#(not in the romantic sense necessarily of course it just brings out a lot of cool things in ryder to have someone to play off of)

[luffyvace]

SHOTO HCS FOR HIS DAY

THIS GIF IS SO CLEANNN 🤩 ANYWAY TODAY BABY SHOTO CAME INTO THIS WORLD AND WE GON TURN UP WITH SOME HCS‼️‼️

#turn up w shotoooo🤪

At the beginning of your relationship it was definitely giving awkward phase..

but don’t worry it definitely won’t stay like that forever

but for now he’s doing little gestures he knows you’d like

buying tickets/seats to any concert/movie you said was your favorite

Anime cons too

he likes to share his soba with you

yes typical, but he’s not self absorbed or anything, so if you want to share ‘okay!’

if not he will bring snacks he knows you’d like to school and give it to you during lunch

he likes to hang out in your dorm a lot

it gives him a warm sense of home

very comforting to him

he doesn’t really know what to do much in relationships but the amount of effort, time, thought and care he puts into it makes him seem so knowledgeable about them??

like shoto I thought you said you’ve never been in a relationship before?? 🤨

tbh the awkward phase doesn’t necessarily seem awkward it’s just, a lot of your time is spent in silence or quiet chit chatting

I mean unless your a extrovert who likes to talk

after you get out that phase though

he starts to be more confident

he likes to trace your hands (and face, in private)

he will kiss your knuckles, not because someone told him it was romantic, but because he really likes your hands

Soft, big, small, rough, long, short, slim, chubby, vieny, bro he just likes your hands!!

he doesn’t break eye contact much either

this might have intimidated you at first because he has a strong gaze (or maybe it didn’t)

but it’s more so of him observing every detail of your face

if feel like if shoto spoke his mind a little more he would be sooo romantic

like instead of the conversation going

“uhh need something shoto? You’ve been staring at me for a while”

“oh nothing I’m just observing your every feature so that even when I close my eyes I can remember the way whatever god that created you sculpted your ethereal face.”

it’s going

“Uhh yeah? Your staring, why? 😅”

”oh” *looks away*

LIKE WHAT??

that difference is TOO huge 🤦‍♀️

random

You love the way shoto softly smiles around you

it makes you feel special

btw shoto probably won’t introduce you to his family for quite a bit of time for two reasons

1: he doesn’t wanna get you involved with his mess

2: if you two don’t work out he doesn’t want his business on the streets

now of course he trusts you but you can never be to cautious, he doesn’t go around blabbing his business, why would he want you to??

the solidarity silence is real

like, he could be reading as your working on homework with music playing in the background

Maybe you occasionally ask him for help on some questions

and he occasionally sips some tea momo made

speaking of which momo is your biggest supporter

along with izuku

shoto likes to go to the beach either really early or really late for two reasons

1: not many people are there

2: you get to watch the sunrise/sunset together

3: he likes the feeling of walking on sand

And yes I said two and added a third one bc he really likes the beach

I’m gonna make the other half of these hcs about his day bc it is! <3

so all of class 1A gets up early everyday, weeks before shoto’s big day to start planning :)

you get up early and others start working on the decorations, others buy gifts and needed things, y’all even buy him a outfit!!

and your going all out because you told everyone shoto told you he never celebrated bc of his past :(

so your bigging it up this year!!

you bought him a soba maker to store in his dorm<3

and yes it was very expensive bc it’s high quality!!

it’s so worth it for him tho

everyone’s gift varies depending on what they bond with him on

although shoto is kinda to himself so you had to help out some people but that’s okay

some people set things up, others wrap gifts, another making a card, ironing his outfit, etc! Bright and early on his big day!

when he gets up that day he’s truly in shock

he doesn’t know what to say

”…….you guys planned this?”

he figures your the main instigator since he told you

and he was right :)

first you planned the amazing breakfast momo made for him, it was delicious

next you guys went rolled skating

then you all went out for lunch

after you guys came home and opened gifts, along with a party you invited friends to, such as class 1B, shiketsu, etc everyone! 💓

lastly you all eat dinner (soba) & party til midnight before hitting the hay ♥︎

and man I summed it up a lot bc it was epic!!

there were so many funny moments and you can bet Mina recorded every second of it!!

She sent it to the group chat and shoto saved it

he looks at it quite often

It was a ”brings tears to my eyes” experience for him 💖💖

He’s so happy about it, and he tells you all about how happy it made him, opening up to you even more as you cuddle in bed late that night

💛

ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE ENDING IM SO GLAD I WROTE THIS!!

I’m gonna try not to miss too many anime character’s days but i can’t guarantee..LOL!

[laundrybiscuits]

I've recently been tagged in a few WIP/"last thing you've written" type games, and…to be completely candid, I haven't been writing any kind of fic lately because I've become a little bit obsessed with analyzing the Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.

Not for any particular purpose, I just saw it at the Hudson a little while back and have a lot of feelings about it! In my tiny scraps of spare time, I've been working on an essay about Merrily and inevitability that will probably end up rotting in my google docs*, because that's how I approach writing as a hobby.

There's just so much there, holy shit. I'm focusing particularly on "Franklin Shepard, Inc." because Radcliffe's Charley brings a frenetic, desperate vulnerability to the performance that reads so, so differently from earlier productions. Throughout the show, I was consistently blown away by the heavy lifting Radcliffe, Mendez, and Groff do in shifting the core tension from "art vs commerce" (fine but basic, and difficult to keep modern) to "how people prioritize different types of relationships in their lives."

In an effort to make this slightly less wildly off-topic for this blog: this has gotten me thinking about the way that platonic relationships are treated in narratives, particularly but not exclusively in fandom.

"Found family" is and has always been a popular trope, but I do think its current incarnation trades a lot on the underlying fantasy of relationship permanence. When we recategorize friendships as familial relationships, we're making a claim—whether or not it's justified—about the indelibility of those relationships.

That's not inherently bad (or, god forbid, problematic). I think it's very very natural, especially for those who don't necessarily have a lot of experience with the way adult friendships change over time. Why wouldn't you want something as precious and unique and amazing as a good friendship to stay with you forever?

Certain people can feel like pillars of your world, and it's fucking terrifying to think about that being yanked out from under you—or even worse, to think about your lives slowly shifting like geologic plates until suddenly you realize it's been weeks, then months, then years since you last really talked.

CHARLEY: We're not that kind of close any more, the way we used to be. And a friendship's like a garden. You have to water it and tend it and care about it. And you know what? I want it back.

It's a peculiar, particular kind of grief when it happens, because even though it's a fairly common human experience, it doesn't get socially acknowledged in the same way as e.g. a romantic breakup.

So yeah, it makes a lot of sense that found family is a popular trope in all kinds of media, not just fandom.

However...at this point, I've developed a knee-jerk wariness to the phrase "found family," because I've found it often correlates with a really flat, simplistic depiction of human relationships. In extreme cases, it simply recontextualizes a relationship within the socially acknowledged/acceptable framework of a stereotypical family unit.

This does a disservice to familial and nonfamilial relationships alike. Every family is different, so why do so many found families in media look the same?

(I was monologuing about this to my very patient girlfriend, and she pointed out that this also sets up a success/failure binary condition in relationships, where permanence is the arbiter of success in both romantic and nonromantic contexts. She is of course both beautiful and correct!)

I have friends with whom I can sometimes share a glance and know exactly what they're thinking. I even have a running joke with one friend about the sheer number of times we've said the same thing in unison over the last 15 years. I still need to be intentional about building those relationships, extending empathy when we differ, and carving out time to reconnect. Truly intimate long-term relationships of any kind involve disagreements, conflicting priorities, and negotiating and renegotiating boundaries.

Being "basically the same person" or "sharing a braincell" actually sounds super fucking lonely to me, personally, and it handily elides the difficult, essential process of keeping people in your life.

FRANK: Old friends let you go your own way. CHARLEY: Help you find your own way. MARY: Let you off when you're wrong. F: If you're wrong. C: When you're wrong. M: Right or wrong, the point is, old friends shouldn't care if you're wrong. F: Should, but not for too long. C: What's too long?

That's a more complicated and much more mature narrative to tell than "friendship will save the day!" Because it's not that common and there's not a deep bank of references to draw from, it takes a lot of effort and skill to depict well, and I don't blame creators for not wanting to let it suck up all the air in the room. However, I think it's important to acknowledge that platonic relationships can also be flanderised and flattened.

In the context of fandom, which has always traded heavily in Romance genre conventions, I would really like to see more thoughtful explorations of complicated nonromantic relationships. I'm not even talking about genfic here! I've actually been thinking about Stobin specifically because that relationship (rightly & understandably) tends to show up in any Steve-centric fic, including the vast ocean of Steddie fics, so it makes the issue slightly more visible than I've seen in other fandoms.

I'm not saying I want to see them fight, or not be friends, or not love each other fiercely and near-obsessively in the way that lonely teenagers can. I'm just saying I want them to be distinct individuals who view the world in very different ways, and choose each other anyway. They already have a complicated past; I know from personal experience that it's possible as a lesbian to be best friends with a guy who once made a little speech about how into you he was, but that little layer of history never quite goes away.

I don't want frictionless relationships in my life. I want people who will challenge me and whom I can challenge, in the context of love and trust. I want people in my life whom I have to work to understand, because my life is richer when I do. And sometimes, I want narratives that will reflect the grief of friendships that are no longer part of my life, despite the best efforts of everyone involved.

In Merrily, Charley sings, "Friendship's something you don't really lose—" but Radcliffe's thready, pleading delivery makes it all too clear: Charley already knows he's lying. The audience just needs to catch up.

*Other essays in that particular graveyard: understanding the cast of Peanuts through the lens of anomie, humor and subversive linguistic nationalism in 00s Singaporean TV, how to fix Miss Saigon. WHY am I this way.

[rweiser]

Hi...if you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Y'all I never get asks i'm so excited omg

I could talk forever about my fave ships but I'm gonna try and keep this short by just doing my current fave ships.

Satoru Gojo/Suguru Geto (Jujutsu Kaisen)

I will always be a fan of enemies to lovers, but lovers to enemies who still at the end of the day love each other is just next tier. Satoru and Suguru are a fantastic duo and compliment each other super well, while also managing to share only one brain cell between them. They both have similar goals, but very different views on how to achieve them, and it's in this difference that their tragic conflict arises. Even still, they both deeply care about each other and trust one another until the very end, and I think that's one of the most beautiful aspects of their relationship.

He Tian/Mo Guan Shan (19 Days)

A beautiful enemies to lovers (sort of?) that started off super rocky, but has turned into something so cute and heartwarming. I love how He Tian and Mo Guan Shan don't try to change the other, but do strive to be better for the other, if that makes sense? They accept each other where they are at (the whole idea of not being afraid of darkness), but still try to make themselves better, and work together to do so! He Tian helps Mo Guan Shan out with his school work but also in shouldering the burdens of his personal life, while Mo Guan Shan helps He Tian to open up to others and rely on them for help/comfort too. They started off pretty toxic, but they've grown to be such a good pair.

Vash/Wolfwood (Trigun)

After the whole "I can see it in his eyes" and Wolfwood's ensuing GayPanicTM, how could I not ship these two? But beyond that, these two are another dynamic duo that compliment each other super well, and while they do have similar goals of wanting to save and protect people, they have very different philosophies on how to accomplish that, which is where a lot of their conflict stems from. But in their case, I think their differences balance each other out, because regardless of what they believe personally, neither of them is necessarily right or wrong, and both of their philosophies need to coexist in order for them to survive. I also find their dynamic fascinating in that they both struggle with their humanity in different ways: Vash, striving to be human despite being something other; and Wolfwood, feeling as though he's had his humanity stripped away and forced to become a monster. Because of this, they tend to understand each other in ways that no one else would be able to, and I think they also help each other to see the good and the human in themselves in spite of their respective feelings of alienation.

