#while also developing their relationship in the present day

[matchatarot]

Hi bunny! Tonight’s a new moon in pisces! As a pisces moon born under a new moon, I feel so cozy in this energy. It’s time to align with your soul and tap into your inner muse! What blessings are unfolding for you during this new cycle? To pick a pile don’t overthink it and chose the one that draws you in the most while thinking about the reading’s intent. Love, Matcha ♡

Pile 1 ₊˚.༄

In this next moon phase you’ll settle in your persona and be more confident in your social standing. You’re connected to your soul and your higher self. You are understanding your uniqueness and wearing it with pride. You’ve been doing shadow work and are learning about yourself, which is making you more and more self-assured. Your path to success is becoming clearer and you know what decisions you need to make to advance in your pursuits. Your third eye chakra is opening. You have hope and you trust in the universe. You know that the universe works in unexpected ways and that you need to remain open for the blessings to flow in. You’re getting to know your unconscious mind and are learning how to manifest to access your desired reality. You are developing more self-assurance. You are choosing to look within instead of looking at other’s blessings. You are celebrating your new found consciousness. You might also go out and have fun with your friends, there might be a birthday or achievement celebration. Your relationships are healing, someone wants to say sorry or reconcile with you. If you’re the one that needs to make amends, people will be understanding and forgiving. Your romantic relationship will deepen or attain an higher commitment level. The good deeds you have done will be rewarded and your peers want to thank you for your great insights.

roses, sunstone, 222, 333, 6, 963hz

Pile 2 ୭̥° ✧

Life’s been testing you. But no matter the hardships of your 3d reality, you are coming back to yourself and taking time for healing. You’re understanding that setbacks and rejections are a natural part of life and don’t define you. You’ll prioritize your intuition when making decisions. You’ll understand that your manifestations can come in different forms and are remaining open to them. However, you are no longer accepting behaviours from yourself or others that don’t align with your higher path. You’re taking time to dive deep into your interests, you’d rather spend meaningful time with yourself than meaningless time with others. You’re learning how to gatekeep your life to protect yourself from the evil eye or monitoring spirits. You are finally stepping in your divine feminine & masculine, allowing yourself to receives the universe’s blessings while still taking meaningful action to attain your goals. You’re liberating yourself from past wounds. Your sacral chakra is healing and you are allowing yourself to be happy. Your self-care and meditations will be extremely fruitful during this moon phase. People see you has being attractive and warm. They feel at home in your presence and may want to give you gifts!

333, 22, 88, 417hz, sunsets, mars, yoga, jasper

Pile 3 ‧₊˚ ♡

You’re locking in bunny! The path you need to take to attain your desired reality seems clearer than ever. You have identified your goals and are now ready to adapt your life’s decisions to fit this new path. You are understanding that hardships may come your way but are trusting yourself to overcome them when time dictates. You’re taking time to meditate or to spend time in silence. This new habit is healing, you are becoming more present and thankful. You are tuning yourself to your life’s purpose and refuse to separate yourself from it. No matter how the day turns out, you are finding ways to make it productive and meaningful. Your crown chakra is open and balanced. You are open to all types of blessings. Your manifestations are flowing in so fast! You’ll get closer to your crush or anyone else you’re trying to manifest. You might meet a new romantic interest or attain deeper commitment in your relationship. Your ex-friends or ex-romantic interests might try to comeback. Your psychic gifts are strengthening, you feel in touch with your soul and the divine in general. Your energy will feel lighter, you seem ethereal and peaceful.

b2b by charli xcx, palo santo, marijuana, silver 222, 11

decks used for this reading: l’oracle du chemin spirituel by Valérie Defour & Valérie Saussez, art oracles by Katya Tylehich, ors et ombres by Stéphanie Lafranque, fairy tarot cards by Radleigh Valentine

[swimming-karyss]

Sabo: loneliness, connection and affection

Trying to organise my thoughts on this matter hehe

I just thought that Sabo's relationship with loneliness and connection are very interesting, and not much people talk about how terribly lonely his childhood days were(even compared to Ace&Luffy).

Ace has been alienated from people from the beginning. Raised in the middle of the jungle, by bandits who never showed much affection, and who repeated the same hurtful words as others did. The state of loneliness is the norm for him. He has never known any other life. Naturally, he'd be protective of what little he has(Sabo) and reluctant to open up and accept new connections(Luffy).

As for Luffy, he has been left alone. Shanks left him after a year staying at Windmill village. Garp constantly took him out of his regular life only to leave him alone in the jungle. And he as well took him away from the village and Makino, after he ate his devil fruit. And while he didn't have [present] parents, he had been cared for. Luffy knows the difference between loneliness and companionship. Which is why he chased Ace's recognition so much.

Sabo's situation is more similar to Luffy's.

But do you ever think that Sabo loved his parents? That he wanted them to love him too? He wouldn't have drawn them if he didn't. He wouldn't be so disheartened at their dismissal if he hated them from the start. But his parents made their love conditional. Sabo had to earn their love and his happiness, while they ignored his pain and attempts to connect. 

And as you know this kind of relationship could leave a lasting impact on how one navigates their future relationships! But on that later😊

Now, Sabo ran away and that opened a whole other can of worms. He's a child, that for five years didn't have anyone to rely on. Of course, Ace was with him, but after he left for the day, Sabo was left completely alone. I mean, at least Ace had Dadan and occasionally Makino and Garp, they shared meals together, he could turn to them in case something happened and they provided him with company and a roof above his head. Sabo lived on the Gray Terminal by himself, in a place where people considered him either a troublemaker to avoid, or a pest to get rid of (those like pirates and bandits). So through Ace and Luffy Sabo gains not only brothers but also other connections and people who care about him! And he welcomes both Dadan and Makino with a bright smile :) Now that I think about it, just like Ace told him about Luffy, he also must've told Sabo about them too🥹

And while all this is nice, his previous problems didn't go away magically. 

(… But his issues aren't stated or shown as explicitly as Ace and Luffy's, so they are easier to dismiss.)

Even though Sabo trusted Ace with his life, he still kept his origins a secret from him, whether it was because he felt them insignificant compared to Ace's or because he feared abandonment in case Ace would be disappointed. And he was more than willing to keep his secret until the very end - Luffy&Ace literally had to beat(strangle) the truth out of him. Sabo also put distance between them in another way too: Ace thought the two of them would sail together, Sabo didn't.

That is honestly also a point to how controlling his parents were. Sabo wanted freedom so much that he didn't mind the loneliness that came with it. Well, he got what he wanted ;) 

Now it would be easy to say that his amnesia also erased his trauma. But it didn't! Sabo still felt hid parents' influence. (And unlike the other weird amnesia case (the sea sure likes to take people's memories huh) - Big Mom - he didn't revert to his younger self, he only lost access to his memories, his feelings and 'character development' remained). If anything it only led to Sabo not being able to identify the cause of his issues → not being able to treat them properly. Now, the RA seem like decent guys, they very well could be the needed support system for Sabo, but again, it's an army with a whole lot of other issues to deal with. So either way his trauma most likely was allowed to fester for a while as we see its consequences show in his adulthood. 

Even though Sabo seems to be doing well as an adult, there's still some signs of emotional distance. He has never reciprocated a hug, even though he doesn't have a problem with physical touch in general, he didn't even think about approaching Luffy in Dressrosa at first and was very tense when actually talking to him. And it's honestly fascinating just how stiff his body language was in Dressrosa (maybe I'll talk about it in general some other time) - be it shock or anger he keeps his arms to his body, unlike Koala or Hack, who choose violence.

He also showed barely any reaction during Vegapunk's speech despite the panelling focusing on him specifically. I'd say he mostly keeps his negative emotions in check, bc in Robin's little flashback he was quite expressive! The main counterpoint is 'special Luff' where he is very open about his anger, but he has a really decent reason for it: his feelings being made fun of. And as you'll see later it's a very sensitive topic for him →

To begin with, he avoids talking about things that have emotionally impacted him in any way.

1.This one might be a stretch, but he begins to talk about his encounter with Fujitora, only not to say anything in the end, idk what's wrong with him; 2. After a very emotional fight with Burgess Sabo dismisses any worries without even mentioning the fight; 3. He refuses to talk with Hack about Luffy, even though we know that he loves to yap about him to Dragon. And that is right after he didn't want to wake Luffy up to even say goodbye! He also changes the topic quickly so Karasu wouldn't be able to further question him.

Even though these scenes are played as gags, he really seems to have trouble with emotional intimacy and opening up about his feelings. And that makes him seem inattentive and irresponsible, thus affecting his relationships with others even more… 

And speaking of which, he is accustomed with either suppressing his feelings or at least just keeping them in check. He hides his worries from his colleagues, appearing as cheerful as always. And during his meeting with Dragon and Iva he brushes aside his guilt and grief for king Kobra (but, I mean it's a work meeting, they need to be professional) and never once he acknowledges his injuries.

And if he's willing to disregard such a thing as grief, how do you think he really feels about his new title, which was gained by the blood of a man he failed to save?

And frankly, right now we don't know much about Sabo! We know about his childhood, and the way he presents himself now(and that is some material to work with), but the 12 years in the Revolutionary Army are a mystery, and again it's an army, I bet he's seen many things, especially considering how high his position is!

tldr: like Luffy, Sabo has a special relationship with loneliness and abandonment. But unlike Luffy, who especially in pre-ts hated separation, Sabo pushes people away. And what makes it even harder for others to connect with him, is that he tends to hide his feelings and problems.

(like a cat)

but again, I might be reading something wrong, my bad

[whenthegoldrays]

So the more I tinker with Hardwick House, the more I feel that the story I want to tell doesn’t really lend itself to the novel format? I’m trying to tell a more episodic story, little moments all coming together to form a big picture, so I feel that it’d work best as a tv show or a webtoon or perhaps a series of graphic novels or novellas.

(A webtoon or graphic novel series actually sounds amazing, but that involves, you know, artistic skills which I don’t have 😅)

[gingergari]

i honestly do not think i will be able to draw all of these guys in time so here are my main splat ocs and their team alignments!

maybe i’ll draw the winning team members 🤞🏽

[luna-azzurra]

The Villain Checklist!

Creating a villain is a delicate art, much like crafting a masterpiece. To ensure your antagonist leaps off the page with depth, consider these essential elements for your villain checklist:

Motivation: Every great villain is driven by a potent motivation, one that fuels their actions and sets them on their dark path. Explore their backstory and unearth the core reason behind their villainy. Are they seeking power, revenge, redemption, or something more sinister?

Complexity: Gone are the days of one-dimensional villains twirling mustaches and cackling maniacally. Infuse your antagonist with layers of complexity and nuance. Perhaps they possess redeeming qualities or wrestle with inner conflicts that humanize their actions.

Flaws and Vulnerabilities: Despite their nefarious intentions, villains should be flawed beings with vulnerabilities. These weaknesses not only add depth to their character but also create opportunities for conflict and growth throughout your story.

Backstory: Delve into your villain's past to uncover formative experiences that shaped their present disposition. Trauma, betrayal, or societal pressures can all contribute to their descent into villainy, providing rich narrative fodder for exploration.

Goals and Ambitions: Just as heroes strive for noble objectives, villains pursue their own twisted goals with fervor and determination. Define what your antagonist hopes to achieve and the lengths they're willing to go to attain it, even if it means sacrificing everything in their path.

Antagonistic Traits: From cunning intellect to ruthless brutality, equip your villain with traits that make them a formidable adversary for your protagonist. Consider how their strengths and weaknesses complement each other, creating dynamic conflicts that propel your story forward.

Relationships and Alliances: Villains don't operate in isolation; they forge alliances, manipulate allies, and cultivate relationships to further their agendas. Develop the connections your antagonist shares with other characters, be they loyal minions or reluctant collaborators, to add depth to their character dynamics.

Moral Justification (from their perspective): While their actions may be abhorrent to society, villains often believe they're justified in their pursuits. Explore your antagonist's moral code and the twisted logic that rationalizes their behavior, offering readers insight into their twisted worldview.

Arc of Transformation: Just as protagonists undergo arcs of growth and change, villains should experience their own journey of transformation. Whether it's redemption, downfall, or something altogether unexpected, chart the evolution of your antagonist throughout the narrative.

Memorable Traits: Give your villain distinctive traits or quirks that leave a lasting impression on readers. Whether it's a chilling catchphrase, a distinctive appearance, or a haunting backstory, give your antagonist elements that linger in the minds of your audience long after they've closed the book.

[wheresarizona]

but he’s the one I want

summary: All you needed was to see if your dad’s friend, Joel, had a spare key to your father’s house. Instead, you get railed within an inch of your life on Joel’s couch. 

His brown eyes squeeze shut. “Lord help me,” he says under his breath. A second passes, and then he’s looking at you. “Fuck it—I’m already goin’ to hell.” Joel’s large palms grab your face, pulling you in to crush his lips against yours, muffling your surprised sound. 

pairing: DBF!Pre-Outbreak!Joel Miller/College Student f!reader (no physical descriptions)

rating: E (18+!!! No y/n, DBF!Joel Miller, slightly possessive Joel Miller, pre-Outbreak, age gap, explicit consent, unprotected p in v (wrap it up!), creampie, oral sex (f receiving), vaginal fingering, dirty talk, size kink, praise kink, spit as lube, overstimulation, sex on stairs, body worship, slight body insecurity, getting caught, misunderstandings, angst with a happy ending, Die Hard is a Christmas movie debate) 

word count: 11.5k+

a/n: Alexa, play “But Daddy I Love Him” by Taylor Swift. I don’t know where this came from (daddy issues), but I hope you enjoy it! Reader is freshly 21 in my head, Joel is 35 (it’s months before his birthday), and Tommy is 29. Let me know what you think! Big shoutout to @devineconjuring for going on this journey with me and betaing!

Thank you for reading! Comments and reblogs feed me. I’d love to know what you thought!

Main Masterlist

Knock, knock, knock. 

It’s a Friday night; the sky is dark, but the porch light is on. You hug your jacket a little closer to your body to stave off the chill in the air as you wait outside the front door for someone to answer it. A masculine voice calls out, "Comin’!" Footsteps thud on the hardwood floor as they head your way. 

Seconds later, the door is cracked open, and you’re met with the home’s owner, Joel Miller. Just the sight of him in his jeans and navy blue t-shirt has your heart rate picking up in speed, the man looking as handsome as ever. 

His eyebrows furrow in confusion when he sees you. 

"Hey," he greets. "What are you doin' here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

University of Houston—go, Cougars!

You smile. "Three-day weekend—I have Monday off. I thought I'd surprise my dad since it's his birthday." 

The confused look doesn’t disappear. "I coulda sworn he told me they were goin' to Vegas to celebrate a few days ago." ‘They’ being your father, stepmother, and your teenage half-brother.

“Well, I guess it slipped his mind to tell me they were going out of town. He must be getting forgetful in his old age.” 

The relationship you have with your father is… complicated. It’s not bad by any means—you get along and love each other. He just wasn’t very present when you were growing up—he lived in Austin while you were with your mom in Houston, only seeing him a few times per year. Now that you have a car and your mom moved out of state last year with her new husband, you occasionally made the three-hour drive to your dad’s to visit and do your laundry free of charge. It was also where you now stayed on your breaks from school.

Joel opens the door a little wider and crosses his arms over his chest, your eyes moving from his face to admire the broadness in his shoulders and the muscles in his forearms. Having his full attention on you makes the nerves in your belly flutter around like a bunch of butterflies were let loose. 

“He’s not much older than me,” Joel says. His eyebrow lifts. “Are you callin’ me old?” 

The man in question happens to be one of your father’s best friends—or so you’ve been told. In all of the visits to your dad’s growing up, you could count the number of times you saw Joel on one hand. Over the past year that you’ve been coming to Austin regularly, you’ve had much more interaction with him, which has led to you developing a little bit of a crush. Who can blame you, though? He’s gorgeous—the chocolate-colored eyes, the hair that looks so soft, that perfect nose, and those kissable lips. 

“If the shoe fits,” you reply with a shrug and a smile. 

“Kids these days,” Joel grumbles under his breath, shaking his head. “Did you come by just to call me old?” he asks. 

“Oh, no. I was expecting at least one person to be at my dad’s, so I didn’t bother bringing my house key. I’m here to see if you possibly have a spare I could borrow—I would’ve called, but I don’t have your number.” 

Maybe he’d give it to you now…

“I’m sorry, darlin’, I don’t.” 

Hot and a sweetheart—how is he single? Is he single?

You frown, feeling annoyed that you drove all this way to Austin for no reason. You should’ve called ahead, but that was your mistake, assuming your family would stay in town for your father’s birthday. “This was a waste of gas,” you muse. “Love that for me. Well, it looks like I’m heading home, or maybe I’ll get a cheap motel room. Thanks anyway, Joel. Have a nice rest of your night!” You do a little wave at him. 

You start to turn, but stop when he says, “Wait,” and you face him again. He opens the door wider. “It’s too late for you to be drivin’ all that way, and there’s no reason you should pay for a motel when I’ve got a guest room you can stay in. You can get a good night's sleep and leave tomorrow mornin’ when the sun’s shinin’.” 

Again, a sweetheart—why hasn’t anyone snatched him up? Or have they?

“Are you sure?” you ask. 

He finally offers you a friendly smile and moves to open the door all the way. “Yeah, it’s no problem. I was feelin’ lonely anyway with Sarah gone at a sleepover. It’ll be nice to have some company that isn’t my brother.” 

Lonely? Nice to have some company? That sounds pretty single to you. Your night just got a lot more interesting. “Thank you so much! I’ll do my best to be better company than your brother.” 

With that, you make your way inside, toeing off your shoes next to a pair of his work boots.

“That won’t be too hard,” Joel says as he shuts the door. 

You stop in the entryway because you’re not quite sure where you should be going since you've never actually been inside his house. You only know where he lives because your father once asked you to drop something off here. 

“Let me get your coat and bag.” You hand him your small purse, and he moves behind you, helping as you shrug off the long jacket you’re wearing, which he hangs up on a nearby coat hook with your bag. “Oh.” He stops in his tracks, and you look at him, seeing his widened eyes staring at your body. “Were you plannin’ on goin’ out tonight?” 

You glance down at your outfit, and you can understand why he’d make that assumption at the sight of the cute little black dress you’re wearing—it only reaches mid-thigh and has a V-neckline to show off your breasts.

“Not going out—it’s laundry day. I do my laundry when I come to Austin, and this was literally the last clean thing I had.” Your eyes lift to see his glued to your chest, and you think that’s an interesting development. “I have spare clothes I keep at my dad’s that I planned on changing into.” 

It’s the truth, and you’re a little thankful this was your last clean outfit. You can only imagine how embarrassing it would’ve been coming over here in a ratty old T-shirt, granny panties, and your Spongebob Squarepants pajama pants. 

He clears his throat and looks away. A rosy blush appears on his cheeks as he scratches at the back of his neck. “I can put my jacket back on,” you tell him, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable.

“No, no.” He meets your gaze, offering a reassuring smile. “It’s fine—do you need to use my washer and dryer?” 

“You’re already being nice, letting me stay over. I can wash my clothes at the laundromat when I get home.” 

“It’s really no big deal.” 

“Thank you, but I’m good.” 

“Okay.” His hands go in his pockets, and he seems to get very interested in the short console table against the wall, staring at the contents lying atop it—a stack of unopened mail and what you assume are his keys and wallet.  

“So, what were you doing before I interrupted your evening?” 

“Oh—” He looks at you again. “—I was watchin’ a movie. Would you like to join me?” 

You smile. “Sure—lead the way.” 

He takes you to the living room, where a movie is paused on the television, and lets you know you can sit anywhere. Your choices are one of two armchairs and a maroon leather sofa, and you choose the sofa while he heads for the kitchen. 

“Would ya like a beer?” he calls out on his way to the other room. He doesn’t give you a chance to respond because a second later, he’s back at the doorway to the living room with a confused expression again. “Wait, are you old enough to drink…?” 

The question makes you smile. “Yes, Joel. I’m old enough to drink.” 

“Legally…?”

You giggle. “Yes. I can legally drink. You wanna card me?” 

“No.” He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “Beer?” 

“Sounds great.” 

“Okay.” He nods. 

As you sit on the couch waiting, you become very aware of the situation you’re in. You’ve spoken to Joel one-on-one a handful of times over the last year, but it always happened at a barbecue or a holiday party—places where there were other people around—you’ve never been alone with Joel. This is new territory, and you’re not entirely sure what to expect, especially considering how he was staring at your chest. 

Would you fuck him if given the chance? Yes, zero hesitation. Do you think you have a chance with him? Maybe, and that thrills you. Just two things are working against you: your age and the fact he’s your father’s best friend. Those are two hurdles you’re not entirely sure how to get over, but you’re definitely game to try. 

Your conversations were always friendly in the past, and you’re proud to say you’ve made him laugh a few times. You think you could possibly charm him. What you know for sure is he’ll need to be very aware that you’re interested; otherwise, he won’t even fathom trying anything with you—thank god you’re wearing this dress. Nerves are swirling in your tummy at what could happen tonight, and you’re eager to see where things go. 

Joel returns with two open bottles of beer, handing you one, and you thank him as he takes a seat right next to you. He leans forward to grab the remote and hits play before sitting back and taking a drink. 

He’s so close to you that you get a whiff of his cologne—it has a spiciness to it and some citrusy notes that, when combined, smell amazing. It makes you think he took a shower when he got home from work today—and, suddenly remembering he’s a contractor, you imagine him shirtless and sweaty while using a hammer. The thought causes your mouth to go dry, so you lift your bottle to your lips for a sip, focusing on the TV. 

It’s easy to figure out what he’s watching when you see Josh Hartnett in clothes from the 1940s. 

“Pearl Harbor?” you ask, now holding your drink on your lap, picking at the label with your fingernail. 

“Yeah.” His head turns your way, his beer resting on his thigh. “Have you seen it?” 

Meeting his eyes, you answer, “Oh, yeah.”

