#I am an oracle of nighttime thoughts

[alcoholicwitharatproblem]

Priest addressing a circle of other priests: So femboys amiright

[thevoidstaredback]

How To Balance Your Daytime and Nighttime Activities So That You Don't Burn Yourself Out More Than You Already Have

It was halfway through his shift the next day, just after he'd come back from lunch, that the anonymous tip came through. Dick had frozen when he heard it, but only slightly because the others were brushing it off as a prank call.

"'Blockbuster's after someone named Oracle,'" Officer Diaz had scoffed, "What a joke. Aren't kids supposed to know that their stupid prank calls clog the system? What if someone who actually had useful information had needed to call, huh?"

Dick didn't mention that that isn't how the tip system works, nor did he eve attempt to scold the officer for brushing it off, no matter how stupid it seemed. No, instead, he was stuck in his thoughts.

Blockbuster is after Oracle. Why is he after Oracle? It doesn't make sense! No one in Bludhaven, save for himself, should no who she is! Besides, he'd kept all of the attention on himself. No one was able to even think about the heroes or rogues in Gotham without him knowing! Or, so he'd thought. How does Blockbuster know Oracle's name? More importantly at the moment was who sent the tip.

There was another scoff from one of the others. Did he say that out loud? "Look, I know you're new and everything, but shouldn't you know the mean of 'anonymous'?"

He forced himself out of his head, rubbing his neck with his left hand with a fake smile. "Yeah, I do. I guess I'm just a bit out of it today."

"Well, get your head back in the game," Detective Soames snapped, hitting a file on the back of Dick's head, "File that for me, then file the rest on my desk."

"Yes, sir," Dick took the file, ignoring the snickers and snide remarks from his coworkers.

He knows he's not going to be able to fully focus on anything for the rest of the day, possibly not even until after he finds out who sent that tip and how Blockbuster knows Oracle's name.

Oracle. Dick knows she can handle herself, but he doesn't like the fact that anyone knows her name. Not even B knows about Oracle! Babs had spent so much time and energy keeping her online persona from B so that she could have at least something of her own that Dick had taken it upon himself to erase traces connecting him to Oracle. She didn't deserve to have Batman on her ass, nor did she deserve to have Nightwing's enemies go after her!

He shook himself back into the present with a soft sigh. He'll call Barbra as soon as he gets home.

***

"Danny!" Dick calls into the apartment, knowing full well that the kid is in the kitchen, "I'm home!"

"Welcome back," Danny responds from where he's standing at the stove. He, Dick realizes, does not sound happy.

He hangs his coat up on the hooks he installed beside the door, his shoes going on the rack below them. "You good? You sound a bit upset?"

"I am upset." Danny, after getting comfortable around him, has stopped sugar-coating his words, being brutally honest. Dick blinks. "I was going to message Tim, but I saw a lack of apologies from you."

Oh. Dick had meant to do what Danny said last night and apologise to that Tim kid for snapping at him, but he had been a lot more tired than usual and it had slipped his mind. "I was going to use my phone?"

"You don't have his number."

Another thing Dick had come to learn about Danny in the few weeks they'd been living together was that he can't be lied to. He somehow picks up on lies, so even Dick's best efforts - that have fooled even Batman! - are always thwarted.

"I meant to," Dick said, sitting on one of the new barstools at he island counter, "But I was really tired last night."

Danny sighed. "Because you were out longer than you're now used to." He turned the burner off, moving the pan to sit on the hotpad beside it. "You're body's gotten used to only being out for eight hours during the day and six hours at night. You going out for eight hours last night wore you out more than usual because you're no longer used to your seventeen hour work days."

Dick tilted his head, accepting the bowl of soup he was given. "But it's only been a few weeks?"

"It only takes eighteen days for your body to get used to a routine." He said, placing a bowl of homemade rolls on the island. "After about sixty-six days, it becomes habitual."

"But it hasn't been sixty-six days."

"No, but it has been twenty-one days."

He hesitated for a moment. "Has it really been only that long?" Then, "Have you been counting?"

Danny blushed, sitting beside Dick with his own bowl of soup. "I've been keeping track of your schedule, which means I gotta keep a calendar. I haven't been counting on purpose."

Dick smiled, eating the soup. As usual, it was really good. The first week of Danny's stay, he'd asked where he'd learned to cook, but Danny had given a non-answer, saying only that his parents couldn't make anything edible that wasn't fudge or cookies.

After they had both finished eating, Dick's portions and appetite being larger than Danny's because of the calories he burns as Nightwing, they settled into a nice quiet. Dick had changed from his uniform into sweats and a T-shirt while Danny had chosen a movie. Then, Dick cleaned up dinner and Danny changed into a hoodie and sweats.

"We still need to take you shopping," Dick pointed out when they were both sitting on the couch, ready to start the movie.

Danny shook his head. "Letting me stay here is already enough. Besides, your old clothes work perfectly fine."

"But you're room's so empty! And my clothes don't even fit you!"

There was a pause like Danny was thinking. Dick had the feeling he might not like whatever was going to be said next.

He was right.

"I'll let you take me shopping next week," Danny agreed, "if we go to Gotham tomorrow so that you can apologise to Tim in person."

Dick's jaw twitched. He didn't want to go to Gotham. Going to Gotham meant that he'd inevitably run into Bruce. He wanted to stay far away from that man.

Then again, he'd promised Alfred to come by some time. And, it'd be nice to see Barbra and Jim again. Maybe he could have Alfred make sure Bruce wouldn't be in the Manor?

"So?" Danny promted.

He sighed. "You're evil, y'know that?"

His grin said it all. "I could be so much worse."

"Please don't."

"Don't give me a reason."

Part 9 Part 11

[trippygalaxy]

Hi there, I'm the anon that requested in the past of sleepwalker reader, and if your okay with it. Can I request ravio x sleepwalker reader?

YES SIRRRRR!! Sorry it took me so long to get to this! Writer's block is a BITCH

EDIT:....this has been in my drafts for over 5 months...I am so sorry.

Paring: Ravio x gn!reader Warnings: Ravio schemeing, swearing,

Ravio

This man is so utterly fascinated but WHOLE HEARTEDLY TERRIFED at the same time (he did wake you up during one of your walks because of his terrified screech, tried to tell you it was the birds, it was the middle of the night)

Not only has he never met anyone with such a trait but he also never even heard about it before coming to Hyrule! So you can only IMAGINE his shock and terror when he saw you basically stalking around your shared home like a zombie

He deadass thought you got possessed by SOMETHING or that you touched one of the cursed items he owns. Either way, my manz had his bone's rattling in fear even when you woke up from his sudden yelps.

it also DID NOT help that you happened to just-- babbled whilst walking. Like on multiple occasions he had found you scolding the Tupperware for eating the legumes. Ravio had no fucking IDEA what a legume was and he doubt you did either.

But after the first encounter he had with sleepwalking you, he DEFIENTALLY had questions for you!!!

Like, when did you start doing this? Is it contagious? are you hurt like...mentally? why are you so worried about legumes? WHAT THE FUCK IS A LEGUME ACTUALLy?

While you are answering his questions, the man's mind began to slowly wander as sneaky little schemes begin to formulate in his head. You didn't have to ask him what he was thinking about as you could practically SEE the ruppees shining in his eyes.

Thats how you ended up being...an 'oracle of the night', whos magic only came out when your mind was in the realm of dreams and your soul had the ability to speak all that is true!

aka Ravio, your dearest love, was selling your nighttime babbling as a way to see into a customers future!

.....Yeahhhhh, that didn't last long before a certain hero gave your lover a very stern talking to, even going so far to say he was taking advantage of you! (he totally wasn't-- he gave you his puppy eyes and you agreed to his little scheme :3)

[fan-written]

Maribat Tropes ch 5

First, Previous, Next

So somehow some TimKon flirting happened to show up, just to warn you. Otherwise I don’t think there’s anything to warn you about. This is a pretty tame chapter compared to the next one!

---

"Please, like you understood that much more than me," Allen said while he elbowed her in the side. They walked out of the theater, arm in arm, behind the rest of the class. The play had just finished and Marinette couldn't be happier for the day to finally be over.

The remainder of the tour had passed quickly, but she felt on edge during it. In fact her Bug sense was still tingling, as if someone was watching her even now.

"I'll have you know, I did." She sniffed haughtily at him and poked his side in retaliation. Then she grinned slyly, "I read the spark notes in French before we came."

Allen gasped in mock offense. "For shame," he exclaimed. "I can't believe you didn't tell me so we could read them together!

"And give up my advantage? Please!" Marinette grinned at Allen's scowl. He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by a shout.

"Nightwing!" Alya pointed at the glimpse of blue swinging overhead.

Marinette watched in awe when the vigilante flipped four times before landing on the opposite roof. "I wish he could teach me that," she whispered to Allen. He could only nod in agreement.

Madame Bustier urged the class to keep moving and Marinette realized that they had all stopped to watch the foreign hero. She followed, but internally scolded herself. That wasn't safe. It was dark out, not too late, but she knew that the Gotham villains would be more active now. They had to get back to the hotel quickly if they wanted to continue being safe.

"You know I met him once?" And there was Lila, unable to think of the ramifications of her words. What if a Rogue overheard? "It was at one of the charity gatherings, and only for a second. We were both there for the children after all."

Marinette sighed, but did feel some relief that she wasn't spouting off claims of helping the vigilante. Those kinds of lies would get them killed in Gotham.

Lila still lied with every breath, but they had become smaller. Smarter. No more saving cats or far away visits with princes after her mother settled into life in Paris. No more personally knowing celebrities. Instead she chose things that could be backed with skim of the fist page of search results. A charity visit here, small name drops there. Nothing that could fully be proven by deeper research, but could almost be backed with actual events at first glance. And she was still modeling which meant she actually was meeting some famous individuals now.

"That's amazing, Lila. What was he like? I'm sure he's better than our heroes." Alya frowned at the thought of the Parisian team but quickly turned back to her friend. Marinette knew she probably shouldn't listen in on their conversation, but she couldn't help it. There was a morbid curiosity that came with the hurt of her ex-friends' words about her alter-ego.

"He was kind. A little bit of a flirt, and definitely handsome," Lila rattled off a few attributes that Marinette knew she had found online. She'd read that exact phrase on a comment in a Nightwing fan page she had found when doing research on Gotham's protectors.

"Lucky!" Rose squeaked out on the other side of her. "I am so glad to hear he was at a charity too. Heroes always bring more attention to those in need when they go to the events."

Marinette's hand twitched on Allen's arm, all she would show of her flinch. A warm hand covered hers and she jerked her head up from where she was staring at the ground. Allen smiled softly at her and patted her hand twice before pulling her the last few yards to the bus.

She knew Rose hadn't meant any harm, but Ladybug hadn't had the chance to go to any events in the last year and she knew all of the news outlets had taken notice of it. For Alya it had become just another thing to criticize her for. She could almost hear what Alya would say next.

"Right? If only our heroes would follow their example." Marinette thought it was only a good thing Alya was predictable by now. "I mean, I was researching the vigilantes here and did you know Robin is very active in the fight against animal cruelty? He vocally and financially supports like, ten different animal rights groups, and he's been photographed in the hottest vegetarian restaurant multiple times. He's done so much and he has so many villains to fight. It's impressive how well he can manage his time, unlike some heroes."

"There there," Lila patted her arm in sympathy. "We all know that the Miraculous team has, oh what the word, become subpar since the team changed, but we can't blame Ladybug. She must have a lot going on in her personal life to think all her changes were good." Lila gave Alya the most fake smile of comfort before she climbed onto the bus. Alya continued speaking as she followed her up.

"True, but she could at least spend more time talking to the public. She's left most of that up to that Chat Noir wannabe and he's been terrible at public relations."

Allen snorted next to her while they waited for their turn. Felix had taken over their public relations, but it was only bad journalists and trashy tabloids that had a poor opinion on him. Marinette was just waiting for the day when Alya realized what that meant about her blog. The professional publications all had positive things to say about the teams professionalism and synergy.

Marinette grinned and looked up at him through her bangs. When it was her turn she led them to their seats and waited for Mm. Bustier to join them. Shockingly her teacher actually took count of the students before leaving, but Marinette figured it was because it was nighttime. She would be surprised if it happened in the morning for their trip to the museum.

"Alright kids! Let's head back to the hotel. It's too late to stop anywhere tonight, so if you are hungry please order delivery when we get back. I would like you to stay off the streets as often as possible when it's dark please." Bustier smiled sweetly at the class before nodding at the driver. Marinette slouched in her seat, relieved that she could crash once she got to her room.

---

Conner Kent, currently known as Superboy, was definitely not listening in on their conversation. Nor was he following them from the rooftops with Red Robin at his side.

No, that was Robin and Nightwing.

Instead, Superboy was doing something that was probably illegal if anyone found out. While the majority of the class was at the play he was tasked with using his x-ray vision to scan each of their belongings. Particularly those of Ms. Dupain-Cheng.

Red Robin was next to him, keeping a list of suspicious items while he rattled off what he found. Surprisingly they'd found a few. One girl, Alix, had a rather large amount of spray paint accumulated. RR decided to keep an eye out for any new tags that showed up in the next two days until the class left for Metropolis. He said she was SB's problem after that.

Lila Rossi had two extra phones that hadn't shown up on any reports which automatically placed her higher on their person of interest list. Especially after her meeting with Dick. She had painted an interesting picture about Dupain-Cheng, one that seemed to be false. Well, mostly false.

He did feel bad for the Agreste kid. His room held nothing but expensive clothes with uncomfortable collars.

Red Robin had felt certain they'd find something incriminating on Dupain-Cheng, but the only interesting thing was a sewing kit that held more jewelry than sewing supplies. She did have a second one stuffed to the gills with needles and threads that they both assumed the first must be costume jewelry. They had overheard her talking about her themed outfits so it wasn't that much of a stretch.

"Nightwing just said they are on their way back," RR said while he finished the last of the list. "They're going to split from the bus about a block away. Oracle wants them to check out a warehouse in Crime Ally. I think we can stay until they go to bed, then we'll join them. I doubt we will overhear much tonight."

Superboy nodded and turned to watch the bus as it made its way back. Traffic wasn't too bad tonight, but he did know Two-Face had just escaped out of Arkham. 

"So," he began, elbowing his boyfriend in the side, "Are you excited to see her outfit? She did say it was modeled after you?" He grinned, enjoying the blush that overcame his cheeks.

"Shut up." Red Robin shoved his arm away, knowing the super could keep it there if he really wanted to. "The coms are still on. And besides, she made one for you too."

Superboy chuckled and waved the comment away. He'd seen the shape of the outfit in his scan of her room but really did want it to be a surprise. It wasn't often he got his own themed outfit over his dad's. "She did, but she's not wearing it tonight. She's wearing yours."

"It's just like any other form of hero worship. The fact that it was set in my theme means nothing. Red and black compliment each other in many designs and this one is no different." He scowled, but refused to look at him.

Superboy knew he was flattered though. It wasn't often someone picked him over his brothers, even if she had worn something for Red Hood earlier. Robin was the usual fan favorite, right next to Nightwing, if only because the mantle had been around for so long.

"I bet she's cute though." He smirked at the betrayed look RR gave him. "She's wearing my boyfriend's colors. That would make anyone more attractive." He winked and RR glowered. Superboy knew it was fake though because his lips were twitching while he held in a smile.

"You just like her eyes." Red Robin said with a huff. "You're a sucker for blue eyes and you know it."

He shot an arm out faster than light and wrapped it around Tim. They probably shouldn't be flirting so blatantly on a stakeout, but their targets wouldn't be here for at least five minutes. Besides, he knew Tim had turned off his mic after he first brought up the dress.

"I might be, but I only have eyes for these ones." He tapped the edge of Red Robin's mask and leaned in for a kiss. His boyfriend grunted and tried to pout but Superboy knew it was all pretend. The smile against his lips gave him away.

They continued kissing until Superboy heard Robin's voice through the earpiece in Red's ear. By the time they caught their breath the bus had pulled up and all of the students had unloaded.