Osamu Dazai/Chuuya Nakahara (Bungou Stray Dogs)

I literally only started watching this show for them. I kept seeing people posting about THAT scene from Dead Apple and wanted to check it out, and nothing could've prepared me for just how gay their relationship is. Even though they claim to hate each other, these two characters really seem to be all talk. They work so well as a duo (obsessed with how well their abilities compliment each other), and I think they also have a deeper understanding of each other than what any of the other characters would really be capable of--and similar to what I had mentioned with vashwood, this stems at least in part from their questionable relationship with humanity, and how they both need the other to maintain their grip on humanity. Despite being wholly human, Dazai appears to be alienated from his own humanity, whereas Chuuya, who actually houses some sort of god, appears to be the most human of any character in the series. Of course, Dazai needs Chuuya to help him see any value in life, while Chuuya needs Dazai to bring him back to human whenever he fully uses that god-power. Beyond that, I love how much these two still trust each other despite being part of opposing groups, and I'm convinced that these two are BFFs no matter what they or anyone else say.

Kazuki Kurusu/Rei Suwa (Buddy Daddies)

Last but not least, the daddiest buddies you'll ever meet. Again, these two balance each other out super well both personally and professionally, moreso as the series continues. I enjoy that they also seem to accept each other where they are at and have a mutual understanding and trust despite not knowing the full story behind each other's actions and behaviours ("I won't ask"/"I wouldn't tell). But even still, they work together to improve themselves for Miri's sake mostly, but perhaps for each other as well, and I love how they go from feeling trapped in their pasts, incapable of changing, to finally deciding that they're going to change no matter what, and they're going to make a better future for themselves and Mirir regardless of what it takes.

[animehouse-moe]

Monthly In the Garden With My Landlord, Volume 1: Surprising Charm

Based on the just the synopsis, I'd say I was curious about this series, but I don't know if I was ever fully sold by it. Because of that, I'm very glad that I ended up picking it up regardless, as there's a lot of charm and energy that this first volume brings, making it a series centering around adult romance that I think quite a few people will enjoy, and for quite a few reasons that I'd love to illuminate.

Let's start with the idea of the story. Asako Suga is a manga editor that was just dumped by her girlfriend, leaving her in an apartment full of memories and firsts that are tied to her now ex. Because of that, in a spur of the moment decision she decides to move into a house that's being rented for pennies on the dollar and seems to have nothing wrong with it. That is, until she moves in and finds out that her 19 year old Landlord, and ex-idol, is living there with her.

I think it's an idea that a lot of people could be turned off by, but here me out on it. It's actually really fun, and well executed. Asako, and Miyako (the ex-idol-now-landlord) have just the right balance of comical and shallow traits as they do deep and impactful ones.

Sure, Asako might be a sucker for a pretty face, and that might have played into sticking around. But, she's more than that. She doesn't immediately fall in love with Miyako because she's pretty, but rather she struggles to maintain an appropriate amount of distance from this young adult, largely because Miyako struggles to be an adult.

And really, that idea itself opens up the story so much.

Asako and Miyako struggle to form deep relationships with people. Asako falls under the stereotype of being suckered in by looks, and Miyako is in the position where looks is all that people care about. Neither are able to directly connect with someone and form a deep and emotional bond, not even in the romantic sense necessarily.

I mean, the manga itself addresses that as Miyako takes to calling Asako onee-san a whole bunch, which perfectly highlights their beginning relationship. Miyako relies heavily on Asako, while Asako is babying Miyako.

The idea of romantic feelings is present, don't get me wrong, but it's absolutely an undertone to the pair forming a deeper relationship that extends past superficial tendencies. Because of that, I really hope that in future volumes they struggle with the expression of those feelings and they struggle with how it changes the shape and form of their relationship.

Anyways, let me share my love for the art. It's got a very light feeling, but that doesn't diminish the feeling of it or the detail in any fashion. It's still very present and strong, but it's not not got a heavy lineweight or strong shading or lighting and whatnot. I guess you might call it "flat", but I don't really think it's a bad thing.

I think the only thing I could really complain about is the environment art, since there isn't too much of it, but that's par for the course with a lot of manga these days. What's good though is that the mangaka fills that vacancy very comfortably. Subtle screentones that fill gaps, intelligent paneling and focus, and mindful layouts that work to really fill panels and use negative space. It's not anything incredible, but it does plenty to be aware of the gaps in backgrounds.

I think most important though is their willingness to break molds. They really don't restrict their characters to the confines of panels, routinely breaking out from those lines or existing entirely separate from them, or even having them partially cut off from them.

Speaking of characters, these designs are really damn good. The level of detail and uniqueness they carry is really great, and something that I think can be very rare to see.

Just look at the smaller details, Miyako's eyes are a different shape to Asako's (which are then also different to Hatomori's, who is a supporting character). Then look at the noses and mouths as well. Asako generally has a more squared off mouth, while Miyako's is rounder. Similarly, Asako has a more prominent nose while Miyako has overall softer and rounder features, but has larger/more prominent eyes.

It's really great design language that is very rare to see in a lot of series these days.

Even better is the expressiveness of these designs though. Character acting has a prominent role in a series like this, and Yodokawa's designs work wonders in regards to that. They work great both in terms of subtle and extreme moments, which creates a really nice feel to both ends of the first volume.

Also, the design sense and posing? Absolutely sublime. Yodokawa really has considered everything about these characters. Asako tends to wear more plain and "typical" outfits, while Miyako brings more energy and style, and all of Miyako's outfits are just so pretty.

Really, there's not much of an end to how much I enjoy the various pieces of this first volume. There's so much that I'm not doubt leaving out a considerable bit of charm and quality from this post, so I really recommend people give the manga a try. It's promising to bring a much more friendly and positive adult romance story, but not without depth or emotion. The art is endlessly engaging and fun, very stylish and well utilized, and the characters are such a treat. Just read it if you can.

[thatlittleegyptologist]

What is the most romantic expression / line of poetry / etc you've read in Ancient Egyptian writing? Are there any particularly good terms of endearment or phrases that you like?

If I'm honest, I don't have one? A lot of people assume that because you're an Egyptologist you've read everything and have an encyclopaedic knowledge of it, and...I don't. I've read a couple of them before, but I've had to go back and read them specifically to answer this. Tbf, we don't exactly have a lot of love poetry. In fact, there are only a handful love poems if I remember rightly. Of course, our notions of romance and love are very different to the Ancient Egyptians, so if the lines I pick seem strange, know that they were pretty romantic/erotic metaphors for the Egyptians and anything you might read into them now isn't necessarily what the Egyptians were trying to convey. We're separated by millennia culturally, and it's hard to pick one line since it divorces it from context and meaning, so I'll just be posting the piece as we have it.

I'm going to borrow the translations @rudjedet put here from William Kelly Simpson's book 'The Literature of Ancient Egypt' because a) she's already typed them out so I can just c&p, b) I am too lazy to get the book off my shelf and type it myself, and c) she said I could.

Out of those published, and that I can get my hands on the translations of (sorry Cairo Love Songs), I'd have to say that P.Chester Beatty I Song 42 is one of my favourites now that I've reread them:

Now you shall bring it to the chamber of (your) beloved, Alone, no other (with you), And you will accomplish your desire in her [embrace]  The curtains will flutter, And the sky will descend in a gale of wind. (Hathor) will bring you her fragrance, And its perfume will overwhelm and intoxicate All those who are present. It is the Golden Goddess Who destines her for you as a boon To let you fulfill the span of your life. 

Song 12 from P.Harris 500 is also lovely:

I shall go out [to seek my lover]. [I yearn] for your love, And my heart stops within me.  To look at a sweet cake Is like looking at salt; Sweet pomegranate wine in my mouth Is like the bitter gall of birds.  The breath of your nostrils Is the sole thing which can revive my heart, And I am determined that Amun will grant you to me For ever and eternity

Then there are ones that if I just gave you a line...it wouldn't make much sense. Like song 24 from P.Harris 500:

What is the completion of preparing to make love? Let Menqet be adorned there […] […] her bed chamber. Come, and I shall tell you. Put fine linen on her body While laying her bed with royal linen. Be meticulous about white linen, Adorn […] her body, Found like one sprinkled with perfume.

[trans-lykanthropie]

Sensations

In which Ada, feeling pretty rough, hopes writing stuff will help her feel better

***

It's the typical scene isn't it? Dark nights illuminated only by the moon, heavy mists, the melodrama of the sublime and Romantic. It's closer to the mark than you think, truth be told, but not necessarily for the reason that comes to mind as I bring it up.

As dry and technical as it sounds, the relationship between the moon and wolfing out is like a bell curve. Stay with me, it'll all make sense in a bit. As the moon gets closer to being full, the less energy it requires to hold a wolf form, with of course the full moon bringing on an entirely involuntary change. When the new moon comes along, it's almost impossible to shift at all. Glad we're on the same page.

The lunar phase doesn't just disappear with the dawn though, and aside from the obvious danger of wolfing out in broad daylight, there's another, no less important reason to try to only shift when it's dark. Changing is a lot like those moments when you suddenly realise something is uncomfortable, like a tiny piece of gravel in your shoe or a pair of trousers that are a bit too snug, but now that you've noticed you can't let it go. It stays in the back of your head, stewing away, demanding more and more of your attention until you can't take it anymore. Multiply that feeling by a thousand, and you have a general idea what the process is like.

The dull tingle of pins and needles in your fingers and toes, the fiery itching across your body, the feeling of constriction and claustrophobia like you've been zipped up in a wetsuit that's a size too small, the spike in body temperature. All that's all merely as only a precursor and is unpleasant enough. Next comes the dull creaking of bones and teeth that you feel just as much as you hear, the telltale taste of copper, the repeated tugging of muscles just to the brink of cramping before relaxing again, the vertigo and tightening of the throat. That's only phase two.

Finally comes the suite of heightened senses that roll over you like a wave, that really cause you to crumple, to double up, to try to sink your claws into anything you can find. You can feel the texture of the floor as you slip down onto your knees, every ridge or bump or gap in the floorboards. A thousand and one different smells blanket your head like smog, causing you to gulp and wretch at the sensation of your throat and vocal cords shifting around. Sounds from impossible distances hammer at your eardrums and clash with the thumping heartbeat rushing through your ears. Your vision burns like a bleached photograph. You don't lose all colour vision but the range of hues you can see reduces to that of bipack colour film, and for the moment the exposure has been turned way up. It's almost as if you've stared at a firework as it goes off, and your sight crackles and bleeds at the edges.

That's why nights are so preferable. The darkness helps with the changes in your vision, blunting the feeling of having a short lived migraine. Night-time is in theory quieter, so provided you've picked the right place you're not overwhelmed by an assault of a million clashing sounds. Nights can be cooler, so you don't feel quite as much like you're burning up with fever. In short, night makes a bad process bearable.

So please, lend your werewolf friend the use of a dark room when they need it, I assure you they will appreciate it more than you realise

[tarotnoob]

PAC: General Reading messages

Please choose an image and scroll for your message.

Pile 1

This pile kind of irked me. Not you but the cards because I thought they were talking to me but that's not what I asked so… however, obviously, if there are certain energies happening universally, it would make sense that this kind of vibe would be affecting multiple people at once. So obviously if I was going through something right now, there's a good chance other people will be going through something similar.

At the heart of it, it seems to be that for a lot of people in pile one, you're having some type of anxiety or restlessness around a work issue or a study issue or learning a type of skill. Or rather I should say that there is some type of skill that you need to develop or there's a recent obstacle or reason that you need to develop something further and the reason that you haven't or should revolves around some type of fear or anxiety, almost like a devil energy. You know like a fear of learning to love or opening yourself up. It's a skill you have to learn that's centered around an unconscious or conscious fear of getting to know people or being vulnerable in front of people or being afraid of getting hurt.

I say that because every single one of the oracles has to do with love lol. It's not necessarily romantic love, it feels more like a spiritual love as in love thy neighbor. And I think that's also linked with self-love.

So for some of you there's a fear or anxiety around being able to love someone, being able to open up to people that you care about or opening up in general and It looks like it's coming from a place of having been hurt in the past or even having been hurt recently by something that might have brought up old issues.