He frowns. “Because it’s a girly movie?”

“Um, kinda? The guys are pretty easy on the eyes, and the story is interesting. I wouldn't say it’s super girly. Sure, it’s a romance, but there’s so much action and drama about the war in it.” 

“The back of the DVD said nothin’ about it bein’ a romance.”

“Are you enjoying it, at least?” you ask. 

He sighs and looks back at the television. “Yeah, I am.”

“Then enjoy it! If anyone asks what we watched, I’ll tell them Die Hard.” You lightly pat his thigh closest to you, feeling the muscles tense under your palm. 

His gaze returns to you. “You’ve seen Die Hard?”

“Yes. A few times.” 

Because it’s your dad’s favorite movie. 

His upper body slightly turns your way, his arm going behind you on the couch. The closeness and the attention he’s giving you make your skin heat. 

“I want you to settle somethin’ my brother Tommy and I disagree on—have you met Tommy?” 

“Once.” At a barbecue. He didn’t catch your attention like Joel did. “What am I settling?”

“Do you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie?”

“What…?”

“Tommy is fuckin’ convinced that Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and I say it’s just another action flick. A good one, but definitely not a Christmas movie.”

It takes you a second to process what he asked. 

“I mean,” you start, “it takes place on Christmas Eve, at a Christmas party, and I’d say it’s a Christmas miracle that John McClane happened to be there to save the day. So, yeah, it’s totally a Christmas movie.” 

“You’re fuckin’ with me. Just ‘cause it takes place on Christmas Eve at a Christmas party doesn’t mean it’s a Christmas movie.” 

You point the neck of your beer at him. “You forgot John McClane being a Christmas miracle. Makes sense to me that it’s a Christmas movie.” 

He takes a deep breath. “So, are you tellin’ me that—what the fuck is that movie called?” His eyes leave you as he thinks, trying to remember the name. “Lethal Weapon!” He looks at you again. “So, you’re tellin’ me that Lethal Weapon would also be a Christmas movie? Have you seen that one?” 

Yep, with your father. 

“I have, and yeah, it’s a Christmas movie. You’ve got drug dealers using a Christmas tree business as a front, Christmas is mentioned all throughout, they use a bunch of Christmas songs, and it ends at Christmas dinner. Absolutely a Christmas movie.” 

“Say you’re messin’ with me, darlin’. You know what a Christmas movie is, right? 

“Yeah, you’ve got the heavy hitters—It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, A Christmas Carol—then those stop-motion ones that are delightful. I’d put Die Hard and Lethal Weapon in the same category as Home Alone.”

“Why the hell do you think Home Alone is a Christmas movie?” 

“It’s set during the holiday season, and there’s a ton of Christmas imagery and music. Plus, you’ve got Kevin going on a similar journey as the main character in It’s a Wonderful Life where, in the end, he realizes how much he loves and needs his family—sounds pretty Christmas-y to me.” 

His jaw clenches, and it’s seconds before he inhales deeply and looks back at the TV. 

“Son of a bitch,” he sighs, shaking his head. “They’re fuckin’ Christmas movies.” He takes a long drink of his beer. 

You grin. “They are indeed,” you reply and pat his thigh again. 

His bottle lowers, and he looks over at you. “Even though you somehow made a dumbass like Tommy make sense, you’re definitely better company than him. He’d never let me live this down.” 

He’s visibly relaxed, and you have, too. The fact he’s enjoying you being there has calmed your nerves, and you’re having a great time talking to him. Plus, he’s nice to look at.

“Then it’ll be our secret,” you say. “Like how we’re totally watching Die Hard right now, and not—” Your eyes go to the TV, and they widen. “—the one sex scene in Pearl Harbor.” It’s nothing too risque and honestly kind of lame. 

Joel looks, too. “They’re just rollin’ around on the ground…” 

“It’s PG-13, Joel. I don’t know what you’re expecting from a movie where they can only say fuck once, and titties are prohibited.” 

His head turns your way. “You’re somethin’ else, you know that?” he says, and when your eyes land on his, you find that he’s smiling—your heart skips a beat. 

“A good something or a bad something?” 

“A good somethin’.” 

You share his expression. “You’re something else, too.”

“A good somethin’ or a bad somethin’?”

“A very good something.”

His eyes darken, and suddenly, his attention returns to the movie. Joel clears his throat, then chugs the rest of his beer, leaning forward to set the empty bottle on the coffee table. 

When he sits back, his arm is still behind you on the top of the couch, and he scoots the tiniest bit your way to have your bodies touching. 

It’s clear that there’s a shift to the energy in the room, and the tension becomes palpable—he likes you, and you think there’s a possibility he more than likes you with how close he is. The thought has your heart pounding, and you’re unsure what to do next. You’ve only been with boys your own age, and Joel is so much older and more experienced. 

The panic has you blurting out, “Are you seeing anyone?” Then, backpedaling, “Not that it’s any of my business, so don’t feel obligated to answer.” 

He looks at you, and you keep staring at the TV, almost wishing the floor would swallow you whole. 

“Why do you wanna know?” 

“I’m nosy.” 

He huffs in amusement. “You only wanna know ‘cause you’re nosy?” 

“That’s what I said.” 

“No other reason?” 

“Can’t think of any.” 

“Okay—no, I’m not seein’ anyone. What about you? You got a boy back in Houston worryin’ about you?” 

“Nope.” 

“Really?” The genuine surprise in his voice has your head turning to see the matching expression. 

“What’s so shocking about that?”

He frowns. “I beg your pardon, darlin’. It just doesn’t make much sense that someone as pretty and fun as you doesn’t have a line of boys waitin’ their turn to take you out.” 

Those butterflies in your stomach are flapping around again. 

“Not really.” You shrug. “Plus, the guys my age usually only want sex but aren’t very, um, giving, if you know what I mean.”

Now he looks grumpy. “Selfish boys,” he grumbles, and it makes you smile. 

“So, not an issue with someone older like you. Good to know.” You squeeze his thigh and keep speaking so he can’t reply, “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you single?” 

For some reason, he can’t look at you now, focusing on your hand. He reaches across his body to grab yours with his larger one, staring at your fingers. He lets out a long, weary sigh, his thumb rubbing against each of your dark blue-painted fingernails. 

“Women don’t particularly like that Sarah is the most important person in my life and my top priority…”

“But she’s your daughter, she should be your top priority.” 

“That’s the logic, but they want me all to themselves and don’t like sharing.” 

“Joel?” 

His face lifts to meet your gaze. 

“Yeah?” 

“You’ve dated some truly shitty women.” 

He smiles. “I guess I have. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve given up on datin’. It’s just a waste of time.” 

“That is such a shame.” 

His dark eyes get even darker. “You’re trouble.” 

“Why am I trouble?” 

His eyebrow arches. “Your daddy would kill me.” 

Your brain short-circuits for a second as you take in the statement—he’s into you, he’s really into you. Now, what are you going to do?

“Don’t you remember, Joel?” you ask and move to put your beer on the table. When you sit back, you cuddle a little closer into his side. “You were worried about me driving home in the dark, so you offered me your guest room—we watched Die Hard, then turned in for the night. You’re a stand-up guy for keeping your friend’s daughter safe.” 

His eyes move from yours to your mouth, his hand coming up to cradle the side of your face—his palm is so big his fingertips almost reach the back of your head. He starts leaning in, your heart hammering in your chest at the thought that he’s going to kiss you, and you stop breathing when his lips are only a hair’s breadth away from yours.

And then he pauses. 

“Tell me why you really came here tonight,” he rasps. 

That confuses you, your brows pulling together, and you sit back to see his face. “I did? I needed to see if you had a spare key to my dad’s house.” 

His eyes are on yours. “Bullshit—there’s no way this just happened to be the last outfit you had.” He looks directly at your tits. 

“It is if you wait super last minute to do your laundry, and I told you, I have other clothes at my dad’s. Why do you think I came over here?” 

His gaze goes back to yours. “With that dress you’re wearin’ and how you keep lookin’ at me, for a lot more than needin’ a key.” 

“You thought I came over here to seduce you…?”

“Yeah…?”

“Wow.” You gently pat his cheek. “You think I’m way bolder than I actually am—me coming here and the outfit was not premeditated.” You shake your head. 

His eyes round, and you’d think he was burned by how quickly his hand leaves you and how he moves away a little to put space between you. “Fuck, have I been readin’ this wrong?” 

You scoot to have yourself against him again. “The assumption I came here specifically to seduce you was very wrong. But you’re right that I definitely want you to fuck me, Joel.” 

“Shit,” he breathes out and scrubs a palm over his face. “You’re gonna get me in so much trouble.” 

Turning his way, you rub your hand along his jeans-covered thigh. “No, I’m not,” you tell him. “Stop thinking, and kiss me.” 

His hand lowers. “Not thinkin’ is gonna get me killed.” 

“Not thinking is going to get you a blow job and pussy.” You press your palm between his legs over where you can feel he’s already hardening. “Hell, I’ll sweeten the deal—you can come anywhere you want.”

His eyes go wide. “Jesus Christ,” he whispers, and you smile. His reaction makes you brave. 

“Tell me you don’t want this, and we’ll go back to watching the movie and pretend nothing happened. Or—and I like this option more—you kiss me, and we’ll go as far as you’re willing to go.” Your hand moves up to hold his cheek, and it’s a good sign when he leans into your touch as you stare into his eyes. “But I’m going to make myself crystal clear, Joel. I want you—badly.  You’re beyond sexy, and the fact you’re older and have a lot more experience than me is a big turn-on. I’d love to know what good sex is like for once and maybe have you teach me some things.” You shrug your shoulder. “It’s up to you, though. Just know I’m more than willing.” 

His brown eyes squeeze shut. “Lord help me,” he says under his breath. A second passes, and then he’s looking at you. “Fuck it—I’m already goin’ to hell.” Joel’s large palms grab your face, pulling you in to crush his lips against yours, muffling your surprised sound. 

This kiss is unlike any you’ve experienced before. You’re used to overeager boys practically shoving their tongues down your throat the first chance they get, yet here’s Joel claiming your lips—you can feel his every want and his desire for you with how thoroughly he kisses you. The soft pillow of his mouth moves with yours, his scent filling your nose—hints of the beer he drank and his spicy cologne imprinting this moment in your mind. Your eyes flutter closed, and your head goes dizzy from the arousal igniting in your belly. 

Just one kiss and you know you’re ruined for anyone else. 

His arms go around you, and he mouths at your chin. “Come here,” he says against your skin. “Get in my lap.” 

You do as you’re told, bunching up the bottom of your dress at your waist and moving to straddle his thighs. His hands go under your clothes to grab your ass, and he’s so surprised to feel bare skin he leans back with the confused expression you’re becoming intimately familiar with. 

“You really didn’t come over just to fuck me?” he asks. His palms wander, and you know he’s discovered your thong when he hooks a thumb under its stretchy waistband—they were the last clean pair of underwear you had. 

“I really didn’t.” You’re curious about something. “But if I had, what are the chances that I would’ve succeeded…?” 

“With this dress and a little convincin’? Pretty good.”

You smile. “Really?” 

“Yeah. You’re so fuckin’ beautiful and smart. I know this is a bad idea, and it’ll probably bite me in the ass later, but I’m so fuckin’ lonely, and you’re just too damn temptin’ to pass up.” 

The truth is clear in his eyes and makes you kiss him—your fingers comb into the hair at the back of his head, finding it softer than you thought it’d be. It starts off slow and tender, just lips to lips, until Joel deepens it, the tip of his tongue making it past your lower lip. Hearing that he’s lonely tugs at your heart, and you want to do everything you can to make that loneliness disappear. Things start to heat up, and all you can do is follow his lead, moaning as he explores your mouth with his tongue. With his palms on your backside, he helps you rock your hips, grinding yourself against his hard cock beneath his jeans, rubbing your clit just right to fan the flames growing in your core. 

When you finally need to come up for air, his hand grips your chin to turn your head as you pant, Joel kissing and nipping at your skin from the base of your neck up—tingles wash down your spine when he nibbles on your jaw. He gently bites your earlobe, and you gasp when his hot breath tickles your ear. 

He huskily whispers into it, “You want me?” His hand fondles your breast. 

“Yes.” 

“I can touch you?” 

“Anywhere.” 

“I need you to be a good girl and tell me when you do and don’t like things—understand?” 

“Yes.” 

“Good girl,” he purrs. 

The way those two words make your cunt clench has you moaning, ”Fuck.”

He easily unzips the back of your dress, tugging the garment up and over your head, letting it fall unceremoniously to the floor. You’re sitting astride his lap, the dark pools of his eyes taking in your mostly naked body, his big hands massaging your bra-covered breasts. It’s surprising that being under his gaze, you don’t immediately feel self-conscious, and you think that has to do with how he’s looking at you—the desire and appreciation clear as he admires you.

“Can I take this off?” he asks, nodding towards what he’s touching. 

“Yes.” 

He sits up straighter, and it’s quick work for him to get your bra off, it landing on top of your dress. He’s focused on your tits, holding them in his palms, weighing them. He leans forward, sucking your nipple into his mouth, and the sudden shock of pleasure has your breath catching in your throat, your fingers grabbing handfuls of his shirt for something to hold onto. When he grazes his teeth over the stiff bud, your entire body shivers—your panties have a wet spot from your pussy leaking your arousal for him. He gives your other breast the same attention, leaving your skin shiny from spit when he comes off of it with a wet pop to look at you. 

“Lie down on the couch, baby.” He pats the empty seat next to him. “Your head all the way at the other end.” 

He doesn’t have to ask you twice. You scramble out of his lap, the couch’s leather creaking as you crawl over to where he instructed and sit back on your elbows to see what’s happening. Joel grunts as he gets up to stand, watching in interest when he squeezes the noticeable bulge at the front of his jeans. His arm goes behind his head to grab his shirt, pulling it up and off of his body to bare his torso. 

At seeing so much of his golden skin, your jaw goes slack—his freckled chest is so broad, tapering down to his trim waist, his abs showing a little bit of muscle definition you think is from doing manual labor and not working out. Your eyes fixate on the happy trail of hair below his belly button that disappears beneath the waistband of his jeans.

“Sure could get used to you lookin’ at me like that.” 

That has your attention snapping up to his face, where you find him smirking, and you close your mouth. 

“Sorry,” you apologize, your eyes darting away from him. 

“Nothin’ to be sorry about, darlin’. Makes me feel pretty fuckin’ great about the shape I’m in.” 

You look at him again. “Hate to break it to you, babe, but you’re in great shape and so hot—you’re really down to fuck me?” You point at yourself. 

He kneels on the sofa by your feet, his hand on the back of it to steady himself.

“Darlin’, if I didn’t know your daddy, and you were a stranger I met in a bar, I’d bring you home in a heartbeat. I feel like a real lucky son of a bitch that someone as young and pretty as you has any interest in an old guy like me.” He lifts one of your legs and gently kisses the inside of your ankle, the sweetness of it making you melt a little. 

“Oh, I’m very interested in you.” 

“Is that so?” he asks and spreads open your legs. He crawls over you, and you lie back, Joel nestling his hips between your thighs for you to feel how hard he is as he dips his head, kissing up the column of your throat—the nerves in your stomach flutter wildly. 

“Yes,” you whisper and need to touch him, wrapping your arms around his torso to press your palms against the warm skin on his shoulders—his body shudders, a rumbling groan coming from his chest. 

You squeak in surprise when his lips are suddenly on yours, kissing you hard. 

He takes over all of your senses—he’s all you see, he’s all you feel, he’s all you taste, he’s all you hear, he’s all you smell. It’s him, and him alone—his lips on yours, his tongue in your mouth, his weight on top of you. Your fingers thread into his hair, moaning as he takes over your very world, reveling in this feeling of being wanted. 

His lips leave yours, both of you breathing a little heavier. His teeth gently sink into your chin before kissing along the underside of your jaw. 

He speaks into your skin, his words muffled, “I’m very interested in you, too. I shouldn’t be, but I am.” His mouth ends up at your ear, and he quietly asks, “Can I eat your pussy?” 

“Oh.” The question surprises you. “I’m usually the one who asks. Do you want me to blow you first?” There was always a quid pro quo when it came to oral. 

His head lifts to look you in the eye. 

“Darlin’?”

“Yes, Joel?” 

“You’ve been with some truly shitty boys.” 

It makes you laugh, and he smiles. 

“Ain’t that the truth,” you reply. 

“It should always be ladies first—may I?” 

What a gentleman. 

“Absolutely.” 

“Good,” he says and pecks you on the lips. 

He doesn’t immediately move off of you, and it catches you off guard. Instead, his mouth blazes a trail, kissing down your body—your neck, your chest, and your belly. This is when your self-consciousness rears its ugly head. Joel is getting up close and personal with your imperfections—your scars, stretch marks, cellulite, all those little details you normally kept hidden in the safety of dark rooms or under shirts when you hooked up with someone. Now, you’re basically naked, the lamp is on, and he can see it all, which makes you feel uneasy. 

He kisses just above your belly button, then below it, going lower and lower until he places one last kiss on your panties, over your mound. He sits up on his knees, tracing the lines and curves of your thighs and hips with his large palms while he drinks you in as you lie there—you have to fight the urge to cover yourself, unable to meet his gaze.

The silence is broken when Joel speaks. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful.” 

Your eyes seek out his face where you don’t find any deception, but you have to ask, “Really?” 

“Really.” He nods. “Fuckin’ gorgeous.” 

His attention goes to the apex of your thighs, and the pink of his tongue swipes along his bottom lip as if he’s imagining how you’ll taste. He strokes the pad of his thumb over the visible damp spot on your underwear, his other hand squeezing his cock that’s straining in his jeans. 

“I bet you have the prettiest pussy, too,” he says, and gets his fingers under the elastic waistband on your panties, pulling them down and off your legs, the air cool against your now bared skin. He shuffles back a little, then bends forward, spreading your lips open with two fingers as his face hovers over it. You think your heart might beat out of your chest with how fast it’s thudding, your skin feeling so hot. “I fuckin’ knew it, such a pretty pussy,” Joel murmurs. He circles your clit with his thumb, and the pleasure has every muscle in your body tensing and your eyes closing. “You’re gonna taste so good.” 

He loudly groans as he drags the flat of his tongue along your cunt, wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking.

“Oh, god,” you moan, your body squirming at how good it feels. 

Joel has to pin down your hips with an arm across them to keep you still, his face buried in your pussy. He goes straight to the source, lapping at your entrance to taste your arousal while the tip of his perfect nose rubs against your bundle of nerves, his facial hair prickling your skin. 

Oh. 

Oh no. 

You’re fucked. 

It’s not even a minute in, and you can already feel your orgasm taking shape low in your belly, the muscles beginning to wind up. If you thought the first kiss ruined you, you know you’re ruined by how eagerly he’s eating you out—who knew this could be so good? You have to wonder how you’ll ever be able to fool around with anyone else when Joel is all you’ll be able to think about or compare it to—this is the only moment doubt invades your mind. You feel like this is all a mistake, but it’s quickly squashed by how unbelievably horny and curious you are. 

His mouth lifts, and you whine at its loss. “Gimme a second,” he pants. “I gotta see how tight you are.” That’s when one of his thick fingers presses to your soaked opening, and he slowly starts to push it inside. 

The slight stretch makes you gasp his name, your fingers clawing at the sofa’s maroon leather.  

“Christ,” Joel says. “You’re squeezin’ me. With how fuckin’ tight you are, I’d think this is your first time.” 

You sit back up on your elbows and open your eyes to look at him. 

“You just have massive fingers, and it’s been a while.” 

His gaze meets yours as he smirks. “Well, I’m gonna loosen you up with my massive fingers, and I think you’ll enjoy it.” 

He doesn’t wait for you to respond. His head dips, flicking his tongue side-to-side against your clit when you feel the sudden pressure of his second digit pushing into you—there’s even more of a stretch and the delicious feeling of being full. You fall back on the couch, tangling your fingers into the brown waves of hair on his head, moans falling unbidden from your lips. His digits crook as they pump in and out of you, sliding along your upper wall when they press into something that elicits white-hot pleasure, making you keen and wiggle under the hold he has on your lower half.

Yeah, you’re totally and completely fucked. 

He’s relentless with his mouth and fingers as you careen toward your end, free-falling in the throes of pleasure. He’s really going to get you off, and you think you might be in love with him. Is that crazy? Falling for the guy you absolutely should not fall for—that you can’t even have any kind of future with—because it’d ruin both of your lives, especially his. 

Why does that make you want him more? 

You definitely understand now why Eve ate the forbidden fruit—the temptation leads to such sweet gratification when you give in. 

He sucks your throbbing clit into his mouth, sweeping his tongue around it, and you can hear the wet squelch of him fucking his fingers into your cunt. Your thighs are trembling—you’re so close, the coil inside you winding tighter and tighter until it snaps, and you’re coming with an unintelligible cry. Your body seizes up, euphoria exploding out from your center, radiating to your fingers and toes. Joel removes his digits, his tongue taking their place to catch every bit of your slick he can get, groaning as he lets no drop go to waste. 

You’ve never come so hard, feeling a little floaty as you ride out your high, your chest heaving heavy breaths. With how shaky your arms and legs are, you’d think you were out in the freezing cold. 

Joel’s mouth comes off of you and he sits up, rubbing his hands along the outside of your legs. 

“Such a good girl for me,” he says. “Was it good?”

“Was it good?” you parrot back at him and push yourself up into a sitting position. “It was more than good, Joel—oh my god, it was amazing.” 

The bottom half of his face glistens in the lamplight, his shiny lips turning up in a smile. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yes.”

“You still wanna fuck?” 

“I think I will die if you don’t fuck me.”

He chuckles, and that’s all the answer he needs. He’s off the couch instantly, and you watch as he hurriedly unbuckles his belt and gets his jeans undone, shoving them and his boxers down his legs so fast it makes you giggle. He’s balancing on one foot, peeling off his sock, and you finally get a good look at his dick—it’s hard and bobbing between his legs, the tip flushed red and shiny from precum, and your eyes round at how big he is. 

