#everything symbolises something else something universal

[lookitsgrim]

Dragon by Night! (wwbn au)

Part 1: designs!!

Okay so, my friend has been subjected to so many ramblings and updates on these drawings and i think she’s sick of it by now lol so i’m putting all of it here as a starting point for everything else i’m gonna post eventually (bloodstone manor stuff, the bloodstone, jacks curse, etc)

for reference, this au focuses on how things would work if Jack, Elsa, and Ted were a part of the Wings of Fire universe (really great fantasy book series!! i’d recommend it if you’re okay with reading something meant for 11-15 [???] year olds).

To start things off, let’s look at how the trio would look on Pyrrhia!

——

I decided to make Ted half mudwing and half leafwing. In the books, a group of mudwings aka ‘sibs’ has a role called a ‘bigwings’, which is assigned to the largest of the unit. They protect their siblings in battle and in life, and i thought that was fitting for Ted. Leafwings are very entwined with the plant life in the poison jungle on Pantala (aka the lost continent). They have control over the way things grow and also have extensive knowledge on the local flora, which just screamed Ted to me. I kept most of the mudwing traits while including a few leafwing details such as the speckled scales and webbed back scales, along with the twisted horns.

——

Elsa is a skywing. In the books, they’re characterised by their immense combat knowledge and skill, and are theorised to be the original dragon tribe. they are also very headstrong and their loyalty can sway away from their family, which i thought fit her fairly well. Also i feel like monster hunters in general fit the theme, and i have some ideas for bloodstone manor involving the sky kingdom!! I made Elsa look like a typical skywing - deep red scales, slim face, pale wings. And I also gave her the bloodstone, which i’ll mention later.

——

Jack was a tough one for me. Originally, i wanted to make him fully nightwing or maybe even a silkwing to symbolise his change from man to wolf, but silkwings change permanently, so i feel like that wouldn’t work properly. Instead, i opted to make him half nightwing and half rainwing. In the books, nightwings are known as highly mysterious, rarely interacting with the other tribes - supposedly to keep their magic and power for themselves (until like… the fourth book, then it all goes to hell. but that’s unrelated), and are linked to both animus dragons and mind readers. I thought this fit well for jack with his ‘creature of the night’ vibe, and also nightwings have starry skies on their wings and i thought that was neat. Rainwings are also rare outside of their territory - the jungle next to the secret nightwing kingdom (also until the fourth book - yay dragon wars!!). they have the ability to change the colour of their scales to show their emotions, camouflage, and also to try and look pretty in some cases. I thought this wouod be nice for Jack in the case of his werewolf form. If rainwings don’t get enough sun their colours are dull and ‘boring’, and since the wolf wouldn’t technically see the sun he’d change to a duller, darker dragon. ALSO!! they can spit venom, which i just thought was neat. imagine walking through the jungle one night and a mostly camouflaged rainwing swings down from a tree branch and unhinges it’s jaw, spitting venom at you until your skin burns and melts. Anyway, I made jacks resting colour to be green and gave him mostly rainwing traits - the frills on his jaw, the prehensile tail, the longer talons; and then gave him nightwing horns and back spikes, the stars on his wings, and the head shape. i also made his smaller scales a similar colour to his makeup in the special since that’s not really a dragon thing?? like at all?? ALSO (AGAIN) rainwing was a whole aren’t huge on fighting, they spend most of their time relaxing in the sun and the thought of using their venom to harm other dragons is completely horrifying to them, this of course seemed very jack-esque to me so yeah! here’s both of his colours (normal and cursed form, which is really just altered colours and different behavior like i mentioned previously)

anyway i hope you guys like this so far and i hope it’s making at least a little sense, but if it’s not i am happy to explain and there will be more posts about this in the future!! i have a bunch of ideas, like my notes app is full of dot points to expand on eventually 😗‼️‼️

[aelloblu]

Sailor Aethra belongs to Sailor Uranus Eternal of FSA

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Krystelle Dashiell/ Sailor Aethra

╚═════ ∘◦ ミ⛧ ◦∘ ═════╝

:Mission:

After Wiseman was defeated, Sailor Moon healed the Ayakashi Sisters, and one more found in the wreckage- Rubeus. Like Wicked Lady, they had been aged up when corrupted and they too Guardians from the Kuiper Belt! They refuse to return with Chibiusa to the 31st Century, because something draws them here.

At the same time there’s a new girl at school and Usagi’s next door neighbour! Krystelle has moved from America and has been plagued by a dark, laughing voice in her dreams. Someone telling her she’s the crystal senshi, Sailor Aethra? 

All around Tokyo people are arguing, fighting and giving in to their worst desires? Can Sailor Moon, Sailor Aethra, the Inners and the Kuipers bring peace to Tokyo?

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Civilian Form

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

:Name & Meaning:

From the Greek word meaning  krystallos meaning ice but also symbolising clear or precious. Dashiell is an Americanized form of De Chiel, meaning ‘of heaven.’

:Age & Birthday:

She’s fourteen and born the day after Usagi on July the 1st.

:Appearance:

She stands a little taller than Usagi at 4’9 feet, her luscious, sky blue hair is half pulled into messy buns on either side of her head whilst also letting the rest flow to her thighs. Her eyes are a mysterious midnight blue.

:Nationality:

She was born in Ohio, USA but because her father, Luke, was a coach and recruiter for American college baseball she and her mother often travelled to Japan often. It became like a second home to her, until her father contracted by K.O University for their rising team and he made it permanent.

:Personality:

Krystelle is a strong minded girl, sassy and argumentative, always ready to stand her ground. She’s not the kind of girl to just go along because everyone else is doing it, she forms her own opinions which are sometimes very hard to change. 

This tenacious teen comes across as loud, confident and optimistic but in Japan it makes it hard for her to make friends, but luckily she met some other misfits who were also having trouble fitting in and Usagi makes everyone feel welcome. She loves to try new things but loses interest quickly if she thinks it's boring.

Excited by her new powers, she loves to rush into battle and never has time for plans or preparation. She’s not great at teamwork but she hates seeing them get hurt and will defend her new team and her new friends.

:Likes:

Her favourite thing about Japan was collecting more manga and was one of the many things she shared with her father. She has a huge collection and she and Usagi lounge around after school giggling and wasting time. 

She is a big participant in sports and she quickly made it onto Juban’s co-ed baseball team, the Juuban White Tigers.

:Dislikes:

Keeping Krystelle’s attention on one thing is hard, so studying and homework are torture. She especially hates science because there’s way too much careful procedure and maths. She rushes through everything leading to lots of smoke and burning.

:Hobbies:

Her big goal is to fill up her manga collection and drag her friends to the local manga store to hunt down rare editions of Amai Ai and Vampire Black Dark. 

She’s also a dedicated player on her school’s baseball team, the White Tigers. She excels where as Catcher, always getting a certain feeling which way the pitch will go. Unfortunately… That's usually Rubeus. 

:Background:

Kristelle grew up having a normal American life, 50% of the time. During the school year she went to her local primary school, doing okay in academics but excelling in sport. Then over the summer she and her mother would fly to Japan where her father scouted the local teams for talent. 

The immersion in two cultures made for a strange girl, stranger still as she often had the lucky hunches. She always knew what kind of ball would pitch her way, or just where to aim to catch the outfielders of guard. She knew when rain would call the game off, or get in a huff over a game not yet lost. When asked, she’d always say ‘It appeared in her dreams!’

When her father announced they were moving to Japan, Kristelle was ecstatic! She couldn’t wait! But her dreams took a dark turn. She felt like she was being stalked by an ominous presence, one that not just meant her harm, but her family, friends and the whole world.  

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Relationships

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

:Family:

Her parents are obsessed with baseball. Her father Luke and mother Ruth attend her every game and cheer her on. Her father works for K.O University as a coach and recruiter for the local highschools. 

Her mother, Ruth settled into their new home next to the Tsukino family but often helps her husband with administration and planning. She’s also passionate about baseball and they always go to games to cheer the team on. 

 It means they tend to work late and Krystelle has a lot of time alone to cause mischief. 

:Friends:

Kristelle always made friends easily but she didn’t think it would be this easy. Not only did she end up living next door to her soul sister Usagi and hanging out with the Inner Senshi, but she also finds herself leading a new team transplanted from the 31th Century.

Her last gift before returning to the future, Chibiusa hypnotised a lonely, elderly woman to adopt them as her ‘orphaned great nieces from Yokohama’. 

Her best friend is Koan who shares her love of makeup but Kristelle can never match the violet haired girl’s love of fashion. She loves to dress them both up in the newest craze and loses interest just as fast. Unlike Kristelle, she hates getting dirty and smelly and the idea of sports for fun is aberrant.

Berthier is the smart one, big into computers and always looking up new gadgets. She’s so frustrated by 21th century and wants it to catch up quick. She experiments and spends time in the robotics lab and hiding her inventions. 

Calveras, like Kristelle, has a spiritual side but definitely not as strong. When she touches things she can feel their memories. She has gotten big into Japanese history and spirituality. She’s the most knowledgeable about their enemies who take the form of Onryō, or wrathful Japanese spirits. She’s easily distracted and spends much of her time alone in the library.

:Rivals:

Although they are friends and teammates, Petz and Kristelle rarely agree. While Kristelle is fun loving and loud, Petz is serious and studious… and bossy. She was previously the leader of the Ayakashi sisters and finds herself a little lost, argumentative and prone to pouting. More than anything, she wants to cultivate a serene and peaceful heart… which is hard when Kristelle keeps yelling in her ear.  

:Love Interests:

Rubeus, although his heart has been purified, he’s determined no one is ever going to tell him what to do ever again. It makes him unreliable in a fight as he comes and goes as he pleases, appearing impish and laid back. He has a prankster air about him and teases Kristelle nonstop. 

He’s infuriating, but intoxicating. 

While she is bright and passionate, he is dark and aloof. She tries to get him engaged in their fight against evil, he says he has fought evil, he lost, and it corrupted him to the core of his being. He only got out of it alive because of the compassion of his enemy. He doesn’t want to risk it twice. 

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Guardian Form

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

:Name:

Sailor Aethra

:Guardian Starseed:

The planet Aethra is almost as big as Jupiter and lies just beyond the bounds of the Sol System, within the empty distances of the Kuiper Belt. Like Sailor Moon, her she’s able to externalise her starseed into the Heavenly Blue Diamond

:Realm of Influence:

The citizens of Aethra were known for their enhanced extra sensory perception but its Sailor Guardian was gifted with prophecy. Physically, her powers manifest as sapphire coloured crystals.

:Past Life:

During the Silver Millenium, Queen Serenity was seeking to expand her alliances. Far beyond the Sol System was the Kuiper Belt, a fragmented, scattered jumble of planets and asteroids. Like a pirate queen, their unspoken ruler was Queen Diamánti. 

In order to strengthen their loose alliance, Queen Serenity invited Princess Clarity to Princess Serenity’s Masquerade Ball and personally invited her to stay in the palace. The two became instant friends and the other princesses made her feel welcome as well but something haunted her. Every night she was tormented by dreams of impending doom. She knew that Princess Serenity planned to sneak away from the Masquerade Ball, and Princess Clarity knew it would end in tragedy.

History couldn’t be changed, and her warnings were unheeded. She fought to protect her new friend, but nothing could stop the Dark Kingdom. The Silence Glaive fell, but the souls of those who died would live again. 

:Enemy:

A trickster named Logi has awoken on Earth. He has slept for a thousand years, frozen in the tundra by ancient priests but has awoken in modern day. He is evil, nasty and loves to create mistrust and chaos. He has three minions; Jormun, Hel and Fen. Together they sneak around Tokyo, whispering in people's ears and bringing their Inner Demons to life and stealing their chaotic energy.

What’s more, Logi has his eyes set on a certain new set of Guardians because the more they argue, the more powerful he becomes.

:Guardian Animals:

With Princess Clarity went two Mauese advisors-in-training, the twin children of Queen Diamánti’s Majordomo, Amethyst. Both are young and curious, and still learning.

Pearl, a white cat with a pinkish sheen, is shy and quiet. She’s always suggesting a rational, sensible decision. Opal, a white cat with a pale blue sheen. He’s excitable and impulsive, driving Krystelle to take risks.

:Allies/Team Mates:

Sailor Ixion aka Koan

Sailor Ixion is the Guardian of lost planet Ixion and has the power of dark flames and smoke. Her colours are dark, smokey violet and cherry pink.