Like maybe some recent incident that might have involved a connection with somebody else, could be anybody, maybe something negative happened or your trust got broken or you got your feelings hurt and it ended up bringing up other past incidents that had made you feel this way. It gave you reasons to again maybe close up instead of opening up to others because of whatever reason.

I mean I'm not here to push anybody who has valid feelings about getting their feelings hurt but that's why it seems like the message is to be able to find a way to get yourself to forgive those people or even yourself. Or being able to forgive yourself and then therefore being able to open up to others. However it works for you. I do sense definitely like the kind of energy where you get hurt any close up and you just aren't able to receive love or pursue love or even give love because you're afraid of what could happen.

The actual message seems to be developing this ability. Not because you have to but it does seem like without teaching yourself how to forgive or open up again, you will be denying yourself the kind of love that you deserve. You're denying yourself. That's not to put the blame on you of course it's just that it's something you deserve but it can't be given to you if you're closed off to it even if you have valid reasons for closing up again or closing up frequently or never having opened up at all.

In case you are wondering, the 33 in numerology for that Oracle deck talks about how the number relates to not to put it in a religious context but literally it talked about Christ like love. So that's why I think this is more about a spiritual love or tolerance of humanity in general on a macro level but then also on the micro level of the actual personal relationships in your life.

For example, at work, and this is why I was annoyed that this came out and I thought this message was for me. I have been feeling really burnt out because I haven't taken any time off since I got here because I'm trying to save it for this summer. And also I've felt like lately people at work and in the city when I go do whatever, have gotten on my nerves in a way where I felt like they were being disrespectful. And I actually ended up standing up for myself yesterday in our group chat because I was super excited about going to that restaurant and so I mentioned that in our group chat and somebody I'm not even close to like made fun of me. And my other co-worker who I've actually grown really close to did something similar and so I said Yeah I'm not going to tolerate that. That wasn't funny whatever you were just trying to do. And it stopped the chat. I didn't get an apology but they knew I meant it. And I actually got kind of depressed about it because when I came in, the office wasn't doing anything fun. People just came to work but I tend to become a social director when I get there. Like try to organize events and going out or bringing food or getting people to go out for walks during the day. And it brought me back to places where I tried really hard to make things better for people in that way and I felt like I got s*** on.

And today I sat around and thought that okay I'm just getting bitter and hard like I used to. And lately I've been feeling like I haven't been able to center myself because of it. When I wanted to stop doing things on this blog it was because I felt like well for one not appreciated but that maybe I had outgrown this part of my life. Not tarot but doing things on this blog for people that I don't really interact with and also maybe like a couple of bad eggs ruining it for everybody. But mostly I just thought okay if I'm not feeling anything for this anymore and it's actually making me feel worse why would I continue to do it.

And I feel like this is a similar type of energy where you might be starting to close off as well because of an incident that could have happened recently to you and it's not just that incident, it's bringing up old stuff. It could be that chiron is acting up… who knows?

It could be a cyclical thing that often you get hurt and this is your reaction so what can you do to develop your spirituality in a way that when these things happen you can handle it in a different way.

Because all we really know for sure is that there's something that needs to be developed and that it centers around feelings and the heart and love.

And even when I look at the spine imagery on this 33 it's as if you don't want a bone breaks and then it reheals and it fuses in a different way or looks just a little bit different, I get that from this but then you also get that this is intertwined, so it makes you think of relationships as well. So it's kind of like healing after something was broken and then fusing from that hurt in a way that maybe you can heal and it's stronger or it doesn't really say anything about being stronger, it just says more about healing from a break. Obviously if you don't heal, you'll be walking around with a broken bone and then how does that affect your quality of life, your ability to just walk and enjoy life.

So I think there's a bit of an analogy there.

Also this eight of pentacles gives the impression of somebody being weighed down by these giant globes. So you may feel under pressure or overwhelmed right now, by a particular feeling or anxiety or incident.

I would say that it's temporary since these are minor cards but there's a lot of pressure. You might even be having issues sleeping, overworrying about work or school or studies.

So I would say my advice is to just feel your feelings and work through it but it is something you're going to have to maybe figure out on your own and do a lot of soul searching or heart searching I guess I should say. And again the other key here is that it's about forgiveness of someone or yourself or both and I think being able to heal from some type of hurt but only for your benefit because you deserve to have love. And I'm sure it would be a benefit for somebody to receive your love but it looks like maybe at some point you were taking advantage of or hurt after doing that and you have to rebuild that trust I guess. Not necessarily in a particular person but just in giving yourself to anyone.

I think another message here because of this like attracts like card is that when you are able to develop the skill to raise your vibration by forgiving or by opening up or by at least not being bitter and angry all the time like I have been lately, you will attract more people that you deserve or can love you the way that you love. So when you are in a dark place you might only attract others who also have a negative energy. I mean sometimes you know you just have a fight with somebody you care about and you'll get over it eventually if it wasn't that big of a deal. Like what they did hurt my feelings, could we talk it out, probably. But I'm still allowed my time to process that and be upset about it and require space.

This could also apply to some of you that feel a bit lonely but more like having felt lonely or having felt this anxiety for a long time and dealing with it on your own or having just been alone for a long time.

Yeah so we could go on some more but I think that's a pretty basic principle that's rather obvious when you look at the cards. As suggestions, I mean you can work on these things like any human with the brain and work through those issues on your own or I could tell you something like maybe work on heart chakra exercises like meditations or whatever you can Google but would help you relieve some of that pressure. I mean I've tried different practices, whether you write in a journal or do spells or whatever you like to do, but it's not really like a magical thing, it's more the process of doing that allows for you to work through and process feelings or thoughts and get them out there which is part of the healing process. Not that like writing on a piece of paper can magically bring things to you. I just after so many years of doing less I don't really think that's how it works

So just facing it and working through it and feeling it and analyzing it and doing what you need to do to move forward is going to be the solution. And it's a little bit messy and it doesn't always work fast. But at least you know the issue and if you're honest about it and you face it, you can probably make progress from there

And if it's as simple as you know having anxiety around work or studies then I guess I would say is whatever you're doing worth the trouble. I don't really sense that this pile is just about that because there's so much going on here that has to do with love and opening up and forgiving. So the tarot for me, the aid of pentacles and nine of swords is more about developing skill or lacking a skill to combat anxiety around issues with loving and opening up and being vulnerable

And these could be issues that come from childhood and being neglected and not knowing how to have these types of relationships or not feeling safe in these relationships or having other instances of abuse. And still having effects of that carry on to your adult life. So perhaps only if you want to, forgiving the people who led you to be this way or yourself but there is some type of thing that has to be worked on so that you can love and be loved. Without it making you feel anxious or like closing up.

I mean there is also the sense of just holding on to hope or trying to remember or find a reason why you should continue to be positive minded about life I guess. I think I mean feel your feelings first of all. There are going to be times in our life where we feel better and angry because we're human. But I guess maybe the message is don't dwell on that energy for too long because you only attract more negativity probably and put out negativity as well. So maybe also some time alone would be beneficial to anybody who relates to this pile.

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Pile 2

So you may have also been drawn to pile one because I do see some similarities in that there are three themes or not really themes but some similar concepts. The idea of love and relationships, obstacles in those relationships, particularly when it comes to communication of something, and then the fourth house which is usually about family or home but in this deck it can be about love or childhood things. So when I talked about in the previous pile was the potential for issues from childhood coming up and creating opposition in building or maintaining relationships with others.

Especially since opposition talks about pressure and that was something that I talked about in the previous pile as well that there was some kind of pressure around feelings or feeling obligated to love a certain way or a spiritual pressure because maintaining or opening up is difficult.

That being said, additional things seem to be coming through here where it's almost like something is going to come out of this. I initially thought since this is pile two it would be normal for this pile to receive a relationship or love message which is also here yes.

Because to me it seems like there will be an instance soon of connecting with another person. It could be romantic love, or it could be friendship, it could be familial. To me it feels a bit like a makeup of sorts. Like perhaps there had been a falling out with somebody or an argument and then these two people or however many people are involved are able to communicate and come together and through that the relationship seems to grow closer.

I mean if the falling out hasn't happened already, it could be coming soon and then there's the opportunity to talk it out and forgive or whatever. But really it seems to me that the union or reunion or forgiveness is coming soon and that's what's in the near future. The night of swords also indicates a quickness to it, and also says more about communication being involved. And six of Wands, well that can indicate a couple of things here. That there's some type of success or vindication to come from us union or resolution. It could also be that this fight in some way is open to the public. Like somebody observed you fighting or it's something that is easily watched from the sidelines. It could also be an instance of fighting with somebody online or yeah through technology I guess. It could be some type of misunderstanding you had with somebody in a discord chat and making up with that person later.

But there is a some type of sense not that it's really important or relevant but just because of the 6 of wands that there's a bit of a spotlight on it or other people might have witnessed this argument

Almost like a celebrity feud that you would have witnessed on Twitter or Instagram and everybody is able to watch how that works out but then those people end up making up I guess

Or I should say that the energy that seems to be going on right now, and I've had other people tell me that they just feel weird. And I felt more angry than usual and I felt more like people were getting in my space or being disrespectful or aggressive on purpose without me even having to instigate anything. So there could be this energy of more fights across the planet. And it could be that these things are being instigated by the transits or the universe in order to open up old wounds that weren't yet healed but need to be healed and those wounds would have to do with our relationships with other people. Not even people we know but people as in like the collective

So I guess in a sense the universe is testing our ability to forgive or to go through conflict and still be able to open up or to care about others.

For some people it might be something a little bit simpler as in you might have been away from somebody or separated from somebody for a while and very shortly you could be reuniting with them. This could be a romantic relationship or a friend or a family member. And the opposition is just an obstacle that came between you or there wasn't communication possible between you. For some of you it could be like somebody went abroad or somebody went into the military and it just seems like the issue that would have separated you would have also caused a communication breakdown either by choice or not by choice.

There may also be something funky happening with your fourth house. There could be a transit happening that has negative effects because of a placement in your fourth house. I was looking at that recently and kept getting readings for myself that were like pointing to conflicts around my fourth house which is where my moon is. I think it's kind of normal for a lot of people to have the moon in the fourth house. I don't know why I say this I feel like I read it somewhere. I mean I know obviously not everybody does but a lot of people probably have a moon in fourth house? Or am I crazy That's possible

But you might want to look at whatever is at your fourth house and see what's going on right now in the transits that might create obstacles between you and other people that you love and why it's possible that right now You could be having more communication breakdowns than possible

That aside, what the other cards seem to show including the tarot is good news coming. Which I just interpreted as a uniting with somebody that you care about but I mean basically with a knight of swords and a six of Wands, this is movement in the direction of victory or receiving some type of message or communication that you've achieved something or accomplished something or receiving a reward for something. It could be even making a decision that moves you into the direction of victory. We know that it's going to be happening in the near future.

If you want anything specific, well I don't really know what the universe considers near future since time is relative to the universe probably, but the Oracle cards at the top look like 432 to me and then we have a 10 and 6. So I guess it could be something like the 28th of this month or the 6th of next month or even not until June. Or maybe even April since we have a four here. Like April 3rd or April 2nd or April 23rd. But then whenever you read this, whatever.

However we just know that it's going to happen pretty quickly from when you read this because swords and wands tend to be pretty quick elements. This could even be travel. Like traveling and being able to reunite with somebody you haven't been able to see you or talk to. Or they've been away and then they come back and you're able to talk to them soon online again. Because there's a sense of having been out of reach.

Regardless, you should be in connection soon with somebody else whether it was a fight or something else came up to separate the two of you or how many are involved whatever and I guess I see communication also being an important aspect of bringing you back together.

On a deeper level, this could be a person from a past life that you meet very soon. A soulmate of any kind. That you haven't met before, and suddenly they come into your life. And you're able to know it's them based on the sudden connection that you have with them. If it's romantic, it could be an immediate physical or spiritual type of attraction. And maybe either there was something that kept you from meeting which could be tons of things because obviously if you haven't met somebody anything could be keeping you apart like geography. The other thing to read from this could be that actually the two of you meet and don't get along at first and then you have some type of communication that makes you realize you have more in common than you thought and you actually end up getting together like an enemies to lovers type of situation.