“Second thoughts?” he asks, taking off his other sock. 

Your gaze rises to his, seeing he’s frowning. “No.” You shake your head. “It’s more, ‘I sure hope that thing fits inside me.’��� 

He crookedly smiles, his chest puffing up a little. “It’ll fit—I promise.” And he has the audacity to wink at you. 

Just as quickly as he got off the sofa, he’s getting back on it, kneeling in the space between your spread thighs. His attention is on your pussy, rubbing the tip of himself against your swollen clit and through your wetness. Nerves swirl in your belly, along with arousal, his free hand giving your hip a reassuring squeeze before he’s spitting on his fingers and slicking up his cock. He notches himself at your entrance, and your heart is in your throat as you hold your breath.

“Just relax, baby,” he says. “You can take me.” 

He slowly starts feeding his hard length into you, making you gasp when the fat head breaches your slick cunt, your eyes squeezing shut, your fingers digging into the couch’s leather cushions. A groan rumbles from his throat, and you answer with a drawn-out moan as he burrows his thick cock deep inside you, your tight walls stretching to their limits to accommodate his size. Full doesn’t even begin to describe how stuffed you are—he’s hot inside you, almost searing, and you can feel him pulsing. He bottoms out and goes completely still, his hands on your hips in a bruising grip.

“Fuck, that’s good,” he rasps. “You okay?” His thumbs stroke circles on your skin. 

“Yes.” It comes out as more of a squeak. “I just need a second.” 

“Of course, sweetheart.” 

Darlin’, baby, and now sweetheart when his dick is inside you? Is he trying to make you fall in love with him?

He bends at the waist, one hand on the couch holding up his weight while the other massages your breast, his lips wrapping around your pebbled nipple, the sparks of pleasure going straight to your pussy. Your fingers wind up in his hair; what he’s doing to you has you whimpering at how good it feels and only makes you wetter where you’re joined. He pulls each of your legs up to rest on his ribs while his mouth moves higher, kissing your sternum and up the arch of your neck, sucking on your pulse point and making you squirm underneath him. 

His hands end up on either side of your head, his lips leaving behind a wet streak of kisses along the hinge of your jaw to finally ghost over yours—you can feel his breaths and smell your musk. He’s so close it wouldn’t take much more for your mouths to meet. 

His nose nudges yours. “Need more time?” he whispers. 

Enough has passed that you don’t feel as overwhelmed. You slide your palms up his back to his shoulders. 

“No,” you answer just as quietly. “You can move.” 

He pulls out almost all the way and pushes back in as his mouth claims yours, muffling your sounds when he sets up a rhythm of long, hard strokes. You’re gone—all rational thoughts go out the window, and the only thing you can think about is how his cock is moving in and out of you. It’s so distracting you’re having trouble kissing Joel back because your brain keeps screaming, ‘so big, so full, so good.’ 

You’re feverishly clutching at his shoulder blades, your nails leaving crescent moon imprints and scratches you’re sure will bleed on his golden skin, Joel moaning into your mouth. It surprises you when you feel the familiar tension of another orgasm making itself known deep in your core, the pressure rising with each thrust, the angle of them causing him to slide against spots you never knew existed, and you don’t ever want this to end. 

His lips leave yours, pressing his forehead to your cheek. He’s breathing hard, sweat beginning to bead on his skin as he keeps the same pace. 

“You feel so fuckin’ good,” he pants. “Fuck, I’ll never get enough of this pussy. Just wanna stay inside it until my dick is all it knows.” 

Your legs are quivering, your body is burning up, and you can’t get enough of how fucking good this feels. One time—one time—and you’re addicted, you’re drunk on the pleasure and will do anything—anything—for this to happen again. 

“It’s yours,” you gasp. “Oh, god, it’s yours!” 

His lips move to your ear, huskily asking, “It’s mine, baby? Your pussy is mine? I’m fuckin’ ya that good?” 

You’re so out of it and lost in the lust you start babbling, “Yes, it’s yours—fuck, ruin me,” you whine. 

“That’s what you want, for me to ruin your perfect little pussy?”

“Please—make me feel it. Make me ache to have your cock inside me again. Make me yours.” 

He growls, and you think you’ve said the wrong thing because he’s immediately pulling out, your eyes springing open in time to see him sit up on his knees. 

His big hands grab hold of your waist. “Flip,” is all he says, and you find yourself getting manhandled onto your front, Joel tugging you up onto your hands and knees. He wastes no time sheathing himself back inside you, pushing in so deep that your eyes roll back in your head and your toes curl.

Joel’s hips are flush against your ass, the full length of him seated all the way inside of you—you can’t think, your mouth open in a silent cry. He’s filling you to the absolute brim, and it becomes evident your cup has truly runneth over. 

He was right, though. It did fit. 

A shuddery breath escapes you. He only allows you a moment to get used to the new fullness before he’s pulling out until just the tip of him remains and snapping his hips forward hard enough it knocks the air from your lungs—this is how you learn what it’s like to really be fucked, and fucked good. 

His fingers dig into the skin on your waist, pulling you back as he thrusts forward at a pace that has you lightheaded, stars dancing behind your closed eyelids each time he presses against that heavenly spot inside you. 

Warmth grows in your belly, the sounds from the TV overshadowed by the filthy cacophony of skin hitting skin and the audible wetness of his cock working in and out of your used cunt—he’s grunting with each stroke, your moans stuttering from the onslaught.

“Is this what you wanted?” he asks through gritted teeth, emphasizing each word with a hard thrust. 

It’s a struggle to gather your thoughts and form a response with how good he’s fucking you. 

A palm lands on the side of your ass in a loud smack, the sweet sting causing you to clench around him and whimper. 

“Answer me, sweetheart,” he says. “Is this what you wanted?” 

All you can gasp out is a single word. “Yes!” 

“Am I fuckin’ you good?” 

“Yes!” 

He’s pounding into you at a near-brutal pace, the fire inside you only getting hotter as each second passes. 

“Look at me,” he orders. 

It takes everything in you to turn your head and look over your shoulder. Joel is a sight to behold—a flush rising from his chest to his cheeks, the sweat on his skin making it glisten under the lamp’s light, and his hair sticking wetly to his forehead. His eyes are heavy-lidded and glazed over, his jaw clenched. 

He slows, his gaze on yours. 

“You wanna be mine?” he asks. 

“Yes.” 

The moment your answer leaves your lips, he’s blanketing your back, holding himself up with a hand on the couch, the other going under you to palm your breast and tweak your stiff nipple with his fingers. 

He lightly bites your earlobe, his facial hair scratching your cheek when he kisses it. 

“I’m gonna make you come,” he says through heavy breaths. “Then I’m gonna fuck you full of me—you want that?” 

A shiver moves through you, and you gulp. 

“Yes.” 

“Good girl.” 

His hand smooths down your front over your stomach to between your legs, where he starts circling your clit with two fingers. It’s like a live wire along your spine, electricity sparking in your core—that added to the sensations of his cock splitting you open and pushing in and out of you has you rocketing toward your release. 

“You gonna come for me?” His hot breaths fan over your ear. “You gonna let me feel you come all over my cock? Come on, let me have it—come for me.” 

Joel’s bent over you, fucking into you harder and faster, his fingers deliciously swirling around your throbbing bud as he grunts in your ear with every thrust, all of it driving you higher and higher to your end. 

You’re so worked up that it doesn’t take much to have you falling over the edge—the muscles in your belly pull tight, your orgasm ripping through you, gasping Joel’s name. He sucks in a breath when your pussy clamps down on him, then loudly groans, continuing to fuck you through your high, and doesn’t stop—his fingers keep up their assault on your clit, and his hips snap into you in quick, short bursts that extend your high. You come, and come, and come to the point your arms give out, and your body shakes and twitches from all of the pleasure coursing through it. 

When you think you can’t take any more, relief washes over you that Joel follows suit. With one last thrust, he buries himself all the way to the hilt inside you as he falls forward, his front framing your back, his teeth sinking into the meat of your shoulder. He comes with a dirty, rumbling groan—you feel his dick thicken and pulse, hot spurts of his spend filling you. He grinds his hips, fucking it as deep as it will go, then stills.  

The movie’s ending credits are playing, hearing the music and your and Joel’s ragged breaths as you both come down. He’s at the same awkward angle as you, with your hips up and your faces down—his sweaty chest is pressed to your back, your bodies sticking together everywhere they touch. It’s not the most comfortable position, but with how your limbs tremble, you’re not entirely sure you can even move. 

You asked him to ruin you, and oh boy, did he deliver—you’re absolutely, positively ruined. It kills you that after whatever this night is, you’ll have to go back to subpar sex with guys who couldn’t find the clit if they were given a map and detailed directions. This is the second time tonight that you fear you’ve made a grave mistake hooking up with Joel, and the post-sex clarity is not helping the situation at all. 

What were you thinking?

That’s easy; you weren’t. Or, at the very least, you weren’t thinking with your brain. Your pussy took the lead on this one, and it looks like she’s gotten you into a bit of a situation. 

Your thoughts are interrupted when Joel’s arm wraps around your middle, and he turns you two onto your sides, the couch just barely wide enough to fit you both. 

“Tha’s better,” Joel slurs, nuzzling his face into your hair. His hand over your stomach feels around until he finds your smaller one, lacing your fingers together and holding it to your chest—oh, he’s cuddling with you. It’s unexpected and nice. You close your eyes and enjoy this taste of intimacy. 

Many minutes pass before he mumbles something you can’t make out. 

“I’m sorry,” you start and are immediately embarrassed by how hoarse and scratchy your voice sounds from all the sounds you made tonight. You clear your throat and try again, “I’m sorry—what did you say?” 

He turns his face so it’s out of your hair. 

“I asked if you wanna stay over,” he says. 

You smile. “Are you getting forgetful, Joel? You said I could stay over when I got here.” 

“Fuckin’ smartass,” he grumbles, and you giggle. “What I meant was, do you wanna stay in my room? With me,” he clarifies. 

“Only if you’re okay that I sleep naked—I’m not wearing my dress to bed.” 

“Was kinda hopin’ you’d be naked.” He kisses your shoulder. “But if you’re more comfortable wearin’ somethin’, I can get you one of my t-shirts—it’s no big deal.” 

“It baffles me that you’re single.” 

“Why?”

“Uh, because you’re incredibly sweet, amazing in bed, a great father, very handsome, hardworking, and just an all-around catch. If I had the opportunity, and you know, there wasn’t the elephant in the room—” The fact he’s much older than you and one of your dad’s best friends. “—I’d date you in a heartbeat. If you ever give dating a shot again, you’re going to make one lucky woman very happy.” 

“Fuck,” Joel groans, letting go of your hand to press his palm to his face. “What the hell am I doin’?”

That makes your stomach drop, and you frown—he’s regretting everything, and you can’t blame him. The post-sex clarity is a real bitch sometimes. 

“Stressing for no reason,” you reply. You’re pretty sure you can walk, so you get up from the sofa, ignoring how wobbly your legs feel and his come leaking down your thigh. “Don’t you remember, Joel?” you ask, looking toward the floor for your clothes. “You let me stay the night ‘cause you were worried about me driving home in the dark.” You carefully bend down to pick up your thong, followed by your bra and dress. “We watched Die Hard,” you continue, straightening to stand. “Then turned in for the night to our respective bedrooms. You’re a real stand-up guy for caring so much about your friend’s daughter’s safety.” 

You can’t even look at him, focusing instead on the TV where the Pearl Harbor DVD’s menu is on screen. 

“Stop that.” 

“Stop what?” 

“Tryin’ to pretend nothin’ happened.” 

“You clearly wish nothing happened, so nothing happened—where’s the bathroom?” You need to clean up, and you’re tempted to just leave altogether. 

“Up the stairs, second door on the right—when the hell did I say I wished nothin’ happened?” 

“You didn’t have to. Your ‘what the hell am I doin’?’ was enough for me to get it.” You hug your clothes closer to your body. “Anyways, thanks for tonight. I think I’m just gonna use the bathroom and get out of here. I don’t want you to worry, so I’ll stay at that cheap motel by the highway.” The sign said it was twenty-something dollars a night, and you can swing that. You start heading toward the stairs. 

“Hey, stop.” You don’t. You keep walking, willing the unshed tears in your eyes not to fall. 

Why are you so upset? You’re well aware that this can only be a one-time thing. It was something fun and sexy where you got to fuck the older, unattainable guy you’ve been crushing on for a while. It wasn’t anything serious, and couldn’t be anything serious, because there’s no future for you two together. Not when he’s a good friend of your father’s. That kills any chance of having a relationship with Joel. 

What hurts is he regrets it and wishes it never happened—you’re a mistake, and who wants to be someone’s mistake? 

His heavy footsteps sound behind you. “Darlin’, stop,” he says again, and you continue ignoring him. Fingers latch around your bicep and lightly tug. “Please, stop for a second. Talk to me.” Finally, you do as he’s requested, standing still in front of the staircase. He turns you to look at him in his big brown eyes, his hands holding your arms. 

“I don’t wish nothin’ happened,” he says. “You were talkin’ about how if things were different, you’d date me, but since they are the way they are, you won’t. I was thinkin’ to myself ‘what the hell am I doin’ wishin’ you’d change your mind,’ when I know it’s for the best.”

“Oh—really?” 

Hope swells in your chest, butterflies fluttering around in your tummy. 

“Yeah.” He nods. “Tell me you want nothin’ more to do with me, and I’ll grab you a towel and some of my clothes so you can wash up and retire to the guest room unless you’re truly set on stayin’ in a motel. In that case, I’ll pay for your room somewhere safer and much nicer, so I know you’ll be okay. Or—and I like this option more—you kiss me, and I’ll take you up to my bedroom so we can shower, either together or separately, whatever you’re comfortable with. Then we can get into my bed where we can talk and figure things out.” 

It sounds like he doesn’t want this to be a one-time thing, either, and that makes you so happy you let your clothes fall to the floor to throw your arms around his neck, crashing your lips to his. Joel groans, his arm sliding behind your back, hugging you closer to him, his other hand cradling your cheek. Suddenly, he’s backing you up until your heels hit the first step, and he guides you to sit on a higher one, Joel kneeling on a lower stair to be at the right height that his hips slot between your thighs when he lays you back. He licks into your mouth, deepening the kiss, your fingers digging into his shoulder blades. 

With how good he made you feel tonight, how wanted, you need more of him. There’s a looming fear in the back of your mind that this is too good to be true—that you’ll never be with him like this again, which makes you desperate for him. Your hand snakes its way between your bodies, taking his half-hard cock into your palm, slowly stroking it—a low rumble comes from the back of Joel’s throat. He gets his hand to the juncture of your thighs, sliding his fingers through the puffy lips of your sex, gathering your arousal and his come on his fingertips to rub at your swollen clit. 

“You’re mine,” he says into your lips. 

“I’m yours,” you answer. 

This is how you end up fucking on the stairs, Joel thrusting into you at a pace that has your toes curled and your fingers gripping his ass—your spine tingles from his mouth exploring your neck, mapping out the spots that make you gasp and moan, and you’re in heaven. 

A door slams shut on the other side of the railing, and your eyes fly open.

“Hey, Asshole!” a man calls. 

Joel’s hand covers your mouth, and you watch the intruder walk through the dining room to the kitchen without seeing you. 

“I brought over pizza so you can stop bein’ a sad and lonely sonofabitch!” 

Joel immediately pulls out and gets off you, using his strength to help you flip over. “Upstairs,” he whispers, tapping you on the hip, and you go as quickly and quietly as you can with Joel following. 

You make it to the second-story landing, and he grabs your hand, tugging you all the way down the hall into what you know is his bedroom by how it smells like him. He closes the door and locks it before beelining to his dresser, roughly pulling out one drawer from which he grabs a burgundy t-shirt, then another that he gets a pair of stretchy gray sweatpants. 

“Is this a dress?!” Is yelled from downstairs. “Do you have a girl over?! Who’d wanna fuck your sorry ass?!”

Surprisingly, the clothes in Joel’s hands are not for him; he shoves them into your arms and ushers you over to his bathroom. 

“I’m sorry,” he says, flicking on the light, the fan automatically turning on. “It’s Tommy. Stay in here, and I’ll kick him out.” Obnoxiously loud footsteps are coming up the stairs, and he has to take a deep breath, his eyes to the sky like he’s praying God will smite his brother right this second. “Lord, give me strength,” he breathes. 

“Where would you even meet a girl?!” Tommy asks from the hallway. “All you do is work—you never go out.” 

Joel pecks you on the lips. “I’ll be right back—stay in here,” he tells you again, and this time, he leaves, shutting the door behind him. 

There’s banging on the bedroom door, and your ears perk up as you put on the clothes. 

“Go home, Tommy,” he says. 

“Not until I know who this pretty dress belongs to.” 

“Give me that—it’s none of your fuckin’ business. Leave.” 

“Come on, Joel—we know the same people. Did you finally give in to Nikki? She’s wanted to go out with you for a long fuckin’ time.” 

“No, and it’s still none of your fuckin’ business who I have in the house I pay for. So, get goin’, or I’m gonna make you go.” 

“You can be a real dick, Joel. Why are you bein’ so fuckin’ secretive?”

“Do I ask about who you take home from the bar?” 

“No, but—”

“Exactly,” Joel interrupts. “I don’t give a fuck what you do in your spare time, and I sure as hell don’t need to tell you what I do in mine, so leave, Tommy—I’m not in the mood for your bullshit.” 

“With how fuckin’ grouchy you are, I don’t think you got laid at all—I’m gonna get goin’ ‘cause you clearly need the company of a woman. Bye, mystery woman with the pretty dress hidin’ in Joel’s bathroom!” he yells. “Hopefully you can cheer this fucker up! Enjoy the pizza!” 

It goes quiet, and you think Joel left the room, too. You can’t go anywhere, so you decide to take in your surroundings—the bathroom is cleaner than you’d expect from a single man, you have to put the toilet seat down when you pee, and as you’re washing your hands, you notice there’s only one toothbrush in a cup. 

You know you shouldn’t snoop, but you pull open the medicine cabinet and find an extra tube of toothpaste, some Tylenol, Ibuprofen, a thing of pain relief cream, then a shelf with a few medicine bottles that intrigues you—prescription pain pills, antidepressants, and heartburn medication. No red flags, but you’re a little worried about how much pain he’s in. You close the cabinet, and soft knocking on the bathroom door makes you jump. 

“You can come out,” Joel’s muffled voice says. “He’s gone.” 

Walking over to the door, you open it, Joel leaning against the doorframe in a white t-shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants he must’ve put on before talking to Tommy. 

He sighs. “So, that was my brother.” 

“Seems nice—if I remember correctly, he’s younger, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“That explains how annoying he is.” 

He smiles, and an amused huff leaves him. “Yeah, he’s annoyin’ alright.” 

“We have the house to ourselves?” 

“We do—I walked him out myself.” 

You grin. “Wonderful.” You grab a fistful of his shirt. “Because I think you said something about us showering together, and I’d like to do that right now, then go eat pizza—I’ve somehow worked up an appetite,” you tell him and pull him forward; he happily comes your way with a smirk. 

“Worked up an appetite, huh?” he asks, his eyes on your mouth. 

“Yes. No clue how.” 

He closes the distance, his lips almost touching yours, when he replies, “Let me remind you how,” and kisses you. 

An hour later, you’re walking down the stairs clean and in your borrowed clothes. 

“Can we eat then go to bed?” you ask, through a yawn. “I had classes today, and that long ass drive, plus all the sex. I’m so damn tired.” 

Joel’s behind you in just his sweatpants. 

“I’m fuckin’ tired, too. That sounds good to me.” 

The only lights on downstairs are the lamps in the living room. You walk into the dark kitchen, Joel flipping on the light as he follows, and you head for the stove where the pizza is, popping open the box to see it’s pepperoni. 

“I’ll grab us some plates,” Joel says, rubbing your upper arms. He kisses the top of your head before stepping over to a cabinet.

Turning around, you’re about to ask Joel where the cups are when the dining room light comes on, Tommy standing by the switch. You gasp in shock; Joel’s immediate reaction is to grab a knife from the knife block and get between you and the unwanted visitor—it takes him a second to recognize it’s his brother. 

“Goddammit, Tommy!” Joel shouts and slams the butcher knife onto the countertop. “Are you tryin’ to get yourself killed?!”

“No,” his brother answers, shaking his head, and he looks a little too amused. “But you sure the hell are! Her?!” He points at you and has the audacity to laugh. “Oh, god, Joel,” he says through his glee and grabs the back of a chair, his other hand on his chest as he chuckles. “Her daddy is gonna kill you—you’re fucked!”

Joel sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, perching a palm on his hip. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he says. “I’m a dead man walking.” 

“You are!” Tommy calms down, and his shit-eating grin annoys you. “What the hell were you thinkin’?” he asks. “I mean, I know what you were thinkin’. I just can’t get over you not only robbin’ the fuckin’ cradle, but bangin’ your best buddy’s daughter. How long has whatever this is—” He gestures at you both. “—been goin’ on?” 

“It just happened tonight—I don’t need you lecturin’ me on right and wrong. I know it’s a fucked up situation.” 

A fucked up situation? Ouch. The comment has you crossing your arms over your chest, staring at the floor. 

“Fucked up is right, and I’ve got no fuckin’ idea how you’re gonna get out of it. Her daddy finds out about this, and he’s gonna shoot you deader than dead.” 

“I told you I didn’t want you lecturin’ me.” 

Tommy puts his hands up. “Hey, I’m not lecturin’. I’m just statin’ the facts. I wanna make sure you know this thing between you two could get you killed. You’ve got a daughter, Joel—what would you do in this situation?” 