Red Robin had blushed at the skater dress Dupain-Cheng had worn. The colors may have been inverted, but the inspiration was easy to find. Superboy had even noted the small RR charm hanging off of her necklace that they both knew wasn't official merch. Neither could deny she was a talented designer. They also couldn't argue that she was cute, dressed in red and black. Confident even.

They both listened to the quick report given by Nightwing about the conversation on the city's heroes, but they hadn't learned anything that they didn't already know. The comment the Ladyblogger had said about the bad publicist made Red Robin chuckle. It wasn't the hero's jobs to give her interviews. She only showed her age and inexperience when she complained about them.

Finally the class split ways and Superboy and Red Robin settled in to eavesdrop.

"Did you see the way Marinette was laughing at me? I can't believe I once thought she was helping me with my blog." It was the Ladyblogger, though neither of them were sure why she kept the name. All of her posts in the last year always included something critical about Ladybug and her team. "That was before I knew what a terrible person Ladybug was. I'm still so sorry you ever thought she was your friend, Lila. She's a manipulative liar who didn't even have the decency to respond to your emails. For her to just ghost you like that is just plain rude. I wish we could trade heroes. Or just get new ones. Maybe then Hawkmoth would be caught by now."

Red Robin couldn't see, but Superboy watched as the other girl in the room nodded absently. She was checking one of the hidden phones and frowned at whatever news she had received.

"Hey," SB whispered, "see if you can figure out the phone numbers in use within the hotel. We might be able to track down where those phones came from." Red nodded and sent a message off to Oracle. If they couldn't do it now, they'd have to try again tomorrow. Maybe they could tell through international calls made within this cell tower radius and work from there.

Cesaire continued complaining about Ladybug and both Red Robin and Superboy took notice of the stalker-like behavior she was exhibiting. The sheer number of emails she had sent raised the first red flag, and the talk of Ladybug owing her raised another. What happened between them that made the girl think she deserved interviews and personal details?

She continued talking, but they tried to ignore it for their main mark. Dupain-Cheng had said goodnight to her friend and had gone straight to her room. Superboy noted how she had set her purse carefully on her side table, open, but nothing else was odd about her night time ritual. He thought for a second there was the shape of two bug like things inside, but it was only a handful of treats she kept inside. Dupain-Cheng fell asleep quickly after that so the two sat until Rossi also went to bed.

"She doesn't seem like she would be helping a supervillain, but we know looks can be deceiving, " Superboy said on their way to that warehouse. He could make out Oracles commands to Red Robin over the sound of the grappling hook. Robin and Nightwing had found a group of Two-Face's men and needed backup in a fight.

"True. But I would have expected some kind of rant or phone call tonight if she was working with Hawkmoth. Gigantitan has been beaten 8 times in the last year. Any unfortunate subordinate would be fed up with their boss by now. The fact that none of that happened means she's either smarter than we thought, or she's not a villain. I would lean towards the latter if she hadn't disappeared earlier. We don't know how she did that and that sort of threat can't go unchecked."

Superboy nodded, not willing to say anything more right now. He landed silently next to Robin who grunted out a "Finally". Conner knew the younger boy preferred his little brother, but it was his turn to use the name. Honestly Conner knew should just pick his own name and move on like Tim had, but he and Jon had grown closer while purposely causing media controversy, much to Lois' ire. Maybe once Jon was ready to join Teen Titans with Damian.

Red Robin jumped down next to him and nodded at Nightwing. "Ready when you are. Oracle already uploaded the blueprints."

"Good." Nightwing shot his grappling gun but paused to grin wickedly at Red Robin. "Then you can report on why this girl has a dress based on you."

---

Next

---

Tag list:

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Again, I’m sorry if your tag didn’t work! Unfortunately I’m closing the tag list now. It’s starting to take my attention away from the actual story writing and I really don’t want to start avoiding this fic because of it. Thank you all for the support though! I really appreciate it!!

[legends-live-in-memories]

Downtown Detour

ayo its ya boi back with more timari and ignoring my wips cuz im plagued with timari brainrot

written in the same au as: 

Rooftop Rendezvous and 

Alleyway Altercation (NSFW)

AO3 link to the series

Timari 2.2K words, no warnings other than references to intimate relations

Summary:

“Red Robin makes a breakthrough in his investigation of the new Gotham Rogue and goes to confront her about it.”

without further ado

Tim could not believe this. The new Rogue, Karma—Marinette Dupain-Cheng— had been spotted a total of three times since their last encounter by either his brothers or the cops and none have been able to subdue her for more than fleeting seconds. She was caught breaking into a politician’s house when the man was away on another one of his exotic hunting trips; another artefact was stolen from the museum after that, one they were unable to retrieve; and finally she was last seen escaping from Robin by the mayor’s office, only no one know what was taken from there. All three times she was spotted and nothing to show for it other than bruised egos and missing items. 

During his little investigation into her supposed civilian name, he came across a series of interesting police reports from Paris, France of all places. A penchant for grand theft auto since her teenage years as well as a series of vandalism and reports of stolen student records from her high school at the time. There was even a rescinded expulsion, a litany of suspensions and a plethora of unexcused absences. She was a cookie cutter criminal in the making. But for Tim, it didn’t make sense. While all the evidence points to a child delinquent grown into an adult criminal, something about the situation set Tim’s teeth on edge. There was something missing. Something she wanted Tim to find out, if her giving him her name was anything to go by. But what?

She had no local address on file and the last piece of legal information that had any traceable location was a one-way ticket to Shanghai from four years ago. Immediately after her high school graduation. All her social media was deleted around the same time. She had effectively gone off the grid up until her emergence as a part of Gotham less than stellar night life. But why?

A closer look at her time in Paris led him to discover an interesting trend but it wasn’t anything concrete. Starting about when Karma—Marinette— was thirteen, her unexcused absences lined up with some of their infamous akuma attacks. While at first it could be argued that many children had unexcused absences in the beginning, and she had less than perfect attendance even before then, her disappearances also coincided with attacks far from her school which was where she should have been at those times. Then there were reports filed by police who spoke with her parents about her sneaking out at night which also lined up with notable akuma attacks. Either she was an overzealous fan of the city’s temporary heroes, or she was constantly in the thick of the action and kept it a secret from people close to her, letting her reputation suffer for it.

‘Trust me, I know all about acting in the name of the greater good. The good-girl act got tiring after a few years,’ she had said. ‘Much more rewarding to give into your own self-interests,’ she continued. ‘Something you could try emulating.’

Her words echoed in his mind. He never thought much of them before, his mind preoccupied with other things her mouth was doing that night. It could also be chalked up to everyone being the hero of their own story and she had just coloured her own experiences. But just maybe… 