And to speak to that I could probably try to tell you what kind of person they are. They could be somebody who is in the spotlight like somebody who's an actor or somebody who's well known or could have a popular following online or as popular with people in general, somebody that would be the life of the party, somebody pretty successful. They would be well spoken. They could actually be known for the words in some way like music or like I said acting or being a writer because they're success would come from something to do with communication

They could be an air sign or have an air heavy chart, or also like a mix of air and fire or have a Mercury that's fire since Mercury is sort of how we talk and communicate and then the six of Wands would indicate that that Mercury is in a fire sign like Mercury in Leo or Mercury in Sagittarius or Mercury in Aries. It's also possible that's a transit that's coming up as well

In terms of timing, the fact that there's an opposition and the idea of communication, the timing could indicate the next Mercury retrograde

So I'm getting specific here but in instances of that, there could be things that break down around the house. Like especially any objects related to communications such as your computer suddenly breaking or your phone suddenly breaking or having internet connectivity issues at home.

Yeah so you get the idea but those are a lot of different scenarios that I see happening with this pile.

And then I suppose I should throw out with the opposition and a three that there are also instances in which a third-party situation could be happening. It could have to do with relationships in the past or currently or it can have something to do with not romance but like maybe having issues or fights with multiple people at once or just two people in particular. This could be relatives or friends or potential partners or if you're in a relationship with more than one person then maybe they're being some obstacles or somebody's not communicating something right now that they should

But it's a step ahead of where pile one is in that their pile talked about forgiveness being needed but I think this pile is already closer to being at that stage or closer to reuniting with somebody that they were apart from in whatever way that may be

Also there's just a little bit of destiny I feel here so again it's for some of you a soulmate situation. That's being kind of lined up by your guides and yeah. But like I said it feels like you've either been separated for a long time or have never met because things kept you apart for a reason and more than likely this would actually be somebody you meet very soon or have recently met but it feels like an enemies to lover situation

And outside of those soulmate types of situations, this would be more like just reuniting with somebody because they have been elsewhere or they fell out of contact. But really the stronger vibe actually feels like the soulmate stuff because it does give Romeo and Juliet vibes but without the dying and being 13 years old part

Oh and also only if this is something that you are looking forward to or have been wanting, a very few of you might find out that you are expecting especially if you were having difficulty conceiving, if you like you might actually have good news coming in the near future because fourth house and having a three and then this union of hearts, does make me feel things about fertility. If not fertility, then the idea of creating something but it's really like more like an organic labor of love you would really have to be growing this thing for it to make sense with the rest of the cards. And more than likely would have to do with a collaboration with somebody else. And in that case maybe the opposition isn't about what it actually means and is about the image where two people connect and are on the same page but I'm not ready to completely disregard the word on that card. But it still makes me think that it's people reconnecting after a separation or after a disagreement because the three card also looks like people who find a way to meet in the middle or find a middle ground or a common ground and through that connection I guess I mean after you connect or whatever this is, there seems to be something that the two of you can create together that benefits the collective. I mean you may think that it's just two people coming together and it's just about the two of you and this relationship but for my point of view, I actually see it as the two of you are destined to come together for a purpose.

This could be something like your offspring end up developing a cure for some disease or the two of you come together and create a business that benefits people in an important way like building shelters for homeless people. So you have some type of purpose incoming together with this person which makes it a bit like destiny. And you're like wow this is my soulmate and the universe is like haha we fooled you we actually got you together so that you can like further the interests of humanity lol

And what's funny about me saying that homeless and finding them shelter or something is because we have the fourth house and the fourth house is about the home and the heart and childhood. So I guess in that case the two of you could come together and like help children or help people find homes or even like something about the home that you invent makes home life more comfortable.

I guess it could be all kinds of things

And back to the timing since the cards go four three two…. It's like this event is so close that if you just said one you would be there so it's almost like you are a step away from this thing happening of meeting this person or reuniting with this person. It would be very very close

It could also be that in order for you to actually meet this person he do have to leave your house. Like you can't be a shut-in recluse unfortunately

I also get the sense that this person could be like drawn to you or watching you admire you. As if it's possible for them to be watching your social media or if you know them or meet them and real life they observe you and admire something about you. Of course this could be the reverse and you are watching their social media or admire something about them or have a desire to send them a message or they send you a message

In that case if that just resonated with you then I would say go ahead and reach out to them. I mean you're not going to be able to like message Jimin on weverse and have him be like Yes let's date but if it's somebody that you know and have had in mind but just haven't had the confidence or have been too shy to reach out, you might shoot your shot. Because absolutely nothing is going to happen if there's no communication whatsoever. That's obvious but I'm just saying because there is success around communication so for some of you if you do shoot your shot, you'll find success and a romantic partner in the near future

Okay we could probably go on but that's a lot of messages for one pile

—

Pile 3

Very interesting energy here. Before I forget, this pile did shuffle strangely. A couple of times I wanted cards and it wanted to throw out a bunch and I said no thank you. But at other times it behaved and just gave me one. I also clarified the devil out of curiosity. I was already feeling this was more about Saturn and moon stuff than like the actual meaning of the devil card. I've noticed lately sometimes particular planets come up over and over again at a certain time during different readings and lately for me that's been Saturn and the Moon. So whatever those two are up to these days, it's a weird mix of energy. And what Saturn is in Pisces right now. I don't even know what the moon is in because half the time I don't know what day it is

The weird thing is before I get into like specific types of readings even though pile threes sometimes tend to be more reflective of a collective energy or things that would be happening more obviously on a global scale

So for me there is a lot of powerful energy in this pile. It's like you know what it reminds me of what's her face in Lord of the rings and she puts on the ring maybe and then all of a sudden she's like super powerful but can kind of barely contain that power. This feels not that moment or about her but this energy reminds me of that kind of uncontrollable magical power so it's almost intimidating if this is floating around in the universe right now. Because it doesn't feel very controlled. As in like it doesn't feel like an Aries emperor energy where it's disciplined, it's not completely calm and feminine. It's almost do I want to say child like like if there was a very mischievous powerful spirit, that's kind of what sits here. I'm sure that doesn't make sense but it's just a feeling

The odd card out for me would be improving health until we talk about on the micro level of what these cards are saying for actual individuals but to me I read that card and I think this is more about gaining power or momentum. Like it's not about health at all, it's about watching the dial go up. Which kind of makes sense when the devil card is also clarified by something like son and eight of Wands, because that also feels like watching your speedometer go up when you suddenly hit the gas pedal and don't let off. I think the scary thing about this type of energy could be that it wouldn't necessarily be very predictable and that depending on who wields it, you really don't know what kind of effects it's going to have

Free spirit? That's kind of what I'm hearing. It's dangerous and it's sexy and it's more feminine than masculine but really I guess I should say it's a kind of androgynous energy

I will also say that the only thing that is real is love reminds me of the world card. So again I'm feeling like this is a global phenomenon and in this car do you have people watching the world but it's more of a peaceful work together kind of imagery. I guess it does tie in with the previous piles in that both of those tended to focus on love and forgiveness. I feel that as well because this card says shift your focus back to love. When you look at the high priestess card, she's focused on some similar imagery with that little glass bowl but from here it actually looks like a globe. What's interesting is she looks like she has horns and the devil has horns

Two of swords, the person has their eyes closed in the moon is behind them. They aren't able to focus and see like those other two cards. There's also a huge emphasis on not just any moon but a full moon, and like I said there's Saturn, and we have the Earth. I don't know if you want to count the Sun since it came out as a clarifier.

I wonder you know since besides the moon fitting with cancer, it's also something you associate with Pisces. And Saturn being in Pisces, and those bodies being the focus here, you do have to wonder like it definitely feels more on the spiritual side and the supernatural side or heavy about the idea of intuition actually you know what I'm going to look up what some of those transits mean and what is happening right now and what the moon is in so hold up…

Okay so not only is Saturn and Pisces right now but the moon is actually in Capricorn. That's funny because the devil is the Capricorn card as you probably know. That's not anything special other than the cards do tend to pick up on current transits and it just means that those energies are significant right now probably for everybody but maybe in particular more for this pile. What I thought was interesting is something I'm experiencing and it talks about how Saturn in Pisces because you can end up expressing the highest of Pisces which is that spiritual peace and enlightenment and everything is wonderful and we all need to get along or it also covers the darker aspects of the mind like depression and other mental health issues or addictions which again brings up that devil card so this is making more sense even though it's quite heavy

I actually had an incident the other day even though I was quite happy at the time something really triggered me and it felt like I had been betrayed by people that I trusted and I ended up confronting one of them today and she was like oh that's not what I meant but at the time it definitely felt like that and I still don't really believe her and that kind of triggered some old ones for me and it's made me quite depressed lately like very low into that area. Which isn't entirely new but I've been pretty stable for a while and lately I'm not. I'm even taking Monday off from work because I'm burnt out and I've noticed for the last week or more that I haven't been in the right headspace which I'm wondering since it really wasn't provoked by anything, and only a week ago did this transit even start lol so it's not doing very well for me it's probably because it's conflicting with something in my chart. My moon is in Pisces, in my fourth house, and I actually think I have like a T-Square that includes Saturn and the moon and my north node but that aside

And keep in mind that Capricorn and Pisces are quite different. Capricorn would be more cautious, ambitious, more disciplined and grounded. And then you have this Pisces energy which is creative or spiritual or very flowy and watery. I think combined those types of abilities or energies could do really great things or could kind of create a combination of disasters I would guess because you might go too extreme…

So it's not that these particular cards are a warning or a message for me it's just showing what kind of energy is out there and it's being very objective about it. I also wonder because of the health card if there aren't some remnants from the last moon which was Virgo I mean the last full moon was in Virgo the next one will be in Libra but right now The moon is just in Capricorn

So what does that mean for you okay. Well first of all this energy is likely to affect everybody so it's affecting you whatever this weirdness is. So for example if you've felt particularly depressed lately or have fallen back into some kind of addiction. If you've been drinking more doing drugs or smoking or picking up something like that I think the devil does indicate that that temptation will be there. And you might be like why do I feel this way, where is this even coming from. It's not that you're crazy, it's that weird energy is coming in

And I guess I see that's where the sun and the eight of Wands lie like on the one hand you could read this as good news is coming in right because the sun should be joy and happiness and eight of Wands is about information coming in quickly. Sure that could be true and then if you pair it with something like the devil it could relate to work because it's about Saturn like good news and work or even like something at work that you've done well is going to be in the spotlight or noticed by a bunch of people

But on the other hand, this energy could also be about I feel like it's more about impulsive energy towards things that are tempting but in a bad way but in that devil way. And even when you look at this card it's funny because not only does it have Saturn but it's got the moon and that might be Mercury on the other side I could just read the book but it doesn't really matter it's just interesting that we're seeing a full moon once again. That makes me very wary of the next moon but the next moon is Libra so maybe that peacefulness and mediator energy will be helpful with this Pisces energy right

And then we have the high priestess, about intuition and wisdom, for me it's coming off right now as predictions in the future. And the horns may be linked to the devil as well but it's also giving me Taurus vibes. but to me this really feels like somebody who has knowledge about what's going to happen. The other imagery here is black and white, there are two scorpions, and then you have peacock feathers. And that makes me think of pride and you can tie that to the devil card plus the Sun card when you think about Leo. So I actually wonder if something that's going to happen now or something about this energy now is linked to an event in the future that might occur around Leo season because I really feel like this high priestess is trying to show us something and it's about the planet. Because we also saw imagery of the Earth in that other card and all those people are far away and observing the earth as if it's like a crystal ball so hold up let me just look at this

I'm not really sure what it is but this has happened before where more global type of predictions came through than individual ones. The last time that happened was for the 2023 first 3 months pick a card I did where in that pile three I mentioned natural disasters happening and not to be that guy but like the past week since I have also been kind of weird, I kept having feelings like there was an earthquake happening. And today I felt it again in the morning and I actually had a dream where there was an earthquake. And I looked it up today and there was an earthquake 2 days ago in California. So I'm not saying it's that but I wonder if this has to do with climate

If not climate then some kind of event that has to do with people coming together but like on a global scale and the only other clue I have is that it might have to do with health

So it could be that something starting now and then something that comes up maybe later on, has to do with improving health like some type of medical revelation or climate revelation. It doesn't feel bad I'm not saying that there's going to be a catastrophe I'm actually feeling the opposite of something good happening. The figures in the devil card are all kind of like focusing on their stomach or their uterus so this could have to especially do with women's health or if that's something you're struggling with at the moment like maybe you'll see improvements or good news about that if you're going to have a surgery or you're going to start a certain kind of medication

Or if not you then the other possibility is another female in your life, especially a mother but to me this looks like good news happens.