“Woah,” you interrupt, moving to stand beside Joel—Tommy’s comment about Sarah is a fucking nuke you need to try and hopefully defuse. “First of all, I just want to point out that I am a consenting adult and can fuck whoever I want. Second, I need to set the record straight and say that my dad isn’t going to kill anyone. He’ll be mad as hell if he finds out, but he isn’t going to commit murder because, truth be told, he’s never given a fuck about my life choices. I’d also like to add that this is kinda his fault for not having me visit more often because now Joel and I are pretty much strangers, and this whole thing isn’t as bad as it sounds.” 

“It’s still pretty bad, honey,” Tommy replies, his attention turning to you, smiling. 

“Maybe, but it’s also nobody’s business who I fuck.” 

“Sure, but this person you fucked is one of your daddy’s best friends whose—no offense—way too old for you.” 

“Why does everyone keep callin’ me old?” Joel grumbles. 

Tommy looks at his brother. “‘Cause you are, you old man.” He suddenly looks like he just realized something. “Wait a goddamn minute,” Tommy says. “Joel, are you havin’ a midlife crisis? You’re around the age people have those, right? It’d make sense why you’d risk your life to fuck her.” 

“Get out, Tommy,” Joel replies, pointing toward the front door. “I’ve had enough of you.” 

His younger brother pouts. “‘Cause I called you old?” 

“Out.” 

“Fine.” He slowly starts walking toward the hallway that leads to the front door. “I’ll get out of your hair so the two of you can enjoy the rest of your night. Bye!” 

The door loudly closes as he leaves. 

Well, you’re not entirely sure what’s going to happen now. Between the comment about Sarah and the other things that had been said, you wouldn’t be surprised if Joel ends this. You might as well cut your losses and get it over with to save yourself from more heartbreak. 

Your eyes are on the ground, the first tear falling down your cheek. “After all that, I know whatever this is is probably over,” you quietly say. “But is there a chance I can still sleep in your bed with you tonight? And if you’re willing, have you hold me?”

He turns and pulls you into his arms.

“Yeah, you can sleep with me,” he answers and kisses your hair. “But I’m gonna need you to stop.” 

You lean back to look at him with watery eyes. “Stop what?” 

A sad smile is on his lips. “Jumpin’ to conclusions without talkin’ to me. You’ve already got one foot out the door, and I haven’t even opened it.”

“It’s just everything Tommy said.” 

He lightly squeezes your biceps. “Tommy was bein’ a little shit. You were right when you said this isn’t as bad as it sounds, but you gotta be honest with me about somethin’.” 

“What?” you ask.

His hands come up to hold your face, his thumbs wiping away the tears that have fallen. “Are you positive your daddy won’t kill me? I’ve got Sarah to think about, and even though I like you a lot, I’m not gonna risk dyin’ to be happy.” 

The sweetest man and the best father.

You think about it for a second, and the sad truth is you can’t imagine your dad killing anyone for you—he doesn’t love you that much. He doesn’t love you to the same degree that Joel loves Sarah. With how easily Joel grabbed a knife to protect you, there’s no doubt in your mind he’d kill for his daughter without hesitation. 

“He’ll be pissed off, but he isn’t going to kill you. We also don’t need to tell him anything unless this turns into something. We can keep it to ourselves for now.” 

He hums in agreement. “You know, if you wanted, you could start comin’ here to do your laundry...” 

You smile. “How will you explain that to Sarah?” 

“That I’m helpin’ you out, which is true. Plus, I’ve got the guest room.” 

“Uh huh, the guest room that I’ll sleep in?” 

“Yes.” He nods. 

“Alone?” 

“I sleepwalk.” 

You snort. “Stop it.” You playfully push his chest. “Sarah is not gonna believe you sleepwalked into the guest room.” 

He snatches your hand, bringing it up to kiss your knuckles. “Who said anythin’ about Sarah knowin’ I’m in the guest room, or you bein’ in my room for that matter, while she’s sleepin’? There are also nights like tonight she spends with friends.” 

“You really want me to hang out here?”

“Yeah. It’s nice to have company that isn’t Tommy.”

“I believe that. As long as I’m not a bother, I’ll do my laundry here.”

He smiles. “Not a bother, and you can wash your clothes tomorrow and stay another night. You could even stay over Sunday, too, since you have Monday off—you’re more than welcome.”

You loop your arms around his neck. “Yes, Joel. I will spend my long weekend with you.” 

He leans in, brushing his lips against yours. “Good.” 

Main Masterlist

Thank you for reading! If you’d like to be tagged in my fics, please fill out the form in my bio, on my masterlist, or just let me know! 

[space-dreams-world]

Another Twin Au: D and T: Danyal And Talia

Also, potential Spirit Halloween.

Ra's had two children, Danyal Al Ghul and Talia Al Ghul, the Demon's Daughter and the Demon's Son. Talia might have been firstborn, but she was neglected over her father favoring Danyal.

Danyal was treated better than she was, and while Danyal didn't understand Talia's jealousy, he still tried to help her. Like for instance, Talia had a fight to prove her loyalty to the Al Ghul line and was tasked to fight to the death, Danyal seeing how tired she was from training, he poisoned the fighters, so that his sister could win and survive.

Even when Ra's schemed to transfer his mind into Danyal's body, he was overwhelmed by Danyal's spirit and was not able to do the transfer.

Danyal liked to play tricks on new recruits to the league, and when Bruce was there, he pretended to be his sister. (As Danyal constant exposure to the pits made his eyes green)

Talia was only able to develop a relationship with Bruce outside the compound,but Danyal and Bruce's love story was very brief. ( And maybe Bruce liked Danyal more as he could be bargained to live with Bruce, unlike his sister who was devoted to her father)

Ra's would have liked the detective with either of his children,but it was not to be.

In fact, when Talia was planning on wedding Bruce, Danyal was sent for extra protection and liked the little Robin (Dick) despite being on opposite sides. So, when Talia acquires Bruce's sperm to make Damian, Ra's did a test to see which sibling produced better offspring, and unfortunately, Danyal's won. So, Damian was the son of the Bat and Demon, but of Bruce and Danyal. The thing is that Talia and Danyal are identical twins, just one boy and one girl. So, Talia assumes Damian is hers by default, and when creating Heretic, she uses her DNA.

Danyal was someone more connected with the pits than anyone knew and spent some time with the spiritualists of the league. Danyal was there when Jason was in the league and tried to curb his most violent fits, and sometimes took care of Damien in the league along with Jason.

Now, unfortunately, during Ra's coup, Talia, sick of her brother favoritism, pushes Danyal into the pits where he doesn't resurface.

(A few years in Danny Phantom world is a few days in the DC verse, so Danyal as Danny Fenton speedruns the DP life, becomes phantom, follows cannon lore, except doesn't really stay in Amity Park afterwords,closes the two portals, and goes to find his original dimension,where Damien is about to sacrificed to the pit by Talia, believing she can make more,with the bats present kills him.

More in part 2...

[tarotbydelilah444]

pac: your next relationship

pile 1

when will you meet

♡ next year

♡ could be as early as February 2025 to December 2025.

♡ Taurus season stood out in the reading. So pay attention to late April to early May. ♡ the months of Feb, March, April, May, July, August, September, November, and December could be of significance for your upcoming relationship.

♡ Valentine’s Day could be of significance.

♡ your next birthday

♡ next fall

♡ while traveling

♡ at school (college, graduate school, studying abroad)

♡ work / could be coworkers

the tower + ace of wands

You will definitely meet this person unexpectedly. You will not be expecting this person to enter into your life or even meet them. For some, you could even meet this person when a certain chapter in your life is shifting or ending in some way. Maybe, some of you didn’t have love on the brain, but then you randomly meet and got to know this person, and started to develop feelings for them. This may be a new person that is coming into your life that will immediately pique your interest and have you catching feelings quick, but you are being are being advised to slow down and get to know this person first. This connection may start off very passionate and fiery, so this could be a casual relationship that over time can develop into a romantic relationship. Your next boyfriend / partner may even be an ex or someone you’ve dated in the past. There is also a chance that your next partner will be a long-time friend of yours, so take it if it resonates.

astrological sign

This can apply to their sun, moon, and rising.

♡ Aries

♡ Leo

♡ Sagittarius

♡ Cancer

♡ Scorpio

♡ Pisces

♡ Taurus

♡ Virgo

♡ Gemini

♡ Libra

♡ Aquarius

physical attributes

page of pentacles • two of swords • two of cups

♡ Your next partner is very handsome, pretty, or attractive. They have damn near perfect facial symmetry, everything is balanced and proportionate. They could attract a lot of jealously due to their physical attractiveness.

♡ They could possibly be the same age as you, or even a couple of months to a year younger than you. They have a youthful appearance, but they are mature for their age. For some, this person could be a student, so they may attend the same school as you, or you will share a class with them. This can also apply in a work situation.

♡ They may be Asian or Caucasian.

♡ Wears prescribed glasses or may where glasses for aesthetic purposes. I channeled nerdy vibes for this person.

♡ An athletic or toned build. They may enjoy playing sports or actively into exercising.

♡ Average to Tall stature, not overtly short nor tall.

♡ Light or fair-skinned complexion

♡ They have an attractive or distinctive voice. This could be the tone of their voice or they could have an accent.

♡ Blue or Dark brown eyes. They could have big or expressive doe eyes that makes look innocent and sweet. Either way, their eyes stand out in some way.

♡ They could be wealthy or live a comfortable lifestyle. They may dress in luxury-branded clothing or an expensive taste in fashion. They could be into the artsy or alternative aesthetic.

♡ They may resemble their mother or a feminine figure in their lives. They have rounder and softer features for some.

♡ They have a passive or cool demeanor when you meet them. They seem like they are heavily in their thoughts or caught up in their little world. Although they may look uninterested or distracted at first glance, they have a serene and calming presence.

love languages

physical touch

♡ Your next partner will be so attracted to you when you first meet them. They find you to be so beautiful. I’m hearing “Only Girl (In the World”) by Rihanna. This person literally has eyes for you, and you only. Your next partner loves how feminine and how you present yourself. They will love your scent (this could be your natural pheromones or the type of perfumes you wear. They love how you dress and how everything fits perfectly on your body, complimenting your natural curves. They love the way you style your hair, specifically when it’s curly or sleekly styled. If you wear makeup, this person loves how you do your makeup, but they love it even better when you are freshed-face and in your natural state. Your next partner will not be able to take their hands off of you. They love the way your body feels against theirs and will always want you near them all of the time. You have this person hooked, everything about you triggers a primal reaction in them that makes it hard for them to constrain themselves and resist the urge to just have their way with you. Did I forget to mention? Your person loves PDA, they won’t have an issue with holding hands, stealing a kiss or two, or even grabbing and smacking your butt in public to let every “man” know that you are theirs and only theirs, quite territorial, they can be. They love to tease you a lot. I’m picking up that your person may have teased you relentlessly before the two of you began dating and this will continue even in the relationship. This seemed to be their way of showing you that they were into you from the start. They may give you a cute nickname that may be annoying at first, but it will eventually grow on you eventually as the two of you make it official. This person can be mischievous and playful that it will annoy the hell out of you, but it’s mainly for fun, and I think this will be one of the many reasons why you will fall in love with them because they keep on your toes and they know how to have fun. 

acts of service

♡ Your next partner will show their love through their actions. There is nothing that your boo won’t do for you. They want to be someone that you can depend on when you need help or just in general. If you were to live together, this person would fix things around the house. Clogged toilet? Flat tire? Oil change? Need help building something ? This person will do it with a smile on their face because they love to feel needed by you. I’m seeing a image of you on your tippy toes, frustrated and struggling to reach something on the top the shelf, and your person walks into the room seeing you struggling and lets out a small chuckle before coming over to lift you up and get whatever you need off the shelf. “You know you could’ve asked for my help, right.” You reply with a snarky remark,“You know I almost had it myself”. ”Sure, you did” in a sarcastic tone. Your next boyfriend could even help you with chores, making the bed up, taking the trash out, washing the dishes, doing laundry just to help you out a bit. 

words of affirmations

♡ Your next partner will make you laugh and smile all the time. They love to joke and tease you any chance they get. They will say the most corniest things that will make you cringe, but laugh at the same time. They absolutely will adore your smile and the sound of your laugh, it makes their heart skip a beat every time they hear you laugh and see you smile that beautiful smile of yours. They may be the first one to confess their feelings you before the two of you began officially dating. You and this person will text all of the time, they will send you “good morning” and “goodnight” text. Getting a text from really brightens this person’s day, even on their worst days, they can always look forward to seeing your name pop up in their phone as soon as they wake up. Your person enjoys talking to you, they feel like there are endless things that the two of you could talk about or even debate on, and they will never get bored or restless. They may even fuck up their sleep schedule to stay up for hours and hours to talk to you and may even like the idea of falling asleep on the phone with you. When you aren’t feeling your best, they will stop everything they are doing and call you to check in with you and reassure you in anyway they can because your happiness and peace of mind means so much to them. They always want to make you feel at ease and valued. They want you to come to them about your troubles to be that shoulder you cry on anytime you need. They want to be your safe space, that person that you can come to and talk to about anything and everything. I’m hearing your “secrets are my secrets and they will remain with me, always and forever”. I’m channeling the song, Diary, by Alicia Keys. 

personality knight of pentacles • six of wands

Self-assured  Intelligent  Reserved Friendly Charismatic  Popular  Competitive  Diligent  Resilient  Serene  Reliable  Trustworthy  Loyal 

♡ Your partner is down to earth. They have a very mellow and laid back personality, not much gets under their skin. They have a serene and “go with the flow” type of personality. They have two sides to their personality, they can seem reserved and quiet when you meet them, but the more you get to know them, they can quite fun and friendly. They are very intelligent. They enjoy learning new things and finding ways to improve their skills in some way. They enjoy a challenge and are determined to master anything they put their mind to. If they are a student, they could make straight As or be on the honor roll. “Most Likely to Succeed” is what I channeled. This person intends to go after everything that they set their mind to and become successful, whether it be school, their career path, or pretty much anything they want to achieve. They are extremely hardworking and diligent. This person doesn’t take shortcuts when it comes to their goals, they understand that everything takes time and patience and they have no problem in taking their time to get where they want to be. A very confident individual, indeed. They are very sure of themselves and what they bring to the table. They are also very respected and admired by many, there are many people that look up to your person or want to be on their level. They are quite charismatic and friendly. People naturally gravitate to them with ease. They could possibly be popular or they have a lot of friends. They could for some be the leader of their friend group, as many of their friends believe they are reliable, wise, loyal, and trustworthy. This person is very active. For some, this person could have ADHD (take it if it resonates). They may enjoy sports or even working out to keep themselves in shape. They are pretty health conscious, they try their best to maintain a sustainable routine and take care of their health. They can be very competitive. They enjoy simple activities like hiking, running, swimming, yoga, and other competitive sports. Finally, for some, they could be religious, or interested in learning other religious practices/ belief systems. I channeled Christianity, Catholicism, Wiccan, or New Age spiritualism.

qualities they like about you

♡ They like how you play hard to get, so when you meet this person, you may like them, but you will play mind games or act as if you aren’t into them, but I think this will make them like you even more and chase you until they can make you theirs. For some, this person always had a huge crush on you or vice versa.

♡ For some, they like the fact that you are into anime, manga, video games, K-pop, and J-pop. Some of you may like Asian culture, this could be cuisine or media (music, movies, tv shows).

♡ They like your voice. They find your voice to be extremely attractive in some way, if some of you like to sing, they think you have a beautiful voice. They can literally hear you talk forever and never get tired of hearing your voice. They also like how talkative you are. They like how they can talk to you for hours or how they can talk to you about many things without getting bored. They may like to debate with you, or even joke around with you. They find you to be very amusing and funny. 

♡ They like how family-oriented you are or that you are close to your family.

♡ They like how complex you are, they like how they cannot easily figure you out like others. They find you to be very mysterious and enjoy finding out more about who you are and even learning what is your interests. They may even ask you lots questions about yourself to figure you out who you really are. They are curious to know about you and are always amazed about what you reveal to them. You are so intriguing to this person.

♡ They enjoy being intellectually challenged/ stimulated by you. They like they you teach them about things they may not be aware of, or knowledge on. 

♡ For some, if you are into the occult, astrology, witchcraft, etc, they find this to be interesting. 

♡ They like your eyes. They love the color of your eyes, or even the way you look at them.

♡ They love how loving, caring, and compassionate you are. They love that you have such a big heart. They like how you are always willing to lend a helping hands to others in need. For some, they think you have healing abilities.

♡ They find you to be extremely beautiful. You check every single box on this person’s list. They are also sexually attracted to you as well.

♡ They like your calming, serene, patient demeanor. You seem to put them at ease and encourage them to come into alignment. For some, they like how you have a healing presence. 

♡ They like how creative you are, or your ability to dream big and go after your dreams. They like how you don’t need much reassurance and how you believe in yourself, no matter what. They think you are extremely talented. 

♡ They how optimistic, confident, intuitive, adventurous, frank, open-minded, independent, boisterous, and free-spirited you are. 

♡ They like how you have many people that are into you besides them. They could be jealous, if you have other romantic interests, but they like the idea of fighting for your heart and attention. 

♡ “One of the guys”. They like how you are able to get along with masculine energies, maybe you are a tomboy, and enjoy more masculine activities. They like how similar the two of you are. 

dynamic of this connection

*in keywords*

4th house synastry • “you’re my home” • cuddle buddies • bffs • anime • protective • “ I feel safe with you” • shits & giggles • childhood friends • soulmates • loyalty • making art together • Ghost (pottery scene) • long night talks • “I’ll go wherever you go” • “your secrets are safe with me” • “lean on me when you’re not strong” • spoiled brat • #1 fan • peanut butter to my jelly • match made in heaven • inseparable • I want to marry you • soft spot • crush on you • Love and Basketball (movie) • acceptance • We Belong Together by Mariah Carey • fitness couple • puppy eyes • let’s just stay home tonight• you cannot hide from me, I see right through you • diy crafts • Gorgeous by Jaden Smith • Bed Peace by Jhene Aiko ft Childish Gambino • healing childhood wounds • “you give me butterflies” • moving into together • 444 • sleepovers • in my arms is where you belong • Ohana means family, and family doesn’t get left behind • “I’m forever devoted to you” • golden retriever boyfriend  three of pentacles 

There is a theme of wanting to help each other out, to help the other become the best version of themselves. Constantly showing up for one another and putting in the effort to make this connection stand the test of time. Always wanting to be in alignment with each other. “We are a team”. It’s all or nothing. The three of pentacles gives me the energy of wanting to build from the ground up. This can talk about a desire for you and this person to build this relationship from level 1 to level 10 or build each other up. There is a strong friendship vibe that will be prevalent in your next relationship. Friends to Lovers for sure. You and this person have so much in common and the energy is so warm, loving, and carefree when channeling this connection. This is the feeling that you feel when you develop feelings for your first crush, maybe this person could be your first crush / love or vice versa. 

channeled song

pile 2

when will you meet

♡ for some, you may resonate with some of the messages in pile one, if you picked this pile. You will also meet this person next year.

♡ within the next three to six months

♡ the months of February, April, September, or November could be of significance.

♡ Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius season could also be of significance.

♡ you could meet this person by your or their next birthday.

♡ traveling, could be a family trip or a birthday trip.

♡ take it if it resonates, but your next partner could be someone that you had / have children with or they may have a child from a previous relationship. This could definitely be someone that you dated in the past and you thought you and this person were done indefinitely, but this person could resurface in the upcoming year.

♡ you could be introduced to your next partner through a feminine energy, this could be a friend, mother, grandmother, etc.

♡ meeting at school, specifically graduate school or somewhere that requires learning a trade or skill of some sort. you will work closely with this individual.

♡ in the workplace, this could be a coworker for some.

two of pentacles • eight of pentacles • five of pentacles • temperance • five of swords 

You will definitely meet this person at work, a place of business, or school. You could meet this person when you are seeking some type of stability in your life, specifically if this is related to your finances or career. You may be struggling financially and you are trying desperately to find stability through your challenges. You may even be heavily focused on your career or studies when this person enters into your life. I’m intuitively feeling like you are just wanting to focus on yourself and what brings you harmony, balance, and peace. I also intuitively feel that you may believe / feel that “love” is a distraction or you just don’t have time for romance. I’m hearing one specific lyric from Redemption by Drake, “Relationships slowin me down, they slow down the vision”. You may not be where you want to be in your life, maybe you have a lot of goals and expectations for yourself that want to fulfill and you refuse to be distracted or disappointed by love interest / love in general. For others, you may be desperate for a relationship, but you may feel unworthy of love or even losing faith that you will find love. “Will I ever find love”? That’s what I channeled for a small group of you. I sense that some of you want to give up and believe that you are destined to be alone, but I am channeling that you won’t be alone and someone will come in, at the right time. Just because it doesn’t happen right now, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen eventually. You are being advised to be patient and trust in divine timing when it comes to matters of the heart. You are loved and you are meant to be loved. There is someone out there for you pile two, you must be patient and not lose hope. You are also being encouraged to stop self-sabotaging behaviors when it comes to love. 

astrological sign

This can apply to their sun, moon, or rising.

♡ Scorpio

♡ Cancer

♡ Pisces

♡ Aries

♡ Leo

♡ Sagittarius

♡ Libra

♡ Taurus

♡ Capricorn

♡ Virgo

♡ Gemini

♡ Aquarius

physical attributes

death • knight of wands • ace of cups • strength • ace of wands

♡ Your next partner’s nationality or ethnicity differs from yours. I am channeling Middle Eastern or Mexican.  ♡ They could have green, hazel, or blue eyes. Their eyes have a very intense or sleep appearance. Kind of eyes that are hauntingly beautiful. They could have almond or hooded- shaped eyes. They could have bags under their eyes for some, but their eyes stand out in some way, whether it’s the color, shape, or their gaze. I also channeled that this person may have “bedroom eyes” or siren eyes.