Sailor Arrakoth aka Berthier

Sailor Arrakoth is Guardian of the lost planet Arrakoth, with the powers clouds and mist. Her colours are powder blue and lilac. 

Sailor Lempo aka Calveras

Sailor Lempo is the Guardian of the lost planet Lempo, with powers over ghosts and spirits. Her colours are tarnished gold and maroon red. 

Sailor Typhon aka Petz

Sailor Typhon is the Guardian of the lost planet Typhon with the powers of electricity and magnetism. Her colours are forest green and electric blue.

Red Rogue aka Rubeus

Defender of the starseed of Niku, he goes by the name the Red Rogue and tends to show up at the last minute. He is the Guardian of Luck and Rebellion. His colours are red Tuxedo with black secondary colour and throws exploding dice.

:Transformation Token:

When attacked for the first time Pearl summoned the Aethra Charm Bracelet. With sapphires and bluish pearls, it is latched by a white dahlia charm. 

:Henshin Phrase:

Aethra Crystal Heart Makeup!

:Henshin Sequence:

Kristelle thrusts her arm into the sky, shouts ‘Aethra Crystal Heart Makeup and her bracelet begins to shine. A jewel like skin spreads across her skin, shattering into her gloves and throwing up glittering flecks white, silver and sapphire blue. Everywhere a fleck touches more of the crystalline layer grows and breaks apart revealing her bows and bodice as she stretches like a ballet dancer. Her faceted legs touch gently down, cracking apart into her boots. Finally she sweeps her hands through her hair, pushing back her fringe where the symbol of Aethra flares forms a diamond shaped sapphire and silver tiara. She poses and Sailor Aethra is ready to fight.  

:Symbol:

:Guardian Challenge:

Shining like a beacon and unbreakable as diamond. In the name of Aethra, I’ll dazzle you!

:Guardian Fuku:

Not a part of the Sol System, her own fuku is slightly different. She wears a split white bodice, revealing the underlayer beneath of dark navy blue, the same as her collar and skirt, bridged by silver chains and jewelled buttons. Her bows are two layered, white with powder blue and studded with a diamond shaped brooch with a sapphire in the middle. Her belt and glove rims are in a silvery fishbone pattern. Her boots are knee high, with a silver buckle, also with the split white and navy motif bridged by silver chains and sapphire studded buttons. 

:Crystal:

Aethra’s most powerful weapon is the Heavenly Blue Diamond, the starseed of her planet which blooms like a dahlia flower, with blue and white petals.  

:Attacks:

Aethra Gem Cutter!

Sailor Aethra’s holds both hands in front of her where a spiky, faceted sapphire blue crystal grows. She winds up and pitches it like a baseball, sending it flying which breaks apart into thousands cutting slivers to rain down on the enemy. 

Aethra Adamantine Shield

Aethra sweets her hand in front of her forming a diamond hard shield to protect her friends. 

Aethra Sapphire Spear

Aethra twirls her hands above head, drawing out a long navy blue staff with a sapphire blue arrow head.  She draws her 

Aethra Healing Shine

Aethra uses the Heavenly Blue Diamond to help heal her friends with its soft, healing glow. 

[ichoosechoasandbeingqueer]

Hello!! Hope you are having a great day, for the Hobbit ASK questions 2, 4, 6, 11 and 14

- Jack

Thank you for the ask Jack!! Here we go. You can find the post this is base from here.

2. What tattoos (or just some of them) would Oin, Nori, Dwalin and Bofur have?

Oin would have a very dwarven styled heart on the back of both his hands. Not a love heart, more like a medical diagram. It would be a universal symbol between all dwarves to show that he is a healer and something that all healers receive when they become a master of their craft of healing. He also has the diagram of his favourite healing herbs on his left hip and a raven on his right shoulder.

Nori would have a tramp stamp that was definitely done in prison after he and a few mates got drunk and caught stealing something. It’s a crow with a shining jewel in both of its claws and its beak. Its rough and a little wonky and often seen as a drunken mistake by others, but Nori secretly loves it. He loves even more to show it off to Dori when he’s around the house because it annoys his brother to no end. Crop top shirts are a must around the house because it shows it off.

Dwalin is just covered in tattoos and most are from his great feats in battle. He has a few more casual ones like a ram on his hip, his mother’s axe and his father’s sword in a X shape, but he also has large sections of bulk writing (in Khuzdul of course) and it consists of lines from his favorite poems and stories. Things that made him feel deeply when he read them or lines that inspire him to keep pushing on through the hardships of life. They’re written quite small and you would have to practically sit in his lap to read them, but Dwalin knows every line by heart.

Bofur would have a range of intricate patterns like vines running down each side of his neck and down his shoulders. At first glance it just looks like a bunch of lines but if you look closer you can find the intricate and hidden symbols and patters hidden amongst the chaos. Bofur spent years perfecting each and every line of his tattoos and it means everything to him. It’s a display of the way music makes him feel. Its what he sees in the wood he carves before its takes shape. Its how he hears the stone of his mountains as he listens to the walls of the mines. Its something no one else would understand but he’s alright with that.

4. Bilbo finds a flower in the quest and gifts it to someone. Who does he gift it to and which flower is it.

Thorin. Bilbo knows they don’t see eye to eye and he tries to ease the tension by gifting Amaryllis (Pride) wrapped and choked with Chamomile (Patience in adversity). It was meant to symbolise that Bilbo would swallow his pride to try and easy their relationship by showing patients and good will. Thorin being a dwarf and having no understanding of flowers became so confused and flustered that it confused and flustered Bilbo and the hobbit ended up smacking him in the face with the bundle and running away.

6. Weirdest encounter Dori has had with a stranger

It was less weird and more unsettling for Dori when he met a strange dwarf at the markets one day. The stranger looked and acted so familiar yet so strange as they tried to convince him to leave the marketplace for the next hour or so he ended up doing just that and going straight back home. For weeks he told his kin about the strange dwarf he met at the markets completely unaware that it had been Nori so deeply undercover that Dori simply didn’t recognise him. Nori had been roped into a dirty scheme and knew there was going to be a hold up at the markets that day and he panicked when he spotted Dori heading straight into the middle off it, so still in disguise he raced over to persuade him to leave. Dori notes this as the strangest encounter he has ever had and Nori didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth.

11. If you were to join the Company, who do you think you would get along better with?

Probably Bifur. I think we could spend hours in silence just vibeing together as he carved wood and I read a book or something. He just seems very welcoming and comforting. I think I would also have a randomly good connection with Nori? He would quickly become a big brother figure to me and teach me how to nick stuff much to Dori’s dismay. Fili, Kili and I would definitely bond with being the youngest of the lot, but more so Fili being the calmer and quieter of the two. We would also hyper fixate over weapons and spend hours taking and discussing knifes and forging. I would also be so ridiculously in love with him that I would melt at anything he did.

14. You are trapped in a Mirkwood cell after the Company has been taken, how would you annoy the guards? (Or maybe flirt with them?)

I would be so traumatised by the spiders I wouldn’t even have time to tbh. I could flirt with Tauriel but that would mostly annoy Kili and the other dwarves. Maybe I ask the guard to many questions or teach the dwarves to sing one of those obnoxious songs that get stuck in your head for days? Idk, in all honestly, I would probably cry a lot and stay wrapped in a ball still stuck on the spiders. Maybe I would annoy them by how many times they would have to come into my cage and kick me to see if I’m still breathing.  

[dianaritteroflows]

11/24/2023 8:32 PM

I've had the most vivid dreams this week. I've felt an emotional tug of war while being in them.

My first vivid dream of the week was between me and ex boyfriend. My mom had decided to split us up. This strays from the reality of the actual situation in which I chose to break up. It was like some alternate universe, Patrick found out that I was not loyal through my mom and he chose to break up with me.

He cut me off from everything. It felt odd because I didn't want to chase him back but I wanted to be the one to cut off things. We weren't good for each other but I was supposed to be the one that decided that.

Another vivid dream happened with Angelo. We were having sex as usual and the dream slowly transformed from me leaving his room to entering an empty gym with just his roommate there. I felt awkward at first and I wanted to leave. He struck up a conversation with me about how he was impressed a girl would be interested in lifting and I laughed. Somehow the dream changed into me becoming so close and intimate with him. He was using phrases like "I've always wanted to give you a try, maybe I could teach you some things." He stuck his dick in me and I yelped. He covered my mouth and was talking me through what he liked. It felt so real and I felt so connected to him.

I've always though Angelo's roommate was attractive of course. However, the thought of getting with him never really struck my mind. Since I'm getting with Angelo and he is some of the best I've ever had, it doesn't really benefit me to ruin that by getting with his roommate. But who knows. I doubt I'm his type. I think he likes them younger (and although I'm already younger than him, I think he's thinking one or two years younger). And he definitely gives me the vibe that he's into blondes.

All this has felt more real than a lot of my other dreams. Maybe it's because I'm getting better sleep than usual. Who knows?

I had a third dream but I don't feel like discussing it here. Something about it felt even too personal to share on a blog that I discuss everything on anyways.

I wonder if I'll have more vivid dreams?

I keep asking the Lord for signs and I think he's asking me to wait my turn to slow down. The sign of 3 nosebleeds I think was significant. The number 3 played a significant role in the Bible. The Trinity: the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and the Son. Jesus rising in 3 days. All of it symbolising a perfection under a beautiful Holiness.

I think what this symbolises for me is that I'm just fine as I am. The guidance the Lord wants me to take is not a transformation of my physical being but of my spiritual being. I think it's a calling to close a chapter and leave behind my old spiritual being.

Of course I understand for anyone else to read this, it would sound insane. And maybe I am insane. I want there to be signs of the Lord and I will plead with whatever I can find.

[ethereal-encounters]

Dream: August 8, 2023

Interesting dream. Beautiful symbolic and emotional impression upon waking. I remember having this choice. Felt like a scene in The Matrix. I was in a building with a lift, and there was someone at the corridor opening urging or checking if I was sure about a decision.. and I felt confident in my decision.

I think the choice was between the outside world of peers and idk, lots of people, a group of some kind, and the elevator. But one person, a male, was following me (non maliciously) to check I was certain about my decision.

I felt it was right to go with my heart or intuition and it felt good. The elevator symbolised something but it also felt like a transitionary space, or a portal. It had some magical properties. I felt it in my heart when I said "yep, this is what I want" and smiled. Each of us knew what was on the other side of the elevator doors. And I chose this person in the elevator, who was like a timeless, non-gendered being of love, and entering the elevator felt like a section of reality opened up to just us. And I'm not entirely sure who was what gender, but there was some physical gender swapping happening (including me explaining how I was body swapping with some dude so I got to try out his body). And me and this person in the elevator made love. They had a distinct feminine energy about them, but also an energy that was welcoming, present, wise. It felt really good. Warmth of purity. I felt like I loved them, and I was drawn to them, even though I don't know who they were. But I recognised them in my heart, somehow.

Hm. I wonder if it's a symbol of another version of me or something.

I wonder what the elevator represents.. because it wasn't really going anywhere. It was like a pause on reality. It's existence was blocking off everything else and put us in our own private universe. The buttons held that power to reactivate and rejoin society if we wanted. Or go to a different world.

[Life context: final semester counselling course, busyness, eustress, settled into group environment at placement, placement/uni stress, placement reward via impacting clients, lots of social support, more financial support from mum, less changes, more friend times, more boundary setting, more active seeking of wants/needs/ fun activities, walking in the sun. Cognitively switched on and more talkative (accessing that part of my brain more). More go with the flow, more comedy, more acceptance. More self care with crosswords. Feeling more accomplished, have routine and structure, feel purposeful, feel appreciated, connected, and on top of my work-life-study balance miraculously. Self care with seeking physical health treatment]

[yurious]

today i finished blue eyes black hair by marguerite duras. she's far from being one of my favorite authors but I feel very connected to her books. I'm having fun thinking about the similarities in everything I've read by her so far :-)

[1111jenx]

🤎Heirs of Cosmos™ series

— the Muse of Mars ♂

❝ Mars Mars Mars. You probably didn't expect this post from me but you know it is long due. So here it is, I'm finally sitting down to write something for you guys in this new mini series I'm starting:) Enjoy loves ❞

➊ ✶ Mars is yang. Mars is always yang. In the chart it symbolises our need to attack and defend, while Venus is in charge of the sultry yin energy. Mars way of life can be accomplished in numerous ways, whether physically, verbally, strategically, cunningly, or just by refusing to back down. Individuals behave in accordance with their Mars, whether assertively and promptly or with deference to their adversaries. Mars is a warrior by all means and it is not hard at all to spot a Martians in the wild, let alone a Muse from Mars.

