"Because I admire you," he replies without hesitation. "You are passionate, beautiful and you fight for what you want. You've helped me a lot. How could I not choose you?" 

Your heart jumps. He thinks you are beautiful. He takes a step closer to you. 

“Ilikeyou,” he blurts out. 

“W-what?” 

Jungkook groans, dragging a hand down his face. 

"I like you,” he repeats slower after taking a deep breath. You’ve never imagined seeing him like this. You are used to his self-confident, kind of dork too, demeanor. “And I'm tired of pretending I don't.”

“Why were you pretending?” 

“To be honest, I was scared,” he confesses. “I was scared of how I was feeling; it felt so familiar yet so different. Scared of you not feeling the same way. Scared of the feelings not being real, like they were just an infatuation because you were there for me when no one else was. I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about this.” 

He is now close enough to take your hands in his. 

“So, you are not scared anymore?" You whisper. 

"No, I'm terrified. But in a good way. Now I'm sure my feelings are real and I want to give it a try. You know, go on a date." 

"Aren't we were on a date tonight?" 

He grins, "But I didn't spend much time with you."

He almost pouts and the view makes you giggle.

"But I had a great time, though."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Does that mean you want a second date?"

“Do I need to say ‘I like you’ for you to understand what I feel or-” 

Your words are interrupted when Jungkook presses a soft kiss to your lips. 

You blink, suddenly speechless.

“No,” he grins at your expression. “I’m sorry. I wanted to do that since we were, uh, interrupted at the gala.”

Jungkook’s thoughts waver when you still don’t say a thing. “Did I cross a line? I won’t do that-”

“Please, do that again,” you cut him off finding your voice again.

He doesn’t need to be told twice, but he takes his time now. He cups your face with both hands and caresses the skin of your cheeks with his thumbs. You hold your breath as Jungkook’s face moves forward and close your eyes when his lips brush gently against yours. The kiss starts at a slow pace. He tastes good; champagne, mint and something more. It is addictive. For a while, you both stay like that. Content with being in each other's arms. You start to feel lightheaded. 

There's no place you'd rather be. 

Suddenly, Jungkook pushes you to the nearest wall and presses his body against yours. He uses his fingers to tilt your face and deepen the kiss. His body accommodates naturally between your legs. His hands slowly start to unbutton your coat, exposing your dress to him once again. Jungkook slides it down your shoulders and the coat hits the floor. He lets out a soft sigh. 

“You are so pretty.” 

His hands find purchase on your waist as his lips attack yours one more time. He kisses you with so much fervor that you need to hold his shoulders for dear life. 

In all these years, you forgot how good this felt. Having this type of… intimacy with someone. He holds you so dearly it makes your head spin. He whispers sweet nothings against your lips between kisses that make your heart flutter. 

Without thinking it twice, you help him to take off his suit jacket and untuck his dress shirt to slide both hands under it. You rake your nails all along his back and Jungkook's whole body shudders at the sensation. He seems affected to the point he pulls away to look at you. When your eyes open, you see Jungkook is staring at you with slightly blown pupils. 

"You don't know how much you affect me, do you?" 

You can feel his erection pressed against your belly. "I think I have an idea," you reply with a grin.

"Yeah?" 

He doesn't give you the chance to reply, because Jungkook is carrying you bridal style and taking you to his room. You've been in this bedroom so many times but your eyes wander nonetheless. Comparing to the first time you entered here, the room is quite neat. 

“So, it turns out you are pretty organized.” 

Jungkook’s arms slide around your middle from behind. He gives you a soft kiss to your neck. “Well, you met me in one of my worsts times.”

You turn around to face him. Lips crushing together, he hungrily seeks the heat of your mouth. With a sigh, you throw both arms around his neck. His palms fall to your waist. The dress you are wearing is soft to touch. He lets out a whine when you tug gently the hair in the nape of his neck. You look at him surprised. 

“You are sensitive.” 

You repeat the motion. 

He groans, “___, you need to stop doing that.” 

“Why?” You kiss his jaw. 

“I may not have mercy when I find one of your weaknesses.” 

Your lips curl, “I’m counting on that.”

Jungkook kisses you again, harder. His hands undo the laces of your dress. 

“Turn around for me, baby.” 

You exhale at the pet name but do as you are told. 

“Are you kidding? These are like tons of buttons!”

“Careful, Kook,” The buttons are one of the things you loved the most about the dress. “If you break it, you pay it.” 