Before he could entertain that train of thinking, his phone alarm was alerting him of his scheduled patrol. Hopefully he could catch a hold of his current person of interest and get some more answers. And perhaps get a read on what her intentions are in this city. With him.

~~~~~~~~

The skyline was a welcoming sight as he flung himself from building to building. The wind beneath him carried him across the sky like an actual bird and the thrill of the freefall lit his nerves on fire. His route was quiet but his appearance should coax out a certain thief. Red Hood was investigating a weapons smuggling deal that was set to take place by the Gotham Harbour. Nightwing was back in Bludhaven with Signal, introducing him to nighttime patrol. Robin and Black Bat were tracking a drug deal that was rumoured to disrupt the balance of the Narrows. Spoiler was with Batman doing their regular routes and Batwoman was doing her own thing somewhere. Oracle, as always, was on standby on comms and monitoring everything. This was the perfect opportunity for Karma to strike so Red Robin just had to be patient. The night was young.

An hour into his sweep of the city and Oracle was patching him into a radio call about a break-in in some pawnshop back in the Fashion District. It wasn’t on his route tonight but Oracle figured that with their likely suspect, and his arrangement with her, he was their best shot at apprehending her. If only temporarily. 

He arrived at the pawnshop without fanfare and found the storefront window broken into. Further inspection led him face to face with the object of his affection. Karma was posed calmly behind the cashier counter rifling through an assortment of jewelry that was left on display in the glass cases. It was only the faint twitch in her eyebrow that indicated her awareness of his presence. Other than that he went completely ignored. That won’t do. Not tonight. He approached her slowly and stopped on the other side of the counter, leaning into her space. He could faintly smell her rose-scented perfume. Her strawberry shampoo. Even the cherry lip gloss she wears under the mask. He’s tasted it enough times to know how strong it was. For a vision clad in black she was rather fond of red flavours. 

“Can I help you, Tweety Bird?” her voice was soft, sprinkled with faux indifference, not wanting to disrupt the background noise of rings and necklaces clanking together. She hasn’t looked at him once.

“Breaking and entering and attempted theft are serious crimes, Karma.” He saw a faint twitch of amusement in her eyebrow but her posture was relaxed and non-assuming.

“That’s not why you’re here. That’s not why I’m here either.” Her eyes sweep up to him as she stops searching the jewelry. She’s staring intently at him as if he’s to understand the meaning behind the words she’s not saying. He does. They’ve played this back and forth before. Danced their little tango of push and pull. 

“You wanted to see me then? Thought this was the best way to get my attention, hmm?” He leaned in, pressing his weight more into the counter. She matched his advance and propped her face in the palm of her hand. Her finger tapped on her mask. He figured if the accessory wasn’t there she’d be biting that finger instead. 

“Well it worked. Didn’t it? You’re here after plenty of time to conduct a rather thorough investigation into who I am. Or was.” She took off the mask, finally, and he was right. Her lips were shining in the dim light of the night with the familiar hues of her lip gloss. He presses on to not let himself get distracted by the slight smile on her face.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, daughter of Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. Paris, born and raised. Above average student in terms of grades but a disciplinary streak about a hundred miles wide.” At this her head tilts in amusement. Her faint nod encourages him to divulge all the aspects of his research. “Absences and tardies more often than any recorded presences. About twelve suspensions in the span of three years and a rescinded expulsion when you were about fourteen. A couple run-ins with the police in regards to charges of theft and property destruction.” Her face scrunched in an adorable pout at that as if it were a reminder of an embarrassing moment and not outlines of criminal offenses.  

“Definitely not my finer moments, I assure, but keep going. You’re doing so well,” she interrupted him. She had shifted so that she could jump over the counter and sit atop it, her legs crossed and her arms bearing her weight behind her. Red Robin was temporarily silenced by the arch in her back and the lean lines of her exposed neck. He rose to his full height; just barely reaching her shoulder, due to her new vantage point. 

“You disappeared after your high school graduation, my investigation says you ran off to Shanghai but I believe there’s more to it than that.” She had uncrossed her legs to accommodate him between them and drew him closer by his shoulders. Acting on instinct, his arms found purchase on her waist and he was brushing the pad of his gloved thumb across the exposed skin. It was uncharacteristically soft but neither heeded mind to it.

“You think there’s more to me than that?” She leans in, almost breathing the same air as him. “You’d be the first,” she continued while snaking a hand up his neck to scratch lightly at his scalp. The touch sent shivers down his spine and had his toes curling in anticipation.

“So tell me then,” he licked his lips and stared at her through the film of his mask. “What is Paris’s Lady Luck doing here causing mischief in Gotham?” The question was a gamble and could upset the rapport he had with Karma. He was the team’s only lead on her, for better or worse, and he didn’t want to ruin whatever it was between them.

It was probably the right thing to say though, because she hasn’t left him yet but instead was staring at him with something indescribable in her eyes. Excitement? Approval? Affection? Red Robin wasn’t sure what to make of the glimmer of emotion in her eyes other than to take it as a good sign.

“You got this far in your investigation, Tweety Bird,” she leaned in closer, just a hair’s width away. “Why ruin the chase and tell you everything now?” Her lips were brushing against his as she spoke and the cherry flavour was almost distracting. His tongue peaked out to swipe a stronger taste. The arms around her waist tightened and he pulled her to the edge of the counter, her legs wrapping around him on instinct.

“Surely you could reward me for figuring out this much, right?” His voice was pitched so low if she wasn’t already breathing in his words he would have worried that she didn’t hear him. “After all, it’s not everyday someone discovers the identity of the allusive Ladybug.”

“The bird wants a reward, does he?” She finally sealed his lips with hers, stealing any half-baked retort he might have had. This kiss was different from the multitude they’ve exchanged in their times together, carrying over the unanswered emotions from their last encounter and introducing new ones into the mix. The air felt still and cool on his face and the fingers in his hair tightened even further. 

They were like that for what felt like hours but was merely a few minutes; just calmly exchanging kisses, nothing straying beyond that silently defined line. They didn’t need anymore for tonight. Karma had taken to progress this further by trailing her lips to the sharp cut of his jaw. She alternated between small kisses and even smaller bites as she made her way up to his ear. Her breath was warm against the shell of his ear and he leaned into the faint contact. A lick and a bite later, her lips were curled up into a smirk as her hand in his hair held him in place. 

They stayed like that for moments lost to time. Neither making the next move, nerves buzzing with anticipation. He felt an itch for more that only she could scratch and she was denying him that satisfaction. Despite that he made no inclination to instigate more, letting the ball stay in her court. After more silent minutes he felt rather than heard her chuckle against his ear. She jumped off the counter, pressing every curve of her body against his. Even then, he unconsciously tried to pull her closer, pressing her against his front and the tempered glass of the counter. Before he could do as he pleased with his new leverage, she wiggled out of his grasp and moved towards the broken storefront window, mask in hand. 

“It was great to see you tonight,” she throws a glance over her shoulder, readjusting the mask over the lower half of her face. “And I’m glad my assumptions of you were right.”

“What assumptions? What do you mean?” The confusion was almost palpable beneath the traces of cherries. He moved to reach for her, to keep her here for a bit longer. To explain herself. To not leave him. She evaded his grasp and leapt out the broken window. From outside the building she turned to him and aimed what was clearly Red Robin’s grappling hook out to the nearest building.

Instead of answering him she chuckled and tilted her head in amusement at his growing distress. 

“See you around, Tim.” Her parting words were lost to the air as she shot off with the grapple into the night. Red Robin stood frozen, rooted in place at the use of his civilian name. How did she know? Who exactly did he decide to get entangled with? Among the cacophony of new questions one thing was for certain.

He was utterly fucked.

[winwxn]

seungmin & felix relationship reading

requested <3

seungmin’s perspective

fox & tiger: seungmin is easily adapts to felix’s personality and attitude to different situations. seungmin really cares about all of his relationships he has and thus really makes sure he does his best to keep up with his friends. he also brings a fun personality to felix’s life which makes both sides so much happier to be around each other. seungmin seems to really enjoy felix’s company in the evening/nighttime. he may really value the phases of the moons in relation to this relationship. or he just likes to look at the moon with felix lol

felix’s perspective

bear: this card talks a lot about awaking from hiberation and starting a new (spiritual) journey. with this relationship, i think that felix sees this relationship, especially when it was first starting, as something new and exciting and refreshing. he may now see seungmin as a breath of fresh air who also encourages and inspires him to move forward, even during the hardest times. this may also come from the fact that seungmin is the youngest member and thus brings a lot of innocent and excited energy to the whole group.

overall

four of pentacles & daughter of swords: both seungmin and felix have many complex relationships with others and this relationship is no different. it seems that they may both have problems with control or possessions. for example: they take each others’ things without asking which brings down their relationship a lot. so i think they’ll both learn how to control these frustrations for future relationships. this relationship is much more quiet in the fact that it isn’t seen as much as other relationships they both have or even just within the group dynamic. it kind of seems like a background thing, but it is still very important and a perfect teaching tool for them.

future

four of wands & death: this relationship, like all relationships, will eventually come to an end. it seems like it will be a pretty good, mutual end to the relationship. If it doesn’t actually end, it will go through a drastic regrowth into a new relationship. like the vibe of the relationship will be totally different. this seems like it’ll come during the end of their time as stray kids or a big celebration one of them has (getting married, graduating, debuting solo, (the possibilities are endless tbh). no matter what, it is a happy ending for both of them and they’ll be in a great place at that time.

oracle: full moon in virgo: “you are good enough.”

seungmin and felix likely bond over the thought that they struggle with feeling good enough. i think this may stem from their survival show but also just the stress of the job. they’ve also grown a lot together from training together which has helped them each grow in self-confidence. this may be something they help each other with for the rest of their relationship, even if they move on from the idol life.

disclaimer: i do not mean any harm to felix, seungmin, or anyone that i do readings of. this is just for fun and for me to practice tarot as i am a beginner. please be respectful to me, the people i do readings of/for, and others reading my spreads. thank you.

[matrixreimagined]

The Dream Chronicles Chapter Five

A03 Link

.

It was warm when she woke.

How odd, Trinity mused to herself.

Mornings on the Neb often had her shivering. Just as the main lights would shut down, leaving only small safety beacons throughout the ship, the heat was automatically lowered through the nighttime hours. Something about sleeping better in the cold.

She understood the principle but thought the line needed to be drawn before they could see their breaths in the air. Unfortunately, that wasn't how Deadbolt saw it.

Trinity exhaled. Sure enough, her warm breath floated in the cold air. Yet beneath the heavy blankets that cocooned her, she was comfortable. Not shivering, not desperately trying to nestle down and pull her knees up to keep her body tight and compact. For the first time in a long time, she was comfortable.

Something behind her shifted and the blankets surrounding her tightened. No, not just blankets. The heavy weights pressed against her back and draped over her waist were not just the tattered blankets that had seen better days before the surviving humans had hid underground.

Trinity turned her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Neo watching her.

"Good morning," he said softly.

The night rushed back to her. Going to bed early to catch up on sleep, only to be woken by a crash and shouting.

Talking with Neo.

Morpheus giving his speech.

Then Neo annihilating the jump test, before telling Tank he was tired. Going off on his own, ending up in her bed.

"Morning." She blinked a few times as she fought a yawn, letting the haziness of morning begin to fade. "How long have you been awake?"

"On and off throughout the night."

She rolled onto her other side, Neo lifting his arm and leg just a bit so that she could settle facing him. When she stilled, his hand draped around her again, tracing tiny patterns on her back.

And because she could sense there was more to it than that, she said, "Tell me."

"It's… hard. To know that this is real. Every time I went to sleep, I was terrified that you wouldn't be here. I'd dream of you and wake up, almost expecting to be in my apartment. Like a dream within a dream."

His voice was heavy with emotion and it weighed her down. He couldn't trust what was real yet and she didn't know how to make that better.

"Never again," she promised, surprised at the vehemence in her words.

"Every time I woke up," Neo said, smiling, "was like a miracle. You're still here. In my arms."

Unable to resist, Trinity lifted her head off of his arm and craned her neck to kiss him.

His lips were warm and soft. A hint of stubble was growing on his face and she made a mental note to get him a razor. The hair on his head was still short and thin but was growing every day.

Neo pulled her tighter to him, their bodies aligning even as they parted. He was holding her like he had in the medbay. Like a lifeline.

He kissed her forehead tenderly.

A soft kiss to the head had no business feeling so damn good.

In the distance, she could hear the others moving around. Boots on metal and the grinding of doors being opened.

They didn't have much time.

As if Neo could read her thoughts, he asked, "What happens today?"

Truthfully, she wasn't entirely sure. Usually they gave new recruits a day or so to get used to their surroundings before starting to train them, but she had the feeling that Neo would want to push forward immediately.

"That will depend on what you're up for."

His face twitched. "I think I'm up for anything. I"—he hesitated—"I don't want to waste time."

She nodded in understanding. She couldn't blame him there.

"Then training," she replied, "physical in the morning, with Apoc. Your body recognizes movements but you're still weaker than you used to be. Then, after you break for lunch, I'll have Tank run some operational programs as well as combat training. I want to make sure the gaps in your knowledge are filled before Morpheus truly begins with you."

"Probably for the best," he determined, reaching up to run a finger along her face, "although I can think of a few better ways to spend the day."

"I'm sure you could," Trinity said with a smirk. "Unfortunately, the others will notice if we don't arrive at breakfast. And if we wish to not be interrupted, it might be best to circumvent the possibility."

"Always interrupted," he murmured, kissing her lips softly. "I will get you alone one of these days."

"I'll look forward to it." She gave a final peck and rolled out of the bed. Neo followed suit with a groan.

Neo walked over to the bureau and opened the drawer that contained her yarn. She raised an eyebrow.

"My things aren't here," he said conversationally. "This… this is where my shirts were. I-- I'm having trouble distinguishing real from my dreams and my dreams from the Matrix. I keep forgetting that this is not the place I've been to a thousand times before."

Neo looked at her sheepishly, almost apologetically. "This isn't my room in your world."

"No," she agreed, "but make no mistake, I could have easily kicked you out had I wanted to."

"But that doesn't make up for the fact I seem to be invading your space at every turn." He tried to run a hand through his hair, but he was unused to it being so short. He laughed, humorlessly. "I'm sorry."

"It's an adjustment," Trinity said. "To both of us. I will be patient with you for not understanding this world if you are patient with me and understand that I don't know all that you do."

He nodded, still looking distraught.

She wanted to fix it all, to make things better but she didn't even know how to begin.

"Thank you. Just… don't be afraid to remind me where I am. I feel like I see you, and I start to forget that there is a difference between my not-memories and where we are right now. The last thing I want to do is scare you or…"

Trinity closed the distance between them and reached up to cup his cheek. She angled his head, forcing him to look at her. "Do I look scared to you?"

He soaked in the sight for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't understand all of this," she admitted. "And I won't lie to you—I was scared at first. But I'm not afraid anymore."

At least, she qualified to herself, not of you.

There were still so many factors, so many moving parts to all that was happening. Aside from finding the One, an accomplishment in itself, they now had to figure out how to deal with his dreams and the Oracle and a nosy crew.

But all the fear that had been racing through her veins for weeks on end disappeared with his kiss.

"And someday,"' she added, "I'd like to hear about these memories."

Neo smiled and stepped into her space. "I think that can be arranged."

Trinity found herself smiling back. She let her other hand wander up to rest on Neo's back. She looked up, and he easily bent down and kissed her. The hand on his cheek migrated to wind tself around his neck.

She groaned as Neo deepened the kiss.

He stepped forward, carefully walking her backwards towards the door, stopping only when her back hit the solid wall. It was cold, even through her shirt, but Neo… he was so warm, so real. She could feel each inhale and exhale between kisses. Hands slipped, caressing her sides, holding her to him.

It was unfair, she thought, that he already knew her body so well. That he knew where to slide his mouth as he kissed at her skin, finding his way to her throat. His hands were on her hips, then. Pulling her towards him as he leaned forwards. Chest to chest, hip to hip, it was not enough.

Neo nipped at her throat before sucking on her pulse point. Her fingers held his head against her neck as she openly moaned, shifting against him in a desperate attempt to relieve some of the tension between her legs. His teeth scraped along her collarbone as he moved the fabric covering her torso to the side.

She caught his face in her hands and pulled him back up to her mouth. She couldn't decide if she wanted to devour him or to be devoured.