✶「 Martians are individuals with prominent Aries placements or significant Mars aspects. They demonstrate an acute and active awareness of their encounter with the universe, other individuals, and their own karma. They must take immediate action and advocate for their causes and ideals. They see all circumstances with enormous vigour, and they react to the present instant without hesitating to confirm that they have control of events. As a result of their impulsiveness, they readily accept challenges. They do, however, understand how to harness their resources effectively, more than anyone else in times of crisis. They act when it is necessary and appear on schedule. Mars' attitudes are shaped by current events, their passions, and what has stood the test of time. When this desire for control and dominance is not adequately integrated, aggressive or impulsive behaviour may result. Consequently, these individuals must develop the ability to regulate their hypersensitivity and emotional outbursts. They are also bestowed with Martian qualities, such as a fighting spirit and a taste for duelling. When this willpower is properly channelled, it enables individuals to deal with a wide variety of unexpected occurrences. With them, there are a thousand different ways to win, and a thousand different obstacles to overcome with the fire and vigour that make life meaningful. Exuberant, spirited, and in touch with both life and the physicality of things, their state of existence is vibrant, spirited, and always full of fire and drive. 」

✶Muses of Mars through the Signs:

I'll be referring to Mars as she/her in this specific post of mine. Whoever said that women are from Venus and men are from Mars should check take notes. It's 2021, let's spice it up. ✩

ARIES MARS — The Aries Mars muse has an athletic body, quick, abrupt motions, an aggressive, determined walk, physical strength, turns red when angered, angular gestures, angular eyebrows, might have stereotypically masculine traits like square jaw, prominent muscles, distinctive voice yet her beauty never fail to disappoint. She is simply naturally confident, competitive, forceful, courageous, enthusiastic, bold, and honest, and are not hesitant to speak their minds. Never one to back down, she is typically irascible and furious over everything. Despite the fact that her wrath is hair-raising, it is brief. Mars in Aries might assist in balancing out a chart's low self-esteem and timidity. Additionally, this place promotes health, a high level of vitality, and vigour, although it is prone to headaches. If there are more Aries planets in the chart, in addition to an emphasis on fire signs, there can be a great deal of self-centeredness and an inability to recognise the needs of others. These are fighters who thrive on conflict and combat. She is innately charismatic. Mars in Aries is assertive and forceful, frequently speaking loudly. She can't help but displays a high level of sexual desire and are easily aroused. She revel in spontaneous sex and are addicted to the rush of conquering. She may be really selfish and hasty in bed as a result of your impatience, and she may despise foreplay. She loves it when someone grabs her face or caress her jawlines, not to mention pulling her hair during sex. Lets hope you have enough stamina to go again, as she expressed a desire to do so immediately following the first love making session. She is drawn to men who are downright authoritarian and possess an element of confrontation. Prefers the more aggressive kind, she is anything but a slacker and she just simply goes straight to the point.

TAURUS MARS — The muse of Taurus Mars has curves, a sturdy, well-built body, a thick or strong neck, curly hair, "Taurean" features and appearance, slow, deliberate, sensuous, sinuous movements and walk, very strong when provoked, but generally slower reflexes, a tendency to gain weight, and a soft, deep, or sensuous voice. The muse possess a sensual and seductive nature. This role instils toughness and endurance in its occupants. Her efforts are focused on material items and wealth accumulation. Mars in Taurus is naturally jealous and possessive when it comes to love. Her sexual desire is ferocious. Mars in Taurus individuals have the same need for sex as humans do for oxygen. She will always pursue her sexual emotions regardless of the circumstances, which results in an approach to sex that some could consider a little too open. She have a fairly clear understanding of what it takes to make others happy. Even in the most open societies, her raw and earthy approach to sex may be considered inappropriate in polite society. As a result, her desires become her little dirty secret as she lives a double life. Sex becomes her gates of freedom, confining her to the darker realm, where she can be as horrible and as naughty as necessary. She would rather conceal her truest extent of her sensual needs. She assume that having wonderful sex equates having an excellent relationship. To initially engage this muse, one must make an effort to appeal to all of her senses. Feed her well, serenade her, lay down next to her and prepare fresh clean linen sheets and an animal is uncaged. She enjoys partners with a measure of material affluence Neck kisses are also a turn-on, as her erogenous zone is located on her neck.

GEMINI MARS — The Gemini Mars muse is often times very mercurial, rapid with youthful looks and motions, fast walk, youthful appearance, talks with hands, dexterity, good mimics of the face, thin, teenage-like, talks fast, more ethereal energy and even a more ethereal voice. She is quite outspoken. She takes pleasure in conversing and expressing herself. She may be fidgety and quickly bored as a result of her high-strung nature and abundance of worried energy. She desires partners that are highly intelligent and gregarious. She is prone to immediately exit a relationship if she deemed it no longer serves her need for mental stimulation, especially if they feel unappreciated or bored. The mind is preoccupied, and a preference exists for word puzzles and other mind-expanding diversions. Mars in Gemini is particularly gifted at persuading. She is prone to indecision and regularly shift their thoughts and stances on a variety of issues, particularly if her chart involves a heavy concentration on mutable signs. Recognize that sex is not necessary for the Mars in Gemini muse to function properly. She can enjoy sex without reservation or remorse while it is available, but when it is not, or if sex becomes problematic for any reasons, this muse can live quite nicely without. Her sexual energy is easily redirected or rethought for them, as sex is but a notion. And because she has no fundamental, personal, or emotional attachment to sex, she may see it objectively and without shame. This muse is frequently, but not always, quite experimental with her sexual behaviour. To turn her on, you must first be witty in your way of bringing it up and instil a desire for it in her thoughts. Her hands are her erogenous zones. As a result, massage her hands as well.

CANCER MARS — Cancer Mars muse, depending on other placements, might be curvy, lack of muscles, bright porcelain looking soft skin, good breasts or nice pectorals, round and fluffy even if not overweight, round face with delicate touch, flushing easily, sensitive skin, soft, whisper-like, sweet or shy voice. She can be moody, sensitive, easily agitated, and possessive. However, she is very much susceptible to holding grudges. These individuals can be quite emotional when it comes to sex. In actuality, this muse must constantly experience sensations of love and emotions related with the sex act. She has a tendency to be exceedingly irritated. Her primary source of energy is spent on domestic disputes. Her emotions are constantly at risk, regardless of how much she reject it, and she is easily injured. Regrettably, the strength of her sexual needs, both bodily and emotional, makes conservatism difficult for her. When she does not receive the attention she desires, she can be rather whiney. Almost invariably, her relationships with her mom can be somewhat complicated. This muse is seeking for a partner that is loving, maternal, and empathetic. Additionally, she prefer sex to be transformative and harsh. She adores breasts massages and meaningful aftersex talks.

LEO MARS — You can spot her by looking for the mane, a tall or haughty appearance, a straight, long back, a prominent nose, a tendency to acquire weight, broad shoulders, regal hand motions, a deep or "feline" voice , a sinuous feline movement with enormous steps. She is genuinely exceedingly self-assured. Natural-born show-stoppers who understand how to impress people. This muse is also innovative and tenacious. There is an innate drive for self-sufficiency and autonomy. She anticipate complete and utter devotion to love. Anyone in love with a Mars in Leo should devote as much attention to her as possible to ensure a nice connection. There is a great deal of zeal, commitment, and ingenuity. As with other fire signs, there may be an inclination toward self-centeredness and an inability to comprehend the needs of others. This location fosters confidence and can compensate for factors that contribute to low self-esteem. In the arts and music, considerable competence is possible, especially if other components of the chart support it. If you ever want to start a conversation about possessiveness and jealousy in a relationship, this is a good place to start. Sexual intercourse is a crucial, even sacred, activity for this muse. After all, sex is an extension of her ego, and concealing it is against nature. Mars in Leo muse, as a result, will always have the right to brag. Of course, there are times when this seductiveness clashes with this type of underlying conservatism. Because, while she thrives on the limelight, she is deeply scared of being criticised or shamed. This is why no one should take the boasting of a Mars in Leo Lover too seriously. Pride always prevails over reality in her eyes. She can't help but gravitate toward romantic partners with a larger-than-life attitude. Someone who is funny and capable of bringing a smile to urr face. To activate her, you must commit your complete focus to her body, as if worshipping it. Her erogenous zones are placed behind their necks and down her spines.

VIRGO MARS — Often times this muse has a lovely, virginal, youthful, and mercurial countenance. Mars in Virgo, which gives them the typical Virgo eyes: brilliant, sweet, and innocent. Slim, intelligent body types erratic gait (fast and somehow jumpy). A sensitive stomach. Hand dexterity, talking with their hands However, much more sensual than the Gemini Mars. The energies are focused on the task at hand. She is often times very successful in her fields and make excellent employees. She has an uncanny ability to pay attention to detail and are fastidious. She is innately tidy, clean, and organised. She possesses an infinite capacity for nagging and criticising. She is adept at identifying defects in objects and people that others commonly overlook or overlook totally. Hygiene and health are also hot themes. This muse is a perfectionist who may be quite critical. Due to the digestive system's sensitivity, anxiety can produce stomach distress. She despise those who are weak willed. At her best, she is responsible, dependable, and diligent. These lovers are frequently far too content with uncomplicated sex, one that does not require conflict or mental distress. This tendency sometimes causes them to remain in toxic relationships solely to meet their bodily requirements. She is the type of person who feeds on the opportunity to deceive. Women with this placement gravitate for reliable partners with a big heart. Her stomachs contain their erogenous zones. Simply stroking her in this area will put you in places where you will crave for more.

LIBRA MARS — Spot her by looking for graceful, airy, thin, and sinuous in her motions and appearance. Perhaps a proclivity for long, wavy hair. Wavy movements are the norm. Beautiful voice, hands, gestures, and walk. An overall elegant appearance. Voice that is seductive. Taller than usual or may appear taller than in reality, height impression. She may struggle with directness. She may leave signals about her desires and act in ways that must be deciphered and interpreted by people who are familiar with them. She have the option of suppressing their fury rather than engaging in open combat. She may be prone to indecision and constantly alter their opinions, perspectives, and stances on subjects. This muse performs optimally when she is in a supportive, caring relationship. These individuals value teamwork and have the potential to be peacemakers. She can be flirty in public, but not necessarily mean it. She is wayyyy more concerned with her partner's pleasure than hers with sex. She likes that the sex act is fair, and thus will file a complaint if you fail to keep your half of the bargain. She is hesitant to confrontation in public. Caressing her buttocks will arouse these individuals.

SCORPIO MARS — Plutonian eyes and features, darker complexion or hair, or a "dark" impression even if she is blonde. Unique, "witchy," or sensual-like voice. Various body types but the capacity to go into a room without being heard like a cat. Scorpionic eyes or look, seductive aspect in either body or face. Mars in Scorpio is associated with a strong will and a great degree of personal passion. This muse is capable of seeing past others' shortcomings. She is capable of being devastating adversaries and possess a strong sense of justice. She is vindictive, and if her or someone she loves is wronged, she will pursue vengeance, even if it takes years. She will never forget an injustice committed against them. She prefer not to show her issues publicly, preferring to let it simmer. This stance improves one's ability to pay attention, focus, and meditate. The muse was born mages, and many of women with this placement possess an intrinsic ability for black magic from previous incarnations. Sex urge is pretty evident and powerful. Sexuality, spirituality, and esoteric topics are where energy congregate. When provoked, fury has the potential to be as destructive as an overturned wasp's nest. She is possessive and jealous in her relationships. She desire complete commitment and loyalty in a romantic connection. If this is compromised, she can become fatal. She is rarely objective about anything; rather, she often has strong feelings about it and are either in love with it or loathe it. The emotions are strong and intense. These lovers are extremely sexual, and the lady is frequently drawn to tall, dark, and enigmatic partners. The Mars in Scorpio aficionado takes pleasure in being on top.