…

Okay well it's not like we can predict that so let's try to take it down to you and how is this going to affect actual people and what's coming up for you. Well the good news is it sounds like your health will be improving. Some of you may be working on diets or doing something different to account for better health. Or something's happening that you need to actually put effort into improving your health because let's say you find out you have diabetes so now you have to take measures in how to take care of yourself. To get specific, I actually think drinking more water would be beneficial for you because she's got a cup in front of her. This could also be drinking less. Of course you can drink, but drink in moderation. It could also be about a medicine that you need to take that will improve your health. Whether this is physical or even mental health. So to me it looks like there are options for you or if options have been presented and you're not sure that this is encouraging you to consider that route if it's safe for you

And then I think another aspect of what's going on is to focus on relationships again in your life of any kind. You might have been distracted or neglecting relationships, but it seems like there may be things that distract you or forces dividing us from other people like in a collective way and so it's important to remember to establish those bonds. I find that quite difficult lately because everybody's been getting on my nerves and sometimes I think people are absolutely horrible but part of that journey is remembering what can be beautiful about people. I'm just saying that I'm not really feeling that at the moment but maybe that's why this card is here. If you've been feeling something similar to me lately then it might be time to work on that and how to redirect it. In this card, I see friendships with people who are different than us, especially in terms of how we look and being able to create loving relationships with them as in like a bigger messages being close despite differences. And then also old and young. So especially important if you do have kids to maybe focus on that or if your parents are getting older this card is a seven by the way. And again that's putting the focus on July which would be Leo season. I'm really curious about what might happen. I guess if I had to give an example it would feel like you know the Olympics. I don't even know when the next Olympics is but like a global event that brings together people of all kinds but like for a good purpose. So it's not just one particular sporting event like it wouldn't just be a soccer game and maybe it will have to do with children's health or women's health or reproductive health. Granted it could be the opposite and you see more restrictions on women's health but I'm just saying that there's a lot of emphasis here on health and on reproductive organs and children and feminine energy. So all together that makes me think of reproductive health so maybe some advances come in like uterine cancer or ovarian cancer or breast cancer

With the full moon card, we have releasing something or cycles or it's about timing, I'm drawn to the two I don't know what to call them but there are like two Washington monuments in the background so again this could be about political stuff related to women's health and it also reminds me of the two of swords because we have two things, it could even make you think of the two of Wands. So maybe it's about a vote. Some type of vote related to women's health

Or having two different choices or two different paths to take about something. I guess it could also have to do with sexuality or gender identity or sexual orientation but there seems to be a big deal about that

Well we just went back to global stuff didn't we lol. Pile 3 is going to be that way I guess…

Okay so trying to drop it back down again. So for the average person, this could mean good news at work or more pressure or more energy that is pushing you toward activities that could be tempting but in a bad way so you might need to watch out for that if that's something that comes up

It's interesting because Saturn is really a planet about boxing things in and the sun is supposed to be about clarity and bringing light to something. As a combination it would be interesting because if you were a person that had this energy you would have all the ambition in terms of work or career or goal and then you would suddenly have this burst of energy coming in to help you or make things clear so when we look at it positively if you had a job this would be like an incredible burst of energy to do work but maybe the fallback is working too much becoming a workaholic and this could be affecting your health

Another way to read this grouping of cards could be like a phase of promiscuity or I guess just feeling more horny lol or feeling more sexy. I'm not personally feeling that way but good for you if you are. I just think there will be some energy that really fuels you to push forward if you have something that you're working on

I would also maybe read this high priestess as a nine of cups, is in like a goal that you're working on which makes sense why there is clarity on the goal and even some inspiration or energy to work on it and have discipline in working toward that goal which fits well with Capricorn anyway

To me it feels like you've already made the decision to go forward because even though the two of swords is about making decisions, full moon makes me feel like you've made the decision because like it's the end of the cycle so this could apply to any goals and like I said since health is here it could be simply on a very basic level you've made some type of decision and have inspiration for and a reason to work on your health at this time

And even though this card talks about love the word I'm drawn to the most is focus. So it could be a time right now to focus on health or goals or making decisions toward that goal

Also I'm going to read you this part from the Oracle guide book about the full moon. This is a moment of manifestation and release, as the goals of the prior half of the moon cycle find their fruition. Either that, or this is a time of realization, the culmination of efforts initiated at the new moon. It's going to be a moment of instability, as the rush and release of energy permeates all, wave-like, powerful, and free

Okay well there you go.

I don't know how many people know if they were born near full moon I think I was born when there was a waxing gibbous so I guess I also would have been close but it says in the natal chart those born with the moon 180° from the Sun, or with the moon one hinder 180° negative 135° behind the sun were born on or around the full moon. Individuals born at this phase have the ability to bring together past and present, as well as a sense of emotional illumination, and a clear yet powerful vision of the world

Light in light the full moon offers us a way to find culmination and release from the previous cycle, letting us feel accomplished in our efforts which makes sense. And then the shadow says in Shadow, full moon can be disorienting, overwhelming, and emotionally heavy

well I feel like that sums up a lot of the energy of these cards anyway so making sure that you feel accomplished for the goals that you have achieved not just like in the last cycle but just in the last year or 5 years but at the same time I do feel like there is this energy of feeling disoriented or overwhelmed or emotionally heavy. So that might be why there's a bit of a mix of things in here so maybe the solution is to focus on something in particular, it could be relationships it could be health but there's a lot of energy here around being focused on something. Or on the other hand if there's too much focus on one thing like work perhaps starting to focus on health

That also makes sense that this could be an emotional or well an emotionally overwhelming time period right now because it does feel like in almost every card the moon is just looming all over the place so I can see where that would be kind of heavy so for a lot of people in this pile, and emotional time, and overwhelming time, a stressful time. And I do feel like a lot of it is overworking

So in that case just as a person I would say finding a way to come down from that however you relax. Exercising could help, focusing on what you eat. My guess is if that you're working too much and if that group of cards also has the devil in it. It's saying that that could be a bad thing and with the other cards I would guess well the thing that's suffering while you focus on work would be your health, mental or physical

I also feel like because of this two of swords and the full moon card that looks like it has a two of Wands, there are some type of choices involved here It could be that maybe the choices between working hard and some ambitious goal and sacrificing your health of course it could even be sacrificing relationships for the sake of a goal but there is a sense of being torn or having the choice of two different paths or directions and maybe needing to make a choice

And did the choice could be something like well maybe you need to take a different job that you don't have to work as many hours

Gosh I'm really interested in the global aspects of this reading though sorry

There's also a lot of imagery about pillars or columns…

Maybe we could look at the numbers. So we know we have seven and then we have a two and another two and an eight and devil would be a six and the Sun is a 10… so we have the idea of cycles, we have the idea of either relationships or balance, there are lessons, Harmony in different areas of life

Sounds like a really busy time in terms of energy so there must be something in life whether it's relationships or work or at home that there could be a temptation that would throw off the balance and harmony for you. Whether it's overworking or substance issues or whatever. It does feel like something is off in the work life health balance

It could also be for some of you that there are two goals in particular that you're focusing on at the moment or two projects or even two people I guess.

I'm feeling more like it's leaning toward balance and since we're going into a Libra Moon I think we're just in this weird transitional period because I happen to be doing this reading right now. So there's a mix of like the Virgo full moon and then there's a mix of the Libra Moon that's coming but the fact that it's in Capricorn right now and some of that Saturn in the Pisces energy…

And that sort of transitory. That's happening now is apparently quite overwhelming. So maybe as we switch into other things it will ease up a bit. I personally find it quite overwhelming right now. If it's true that the Pisces stuff is bringing up some mental health things for me. I am overworking also at the moment. And I wouldn't say my focus has been on my health but I keep thinking about trying to put it on my house but it's kind of hard to do because I'm so stressed out from work. And I have had issues with some of my work relationships in the past week. Not just them though but like other people I encounter on a daily basis getting on my nerves.

I also see in the high priestess kind of reading that like a potential page of pentacles like being offered something but since it's high priestess it would be being offered a piece of knowledge or a psychic inclination like foreshadowing oh a premonition.

So it's still just feels like in the future you'll be offered something and it could be a goal-related to spirituality or it could be like spiritual advice or some type of wisdom. I guess that whatever you're going through and have to work through will culminate in some type of wisdom that you learn through experiencing this which is just great. And it makes me think of a lesson that you have to learn. Saturn is also about lessons. The full moon it's about you know okay what did you learn in this cycle

And really a lot of this does in terms of imagery point to spiritual wisdom or like psychic wisdom, intuition and lessons related to somehow being able to focus that again. It could be that maybe you've kind of lost focus when it comes to spiritual stuff because you've been distracted by more material things like material worries

So it's kind of detached you from a solid spiritual self at the moment which could have led you astray whether that's being more angry than usual or drinking more than usual.

But I feel like there's some type of decision point or point of no return and then you have to go toward that path and that path has something to do with more of a spiritual journey related to well probably a goal meant for the entire collective. Going more toward peace or enlightenment or whatever.

Sorry the other ones were a bit more specific but I always just think pile three is about reading for the collective basically and since I usually think pile three tends to be the more spiritual pile it might just be that people in that frequency where they're being more affected by transits or might just be more spiritually inclined anyway are drawn to that pile. I noticed that I'll go through a period Where I'm drawn to a specific number…

So I think when you are in the frequency or vibe you tend to pick that number. And then sometimes you're in the vibe of three.

And again I will say even though I feel this is mostly a collective thing, it's still makes sense with you on an individual level as in there's something coming. Something big. A something kind of powerful. And this could just be enlightenment about something.

So the cycle could be a big closure. Actually a lot of you could be almost 30 so experiencing a Saturn return. Because there are so many circles and spheres and round imagery that make me think of cycles and Saturn is playing a big part here so it might be about karmic lessons and whatever culmination of knowledge that you've received over the past 30 years but that stands for anybody who's apparently closing out a cycle. But I just feel like this cycle is harder than normal and I also want to again repeat like make sure to check up on your reproductive stuff or I guess even gastrointestinal stuff

sorry that felt a little bit unhelpful but I would guess that you might just be experiencing feelings in general around the energy that's happening lately and maybe just knowing that will make you feel less crazy. I mean it can't last forever but it feels and looks really intense based on the cards. And I would think that if you are sensitive to this energy you could be close to burnout and might need to take a break and focus on your health

[lasthaysileeshipper]

some a-spec hunger games hcs

haha so funny story, when I was a kid first reading thg books/watching the movies I hated Peeta and Gale. Team Gale or Team Peeta? I was Team Katniss (and mayyyyybe Team Madge just a little).

so yeah big surprise I ended up being aroace. and also autistic.

okay so I’m gonna list my hcs starting with the ones I feel the most strongly about to the ones I’m less sure about, and explain why I hc them the way I do. if y’all hc any of these characters differently or don’t see them as a-spec at all that’s totally fine! feel free to tell me how you see them. also, if there’s anyone that y’all hc as a-spec that I didn’t mention please let me know!

also if you don’t like the word queer this is your warning. I say it a lot.

1. Katniss Everdeen

I hc’d her as a-spec before I knew that the term a-spec existed. I don’t feel like I really need to explain it, she just radiates a-spec energy. I see her as bi-demiromantic and graysexual (but leaning more towards the ace side). I think she genuinely does love Peeta and even has some desire for him, but I don’t think there’s ever been anyone else she’s felt that way towards (except maybe Madge). Speaking of Madge…

—

2. Madge Undersee

I have never seen Madge as straight, but have only seen her as a-spec upon my most recent re-read of the series.