"Neo," she breathed, as they both paused for air, cheek to cheek, panting in tandem.

"Trin."

"We really…"

He kissed her again, soft and slow.

Then he exhaled. "I know. We need to go," Neo surmised.

"There's time."

Even a lifetime would never be enough, he knew. But they would have the nights, and the days when they reached Zion. For now, though, they had responsibilities. She was still second-in-command of the Neb, truthfully in charge of more than Morpheus. He needed to share her with the rest of the crew even if the thought left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

"Breakfast?" Neo asked, impressed with his own ability to step away.

"Breakfast," she confirmed, even as her cheeks remained flushed. She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

I love you. The words almost tumbled from his mouth before he stopped them. He was uncertain if he had said them to her during his moments of consciousness after waking up in the pod. It was likely, he knew. But she was dealing with so much at once, his declaration might not be as welcome or as heartfelt as he wanted it to.

Instead, he entwined his hand with hers and opened the door to her room. Together, they walked down to the kitchen. Apoc, Dozer, and Tank were already there with breakfast.

Tank grinned at the sight of them. "Mornin'," he drawled in a teasing sort of tune.

"Morning," Trinity echoed, careful to keep her own tone even as she walked with Neo over to the cabinets. Again, they wordlessly separated the tasks: Trinity filled the bowls while Neo made two cups of tea.

Apoc and Dozer were watching Neo with an acute fascination as he went about his task.

Trinity couldn't blame them for staring as he prepared her tea perfectly, almost effortlessly. She had barely been able to stop herself from doing the same thing the night before. His ease on the Neb was uncanny, to say the least.

"Sleep well?" Tank asked as Trinity sat down, quirking his brow.

"Mm-hmm," she hummed, sitting down, purposefully not saying anything to confirm or deny what Tank practically knew: that Neo had spent the entire night in her bed.

"I found it a bit cold," he pressed. "Did you? Were either of you cold?"

Apoc was smirking into his mug and Dozer smacked his younger brother in the arm. "Ease off," he said.

"I'm just asking about the temperature!"

"You know, Tank," said Trinity casually, "if you're too cold at night I could look into some room changes. Perhaps you'd like to bunk with Cypher?"

"Cypher only has one bed in his room."

"I'm aware." Trinity took a sip of tea and Tank relented.

"All right, all right. I'll behave."

"Doubtful," said Dozer.

Trinity smiled before glancing to Apoc. "After breakfast, I want you to put him on a fast track regimen. Gauge where he's at and go from there. Then, after lunch," she turned to Tank, "I want basic operations and combat training run on him. First aid if there's time."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am." Tank saluted.

Apoc nodded. "Can do." He looked at Neo. "Not going to lie to you, man, your body is not going to be ready for what you're about to go through, but it will help you adjust. I suggest you eat up."

Neo nodded with a grimace. He understood well enough the purpose of working out but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Switch stumbled in; eyes half lidded. "Who invented mornings?"

"No one. Like everything else, they're a social construct. Based upon a sun that no one has seen in more than a hundred years." Apoc moved down a bit making room for Switch at the end of the table. "You sleep okay?"

"Never."

"Ain't that the truth," said Dozer. "I never sleep good away from home."

Neo felt his heart clench at the half-memory of Zion. Home. More so than the Matrix had ever been. He was never happier than when he was in their little apartment, locked away from the rest of all the worlds.

Would it be the same in this reality? Trinity had been exceedingly patient with him as he adjusted but that was not a guarantee that she would keep him with her in Zion. Still, he had no memory of a home outside of the one with her. He hoped that was a good sign.

"Miss the warmth," said Switch, "miss my bed. God help me, I even miss Sparks."

Neo felt himself smile at that, adding, "Careful, you don't want to make Tank jealous."

The words escaped him like they would have in his dream world then reminded him of exactly where he was as the room grew silent. The only sound was the whirring of the ship. In his dream world, everyone would have laughed good-naturedly but here… he was just a newly woken red-pill that knew far more than anyone dared ask.

Apoc broke the silence and tension. "Huh. You're going to have to meet Sparks twice. It was hard enough doing it once for me."

"I don't…" Neo struggled with the words. "I don't remember meeting him in the dreams I had. He was just kind of there. I don't really remember meeting anyone, except Trin. I just, I don't know, knew who everyone was?"

He couldn't explain it. Years and years of dreams gave him insight to details he couldn't even fully recall. Some dreams, like the ones in the club with Trinity, happened so often he could recite them word for word. And others, like some in Zion, felt more like distant memories that disappeared the harder he tried to focus on them.

"Who else do you know?" Dozer asked curiously.

Neo shrugged a shoulder. "I know Cass. I know your kids. I know Zee and Link."

Link, he thought. Link was the Operator. But Tank was the Operator?

"I know Link really well, actually."

"Really?" asked Dozer, surprise resonating in his voice.

Neo nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes, he's here. On the Neb."

"On the Neb doing what?" Tank asked.

"Operating." Neo said, trying to recall the dream memories. "There are times when it's you. And times when it's Link."

"Link on the Neb?" Tank raised an eyebrow. "Zee would kill him. And where was I if Link was operating?"

Neo blinked, trying to piece together his memories. Link was there in his mind, but Tank wasn't. Neither was Dozer. His only memories with Link on the Neb involved Trinity, and a few with Morpheus. He thought back, trying to remember more.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, aware that everyone was staring at him. "When Link is here, you're not but there is a lot I don't remember. Some things that don't fit together right. Gaps that are missing."

"And based on what you said yesterday, neither Tank nor Link would be in about eighty percent of your dreams." Switch was smirking and Neo was exceedingly grateful that they broke the tension.

"You're having way too much fun with this," Neo said dryly.

"I really am."

"What does that mean?" Dozer asked. "That Tank and Link aren't in eighty percent of your dreams?"

"Oh, none of us are." Switch raised a brow while looking pointedly at Trinity. "It means Trinity has exclusive rights to those dreams. If you know what I mean."

Apoc choked on his goop.

Dozer gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Christ, Switch, you trying to kill him?"

Tank looked back and forth from Neo and Trinity to Switch. "Are you saying that eighty percent of those dreams that have given you insight to our lives and world were dirty dreams?"

Trinity glared half-heartedly at Switch. "Thanks for sharing that with half the crew."

"Oh my god!" Tank said, leaning forward. "Can I please be the one to tell Sparks?"

Apoc downed his water. "Neo, finish up so I can get the fuck out of this room before Tank or Switch loses it."

"Gladly." Neo started to eat a bit faster.

"No, I got more questions!" said Tank, "You guys get to see the Oracle—this is the closest I'll ever come to learning the future."

"We can't be sure what he knows is the future." Trinity pointed out. "Think about the club—there were multiple scenarios that he recognized being played through. His visions were not strictly of the future."

"But a lot of what he's seen is true. You said he knew the book you keep on your bedside table, for fuck's sake."

"It still does not indicate the future."

"But it does show that he knows things."

"I know very little," Neo said between bites. "I wouldn't stake my life on half of it."

"And yet you remember your training."

"But I don't remember being trained," he countered.

"In Zion, what's your apartment number?"

"Floor 44, apartment 31." The answer came automatically, flying from his lips before he had time to process. He blinked in surprise, not really sure where the answer had come from.

Trinity flushed red as he revealed her apartment number.

Tank grinned at Trinity. "At least he's consistent."

Trinity flipped him off as Tank fired another question. "What's the best bar in Zion?"

"Cain's."

"Who leads the Council?"

"Dillard."

He blinked again. Dillard was right but he was having trouble finding a face in his mind to match. Peculiar…

"We get it, Tank," Trinity cut in, giving Neo a chance to return to his food. "But there will be time for questions later. Let's not interrogate over breakfast."

"Oh, but we all have so many questions," said Cypher walking into the kitchen, "like how the hell you were able to fly in the construct. It was built with parameters, one of which is gravity." Cypher didn't bother to go for breakfast, instead sitting at the table on the opposite side of Neo. "That's what got me curious."

"I'm sure we'd all like to know," said Apoc, standing from the table and bringing his dish over to the sink. "But later. Right now, we have training to do."

"Right," said Neo, pushing up from the table.

Trinity mouthed a quick 'thank you' to Apoc as Neo also tossed his bowl in the sink. Apoc nodded once before heading for the door.

Neo followed, murmuring, "I'll see you later," as he stopped briefly to bend down and give Trinity a kiss.

Trinity grinned, lightly pushing his shoulder back. "Go."

His hand traced across her back as he walked by, following Apoc out the door.

"Kissing at the breakfast table?" Cypher asked Trinity with a raised brow. "My, he does work fast."

"That's nothing!" said Tank. "They're already sharing a room."

"What!" Switch's head shot up from their food, looking frantically between Tank and Trinity. "What? When did that happen? How do I not know this?"

"Recent development," Tank informed them casually. "But Cypher is right, Neo ain't wasting any time."

"Our past isn't exactly conventional."

"You don't have a past. Not a real one, anyway," he pointed out not unkindly.

"I'm sorry," said Switch, head going back and forth, "we need to go back. You two are sharing a room? Like, your room? Like, your room with one bed?"

Trinity smirked at Tank. "Doesn't seem like that hard of a concept to grasp."

"Oh my god," Switch said, pounding a fist on the table. "I take it back. This is the best day of my life. Have you fucked yet?"

"Switch!" Trinity said sharply as Dozer tried to cover a snort with a burst of coughs.

"It's a valid question!"

"And it's also none of your business. I don't ask you about your sex life."

"I wouldn't mind if you did," Switch shot back. "Bonding is important amongst a crew."

"Yeah, Trin," said Cypher, "bond with us."

"You're all disgusting," Trinity said, standing up from the table. "I can't stand any of you."

Tank nodded before looking at his brother to say, "I bet that's why she got Neo."

"Jesus Christ"—Trin tossed her dishes into the sink—"this can't be the most interesting thing in your lives right now."

"The fuck it isn't! We may have found the One and the One has weird dream-memories about boning you. Tell me one thing in your life that is more interesting than this!"

"I'm leaving now."

"I will find you!" Switch screamed after her. "I know where you sleep!"

"And where Neo sleeps," she heard Tank add.

Trinity resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Even still, she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

[dustinhendrsn]

i’ll stop the world and melt with you

dustin henderson/lucas sinclair 3.6k - read on ao3 requested by anonymous from this list: 24. ‘are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ ‘probably not.’

Dustin can’t think. His mind is nothing but electric blue water and Lucas’ deep brown eyes trying to get him to understand. God, his hand is so wonderful when it’s right there in Dustin’s. It fits so perfectly. “What are you saying, Lucas?” he chokes out, and he’s surprised it’s audible at all.

“I think I love you,” Lucas whispers, and the world stops.

full story below!

The humid nighttime air hangs over Hawkins like a cloak as Dustin and Lucas walk through the empty neighborhood, kicking a pebble back and forth across the asphalt between them as they go. Silver moonlight dapples the concrete in leaf-shaped patches and their silhouettes stretch tall and thin across the pavement in the glow of the dim yellow streetlights. Dustin exhales up to the sky, shoving his hands into his shorts pockets.

“So has your eighteenth birthday lived up to your expectations?” he asks, nudging Lucas’ side. Lucas looks down at his feet with a smile. Dustin loves that smile – it’s the one that means he’s unexpectedly pleased or happy about something that he’s too shy to admit. It makes Dustin’s heart do somersaults. All of Lucas’ smiles do, really, but this one in particular.

“I’ve eaten more cake than I can handle, demolished you at the arcade, and spent the entire day with my most favorite people in the entire universe. So, yeah,” Lucas concludes, looking over at Dustin with a grin, “I’d say I’m pretty happy.”

Dustin beams. “Good. Glad I’ve done my job well.”

They’ve been walking for what has to be at least an hour by now; the rest of the party went home after they messed around with some fireworks from Hopper’s garage on Hawkins Hill to round out Lucas’ birthday celebration. It’s just he and Dustin now, whiling away the night in each other’s company until they decide to stop. There’s honestly no place or time that Dustin would rather be.

They round the corner of Seventh Street and the public pool comes into view, its chain-link fence reflecting the streetlamps and the underwater lights turning the water to a glowing aquamarine. Dustin slows as they near it, his gears starting to spin, and he can tell Lucas immediately knows something is up.

“What?” Lucas says warily when they stop at the corner of Seventh and Ross Street.

Dustin looks over at him with a mischievous grin. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Lucas grimaces. “Probably not.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you don’t want to.”

“Dustin, we’d be breaking and entering.”

Dustin shrugs. “Not really. It’s a public pool, it says so right there on the sign.”

“The gate’s locked,” Lucas points out, but Dustin won’t be deterred.

“You really think it’s that hard to scale a chain-link fence? The thing’s barely taller than you.”

“It’s at least three feet taller than me.”

“Whatever,” he groans. “Come on. It’s hot, it’s your birthday, it’s one in the morning. Who’s ever gonna know?”

Lucas eyes the fence hesitantly, teetering on the edge of agreement, and Dustin grabs his hand to make the decision for him. Lucas lets out something between a sigh and a laugh and Dustin is met with no resistance as he pulls them across the street.

A heady thrill runs through him, saturating his nerves with excitement. He knows that despite Lucas’ halfhearted protests, he let Dustin convince him to do it, and it’s obvious in the way his hand holds tight to Dustin’s. It’s not the trespassing part of it that’s exhilarating; it’s being out here in the middle of the sticky summer night with his best friend, completely alone and drenched in all the freedom they could ask for, no eyes on them or expectations on their shoulders. It’s the very real possibility that anything could happen, anything at all, and it lights up Dustin’s spirit and sends his pulse fluttering, making him hyperaware of every little thing Lucas does. He loves these nights; he lives for the promise and potential of these nights. There’s no limit to what you can think and feel and want when the sun isn’t around to shine on the truth of reality.

They hop the curb on the other side of the street and gaze up at the fence. “You realize that if literally anyone in this neighborhood looks out their window, we’re dead,” Lucas says casually. Dustin rolls his eyes.

“Better climb fast, then.”

He hooks his fingers into the links and starts climbing. It’s arduous and takes a long minute for his not-particularly-athletic body to get all the way over, but finally he leaps down to the concrete on the other side. Lucas follows more easily behind him, his shoes slapping onto the pavement as he jumps down.

“I never should have skipped the rock climbing classes at camp,” Dustin says a little breathlessly, wiping his hands off on his shorts. Lucas snorts, striding up to him without looking even remotely strained. It’s bullshit, honestly.

“It was your idea, dipshit. Also, you’re wrong.”

Dustin frowns at him. “Wrong about what?”

“You said it was one in the morning, right?”

“Um, yeah? It’s like ten past.”

A smug smile finds its way onto Lucas’ face. “So technically it isn’t my birthday anymore.”

Dustin groans, letting his head fall back. “Oh my God, what does it matter?”

“I’m just saying,” Lucas snickers. He’s obviously pleased that he’s gotten under Dustin’s skin. Stay there, Dustin thinks, his heartstrings pulling tight. Stay under my skin. Don’t go anywhere, ever.

They’re standing at the edge of the glowing blue pool now, so close their shoulders are brushing. It’s hard to ignore but Dustin tries to, for his own sake. It starts hurting when he lets his mind dwell too long on Lucas. It stings when he thinks about who he loves with every beat of his heart, who he would die for without a second thought, who he would follow to the ends of the earth without question, who he can’t have.

“Now what?” Lucas asks flatly, looking out at the water. Dustin side-eyes him, shoving down his own pity party.

“We jump in? What did you think we were gonna do?”

Lucas throws his hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know! I’m not even wearing a swimsuit, dude.”

“Neither am I, but I did not climb that fence just to stand here and stare into the water like some kind of fucking oracle trying to divine the fate of the world. We have to go in.”

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

Lucas raises an eyebrow, a spark of challenge in his eyes. “Make me, Henderson.”

Dustin’s stomach flips over. Lucas is so rarely like this and he has no idea what it does to Dustin. Which is the for the best, Dustin supposes. He’s terrified that one day he’s going to slip up and Lucas is going to find out just how in love with him Dustin is, and then everything between them – the years, the memories, the friendship – would all collapse. There’s not a single thing in the world Dustin wouldn’t do to stop that from happening. Lucas and his friendship both mean far too much to him.

He swallows back his feelings and forces himself to give a nonchalant shrug, feigning disinterest in the challenge. “I don’t think I can.” They’re already at the edge – all it’ll take is a little bit of force.

“Finally,” Lucas says, nodding his head sagely, “you’re seeing sense. I was wondering when you’d sprout some brain cells –“

Dustin snatches his hand and Lucas lets out a yelp; he tries to yank his hand back but it’s far too late. Dustin drags them both over the edge and they go tumbling into the cool water with a mighty splash, all tangled up in each other. Dustin breaks through the surface and takes a deep breath, laughter bubbling up from his throat, and he shakes his hair out like a dog. Water droplets go flying onto Lucas’ face and Lucas just laughs and laughs and laughs, soaked and breathless and alive.

“Shithead,” he gasps.

“Happy birthday,” Dustin says with a wild grin, and he gets a splash to his face for it.

“God, I don’t know why I put up with you,” Lucas laughs. He’s still smiling and it’s making Dustin’s heart stutter because he’s such a lovesick fool. After a moment, he realizes that the warmth of Lucas’ hand is still loosely set in his own. Neither of them has let go yet. Dustin knows why hehasn’t, but as for Lucas…

“It’s because you wouldn’t survive a day without me,” he quips, fighting to get his mind off the hand-holding. “Can you imagine if I didn’t exist? The world would stop spinning.”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “You think you’re such hot shit.”

“I know I am,” Dustin says confidently.