SAGITTARIUS MARS — Lanky legs, longer upper torso with athletic or powerful body m, loud laugh, broad smile, something "large" in jer appearance: nose, hands, feet, forehead, and so on. Could have a really powerful voice. A faster and more powerful walk than usual. The appearance is really outdoor-like. A fun lady, Mars in Sagittarius are genuine and  courageous; they adore travel and the nature; they are restless and vivacious. She can be fidgety, easily bored, and have a hard time being still for extended periods of time. As the gambling sign, Sagittarius frequently believes they are invincible and takes tremendous chances. Her optimism and self-assurance frequently keep her out of even the most perilous situations. There may be a tendency to repeat mistakes and a failure to learn from previous experiences. Sublimated energies are directed into higher knowledge and research. This muse possess the capacity to be lifelong learners. Mars in Sagittarius bestows inherent athletic ability and a passion for sports, especially when other components in the chart complement this. She talks directly and candidly, is outspoken, and has strong convictions. The majority of Mars in Sagittarius individuals regard sex as a sport. She doesn not want my love to be constrained in any way. She takes pleasure in having sex in public. She gravitate toward athletic-looking partners who appear to exercise regularly. Women in this position may find themselves drawn to either teachers or philosophers. They are triggered by the hip region.

CAPRICORN MARS — Saturnian looks, sturdy, possibly smaller/petite ladies, high and broad cheekbones, serious gaze, no gesticulation, steady, intimate voice, earthy appearance, goat-like features, and unmistakable mountain goat stride (fast, tip-toed). Skin that is sensitive. This muse has energies that are concentrated on professional and career ambitions. She can begin small and work her way up to very high places. Mars in Capricorn teaches us to be systematic, as well as to have patience and endurance. This placement helps compensate for the scattered energy and lack of follow-through of planets in mutable signs. There may be both workaholic tendencies and a business aptitude. Obtaining a position of status may require a lot of her time. The muse is motivated by material and money gain. She is efficient, practical, dependable, accountable, self-disciplined, and self-disciplined. She had little compassion for shiftless and sluggish individuals. If the energies of this location are not sublimated, or if other astrological aspects support them, she can be cold, calculating, usurious, and conceited. There could be problems with the bones, the skin, or the teeth.

AQUARIUS MARS — Find this muse by looking for ethereal, scattered, sudden walk or movements, might be of any body type, at least one striking feature (coloured eyes, odd nose, forehead, hands, etc.), ethereal, scattered, abrupt walk or movements, may be of any body type. Her energy is focused on friendship and group activities. These individuals prefer to work in groups rather than alone. She is very unique and appreciative of the strange and uncommon. She places a premium on justice and equity. She will react angrily and revolt if others attempt to exert authority over them. Very drawn to humanitarian causes and typically attempt to enact beneficial societal reforms. This placement typically results in scientific ability, as well as an intense interest in the future, technology, and civilization's expansion. She is unsatisfied with antiquated methods and structures and desire to replace them with newer, more effective ones. This is why sex with her will never feel repetitive.

PISCES MARS — Look out for the amazing dancers/artists, dreamy eyes, lovely feet and legs, watery movements and stride, gentle voice with feminine inflexions even in men, radiant skin. This muse is often quiet, even timid. Pisces Mars's aggressive and domineering characteristics are restrained. Frequently, there is a lack of self-esteem and the ability to argue for oneself. Vitality is frequently depleted. As gentle as she is, she can be secretive and shy, unless other planetary variables balance this out. In extreme cases, celibacy and a refusal to experience physical pleasure may occur. The sensitivity is quite apparent. She is more susceptible to being used and dominated by others. She is secretly sensitive and empathic with others' plights. Frequently, energy are directed on fantasising and daydreaming. This location may develop artistic ability, a strong feeling of idealistic commitment, and refined musical and artistic inclinations. Mars in Pisces lessens nature, even more so if the chart is dominated by mutable signs. Sex with her is transformative and sensual. She seeks out for soul partners who she connects with telepathically.

This is the end of my first post in my Heirs of Cosmos series🤎 I hope you guys enjoy this and have an absolute blast reading this!! Sending you nothing but good vibes for today<3

love,

saint jenx🪐

© 2021 Saintz Jenx All Rights Reserved

[finelinevogue]

I love your “little moments” series… I have a weak spot for dad!Harry💕 and I love the relationship between the family’s members 🤗 and I really hope u will continue to update it! And for this series I would like to request Harry doing the 73 questions interview for Vogue and his kids and wife make an appearance (u can choose if the kids are toddlers or teens) and they even answer some questions OR an Howard Stern interview where Harry is asked about his family,maybe the host makes like not so nice-low key shady comments on his wife and on Harry’s daughter coming out story. Ok I’ m done, so sorry ik it’s so long 😅 it’s just I love your series sooo muchhh 🥰🥰 ok I’m done love u have a good day 😘

i’d love to answer this one!! thank you so much for loving my little series💕this one’s for you and for the other request i got which i’m combing with this: “Harry is doing a interview on facetime when his kid crashes the interview.” so pls enjoy and yeah enjoy;

oli - 6, felix - 4, belle - 1

The day had finally arrived for Harry Styles to complete the 73 Questions with Vogue.

It had come to be the promo for ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ and his schedule was booked with interview after interview after interview, and it wasn’t ideal for this to all be happening months whilst also having to look after three meddling toddlers, one of whom had only recently turned 1 years old.

The house was chaos. Fun, but chaos. And it was also the setting of this interview.

“Alright you lot, this way.” You shoved your children along to your living room, giving Harry the space he needed with Joe Sabia - the interviewer.

“Thank you love, see you later.” He blew a kiss to you and returned his focus to Joe. This interview was the first of many and it was also a major marketing ploy. These types of interviews were so highly recommended for Harry to be involved in and Jeff had thought it was about time for him to do one.

Joe had arrived around 15 minutes ago, just to

run over the script and remind Harry of the pre-determined questions - which reminded him of the answers that you’d run through with him the night before. Now the cameras were set up, the mic people were all at stand-by and Joe was ready it was time to begin. The children had been so fascinated by all these new people, after not seeing anyone for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, which is why it took a lot of trouble to get them to shuffle away from their beloved dad.

A fake door knock arose.

“Harry Styles hello!”

“Hi!” Harry waved at the camera.

“I’m here to do the Vogue 73 Questions, shall we get to it?”

“Of course! Come in!” Harry welcomed Joe into the house and shut the door behind him, not trusting his little ones to not escape if they were running wild.

“Beautiful house! Is it your only one?”

“No, but it’s my only one in London.” Harry made a point of not exploiting how many houses he did have and where they were. In fact, you still didn’t know about the Island that he was currently investing in just for you. You were a huge conservation activist and so Harry thought you could spend your free time helping the fragile ecosystem on this island.

“Did you design it yourself?”

“Me and my wife built the plans, but we go the experts to finish it all off.”

“What’s your favourite room?”

“Um, probably the living room.”

“Why?”

“So many of my favourite memories have happened in there.”

“Could you give us some?”

Harry could give loads, but they were far too precious for him to just give away. The living room wasn’t even a massive room, it was quite quaint with a couple of sofas, a logwood fire and then rugs and paintings on the walls. It was a home within a home. It was where Felix had taken his first steps. It was where Oli had spoken his first words. It was where Belle had fallen over for the first time and given herself nasty carpet burn. It was where presents were opened at Christmas. It was where you and Harry had made love next to the fire. It was where Felix and Oli had had their first tiny argument. It was where you spent family nights. If your house was a map then that room marked X the spot.

It was treasure. Priceless.

“My favourite would probably be when my wife, Y/N, spilt red wine all over the new white carpet and then proceeded to throw white wine over the stain because she’d read somewhere that it helps to get rid of it.” Harry chuckled at the memory.

“Did it?”

“No, God no. The carpet’s grey now.”

Joe laughed, as did Harry.

“I have to say Harry, you’re looking very fashionable today who are you wearing?”

“Gucci.” He blushed, because he knew that everyone would’e known that without question. He was wearing a lilac silk shirt with his name embroidered on it - but really it was to symbolise your last name not his - with a white wife-beater shirt and white shorts. He looked rich.

“Shouldn’t have asked really? Is your wife as much a Gucci avid fan?”

“She hates anything expensive. I think she still wears the same jeans she was wearing at university!” He knew you’d hit him later for saying that.

“So she’s a hoarder?”

“God yeah. She keeps everything and anything.” Harry laughed in admiration.

“Has she always been?”

“Always. When we went on our first date, her bag was so full that she couldn’t find her purse and she was so embarrassed because she thought I would think she was taking advantage of who I was. Anyways I did end up paying that night, but she had actually, I don’t know how, sent me money for her portion of the bill. From that moment I knew it was going to be her.”

“Do you write songs about her?

“Every day.” He smiled at the thought of the one he’d written just this morning.

“Which one is your favourite about her?”

“I don’t know about favourite, but the one I hold closest to my heart is probably ‘Fine Line’.” Harry stopped there, not wanting to share the intimate details of why and Joe respected that.

“Do your children have a favourite song of yours?”

“They go crazy for Kiwi and Golden. Belle loves Treat People and Oli knows the dance to that one actually.”

“Did you choreograph the dance for TPWK?”

“Partially, but I had help from my friend Paul and Y/N helped too actually.”

Harry and Joe had now made it through the house, weaving in and out of rooms, until they had made it to the Garden. Unfortunately, you’d forgotten to shut the bifold doors to the living room and so as soon as Harry came into focus for your children they immediately ran for him. Oli and Felix could run quite well, but Belle was a lot slower. She was only learning how to walk and so she fell a lot, unless she was being supported by you or Harry. Oli reached his dad first and then Felix, to which Harry knelt down to embrace them in ‘super-dad’ hugs as he liked to call them.

“And who do we have here?” Joe asked.

“Trouble.” Harry replied in jest, but whispered something into his boys ears before backing away.

“Hello i’m Oli.” Oli waved proudly to the camera.

“Hi i’m Fix.” Feliz shied into his dads neck, embarrassed of himself. Harry kissed the back of his head and kept a hold oh him around his back for comfort.

“Fix?” Joe asked at the peculiar name.

“It’s Felix, but he can’t pronounce his own name for some reason so we just call him Fix now. Or Flix. Don’t we buddy?”

“Oh my! I’m so sorry about this!” You ran out in panic, knowing your one job was to keep the kids entertained and away from their dad. At least that was the original plan, but both Harry and Joe like this idea so much more. You were blushing red in embarrassment, picking up a fallen over Belle on your way over to everyone else. “So sorry.”

Belle became restless in your arms, reaching forward for her dad. She whined when she couldn’t quite reach and Harry immediately stood up to take his winging daughter from your arms. As he did, he leant into you and whispered in your ear whilst leaving it a warm kiss behind.

“You’re okay love. Don’t be sorry.”

“Hello Y/N!” Joe spoke.

“Hiya! How are you?”

“I’m great, and you?”

“Peachy.” You laughed, leaning down to collect Felix who was making grabby hands at you. Oli was quite happy standing next to both his parents, one of Harrys hands running through his tiny locks of hair.

“So now we have the family together, how do you feel to all be together?”

You looked to Harry smiled to find him smiling back already at you, knowing you both had a very similar answer. “It feels right. It feels like home.” You answered and Harry nodded in agreement, giving Belle a gentle rock in his arms.

“Are you okay with showing your children’s faces publicly?”

“No we’re not.”

“Looks like we have a hell of a lot of editing to do back at HQ.” Joe laughed, but completely understood the reasoning behind yours two decision. If needed, you could re-film scenes of this interview so that it didn’t include your children. Joe had done his best to keep the camera on you and Harry and luckily the children kept their faces buried in their parents necks anyways. “Is that going to be forever?”

“When they are old enough to decide whether they want to be in the spotlight then we’ll see.” Harry smiled, holding onto Belle tighter because all he wanted to do was keep her protected, and his, forever.

“You two seem like very good parents.” Joe spoke sincerely, and it made you swallow down a sob because it was always really lovely to hear such compliments - knowing you’d struggled with postnatal depression.

“Thank you Joe.” Harry nodded respectfully.

“Okay let’s carry on?”

The interview carried on until Harry had answered so many questions. He redid bits, due the children being too involved and he re-filmed answers to questions he found difficult to answer the first time around. He had such a great experience and was happy with the way that the day turned out.

[lossie92]

Looking for Home - META

Here it is, guys!

I actually come up with headcanons and make notes for all my stories, but I’ve only recently started to write them down in more detail.

Also, yes, I'm crazy enough that all character names have meanings. Even if I only mention this or that OC in passing, you better believe that I spent at least fifteen minutes deciding on a good name for them 🙈 

Either way, this is the first time I’ve ever shared my notes with any audience and I hope you’ll like it 😊

Please bear in mind that everything under the cut can be considered a ❗spoiler❗, so if you haven’t read Looking for Home yet, I would highly recommend doing that before checking out the META.