♡ They are quite big or they have a muscular body type. They may bulk up pretty fast or able to gain muscle easily without much effort. This person could be a workout junkie, as in they love to workout or find different activities that allow them to keep them in shape or improve their strength and endurance specifically cardio, wrestling, bodybuilding, high intensity workouts, (HIIT), calisthenics, and boxing. They have broad shoulders, strong and muscular arms, a six pack, muscular back, and nice strong calves. They take great pride in their physical appearance. ♡ They could have light brown to jet black hair. ♡ A brown to darker complexion. ♡ They have an intimidating and mysterious aesthetic or presence. You could possibly feel like they can be unapproachable or standoffish when you first meet them. If your partner is a female or resonate with the feminine energy, they embody the “dark feminine” or “femme fatale” archetype, think of Lana Del Rey, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Alexa Demie, Angelina Jolie, Megan Fox, or Monica Bellucci. If your partner is a male or resonates with the masculine energy, they are so fucking hot, like mouthwatering hot. They have a strong presence that is hard to ignore. They embody confidence in their stance and how they command the attention in every room they walk into. They are “sex” on legs, many people find them to be physically and sexually attractive, like they have people that secretly fantasize about sleeping with them. Highly desirable and sexualized by many. This person has a strong masculine presence, they know that they are that “guy” or “girl”. They always look or seem like they are on guard, or highly aware of their surroundings. People view your next partner as intimidating or even intense, to some degree, some people may be afraid to approach them because they could look “mean” or like they are going to curse someone out (lol). They have this aloof or air of detachment to their physical appearance, almost as if they are bored or uninterested in their surroundings that makes people even more intrigued by them. Your person reminds me of a panther, they are beautiful and majestic creatures, yet they are very dangerous and wild, if you get too close. I intuitively heard, “Access Denied”, they are very protective of their space and exclusive in who they associate themselves with. They may even attracted a lot of jealously from other people and this can explain why they are protective over their energy. 

♡ Pretty girl or boy privilege, as well. They are conventionally attractive. They have perfectly clear skin, pretty white teeth, charming eyes, medium to full lips, symmetrical to angular facial features. They embody both angelic and devilish look, especially if they have water and air or fire placements.  ♡ They have a beautiful and strong bone structure. Sharp jawline, high cheekbones, long or square chin. Like you could literally sharpen knives with their features. They should be on the cover of Vogue magazine and every billboard. #SculptedbytheGods

♡ They could have tattoos and piercings for some. ♡ Sorry not sorry, but your next partner is packing downstairs or it’s very pretty. Take it if it applies.

♡ Your next partner has a distinctive style of walking or they could walk pretty fast. ♡ Pretty random, but your next partner looks so pretty / handsome when they cry, or they tend to show their emotions on their face without even noticing. ♡ Your next partner could like darker colors, specifically black. Black could be their favorite color. It’s almost as if they like to look threatening or intimidating to other people. I channeled the “bad boy” or James Dean vibes for some, so they could be into the whole “rugged bad boy” aesthetic like leather, PVC, ripped jeans, simple black tee, and hoodies. Edgy aesthetic. They could also like clothes that accentuates their muscles / curves. 

♡ This may apply for some, but this person could be quite spiritual. They may like to wear crystals, hamsa, evil eye, and other spiritual related jewelry to protect them from negative energies.

love languages

gift giving

♡ Your next partner will be very generous when it comes to showing their love for you. They will spoil the hell out of you. They will enjoy showering you in gifts or buying you things that they know that you will appreciate. They will spare no expense to show you how much they love and care deeply for you. Your next partner goes all the way out when it comes to expressing their undying love for you. They are always listening to what you desire even when you think they aren’t and pay attention to the tiniest of details to ensure that you feel most appreciated. They can be quite an undercover romantic, even if they don’t express it. Every gift they gift to you, whether it’s grandiose or not, they put a lot of thought and effort into it. It’s not just a gift to your person to buy your love, but more of a token of their appreciation and gratitude to you. They want to always make you feel special, no matter the occasion. Who needs a gift on Valentine’s Day when your person will treat everyday like it’s Valentine’s Day? Whatever She Want by Bryson Tiller. Fuck princess treatment, it’s giving “Queen Treatment”. They want to give you the world, I’m channeling, “luther” by Kendrick Lamar ft SZA. They feel like you deserve everything because you bring so much love and happiness in their life like never experienced before. I get the vibe that your person loves surprises, they love the idea of planning something special for you, just to see your reaction. Whether it be a luxurious getaway to another country, buying you that item you been eyeing and talking about nonstop, or delivering a bouquet of roses to your job with a lovely note attached, your next future partner will be applying pressure and never miss an opportunity to make you feel loved and special. They want to make harder for the next person to please you. This person when they officially ask you to be their girlfriend / boyfriend, they will go all out, like I’m legit picturing in my head, roses everywhere, heart shaped balloons, a bouquet, your favorite snacks, candles, will you be my gf balloons, and luxurious gifts. The whole nine!

quality time

♡ Your next partner will anticipate spending quality time with you. They will always make sure that it’s enough time and attention placed on you and nurturing the connection. I get the vibe that your next partner may get sad or may have separation anxiety when they are away from you too long. They love having you near and in reach. “When you go away, I hate the distance” is what I intuitively heard. They don’t want to be separated from you for more than a hour, like this person will legit hop on a flight to be wherever you are, just to close the distance between you. For some, this may apply, if you are in a long-distance relationship with this person. This person might be a bit of a homebody, so their idea of “quality time” would be ordering takeout, watching a movie / catching up on y’alls favorite show, and cuddling on the couch. They will plan dates where it’s just the two of you, enjoying each other’s presence and connecting on an intimate level. Intimacy is very important to your person, they enjoy having deep conversations with you and lots of eye contact, no distractions, just the two of you focused and getting lost simultaneously into one another to rekindle that initial spark once in a while. There is a emphasis on “milestones”. Your next partner wants to continuous see this relationship elevate and evolve over time. It seems as they want to grow and build a legacy together, this could be eventually starting a family, marriage, purchasing a dream home, and even making money together. “Generational Wealth” is what I channeled. Your next partner wants to accomplish their goals, dreams, and aspirations while you are by their side and vice versa. I’m intuitively hearing, “when you win, I win”. This person wants to share their success with you and wants you to share your success with them. They want to be there for you through the good and the bad times, never wanting to give up on you and constantly fighting for the stability and longevity of this connection. Your next partner will aim to ensure that your needs are always being met, sometimes, even sacrificing their needs and wants to put yours before their own. There is a sense of pride they feel in you being their partner. Overall, I think that your partner loves planning and talking about the future with you.

acts of service

♡ “Actions speak louder than words”. Your next partner lives, breathes, and eats this old saying. This person believes that love should be shown through actions because words can be quite deceptive sometimes. They aim to always show up for you as a partner and be consistent in how they express their love for / to you. Your partner is not much for words anyways, so they prefer to express their love through doing things for you or that they know that you will appreciate. This could be anything from doing chores, running errands, making you a cup of coffee in the morning, cooking, or basically anything that will make your day run smoothly. You will never have to beg or complain for this person to help you out, they will do it in a heartbeat. “Cater to You” by Destiny’s Child, came to mind. Your next partner is quite selfless and considerate of you and your needs, like there is nothing in the world that your partner won’t do for you. They are by far the definition of a “provider”.  They know their purpose as a partner is to provide and protect you in every way. I’m seeing when the two of you go out for date night, they will always pay the bill, no discussion. They will literally give you the death stare, if you so much as even try it, lol. They can be quite a traditionalist. Your partner wants to take care of you and reaffirm to you that you can rely on them and that you don’t have to do everything on your own, not that she/he doesn’t think you aren’t capable, but they want to you to be aware that they are there, if you need help with anything.

personality king of wands • judgment • wheel of fortune

Independent

Confident 

Intuitive 

Cautious 

Pretentious

Brooding 

Analytical 

Observant 

Resilient

Wise

Adaptable 

Unpredictable 

Philosophical 

Introspective

♡ Your next partner is very intuitive. Their intuition never leads them in the wrong direction and their inklings are almost always right about everything. They can easily pick up when someone is being deceptive and can easily see through fuckery. “You can’t pull the wool over my eyes”. Your next partner could be psychic, they are able to see things before they happen, for some. They could even be spiritual, they are tapped in with the spiritual world and are heavily protected, so anyone that tries to harm them, their guides will not hesitate to seek justice on their behalf.

♡ Your next partner is quite resilient. They may have going through some struggles in life, but these struggles taught them valuable lessons and they been able to mature and grow from these experiences. They are pretty adaptable to change because they understand that change is necessary and inevitable. Although they gained inner strength through their struggles, they may have a difficult trusting or even opening up to people. They can be heavily guarded when you meet them and it may take them a little while for them to trust and be vulnerable with you, so give them time. Underneath that tough exterior is a pure and genuine soul that they feel like they must protect the remaining parts of themselves that are “pure” and untainted. Wow, your next partner is pretty deep and intense.

♡ This person is constantly evolving and reinventing themselves. They devote themselves to becoming a better version of themselves each and every day. “Who I am?” A soul searcher, they are constantly searching for who they are at the core, looking within to discover their inner truth. Your next partner lives a lot in their mind, it’s like an endless maze of trying to understand themselves and their purpose in life. They are a deep thinker for sure, almost to the point where they overanalyze and question everything. They despise shallowness, they always are searching for the truth and focused on the grand scheme of things. They are very observant and great listener, often paying attention to everyone and everything that surrounds them. There are so many layers to this person’s personality that you will never really be able to decipher the mystery of them. “I let you see, what I want you to see”. Just when you think you have them figured out, they will do something that will surprise or catch you off guard. They like to play chess, not checkers. This person is very strategic and wise in how they move through life, they know how to play the game, and they play it well. Overall, this person has good judgment and a great head on their shoulders. 

♡ Your next partner enjoys learning new things. It can range from historical events to cultures to spirituality, but this can really be anything. They can be quite pretentious or a bit of a know it all, which can sometimes piss people off, but they don’t really care. They may like to surprise people by the things that they know. 

qualities they like about you

♡ This person likes the way you move your body or your level of flexibility. This may apply to you, if you like to dance as a hobby. They think you are an amazing dancer. For others, this person may like the way you walk, you may walk like a model or walk with confidence. I’m picking up nice posture.

♡ They like the fact that you are very active, even if you aren’t athletic. They like the way your body looks, some of you may be very fit. They could also like that you have various  hobbies that you engage in. 

♡ They like how you are forgiving. You aren’t one to hold onto a grudge or resentful to others or situations. You don’t allow things to control you, but rather go with the flow or the nature of things. They also like your ability to cut off people, places, and things that no longer serve you with ease.  They like how you speak your mind or stand up for yourself when it comes to things you want. 

♡ They like how cautious you are and your innate ability to pay attention to people’s red flags or identify toxic traits in people before getting involved with them.

♡ They like your childlike nature. They think you are quite fun to be around and enjoy being in your presence. They like your innocence, or how naive you seem. They feel like they must protect these characteristics about you from people that may want to take advantage of you. They may like how good you are with children, for some. For some, they like how youthful you look, so you could look younger than your physical age.

♡ They like how you are content with being alone or introverted. You don’t need any outside validation to receive approval and acceptance You are perfectly comfortable and at peace in your own solitude. 

♡ They like your taste in music. They think that the two of you have similar tastes in music, for some. 

♡ They like your handwriting. They may think you have beautiful or a unique style of writing, or they could think you are a talented and amusing storyteller. 

♡ They like being in your presence. Your presence brightens their day. They hate to be away from you too long. this person literally gets butterflies whenever they are around you. Weak by SWV. They like how fun and exciting you are to be around. 

♡ They like the sound of your voice. You may have an accent for some, if so they like the way you pronounce certain words. You might talk a little fast, but they find it to be super cute. They love communicating with you, they find you to be inquisitive, charming, and funny af.

♡ They like how you carry yourself. They like how eloquent  and well-mannered you are. They like that you have high standards and morals. They like that you have respect for yourself. 

♡ They like how trustworthy and loyal you are. They like that your intentions are clear and honest from the jump. They like that they can rely on you in tough times and know that you will always have their back when they’re in need.

♡ They like your sense of style. You have an impeccable style when it comes to fashion. They love how creative and original you are when it comes to your fashion choices. I’m channeling “old money” aesthetic for some. They think you can make anything look good.

♡ They like that you get along with their family, or how family oriented you are. They could also like that you want a big family one day. 

♡ If you have curly or wavy textured hair, they like the texture of your hair. They like the wild and untamed look. 

♡ They find you to be incredibly attractive, both inside and outside.

♡ They find your complexion to be very beautiful, you may have a brown or darker complexion. They love the way your skin glows. You could always looked like a glazed donut. I channeled Shea Butter Baby by Ari Lennox ft J.Cole

♡ They like your back area and your butt. You may have a big butt or an attractive back. For some, you could have a back dimples, and they find it super attractive. They also find your body to be appealing, for some, you could thick or you can be a bit curvaceous.

♡ If you have piercings, they like your piercings, whether it’s on your body or face. 

♡ This person could like that you have a lot of haters or people that are envious of you or the things you have. 

♡ They admire how resilient you are. They like how you face challenges, but you never give up or allow it to bring you down. They like the “warrior or fighter” energy within you. They like they you always seem to handle challenges with grace and confidence. They truly admire that about you. 

♡ They like that you are self assured and that you believe in yourself most of all. You know your worth and how much you bring to the table. They have complete faith that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. 

♡ They like how enigmatic and sensual you are, and then closed off and reserved the next minute. They are like a “moth to flame”. They like how you tease them or make them work for your attention. 

♡ They like how indecisive you can be. They like how you never really know what you want sometimes. 

dynamics of this connection

*in keywords*

8th house synastry • hidden feelings • death & rebirth • “don’t run for me” • “I’ve meet you in every lifetime” • runner & chaser dynamic • “time is never on our side” • 12th house synastry • “they don’t want to see us together” • mentor & pupil • familiarity• purification • transformation • karmic connection • twin flames • “ you set my soul on fire” • intensity • resolving karmic debts • Fire & Desire by Rick James ft Teena Marie • surrender yourself to me • Tessa & Hardin • “don’t you trust me” • outgrowing to come together • “my life will never be same, since you walked into it” • “I keep looking for you in every person” • jealously • yin & yang • power struggles • Him & I by G-Eazy ft Halsey • Bonnie & Clyde 03 • separated, but never truly apart • souls longing for each other • tethered • the eyes Chico, they never lie • intensity & passion • Kundalini awakening • light & shadow • Catwoman & Batman• sexual tension • til death do us part • obsessed with me • flashbacks • see you in my dreams • Telepatia by Kali Uchis • i love you, i hate you • intimidation • forbidden fruit • unbreakable love • sacral chakra • mirrorring each other • illusions • Mr. and Mrs. Smith • life-changing • “who’s wants that perfect love, anyway anyway, cliche, cliche, cliche” • are my feelings one-sided”• Cloak & Dagger • Love Don’t Live Here Anymore by Rose Royce • “I think about you all the time” • “I belong to you, beloved” • Edward & Bella • the couples that cast spells together, stay together • “let’s escape to the dream world” • healing each other’s soul • passion marks • passionate and intense make out sessions • chemistry off the map • “many try to define our love, but only we can define and understand our love” • Lilith • evil eye • I Miss You by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes 

death

This is pretty heavy and intense energy that I channeled for this connection, and it even quite ironic that we have the death card to symbolize the dynamic of this connection. All I could pick up before I started shuffling was 8th house / Scorpio / Plutonic and 12th house / Pisces / Neptunian energy and to be honest, I wasn’t surprised at all. Buckle up because you in for one hell of a ride when you encounter this person. You and this person will not be the same once you enter into this connection, the life you knew will be only a distant memory that will leave questioning, if you were living a lie the whole time. This is definitely a karmic connection with that 8th house and 12th house energy being so loud in the reading, mostly the 8th house. You and this person shared many lifetimes together and decided to reincarnate in this life to heal trauma and wounds to finally be together. The death card symbolizes the ending and the beginning of something. A cycle of pain, trauma, and suffering must come to an end in order to experience an everlasting love of a lifetime that encourages both parties to grow and evolve together. You and this person have come together to heal karmic lessons and cycles of suffering, betrayal, and loss that followed you into this life. Will you be able to break the cycle or repeat another lifetime of sorrow and despair? This connection could start off as a hidden crush or someone not being totally upfront about their feelings for the other person. There is an intense desire to get to know the other on a deeper and intimate level, but being too intimidated to approach. It’s almost as one party or both parties feel the intensity and magnetic pull towards each other, but are too afraid or overly cautious to fully surrender to what this connection can become. Healing trauma and letting go is a repetitive theme when I channeled messages for this pile. This connection can serve as a deep healing experience for you and them, but it requires the both of you to surrender to change and the need to control. The two you must learn how to rely on each other and bring harmony into this connection without becoming codependent or allowing ego / pride take control of this connection. 

channeled song

pile 3

when will you meet

♡ next year

♡ the months of March, July, August, September, and October are of significance.

♡ be on the lookout for the summer months.

♡ Taurus, Virgo, Pisces season could be of significance.

♡ after a breakup, once you heal and let go of a past relationship.

♡ neighbors. You and this person could live in the same neighborhood or apartment complex.

♡ at a concert, music festival, opera / symphony, theater performance, or movies.

♡ a retreat, rehabilitation center, hospital, clinic, or group therapy session.

♡ online or dating app

♡ a church or sanctuary

♡ med school, if you are in school.

♡ a job event

♡ a local bar, lounge, café, club. For some, they could be a singer or musician.

♡ a park, museum, or aquarium

♡ traveling, this could be long distance or short distance travel.

♡ for some, if you are interested in reconciliation with an ex, there is a new person that will entering into your life soon.

♡ intuitively heard, “My Best Friend’s Brother by Victoria Justice, so this person could be your friend’s sibling (sister or brother), or if you have siblings, this could be a friend of your sibling.

♡ a place that you frequent daily or required to make some type of public appearance.

six of pentacles • four of swords • page of cups • six of cups 

Your next relationship will happen when you are healing from something. This could be something related to your health or after coming out a previous relationship. Apply it to your situation as it fits. Maybe you are used to over-giving when it comes to your previous relationships, putting in more than what you receive, and this left you feeling empty and lonely in your previous relationship. There was no limit to your  generosity and kindness, yet i went unnoticed for too long, often leaving you to pour from an empty cup. I’m hearing intuitively, Buy A Heart by Nicki Minaj. I feel as you had no choice but to put yourself first for once and take a hiatus from love and give yourself the time and space for your fragile heart to heal. You may wonder why you haven’t met your next partner or even wonder if you will ever find love again, and the answer is yes, but first, you need(ded) to heal and get clear in what you want in a partner and in a relationship. Have you ever heard the saying, “love comes in unexpected ways”, well, this saying applies to you, and simply means that love will come in when you least expect it, not when you plan or constantly searching for it. For some, you have been manifesting love or even getting little snippets of your next partner from the Universe through your dreams or intuitive downloads. You are being encouraged to trust the process and allow everything to unfold naturally because it will come in due timing. This is the time to prepare yourself for what is to come, and trust me, it’s worth waiting for. You are being encouraged to give this new person a chance because this could be the love of a lifetime. 

astrological sign

This can apply to their sun, moon, or rising.

♡ Pisces

♡ Taurus

♡ Virgo

♡ Capricorn

♡ Gemini

♡ Libra

♡ Leo

♡ Aquarius

♡ Cancer

♡ Aries

♡ Scorpio

♡ Sagittarius

physical attributes the hierophant • two of swords • the empress • king of swords

Disclaimer: I had quite a hard time shuffling for your next partner’s physical attributes, but I got one message to “stop looking”. The divine does not want you to know too many details about your next partner, or they want you to stop focusing on the outward appearance when it comes to love, but focus on the internal nature of your next partner. I also intuitively feel like your next partner will not be what you expect or may differ from what you prefer in terms of preferences.

♡ This person is very handsome or beautiful. You will be physically attracted to them when you meet them.

♡ They can be older than you or they have a mature demeanor when you initially meet them. They carry themselves with grace and respect. 

♡ They have animated expressions, or the way they express themselves is very animated, it will be as if they are acting or putting on some type of facade, but they have a very lively and expressive appearance. They could talk with their hands a lot or they have very noticeable facial expressions. They have very expressive eyes that glimmer and shines when they are interacting with others.

♡ They could identify as biracial for some, so they are of Black & White heritage. For some, they could be Hispanic / Latino / Latina. 

♡ For some, they could have a speech impediment. They could also talk either too fast or slow. 

♡ They could have a shorter stature.

♡ They could have beauty marks, freckles, or moles on their face or throughout their body. 

♡ If this is a female, she has a curvaceous or more rounded features. She could have big breast, nice and wide hips, thick thighs, perky and rounded butt, back dimples, and a bit of a stomach. They could possibly have the ideal “hourglass” figure. If this is a male, he can have a slender or stocky build, yet can also be quite muscular as well. They have nice and toned legs as well, if not, they could have longer legs with a shorter torso. They could also have quite broad shoulders and even big pecs as well. Also, he may have a prominent Adam’s apple, or something significant about their neck (long or short neck).

♡ They could have darker hair, mostly dark-brown hair or jet black. This person’s hair definitely stands out in some way, this could be the texture, color, luminosity, or style of their hair. They may have curly or wavy textured hair. Their hair is pretty thick or they tend to opt for more natural styles, I’m channeling an Afro, braids, or locs for some. I also channeled a widow’s peak / Eddie’s point. They could possible have a bigger head or broader forehead. 

♡ They may have tattoos.