“Yeah, well,” Lucas pulls his hand out of Dustin’s to wipe water away from his eyes, much to Dustin’s disappointment, “You’re not. Trust me.” And then without warning he bounces up out of the water and pushes Dustin under by his shoulders. The water closes over his head and he laughs, yet all it comes out as are bubbles. He blindly reaches out and when his hands find Lucas’ ankle, he yanks his feet out from under him. They chase each other around the pool in a splash fight for a while, and then they’re back to where they started near the middle and Lucas grabs his wrists just as he moves to splash him again.

“Truce, truce!” he yells. Dustin stops struggling against his grip and eyes him apprehensively.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, even though I shouldn’t trust you farther than I can spit because of what you pulled earlier,” Lucas says. Dustin snorts.

“You’re right. But, yeah, truce.”

Lucas releases his wrists and, honestly, he’s almost sad about it. Chlorine paints his tongue and going by the way Lucas absently licks his lips, it’s all over him too. A peaceful quiet slowly descends on them, wrapping them up in their own little bubble of nighttime. Chest-deep in the pool, surrounded by turquoise water and dark trees and empty streets, Dustin truly doesn’t know if he’s ever been more content. They throw their sopping wet shoes onto the concrete and then Dustin floats around on his back, watching the stars twinkle high above while Lucas hovers in the water next to him, doing whatever it is he’s doing, and time starts blurring. They occasionally drift in and out of conversation, mentioning whatever comes to mind, and other than that it’s just them and their halcyon night.

After a while, maybe minutes or moments or days, Lucas speaks with a new tinge of uncertainty in his voice. “Do you ever think…”

He trails off, absently dragging his finger around in the water between them. Dustin reorients himself from floating to standing and they’re so close that if he bows his head the way Lucas is doing, they’ll be just a hairsbreadth away from touching.

“Do I ever think what?” he asks, mesmerized by the swirls Lucas is drawing.

“I don’t know.”

“Dude, what?”

They look up at each other at the same time. Dustin doesn’t have the first idea what the hell his friend is thinking about, which is an extremely rare occurrence.

Lucas just gently shakes his head and his gaze moves up to Dustin’s short, loose curls. “I like your hair like this,” he says thoughtfully, lifting a hand. Dustin’s breath hitches as he takes one of the curls between his fingers, his expression calm and contemplative. Does he even know what he’s doing? Obviously he’s totally unaware of the effect it’s having on Dustin, who is standing as still as a statue, his heart slamming against his ribcage, unable to move because holy shit what is Lucas doing? It lasts the longest moment of his life, but finally Lucas’ gaze flicks back down to him guiltily and he lowers his hand. “Sorry, that was, um –“

“You’re good,” Dustin says far too quickly, almost tripping over his own words in his haste to reassure Lucas. There’s never been any boundaries between them, no lines or walls, especially not on Dustin’s part. He is Lucas’, completely and without question, and Lucas doesn’t even know it.

Lucas’ eyes are bright and serene, illuminated by the pool lights. He’s so close that Dustin can see the water droplets in his eyelashes and feel his warm breath across his cheek. It hurts so much to look at him. It’s all Dustin ever wants to do.

“What were you asking me?” he says, his voice hoarse all of a sudden. Whether it’s from their proximity or from the desire not to shatter the tranquility of the night, he can’t bring himself to speak any louder.

Lucas furrows his eyebrows. “What?”

“Just a minute ago. You asked me if I ever thought about something. What were you asking?”

Lucas is silent for a moment, holding Dustin’s gaze, and then finally, “Do you ever think things could be different?”

Dustin’s heart skitters past several beats and he immediately wants to kick himself. He’s jumping to conclusions and getting his hopes up, as per usual. “Like – like what?”

“Things,” Lucas says emphatically, an edge of frustration in his voice. “Us.”

This isn’t happening, Dustin thinks. This isn’t real. He’s talking about something else.

“Sometimes,” he whispers. It’s too big of a confession to say all the time, to admit that far too often he lets himself fall into the painful trap of imagining what life would be like if Lucas loved him too. It’s a trap because inevitably, there comes the time when he has to remember it isn’t real.

Lucas exhales, and if Dustin isn’t mistaken, it’s clear relief painted on his face. This can’t be happening.

“I just – sometimes, I think – you know, you and me, it’s just – we could – what if we – “ Lucas shakes his head, giving up on words. He grabs Dustin’s hand under the water and holds up their laced fingers between them. “This, Dustin.”

Dustin can’t think. His mind is nothing but electric blue water and Lucas’ deep brown eyes trying to get him to understand. God, his hand is so wonderful when it’s right there in Dustin’s. It fits so perfectly. “What are you saying, Lucas?” he chokes out, and he’s surprised it’s audible at all.

“I think I love you,” Lucas whispers, and the world stops. Dustin forgets how to draw breath, how to move his limbs, how to do anything. This is real. This can’t be real. Lucas is still talking. “I just – I want you to know that, because it seems like this town is death central station and if one day something happens to me, or – or to you, I need you to know –“

And then somehow, Dustin breaks out of his trance. The love of his life is right there, he’s just said that he loves Dustin, he feels the same, so as he stands there trying to string the right words together, Dustin surges forward and kisses him.

Dustin loses all concept of everything the instant that he feels Lucas on his lips and his heart bursts into a blinding supernova. There’s no hesitation from either of them, just an intense years-old need to be closer, closer, as close as physically possible. Lucas pulls their hands apart so that he can cup Dustin’s face with both, holding him steady, kissing him so hard you’d think it was the last minutes of their lives. Dustin still isn’t sure it’s not – but then, maybe their lives are just beginning all over again. He fumbles for something to hold onto and ends up with one hand fisted in the front of Lucas’ shirt and the other on the back of his neck, his fingers grasping up into Lucas’ hair. A small, desperate noise comes from Lucas that sounds like Dustin’s name and Dustin pulls him closer, holds him tighter, feels himself falling deeper and deeper in love. He didn’t even think that was possible. His skin is on fire at every point of contact between them and all he sees behind his eyelids is gold. The entire universe is right here between their lips. They’re slipping on the bottom of the pool as they try to stay upright, completely enraptured with each other and oblivious to anything else. It’s just Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, that’s all Dustin knows for sure. He’s the only thing Dustin can make sense of right now, his warm body pressing against him and chasing away the chill of the night. Dustin pushes back, pours his heart and soul into this first kiss between them and God, what is this? Is he even awake? Who decided he was worthy of this?

“Do you mean it?” he manages to say against Lucas’ lips, struggling for air. Who even cares about oxygen anymore? He’s breathing Lucas.

“Of course I mean it,” Lucas rasps. Their foreheads are pressed together and Dustin can feel Lucas’ chest rising and falling against his own – he doesn’t know whose heartbeat is whose. He opens his eyes to see Lucas staring wide-eyed at him, just as flustered and blushing and amazed as he is. “I love you, Dustin. I really do.”

The truth of it makes Dustin’s knees go weak and he’s praying Lucas can hold him up. “Okay. Okay – that’s – that’s good,“ he stammers, and finally, finally, after so long of keeping it in, “I love you too.” It’s a confession three years in the making but it feels so good to hear it said aloud, and to know that Lucas will accept it and reciprocate it. “I love you,” he repeats, stronger this time. He can’t help the incredulous laugh that escapes him – he can’t believe any of this is real. His blood is running backwards and there’s sunbursts in Lucas’ eyes, actual sunbursts despite the fact that there’s currently no sun in the sky. How is this real? “Holy shit, I love you, Lucas. Do you know how much I love you?”

“Tell me,” Lucas says, his expression somewhere between shock and abundant glee.

“So much,” Dustin laughs, sliding his arm around Lucas’ neck. Their noses keep brushing and it’s the most breathtaking thing Dustin has ever felt. “You don’t even – it would take so long to give you all the reasons why I love you, Lucas.”

Lucas grins wide. “How long?”

“Years, because – because that’s how long I’ve loved you.”

Lucas stares at him in awe and Dustin, his heart floating somewhere that certainly isn’t his body, decides to go back to kissing him. He’s so warm and beautiful and Dustin doesn’t ever want to let go. He tries to imprint every single thing about it into his memory – the feel of Lucas’ fingertips pressing into the small of his back, the taste of chlorine on his lips, the way he leans into Dustin’s touch like he’s been waiting for it all his life. How, how can Dustin ever let go now that he has this?

“Dustin – mmf, Dustmm – “ Lucas mumbles, his voice completely smothered by their kisses. He moves a hand from Dustin’s jaw to his chest, his palm burning a scar into Dustin’s skin right through his soaked shirt, and it’s like he wants to pull away but every time he tries, he falls back in, unable to help himself. Dustin understands the feeling immensely. “Anyone can – mmf – see us –“

Dustin leans back. He couldn’t care less about anyone that isn’t Lucas right now, but if Lucas isn’t happy about it, neither is he. “We can stop.” He doesn’t know how he’ll stop but he will if that’s what Lucas wants, of course he will.

Lucas chews on his kiss-bitten bottom lip, a puzzled look on his face. “That’s the stupidest idea you’ve had all night.”

Dustin gapes at him. “You brought it up –“ And then Lucas is kissing him again and all of his thoughts scatter like dandelion fluff in a summer breeze.

They stay there for an eternity. When the water becomes too cold for them to stand it anymore, they push two of the pool loungers together and lie next to each other as the night wears on. They drift from one conversation to another and kiss the hours away and marvel at what is suddenly real and how foolish they were for holding out for so long. When the sky shifts from a deep starry blue to pastel pink and orange, they finally stumble home hand-in-hand. The first golden rays of sunshine dry their clothes and illuminate Lucas’ eyes, his cheeks, his smile as they walk, and Dustin still can’t believe it. He can have this; he does have this. They have this.

“I can’t imagine it,” Lucas says abruptly as they walk down the middle of a quiet, morning-lit street, birds chirping in the trees and the aroma of summer heavy in the air. Dustin frowns at him.

“What?”

“Last night, when you said can you imagine if I didn’t exist? I can’t imagine it.”

Dustin gapes at him, speechless, and he can see the faint blush rising in Lucas’ cheeks. “You fucking sap,” he teases, as if he’s not completely melting from the inside out.

“Hey, I can think of some incredibly sappy things that you were saying last –“

“Okay, okay, I get it! I get it, geez. You know, if you ever tell anyone about those things I said, this,” Dustin waves their linked hands in the air to demonstrate, “is terminated immediately. Over. Done. I have a reputation to maintain.”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “Yeah, right.”

Dustin knows there’s not a single thing Lucas could say or do that would make him want to end their newfound relationship, so even though he doesn’t say it out loud (he does not need that self-satisfaction from Lucas), he squeezes Lucas’ hand just to make sure he knows.

Lucas clearly gets the message. “Idiot,” he says as his smile grows.

“I love you,” Dustin says by way of reply, grinning. His heart is so full of light and euphoria it’s going to burst. This is real. All of it, just because of the illimitable possibilities of an everlasting night.

“I love you too.”

They walk on.

@fatechica @calpurnias @mikewheeler @formerlyjannafaye @ericasinclairs @elshopper @elhoppers @summer-in-hawkins @she-who-the-river-could-not-hold @wheelrs

[thestoneforests]

🌈Rainbow Traveler; A Crystal and Oracle Spread🌈

I have created a new spread to use in oracle services, and it is one I am very excited about! Earlier today it started out as only just a wisp of an idea — thank you so much @irlandaisrose for helping me try it out, resulting in it developing firmly so I know how this spread works. Please provide feedback on how it went if you can! It took a total of 124 minutes to complete this spread, which will hopefully help me decide the price (if anyone experienced with divination has price idea suggestions, for the time and work I put into it, please hmu!)

I created this six-card oracle and crystal spread for the purpose of casting light on either a General or slightly specific situation. Each card is paired with an intuitively chosen crystal. The Soul Crystal and Soul Card will explain the center of everything in the spread! The cards and crystals representing red, orange, and yellow show how the situation is and has been recently. The cards and crystals representing green, blue, and violet show what is coming next.

🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨

✨"WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING" CRYSTALS✨

1 - Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a stone that repels all negative energy, which you are trying to do right now. It is a powerful stone for protection against negative influences.

2 - Amber

Amber is an incredibly powerful healing stone that relieves depression and lifts your spirits. You may be coming back from a time of unrest or negativity, but a new situation has come along that is making you ready to fly again!

3 - Opalite

Opalite is a gentle healing stone that helps remove energy blockages of the chakras, and it helps in persistence/success with business matters. You may have have recently began gradually healing, removing blockages and maybe even pursuing an idea or dream; your healing as given you the dedication to reach this point!

🌙"WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING" CARDS🌙

1 - "Take Action"

       Recently, you have been called to or have taken action! You have taken the next step so that your angels can assist you along the path to your dreams. Do away with uncertainty. In your heart, you know what to do. Get going! You are doing great at being actively focused on the pursuit of what you want!

2 - "Look for a Sign"

       You have been or right away should expect to see signs that have a deep meaning to you. Signs require focused attention, so be awake to the possibilities. Don't mistake synchronistic events for mere "coincidences" at this time. They are a message specifically designed for you!

3 - "Romance"

       Like all relationships in life, there may be ups and downs, but you won't any longer let that deter you or shake your confidence. Have faith that love is coming into your life to stay! With current relationships, you and another may have become closer to one another. All relationships have peaks and valleys. This card indicates an upward movement to a new level in relationships, or perhaps if you've experienced a downfall in a certain relationship, it will be bouncing back to a higher level of love.

🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨

✨SOUL CRYSTAL✨

The soul crystal of this spread is Smoky Quartz.

Smoky Quartz is a well known grounding stone that helps in mood uplifting and filters out negative thoughts and emotions. This crystal helps to explain what is at the center of everything in this spread and situation; you are grounding yourself and inviting positive thoughts into your mind, which is fueling your desires.

🌙SOUL CARD🌙

The soul card of this spread is "Meditation brings answers".

The soul card is in the center or "soul" of the spread, explaining what is at the center of everything in this situation. It made itself known right after the Opalite crystal was chosen for the card before it. I feel these two are connected because Opalite is a ideal stone for meditation and improves communication on all levels, especially spiritual. It removes energy blockages and helps with persistence, especially in business matters. Trying to come up with an intellectual answer to your concerns hasn't been successful. That's because some of the answers you seek can only be found by going within, through meditation or inner spiritual work. This may also aid you in welcoming abundance for the situation. The card also noted to keep an eye on your nighttime dreams, as your subconscious creates solutions for you that are not always available to your waking mind.

🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨🌈✨

✨"WHAT IS NEXT" CRYSTALS✨

These three crystals together immediately gave me a sense of the Moon. The Moon represents spiritual aspects, such as intuition, psychic abilities, creativity, and wisdom, and implies that these traits are soon going to be heightened. You may also be full of optimism, excited about new beginnings and what the future will bring.

4 - Amethyst

Amethyst is a stone that relives stress and purifies. It is considered the great healer of mind, body, and spirit. Soon your spirituality will be enhanced, and you will begin further development of psychic abilities and intuition. You will find ways to relieve concerns and stress, and will continue to heal.

5 - Quartz

Quartz is well known to be a stone of healing, amplifying, purity, and wisdom. Your intentions and energy are being boosted!

6 - Snowflake Obsidian

Snowflake Obsidian is a calming and cooling stone, and is actually volcanic glass that is made when lava cools! This stone of purity provides peaceful release and helps to shift thoughts to the positive. You will be further overcoming lingering negative energy. Remember that sometimes, we have to make mistakes in order to learn from them.

🌙"WHAT IS NEXT" CARDS🌙

4 - "Yes!"

       Bravo! Soon, you will know that the decision you've made is the right one. There will be no need to continue to sort through additional options. You know what to do, and you should move forward with your plans! You made the correct choice for your personal growth and development; however, some decisions can be a true challenge. If the task ahead of you is daunting, proceed with your plans in a way that is life affirming and self-loving. Ask your angels to be with you every step of the way, and don't hesitate to call upon friends and family for help or support.

5 - "Within the next few weeks"

This card is rather simple — What you asked about will happen this month, or soon thereafter. Your patience is to be rewarded!

6 - "No need to worry"

Your worries and concerns regarding your question are unnecessary. God and your angels have the situation in hand, and everything is going to turn out perfectly! Energy of fear or worry may slow the eventual manifesting of your desires. Visualize loving and happy outcomes, and keep you thoughts positive. Very soon you will wonder why you were worrying about this at all!

Thank you so much @irlandaisrose for helping me experiment with this reading! I hope this is everything you needed to hear and more🌈

[rosesisupposes]

Destined, part 21

aka You Were Amazing

Character Tags: Virgil/Anixety ; Patton/Creativity ; Patton/Morality ; Logan/Logic ; Remy/Sleep ; Dante/Deceit

Chapter Pairings: Prinxiety (like a LOT)

Chapter Warnings: Steven Universe spoilers (vague), graphic kissing, allusions to smut, swearing, overwhelming fluff

Reader Tags: @residentanchor @royally-anxious @bewarethegrammarpolice   @fellowthomassandersfander @jemthebookworm @arandompasserby  @sparkly-rainbow-salt 

Summary: After centuries of acting as an oracle to heroes, quest-seekers, and villains alike, Virgil just wants to live as a normal, modern human. For someone who can see infinite probabilities, you’d think he’d know better.

<<Chapter 20 | Masterlist | Chapter 22>>

read on ao3

Roman had barely made it through the door and shed his shoes before he’d collapsed happily onto Virgil’s couch. He was exhausted. But he was here with Virgil, and they were going to watch cartoons. That would be good.