I wouldn’t want to spoil the story for you 😅

WARNINGS: discussion of sex and mental health issues, implied/referenced self-harm, swearing, implied/referenced underage relationship (both parties are consenting and they are also considered adults in this universe)

-

Nakano: Meaning ‘warrior’. Madara was returning from a short mission when he heard something and decided to investigate. He found a cat, little more than a kitten really, holding onto a piece of drift wood in a particularly perilous section of the Naka River. She was bleeding, missing one ear and clearly terrified as she desperately fought for her life. He managed to save her and brought her home with him. The cat was a bit skittish at the beginning, but now she absolutely worships the ground Madara and Tobirama walk on. She really fucking hates everyone else though.

If you are interested in how she looks, imagine the below, but with one ear.

Yes, that’s one very angry-looking maine coon 😂

Kameko: Meaning 'tortoise child'. Tortoises actually symbolise longevity in Japan (and most of East Asian, as far as I know) and Madara's grandmother is rather old by the standards of the era at sixty-something. I am pretty sure it is mentioned somewhere in canon that shinobi used to die like flies during the Warring States Period and not many of them made it past thirty. So yeah, pretty sure she is considered immortal at this point.

She is Tajima’s mother and she had to basically raise Madara and Izuna after their mom died when they were still young teens (it happened during the year following Madara’s meetings with Hashirama, so he was around fourteen). She took it very seriously and showered her grandsons with affection and love at every turn, which is the reason why both of them are somewhat well-adjusted despite growing up half-orphaned in a war-torn country.

Jin: Meaning ‘tender’. She’s Madara’s and Izuna’s only first cousin that’s still alive and also Kagami’s mom. She is a force of nature, this one. Everyone underestimates her, because she just seems so innocent and sweet, but if you get on her bad side, you better run. The mark of friendship with her is when she starts teasing and joking around. She definitely considers herself to be Tobirama’s buddy now.

Nobutama: From Nobu meaning ‘faith’ or ‘trust’ and adding the -tama/-rama suffix typical in male Senju names. Coming up with this name was hard, y’all.

He is an only child and was conceived very early on into Mito’s and Hashirama’s marriage. They were married very young too, around fifteen-sixteen, which I assume would have been considered normal at the time (it would have definitely been normal in feudal Japan). I mean, most of the ninja seemed to die around thirty, so they had to procreate sometime before that, you know?

He is a very kind, sweet kid, but a little bit on the dense side. Looks like Hashirama did at his age, but with Mito’s pretty red hair.

Hitomi: Meaning ‘pupil of the eye’/ ‘wisdom and intellect’ (depending on kanji). She’s the Uchiha clan healer and ophthalmologist, and Hikaku’s mother. Yes, I did name an eye doctor after a part of a literal eye and I’m very proud of myself.

I headcanon that the Uchiha specialize in treating eye conditions. There is no way they have been struggling with blindness and impaired vision for centuries and haven’t found a way to counteract them. It would make no sense.

Of course Madara noticed Tobirama squinting at things and how the man would develop these killer headaches if he read for too long quite early into their marriage. He knows what it looks like when people have poor vision, so he took Tobirama to see Hitomi at some point and that’s how our fave Senju ended up with glasses. And yes, Tobirama’s poor vision is the result of albinism. All hail the albino Tobirama headcanon, am I right?

Eichi: Meaning ‘wisdom’. Since the guy ends up insulting the entire female population of Konoha in one sentence, I don’t think we can attribute much wisdom to him though. Izuna had the right idea when he called this dude an idiot. It makes the name even funnier, in my opinion.

Masukagami: Meaning ‘The Clear Mirror’. It’s an actual historical tale, the last book in a four-part series, believed to have been compiled during the Northern and Southern Court period in Japan. Since Madara enjoys history and non-fiction in general, I thought it would make for a nice gift, especially if it was a fancier edition or something. I will include his reaction to receiving it in the sequel, don’t worry.

How Kamako-obaa found out about Tobirama’s abysmal eating habits: Madara did in fact snitch on Tobirama under the guise of his regular bitching about everything under the sun. That man is vicious AF when he tries to take care of his precious people and let’s face it: Tobirama in this verse needs a fucking minder to keep him functional. The reason he did it was of course to make sure his grandmother would be vigilant enough to notice if his idiot spouse reverted back to thinking paperwork and science were more important than basic bodily functions the moment Madara left the village. As evidenced in the story, he was right to do so and he has absolutely no regrets.

The lack of Hashirama in this story: A lot of madatobi stories feature Hashirama as the matchmaker figure or at least a driving force that pushes the main characters into realizing their feelings for each other in some way. Don’t get me wrong, I love these tropes! They’re great! However, I wanted to do something different. That’s why it’s Kameko-obaa, Jin, Mito, Touka, Izuna, and even Kagami a little tiny bit who are responsible for not-so-gently pushing Tobirama in the right direction.

My personal favourite is Mito’s quiet understanding and support. In a way, she has the most in common with Tobirama in this universe – they are both very private people, they value logic and are very intellectual, and had been married off for the sake of politics, just to name a few. I also feel like Tobirama would definitely see her as an older sister and would be more willing to come to her for help instead of asking Touka who, while well-meaning, is probably also not the most gentle or patient.

Madara being responsible for foreign affairs: I know, I know. Sounds crazy, right? Here me out, though! Madara has been shown to have an awful temper, yes, but we are also led to believe that most of it might have been Zetsu’s influence. Besides, I think he would have been very different at home or when he was working compared to his battle persona. Kinda hard to work when you’re pumped on adrenaline and borderline feral, you know? I also think it would be hilarious if the reason he was good at politics was that people were scared of him and he knew it and used it to his advantage. He wouldn’t even have to do much! Just be there and act all calm, but menacing at the same time, and people would proceed to lose their proverbial shit, because they are sure he is plotting their deaths or something like that if he has been too quiet for too long. The funniest thing is nobody realizes that this is going on and they are just all quietly impressed with his diplomatic skills. Madara doubtlessly finds it very amusing.

Madara and his teas: In my head Madara has a bit of a tea obsession (well, he has my own tea obsession, but amplified, but that’s neither here nor there). He has a collection of different tea leaves, dried fruits and herbs, etc. and he uses them to make his own blends. Sometimes they’re definitely a miss, but quite often he ends up with a very good and unique tea as a result. He also likes to spend some extra money on pre-made blends if they’re good quality and from a reliable supplier. Tobirama, as mentioned, really appreciates the tea, but his skills at making it are virtually nonexistent. He had been known to burn very expensive tea leaves by accident. That’s why Madara doesn’t trust him with the tea cupboard.

Also, the tea Madara prepares at the end is the blue pea tea. Look it up, that shit is fascinating!

Madara acting as a househusband: This is not necessarily because he is actually trying to fill that role consciously. In this universe, he definitely exhibits some obsessive-compulsive behaviours (e.g. cleaning the house until it’s spotless, keeping things in order and getting stressed if they’re not, being almost unreasonably snippy when someone moves things from their ‘rightful place’, etc.). Experiencing trauma can trigger things like that, although it is not the only reason why people clean, of course. He also suffers from depression to some extent, though I think this can be said about the majority of characters in Naruto.

Tobirama isn’t aware why Madara acts this way and doesn’t really understand it, but he accommodates him nevertheless.

Tobirama’s panic attack: As you might have noticed, there is something going on with Tobirama behind the scenes. I will explore it in more detail in the sequel, but this is basically a leftover from his less than ideal childhood (you can read more about my headcanon for this HERE) and a result of trauma. Also, depression and some form of an anxiety disorder, because these are always fun to experience 🤦‍♀️

He taught himself that pain could bring him out of an episode and that’s what he has been using for years to deal with them. It works, but it’s a form of self-harm and not a healthy tactic at all. He is very bad a recognizing and processing his own feelings as well. Like, really bad. Then once he gets on with the uptake, he blurts them out. That’s mostly why he panicked in this situation – he knew that now that the love for Madara was realized, he was at a risk of just saying it randomly and he was terrified of Madara’s reaction.

Madara’s and Tobirama’s marriage: Offering Tobirama as a spouse for Madara was supposed to be an insult. As mentioned in the story, the Senju Elders were convinced it would spark the conflict anew, because Tobirama is a man and wouldn’t be able to give Madara heirs. The joke’s on them though, because the Uchiha clan is chill as a cucumber about same-sex marriage and couldn’t really care less. They are maybe a little bit shocked and wary of Tobirama as the prospective bride, but they roll with it in the end. Madara is actually kind of happy about it. Yes, he doesn’t really like Tobirama and doesn’t really trust him all that much either, but at the same time he knows his gay ass could have ended up married to a woman, so, you know, all in all it’s not that bad of a deal. Plus, he has eyes and, if nothing else, Tobirama is at least very to look at 🤭

It goes without saying, I think, but just in case that wasn’t clear: there was no wedding night and the two of them have been sleeping in separate rooms for this entire time.

Tobirama’s and Madara’s sexuality: As mentioned above, I see Madara as being gay in this story and someone quite experienced and sure of his own sexuality as well. He was encouraged to be careful, but also explore his options and experiment, and that’s basically what he did.

Tobirama, on the other hand, has only kissed someone once out of curiosity (that it just so happened to be a boy isn’t really all that relevant). He wasn’t really interested in finding out more about sex afterwards, very much convinced it wasn’t really for him. I see him as someone on the ace spectrum here, probably demisexual, so yeah, friendship and an emotional connection overall would have made him attracted to Madara more than looks ever could. The fact that Madara is the type of stupid pretty that makes everyone notice his attractiveness almost immediately is its own thing.

Seals and fuinjutsu: I think that the application of sealing in Naruto wasn’t explored to its full potential. As a group of techniques it seems the most versatile of them all, to be honest. You can seal anything and make any number of things work through sealing. I mean, you can even seal jutsu! Come on, if that’s not the coolest thing, I don’t know what else is!

There are so many things you can use seals for and it’s really exciting to come up with some everyday non-military uses for them. My take on them may not be canon-compliant, but I don’t really care.

The heat-preserving seals are used mostly for food, but they can also be useful for keeping an optimal temperature of any number of things. They are not meant to be used on humans or any living organisms though, just inanimate objects and such, because they can interfere with the organism’s natural temperature and cause a heatstroke in humans.

The sealing embroidery is a specialty of Yuki no Kuni. In a lot of stories I’ve read, Konoha seems to come up with every new invention and I thought it would be nice to give other countries something of their own as well. It made sense why people from the Land of Snow would develop a way to keep themselves warm that didn’t involve donning on layers upon layers of clothing.

Also, chakra influencing one’s body temperature should have been noticed and documented by people who are primarily affected by it. Tobirama, who is from a clan of predominately Doton users, would likely have little contact with people who are as proficient with Suiton as he is and thus wouldn’t have been able to link his penchant for being cold with it.

Hanten jackets: These are great. If you can get your hands on one, please do. They are really warm and cosy, and most of them are made from cotton, so they are very breathable as well. They are considered casual clothing, unlike haori which is part of formal wear. The one Madara got for Tobirama was handmade and the stitching was done with silk chakra-infused thread. It is also reversible – one side is plain black with the Senju and Uchiha clan mons in red right under the collar and the other is the indigo blue waves with silver seals embroidery. This is kind of how I imagined it looks like:

The houses in Konoha: Most of them are traditional Japanese-style buildings. I’m sorry, but my brain cannot process Founders Era characters using a stove and sleeping in regular beds at home if the story isn’t set in Modern AU, so here we are: irori, shoji screens, zabuton, and all that jazz.

Traditional Japanese houses are really well engineered though. They may seem old-timely and outdated, but they’re really not. I would highly recommend looking up some blueprints and generally any info about their construction you can find. They are great and very beautiful.

I also think that the architecture we are familiar with from the original series would have become more mainstream and popular around the time Hiruzen became the Hokage as more and more foreigners arrived and settled in Konoha, sort of mimicking the modernization of Japan in a way.