♡ They have attractive hands. This could be their fingers or the size of their hands. They could have quite veiny arms and hands.  ♡ They may have a beautiful smile and charming dimples. They could also have full pouty lips. ♡ Thick eyebrows or they have very intense & sharp brows. This could apply to the shape of the brows. ♡ Brown or Darker complexion ♡ They could have delicate and dainty features for some. A pointed chin, expressive and bright eyes, and mischievous, yet friendly smile. ♡ They are pretty well-groomed and take care of their outer appearance. They pay attention to little details when it comes to their style or how they choose to present themselves. If this is a female, she could be into the “clean girl” aesthetic. If this is a male, he prefers a more polished and refined style regardless of their personal aesthetic. This person is very stylish and knows exactly how to present themselves well. They are experimental when it comes to their style but nothing too extreme. They smell very good whether they are female or male. If you are attracted to females, she may opt for mor floral or sweet fragrances, and if you are attracted to males, he may opt for more intense spicy or woody / earthy scents. They may like to wear jewelry, mostly necklaces, bracelets, or watches. ♡ They have great posture.

♡ They have a calm and composed demeanor, always appearing sure and confident in themselves. They rarely allow their emotions to show on their face. ♡ Overall, this person may enjoy changing their appearance more than often, so don’t be surprised, if they look different every time you see them.

love languages

physical touch

♡ Your next partner is definitely frisky. They are pretty playful when it comes to you. They get all gitty inside whenever they are in your presence. From the moment they met you, they’ve wanted to kiss you and make you theirs. They caught case of the Love Jones for you, they became so enchanted by you the moment the two of you locked eyes, and have been hooked ever since. You bring out a playful and youthful energy out of them that they have never experienced before. They feel like a kid on Christmas Day when you are around them.  I Want You Around by Snoh Aalegra came to mind. I know I sound repetitive, but you truly make this person feel like a little kid again, you make their inner child feel safe and loved. They love giving you nice and tender warm hugs and embraces. They just love the idea of being wrapped up and around you. It’s almost kinda like a safety blanket for them. Initially as they get to know you better, they will be fighting the urge to not kiss you or make any premature moves on you. They don’t want to come off as a creep or weird, so they would rather allow you to make the first move, but they will try so fucking hard to resist those urges until you give them the green light. I am seeing an image of you giving this person a hug and they stand there in complete shock for a minute or two, trying to gain recollection of what is happening. “Is this really happening, right now”? OMG, this is really happening right now, I’ve been dreaming about this moment for so long”! Your partner’s mind and heart will be racing 99 miles per hour. Remember that episode of Tom and Jerry, when Tom fell head over heels for Toodles Cat. This will literally be how your next partner feels about you. They will be fangirling inside the whole time, and then try to play it off cool afterwards, but they will be over the moon much later, unable to stop thinking or dreaming about that heated encounter between the two of you, even going as far to think of the next time if they get you alone. This person literally worships you and the ground that you walk on. You are literally their dream “girl” or “guy”.  That clip of Rihanna saying, “I’m in love, I’m obsessed” just came to mind . This person doesn’t play about you at all, they are all about you. They literally have hearts in their eyes whenever they see you or even when they hear your name. This person most definitely has sexual fantasies about you, just imagining all the unsavory things they want to do to you and with you turns them on. Fuck Me & Feed Me by Rendezvous At Two is what I’m channeling. They want to sweep you off your feet and rock your world at the same time. They just want to please and pleasure you in any way that you want them to. Everything about you turns this person on. They are like a mad dog in heat in your presence. One whiff of you and they go crazy. They love the way you smell and the way you feel, like you feel so soft when you are in their grasp. It’s almost too much for this person to bear. 

quality time

♡ “I love having you around”. Your next partner simply loves being around you. They look forward to the next time they get to see you and just getting to know you better each and every day. Getting to know your likes and dislikes. Your quirks. What hobbies you’re into. Hangouts will be frequent in the early stages of this relationship. If you see me, then you see “him or her”. They will act as your shadow, never too far behind and always down for whatever shenanigans you’re into. The reason behind this is because they enjoy spending time with you. They would drop any and everything in a heartbeat, just to tag along with you. Intuitively, I got the image of Shrek and Donkey in my head. Life may have been mundane and monotonous before you came into their lives, and ever since, you have given them a purpose and something to look forward to. A reason to smile and be more optimistic about life. I channeled “Someone to Love by Jon B. Your next person truly cherishes every second, minute, and hour they spend with you, never wanting any moment with you to stop or go to waste. They will constantly find new things for you and them to get into. They are very spontaneous, always thinking outside of the box just to keep you satisfied and by their side. Every moment with them is like an adventure. Your next partner is pretty much down for anything, so you will never have to worry about getting them out of their comfort zone. Visiting a new food spot in town, check! Booking flights in a heartbeat, check! Getting matching tattoos, check! Going skydiving, check! It’s truly never a dull moment when you and them are together. Every moment will be one for the books.

words of affirmations

♡ There is not enough words in all the languages that exist in the world that can express how much I feel for you. The love that your next partner has for you runs deep. Deep in a way that it is difficult for you and them to fully comprehend, but all they know is that their feelings for you are genuine and come straight from the heart. Not just words, but actions to follow behind it. They are applying nothing, but pressure.  I do see at first, your person might be a bit hesitant to confess their feelings for you in the beginning stages of this connection because they want to take everything slow and don’t want to come off to strong when it comes to their feelings for you, so they will try to keep everything at a moderate pace for a while, but deep down, this person is just bursting with so much love for you under  the surface that it’s almost unbearable for them to keep it under control and not confess their feelings all in one setting. “I loved you from the very first day, I laid eyes on you”. They have nothing, but deep and genuinely love for you and they can’t wait til they can fully open up to you. As the two of you become closer, this person will start to allow themselves to be more emotionally vulnerable with you and honest about their feelings for you than they did previously. They usually are skeptical about who they share their feelings and thoughts with, out of fear of appearing weak or being taking advantage of, but it will be something about you that makes them feel safe enough for them to let their guard down and open themselves fully with no fear. I’m hearing, Comfortable by H.E.R. They want you to be there safe space, just as much as they will be yours in return. You have no idea how safe, secure, and happy you’ve made this person, and they will devote each and everyday telling you how much you mean to them. 

acts of service

♡ Your next partner is a provider and protector. Whatever you need or want, they will always make sure that you want for nothing. “As long as you got me, I got you”. Your next partner knows that you are capable of doing things on your own, but they just feel the need to take the pressure off or make things a tad bit easier for you in anyway they can. They take pride in taking care of you because it makes them feel good and needed. They want you to view them as your “hero” or “knight in shining armor”, it gives them as sense of purpose to be of service to you, it’s their way of showing how devoted they are to you and that you can count on them in both good and bad times. Your next partner brings or values stability and structure into the relationship. Your person is old school, they prefer to take the lead in the relationship, being able to guide and mold you to becoming a better version of yourself. “We grow together”. They want to be your safe space and your solace in times of need. I intuitively heard, Safety Net by Ariana Grande. They want to be a part of your healing journey, aiding by providing love and support to help you heal from any pain, traumas, and past mistakes that you suffered from. “I’m here to heal, not hurt you”. This explains why your next partner is so protective of you and wants to give you everything you’ve yet to receive. What your next partner offer is the real deal, they want to offer you accountability, respect, fairness, balance, and equality. All the things you have could’ve ever wished and prayed for is wrapped into this person. 

personality

queen of pentacles • two of swords • nine of pentacles

Indecisive 

Modest 

Creative 

Empathetic 

Generous 

Down to Earth

Caring 

Loving 

Humble

Reliable 

Diplomatic 

Self-Sufficient

Gracious

Adventurous

♡ Your person has a very big heart. A heart of gold. They are very loving and compassionate towards others, maybe sometimes a little too compassionate, but it’s just that they want to share their love and kindness with every person they come across. They are very empathetic and feel things deeply than most people and can sometimes take on other people’s problems and feelings as their own, which can be a bit overwhelming for them. It is vital that they learn how to create healthy boundaries with others, so they don’t feel depleted or get taken advantage of. They just love to help people and make people feel special and loved. This person is really an angel!

♡ They are a very creative and imaginative individual. This person is artistically inclined and they enjoy the arts, specially singing, dancing, drawing, or painting. They can gain inspiration from anywhere and can turn nothing into something beautiful and exceptional. 

♡ They are very peaceful and diplomatic. They absolutely detest drama and conflict, often trying their best to either avoid it or come up with a solution to the problem to bring peace and harmony over the situation. They are like the “peacemaker” of their friend group or family unit. “The glue of their relationships”. They are the type of friend that everyone goes to for advice on how to move forward. They love to play Devil’s advocate, often trying to see the pros and cons from each side rather choosing one specific side to avoid drama. “Can everyone just get along” is what I intuitively heard. They are truly lovers, not a fighter and simply just want everyone to make peace, not war (quite a pacifist they can be). They are wonderful listeners and trustworthy. They hardly ever judge and are quite accepting of everyone flaws and all. They can also be a people pleaser as well.

♡ They are family oriented and protective of their family. This person loves their family or love to anything related to family. They could have a great relationship with their parents, but specifically can be close with their mother or feminine energies in their life. They came from a pretty stable and supportive household. 

♡ They are independent and self-sufficient. They know they are destined for great things in life and are determined to succeed whatever they go in life or decide to do with their life. They have a healthy and high self-esteem, so they are very confident and secured in themselves and their accomplishments. They take very great care of themselves and their love ones. They have enough love for themselves and enjoy uplifting and encouraging others. A content and happy person overall, they are rarely ever unhappy, nor will they show it. They know their worth and refuse to settle for anything or anyone less than what they deserve.

♡ A grounded and stable individual. They have a great head on their shoulders. They have a strong appreciation for life and the finer things in life, never taking anything for granted and seeing an opportunity in everything. They are very nurturing and supportive to their love ones and always willing to give a helping hand to those in need. They are very consistent in anything they dedicate their time and effort to. 

♡ They are big nature lovers. They anything dealing with the outdoors. Gardening, hiking, running, walking, you name it, this person is pretty much down for a little adventure.

♡ They are very health conscious. They are very mindful of what they put into their body. They love to nourish and take care of their bodies, whether through exercise and dieting to keep them in good health. They are very in-tuned with their body and prefer to maintain a healthy lifestyle that benefits them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

♡ They can be quite indecisive at times. They have a hard time making decisions or even sticking with a decision once they have made it. It could be that they want to make others happy and are afraid to make a wrong decision or even lose favor with people, if they choose to favor something else. 

♡ They don’t mind be alone for some. Although they are a people person, they don’t mind taking some time out to be alone to enjoy their own company and peace for a while. 

qualities they like about you

♡ Your beauty truly knocks this person on their feet. They find you to be drop dead gorgeous. They like the way you carry yourself and how you take care of yourself. They love the way you put effort into your physical appearance, always looking good. I’m hearing Fancy by Drake. Everything you do takes this person’s breath away, you could dress in a potato sack and they would still think you are the most beautiful thing they ever laid eyes on. They like how high maintenance you are, and how your prioritize your physical appearance. They like your sense of style, how you style your hair, how you do your makeup, the way you smell, and how you keep your nails and toes done. They also find your body to be so attractive and sexy, curves or not. They just like and appreciate how feminine you are.

♡ They like how maternal you are. They feel like you have a maternal nature to you. For some, you could remind this person of their mother or a maternal figure in their life. They like how nurturing and caring you are. How you are willing to help others and willing to help them. They like how supportive you are of them and always encouraging them when they need it. They love how affectionate you are and the way you show them unconditional love. They think that you are the “perfect woman / man” for them, someone that they could take home to their family, marry, start a family with, and create a beautiful and abundant life with. 

♡ They truly admire you and think very highly of you. They could possibly put you on a pedestal. They like how confident and bold you are and how you know your worth. They have nothing but respect and admiration for you. They are proud to claim as their partner    and that you choose to be with them, amongst all the other options, it gives this person a bit of an ego boost. They like how you bring out the best in them or encourage them to be the best version of themselves when they are with you. They truly like how you make them feel special and seen. They also like how you stand out amongst the crowd and don’t feel the need to fit in or seek external validation. They like how you aren’t afraid to embrace your uniqueness, and that you remain true to yourself. 

♡ To this person, they like how you have a unique or outwardly beauty that is rare and stands out amongst others. If you have red / ginger hair (naturally or dyed), they find it to be so beautiful and unique. They also like the color of your eyes, some of you may have green or blue eyes that are truly enchanting to this person. They feel like they are under a spell whenever they look at you. For some, they think you look like a witch. I channeled Lilith or siren energy, so they find you to be very seductive, mystical, fiery, irresistible, and a total wild card. I’m channeling that you may favor Jessica Rabbit to your next partner. 

♡ They like how secretive and mysterious you are. They are always fascinated to know more about you than what meets the eye. You are like a riddle that they would like to solve and figure out, but can’t quite figure out fully, yet they like idea of trying to unravel you. I pick up that your next partner will enjoy the “chase” phase when you met them. Opening Pandora’s box. They like the fact that you aren’t an open book, and that you take your time to trust and let people in. 

♡ They like how intelligent and wise you are. They like the way your mind operates. They like how there is more depth to your personality. They like that you have brains to match with your beauty. 

♡ They like how you believe in a higher power (whatever you define as divine power). For some, you could be religious or spiritual. You trust in divine power with everything in your life.

♡ They like your level of athleticism. They like how active and health conscious you are. They like how you take your health and well-being seriously, and how you take care of yourself. 

♡ They like how supportive you are. You know how to celebrate other people’s and their accomplishments. They like how they can always count on you to be their biggest supporter in good and bad times. 

♡ They like that you know how to have fun, you don’t take your self too seriously. They genuinely enjoy being around you and know that they will always have a wonderful and exciting time when they are with you. 

♡ They like that you are family oriented. This could be with your or their family. They love the level of emotional stability and fulfillment you bring into their lives. 

dynamic of this connection

*in keywords*

6th house synastry • connection of the minds • the couple that pray together, stay together • 11:11 • working out together• The Wood (movie) • changing bad habits to good habits• booking flights • running errands together • library dates • challenging each other’s perspective • reading together / to each other • bible study • Peace of Mind by PartyNextDoor • “your well-being is everything to me” • Look After You by The Fray • gratitude for each other • picking each other’s brain • learning together • long distance relationship • A Whole New World, Aladdin • religious differences • divine counterparts • “you’re apart of my life now” • “there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you” • 9th house synastry • wanting the best for each other • “let’s pour into each other” • self care days • “you need some help with that” • “you’re my priority” • You’re My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration, Teddy Pendergrass • “welp, looks like your stuck with me” • synchronizing each other’s schedule • work husband & wife • “if you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why” • growing together • bringing out the best in each other • “you are not what I was expecting” • spiritual awakenings • trying new things together • random debates • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind • laughing at each other’s jokes • “I love who I am when I’m with you” •  finishing each other’s sentences • “my stress reliever” • enlightening conversations • competitiveness, “ I bet you can’t beat me” • “everyday is an adventure worth exploring when I’m with you” • Fools Rush In (movie) • supporting each other’s dreams • “no matter what happens, we fight for each other and stick together” • “you get me, like no one else does” • planning a future together • the love of a lifetime • never a dull moment • meditating together • acts of service • carrying you home • the student & the teacher • collecting mementos • Love Like This by Faith Evans • I Will Be Your Friend by Sade • A Bronx Tale (movie) • Something About You by Drake & PartyNextDoor • ZebraHead (movie) • Wake Up Love by Teyana Taylor ft Iman

channeled song

[hexhomos]

I love Mel through and through but I cannot find it in myself to say that her and Jayce should’ve continued romantically in season 2, or that meljayvik/melvik could ever work.

While she def did love Jayce in season 1 she did use him and viktor for political and financial gain. And her and viktor always hated each other (also viktors 100% a gay man)

Also I think even tho canonically labels and homophobia don’t exist in arcane it was def some form of heteronormativity that caused jaymel maybe like…. Classism or smth…. Idk 🙏

Mel and sevika is my favorite Mel ship because Mel should be with someone who won’t fold as easily as Jayce 😇

imho jayce/mel was always a relationship of convenience with a very clear economical stipulation of success that is planted all throughout s1 act 2 (mel literally walking out on jayce when he doesnt present his new gizmos on progress day bc she had already promised them to investors. lol. later on pressuring him to do a whole round of black market shakehands under HER inherited opera house which is used as a meeting point between all the corrupt topside politicians. do i even need to expand.) and its only made worse when the phony-ruler training stuff comes in and both ambessa and mel start competing to see who can manipulate jayce into making weapons for the empire faster. I've always said that storyline was inconsistent as fuck and it does a lot of flip flopping near the end of s1 (do you want weapons or not? it changes every scene.) but at least people cant call me crazy anymore bc they WERE grooming jayce into being the pliant triggerfinger figurehead and once that fails all the attention is shifted onto caitlyn, who's just so ready to fall for the bait.

Like this is why jayce brings up the investment stuff during the breakup scene. this is why mel is fighting with caitlyn against her mother at the end of the series as a complete reversal of her goals. This was supposed to be a Thing. Character development for this bit in specific was RUSHED AS FUCK since they wanted to put all of the political tidbits as far away from the core plot as possible but its still there when you look. The ''empathetic'' political stringpulling ambessa does with cait is one she has taught her daughter, and she perpetuates with jayce, who is ofc upset at all the bullshit when he realizes what's happened in the end. And that it didn't just impact him, but also viktor and the cities at large!

clean break was actually the best thing they could have done with both of these characters and for a second I didn't believe they'd HAVE the balls to do it, but I'm happy to be proven wrong lmfao! if jayvikmel has no haters im dead. I'm not even getting into that whole thing but it bothers me *so deeply* to see viktor defanged and made into a fogbrained centrist yes-man when his entire arc is about the fatal consequences generations of these rich oligarch games have had on the low class people of the undercity. One of the only scenes of him raging in the entire show is him showing his disgust for mel's weapon proposition, and we just forget that happened? nuh uh. not on my watch

[comradekarin]

denji is one of the best *written* shounen characters, and I don’t even think it’s ridiculous to say that. I don’t care how relatively “new” csm is. there is a level of care and attention fujimoto is giving to denji’s character arc that other shounen writers just do not. all while dealing with themes like isolation, sexual grooming, coercion, manipulation and so forth. fujimoto is not afraid to have his mc be “weird”. he isn’t afraid to make denji off putting, coming across too strong, being abrasive and ignorant (yet keeping his core true, a child that doesn’t know how to connect his childhood with his present day internal conflicting feelings). I don’t think I’m reading too much into this either when I say it feels very intentional to have denji have a sort of revulsion to men touching him or making him do things he doesn’t want to do (all while acting like putty in the female characters’ hands, who take advantage of him more often than the male main characters do). just thinking about how he tries to keep makima in his memory even after all the things she did to him.

I’ve read almost 150 chapters of csm already and the progress and development is slow (and at some points there’s regression), but denji is one of the rare shounen characters where I truly care about him growing and living a good life and unlearning all of the things he’s been indoctrinated into believing. and he’s learning by himself! his relationship with asa is also my favorite things about part two. it’s also the rare instance of the main character being the best character. I’ll never give fujimoto a ten, but he gets a clean 9.8! I love my shayla denji so much…….

[greenfiend]

Are we ready to have an honest discussion about Will and El’s dynamic and possible ending yet?

Two characters sharing a similar narrative in this story. How will things end for these two?

It hasn’t occurred to me until recently just how little we discuss these two.

Over the course of the show, the development of Will and El’s co-existence has less to do with their relationship but more to do with Will’s character arc.

In the beginning (seasons 1 and 2), Will is so hidden that El takes over. Will “hides” in the upside down, and is again hidden when he is possessed. El takes the spotlight in his place.

Then in season 3, Will is physically present but in the background. He’s the side character. El is the leader. They barely interact.

In season 4, Will is starting to come out of his shell. He’s still a side character, but he’s closer to being on an even playing field with El. He’s not in the background as often, and is actually seen conversing with El, and he even confronts her on her lies to Mike. Which is also foreshadowing his lies to Mike later on in the season.

I’m going to be quite frank: El and Will are not actually very close in canon. The “wonder twins” idea is beautiful but very fanon. These two had so many opportunities to grow closer, especially since they were separated from the others in California… but they just don’t? They both seem lonely and disconnected in the other’s presence. But yet, they are connected another way: El is Will’s saviour/protector. She is like his security blanket. I mean this literally (textually), and a sub-textually. Obviously she helps him while he’s trapped in the upside down and when he’s possessed- making her a textual, and literal saviour.

But… what do I mean by a sub-textual saviour? Well, she protects him from having to take the spotlight. He is able to hide behind her in many ways.

For one, she takes the brunt of the bullies in Lenora. Will is able to go around unnoticed even as a GNC guy that he is. Back home at Hawkins, he is, unfortunately, very visible to bullies. Visibly different, visibly gay. But in Lenora? Bullies are too distracted by the girl who’s different instead.

Now when it comes to Will’s love life… El also is protecting him in a sense. He desires Mike, romantically, sexually, and intimately. Due to the rampant homophobia that surrounds him, these desires scare him. El is a safe barrier from these desires. Will is also able to safely express himself through her.

If El weren’t in the picture, Will may have been more bold in expressing this side of himself to Mike. He may just let his feelings slip out more. Perhaps he’d let his eyes linger a tad longer, or he’d be tempted to be a bit more tactile with the boy he’s overflowing with affection for.

El shields Will from having to confront many aspects of himself. That’s the problem. Because of her protection, he isn’t able to challenge himself and grow. This is why whenever El saves the day, it never lasts. She merely puts a “bandaid” on the wound. But this wound will grow and fester if the source of the problem is not addressed.

El’s Possible Origin

This is the first time in the entire show that El is mentioned. The context of this sounds like they’re implying that El also “came from” the upsidedown; precisely where Will was at the time.

Now, I’m aware this is a fairly unpopular opinion, but I do believe El was created from Will in a supernatural sense. I suppose in a similar way to how Eve was created from Adam, minus any romantic undertones.

Our very first sighting of El is of her emerging from the forest, barefoot, in a hospital gown, with very little hair on her head, and a limited knowledge of the English language. Not unlike an infant child. Now, please don’t take this the wrong way… I’m not implying that everyone with limited language skills are babies, there are many possible reasons for it. But within this show, it is implied that her lack of language skills are due to her experiences within the lab, and lack of experiences outside of it.