Virgil eyed his friend. The bags under his eyes were starting to look familiar. “Hey, we don’t need to stay up if you’re too tired. Do you need to sleep? It’s been a bit of a day.”

“What? Who’s tired, I’m not tired. I am so awake,” Roman sputtered. “C’mon, Little Bo Sleep, let’s watch some gay space rocks. I’m…not even a little… tired,” he covered his mouth as he yawned.

Virgil rolled his eyes. “Yeah okay. You fulfill one world-saving prophecy and now you’re immune to sleep, makes sense.” “It’s true,” Roman mumbled, snuggling into the couch, yawns still punctuating his speech. “I am invulnerable to the... weaknesses of man. I scoff at the petty needs of... the lesser beings around me. The Sandman has no… power here. Sleep is for the... weak...”

Virgil glanced over. Soft auburn hair fell over eyes that were now fully closed. Seconds later, he heard a light snore. He is so ridiculous, Virgil thought with a fond smile.

He slipped his arms underneath Roman’s sleeping form and picked him up, carrying him over to his bed and depositing him gently among the blankets. He pulled a star-bedecked comforter over the sleeping man, who made a small sound of contentment and pulled it closer to his chest. Virgil caressed the man’s cheek softly, then grabbed another blanket and went to go sleep on the couch.

After all, being a Sage with a heck of a crush didn’t mean he wasn’t still a gentleman.

Virgil didn’t really sleep that night, but then again, he didn’t need to. He’d texted Remy, though, telling him he really needed the day off if that was alright.

Remy had responded with a string of eyes, eggplants, and fingers pointing and doing the ‘OK’ symbol, all emojis without a written word to be found. Virgil was confused, but it seemed to be approval, and he decided to not question it.

He was up and puttering in the kitchen the next morning when a voice suddenly asked, “Why am I in your bed?”

He turned to see Roman sitting up, sleepy-eyed with very messy bedhead. He kept looking back and forth between couch and bed, confused.

“Because I wasn’t about to let you sleep on the couch after the day you’d had, ya goof. I moved you after you fell asleep. Right in the middle of telling me how you weren’t tired, I might add. I’m never letting you forget that.”

“Moved… you carried me? You can carry me?” Roman levered himself out of bed to come poke at Virgil’s arms. “How are these skinny things that strong? Is this part of the maaaaaaggicccc?”

Okay, so Roman was a little weird in the morning. Not to mention this was the most unkempt Virgil had ever seen him. It was… oh sweet stars, it was so endearing.

“I don’t think it’s magic. It’s definitely not anything I have to concentrate on. I just, I don’t know, picked you up.”

“Ohhh do it again I wanna see,” Roman said excitedly.

Virgil rolled his eyes, smiling. “If you insist-”

“I do!”

Without another word, he placed a hand on the taller man’s back and knelt to put his arm under his knees, sweeping him into his arms. Roman yelped and threw both arms around Virgil’s neck as the purple-haired man laughed at him for being so easily scared.

“See, Princey? Easy. I could do this all day,” Virgil said with a smile. That was when they both realized that Virgil was now carrying Roman princess-style and their faces were suddenly incredibly close together.

Virgil’s face immediately went red and he practically dropped him on the spot, but managed to set him down gently and quickly went back to making coffee.

“So yeah I can carry you and I. Um. Breakfast?” he asked, trying to calm himself enough to use the french press.

“Sorry, what?”

“Can I get you any breakfast? Coffee is breakfast, right? Are eggs? Or sandwiches? I haven’t really figured this part of humanity out yet, Patton has been feeding me pastries since my first day and I’ve been too intimidated to figure it out on my own. Breakfast is an enigma.”

Roman chuckled and hugged Virgil around the shoulders from behind, his face still a little pink. “Never fear, Dark & Stormy. I’ll help you in a minute. First, I have got to get a hairbrush. What even is my hair right now, right?”

“Don’t ask me, you always look good,” Virgil said. He was turned towards the counter, but still caught the blush on Roman’s cheeks as he retreated to the bathroom.

It had been a good day. The mystery of breakfast had been partially unlocked (Pancakes: yes. Coffee: yes, but not on its own. No Virgil, I don’t care what Remy tells you, coffee is not a meal. Eggs: yes, but not always. Sandwiches: yes, but they have to have eggs), and Roman had been very excited to finally start watching Steven Universe. And to watch Virgil’s reactions.

Hours later, they had binged through almost three seasons with only a short break for a lunch and a much longer one for processing that “Garnet was lesbians the whole time???!!”

Virgil was thoroughly enjoying himself, even through the sad and dramatic moments. He had not cried, at all, not at any point, he did not know what Roman was teasing him about.

As the day went on, though, he found himself gazing more and more at Roman, who was currently tearing up as Steven was saved from the depths of space by his family of Crystal Gems.

If I could begin to be Half of what you think of me I could do about anything I could even learn how to love

Virgil sighed and quickly looked away. As he did so, he missed the movement to his right as Roman looked gently back at him.

When I see the way you act Wondering when I’m coming back I could do about anything I could even learn to love like you

Roman tentatively reached out a hand to lay on Virgil’s, who looked up, shocked at the touch. Roman leaned over slowly and kissed his cheek. The violet-haired man blushed, and turned his head to return the cheek kiss.

Roman smiled into the shorter man’s eyes. “I don’t want to push, but I would really like to kiss you more. Is that okay?”

“We’d have to stop watching the show, though. I was promised a full binge-watch,” Virgil said with a slight smirk, badly attempting to conceal how he very much would like that, yes.

“Virge, you adorable emo dream, this may be the one time in my life I could not care less about any cartoon show,” Roman quipped back, and pulled Virgil into an embrace. He still moved gently, letting them both relax or pull back if they needed, before his lips found Virgil’s.

...oh.

If he hadn’t been blushing before, Virgil was definitely blushing now. He was acutely aware of every spot where Roman’s body was in contact with his. His upper torso, his arms, his back, and oh sweetness, his lips. Roman was so gentle as he held him, but under that softness was all firm muscle and steadiness. That steadiness calmed him like nothing he’d ever known, and made him feel so… safe . He wanted to stay here, wrapped up in Roman’s arms, forever.

Roman broke off the kiss at length, panting just the slightest bit. He was blushing, too. “I’ve been waiting to do that since the moment I met you,” he murmured. “Those beautiful eyes, and you looking at me like a deer in the headlights. But the reality…” he kissed Virgil’s nose, grinning, “the reality is so much better than I could have pictured.”

“Even with everything that’s happened? Scary nighttime showdowns and me being a secretly magical cougar?”

“Especially with you being a secretly magical cougar. What can I say, I like being flattered. Though, now that you mention it, I’m still a little… confused, I guess. About the magic.”

Virgil was tense. He understood the confusion, obviously, but was all too aware how insane his entire existence sounded to a human. “Was there anything in particular you wanted to know?” he asked.

“There’s… a lot, but the biggest is why was I surprised by this? Why have I never heard of there being real magic? Magic really exists, and has throughout history? Why doesn’t humanity know, or remember?” Roman didn’t appear angry, only curious, as he lightly ran his fingers through Virgil’s purple hair.

“Magical beings used to be a lot more prominent, but they started fading as the human population grew. So a lot of times, there were no humans around to remember them. Or so few that the recorded events morphed into folk stories and fairytales. And Sages like me were often in isolation or just acting as incorporeal beings from the ether, influencing without being physically present.”

“If fairytales are real, does that mean fairies are too?” Roman’s eyes were shining with curiosity. Virgil had been so nervous about sharing this information, but with Roman, it felt safe to.

“They were. I don’t think any are still alive, unfortunately. But there used to be all sorts of creatures, like fairies and dragons. Unicorns, too, but I only ever met one herd my entire life, when I was living in the highlands. There were also not-so-nice creatures, like ogres and specters and ghouls. Those, I don’t miss as much.”

“What about vampires? Is Dracula secretly a history book?”

“There definitely were vampires. I only ever met one, though, when I was very young and he… he was nothing like Dracula, to say the least. I met him at a drunken dance party, for one. And he didn’t prey on humans. From the future I saw for him, he never did, right up to his dying day.”

Roman sat back, contemplating this new information. “It’s funny, I always wanted there to be magic in the world, and adventures, and shining knights with glorious quests. Turns out all of that exists, I was just born a bit late for it. At least I had a quest of my own, in a way. Even if I was absolutely terrified the whole time.”

Virgil smiled, cupping Roman’s cheek. “Fun fact: so were all those shining knights. You ever heard that metaphor about swans? Gliding along, looking all stately and elegant above water, but below the surface it’s just frantic webbed feet churning as fast as possible? That’s how all heroes feel. But they make it through. Just like you did.”

“That actually does make me feel better. Guess I’m a swan now,” Roman said, laughing. “Fear me, evil ones, I will peck your eyes out. Honk honk, motherfucker.”

Virgil snorted, then laughed outright, particularly as he saw Roman’s expression, which was apparently his best impression of a fierce waterfowl. Grinning, he lay his head on Roman’s shoulder. “I’m glad I didn’t scare you off. You really are the most amazing man I’ve ever met. No magic needed.”

Roman nuzzled his purple head. “And you’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met. Magic or no.”

They both sat there, holding each other and basking in the warmth of their mutual affection when Virgil lifted his head. “Roman, I know it’s only been a week since I gave you my number, and this is probably really clingy and weird to ask so soon, and if you would rather not talk about this yet then that’s fine just please tell me I promise I won’t be hurt-”

“Virge, breathe. What do you want to ask?”

“Am I your… I mean, would you be my… I mean. Agh.” He took a deep breath and asked without opening his eyes, “Are we dating? As boyfriends?” About to continue explaining, or rather, babbling, he stopped himself, and opened his eyes.

To his delight, Roman looked absolutely touched. “I wanted to ask you first, but I didn’t want to move too quickly. I would be thrilled to call you my boyfriend, Virgil.”

“Oh, thank the stars. Google has been really unhelpful when it comes to this stuff. Almost everything is written for women dating men and it’s all about ‘what feels right,’ and I have nothing to compare to.”

“Virge - you looked up online advice on how to ask me to be your boyfriend?” Roman asked, looking sidelong at the smaller man.

“Oh no is that weird? I knew it would be weird-”

“Virgil, my sweet prince of the night, shut up,” Roman interrupted him, grinning. “It’s adorable. As a matter of fact,” he added, releasing his boyfriend (boyfriend!) and standing. “I hereby declare that I have The Cutest Boyfriend™ in this entire city!” He struck a triumphant pose.

Virgil couldn’t help it. He giggled until he laughed out loud, and laughed until he snorted. Roman looked for a second like he might decide to be offended at this reception to his grand declaration before giggling as well, falling back into the couch cushions.

They turned Steven Universe back on, but Virgil would be lying if he didn’t admit that he absorbed a lot less of the action as they progressed. It was still enjoyable, but Roman had taken to stroking a hand through his hair down to his neck and the effect on his thoughts was a puddle of melted goo and hearts.

But Roman stopped petting him for the last few episodes, insisting that Virgil not miss a minute until the final cliffhanger been revealed. Gay weddings were all well and good, but anything that made Virgil stop kissing his boyfriend (boyfriend!) was definitely homophobia and he needed to correct this personal offense as soon as possible.

Roman looked over to see Virgil’s glower as the last credits rolled and pulled him fully into his lap as their lips met once more. “Did you think I was ignoring you, stormcloud?” he murmured in between kisses.

“Roman, please, do me a favor and shut up,” Virgil responded with a breathless growl, leaning in further. Blood was pounding in his veins and cheeks and, well, other places. He wrapped his arms around the man underneath him, mouths locked in slick, wet kisses that sent shivers up and down his spine. Roman was doing something with his tongue that turned into biting Virgil’s lip and dragged an involuntary moan out of the Sage’s throat. His hands were scrabbling at the auburn-haired man’s back, trying to somehow get even closer as his slipped them under the man's t-shirt to make direct skin contact.

The sudden sensation made Roman jump slightly and break off their kiss. “Virge, did you want…?”

Underneath his purple bangs, Virgil’s eyes were dilated and dark, “Ro, yes, I want.”

“Fuck,” Roman half-moaned. “That’s… god, that is hot and I want nothing more than to say yes right now but I… we can’t. Or shouldn’t. Not tonight. Too much has happened and it was just yesterday that we were fighting that snake and I don’t… I want this, all of this, to be perfect. Not just endorphins and throwing caution out the window. Is… is that okay?”

Virgil dragged himself off his boyfriend, every inch of his body complaining at the sudden lack of heat. “Yes, of course, dear one. I… you’re right. Waiting would be healthier. And you’re worth it.”

Roman leaned in closed and dragged his teeth lightly down the curve of Virgil’s ear, startling a strangled gasp out of the other man. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t want all of you this minute, right now, right here,” he murmured, grinning evilly. “I just want to take my time with you.”

“Goddamn, Ro…”

“And on that note,” Roman said, sitting up with a self-satisfied smirk. “It’s getting late, and I really do need to head home.”

Virgil growled, panting lightly still. “You are a goddamn tease, and I hate you very much. Boyfriends for just a few short hours and you’re already leaving?”

“Hey, I’ve already spent the night before even kissing you. Clearly our sense of timing and order is a little off,” the auburn-haired man grinned back. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the bakafé. And in your dreams tonight.”

“You’re the worst possible flirt. Text me when you’re home safe?”

“It’s a fifteen-minute walk, I’ll be fine.”

“I know, but I worry. Me and possibilities, Princey. I’m always going to worry.”

Roman stood to leave, but leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on Virgil’s forehead. “For you then, my favorite worrywart, of course.”

A red-and-white-clad figure was walking down the street jauntily. Whistles to a cheerful song floated in the dusky air around him, occasionally bursting into snatches of a sung tune.

“Therrrre’s an awful lot of awful things we could be thinking of, but for just one day let’s only think about love!” he trilled, spinning on one foot as he walked.

He was clearly distracted and happy.

Good for him.

The ‘distracted’ part was all his silent shadow cared about.

author’s note: The working title of this chapter was “Netflix And Chill(s Down Your Spine)” Was anyone actually hoping for six chapters of fluff? Sorry not sorry

[persona-play-q]

Introductions in Order

We begin our journey with quite the unusual scene.

Morgana: "...y" Morgana: "Hey! Wake up!"

Morgana. Waking Joker up, rather than telling him to go to bed.

This must be some sort of elseworld or something.

Also, WHAT IN THE UNHOLY NAME OF SATANAEL IS WRONG WITH MONA’S MODEL HERE JEZUS--

Morgana: "So you're finally up. You do know class has been over for quite a while, right?"

Ren: >"What was that cinema...?" >"What was that butterfly...?"

“W-Wait, he actually saw that butterfly? I kind of assume it was just part of the intro...”

“Those butterflies... Whenever they appear, it means something special is about to happen.”

“Yeah... Like a call for help...”

“...*cough* That is... not the inherent, intended meaning of the Butterfly...”

“...A herald of the Master above even our Master, the blue Butterfly is a symbol of human fate and its potential.”

“So, we’re watching a flick about... potential...? Huh?”

“......”

>Yosuke doesn’t even attempt to comprehend and just stuffs a hand of popcorn in his mouth. He’s seen too much to still be baffled.

Morgana: "Butterfly...? What are you talking about?"

Morgana: "Hey now, get a grip. Did you have a strange dream or something?"

Morgana: "Anyway, now that you're awake, let's go home. We still have to decide what you're going to do today." 

Ren: >Right, let's do that. >I'm still sleepy .

Jesus, Joker, what are you, Makoto Yuuki??

In any case, Morgana acts supportive of our exhaustion, given how this is before the Casino dungeon and he gets everything has been a bit much lately. He tells Ren that he’s got his back. D’aww~ 

In front of the school...

Ryuji: "Finally, class is over! That sure was hell..."

Ryuji: *yawn* 

Ryuji’s animations are adorable.

Ryuji claims he hasn’t been able to sleep lately because their Phantom Thief work has kept him so excited. He says that’s probably why he keeps falling asleep in class. However, a certain cat thinks otherwise.

Morgana: "Um, haven't you ALWAYS been napping in class, Ryuji?"

Ryuji tells him to shuddup. 

Ryuji: "We still got plenty of time till our next deadline, but how about we go gather at the hideout?"

Ren: >”Let's meet up.” >”Should we, though?” >”Let's go have Ramen first.”

I really could go for some Ramen.

Ryuji: "Whoa, you sure are taking it easy... Oh, whatever! I want some Ramen too."

Morgana: "Hey, you guys, it's still too early to think about dinner. Let's go to the hideout first."

First my nighttime slots, now my food. Will Morgana ever stop taking the things I love??

Haru: "Oh, it's you two!"

Ryuji: "Hey, nice timing! We were just talking about going to the hideout."

Haru: "Good, I happen to have some after-school time to spare today. The situation at our company has calmed considerably by now."

Ryuji sends texts for everyone to come in.Everyone replies in 2 seconds flat

Ryuji stares at his phone.

They are all going to Leblanc.

Morgana: "Alright! Then we're unanimous: Today we shall conquer another section of Mementos!"

Not if destiny has a word to put in, Mona.

Futaba: “Roger that! I will put my all into navigating.”

After best girl appears, she gets an intro screen. Everyone does.

FUTABA SAKURA. The adopted daughter of the owner of your current residence. Was a Hikikomori when you first met her. Has genius hacking skills. Her code name within the Phantom Thieves is “Oracle”.

It actually says “Navi”, but for the sake of consistency with the localization, I’ll go with “Oracle”.

“Oh, we’re all getting intros? That’s convenient.”

“Yeah, it’s really going to save time on introductions.”

HARU OKUMURA. A 3rd year at Shujin Academy and thus your Senpai. The heiress of her father’s large company, “Okumura Food”. In some ways, she is rather naive towards the world. Her Code Name is “Noir”.

ANN TAKAMAKI. A 2nd year and your classmate. A 1/4 American girl, with a bright, caring personality. Sometimes works part time as a magazine model. Her Code Name is Panther.

Ann: "Hey, Makoto. I don't mind going to Mementos today, but do you think it's okay to not tackle the Palace yet...?"

Makoto: "Don't worry. Honing our skills first is important. The next one is one battle we can't lose."

It’s nice to have it referenced how important that upcoming dungeon was to Makoto.

“...I remember that day. That was when we gathered at the Hide Out to take Akechi into Mementos for the first time.”

“Why are we seeing that though? I don’t remember anything special happening back then. We fought some Shadows and that was it.”