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There is more, but I’ll make a separate post for it when I publish the sequel. I don’t want to spoil too much of the story before it’s even fully written 😉

[ageof9thhouse]

Signs in the Eighth House

Just as the number 8, the 8th house is where one’s karma lies. In the broader sense, this karma could be anything, hence the reason for this house to be called “mysterious”.  It is not exactly known to the person where their karma comes from or where it is going. Since it is the opposite of the 2nd house, where one’s parents’ love and care for each other is specified, the 8th house symbolises the trigger point which caused that love or relationship in general. Meaning, the sexual and the passionate energy. The 2nd house is the comfort zone of people and the relationship with the tangible environment. Meanwhile the 8th house is the psychology, the relationships between the heart and soul and the karma carried out through the parents. The planet Pluto is the ruler of this house. Pluto, in Greek Mythology, is known as the God of the Underworld, Hades. Hades was the first son of Kronos and the first to be swallowed by him. Together with his siblings they banished their father and with Zeus and Poseidon, they drew lots to see who would rule each realm… Hades got the underworld fittingly as his name means “the unseen one”. He was also known as the God of wealth because all the precious metals buried deep in the earth were in his kingdom. Hades is the ruler of the dead but he isn’t death itself. Thus, while he “drinks tears like wine” he does not kill anyone. He is simply the host of the dead and the torubled souls. His realm is a place of freedom from the pain of the world and his Queen, Persephone offers rebirth and a blessed afterlife. But we all know that he kidnapped her even though she fell in love with him later on (a case of Stockholm Syndrome). Hades, even though one of the more humble of the Gods when he wanted something he made sure he got it. Together with his queen they represent life and death and the cycles of nature —and the 8th house represents the transformations we are bound to go through no matter how painful. In the end we rise from the ashes better and richer (soul-wise) than ever. Self-mastery involves shadow work with your lower drives. If you fail to master this energy, it will master you. In other words, the unconscious will run your life from behind the scenes and work itself out through fate. This often manifests as obsessions and compulsions and events over which you have no conscious control which can be seen in one’s 8th house.

♈︎Aries / Mars in the 8th House:

Aries/Mars here is in his big brother’s house so he does not feel too unwelcome here maybe feels a little clumsy not knowing how to deal with such power all of a sudden. The person with this placement is ever seeking ways of personal transformation. Starting with new projects or just anything new is their superpower. However, not being able to finish those passion projects is the cost of this power. When accepting the fact that chaos is inevitable and control is an illusion the person confronts their inner demons, only then the transformation really happens. Either one of the parents might have Aries in their charts (rising or sun). The karma coming from the parents is for the person to become fearless in the face of the new and taking the lead. After a psychological breakdown, the person is completely anew and fearless to start from fresh. Vengeance though can become the main drive and that is when the person needs to be careful. People with this aspect might attract a lot of Aries or Mars energies into their lives - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad. Obsessions might include proving oneself to be the best at something and forcing other people to do whatever they think is the right thing. When they master the need to be always in control they are able to manifest good things into their lives.

♉︎Taurus / Venus (Day Chart) in the 8th House:

When the opposites fill the other one’s place it puts it out of balance. One’s mission is to maintain the peace which that balance is lacking. Taurus/Venus (Day) in a person’s 8th house may indicate that the superpower of this person is to make others feel comfortable and laid back. They put others at ease. The cost for this power is that the chart owners themselves feel uneasy and disturbed by outside interference constantly. This karma can only be eased down once the person starts to value and secure themselves. People-pleasing is something they are good at but not something that they necessarily should be doing. Since there is no sense of feeling secure or comfortable coming from within these people may obsess over material things in order to feed their starving subconscious. The more these people value things outside of their own being, the more backlash they receive from their inner selves.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to fall truly in love with themselves and care for their own well-being. Maybe as a child, they did not feel worthy of their parents. Perhaps one of the parents had Taurus in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element and they might also attract a lot of Taurus energy into their relationships - from these energies a karmic bond is established good or bad. However, overdoing this self-love once it is achieved obviously will have its consequences. Laziness and over-indulgence in the good things life has to offer will bite them back later on. When they find a balance between keeping their own peace meanwhile putting others' minds at ease as well, they will master the power of serenity.

♊︎Gemini / Mercury in the 8th House:

With this placement, there is this feeling of the “magician” going back to the tarot cards. A master manifestor once the person appreciates the duality within. In Buddhism, this is called “shunyata” the emptiness of inner and outer dharmas. Nothing can exist without everything else also existing. People with this placement must understand that we exist within a web of relationships and once it is well understood one must not misuse this power otherwise the consequences are hard to overcome. These people are blessed with powerful thoughts but depending on the intention set out through these thoughts their own manifestations can get the best of them. A great deal of cleansing of the subconscious is required for this placement since Mercury is a trickster who loves to challenge its subjects just for the sake of it.  There are great power and karma carried through one’s words. These people can have an immense effect on other people’s subconscious as well. Through the exchange of thoughts, they blend with other people and if they did not master this power of theirs they can get lost in those people’s minds.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to watch out what kind of intention they put out to the universe through their interaction with other people. Perhaps one of the parents had Gemini in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Mercury energy into their relationships - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad. These people also gotta be careful about obsessive thought patterns and delving too deep into the matters. The thing they are most passionate about is certainly understanding the unknown but some things are just simply beyond our comprehension

♋︎Cancer / Moon in the 8th House:

Moon is our mother, sense of security and our ancestors. There is a great deal of karma coming from the person’s past. They are deeply connected to it and they are very curious about it as well. Their power is to build such strong connections with people and giving them their sincerity. The cost of this gift though is the fact that most people they give this nurturing energy to might have had banished them in their life before. There is a great fear of abandonment coming from being too attached to people since they have had been left behind before (perhaps by the mother herself). These people might find the solution in never attaching to people ever again but in fact they must build a strong intuition in order to allow the right people in their lives. Otherwise, a sinister feeling inside will sprout because they do not feel the same warmth coming from other people that they think they themselves expose. Forgiveness is a big theme here. They have to learn to forgive the past and not devolve too much into it. Compassion will be their best friend when it comes to fighting off their inner demons which especially come up when they feel the most vulnerable. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to not treat their emotions as if they are burdens and learn to forgive their past troubles and maybe even the parents themselves. These people should learn to not to obsess over the past. Perhaps one of the parents had Cancer in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Cancerian energy into their relationships - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad.

♌︎Leo / Sun in the 8th House:

When Apollo comes to give light to a house that wants to stay in the dark, tensions are high. These people may want to keep their own self identity under shadows. Something significant may have had appeared in their childhood which caused the child to grow too soon and as an adult now the child within is suppressed down to the subconscious. Their own psychology is a matter these people are highly interested in understanding. They like to put light on things that are hidden from them even when they are not ready to see things as clearly as they are. They like to think of themselves as strong people who can handle any psychological or emotional burden which they are and it is their power but they tend to push things too far to the point of they can no longer handle the load. They have got to learn to let other people in so that they can ease the heaviness of their own emotional baggage. Once they let the child within to come out and play they are bestowed with very strong creativity and positivity. Free self-expression will be their escape from their own darker demons and allowing themselves to play. These people are obsessed with other people’s talents and the way they carry themselves - but once they let go of their control on emotions and let their joy run free, they will see themselves become just that. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to take care of the child within. Maybe the parents were not the best at allowing the kids to be kids and asked too much of them hence they had to grow up way too early. Perhaps one of the parents had Leo in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Leo energy into their relationships - from these energies a karmic bond is established good or bad.

♍︎Virgo / Ceres in the 8th House:

Deep within, there is a lot of anxious energy haunting the person of the chart which strives to be recognized. They tend to over-analyze everything that is happening but will most likely keep this to themselves since they do not like to be viewed “concerned” by other people. They are obsessed with solving problems to the point of disturbance in their own psychology. They have immense powers of healing and finding solutions but the cost of this power is an out of control feeling of being uneasy or unsafe. Through meditation and being open to spiritual matters they can ease this feeling but these are highly skeptical and practical people. They tend to stay in their own way of their journey to mindfulness. They are fascinated by other people’s concerns and problems that they tend to forget their own which only makes their personal matters worst. They have great karma when it comes to dealings of allowing things to be and not interfering with them. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to take care of their own well being and consciousness. Perhaps, as a child, they weren’t properly taken care of by their parents and the roles were reversed in a way. They wanted to fix or heal their parents their whole life but maybe did not get the chance to do that so they are passionate about doing this for other people. One of the parents might have Virgo as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Virgo energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♎︎Libra / Venus (Night Chart) in the 8th House:

People with this placement have got a lot of subtle but potent influence on other people through one on one interactions. They have the power of attracting anyone into their lives and easing their emotional burdens as well. The cost of this superpower though is that if they are not careful with their intentions about the core reason why they want to have an influence on this particular person they might take on their bad karma as their own and obviously no one wants that. Each relationship transforms the person for the better but sometimes the worst. They might feel an intense bond with almost everybody in their lives and this will take a toll on them psychologically. They are also likely to have people obsess over them to point of claiming ownership over them. And another theme with an obsession with these people is that they themselves might obsess over being liked by everyone. They are passionate about peace and harmony and are willing to do anything in order to maintain it even if it means sacrificing one’s free will.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to practice and teach good manners and bring harmony into relationships. Perhaps, the parents were in an inharmonious relationship in which the two fought a lot without ever trying to bring peace into the situation between them. One of the parents might have Libra as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Venusian energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♏︎Scorpio / Pluto in the 8th House:

The lord of the underworld here is in his full power and in the comfort of his home he is not willing to hold anything back. Scorpio is in search of emotional power and the mysteries of life and death. This cycle between the two is neither good or bad, - it’s the part of nature that demands change and evolution. And the biggest thing with Hades’s character is that no matter what you cannot negotiate with him. The biggest karmic lesson with this placement is to surrender. These people’s power is about using their soul’s energy to transform the self through a confrontation with the powers of the unconscious. The goal is to overcome death and dissolution and avoid falling back into chaos and unconsciousness. Not the easiest of the tasks but the rewards are definitely worth it as Hades is also the Lord of the riches. To enter the darkness and heal the split in your psyche – the wound at the heart of being human – the pain of being conscious is the lesson one taken over from their parents. Perhaps, the parents were in denial of their subconscious’ scream for help and kept their demons hidden away which only caused them to go down a road of spiral. One of the parents might have Scorpio as their sun or rising sign and the chart owners tens to attract a lot of Scorpio energy into their relationships for them to learn their karmic lessons.

♐︎Sagittarius / Jupiter in the 8th House:

The nature of Sagittarius is to be free and in this placement that is the request from the chart owner’s psychology. These are very passionate people who are the rulers of their own territories. They have the gift to find their way to enlightenment and higher knowledge of the truth once they open up their horizons. The biggest karma for them is that it is hard for them to open their minds to things but once they do they are ready to be fired into the future. They are obsessed with the idea of living life to its fullest but there is a tendency to overdo it. Too much of the unrealistic optimism results in facing the harsh reality of the world which leads them to a dark place where they feel trapped within their own minds. They tend to curse their own fate and shun the universe whenever their high expectations are not met. They have to come in peace with the reality of being human in an imperfect world.  But the pain of the wound creates wisdom if they can accept and work with it. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to discover the truth of a human’s immortal soul that releases us from the wheel of birth and death – the quest for enlightenment. Perhaps the chart owner comes from a lineage of teachers who couldn’t finish this task.  One of the parents might have Sagittarius as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Sagittarius energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons. For them to free themselves from their emotional burdens they need to open their minds up and accept the good and the bad universe has to offer and offer help to others to learn their lessons.

♑︎Capricorn / Saturn in the 8th House:

When the sign of harsh lessons and the house of karmic lessons unite their powers the person with the placement meant to go through a lot but in the end, they come out of this struggle of perfecting a human as a dextrous being. The native goes through a lot of challenges which require self-mastery. They crumble down to the ground and build themselves up again, each time they end up more solid and wise. The person is bestowed with great wisdom beyond their years but the universe always demands them to renew themselves so their lives and self-identity suffer from reoccurring earthquakes. They are obsessed with being the best at everything they can and in the meantime influencing other people. They might be especially obsessed with impressing their father and their own father might be their biggest competition in some extreme cases their enemy. In Greek mythology, Capricorn is the Father Time, Kronos… The one who swallowed Hades (and the rest of his children) only to be overthrown by them in the end as it was predicted. The biggest lesson for this person is that they cannot change the outcome but they are sure to be changed by the outcome. The karma these people had inherited from their parents is that the old way of things must be periodically overthrown so that life can be renewed. Perhaps the owner of the chart had parents who were too controlling and stuck in the same cycles and it is up to them to break this cycle so that progression can happen. Meanwhile, they have got to learn to build a solid structure for them so that they will not be damaged when their world is shaken up as it is their karma. One of the parents might have Capricorn as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Capricorn energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♒︎Aquarius / Uranus in the 8th House:

People with this placement are passionate about feeling united with other people. They tend to attract a lot of friends into their lives and they themselves are very understanding friends but the cost of this is that in order to keep their social circle they tend to either conform to their needs. In order to feel like a part of the group, they know exactly what to do but this also means they often step out of their way to become a part of it. Their biggest fear being, feeling unaccepted they are very accepting of other people and when they work on their people skills these people are very good at influencing others. They are humanists with morals. Their karma will work against them when they deliberately deny these morals in order to please others. The karma they inherited from their parents is to increase in moral consciousness in other people as well as themselves of course. Perhaps the parents were oblivious to other peoples’ issues. One of the parents may have had Aquarius as their sun or rising but was not able to manage its aim of uniting the people and recognizing that all beings are interconnected. With this comes a great deal of empathy with others comes into play. The person has to learn to control this nature of an empath for it is hard for them to distinguish their own emotions and thoughts from the rest.