He mumbles something under his breath but with skilled fingers, he patiently undoes every one of them. He even takes the moment to kiss every inch of skin is exposed making it so hard to wait. It only takes him a couple of minutes to finish. Then, you return him the favor and help him rid of his clothes.

At some point, you lay down in the mattress, Jungkook hovering above you. There’s a lot of kissing as if you’ll never have enough of the other. Jungkook preps your body using his fingers at a slow, agonizing pace that makes your head spin. He enjoys every beautiful sound that comes out of your mouth. He keeps his promise and he has no mercy when he curls his fingers inside of you to rub your soft spot every time until you are gasping for air. 

Soon, you are a moaning mess underneath him. Jungkook murmurs words of encouragement as he leaves a trail of open-mouthed kisses all along your neck. Then, he takes his time to play with your chest, giving each one of your breasts the same amount of attention and care. Your release comes so strong, like a tidal wave. You see nothing but starts for a couple of seconds. It takes another couple of seconds before you can breathe somewhat properly again. A soft moan escapes your mouth when he licks his fingers. 

Jungkook massages your thighs, “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, just wow.” 

He smiles, cheeks flushing. You tug him for another kiss, opening his mouth with yours. He gasps at your passion and you take the opportunity to slide your tongue inside the crevice of his mouth. He melts against your touch. You both make out lazily for a while, both legs wrapped around his waist. Your hazy mind barely registered when he moved forward to grab a condom from the nightstand, but he is already rolling the latex down his length. 

“Are you ready, beautiful?” Jungkook is staring at you so dearly.

You nod. Holding your gaze, he eases himself slowly inside of you. 

You receive him with open arms, hugging his body close to yours. You sigh at the feeling of fullness. He groans at the feeling of your walls clenching around him. 

“At this point, I’m not going to last long,” he pants. 

He starts at a slow pace. Gentle strokes that hit your soft spot every time. The thrusts might be slow, but he is pumping into you with so much force that you feel every inch of him. At some point, he kisses you again. Slow, languid. Lovingly. There's no rush in his movements. You hug him hard, trying to keep his body as close as possible. 

He changes the angle adjusting one of your legs a little higher. His thrusts hit deeper now. Your body starts to tremble and he slides a hand between your bodies to rub your clit, circling it with ease. And then you are coming, your whole body shuddering underneath him. Jungkook only manages a couple of more thrusts before he is following you over the edge. 

He collapses on top of you, groaning into the crook of your neck. You both stay like that for a couple of minutes, until your heartbeat calms down and you are breathing normally again. Then, Jungkook stands up to discard the condom and look for something to clean up the mess you just made. When he is content, he lays next to you and tugs you closer, sliding one arm around your waist and adjusting your head to rest on his chest. He even murmurs something but you are already dozing to sleep… 

When you wake up the next morning, the sun is already up. You stretch your sore limbs and yawn. Your stomach grumbles. You haven’t eaten in more than 12 hours. You open your eyes and… 

Wait. 

Why are you in Jungkook’s room? 

The memories of last night slowly come to your head. 

Oh my god.   

You slept with Jungkook and the realization has you blushing furiously and burying your face between your hands. Then, you notice the spot next to you in the bed is empty. You look around the room slightly in panic when you hear the sound of the shower. 

You take a deep breath. Right now is not the time to panic. Last night he made pretty clear he wanted to date you to figure if things could work between you, so there’s no point to worry about anything. You can talk about what happened yesterday over breakfast. 

But first, what time is it?

You don't know anything about your friends since they went to the club last night. Even when you want to stay with Jungkook, it's probably a good idea to check if your friends are okay. But you are hungry and knowing Jungkook, he is too. You should prepare something and have breakfast together before leaving. With your mind made up, you look for something to wear and walk out of the room. 

You locate your purse on the floor of the living room. With a sigh, you pick it up and dig inside to grab your phone to see the hour. 11:46 am. It is not that late. It is when you see an unread message that you notice that it is not your phone you are holding. It is Jungkook's. Yesterday, you didn’t have the opportunity to give it back to him… and the message is from Zoe… 

With the anxiety striking every fiber of your being, unconsciously you unlock his phone (he doesn’t have a password of any kind) and you wish you haven’t done that. 

[2:37 pm] Zoe 

Good luck at the gala tonight. :) 

[2:40 pm] Zoe 

I miss you.

[3:06 pm] Jungkook 

Thank you.

I miss you too. 

[6:32 pm] Zoe 

Can we meet sometime? 

I need to talk to you. 

[6:55 pm] Jungkook 

I would love that.

To be continued. :)