“...Akechi?”

> Naoto listens up.

“Goro Akechi? You knew him...?”

“Ah... Now, that’s gonna take some explaining...”

“It’s gonna be easier to just let them see. I have a feeling it is coming up anyway.”

MAKOTO NIIJIMA. A 3rd year and your Senpai. An accomplished Student Council President of high moral standards. Occasionally also shows a less restrained side.  Her Code Name is “Queen”. 

YUSUKE KITAGAWA. A second year at Kousei High, where he studies Art. Has promising potential as an artist. Rather eccentric and emotional, he seems to live in his own little world. His Code Name is “Fox”.

MORGANA. A mysterious cat you met in the Metaverse. Transforms from a normal cat into a bizarre mascot. Can also transform into a car. His Code Name is “Mona”.

“... ‘Mona’.” 

> Yosuke squints. 

“Everyone got themselves badass Code Names, and you went for... Mona.”

“J-Just so you know, I object to EVERYTHING in that description!”

“Ah, so you CAN’T transform into a kitty-car! Geez, and bear I was confused about how that would go!”

“...ALMOST everything!”

“... Come to think, you guys are pretty unfazed by the fact that Mona-chan can talk...”

“We have Teddie. We’re beyond surprising.”

“And I’d say at this point, Teddie is only the tip of the proverbial ice berg.”

“It’s actually kind of surprising that there’s something that similar to Morgana out there. I always kind of thought he was one of a kind.”

“I-I AM one of a kind, Lady Ann! You should know that!”

“Yeah! And so am I by the way, Ann-chan~!”

“...Don’t call her that...!”

> Angry cat hissing noises.

Ryuji: “Well, doesn’t matter if Palace or Mementos, we just gotta do it to it!”

 The model looks better from this angle. 

RYUJI SAKAMOTO. A 2nd year. Used to be Star of the Track Team. Passionately hot-blooded and immature. His impulsiveness sometimes gets him into trouble. His Code Name is “Skull”.  

Ryuji: "By the way, where's that guy? This would be our first time taking him to Mementos, too..."

Ryuji: "I mean, it'd be a shame if we had to just 'forget' about him..."

Akechi: Sorry to make you wait.”

Ryuji: “Ugh.”

Futaba: “Speak of the devil.”

“That’s...”

“Goro Akechi. I did hear that he had infiltrated the ranks of the Phantom Thieves for a while during the mission that lead to the temporary capture of their leader.”

“I see... I wasn’t allowed access to the files regarding the case, so I had no idea.” 

GORO AKECHI. A third year student. A high school aged private detective. His sharp sense for deduction and reasoning, as well as his looks have earned him a lot of fame. He is also called “The second coming of the Detective Prince”. His Code Name is “Crow”.

“Whoaaaaa! What a Bishie! He’s almost up there with me on the pretty-boy scale...!!”

“Yeah, that is one thing he had going for him...”

“ Mitsuru-san, if I may ask...”

“Of course. Once we’re done here, I will give you a complete copy of the case file, Shirogane.”

“Thank you. This is all very interesting...”

“Infiltration, huh...? Yeah, that’s the right word for it...”

“Not like we fell for it, of course. But we did need to play along with him for just a while. Else we wouldn’t have been able to put an end to his games.”

“His ‘games’, huh...”

> Yosuke already doesn’t like the guy. 

> Your Code Name is “Joker”. You are the Leader of the Phantom Thieves.

“I thought I felt something ‘Senpai’-ish from that guy...”

“Yeah, that guy does feel special... He may have the same power as Sensei and Ai-chan!”

“The power of the ‘Wild Card’...”

“...”

>Marie looks up, seemingly slightly disinterested. 

“I don’t know what you mean. Yu is Yu. There’s only one of him.”

“That may be. But even so, it is surprising, to see that there is such a number of Persona Users who share the same powers as...”

“...”

“In any case. It will be interesting to see how this, as they say ‘plays out’.”

After this scene, the Phantom Thieves head out for Mementos. There’s a badass cutscene which shall be shared.

[gildedink]

Writblr Introduction

I've kinda realized I never wrote an introduction. Oops! So, a proper introduction. You can call me Lillie (or Amaranth, either or), daytime office lady, nighttime procrastinator and a writer whenever I can. I tend to write fantasy, focusing both on the human condition (good and bad) as well as divinity and the way humans and non-human beings might interact. I also tend to include heavy subject matter topics such as xenophobia, the lines of love, friendship and obsession, self-empowerment and trauma. As such, my stories tend to be for adults, not YA. If you ever have questions about any of my works or just want to chat, please feel free to drop me a line on here or on my main, @ofmoonlightandthesun.

Below are my WIPs:

Legend of the Red Comet: Part of the overarching The Legend Saga. Consisting of 3 volumes, it follows the adventures of Tenshi Tanaka and Sasami Jurai as they reunite after a decade of separation, take on the mantles of their fathers to lead their regions, and dealing with the millennia-old blood feud between the two lover's families. Along the way they discover both the truth of their world and the sins committed by their far-flung ancestors that they must now correct.

The is the current WIP I am fully focusing on and plan to be my writing debut. Themes explored include love, friendship, found family, fate vs self-determination and the line between good and evil.

Legend of the Moving Mountain: Part of the overarching The Legend Saga. Consisting of 4 volumes, Moving Mountain occurs a millennia before Legend of the Red Comet. It follows the current Oracle of Humanity and his desperate attempt to stop the world-ending prophesy he gave from coming to fruition. In order to succeed, he must find the two humans who are Blessed by the Golden Phoenix and Silver Shark, find the Dragon's Eye and kill the Demon King. All while trying to escape the abusive iron grip of the King that rules his kingdom and navigating international politics.

While time-wise this comes before Red Comet, I highly suggest reading Red Comet first for maximum emotional impact (aka hurt your feels the most). Themes explored include the blurring of hero vs villain, abuse, sexual assault, homophobia, human depravity, the supernatural vs humanity, incest and whether the ends justify the means.

Legend of the Masks: Part of the overarching The Legend Saga. Consisting of 7 novella, it follows the lifetimes of Zenshou Jurai, one of the heroes of Moving Mountain and ancient ancestor of Sasami Jurai, one of the protagonists of Red Comet. Each book represents one lifetime, highlighting key events witnessed within Tenruon'ou's history as a country as well as personal revelations of Zenshou as he deals with his emotions and fate.

Themes explored include self-identity, grief, mental illness, sexuality, abuse, rape, sexual assault, suicide, love, fate and what it means to be human. Volume 4, Hibi, in particular is very graphic in nature as a caution.

Memoirs of a Goddess: The very first story I ever thought of and have refined for over a decade, consisting of 4 to 5 volumes. It follows Elena Zlatariva, a first-generation Bulgarian American who discovers that while her body is human, her soul is a brand new divinity. Due to the nature of her soul's creation and its current circumstance, she falls in neither the positive nor the negative aspect of the machinations of existence, with her human vessel allowing her to chose which side to fall to. Due to her potential, a war breaks out in the heavenly world for ownership of her decision and future influence. The series follows Elena from age 12 to 22, dealing with growing from a girl to a woman as well as growing as a divinity, including the repercussions of her actions both on a personal level and higher.

Themes explored include puberty, womanhood, xenophobia, the 9/11 terror attacks and the fallout, the development of technology and its impact on the world, gay rights, religion vs faith, war, mental illness (particularly PTSD, depression and self-loathing), cults, mob mentality, racism in the 21st century, globalism, abuse, bullying and the experience of those born as the first generation in America. This book IS NOT for children or even young adults due to the graphic, difficult and complex nature of the series.

Star-Stained Hands: Currently in the proto stages. A novel about twins Malina and Yasen who, after their father is killed by bandits attempting to steal a horse they are to deliver to a noble in the eastern region of the Skrita Empire (based off of the real-world ancient Scythian Empire), go on a journey to discover who killed their father. Along the way, as they wander through the expansive empire, they meet and befriend many people. When they finally uncover a conspiracy to overthrow the very gods they worship, the twins take it upon themselves to try and stop the coup.

Themes explored include friendship, religion, cults, the origin of mythology, cultural exchange and blending, family ties, and selfless love.

Please let me know if you would like to be tagged for any of the above works and I'll happily add you.

[solar-serpent]

hey hello, I am your new follower, first of all I wish you a happy new year and make lots of good memories with your loved ones this new year. I hope happiness will always be with you💙

I wonder if I could get a reading on "what I missed,didn't realize"? I know it's not a specific question, I don't want it to be like that, it can be about academic, emotional, mental or spiritual.

Thank you for everything my love💋

-Habibe♉/🦋🌊

Hello, my dearest Habibe. Welcome to Nighttime Oracle! I hope you're enjoying the holidays and thank you so much for your offering, and may happiness always find its way to you💕

Right off the bat I heard "words of pray". People thought highly of you this year, you obtained merits or even perhaps a prize, whatever it was was worth celebration and you missed it since it was not enough to you. You didn't give the deserved credit to your achievements from this year, and I think you also mistrusted people and missed getting new positive connections. I'm also getting you caught the attention from a man, but for some reason I feel distance between you two. He might've missed making a move on you or settled with being friends instead. In terms of socializing you lacked off a little, but it's fine, honey. You got a entire new year ahead of you to make up if you wish 😉

Asteria

[huilian]

we were just kids when we fell in love

Characters:  Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, background Dinah Lance, Bruce Wayne, and Jim Gordon

Summary: Dick couldn’t take his eyes off her. Strands of her hair that escaped her ponytail framed her face. That face was currently red and sweaty with exertion. Her clothes were bunched up awkwardly in places and loose in others. She was breathing heavily as a result of the sparring session. Others would call her a mess right now. Her hair was all over the place, her face was not polished with makeup and her clothes was not worn to be flattering. (Of course not, she was sparring, not modeling.)

Not Dick. To him, she was perfect.

A/N: Happy Valentine’s day! Let’s celebrate with a little dickbabs fic shall we? Inspired by the song Perfect by Ed Sheeran, title from the same song. (If you haven’t listened to it, go hear it now. It’s perfect.)

I basically mix and match canon that I liked, and completely disregard canon that I don’t like. The proposal and wedding scene was taken from Nightwing/Oracle Convergence. I may have stolen some lines. 

Dick remembered his first meeting with Barbara. He had been walking through the halls of Gotham Academy, feeling out of place in the shiny halls. He was used to battered trailers and circus tents, not the polished environment of Gotham Academy.

Then she came. She took his hand, and pulled him away from where he was going, which was the cafeteria.

“Just walk with me,” she whispered in his ear. “I’ll explain later.”

Dick didn’t know what to do, so he followed her. After they had walked the entire length of the hallway, she took a turn left. Dick kept following her. When they had reached an appropriate distance from the turn, she let go of his hand.

“Sorry about that.” She shrugged. “There was a bunch of jackasses waiting for you in the cafeteria. They were going to drop their lunches on you.”

Dick could only gape at her.

“Oh, sorry,” she rubbed the back of her neck, “I guess I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Barbara Gordon, nice to meet you.” She put out her hand to shake.

Dick looked to her hand, and then to her face. She smiled. Dick looked back to her hand. He took her hand, shook it, and immediately pulled it back. He didn’t exactly have a stellar record in making friends inside these halls. The fact that there were people waiting inside the cafeteria to dump their lunches on him just cemented that.

“Dick Grayson,” he said.

“Dick? Are you sure you want to keep that name?”

Dick felt a surge of protectiveness inside his chest. “Yeah.” Everyone in this school could insult him, but they would not insult the name his parents gave him. “What about it?”

“Nothing. But most of the kids here would give you hell over that kind of name. Not to mention you’re not exactly one of them.”

“So what?” Dick stood up straighter. He was Robin. He could do this.

“Hey,” Barbara said, “it’s okay. I know what it feels to be an outsider. Just giving you a heads up.”

“Oh.”

They stood in silence for a while, each one deciding what they were going to do next.

Barbara broke the silence first. “So, if you’re an outsider, named Dick, and I’m the charity case know it all; friends?”

Dick thought about it for a moment. It would be nice to have a friend in the midst of all of this strange things. He nodded.

Barbara smiled a blinding smile. Dick found himself smiling with her.

***

“Did I ever thank you for saving me from an avalanche of school lunches?”

“Not that I recall.”

“And you have a perfect memory. All right. Thanks for saving my ass from those jackasses, Babs.”

“You’re welcome.”

***

Robin met Barbara Gordon on a rooftop; with Batman by his side and Captain Gordon by hers. Dick Grayson had been friends with Barbara Gordon for several weeks, now, but Robin had just met Barbara Gordon for the first time. He must not be too familiar.

Barbara was exactly as she was on school. Her fire-red hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her stance was sturdy enough that Robin would not be able to easily tackle her. Her face was set in an unimpressed expression.

Batman told Robin to keep Barbara company while he was talking to Captain Gordon. Barbara gave Batman the stinky eye all the time he was talking. She couldn’t do anything, though, as Captain Gordon also nudged her towards Robin.

Robin grinned at her. She did not smile back.

“Hey. I know this sucks. But we can make the most of it,” Robin dramatically whispered to Barbara.

“Like what? Doing play dates while the grown-ups talk?”

“No.” Robin smiled slowly. “By eavesdropping on them.”

That caught Barbara’s attention. There were sparks of mischief in her eyes. “Oh, I like you.”

Robin liked her too.

***

“I think that Dad regrets letting us meet.”

“Oh yeah? And why is that?’

"You are a terrible influence for me.”

“And you’re not?”

***

Robin and Batgirl were playing tag. Not just any tag. It was rooftop tag. Only the two of them knew how to play it in the whole world. Batman could, but he didn’t want to, so it was only the two of them.

Somehow, Robin was grateful for that. The fact that only the two of them knew this was exhilarating to him. He wondered why.

Thump. Robin could hear Batgirl’s landing on the rooftop behind his. He would have to speed up.

He fired his grapple gun and aimed it towards the next building. Then he ran, and jumped. He did not land on that building though. He landed on the next one, and then crouched and rolled to let the momentum out. Robin was fairly sure Batgirl would not be able to copy that. Fairly sure.

Dick should have known better that to underestimate Barbara. She did not have the same acrobatic prowess as he does, but she was smarter than him. Way smarter than him. While he was jumping across buildings, she was calculating the best way to intercept him.

She tagged him after four buildings.

“Tag!”

Robin felt a fleeting touch on his shoulder. He turned around to tag her back, but she was already running out of reach.

“Hey!”

“Catch me if you can, Boy Wonder!”

They spent the night like that, jumping around rooftops, shouting insults and teasing each other. The two of them could keep up with each another the way no one else could.

By the end of the night, they sat on a rooftop watching the sunrise. Robin did not know whether the flutter of his heart and the shortness of his breath was caused by a night of playing tag or by something else. Something related to the fact that Barbara’s head was resting on his shoulders and that their hands were linked together.

***

“I missed that, you know.”

“What?”

“Playing rooftop tag.”

***

Barbara was fast. Dick wished he could say he was faster, but he was really not. They were sparring down in the Batcave, and she was winning. Dick wasn’t even letting her.

A jab to his lower abdomen. He dodged that. Only to meet a backhand punch that hit his stomach.

He retreated for a moment to catch his breath, then retaliated the attack with a kick to her knee. It hit.

Barbara fell down. But before Dick could do anything to take advantage of that, she took him down with her.

Then it was flat out wrestling.

Barbara came out the winner, pining Dick’s hands above his head and straddling his legs. She knew better than to give his legs freedom if she wanted to win.

She smirked. “I won, Boy Wonder.”

Dick couldn’t take his eyes off her. Strands of her hair that escaped her ponytail framed her face. That face was currently red and sweaty with exertion. Her clothes were bunched up awkwardly in places and loose in others. She was breathing heavily as a result of the sparring session. Others would call her a mess right now. Her hair was all over the place, her face was not polished with makeup and her clothes was not worn to be flattering. (Of course not, she was sparring, not modeling.)

Not Dick. To him, she was perfect.

***

“Wanna spar?”

“Sure. I’ll beat you this time though.”

“You can try.”

***

She called herself Oracle now. She built a new life on wheelchairs, she found a new way to help people, and she called herself Oracle.

Dick didn’t know how she did it.

If it was him, he would have broke months ago. If it was him, he wouldn’t just pick up the pieces and make a new life out of it. But she did. She did and Dick love her all the more for it.

Oracle was the backbone of the superhero community. Oracle was the one you call when you need intel, or if you need tech help. Oracle was the one whom everyone in the hero community know.

Barbara watched her life get torn to pieces by the same man that had killed thousands (killed Jason), and said no thank you, you did not control my life.

Dick thought she was stronger than him, stronger than Batman, stronger than Superman, even, for that. She was stronger than anyone he knew, and that’s saying a lot, because he knew people who can lift cars easily and people who can keep a train from crashing with their bare hands.

***

Hel-lo. I am O-RA-CLE. Is any-one pres-ent?

***

It was morning already. Dick had almost wished that the night would never end, it was that magical, but morning came. Barbara was as beautiful in the morning light as she was in the nighttime. That made Dick blurt out a question.

“Did you ever think about having children?”

Barbara turned to look at him. Dick wanted to take his words back, but he also wanted to know.

“Not really, why?”

Why? Dick wanted to tell her that he wanted to have kids. Not just with anyone, but with her. Dick wanted to tell her that he wanted to start a family with her. He settled with, “You would have been a great mom, that’s all.”

Barbara looked at him, considering his words. It was long enough that Dick considered bailing from the Tower before she smiled. “You would have been a great dad yourself.”

That sentence made Dick’s heart soar. He couldn’t help picturing a small girl, with Barbara’s sharp eyes and his black hair. Or a little boy, with tanned skin and red hair.

“Thanks, Babs.”

He knew he was thinking too far, that neither him nor Babs was ready for children. But a man can hope, can’t he?

***

“John Grayson! Come back here!”

“Well, this was not what I thought of when I said you would be a great mom.”

“You deal with him, then.”