♓︎Pisces / Neptune in the 8th House:

People who have this placement tend to underestimate the power of their psyche and subconscious in their everyday life. If the mind is in a good state they have the power to manifest good things into their life, if it is in a bad state though, they bring hell down to earth for themselves. The universe asks of them to be conscious of their subconscious, joining of two worlds: the divine and the human. These people are creative in nature and have to take care of their inner world instead of running from it. With a power of great manifestations comes great responsibility for one’s soul journey. As the Pisces energy can be creative and imaginative, as well as dark and destructive. Lurking in the unconscious, always threatening to overwhelm the ordered structures of life. Being this close to the abyss would make anybody nervous and we all know Pisces often tries to avoid a confrontation. But the thing is the forces of the unconscious are usually only dangerous when they’re repressed or denied. And this is the karma the chart owner inherited from their parents who might have Pisces as their sun or rising but could not deal with the Piscean nature, hence it is now both the blessing and the curse (if it is not dealt with careful) of the child. The Pisces fish are a symbol of spiritual liberation, they show the happiness and freedom of the soul swimming in the waters of nirvana. There’s no need to struggle or swim against the tide. People with this placement tend to attract a lot of Piscean energies into their lives to learn and teach karmic lessons.

(Art: “Ixion Thrown into Hades” by Jules-Élie Delaunay)

[enbylesbianism]

ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS: Simon Snow trilogy wrapped! (review)

Hi, there! It took me a while to finish this post, as I could talk about it for... a long time (not necessarily a good thing), but I got it! I like praise, so if anyone wants to tell me I did a good job... Also, I might edit this post later on. I don’t remember anything else I’d like to add, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I did after posting. My brain does not obey me. Anyways, off to it! By the way, I won’t give this book a real rating.

While this is a review on Any Way the Wind Blows, I intend on analysing some points of the overall series too. The book starts where Wayward Son left off, the end of the road trip, Simon and Baz having problems in their relationship, Penelope helping Shepard with his curse... and the whole situation of the NowNext vampires. Rainbow Rowell only seems to remember the first part. That leaves us with the second book of the series ignored almost completely, with the exception of Simon and Baz’s feelings as well as Shepard’s existence.

Don’t get me wrong, aspects of the book are mentioned, but never in a truly important way. Lamb, the Vampire King, is mentioned by Simon, but only focusing on his and Baz’s relationship, never about the fact that there are a bunch of vampires (supposedly ‘evil’) in the U.S. but I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? I could count on one hand the times the NowNext vampires were mentioned (like, literally, this isn’t an exaggeration, I looked up ‘NowNext’ on the e-book and only got five results), all of them either being one of them considering telling someone else about it, then not following through with it, or dismissing it as a concern for Lamb. Which makes the plot of Wayward Son completely useless for the trilogy. Now, that wouldn’t matter as much if everything else had been properly developed, but we definitely can’t say that.

We are introduced to a brand new, poorly developed villain, Smith-Smith Richards, whose character arc is as ridiculous as his name. He’s one of the fake Chosen Ones that started appearing after the events of Carry On (and the only one to be mentioned and/or defeated, for that matter). It becomes clear that presenting as Simon Snow-ish is part of his brand, especially when Baz describes him as looking like the Netflix adaptation version of Simon, and that he was raised and guided by his uncle, who’s just... there. I don’t think it would’ve been hard to make him manipulating Smith-Smith into believing he’s the prophetic savior of the Magickal World, which would not only make both of their characters more interesting, but it could also serve as a parallel of Simon’s relationship with the Mage. Richards also has some special powers such as increasing a mage’s magic for a limited amount of time, but taking it away afterwards, as well as making someone immune from spells. It’s worth saying those aren’t skills that are usual in the Magickal World, or else there wouldn’t be so much confusion and shock from people (specially Baz and Penny, who would definitely have heard of something like this before), but we get no explanation on why or how Richard has them.

Then, we have the Salisbury’s. We, as readers, already know Lucy and Davy are Simon’s parents, making Ruth his grandmother. It’s noticeable that Rowell builds up to that discovery, by making Simon get along with Ruth instantly, him thinking about Lucy a lot etc. It makes us excited to read the part where they actually figure it out, to know how Simon would deal with that, him dealing with the fact that he’s the Mage’s son and the fact that, technically, he killed his father. I suppose that’s the point, but actually getting to that part was incredibly underwhelming. The way they discovered about Simon—being able to lift a family sword—hadn’t been mentioned or hinted at before. One would’ve expected Simon, who’s particularly interested in swords as it’s mentioned many times throughout the series, to notice a freaking Excalibur at the Salisbury’s place before. 

And speaking of noticing things: when it’s finally revealed that Simon is Lucy’s son and the Mage’s heir, Baz pointed out the uncanny similarities between his boyfriend and the deceased Watford principal. “Those narrow eyes. That tilt of his head. I thought... I thought he’d learned it. Was imitating it.” + “Merlin, Simon, you even look like him.”  (Any Way the Wind Blows, chapter 86) Simon was the Mage’s protégé for years and I assume the Magickal authorities knew that he was the one to inherit all of his money and personal belongings, but no one, in the whole British Magickal community, thought about them being related? I refuse to believe there were no conspiracy theorist teachers at Watford or that Mitali or even the Pitch’s alongside everyone who was against the Mage didn’t at least check to know if there was something behind those characteristics. Baz literally said (chapter 88), “I think it’s undeniable. I’d cast ‘Flesh and blood’ on them, but it would bounce right off of Snow (...)”, so there is a spell for that. Plus, we didn’t even have one whole chapter of Simon dealing with this information! The chapters (no more than five, out of ninety-one) were divided between Simon, Baz and Lady Ruth’s POVs. He’s the main character, so one would think he’d get more development.

Another point that felt rushed was the romance. While Simon and Baz’s relationship wasn’t, as it’s been a topic Rowell has explored for three books (we’re not counting Fangirl here, as their ‘participation’ on it was minor and their personalities weren’t as consistent as in the trilogy. Not that it is that consistent there), the others just felt like she wanted everyone to finish the trilogy with a pair. I’ll start with Shepard and Penny. There were fans who liked them together before Any Way the Wind Blows, but it wasn’t hinted at—it was more like a fandom thing. I personally like them as a couple, but it could have had development and, maybe, foreshadowing in Wayward Son. I mean, they did fight monsters during a huge part of a road trip together.

The next one I’ll talk about is Agatha and Niamh. I love them, don’t get me wrong. Actually, it’s precisely because I love them that I wish they’d gotten a better treatment. Niamh wasn’t introduced before Any Way the Wind Blows. I get why she wasn’t introduced in Carry On—it was interesting to see a character who wasn’t caught up in Simon and Baz’s drama during the school years—but a hint of her existence could’ve been left in Wayward Son. Agatha is an important character on it, and a mention of her father training an aspiring veterinary could’ve fit somewhere, as a hint, maybe. (Also, Lucy, the dog, being absolutely forgotten during this book when a lot of Agatha’s time is spent in a veterinary clinic...) Besides, we could get the vibes from them, but after they kissed, there was barely any content. We didn’t get them calling each other ‘girlfriend’ (or if they even like that label at this point), or the aftermath of the kiss, or a POV from Niamh. Or Niamh appearing the epilogue? If Agatha was taking care of the goats, I’m sure Niamh would have a part in that too. Still on Agatha’s character, but not on Niamh’s, it felt like Rainbow Rowell was setting up for aromantic and asexual Agatha, specially because of this quote: “It was like she'd pulled the feeling right out of my heart. I could have kissed her. (I still wish sometimes that I wanted to.) (That would feel like an answer to... the question of me. Then I could say, 'Oh, thats who I am. That's why I've been so confused.')” (Wayward Son, chapter 4).

And I was leaving the best (I need to be sure everyone knows I mean this sarcastically) of the romance topic for the end: Fiona and Nicodemus. It’s just... so forced and undeveloped. Not even because, to me, they’re both gay as hell. There was just... such a lack of development! I don’t think we had any interaction between the both of them before Any Way the Wind Blows. There was no foreshadowing or why would Fiona, a vampire hunter from a family of vampire hunters, would marry... a vampire! I’d already find it weird to see fanfiction of them as a crackship, but it’s canon?! Like, canon as in they’re going to get married and use Fiona and Natasha’s mother’s ring? Seriously, nothing will take from me that this is a lavender marriage (as I’ve already discussed with my best friend, which inspired this post of theirs.)

I’d also like to speak about a topic that’d been hinted throughout the series, especially post-Carry On, which is the criticism towards the Magickal Community in the U.K.. That criticism is very much embodied in Shepard’s character. It’s explicitly said that the British mages have some kind of supremacy towards other supernatural beings, such as vampires for example, gatekeeping literal magic. Up until relatively recently, mages with weak links with magic couldn’t attend Watford (and that’s a major plot point in the final book) and there’s a denial towards any other kind of magic except the ones that are part of their craft. Even within the Magickal community itself, there are more important families that are more likely to succeed, like Natasha receiving criticism for marrying Malcolm, as a Pitch. It felt pointless not to tackle the issues you’ve set up yourself in your own universe. Penelope has very strict morals related to magickal law and beliefs, something that she could’ve deconstructed, especially considering Shepard, her love interest, symbolises that. Another point related to that is, the trilogy is very clearly heavily inspired by Harry Potter, where many of those points are very clear (e.g. wizard supremacy in relation to other species, such as werewolves and domestic elves and the status quo that makes some traditionally magical families more influential than others, like the Malfoy’s vs. the Weasley’s), so it’s not an easily forgettable concept.

The series also had a lot of inconsistencies. The one I’ve seen talked about more often is Simon and Agatha’s... intimacy status, let’s call it that. Simon’s whole thing in the first book was that he struggled controlling his magic when experiencing intense emotions, which makes it hard to believe that he managed to have sex withount an... accident. Besides that, though, there’s this quote, “She (...) presses a kiss into my temple. No one has ever kissed me there. No one has ever kissed me anywhere but on my mouth” (Carry On, Chapter 27), but in Any Way the Wind Blows, when Simon’s about to have his wings cut, Agatha says, “It’s a strange feeling to look at someone’s chest and know it’s nothing to do with you anymore, but still to remember kissing every inch.” (Chapter 14)

So, we have established that Rainbow Rowell’s work, both character and plot driven, is flawed. “But we got the characters interacting for the closure of the series, at least!” Well... we got interactions between the canon romantic relationships, yeah. But besides that, we didn’t get much. There were no interactions between Agatha and Penny, or Shepard with Simon and Baz. Or Penny and her mother figuring stuff out. Or literally anyone with a therapist. And not gonna lie, the interaction we got between Baz and Dev was underwhelming, to say the least. Niall is nowhere to be seen, too.

Rainbow Rowell’s writing is beautiful: she writes poetic lines that make the book seem perfect at first glance, if you don’t think about it for too long. Her words are very shiny, but once you get use to that light and see what’s behind them, what’s between one shiny quote and another, it has so many flaws and plot holes that it reads like a first draft. There are many concepts in there that are genuinely good: the rest of the trilogy focused on the protagonist dealing with the trauma of being a child soldier instead of being entirely an adventure, Simon being unlabelled, a fake Chosen One that gives mages fake hope... Those are all good ideas, but so poorly explored that, despite being an entire book/trilogy, it still feels like a writing pitch or something among those lines.

I felt iffy about other things during my reading of the series, but they aren’t exactly plot points, so I’ll just list them below:

Mitali, Penny’s mom, including ‘discovering your bisexuality’ as a mid-life crisis thing 

As I’ve seen people talking about biphobia/bi erasure in the books, I’ll be including this post that features both unlabelled and bisexual individuals talking about the topic (it isn’t my place, as a lesbian, to talk about this, that’s why I decided not to do so.)