When I was younger, I thought she was a lesbian, plain and simple. Of course there was the cheek kiss before the 74th Games and Madge giving Katniss a priceless family heirloom, but what stuck out the most to me was when Katniss said they never really talked about boys. Then there was the scene where Madge brought the morphling for Gale. Katniss gets really angry when Peeta and Haymitch tease her about Madge potentially having feelings for Gale. I know a lot of people read that as 1) Katniss being jealous 2) Madge bringing the medicine to help Gale because she liked him but running away so he didn’t know she brought it.

I know my interpretation is in the minority, but here’s how I always viewed this scene. First, I always thought that Madge brought the medicine because 1) she knows Katniss cares about Gale and 2) she doesn’t like seeing people in pain, since she’s seen her mother suffer from chronic pain for her entire life. Secondly, I always saw Katniss’ anger at Haymitch and Peeta’s teasing as her being deeply uncomfortable that they assumed her queer friend was straight. I don’t know if Katniss and Madge necessarily had a conversation about it, but I think they understood that they were different from other people, but similar to each other. They don’t talk about boys, you know? They don’t like boys.

Upon my most recent re-read, however, I realized something about that line about them not really talking about boys. Katniss said they never talked about other girls, either. Then it dawned on me… what if they’re both a-spec? I think everything I stated about little me seeing Madge as a lesbian could apply to my interpretation of her being a-spec, too.

I definitely still see Madge as a lesbian, but a sapphic lesbian. Demi-homoromantic asexual, to be specific.

Phew, that was long.

—

3. Peeta Mellark

This one is definitely the most recent of my a-spec hcs but like… I think it makes sense. It’s also the one I can pinpoint an exact label on the least. Maybe hetero-gray? I think he’d be ever so slightly more allosexual than Kantiss is (but not by much) but their romantic attraction levels are about the same (again, save from Katniss maybe having some sort of feelings for Madge).

I don’t know, I just see Katniss as his one and only. If she never reciprocated his feelings, that’d be okay with him, but I genuinely can’t see him with anyone else.

—

4. Haymitch Abernathy

HEAR ME OUT.

I think this man is gray-bi romantic/sexual

Y’all know from the name of my blog that I love haysilee from the bottom of my heart, but what I love the most about them is the tragedy; the original star-crossed lovers from District 12, the everlark that never was. Whatever they had/could’ve had is long in the past. Obviously he had a girlfriend, too, but we don't really know much about her, either. I like making Katniss/Peeta/Gale parallels between Haymitch/Maysilee/Girlfriend but we really don't know.