***

By all odds, his relationship with Barbara shouldn’t have lasted. They were both vigilantes with a truckload of issues. They have known each other for so long that they have volumes of history between them. And when they fight, they struck hard, and they struck deep. Between him being Batman and Barbara being Oracle, neither of them should have the time or energy to continue this relationship. By all means, this relationship shouldn’t have lasted.

But here they were.

“So, what’s the latest developments with those drug dealers down in 30th street?” Dick took a spoonful of his cereal.

“They were going to make a move at either the day after tomorrow, or three days from now.” Barbara smacked his hand. “Stop stealing my breakfast, you have your own.”

Dick pouted.

“Oh, stop it.” Barbara rolled her eyes. “By the way, you need to be back at the Penthouse in a few minutes, Damian called your cell last night.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

Barbara shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”

Dick gave a big sigh. Barbara looked at him from above her glasses. “Don’t complain. You’re the one who took him in,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Oh, don’t forget the serial burglary on Downtown. You know Selina doesn’t take well to another thief in her area.”

“I know, I’m not an amateur.”

Dick put his bowl on the sink, then walked towards the table again. He kissed Barbara on the forehead as farewell. “See you tonight, Babs!”

***

“Do you have eyes on the front door, Oracle?”

“Yes. Three men, armed.”

“All right. Dinner after this?”

“Dinner time was three hours ago, Batman.”

***

Dick proposed to her in a restaurant, after Gotham had been sieged. He thought she was radiant then, dressed in a green blouse with just a hint of makeup on her face. He proposed to Barbara Gordon as Dick Grayson, and she said no.

Dick didn’t have time to process that before two Thanagarians flew into the city and threatened Gotham.  He was fighting to keep them from remaking Gotham in their image. It was bigger than him, but somehow, his heart was not in it.

Dick thought Barbara was radiant in that restaurant, wearing a green blouse. He was wrong. Well, not wrong exactly, she was radiant, but here, wearing a leather jacket over a tac suit, she was magnificent. She had saved the entirety of Gotham. She would be magnificent regardless.

“Dick, about the proposal,” she started to say, “I was scared.”

No, Dick would not think about this. She had said no to him, and he had respected her wishes, if not truly accepted it.

“I know. You live for perfection, Babs. Whatever this would is, perfect it most definitely is not.”

“It’s scary how you get me, sometimes. That’s the thing, though. It’s never going to be perfect. It’s always going to be just us making the best of what we’re given.”

Dick couldn’t believe his ears. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?

“I was wondering if you might ask again.” She meant it. She meant it. “After you kiss me.”

Barbara smiled at him. Dick couldn’t help but smile back. God, he was smitten with this girl.

“You sure? I don’t look my best, and my entire face is banged sideways.” Dick aimed for teasing, but he was also really asking for clarification.

“Yeah?” Barbara put her arms around his neck. “I can make the sacrifice.”

***

“Thanks for the help, Black Canary.”

“You know your coms was on, right?”

“Thanks for the help, Black Canary.”

“Oh. All right, I’ll go. Have fun, you two.”

***

There was an earthquake the day of the ceremony. An earthquake, of all things. Well, at the very least, it was not an Arkham breakout.

Barbara was almost angelic with her white dress. When Dick saw her, he wanted to back out. Barbara deserved better than him. Barbara deserved the whole world. Thank god Roy was there. If not, Dick would have chickened out.

Aside from that one change of heart, and the earthquake, of course, the ceremony went on flawlessly. Gotham was save, the world was save. Dick could marry Barbara in peace.

He was once Robin. Then he was Nightwing. He even became Batman, for a few years. Barbara had been Batgirl, and now she was Oracle. The two of them had know each other through the highs and lows of their respective lives. Dick had loved Barbara before he even knew what love meant. And now, Dick had the chance to love her for the rest of his life.

***

“Well, Barbara.”

“Yeah?”

“Welcome home.”

***

[dieve]

nostalgia. 6064

The sun hung low in the sky as day turned to night. Twilight kissed the walls dial-to-dial, every column prism on prism from top to bottom, A’vrun’s light slowly ticked lower and lower by the long seconds passing. So lovely about this kingdom, Twilight seemed less like blue to gold to the color of mundane over the mountains, rather, setting on this kingdom was a light unreal and iridescent. Nacre in the sky, rainbow from the stretches of distant clouds bouncing to & fro, it was violet to gold over colored sand.

He walked three steps behind her. A man with a placid face, a handsome looker, his robes overlapped one another----linens under, coat over, clothing draped from shoulder to waist in ornamented cloth the colors of the sun through a looking glass on marble. And she, no less dressed, white on white. Quartz crystals decorated her from the nape of her neck to her navel.

                                             Vivien. Viva’e: vivid.

“How do you feel?”

He had a mellow voice. Bright and clear. It sounded like bells. She took in a deep breath and exhaled before stopping to the breeze between the columns. “Soh’l.”

“Yes?”

“How long will you stay around me? Think about it, Soh’l.”

... He stared at her, his expression vague. The halls were quiet as they walked, footsteps one after another, it was a cold desert night. They had walked these hallways often when they were younger. Saintess. You could be a saintess!----the temple seemed quieter, now. Oracle. She would have become an oracle, back then. His footsteps were lighter than hers. His gaze was soft. His hands, though rough and calloused from the tip of his fingers to the base of his palm, held dragonflies as gingerly as reeds swaying by the edge of the oasis. Coursing through, he was water down the river. Ah. And like water down a river, flowing, he followed her current wherever her wind took them. Vivien. Vivid. Like the sun for him, for the light in the sky could not compare to her when she called him by his name. Soh’l. Simply, Soh’l. To her, he was always Soh’l, and she was: his -a’eá, Viva’eá. Love from the tip of his tongue swallowed down to the pit of his stomach. Hot-----like the sun, in his cheeks to his ears. He loved her, this woman.

“... Forever.”

“’Forever’?” she stopped.

If a moment could be frozen on a clock with a tap, he would have frozen time on the step of her heel as she turned to him. With her eyes the color of amber, crimson fire, crystalline clothed, Saintess in the temple of his thoughts and worries. Her skin was so pretty in this light. And her lips were colored softly, as petals are, she was dazzling to him. But moments cannot be paused. As life cannot be held back, her life, could not be held back. Smiling crescents, nighttime color, the flourish of her fingers outstretched to him. Forever and always.

Woman-monster. Magician. She was suited to a dagger moreso then a scepter. A wasp moreso than a butterfly. Vivien, viva’e. Vividly. Her colors were so warm to him, her scarlet was so scarring on him. Loved her, despite cold the mercury in her veins. Loved her, even to the touch of her skin he couldn’t coil back the burns on his fingers so frightening. Entranced. Ephemeral. Enrapture. Falling deeper and deeper, her laugh that resounded throughout the temple hurt and he could not help but Love her moreso. She stood in all of her fire & flames as if the time’s light surrounded her and she was so bright to him. So brilliant to him. Controlled, hatred, controlled, contempt, a woman so extravagant-----she hated them all and she held contempt for them all and she, Ah, abominate. But for him? He felt the cushions under his eyes raise to the sight of her hand reaching out to him.

He loved her, more and more. She twisted around him, Embraced him. Took him, made him. He Loved her, Loved her, and Loved her so. Hopelessly, willingly, from the beginning to the end.

“So follow me. After I light crimson brighter than the horizon, die for me, Soh’l. Where I am going, you cannot follow.”

Woman-monster. Magician.

                                               Atlas.

Soh’l smiled at her, nacre temple, white quartz. Immortal woman. Fly where no one else has. Twilight, dial-to-dial, prism from top to bottom, she looked like a rainbow in his eyes and she was, so brilliant. He loved her from the depths of hell to the garden that blooms flowers reminiscent of her in the colors of his mind. A woman more like a dagger than a scepter, a woman like silver more than gemstones, a woman that is her-----a woman who is her, vivid, viva’e, Viva’eá, to call her that just once. To call her that just once. To call her that, just once.

Immortal. But he did not feel happy for her. He took her hand and smiled as he always had, always will, always, always, always, always, always, there for her. Vivien, his first and only love. Vivien, so pretty like the sky, the current to his river, Vivien-----the name, her name, embossed on the back of the pocket watch ticking, tik-tok, located in his ribcage: his heart.

“Vivien.”

“’Atlas.’“

Leave when she lit their oasis moreso crimson than the horizon. It hurt so bad. He held her hand in his as he led her down the steps, Atlas. Like the sun for him, she would have eventually set on him, disappear on him, wash away the colors for him to take over the night. Like the sun for him, she set on him, disappear from him, he----chasing her light, waiting for celestia to align the planets just one more time. One more time. Call her Vivia’eá for the first and last time. He loved her.

He loved her enough to stay human.

[maiddegree71-blog]

Sacred Self Care Guide for August 2018

Sacred Self Care Guide for August 2018 from Rising River Wisdom School

In all the worlds’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Within these seekers are stargazers, who ascribe meaning to the “stars” and their movements through the solar system.

 Though Earth’s Moon is no star, it reflects the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom. Read on for some self care wisdom inspired by the new moon. 

Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for August from Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides, plant medicine to oracle readings, plus lots of guidance for mindfully navigating the world with your vibrant well-being in focus.

New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Leo August 11th 2018 2:57am PDT- By Michelle Prentiss

“ Eclipse of The Heart”

Recently I had a vivid dream that I was dreaming- and I was speaking aloud in the dream about all the planetary retrogrades- and how they are a necessary part of the magical mix of expanded self-awareness, which can be accessed now, at the portal that is the Solar Eclipse in Leo. 

We have had a very bumpy ride energetically this eclipse season and though, there is one more Eclipse left in the Leo/Aquarius cycle (in January 2019), this Saturday is very much a culmination of the themes started last year. 

The Leo/ Aquarius polarity has given us much of their shadow recently. We have seen mis-use of power, arrogance and rampant egoism as well as alienation in groups and communities, chaos, fear and lack of empathy. Experiencing these themes in our lives personally and collectively has given us pause, asking us to heal ourselves and our world by illuminating that which needs to be brought into balance and integrated with love.

This Leo New Moon is conjunct Retrograde Mercury asking us to re-consider the connections we have made recently – Is there a way to review our thoughts or beliefs about themes in our lives? Can we bring heart into Judgment?  Can we see how our thoughts and communication can hurt both others and ourselves?

Can we give ourselves the love and acceptance we need?  

Jupiter squaring the lunation compels us by stating, “ Expand your Awareness and find your TRUTH” 

Asteroid Pallas Athena is also conjunct this New Moon. Considered to have rulership over feminine wisdom, strategy, the ability to perceive over-arching patterns and creative intelligence, her energy bridges the Leo/ Aquarius polarity with a wholistic view and observes the parts of it that do not fit. 

This New Moon there is a tremendous sense of us all on an energetic, internal plateau, which exists in a space between the past and future – as issues/memories/ situations rise up from our personal and collective unconscious and need to be processed.  As you experience this, The KEY to healing/integrating is first bringing your awareness to the present moment and holding space for your heart’s intelligence combined with a wholistic view and flexible mindset. If we don’t see that which we DO NOT want in our lives, we won’t know how/ where to eliminate it from our structures.

The Solar Eclipse is partial and functions a bit like a re-boot on a computer. As we see, through the friction of opposition that we which we do and do not want in our lives, we can have the opportunity for a new start which becomes much more integrated and compassionate, inclusive rather than exclusive, creative and loving – embodying the most evolved aspects of our Leo Archetype.

Here is a Ritual to do this Saturday from cauldronsandcupcakes.com

Purpose:  This simple healing ritual is for people who are blocked by fear, loneliness, grief and pain, and who have low self-worth and self-love.  The ritual gradually peels away layers of trapped and negative vibration, and allows a flood of healing light to rebalance and cleanse this chakra.  The treatment is gentle, and can be used over time to allow deeper and deeper levels of trauma to be easily released.  It can also be used for linear (this lifetime) and past life issues clouding your present direction and happiness.

Tools:  An unused white candle, a rose quartz and an amethyst crystal, some carrier oil (such as sweet almond oil) in china or glass bowl, and a few drops of bergamot oil.

Method:  Leave yourself at least half an hour, and some quiet time afterwards for integration.  Place your candle and the bowl of oil with the two crystals on either side.  Quiet yourself, then light the candle and say the following,  “I release all fear.  I release all pain.  I am Joy.  I am Love.  I now embrace my Sacred Self.”  Sit quietly in front of the candle and close your eyes.  Visualize white Light surrounding your body and streaming into your heart. Feel the presence of Higher Energy, God, Guides or Angels around you.  You may also want to offer up a Prayer for healing at this time.

When you are ready, take the oil, and rub it into the skin around your heart chakra in a circular anti-clockwise motion.  As you do this, breathe slowly and calmly and recite the following “I invite Love into my Heart.  I invite Love into my Life.  I am worthy and deserving of this Love.  Love is my nature.”  Say this as many times as feels right for you.  Feel your heart chakra gently softening, opening, and releasing the trapped energy.  Visualize Golden Light pouring into your Heart.  When you are finished, say a simple prayer of Thanks.  Sit or lie quietly and allow your body to become accustomed to its new, clearer vibration.

New Moon in Leo – Plant Spirit Medicine with Jacqueline Zajdman 

As we enter the portal of our final eclipse, the energy feels like a wide-open space where time stands still. “Something” action oriented is just around the bend, so why not take the time to dream, wish and review your hopes and desires while we are swimming in this Vortex!

The new moon in Leo is all about the heart. With the help of our plant spirit allies, we can work on igniting the energetic space that lines us up with our true North Star. Where do you truly see yourself? What have you been wanting to create? You are the master of your own destiny- anything is possible.

When I desire to channel deeply and drop into my deeper wants and needs, I look to ceremonial medicine like KAVA. This beautiful root has been celebrated traditionally by the South Pacific islands and Polynesian culture to commemorate milestones and connect with spirit. Kava was used to deepen social contact through gatherings of chiefs and nobles, as well as preparation for long journeys and invoking awareness into communion with ancestors. The root would be chewed or ground up and mixed with water to release its medicine. In Hawaii, all religious and spiritual ceremonies involve drinking kava. The rituals are held to seek favor from the Gods, from farming to marriages. 

As an antispasmodic and anti anxiety plant, drinking in this nervine has been used spiritually to ease the physical body while experiencing mental clarity and reaching enlightened conclusions. Kava root can be infused in cold water for a few hours and blended with your favorite milk and honey, warm or cold.  If a powder version is more accessible, you can use that too. Don’t worry if you feel a slight numbing tingle on the tongue. Let every sip of its pearlescent milky medicine relax your body and melt away the future worry of the unknown.

New Moon Animal Guide By Brook Albrigo

I hope you were all able to embrace our Dove guide last month. I know I found myself calling on her many times during deeply intense moments, I was joking with a group of healers how I never get nervous when I see the intimidating animals like Badger and Vulture – it’s the sweet and cute animals that worry me! Sometimes I feel the Universe is like “Here’s this really soft and comforting animal to get you through this next cycle of craziness!” ha-ha. Well, here we are! Last eclipse of the summer, more retrogrades than I can wrap my head around and my source of wisdom is to always to turn to the animals. 

When I meditated on this next monthly cycle I was shown dozens of Moth’s fluttering around an outdoor light bulb. Frantic and fighting their way to it – only to bounce back confused and disorientated.

As I have brought up before, the actions I see the animals performing are always of great importance to the message, but first let’s talk about the Moth. The Moth is like the butterflies shadow, a nighttime butterfly cloaked in fur and displaying mysterious and often skeletal patterns on its wings and body. Like the butterfly, Moth’s go through the same metamorphosis so anytime one comes around I know it signifies huge transformation- a death and rebirth phase. You may find yourself going through huge changes this month! Changes on a level so deep you can’t really describe it. While these changes occur, avoid over complicating things. See where you can simplify, it will make for a smoother transition and keep you from getting too overwhelmed.

The moth is a nocturnal creature, representing that which is hidden or veiled. It is also “photo tactic” which means they automatically move towards light and use the Moon to navigate. Now from an Astrological view, we know the moon represents our inner world, hidden emotions, dreams and desires.

Keeping all of this information in mind, lets get back to what the Moths were doing in my vision. When we feel lost in the dark, our first instinct is to flock to light. Our inner compass almost aches for it and sometimes instead of finding that guiding moonlight; we settle for that artificial porch light and frantically throw ourselves at it causing confusion and disorientation. We have all heard the term “like a moth to a flame”! Where are you searching for your guiding light? Is it outside of yourself? Is it authentic? The Moon is our mirror and if she is the guiding light- the lighthouse, which you seek, is YOU. It is within you. Allow the Moth guide to show you how it has been hidden or veiled and how you can you use your sensitivities to lead you to the real thing instead of getting caught in a flame or artificial light source. And be ok with being in the dark on your quest, for without it- how will you see that moonlight?

We will be in this Moth energy for a one-month cycle until the next New Moon in September. If you would like to connect with Moth on a more personal level, feel free to do a meditation inviting it in and ask what specific medicine it brings you at this time. You can also keep an image or get outside and pay attention to how they move and act.

Source: http://tasty-yummies.com/sacred-self-care-guide-for-august-2018/