I do have to ask though, why do the other “lab kids” we have seen have no obvious language difficulties? Unless… El actually was an “infant” in a way…

This quote is interesting for multiple reasons. One I’m focusing on here is the mention of life starting that particular day. Of course I’m not referring to Mike’s life starting that day- I’m talking about the person we are shown in this particular shot- El.

Now, I know what everyone is thinking: how does El have memories that predate this day then?

Well, what I’m arguing is that many of her memories could be an altered version of Will’s memories. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that his memories could have been transferred to El.

This “fake” script of the episode Papa tells us that Will recognized Brenner. There’s a history there! Will likely could not quite pinpoint how he recognized him.

It’s important to note that Will only vaguely recalls aspects of his childhood. There’s gaps. Just like there’s gaps in El’s memory as well.

El’s Possible Ending

I’ve always been surprised just how little people dig into El’s possible ending in the show. I feel like people are somewhat aware of this possibility but choose not to give it any further thought. Truth is- El doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere.

I need to remind everyone of this last shot in ST4. Yes yes the couples, we have heard it a million times already… but look where El is standing. She’s on the other side. She’s in the upsidedown. Where she initially came from. Now, I’m not saying she’ll end up in the current unpleasant upsidedown- she will likely live on in a peaceful version of it. An entirely new environment one that exists…

[In Will’s mind.]

I do think this is an important foreshadowing quote- but not in the way most people think. They won’t work together as twins- they will work together as one person. What I’m saying is…

They will combine. Just like what this hug visually foreshadows… El and Will will become one again.

I can honestly make a whole separate post regarding references made in ST to other media involving two characters being one. There’s a lot…

[draconic-desire]

A Dance With the Dragon IV — Escape

Yandere Neuvillette x Reader

[Part I] [Part II] [Part III] Part IV — You are here]

After four hundred years, the chance for escape finally presents itself—what will you choose?

Warnings: Yandere behavior, brief mentions of NSFW thoughts and past events, feral dragon Neuvillette

Your opportunity for escape came on a gray and dismal day.

The past week had been particularly grueling for the Chief Justice—or so he had panted into your ear while he pinned you to the bed, skin slick with sweat and his cock buried to the hilt inside you.

You’d initially took it as a thinly veiled excuse for the dragon to lash out, for him to lay claim to you once again, but you soon noticed his focus actually wavering. Just enough for it to slip his mind to tell your Melusine guards (or guides, as Neuvillette would insist) not to bring you to his office for your regular afternoon tea with him. Furina had insisted on his last-minute presence at the meeting between her and certain Snezhnayan diplomats, and his unwavering sense of responsibility to Fontaine prevented him from rejecting the order.

That was how you found yourself sitting alone in his office.

You were quite confused. Neuvillette never skipped tea with you. In fact, as the busiest man in Fontaine, he insisted on it. It was a new development, one he thought might bring the two of you closer and outside of a purely domestic setting.

You’d be grateful for the change of scenery if you didn’t end up bent over his desk half the time.

In the beginning you had fought him on it, but as time in his captivity stretched on you soon realized this was one of the only chances allotted to you beyond your shared abode, especially now that the Opera was off limits. You even got to chat with the Melusines who acted as your sweet, naive guards. They reminded you of Carole and your previous life, a bittersweet memory that you held onto like a fleeting dream.

Now, you couldn’t help but start to fidget in your seat. When one minute became two, and two became five, and five became ten, you couldn’t help the anxious tapping of your nails against his desk. Where was he? Had something happened to him? You knew the Chief Justice would never commit a crime, but the notion of him imprisoned forever in the Fortress or Meropide was one that brought you comfort during your unrequited relationship.

Particularly on nights he would remind you of whose sentence you were under, whose wife and mate you were.

Pushing both hands against the desk, you rose to your feet and stormed towards the door. You wouldn’t sit idly to stew in your own thoughts. You raised a fist, preparing to knock harshly to alert any Melusine or the Iudex himself whose inhuman perspectives misinterpreted this as some sort of sick joke—

Except the slightest force sent the door ajar, presenting you with an empty hallway.

It was unlocked.

You couldn’t help the quickening of your heart rate. It invaded your senses, your hearing, your feeling, until it drowned out all of your thoughts but one.

You could leave.

The absence of any other individual was unheard of. Logically, it didn’t make sense; there should have been a guard if Neuvillette expected to be late, or others working in the main office if they hadn’t been dismissed for break as usual (though you knew it was only to spare them of any ungentlemanly sounds that might be coming from his office after you entered).

It was then you realized: Neuvillette had made a mistake.

You didn’t spare a single glance back as you strode out the doors of the Palais Mermonia and onto the streets of Fontaine.

Navigating your way out of the Court was easier than expected. Although there was no mistaking who you were when Neuvillette dragged you out in public—whom else’s waist would he retain an iron grip on throughout an entire opera if not his loving partner—without him by your side, you appeared like any other resident.

Obtaining Mora for the ferry ride to Sumeru was also a breeze. You had no moral objections to pocketing a few coins from unsuspecting citizens along the docks. Why would you, when you had been serving a lifetime sentence of imprisonment anyway?

The ship wasn’t anything fancy and was mostly filled with traveling salesmen and local fishermen, but after centuries of being doted on and monitored constantly, you savored the feeling of being normal, of feigning the role of a traveling merchant. You truly never thought that pretending to be an average worker would feel so freeing.

Suddenly, the skin of your arm began to crawl, feeling like a thousand pinpricks were digging their claws under your skin. You hissed at the sharp pain, gasping at the brief flash of your draconic tattoo, and then…nothing. You could almost always feel it, but it seems that upon crossing a certain distance the leviathan decided to lie dormant. You thanked Barbados for your luck; in your certainty of escaping, you hadn’t even thought of the physical tie between you and Neuvillette.

As the boat pulled out of the dock, relief washed over you like the serenity after a storm. After months of the Iudex, the supposed upholder of Justice, violating every rule against you, you were finally free.

As you watched Fontaine’s massive cliffs fade into the waves, you briefly mourned your choice to leave your Hydro Vision behind; however, you reasoned that the risk in going back for it and wasting precious time was too great. Not to mention the fact that you were sure you’d never get away with slipping it out of Neuvillette’s grasp, and you certainly didn’t want to squander this chance by running back into his arms. Although you knew the rumors of what happened to bearers who lost their Visions, you were willing to take your chances if it meant securing your freedom.

A sudden splash against your cheek jerked you from your thoughts. Upon looking up, you found the previously azure sky to have darkened. Rain began steadily falling, soon fully soaking your frilly dress (another insistence of Neuvillette’s, that you always wear dresses for teatime…never again!). Thunder rolled across the waters, bringing a taste of pain, anger, and betrayal with it.

Ah, so he’s realized your absence. Good—let him rage. Let him experience the heartbreak of losing what you hold most dear.

Maybe that will serve as his atonement for his sins against you.

You noticed then that, like your draconic captor, you too were crying. Though not of sadness—no, yours were tears of joy.

~*~

Although you had originally planned to journey back to your homeland in the City of Wind—not that you had anyone left there to return to, it was more for your own comfort—you found Sumeru to be to your liking. It was Fontaine’s foil—hot, dry, intellectually driven yet full of untamed wilderness. Full of real, thriving flora and fauna that cold, inorganic meka could never match.

The presence of the Akademiya and Port Ormos even offered you a line to continue your photography and research. Due to the dark room Neuvillette had installed in the library, your skills with a camera hadn’t grown too rusty over the centuries. Now, you finally were able to photograph your true passions again—nature, the water, the animals around you. Their harmony and beauty together, their freedom.

It may seem as if you hadn’t gotten far, but with how vast the Nation of Wisdom was, you felt safe to start anew. For the first time in four hundred years, you felt at home.

Three months had passed since your escape, with no indication that the Iudex was on your trail. After enrolling in the Akademiya (which had required you to change your name, since posing as a four hundred year old would probably not go over well), you even found a group of fellow students that you worked and resided with in the city. You were still careful, of course—you never traveled alone, avoided looking flashy in public, and even altered your look by cutting your hair to suit the arid climate.

That is, until you weren’t.

Your advisor appointed you to join an exclusive research project on the wildlife transition along the Sumeru/Fontaine border. Having experience with Fontaine’s biology, you were the clear candidate. Your initial trepidation almost won out, but you finally conceded at the encouragement of your peers. You’d even be traveling with your advisor and two of your roommates, so you chalked your nerves up to not having set foot in the direction of Fontaine in months. After all, you’d been meaning to explore the desert and its ecology—you just needed to take the plunge and face your fears.

Water was a rarity in the desert, after all.

Which is why, as your party was ascending the final dunes of the Desert of Hadramaveth, you believed the tall, blue-adorned figure approaching was a mirage. A result of dehydration after days of travel in these harsh conditions, a trick of the mind—

“Of all the places you could have escaped to, was it necessary to choose such a dry and barren place as this?” The last part was mumbled under his breath, his tone taking on a low growl, “I cannot help but feel that you bringing me here is some form of an assassination attempt…”

At the sound of his voice, just as deep and commanding as you remembered, your entire being came to a standstill. You despised how you had been conditioned for that tone to send a pangs of trepidation to your core.

Yet despite the Chief Justice’s presence right before you, a part of your brain refused to process it. He was the Hydro dragon, for Archon’s sake. What in all of Teyvat could drag him to the farthest place from the sea?

You, apparently.

At your silence, Neuvillette’s lips tightened. His expression was near unreadable, but you recognized the tumultuous mix of anger and longing storming under that stoic facade.

The other members of your group appeared confused and uneasy. Apparently Neuvillette’s reputation preceded him, even outside of Fontaine, for the common mumbling you picked up on was speculations of his role here.

“Is that the Chief Justice of Fontaine?” a professor whispered to your advisor nervously. “What is he doing here? Surely none of us have offended the court…” Her eyes flickered to you briefly. Due to the nature of the research, it was common knowledge among the group that you were the one with connections to Fontaine.

Said Justice took a step towards you, spurring you to take a larger step back. You knew running wasn’t an option, but you reasoned that he couldn’t just take you clawing and spitting for all your colleagues to witness. No, he would have to convince them of your guilt before he could act.

Well, two could play at that game; you lived with Neuvillette long enough to learn some of his ticks and tells, especially when it came to you. This would be a game of negotiation, a chess match of wits. Neuvillette’s intellect was near unmatched, but if you played your cards right, you could win.

The tide that is Fontaine’s Iudex may one day sweep you under his control, but it is not this day.

“Madame (L/n), by the authority of the Court of Fontaine and the Nation of Justice, I hereby place you under my custody for immediate detainment.”

Or not.

A few of the researchers around you gasped, tittering about your supposed false identity. The professor from earlier backed away from you with a sneer. Looking around, you noted that even your friends were eyeing you warily like some stranger.

All logic left you at the dragon’s announcement. The terror gripping your heart was replaced by blinding, bubbling rage. You would not concede to the man who took everything from you and would take it all again, washing away the life you had built again like a house of sand.

You practically hissed in response. Now this was familiar. “Under what charges?”

Lifting his cane, Neuvillette summoned a levitating tome from which he read, “Multiple accounts of theft, use of a fraudulent identity, desertion in court to be tried for said charges, and emotional damages to the residents of Fontaine affected by your careless and selfish actions.”

You scoffed, your lip curling in a snarl. “And I suppose that last ‘charge’ applies specifically to you?”

The draconic man merely narrowed his piercing purple eyes. Unlike your own, Neuvillette’s demeanor did not falter. He wanted you to lash out, to validate the accusations against you in front of the Sumerian researchers. His objective was solely to retrieve you—quelling your anger would come later.

The day you left Fontaine, Neuvillette had felt a piece of his soul shatter.

He could feel the very moment you crossed the border, when the draconic bond between mates and lovers was severed. It was a guillotine to his head, a rope around his neck, a bullet to his temple. Pain, raw and agonizing, enveloped his very being. The dragon beneath his skin raged, begging Neuvillette to fly to you and sink his claws so deep you could never leave again. The all-consuming panic over your loss, over your safety now that you were outside of his sight, had threatened to rise up and smother him, to drown him and sweep the fractured pieces away until he was nothing.

It had rained for weeks straight, so much so that the citizens of Fontaine brought back the old adage—Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon, don’t cry.

As much as he wanted, needed to find you, the Chief Justice could not simply abandon his post and his people. Going against his very nature, he quelled the dragon and settled on deploying Gardemeks to Sumeru and Liyue to search for you. It had been easy enough to program them with your photo and statement of your status as a fugitive. Surely you couldn’t have gotten any farther than the regions bordering Fontaine, and if so, the mekas would signal your location to him in no time.

So, after weeks on end of the Garde failing to locate you, Neuvillette’s anxiety swelled from a shower to a tempest, a storm of violent wind and flurrying emotion. He found himself in the library he had built you, clawed fingers clutching his face with labored breaths. Black danced across his vision.

Was he not enough for you? Had he not given you anything and everything you could desire? Had he not kept his mate safe?

Why did you abandon me, (Y/n)?

When he had come to, the room was in tatters, the carpet shredded with claw marks and the walls smoldering with blue energy.

Neuvillette decided then that he could not wait any longer.

Tracking you only fueled the dragon. It could sense you, the pull of your tattoo awakening with each step Neuvillette took to close the gap. It was one mate beckoning another, like the pull of the moon on the tide. Your light guided him straight into your path.

And when Neuvillette finally saw your figure, illuminated by the hottest desert sun, he had nearly fallen to his knees and wept in relief. You were so beautiful, yet the look of terror on your face ripped his soul apart all over again. Even now, even here, you wanted to reject him. Could you not see how far he would travel for you, how long his reach would extend just to keep you safe?

In that moment, the dragon roared, and Neuvillette listened.

After seemingly endless hours, days, and months to think about the reasons you left him, he realized that he must have been too lenient with you. He practically was the law in Fontaine, yet he had dismissed your transgressions time and time again, thinking your outbursts were simply a temporary response to your new life with him. Yes, the transition had been sudden and the charges against you quite ridiculous, but he truly believed you would fall for him as he did you.

He would tolerate your backlash no more. No longer would he spoil you with gifts, hoping, praying to every member of the Seven just for you to smile at him. Never again would he sigh in defeat when you spurned his touch, leaving him to fuck his hand to the mere idea of you initiating physical intimacy.

No, just like any other criminal in Fontaine, you would have to be imprisoned until you learned your place—in your case, by his side. And he would be lying if he said the idea of punishing you for your offenses, for leaving him, didn’t cause his cock to twitch in anticipation.

The dragon demanded to be satisfied, and it would have its fill.

“We have numerous reports of you stealing Mora from unsuspecting individuals, as well as the testimony from the ship’s captain that you claimed to be a merchant immigrating to Sumeru. Then, of course, comes the addition consequences for violating the authority of the court by leaving Fontaine. The latter makes you a fugitive.”

“That’s insane! I only had to commit those so-called ‘crimes’ because you—”

“Ah, so you plead guilty.”

You blanched. No, not this again. He was riling you up, making you fumble with your argument like a child, just like your initial confrontation with him in the Opera Epiclese. But that was how he viewed you, wasn’t it? His centuries of experience would always trump your own.

“You know that’s not what I meant—

The sound of your advisor clearing his throat momentarily saved you. “Sir, with all due respect, we do not know whomever this Miss (L/n) you are referring to. This young lady here is Miss (Fake name), and she is one of my finest students. I highly doubt she is the one to have committed these acts.”

Neuvillete’s eyes flashed dangerously towards the researcher. He loomed over your advisor, casting them in shadow. “Shall I arrest you as well for conspiring with a criminal?”

You never thought silence could be so deafening.

The Iudex released a huff. “I didn’t think so.” With a flick of his hand, your wrists became bound together with bands of pure hydro. Your protestations did nothing to deter him as he motioned forward, causing you to be forcibly dragged forwards by an invisible force. You were no stranger to this procedure; Neuvillette had used his powers on you more than once in bed. Now that he had his hydro around you, he held all the authority.

Without the ability to control your movements, you tumbled into Neuvillette’s broad chest. To the others it appeared as if he were securing your bindings, but you shivered as he buried his nose in your hair. Softly, in a voice only meant for you, he sighed, “Oh, how I dreamed of this moment, my darling (Y/n). A valiant effort, to be sure, though your pursuit was always in vain. There is nowhere in all of Teyvat I won’t find you.” His hand ran down the length of your arm, where you knew your draconic tattoo was once more glowing under your tunic. “You are marked as mine, my wife. My mate.”

You jerked your head away despite his scent invading your being. “I will never stop running from you, husband,” you growled, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Dissolving into the Primordial Sea is preferable to lifetime with you.”

To your surprise, a low chuckle escaped the Chief Justice’s lips. “I think you’ll soon find that I can be quite persuasive.” He stood to his full height, face reverting to his usually stoicism. “I shall be taking my leave with the prisoner, then. If any of you wish to object to this ruling, you may submit a false claim report to the Court, and I will attend to it personally.”

Glancing around at your peers, those you believed to be your friends and colleagues, you knew that none of them would fight for you. News of your detainment would be spread through the Akademiya, forever tarnishing your reputation. It was over, and Neuvillette had emerged victorious once again.

The Iudex motioned you forward with a tip of his cane and an ominous spark in his eyes. “Come, my beloved. Let us return home.”

[mariclerc]

hey!... can you write a Charles × horner reader.. where the reader has a crush on since they met.... but Charles doesn't like her very much cuz he thinks she's a nepo baby... but the reader still tries to win his heart.... but one day after a bad race he lashed out on her.... breaking her heart.... later he realizes he also has fellings for her...then ask the reader for forgiveness and a second chance (pls make it a happy ending)... thank you ❤️❤️❤️

Thank you for this request! It took me a little while to try to develop it, I hope you like it!! 💗💗

Second chance spark | cl16

Summary: where Charles thinks you're a nepo baby just because of your last name. Warnings: a little angst, horner!reader, christian being an asshole and fluffy fluff.

a/n: let me know if you want a part two!!

Part 2

The paddock of the Spanish Grand Prix is in big move, thousands of people moving from one place to another and there you find yourself, outside of the Red Bull hospitality talking to several of the girls on the team. This is what your life has become, practically, since being the daughter of Christian Horner you can walk around the hospitality and the paddock as many times as you like during the year.

Most people believe that you only walk around the paddock because it is a case of "nepotism", but in reality you are working very hard to be an engineer and earn a place in motorsport and that's why you find yourself doing internships at Red Bull. Also, your relationship with your father is not the best, so it is always a constant argument, but, even if you try not to give it so much importance, it always hurts.

“Oh god girls, look who's coming!” You say excitedly, Charles was walking through the paddock, to you he always looked like an angel, you blush slightly.

Mara, one of the Red Bull pr girls spoke. “Leclerc? Are you trying to charm the competition's sponsors I see.” she jokes and you blush a little.

You rolled your eyes. “Don't be ridiculous, he probably doesn't even know I'm here.” You say and a silence is present between the three of you. “I'm going to say hi.” You say determined.

Lila rise up an eyebrow. “Careful y/n. You don't want to spook the red prince.”

“Oh, please. Like he'd give me the time of the day.” you scoff.

You excuse yourself and stride confidently towards Charles. He notices your approach and his expression becomes guarded.

You've liked Charles since he debuted in the F4 European series, you always thought he was someone quite nice and talented... Besides of being cute, of course, but nothing ever happened between you, you were simply acquaintances. But now since you are always in the paddock you see him every single day and those feelings that you thought were already buried, were reborn with much more strength.

“Hello y/n. Didn't expect to see you here!” he smiles shyly.

“Well, I just came to say hi, a little greeting doesn't go amiss, don't you think?” you say shyly with a soft voice. “Are you nervous about the race?” you asked shyly.

“Yeah, uh, a little bit... But let's see how it goes.” he says trying to avoid your gaze.

“Well, you have a good shot, maybe you can achieve a podium finish.” You say and he looks at you surprised.

“You actually follow the races?” he asks.

You feign offense. “Of course I do, I'm trying to be an engineer! I may not be out there on the track like you and the boys, but I appreciate a good driver when I see one.” you smile brightly.

Charles looks at you for a long moment, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“Just make sure you're cheering for the right team on race day in the future.” he says teasingly.

“We'll see about that, Leclerc.” you two share a comfortable silence for a moment. You take a deep breath. “Well, I'll leave you alone, I have to go. But good luck in the race, yeah?” You say with a small smile.

“Sure, see you later! And thanks!” he smiles too.

You smiled back and turned to leave, a triumphant glint in your eyes. Charles watches you go, a genuine smile gracing his features. His heart is probably beginning to soften to let you into it.

***

“Is seriously? You talked to him and he didn't think you were a little innocent girl?” Christian said sitting in his chair in the office.

You were at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes, you had gone to see some engineers and work with them since you are doing your engineer internship at Red Bull and they have been very generous to you, teaching you everything they know, what you didn't realize was that your father was going to need you to have a talk. Such talks never end well, let's put it that way.

“Well, no... But I think he was being nice.” you say quietly. “I just wanted to wish him good luck, that's all... Just a little greeting... it's not a big deal.”

“You know? It's amazing that you're so stupid and dumb.” He says getting up from his chair. “And also by talking to the enemy, you don't really learn, don't you?” he asked sharply.

He never misses the opportunity to speak badly about you on any occasion, he simply doesn't care about your feelings, he is only interested in the job, winning and that's it. As if that were more important than your well-being as his daughter.

You take a deep breath. “Then let me finish my internship in another team.” you said and he looked at you. “I think it would be better for both you and me. Don't you think?” you said in a whisper.

“What? You really want to finish your silly and stupid internship at Ferrari, right? To be after a man who doesn't give you attention, is it serious?” he says sarcastically, that wasn't your idea but since he puts it on the table it doesn't sound too bad... “How ungrateful you are, to waste the fact that I gave you the opportunity to do the internship here.”