I also think the idea of him having a fling with Chaff is really funny (/pos), but I see it as something purely physical. I never saw the appeal of hayffie personally, but I’ve got nothing against it. My endgame pair of choice would be him and Hazelle or maybe even Mrs. Everdeen (alas… I am cursed with a love for rarepairs). All that to say, I think he's felt physical attraction way more than romantic attraction (like that scene with Johanna in the elevator, for example).

~~~~

Stay tuned for some WIP previews! I'm finishing up the last of my synopses right now and am super excited to share my ideas.

Also, apologies for any funky formatting, this new text editor is really weird.

[lookbluesoup]

3. By contrast, what was the moment that first made their ~heart~ Soft for the other person? Not necessarily a conscious realization of “I love this person,” but a moment that had them like “Oh…I adore them…”

7. Do they (or would they) pursue the other character’s affection, and if so, how? Do they tell the other character how they feel? Try to earn their admiration? Woo them with romantic gestures? Flirt with them, skillfully or otherwise?

For Lyrha, with love <3

Thank youuuu :D <3

3. What was the moment that first made their ~heart~ Soft for the other person

There's a few moments like this for Lyrha. A big one is, of course, the first time they sleep together. She was already pretty attracted to him at that point, but X'rhun is gentle and attentive to her in a way she's never had before, which totally changes her perspective on what intimacy with another person can mean. While it might sound a little cliche to say the sex did it... for Lyrha, sex had always been a tool to protect herself. An act of giving something of herself away. It was a really big deal for her to realize that there was someone out there who would take her needs into account too, even when he didn't have to.

It shatters one of the last holdouts in her mind that everyone is selfish and in it for themselves, and helps her realize X'rhun really is the honorable man he claims to be.

And hilariously(?) the tenderness scares her so much she actually retreats from him for a while. She doesn't think he reciprocates any stronger feelings and doesn't know how to handle her own. She's never been in love before.

For the most part I suspect it kind of sneaks up on X'rhun. Having someone to travel with, banter with, fight beside... someone who stays. Though he always had hopes for her as an apprentice, he wasn't really looking for an attachment. But Lyrha is,,, sticky. And got herself gobbed up in his heart anyway.

I do think a particularly significant moment for him - and honestly, Lyrha, too - is the fight against Lambard. When X'rhun is badly injured and tries to tell Lyrha and Arya to flee... there's this Moment.

X'rhun is objectively a better fighter than Lyrha at this point, and she knows it. And Lambard's still strong thanks to his voidsent powers, something Lyrha is terrified of. His fight isn't with her. She could leave. She could bargain. In her old life, she'd probably have tried to ally herself with him because he was the stronger figure, and it made no sense to make herself his enemy.

But that means leaving X'rhun to die.

X'rhun... expects to die. He realizes he can't bring his rival to justice and despite spending decades with the pain of Lambard's betrayal, he doesn't cling to it. His only hope left is to protect his companions. He doesn't want to lose them, the way he lost his friends before.

And for Lyrha it's not even a serious consideration to flee. She's scared. She knows it's foolish. But she steps in between Lambard and X'rhun with ears pinned, sword drawn, and growls. It is entirely in defiance of her old life, a blatant pledge of loyalty to Red Magic. She'll fight for X'rhun.

And as horrifying as it is to X'rhun to watch her and Arya face his great enemy while helpless to aid them, seeing her choose that secures a place for her in his heart that no hell or high water could dislodge.

---

7. Do they pursue the other character’s affection, and if so, how?

This kind of ties in with the first one - but Lyrha soliciting X'rhun for sex was actually partly an attempt to foster attachment in him. Her body was a "gift" she was giving in gratitude for all he'd done for her, and in the back of her mind she felt that if she could give him physical satisfaction, he'd be less likely to leave her behind.

And when he blows her out the water with it (because X'rhun doesn't just take, he gives back) she realizes there's a lot she doesn't know, doesn't understand, and that is terrifying. She's no longer confident in her ability to please him, because he isn't like any man she's been with before. Sex had been her trump card.

So there's a lot of... Lyrha learning the difference between ingratiating herself to someone to have protection, and being in a relationship built on mutual affection and care. A huge element of her story is this very realization, growing in the ways that she wants and reasons she pursues someone's affection.

But overall they're both very good at flirtatious banter. And when they finally have a good sit down and actually talk about their feelings, it's... difficult, they've both got baggage, but extremely sincere.

And though X'rhun initially tries to keep some emotional distance, Lyrha's energetic attitude indeed pulls him in. He'll dance with her, bring her gifts (including one extremely temperamental Vochstein), and isn't afraid to get a little handsy. She gives as good as she gets.

For Lyrha, her determination to stay by his side no matter what is the greatest declaration she could ever offer, and he knows it.

---

Development Questions for Couples

[80s4life]

Arthur Fleck & The Joker Dating Headcanons

Word Count: 688

Status: Requested!

Ask: ✨ may I request dating hcs for Artie/Joker? ✨ 🏖 what’s it like going on dates with them and what activities are done? 🏖

@: a cute little anon!

Fandom: Joker 2019

Relationship(s): Arthur Fleck x Reader, The Joker x Reader

Warnings: insinuations of sexual activities, risky situations, illegal crimes and actions, fluff, Joker (he's his own warning)

Masterlist DC Universe Masterlist

{gifs are not mine, credits go to -> @justiceleague @jokerous}

Arthur Fleck:

Artie is a SUCKER for romantic! The whole deal and then some!

Spending lots of his time watching movies with his mother, especially romantic comedies and dramas, has taught him to be chivalrous, thoughtful, sensitive, and most of all, so kind and romantic!

For the first date, Artie is the simple suit and tie with a matching set of your favorite flowers in hand before taking you on a nice night out around the city and a candle-lit, cozy restaurant dinner. He tries the basics first and loves to hear you talk, so he just let you be comfortable in your own skin, get to know each other, and show each other what you enjoy to do with your free time in the city.

As the dates drone on and the relationship lasts longer than the first few honeymoon-phased dates, Artie still remains romantic, but he's more laid back and calm around you. He still considers what you enjoy and paves the dates to fit exactly that. You like the park, lets have a little picnic. You like the beach, we'll eat pizza on the pier and go swimming under the hot sun. You want to stay in your pajamas, we'll put on fluffy socks and order out while we watch our favorite movie.

He's simply the cutest man to exist and it means all the more to know that the littlest things are picked up and mentioned later. You could make a simple request or joke and you'll find it brought up in conversations; Arthur truly just wants to hear your thoughts on the topic or see that surprised recognition in your eyes.

For the general dating portion outside of dates, Arthur loves to just generally be around you. To lazy days on the couch to cute little walks around the pond.

He loves to hold your hand, no matter the place or what you're necessarily doing. Feeling your smaller hand in his makes him feel at home in a sense; it brings a sense of security and promise that you're still there when no one else is, putting at ease almost instantaneously.

He's very caring and he wants you to know you're loved. Always.

The Joker:

The Joker is also caring, but in a more extravagant and boastful way. When you go on dates, you need to feel that familiar thrumming in your chest, jolt of adrenaline, and a fear of the unknown outcome. He wants you to feel free to break out of your shell and show the world how grand you truly are.

There really wasn't much of a first date and more of a publicity stunt-turned-make-out session and common occurrence. You see, you either know the Joker through Arthur's alter ego or the insane legend that killed infamous Murray Franklin.

Your first encounter was the huge breakout on the streets where you'd ran into him just as he was on his way out of the party, running away from the cops. He'd tried to hijack your motorcycle, in which you fought over, but slipped on behind him; somehow coaxing you on 'the ride of your life with a real life celebrity.'

You'd met him more frequently as crime increased, always finding yourself stuck in the mix petitioning or throwing shit at cops. You caught his eye, how could you not, and continued to seek you in crowds. He would claim he needed a ride out and you always ended with speeding down the high way with police riding your tails.

After those sort of encounters and becoming more than acquaintances, you bask in other thrill-seeking activities like skinny dipping at night along the beach (and of course, indulging in the privacy), hijacking cars you can't afford and driving them off buildings/cliffs, but never anything of the formal type.

If he gets desperate and runs out of ideas for the time being, you'd even just go to the carnival or amusement park just for the thrill.

Just know, getting into a relationship with the Joker is never a dull moment and the sex is wild!

[justzawe]

Zawe Ashton on Bringing Her "Quirky" Love Story to Life in "Mr. Malcolm's List"

Zawe Ashton grew up a Jane Austen lover. Her gateway to the world of Regency romance? 1994's "Emma," starring Gwyneth Paltrow as the titular heroine.

"When you've loved a book and you see it being imbued with so much contemporary humor and with one of the biggest movie stars in the world at that time, it feels exciting," the actor tells POPSUGAR. It's appropriate that Austen's prickly Emma was Ashton's favorite, since her scene–stealing character in the Regency romance "Mr. Malcolm's List," Julia Thistlewaite, is, as she puts it, "so Emma-y." Plus, Ashton's middle name is Emma.

Ashton only had 24 hours to decide to sign on to the movie, directed by Emma Holly Jones (another Emma!) and based on the novel by the same name from Suzanne Allain, who also wrote the screenplay. "I read the script. It was the intersection of so many genres that I am passionate about, rom-com and this new wave of Regencycore that we're seeing," Ashton says. She fell in love with her character immediately. Plus, Ashton has a "very clear intentionality" about supporting first-time female and other underrepresented directors. It was easy to say yes.

Ashton explains about the film's premise, "We meet her four seasons into her unsuccessful matching with the husband. Just felt like something was very contemporary about meeting a woman at this point in life where society and her mother and all of this messaging is saying, 'For goodness sake, just make a match already, just marry yourself off.' "

But Julia, for all her wealth and snark, is still intent on marrying for love, a promise she made to her friend Selina (Freida Pinto) when they were young girls at school. "She's a woman who knows her own mind, and society isn't necessarily supporting that," Ashton explains.

Once Ashton arrived on set, she says it was easy to form connections with the rest of the ensemble, who she calls "glorious." There was, of course, the challenge of getting to know people when COVID-19 restrictions demanded they wear masks and shields most of the time. But she says that they quickly realized they had a lot of connections, and with familiarity came "effortless" chemistry. Her favorite scene to film was the big dinner party, for which most of the cast was together. "All of that fizzy energy was just really palpable."

"You're not supposed to say that," Ashton admits. "You're supposed to say, 'I worked very hard to establish the connections. I was working hard to pretend that I liked Oliver Jackson-Cohen.' Actually, we became best friends on day one. And the only challenge that I saw presented to me was how I was going to keep a straight face in doing a film with him."

Jackson-Cohen plays Julia's cousin Lord Cassidy, and the two are a classic, catty pair of friends. "We are very much hoping for a spinoff," she jokes. "So if you could just start that campaign, that would be wonderful."

Ashton's onscreen love interest is Theo James as the dashing and slightly ridiculous Captain Henry Ossory; viewers might not even recognize him with his resplendent mustache. "I'm looking forward to people seeing the blooper reel so they can see just how hard it was to not break character when I was with him," she says. "He's got such a wicked sense of humor."

"Theo's such a brilliant romantic, leading partner as well, because he was kind of the anti-hero," she says. "And it's just so much easier sometimes when you don't have to carry the central love story. You can be much more quirky, maybe a bit more acerbic. And that was just very, very fun to do with him."

The other relationship she loved playing out was that between Julia and Selina. "[It's] that push and pull friendship that has existed from childhood that feels so familiar and safe, that you can sometimes show up as maybe not the best version of yourself, but it will always hold you and sustain you," she says. Ashton explains that she's had similar "very long, fruitful female relationships" in her life.

Ashton hopes she's "quite different" from her character, though she loved diving into Julia's mind. "There's something about the way that she leans into high society," she explains. "Bless her, she's been really conditioned and trained to exist in that echelon of the world. And that was something that I really, really loved embodying and getting under the skin of. Because I personally am not about to go to the opera wearing a huge feather and have that be a status symbol."

Julia, she notes, also "finds it hard to let her guard down." "I don't struggle with that," she explains. "I let people in all the time. I don't have a guard. I need to build a guard. So it was very satisfying to play someone who has that edge to her."

Julia gets her happy ending, and it mirrors some big changes in Ashton's own life. On June 29, Ashton and her fiancé Tom Hiddleston went public with the news that they're expecting their first child. And her career keeps on rolling; in 2023, she'll appear in "The Marvels," the upcoming "Captain Marvel" sequel.

But it's not a happy ending for Ashton; she's just getting started. (x)

[masschase]

For the ship questions

Pre-relationship 4 5 and 6

I'm going to guess these are for Casey and Matt haha 😊

Ship questions meme

Pretty big spoilers ahead if anyone is still concerned with that 😅

Pre-relationship 4. Who felt romantic feelings first? Matt did. They both harboured some vague attraction to each other for a long time, but he put it aside because he had romantic feelings for Asha and was enjoying the friendship he and Casey were building, even if it was a little more touchy-feely than appropriate.

However, he really struggles when she's in hell. At first he just assumes he's not cut out for leading, because although he's doing well on the surface, everything feels a bit off to him. It's only when they all get back, and Casey officially offers him the position as her first lieutenant, that he realises it wasn't having a leader he was missing out on, but her. She means everything to him and it's crept up on him so slowly he didn't even realise. So he just buries it and hopes for the best. Which leads nicely into...

Pre-relationship 5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings? They both did! Matt instantly knows he's fucked up in falling for the Boss, and recognises that he's already been ignoring the signs up until this point. He knows she's against relationships, he knows she'd never fall for him, he doesn't even know if she's capable of love which is why he ends up asking about that at one point. Of course when he finds out she is capable it makes it harder to get over her. He pretty much tries not to think about it for months on end. It does become more difficult when Asha, trained to be extremely observant of people, notices and points it out... bringing up 'L' word, and also inevitably ending their fwb situation.

Casey has a much more genuine repression of her feelings. Like in the back of her mind she knows he's attractive, but whatever, they're friends. She lets him get closer to her physically little by little because it's nice. It becomes familiar. At Christmas she has a real moment though when she sees him as beautiful with all the lights reflecting in his eyes and shit and it really throws her. She becomes convinced she's going to sleep with him at New Year's but it doesn't quite work out that way.

She realises the following week that it would've fucked up a really important friendship. Whereas he's trying desperately to get over her. So they maintain that they are just friends but they have this super close bond by this point. They're deeply reliant on each other so when he goes back to the past and she doesn't have him around for a few days... all her feelings kind of hit her at once. Unlike Matt she is not willing to hide them, though. She still doesn't want a *real* relationship. But she knows she wants *something*.

I didn't even realise at first that both of their moments of realisation come from missing each other. But it makes perfect sense. Their friendship is so close that it just becomes a part of their everyday life, it takes that disruption to really make them think. There's a quote I've been thinking about a lot in regards to them; "Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.". By the time they have these moments without each other, their unspoken feelings are so strong that it's pretty much inevitable that the flames are getting fanned.

Pre-relationship 6. If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think? Depends when. Imagine if it was during 2014 (SR3). They'd think it was the most ridiculous thing ever. Later on... well when they have those repressed feelings, maybe it would make them think about it and have the discussion sooner. But then again, I'm not sure they believe in soulmates. They believe that their relationship was something they built together, not something that was ever destined to be.

That's why I don't necessarily think they would be together in every universe. But my god... I will push them into each other's paths in as many as I can get away with ;)

[stay278]

Not ever. (HJG)

Warnings: ANGST, sad ending, Han Jisung x Fem!Reader, best-friends-who-secretly-fell-in-love trope, Han Jisung astronaut au

A/n: Sorry that this took so long to post. I've been stressing about school. You definitely deserve a better explanation than that, but, that's all I have. I hope you enjoy this, and look out for my Marvel reference! Also, please do not repost my work as your own!

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

Y/n's POV

It was wrong.

It was all so wrong, and you couldn't bring yourself to do anything about it.

You we're about to lose your best friend (and mega crush,) for two years straight, and you couldn't even bring yourself to speak.

But for him, his happiness and dreams,

it was the right thing to do.

At least, that's what you told yourself.

You see, you and Jisung had grown up together. Physically and mentally. You were with each other to, the end of the line, as some might say. You were with each other through the thick and thin. The heartbreaks, small crushes, first kisses, exams, summer vacations, goofing off at a relative's wedding, (although you both agreed to never speak of that again.)

And now, navigating through your twenties, with a massive crush on your best friend.

Classic K-Drama story, right?

Why were you losing him for two years?

Oh, simply because of his dream of becoming an astronaut.

Yeah. You were a writer, and he wanted to be an astronaut.

Such opposites, right?

One wanting to be out there, discovering, and one wanting to be curled up on a couch, pouring hard work into a quiet life.

Jisung was selected by a special program that was run by the top recruiter and business in space exploration. Needless to say, Jisung would be set for life if he took this mission.

And after making sure that you were okay with it, he accepted the offer.

But you were acting, of course. Anything so that he could be happy.

Both of you, though in different senses, were ambitious.

Just not in the face of love.

The truth is, both of you had fallen for each other ages ago. But each of you were to scared to admit it. Both of your willpowers were surprisingly strong when it came to this topic. Neither of you wanted to scare off the other, and both of you were too scared to take the next step.

The two of you were so in love with each other that even Chan, one of the other people selected to join the mission-research team and one of Jisung's closest mission-team members, could see it, clear as day.

The two of you were fools, he thought, seeing you give each other you last hugs and farewells for the next two years. You were both so clearly in love, that he was almost in agony, trying to push Jisung to confess. But he also wanted Jisung to confess of his own accord. So he wasn't necessarily forcing him.

Necessarily.

"Promise me that you'll still be my idiotic Jisung when you come back? Two years in space better not take you away from me," you warned playfully.

"Y/nnie, I'll be fine! I'll miss you a lot though. Man, someone should have brought the internet to space. I don't want to go two years without hearing from you!" Jisung whined, as you gave him another quick hug.

"Sungie, I'll be fine. I'll miss you too. Now go before they leave you behind!" You giggled, slightly at his antics, and slightly at how quickly the two of you had switched roles. You shoved him gently in the direction of the rest of the team.

"Hey," he said, dropping his playful grin for a serious expression. "I'm serious. I will miss you."

"You act like I'm not going to miss you. Now go!" You said, shoving him a little harder this time.

"Fine, fine. Love you!"

"Love you."

You wished that Jisung had meant that affirmation of affection in a romantic sense, as he walked away to join his team, waving back at you one last time.

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

Jisung's POV

I walked away from my crush/best friend with a heavy heart. I loved her so damn much, and she probably didn't even feel the same way. I did want to go on this mission. I was sure about at least that. But I didn't want the two years away from her.

Y/nnie would want me to go.

So I'll go.

For her.

"You know, you two are really obvious." Chan said, as I caught up with him.

"Chan hyung, we've talked about this. She probably doesn't like me back."

"And that's where you're wrong," Chan exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air and carelessly waving them around, nearly hitting a passerby in the face.

He mumbled a quick apology before continuing.

"That's love if I've ever seen it."

"What is?" I asked, incredulously, and exasperatedly.

"ALL of that! They way she looks and acts around you! Go for it Jisung!"

"Fine, fine, but there's no time now hyung! We have to prep and get on board."

"You're not seriously going to make me wait two years for you to confess right?"

"..."

"Oh my god. You are."

"Well...-"

"-Well, you better confess when we get back." Chan said, teasing me.

"Okay, hyung! Can we just not?!" I said, having had enough with his teasing.

"Fine. Catch up with you later."

As we parted ways, it clicked. Chan was right, as annoying as that is to say, he was. Y/nnie looks at me the same way I look at her. Every memory we've had always leads me back to notice that she likes me too. Chan's only known her for 6 months and even he could tell that she liked me.

Man, I really was stupid.

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

Y/n's POV

I watched the countdown for takeoff, each second made my heart feel heavier and heavier, its ache making it feel like I had an anchor in my chest.

10

You had endured so much in life already, and you gave up another one of of your loved ones for their happiness.

9

What were you thinking?! You wanted Jisung to go!

...right?

8

Two years. Would you ever survive without him?

7

Maybe not, but it's not like he's leaving you forever.

6

Tears began to well in your eyes, and cloud your vision. You blinked them away, but they came faster, and faster, until they started to fall.

5

It hit you. Like a punch to the gut. He was leaving. He would be gone. Would he be the same when he came back?

Yeah. He promised right?

4

You replayed all of your best memories with him in your head. Laughing at shows and movies with him on Friday nights, going to cafés and goofing off until you got kicked out, laughing at him when he got rejected by a girl after drunkenly attempting to woo her. All of them, were all you had until he came back.

3

You stared at the thrusters of the rocket, glued to your spot as they lifted the mechanism into the air, ever so slightly, as if to goad you into yelling and screaming for anyone, anyone, to stop the aircraft and bring you best friend back.

2

Two years, twenty-four months, it wouldn't be so bad right?

1

You couldn't watch anymore. You turned away as everyone around you erupted into cheers, as the rocket lifted off of the ground and gravitated to the sky.

Two minutes later though, was when it happened.

"Hey, what the heck is that?"

"What do you mean?"

"That! That thing right up there!"

Another voice arose from somewhere else.

"OH MY GOD! It's the rocket! It's falling!"

"What?!"

"WHAT?!"

...What?

You turned back to the screen, and what you saw crushed you.

The rocket was engulfed in flames, free-falling into the bay, just outside the launchpad. The pristine white aircraft was now covered in orange and red flames.

No.

No. No. NO!

JISUNG!

Your heart shattered into a million pieces. Your vision blurred, and then you realized that you were dissociating again.

When you came to, the room that was formerly filled with proud, and happy cheering, was now filled with anguished and desperates cries and pleas, as you all helplessly watched the flaming aircraft delve into the water.

The aircraft, that had become your beloved's tomb.

You let out the most heart-wrenching cry ever heard. You desperately clutched at your shirt and fell to your knees, replaying all of your happy memories with Jisung.

And then you froze.

You were replaying these memories as a filler. In hopes that your beloved Jisung would come back to you.

But he wasn't going to.

He wasn't coming back to you. No matter how badly you wanted, no, needed him to.

Jisung wasn't going to return to you.

Not now.

Not ever.

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

A/n: Hi again! I apologize if this was bad. Feel free to tell me how I can improve, and shoot me requests! I won't take smut since I'm really bad at writing pieces of that topic.

[jaccsonhyde]

finally finished perez's wonder woman run, have a lotta feelings on it. i love it, first and foremost. perez you could tell was a writer who deeply cared about diana as a character and respected her and her ideals and i love the groundwork he set up that was set to be the basis for the character for a long long time.

diana herself i think was overall really well done, you could feel how much she cares but she also gets to be genuinely powerful and smart when she needs to.

i really like julia and vanessa kapetalis in this run, i love that wonder woman gets a concrete family and essentially base of operations and i like how relatively grounded both the characters were. vanessa sometimes was just a caricature of Every Teen Girl through the lens of an adult man which was funny but by the latter half i was surprised by the shift her character shift being about her mental health and such. julia ofc is just a really grounded, level headed parent figure for diana and it works for diana as her intro to mans world. i know the kapetalis' will be dropped shortly and im not looking forward to that

steve and etta are... pretty boring. i dont have many opinions on them one way or the other im mostly ambivalent to their story and romance but i do at least like them

hermes was one of my favorite characters of the run and i loved his relationship with diana when it wasnt romantic. a major question of the book is essentially "Are dianas gods worthy of her and everything she does for them?" and of course diana and every amazon would answer yes, so imagine my surprise when hermes comes in and says no actually, theyre not, himself included. i like the mutual respect they garner for each other and i especially like how towards the end of it, diana speaks to hermes rather bluntly. instead of in a way of reverence, more in the way of an equal. she questions him and his plans irt the dr psycho arc and he listens to her and complies which while it doesnt sound like a lot, this was someone she worshipped. to see them develop from patron/worshipper to comrades in arms was one of the highlights of the whole run for me. and it helps hes the only olympian consistently willing to stick his neck out for diana.

the amazons and themyscira themselves i overall like buuuut overall wish more was done with them and we explored more of their complexities. i like seeing how diana essentially reflects them and their ideals, how you could see where she learned specific traits from. the question of are the gods worthy of diana is briefly expanded to include the amazons as a whole instead of just diana which makes sense but didnt go far enough. thats a common complaint with perez's themyscira. when heracles was brought back and hippolyte forgives him, i wont necessarily say that was a misstep, i think it works, and i know for a fact george knows of the complexities of this topic, he brings them up more than once through the voice of my favorite of the amazons from the run, Hellene, whos shown to be a naysayer to diana and essentially her philosophical antagonist. shes rarely ever mean about it but she often voices really good opposing points to dianas sentiments. irt heracles, she asks, are they all obligated to forgive their abusers? does this mean men have a free pass to abuse women but be absolved as soon as they apologize? and to me it shows that georges heart was in the right place but its equally frustrating as these questions mostly serve to lampshade the complexities of the topic and just acknowledge them rather than actually explore them. it becomes even more frustrating when hellene herself is killed off screen right before war of the gods. a really interesting character that imo shouldnt have died especially as she filled a really important role among the amazons. the rest of the named amazons are mostly fine i dont have many major issues or opinions on them.

the bana mighdall, however, are a whole different story. an idea of georges that couldve been so so interesting and been a step further into hellene's ideas that instead becomes a vehicle of racist caricature upon racist caricature. the idea of an amazon faction that became disillusioned with the gods and the amazon's secluded ways that they go to mans world to try and enact real change, no matter what, couldve been such a good foil to themyscira as a whole which couldve made both factions incredibly well rounded. instead we get a bunch of gray skinned misandrist barbarians whos main driving force is a lust for blood. i dont wanna rant too much on them or else ill get legitimately angry, all I'll say is the bana deserved better.

as for the series other villains, lets blaze through some first. ares is barely a villain imo, hes more of an origin story and works well as one. eris was a fun villain for that one arc where diana takes a bunch of global representatives to themyscira. decays a cool concept but not much more. dr psycho. cheetahs alright but bordering on very ableist tropes and in general the cheetah isnt often an interesting villain to me. valerie beaudry's silver swan is proooobably my favorite iteration of the villain, both in story and in costume, i think shes so pretty and i wish shed show up more

CIRCE! if you know me, you know circes one of my favorite dc characters ever so seeing her completely in power here was amazing. i love everything about this character. i love her haughty, devillish personality, i love her stupidly convoluted and endlessly cruel plans. i really love her simple green robe design from this run. i love her as a complete opposite of diana in almost every single way. i love her dialog i love her motivations i love every panel shes in i just simply love love love this character and cant wait to see more of her eventually.

overall im so glad i went and started reading this era of wonder woman. i miss george perez every single day im reminded of him and i love him and the work he left in this world. i cant wait to continue the volume and i especially cant wait to eventually reread cassies first appearances

[halliescomut]

So...I was talking to my sister about Only Friends, because we both have experience and histories with addicts and alcoholics, and so I'm consistently interested in sort of the internal process of those things. Like I read a lot about it from professionals and also people in recovery, and I just take in a lot of content around it. And while we were talking about Ray I had a realization. And maybe it's something everyone else has already seen/thought/figured out, but it really changed my view of him and his behavior. Ray is an addict, not an alcoholic, and the substance isn't the point, but the escape.

In the beginning we see Ray interacting the most with alcohol, and so from there many were calling him an alcoholic, and this makes sense, especially with the reveal of his mother's story. I bring this up to say, one of the things I've found is that many people who are alcoholics don't progress to other drugs, because other drugs won't create the effect that alcohol does. They can't be used as a substitute. It's why I was so 🧐🧐 about calling Ray an alcoholic because we do see illicit drug use as well. Alcohol is simply the easiest thing for him to access. It's readily available to him, especially since he is above legal drinking age and financially well-off. He also lives in a society where drinking is very normalized, though of course the excess amounts he consumes are not something considered socially acceptable. When it comes to drugs, yes he has the financial means, but their illegality makes them more difficult to obtain.

As we've seen more of his behavior, his story, it becomes clear that both Mew and Sand were/are/have been a way for him to push back that darkness in his mind. I think in a lot of ways Mew's personality and interaction with him was something that soothed a lot of emotional issues, and so he began to think he was in love because this was the first person who did that for him. But Mew wasn't interested in being that personal for Ray, not necessarily because he saw the potential dangers of trying to be that, but simply because a romantic relationship with Ray was unappealing to him. With Sand, I think it happens almost the same as Mew, Ray begins to recognize that somehow being around Sand pushes back that darkness a little bit, maybe even a lot. Sand, being a little more 'worldly' know that Ray is not stable, and so he's resistant for good reason. And we see Ray's privilege show itself in his attempts to pay for Sand's friendship or company. He sees it as no different from purchasing drugs or alcohol, which is precisely what pisses off Sand (rightfully so).

I don't know that there's a real conclusion to this other than recovery or any attempts at it would require a different approach. It is always true that you need to address root causes of addiction in order to give a person the best chance at recovery. But you also have to look at what a person is searching for in their addiction, what emotion are they chasing? What feeling? Because the numbness of alcohol is easily accessed, but is the frenetic energy of an amphetamine preferred to that? And what emotion is it that Sand brings up that overwhelms Ray's mind to the point that he feels addicted to that feeling?

[self-shipping-academy]

LESSON #1: What is "self shipping"?

If you know what a ship is, you're already part of the way there.

In this lesson, we'll learn about what self shipping actually *is*, why people choose to self ship, and the different types of self ships there are.

Well shipping is...well...shipping. This is the top shipping website/app besides the *FedEx app, after all.

It's when you pair one individual with another, in a romantic, platonic, or queer platonic sense, usually with another, similar individual - usually from the same series or source.

So that's all the usual stuff like Des//tiel, John//lock, Hanni//gram, etc.

Self shipping, however, is when you ship fictional characters...with yourself.

It really is as easy as that.

*Other shipping companies are available.

Why would you self ship, though?

There can be lots of reasons why someone would choose to - or choose to start - self shipping.

For some people, it can be just done as a hobby or a bit of entertainment. Something to make the long winter evenings pass by.

For others, self shipping may be something that they do for the benefit of their mental health and done as something as part of practicing good self-care.

Some studies have found that self shipping can be beneficial and can even be a motivating factor for a lot of people in getting stuff sorted out through their own personal lives as a form of self-affirmation.

For example:

[Fictional character here] would be proud of me for remembering to brush my teeth this morning.

[Fictional character here] is cheering me on and hoping I'll do well in my exams.

[Fictional character here] would want me to look after myself.

I, personally, self ship mainly for fun. However; I do find it does bring about some stress relief and helps me with managing my mental health. Which is a nice little bonus, I guess.

As I said, though, it can only be done as a form of entertainment or as a hobby if that's as far as you're comfortable taking it - even just for the time being.

Whatever works for you, works for you.

What are the different types of self shipping, then?

There's more than one way to self ship with a fictional character. The main types of these are:

Romantic;

Platonic;

Queer Platonic;

Familial, and;

Fan Pets.

Romantic 💘

This is where you imagine yourself and your fictional character/s of choice in a romantic relationship. This can vary between just having a crush on them, having a lighthearted romantic relationship or even being full-on spouses.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to avoid being a proshipper/comshipper (or otherwise problematic), your romantic relationships should be age-appropriate—especially if they go into the realm of sex or sexual intimacy.

Platonic 💚

This is where you like each-other, but not necessarily in a romantic sense. In this case, you might just be friends, acquaintances, or co-workers. Or it can stem into queer platonic or familial relationships.

Queer Platonic 🏳️‍🌈

AKA: Friends, but more than just friends.

In which you have more than just a plain ol' platonic relationship with your fictional character(s) of choice, but at the same time, it's not necessarily a romantic or sexual one.

So basically, when you're besties. But you're more than besties. But not all the way more than besties.

Can involve stereotypically "romantic" stuff too, though, like kissing, cuddling, sex, etc. and may be an option for you to explore if you're not into romance and/or sex.

But if you like a fictional character - but not into the realm of romance and you feel you'd be more than just friends - it's also a good option for you.

Familial 🌳

We! Are! Fam-il-y!

For when you like a fictional character so much you want to have them as a family member.

This can cover any familial relationship, so they can be a sibling, a sibling in law, parent, parent-in-law, piblings, niblings, cousins or otherwise.

Of course, this doesn't just have to be by blood ties - this can also, equally, be by cases of fostering and adoption or even found family where it's applicable.

Either way, your fam-a-lam is valid.

And finally, there's...

Fan Pets 🐾

For when you like a fictional creature so much, you wanna keep them as a pet.

This can either be a pre-established pet of any fictional characters you're in any kind of relationship with, or it can be just your own little thing.

And when I say fan pets can be a fictional creature, I mean any creature. Be they puppies or Pokémon, horses or unicorns, cats or tigers, etc.

This can also be a good application for if you like or want a pet animal, but wouldn't be able to have one in real life for whatever reason (e.g. being unable to care for them properly, allergies, them being an entirely fictional/mythical creature, etc.)

Whatever kind of self ship(s) you have or end up having, I wish you many successes with them! 🤗