“And it was the only thing you did.” you murmured. “Because, as far as I remember, you haven't done anything else.”

“What did you say, huh? You little bitch.” He said, raising his voice towards you.

“What you fucking heard! Do you think it's not difficult to be under your shadow every day? How tiring it is to have everyone tell you that you are a child of nepotism just because all you did was get me the internship here! And you know that I had to sacrifice many things to get here.” you said in screams, taking everything out of you, all the years of abuse and so on. “And don't come pretending to be a saint because we both know you're not.”

You leave his office and everyone looks at you, but you don't care, you couldn't allow your father to call you names and spoke to you in a not very nice way. Your tears blur your vision as you leave the factory and you run to your car, you feel as if you no longer have a weight on your shoulders, but at the same time you are afraid of what may happen later between the two of you.

***

A couple of weeks later, the Austrian Grand Prix is a blur of disappointment, specially for Charles, since he finished a distant third, strategy blunders costing him a shot at the win against Max. The Red Bull Hospitality is abuzz with post-race celebration, a stark contrast to the muted atmosphere in the Ferrari hospitality across the way.

You stand awkwardly near the doorway, your presence a silent question in the room. Charles sits alone, staring into the bottom of an empty beer glass, his face an iron mask of frustration. A knot of worry tightens in your stomach, that's not the Charles you know, always so cheerful and lively despite everything. It's another version of him, darker and more mysterious.

“Charles?” you asked softly.

He looks up, surprise flickering across his features before hardening back into a grimace.

“What are you doing here?” he said sharply.

“I...I just wanted to see if you were alright.” You say shyly.

His harsh tone stings, cutting through the fragile connection the two of you would built.

“Look y/n, I appreciate the concern, but I need to be alone.” he said sharply.

“But-” hurt creeps into your voice.

He interrupts with his voice rising. “No buts! Don't you get it? This is my job, my life! And today, I failed.”

Tears are pricking at your eyes. “I know it hurts, Charles, but you can't let it consume you.”

He stands abruptly, knocking his chair over with a clatter. “Easy for you to say! You don't have the pressure, the expectations hanging over your head like a damn guillotine! You have everything on a silver platter whenever and however you want!” he say furiously.

His words are a punch to the gut. The simmering tension between you and your father explodes in your mind.

“You think I don't know the pressure? Do you have any idea what it's like living under my father's shadow? To be constantly judged, to have every decision questioned?” you say with a shaking voice.

Charles stares at you, his anger momentarily eclipsed by surprise.

“I may not be a driver, but I understand this world, Charles... I understand the pressure.” You say as tears form in your eyes.

Your vulnerability hangs heavy in the air. Shame washes over Charles, realizing the depth of his lashing out.

“Y/n, I...” he said with a soft voice.

He reaches out, but you flinches back, a wall of hurt suddenly separating the both of you.

You take a shaky breath. “I think I should go.” you sigh tiredly. “Nice talk.”

You turn towards the door, your heart heavy with a mixture of disappointment and a newfound understanding of the burdens that the both of you share. You run out there with tears running down your cheeks, nothing could have been worse after what happened with your father, but now you lost a person you cared about despite everything.

***

The Italian Grand Prix is in full swing after the summer break. Mechanics scurry around the gleaming red Ferrari, the air thick with pre-race tension. Charles, however, finds himself distracted. He steals constant glances towards the Red Bull garage across the pit lane, searching for a familiar face.

He spots you, standing by Christian, your interaction is tense, your father screams at you while you just only nod at his words while holding a few tears in your shy eyes. A pang of fury shoots through Charles, followed by a wave of regret. His outburst in Austria hangs heavy in the air, a barrier he needs to break. He, despite everything, is moderately informed about what happened between you and your father thanks to Max, and it hurts him not to have approached you much sooner.

The pit lane opens to finally start the grand prix, snapping Charles back to reality. He throws on his helmet, a steely resolve replacing his earlier anxiety.

***

Charles finishes a strong second, the podium it's a little bit bittersweet. He emerges from the car, the cheers of the tifosi a distant echo. All he can think about is you.

He finds you in the Red Bull hospitality, a hesitant knock on the door of your office, announcing his arrival. The room falls silent as he enters.

You stand by the window, your back towards him. Your posture is stiff, but Charles can sense the tremor in your shoulders.

“Y/n?” he say quietly.

You turn slowly, your eyes guarded. The hurt in your gaze is a mirror to his own regret.

“Charles...” you say softly.

There's an awkward silence, the air thick with unspoken words. Charles takes a deep breath.

“I can't apologize enough for Austria. I... I was a complete idiot.” he says.

“Words don't erase the hurt, Charles.” you say in a low voice.

He takes a step closer. “I know. But I wanted you to know... these past few weeks, all I could think about was your words. About the pressure, about being judged... You opened my eyes to a side of you I never knew existed.” He reaches out, hesitantly offering his hand. “And in doing so, I realized... how much I care about you.”

You stare at his hand, then back at his face. A flicker of vulnerability crosses your features before you speak.

“You can't just say things like that, Charles. Not after everything.”

“I know, but I have to try. Because the alternative... the alternative is losing you completely.” says sincerely. He sees a flicker of emotion in your eyes, a flicker that speaks of hope.

“This won't be easy, Charles. My father... Things haven't been so smooth lately between him and I.”

“I know. But maybe, just maybe, we can face it together... Like you said, we both understand this world, the pressure. Maybe we can be each other's support system, not just through wins and losses, but through everything else.” he say softly.

A small smile tugs at the corner of your lips. You look at him, a question in your eyes.

“So, what are you saying?” you asked him.

Charles takes a chance, the weight of his feelings pulling him forward. He steps closer, your faces inches apart.

“I'm saying that... give me another chance, please. A chance to prove that I can be the man you deserve.” he whispers. “Please, if you want, I beg you on my knees... I'll do anything, but please give me a chance.”

The air crackles with unspoken emotions. You lean in, closing the distance between the both of you. At first, the kiss is hesitant and at the same time soft and slow, then deepens, a promise unspoken but understood.

Pulling away, Charles searches your soft eyes.

“Is that a yes?” he smiled while blushing.

You smile softly, a genuine smile that reaches your eyes.

“Maybe... How about we can do something casual between us, not business related, just to get to know each other better?” you say shyly.

A grin spreads across Charles' face, relief washing over him like a victory lap. “It's a deal darling.” you giggled.

He leans in for another kiss, the roar of the engines and the crowd outside a distant echo of the race that's just begun – the race for your hearts.

***

The air crackles with a different kind of tension now. You and Charles break apart from your long awaited kiss, foreheads resting against each other. Relief, hope, and a spark of defiance dance in your eyes.

“We should probably get going before someone sees us, don't you think?” you whisper shyly.

Charles nods, a playful smile tugging at his lips. He reaches for the door, ready to usher you out, but it swings open before he can touch it.

Standing in the doorway is Christian, his face a thundercloud. The celebratory atmosphere in the room evaporates, replaced with a chilling silence.

“Y/n! My office. Now.” he says with a strong and demanding voice.

You flinch, your body tensing and shaking at your father's tone, but Charles steps forward, his stance protective.

“Actually, she's not going anywhere Horner.” Charles says calmly.

Christian's gaze snaps to him, fury replacing the icy anger. “And who are you to tell me what to do in my own hospitality suite, Leclerc?” he scoffs.

“Someone who cares about her, a concept you seem to have forgotten.” Charles says with a hard and firm voice.

The room collectively gasps. You reaches out a hand to touch Charles' arm, a silent plea for caution. But Charles shakes you off gently, his green eyes boring into Christian's.

“You judge her, belittle her, just because of your own insecurities. You push her away with every harsh word and raised eyebrow.” Charles says defending you, maybe you and him weren't that close, but probably Max told him about what happened between you and Christian.

Christian lunges forward, his hand raised in a threatening gesture. But Charles doesn't back down, he catches Christian's wrist mid-air, his grip surprisingly strong.

“Don't. Even. Think. About. Touching. Her.” Charles says in a low, dangerous voice. “And if you do, you'll deal with me, is that clear?”

Christian throws Charles a withering look before turning and storming out of the room. The silence that follows is deafening. No one had ever spoken to your father that way, not even Max or Jos, but the fact that Charles was the first to do it was something... Shocking, especially for you.

You let out a shaky breath, your gaze flickering between the slammed door and Charles. “I... Charles.” you say in a shaky whisper.

He whispers back. “Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong sweetie.” he takes your hand in his. “He's such a jerk.” He pulls you towards the door, a newfound determination in his eyes. “We're leaving, now. We can deal with your father later, together, okay?” he says.

You hesitate for a moment, then you nodded in agreement, as you walk out of the Red Bull hospitality, heads turn and whispers follow. But you don't care anymore, you have each other, and that's all that matters.

You two step out into the cool evening air, the roar of the Italian crowd a distant hum. Your hands are intertwined, a silent promise against the warm setting sun.

You two may have a long road ahead, filled with challenges and disapproval, but you'll face it together, a united front against the storm.

“Thank you... For what you did in there.” You say softly, he smiles and brings your hand to his lips to place a kiss on the back of your hand.

“It's nothing ma belle, I know I may not know the whole story since the begging, but I'm willing to help you.” he says the same in a whisper.

“I just want to know... Who told you about it?” you asked softly.

“Max told me.” He says and you laugh.

“I thought so! It doesn't bother me that he did it anyway.” you say and let out a giggle while you shake your head. “I think it's something you deserved to know.”

He smiles at you tenderly. “How about we forget this mess with your father with a good pizza, huh?” he says softly.

“And where would we go?” you shyly asked him.

“We can go to my hotel room... Unless you don't want to, I know it would be awkward but... I don't know, ugh.” He said and started babbling, you smiled seeing him like that, it seemed like the cutest thing of all, seeing him nervous about doing something simple with you.

You smiled and placed a soft kiss on his jaw. “I would love to eat pizza with you in your hotel room Charlie.” you say softly. “So it's a date?”

“It's a date.” He says softly as he kisses the tip of your nose and you giggle. “A date between Ferrari's golden boy and the red bull girl.” he says in a whisper while letting out a giggle.

You smiled tenderly. “You couldn't have said it better.” You whispered back.

To think that a couple of months ago you had not imagined that situation, to see Charles against your father and defending you like a true gentleman, but here you two were. Maybe at the beginning not everything was rosy or he simply didn't tolerate you at all due to false "nepotism" status around you, but you both understand how difficult and complicated this world is, maybe with different perspectives, but you two are there to support each other in the ups and downs.

[utilitycaster]

started to go on a tangent in the previous post but something I wish we could have seen in Campaign 3 in much more detail is the stories of parental abandonment and the way people mythologize those absences, because it's a throughline for Imogen, Fearne, and Ashton and to an extent Chetney. I think Fearne's is the most realized by far; she realizes that her parents were manipulated, but also that her ideas of them were nostalgia, and she develops a closer relationship over the series but it's still very marked by distance that would not have been there, had she been raised by them. Ashton's is rather frustrating, in that their response immediately post Shardgate was incredible: they realized they had been hoping, despite all everyone had said and every sign to the contrary, that their parents were visionaries and something just went wrong, but no, their parents did a cult ritual with a child present because they thought they were destined for greatness, and it went to shit, and had it not and had he stayed there he would have become a cruel person. It's frustrating because that realization seemed to utterly vanish a few days later in-game but the initial exploration was excellent.

And then there's Imogen and Liliana, and I think what gets me is that sure, Relvin lying was not a great choice on his behalf despite there being no ill intent behind it, and indeed had he told the truth, that Liliana left when Imogen was a baby and never sent a single litter for over a quarter century, I think the story would be very different (and, in my mind, better). But Liliana was unambiguously unhelpful and antagonistic, consistently, until Imogen managed to sway her on Ruidus based on a lie (that she didn't know about the assassination attempt) (I do not blame Imogen for lying about this, incidentally, this is about Liliana ONLY becoming helpful when her daughter withheld the truth from her for her (Imogen's) own safety). And it's just...I think a lot of fantasy narratives go too far in the other direction, of "fuck them, found family only, no contact immediately" but Liliana didn't do jack fucking shit for Imogen for years and months, and at what point do you give up on the myth? Again, why does Imogen care so much about this woman? Zathuda is a fucking horrible asshole, and I like the Gentleman but he's certainly not a good person, and somehow both of them managed to realize that given that they'd been absent for their children's entire lives they are parents in a biological sense and little more.

That doesn't even mean it's bad for Imogen to make the choices she does; it's just, I'd like to have an understanding of what is making her say "ok, absolute jack shit in 28 years plus untold harm to the world at large is fine because of two or three things in the past few days", and I've never felt like we've gotten anything but "but she's her mother." And two other characters in this campaign (and many in past campaigns) have at least for a while explored why that's not enough.

[blitzwhore]

Do you have any predictions for season 3?

I do! A lot! I've been letting this ask sit in my inbox for a few days so I could properly put them into words, and in doing so ended up making a prediction bingo:

Some of these need a bit more explanation, so allow me to elaborate:

-> I think M&M will ultimately keep the baby, but it'll have a big impact on the dynamics of I.M.P. It'll mean Loona will have to go on more missions (while Stolas stays as secretary). It'll mean Sallie May will be a lot more present, and might even join I.M.P. herself. It's already been established she's a skilled assassin. (I also think Millie will be scared to tell Blitz at first, fearing the strain she knows this will put on the business, but he'll immediately give her absolutely every financial and emotional accommodation she needs, even if it means overworking himself).

-> I think Vassago isn't gonna let go of the trial, and will chase after Andrealphus to get some answers, then eventually seek out Stolas. I think when he finds out that Stolas was just saving Blitz's life because they're in love, he'll ship the two of them very hard.

-> I think Cash will try to get back into Blitz's life for his own personal gain now that Blitz's business is going well and he's well known. This might lead to more childhood flashbacks, to Stolas finding out about the fire, and to Blitz's bond with everyone else growing. I think this might also be how Stolas finds out what really happened on the day they met as kids (Cash selling him to Paimon and forcing him to steal).

-> I think Octavia will forgive Blitz before she forgives Stolas. There are theories out there about Via being in danger and Blitz going through great lengths to save her; I could definitely see that happening. I also theorise Blitz will adopt her before she's of age, the same way he did with Loona.

-> I think we're going to see more of Andrealphus, and I personally agree with the theories that he secretly desires something like what Stolitz have, or maybe had a crush on Stolas growing up and/or has an imp fetish. Either way, I think the reason he doesn't want Stolas and Blitz to be happy will be a lot more personal than he's been leading everyone to believe.

-> I also think Ozzie and Fizz's relationship will continue to develop and grow as they face new challenges and sources of conflict, both within their relationship (eg. the tension from what happened at the trial) and from external sources (eg. Mammon).

-> Lastly, I think Asmodean Crystals are what give imps the ability to conjure a human disguise (see: Barbie in Unhappy Campers), and I think Stolas will help Blitz and M&M learn how to conjure theirs as soon as he finds out they don't know how. Or maybe Barbie herself will teach them? Who knows!

Other random things I didn't include in the bingo:

Loona and Stolas bonding

Many, many soft and tender moments between Stolas and Blitz

More sassy/cunty Stolas

More Octavia songs

Loona song?!

Barbie meets Loona

Also: Stolas meets Barbie

There are also things I didn't include because they're not exactly "predictions", as we've already been told/shown they're going to happen, like another trial, a Vassago song, and Stella backstory. Looking forward to those too!!

[mapoeggplant]

skip to loafer and the "i love you as a person" message

skip to loafer general spoilers

one thing that i'll always be very grateful of skip to loafer is really how they highlight so much the "i love you as a person" mindset — and how that is present in all the narrative, not only on shima and mitsumi's relationship.

this is not only important for the story's target audience, but it also opens the door to a discussion about the value of platonic relationships, which are often "denied" because they are not as "important" as romantic love. and this happens not only when mistumi tells shima that she will like him no matter what happens or who he is — the message spreads to other characters as well.

one of the examples i love most is the moment mika confesses to shima. throughout the chapter, all of her insecurities are exposed and she tirelessly hurt herself saying things like how she doesn't deserve to have someone who likes her in any way (a reflection of the way she was treated throughout her adolescence). this dissolves when shima refuses to throw away the valentine's gift she made especially for him and thanks her for all the care she took with it — an affirmation that her hard work has been recognized and appreciated. this shows mika that she is a person who deserves love and to be valued. for the first time, mika understands that she is being seen as a person, as someone who deserves to be treated well and be recognized.

i know that many people must be thinking that there was an intention for a romantic development in this scene and yes, i agree. after all, mika went to him to confess her feelings. but the way in which the scene was handled makes me think that being seen as a valid person to have feelings was worth much more to her than having her romantic feelings reciprocated — and this, in my opinion, comes back to prominence in chapter 54, when nao, once again, recognizes her pain and connects with it (the appreciation of the "self" when you find someone who understands where you’re hurt).

(...)

(this part wasn't included on the original analysis, but later on I decided to add:

oh my god i was so focused on some very specific scenes for mika that this one slipped my mind and i feel so bad for that! this moment is one of the most important for mika’s development and it also highlight the first time she was seen as a person (by no other than nao). since that day, mika holds nao to a very important place in her heart. i feel that she, at that time, said exactly what mika needed to hear to feel validated and to feel comfortable enough to just go back and spend the night with the girls. if it wasn’t for nao at that time, mika would probably go home and regret ever making this decision — and this ties directly to chapter 54.)

(...)

the second character i want to talk about is yuzuki and all the times she had her identity erased thanks to other people's selfishness.

since the opening of chapter 38, yuzuki talks about how she was always seen as someone whose time was numbered: there was a countdown until the day she achieved "true beauty" and began to be an object of desire, no longer a person. this not only happens thanks to the disgusting adult men that surround you, but also thanks to the friends she tried to make in middle school, one of the most important times of a child’s life, phase where they are beginning to recognize themselves as a person.

yuzuki is simply seen as a object of status to the boys in her class, while to the girls, she’s someone who was only interested in "diminishing others with her beauty" — something she never did, but never even had the chance to defend herself. 

Thanks to that, yuzu is forced to grow up without having an identity of her own, but one forced on her, causing her to rebel and refuse to open up to new people. she had her feelings denied, being defended only when there was a sexual/romantic interest in the mix and forced to believe that she was being selfish for denying such a privilege of being "spoiled" and "admired" by everyone, all the time.

yuzu gets her chance to be valued as a person when she enters high school and meets mitsumi and the other girls. she is, for the first time, seen as a person, seen as a yuzuki, seen as someone who has the right to impose herself and be selfish, something she has never been able to be before. her feelings are not diminished or seen as "not valid enough” but most importantly: she’s finally heard. 

and then, i think we have one of the most important “i love you like a person” moment: the breakup chapter. chapter 46 is a huge twist to skip to loafer’s romantic narrative, which i myself appreciate a lot. kind of a personal twist here, but it’s a breath of fresh air for someone like me, a demi girl, who always had a little trouble with understanding love when i was their age — and now, basically ten years later, mitsumi’s words not only reached shima, but it also reached me and other thousands of readers who needed to hear something like that.

but well, let’s get back on track. chapter 46 is one of the first times we see shima talking about his past relationship with other people and going a little more in-depth with his relationship with his mom. the core message of it all and the core line that guides all of his personal connections is very simple and highlight why shima have so many trust issues: no one ever saw him as a person, but only as a status object, as someone who was there to be used for their own benefit. shima was used by his mother when she forced him to keep on acting, was used by his peers in a situation a little similar with yuzuki (ofc not completely equal, because we need to remember that gender roles also have a huge influence on how both stories developed (see ririka, for exemple. i have a whole thread on her as well, but this is another topic), when both felt like they were nothing but puppets to the ones around them. 

when shima is sitting by mitsumi’s side, he starts to wonder if he really deserves all of that, if he really deserves someone like mitsumi near him. he doesn’t understand his feelings as a whole, because he was never given the opportunity to really explore them and try to dissect it all — this is brought up once again on chapter 53, when he starts to discuss with mukai what it means to love someone in a romantic way (and why loving them as a person isn’t enough on society’s eyes). 

he’s not, at any point, using mitsumi or making fun of her feelings. imagine if you were never allowed to think for yourself and then, suddenly, you have the freedom to do so. how does one express something they never had? how does one understand what it means to have a feeling, any feeling, if all they ever felt was guilt?

and that’s when the bigger bomb hits the scene: mitsumi, seeing how troubled he is, shows how important he is and how she values him as a person. it might seem silly to a lot of people, but just hearing someone saying “i will always like you as a person, no matter who you end up being” when all you ever heard in your life was how useless you were, makes you whole world crumble on the spot. he was seen, he was heard, he was understood. mitsumi valued him to the point of assuring him that a romantic relationship wasn’t more important than the platonic one they had. isn’t that beautiful?

to finish it off, i think the conversation the girls have on chapter 57 is also extremely important to the narrative and to the overall message. by not wanting the girls to see shima in a terrible light, mitsumi is, once again, putting their relationship as friends above any other romantic relationship they could have. she shows how much she values him and how much he is important to her — she sees shima as a person, not as an object. 

and then, makoto comes to picture with a beautiful speech about how loving someone (any kind of love, not one or another) is to hope that they are happy, content, being taking care of and being comfortable with their own feelings. by forcing someone to feel anything you selfish want, you’re not valuing them as a person with their own feelings and insecurities, but only seeing them as a way to satisfy yourself.

of course, i’m not here to defend everyone and say that they never hurt anyone. yes, shima did hurt mitsumi and she still not completely over it, but she’s way worried with losing him as a friend than forcing something out of a relationship that both don’t feel very comfortable with. mitsumi herself is also someone who is slowly understanding her feelings and understanding what it means to love romantically — but never putting the platonic side aside, since there is no right way to love someone.

thank you so much for reading!! i hope i was clear about the points i was trying to bring up, but i'm always open to discussion!!! 💛