Romanticising of Baz’s suicide (a.k.a. chapter 61) in the first book. If you’re not in a good place mentally, like I was when I first read Carry On, I hope you know that a kiss or romance doesn’t help any mental illness you or others might have. Don’t let anyone use your guilt to manipulate you. Paraphrasing Alice Oseman in their graphic novel Heartstopper, love can’t cure a mental illness.

Any Way the Wind Blows was... very horny. I can’t point out how this makes the book bad exactly, but it wasn’t something I enjoyed. One of Rainbow Rowell’s strongest skills is that her quotes, when loose, are good. They tend to be poetic and just beautiful, overall. But in the... explicit scenes, these skills were barely used, and I felt like I was reading NSFW tweets off of someone’s private account on Twitter. Besides, the first two books of the series weren’t written like that, so the change was very sudden.

The older people could’ve been more explored. Penelope and Mitali’s relationship and how similar the both of them are compared to each other, Daphne and Professor Bunce’s insecurities and why they believed in Smith-Smith, Fiona, Nico, and Ebb... Also, the Mage and Lucy. We could’ve had more on them, y’know. 

The pop culture references. They made the book read even more like Twitter’s feed. Honestly, if I wanted to read prompts and nice ship content alongside memes from Twitter with some horny thoughts sprinkled all around, I would’ve opened the Twitter app. Or Tumblr, Instagram, whatever.

The POV switching felt lazy to me at times. It’s nice to know how different characters are experiencing that situation, yes, but sometimes, like during the discovery that Simon is a Salisbury, it read as if Rowell wanted to create tension, but couldn’t think of any other way to do it except the switching around.

Narrative wise, I think Simon and Baz should’ve spent more time broken up. 

[ladyeliot]

Strawberry shortcake

Valentine’s Day (Prompts)

Request:  @imerdwarf​ Ooooh I love your valentine's Day prompts! May I send in a request with dialogue #5 please for Bucky x Reader? I don't mind if you write smut or fluff 💜 thank you so much my dear friend 💜

“I’m your husband; I’m your automatic valentine.”

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary:  In a completely alternate universe, you and Bucky are an unusually quirky, but completely happy couple set in the 1940s, but nothing is as it seems.

Warnings: 40s. Parallel Universe, Fluff.

Word count: 2858

A/N: Inspired by WandaVision. Sorry for my spelling and grammatical mistakes, English is not my native language, I am learning.

It is known that some people live in a world of dreams, while others prefer to face reality as it presents itself to us; then there is you, who has turned your own reality into a dream.

A dim flame adorned the room from the centre of the table, making warm lights clash against the shadows. Duke Ellington set the melody to that Friday evening, while a sweet aroma of turkey confit wafted from the little nooks and crannies of the oven, drifting out of the kitchen and into every room. The ticking of the wall clock informed you that time was not standing still and that it was getting closer and closer to your arrival. You had taken your time to organise yourself, there was nothing you were better at and even more so when such an important day was about to arrive. You had bought flowers to welcome her into the hall, her favourite wine from the French vineyards and that perfume for you that you knew would melt as she approached to kiss you.

That day was no ordinary day, a red circle was surrounding that 14th of February and although you still hadn't figured out why, there must have been something special about it, that's why you had put your hands to work so that everything would turn out exquisitely. You knew that your husband would arrive tired from work, that that car company would leave him exhausted at the end of the week, but as a good wife you had been foresighted with everything. You wanted him to leave all the worries and problems behind and for that night to be as special as possible, and for that you had to radiate beauty. But maybe there was something else, to be honest you weren't a housewife like any other, that organisation was your forte didn't mean that you knew how to cook, how to keep a house and you were attentive to the care that a traditional husband needed, because neither you nor Bucky were what they call 'traditional'. But for one day in your life you wanted to try to be.

You had every corner of the kitchen under scrutiny, the orange sauce prepared, the potatoes cooked, the strawberry shortcake in the fridge and the turkey slowly cooking in the oven. You were able to nod to yourself and give yourself a smile of satisfaction that you had managed to complete each of those tasks without having to ask for outside help. You took off your apron, you knew it was the perfect time to do the finishing touches before your husband would be home in half an hour. You went upstairs to put the red lipstick on your lips and treat your earlobes to the earrings Bucky had given you for your birthday, you stood thoughtfully staring at yourself in the mirror, it was strange you could barely remember where you went to celebrate.

A roar from outside brought you out of your thoughts for a moment, you knew that sound, it was the engine of Bucky's car. Time had finally caught up with you, you slipped your slender feet into your high heels and sped down the stairs. His figure was visible through the translucent glass of the front door and when the door opened you raised your arms and gave him one of your broadest smiles, standing in the middle of the stairs.

"Good evening dear," you exclaimed in a sweet melody, continuing to pause on the fifth step. "How was your day?

Unlike you, Bucky's facial expression was rather more subdued, as he just looked at you without any encouragement, closed the door behind him and left the briefcase on the floor. In spite of your attitude your spirits hardly waned, and as you had intended, like a good wife you approached him to take his coat and scarf in your arms and give him the pleasure of kissing your lips.

"Is something the matter?" he frowned, letting himself take off his coat.

"Not at all. I'm just giving my husband the welcome he deserves," you argued, kissing his cheek, making Bucky smile in surprise at your behaviour.

"Interesting," he stood there watching you place his belongings on the coat rack in the hall. "Have you cooked?"

"Exactly," you affirmed, offering him passage to the lounge so he could make himself comfortable in the armchair nearest the fireplace, which was alight. "Turkey confit with orange sauce and strawberry shortcake. A glass of wine?"

"Is this about anything in particular?" he asked again after getting her to take a seat. "Am I forgetting something? Because if so, I beg your pardon, darling."

On the one hand you were surprised that he didn't know what that red circle denoted around the number 14 on the kitchen wall calendar either, but on the other you assumed he must have too much on his mind to focus on it. Still, you set out to celebrate in the most special way that night, so that whatever that mark meant, it would be a success.

"I don't think we have to celebrate anything in particular for me to want to cook dinner and help you get rid of work problems," you offered him the glass of wine and sat on the armrest. "I guess that's what you usually do."

"Then I have nothing more to say," Bucky set the wine glass down on a small table next to the couch and wrapped his arms around you causing you to fall on top of him.

The laughter of the two of you projected through you and crashed against the four walls. You were lying in his lap, which made it easier for your gaze to bring his face close to yours and offer you a warm, soft kiss on your lips, taking in much of the reddish lipstick you had just put on.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered for the millisecond he pulled away from you before returning to kiss you again.

The surroundings helped to create such a homely atmosphere, the Duke Ellington solos from the record player, the lights and shadows coming from the fire in the fireplace, the smell of the turkey confit coming from the oven...

"Shit!" you suddenly broke away from Bucky, trying to get up a little clumsily from the armchair to run towards the kitchen, where a smell of burning was coming from.

"What's going on?" Bucky followed you at high speed, stopping your hand that was going to open the oven to do it himself.

When that door opened a greyish smoke invaded the room, taking over as far as your eyes could see. Your emotions ebbed in that instant, accompanied by an insufferable moan of agony. Bucky took over the opening of the windows, allowing the smoke to fade away. You slumped over the counter, all the work of that afternoon had been for nothing, on the contrary, now you barely had anything for dinner. Light laughter came from inside your husband who stood beside you with his hands on his hips watching you.

"I'm not amused," you said, folding your arms as you stared at her lips stained with her lipstick. "I've been working so hard to make something decent for dinner tonight for when you got home. I had it all prepared, I wanted to surprise you and now it's all gone to waste."

"Sorry dear," Bucky stopped his laughter but a smile was still present on his face. He approached you and took your face in his hands. "I don't want you to do all this for me, but I really appreciate it. You know I'm happy with anything, as long as I share it with you. I don't need any of this."

"I know, but today is a special day and I wanted to do something special," you pointed to the calendar, a place where Bucky's eyes landed without taking his hands away from your face.

"I knew I was forgetting something," he whispered to himself and looked back up at you. "You may want to kill me after this question, but what are we celebrating today?"

You brought your hands to his and caressed them, your mind was really blank, you didn't have an answer to his question. You knew it wasn't either of your birthdays, you didn't really remember what day your birthday was, which was a little unsettling for you, but you knew it wasn't your birthday. It wasn't your anniversary either, nor were you pregnant enough to celebrate, there was no promotion at work, nor had you met anyone for lunch or dinner, as sadly you had just moved to that neighbourhood and had no friends. So what could that mark on the calendar symbolise?

"I don't know!" you exclaimed, completely frustrated at the situation. "I thought you would know, I've been preparing for this day all week and I don't know why. I didn't want to ask you because you would think I would have forgotten something important."

Bucky lowered his hands to your shoulders in an attempt to relax you, while his face wore a thoughtful expression, trying to figure out what day it was.

"Maybe..." he said with a blank stare. "No, I don't remember what we're celebrating today." A groan of exhaustion came from inside you. "But it doesn't matter darling, the important thing is that we're together, we have a delicious strawberry shortcake for us, a bottle of wine and Duke Ellington. What more could we ask for?"

You didn't know how but he always managed to make you feel as if you were the luckiest person in the universe, just having those blue eyes looking at you as if you were his life, made him your life. You stood on tiptoe, reaching up to his lips and trapping them between yours, wrapping your arms around his neck and deepening the kiss.

"I love you," you mumbled still with your eyes closed.

"I love you more," he kissed your lips softly again, wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you close to him tightly and lifting you off the ground. "And now, let's have dinner."

He reached out his right arm, opening the refrigerator door to pull out the homemade strawberry shortcake you had prepared. You had to admit that at first glance it looked very good, you had done a great job in that regard, the problem was that you had tasted it during its preparation and the appearance didn't account for the taste, it had turned out too bland to become the main course. You had hoped that Bucky had lost all appetite with the unsuspecting turkey so he wouldn't want to try the pie, but things hadn't gone as planned.

"It looks great, my dear," he said, slipping a finger inside and popping it into his mouth, you frowned in anticipation of his approval. "And... it's really exquisite."

"Oh, please," you added almost with a chuckle, "it's awful, I know, I've been so dry and clueless. I'm such a mess."

"No!" he exclaimed sticking his finger back into the cake. "It's scrumptious darling, I promise."

You cocked your head to the side watching as Bucky was eating practically the entire cake in front of you, just to please you and make you feel no worse than you already did. That image you knew was going to stick in your memory, your husband with his face covered in strawberry jam, red lipstick around his mouth and his hands all smeared, smiling at you. You couldn't help but laugh, which caused him to pause as he sucked on his fingers.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked with a grin.

"At your face, it's a mess."

"My face?" he pointed to his face and then reached up to march your strawberry jam cheek."Whoops!"

"No!" You exclaimed taking a step backwards in laughter, you reached your hands out towards him, in a vain attempt to stop him, as he counterattacked again. "Buck! Hold still."

"Now who's face is a mess?" he asked cornering you in between the countertop and his body, in an attempt to make a Picasso on your face.

His attempts to turn your face into a work of art stopped and you were able to open your eyes again to watch him, playfully reaching out your tongue to taste the jam that was smeared across his cheek, causing a half smile to take over his features.

"You were really right, it is exquisite," you said, unconsciously biting your lower lip.

"I told you so," he whispered repeating your movement, licking your nose very slowly, and then placing a kiss on your lips.

As if on cue, the front doorbell rang, interrupting the moment of intimacy you had forged in the kitchen and bringing strawberry jam into the room. Strangely you both looked in the direction of the front door, wondering if you were expecting a visit from someone in particular. Bucky broke away from you and turned with the intention of opening the door.

"Honey!" you exclaimed after him, approaching him with extreme speed with a napkin in your hands to clean up the mess you had both created on his face.

"Thank you," he kissed you again and placed his hand on the doorknob to open the door.

The situation was that the gesture he brought was quite peculiar, you were standing next to your husband, flashing your sweetest smile, which was instantly wiped away when that door showed you two figures even more smiling than you.

"Happy Valentine's Day from the Pierces!" exclaimed an ostentatiously dressed woman in a pink dress. "We're sorry to disturb you at this hour, I'm Susan, and this is my husband Alexander. We've organised a small barbecue for the nearest neighbours, and we wanted to invite you to join us for dinner, so we can get to know each other once and for all," she looked you up and down with a tiny giggle. "If you're not busy, of course."

They were a rather peculiar pair at first glance, or so it seemed to you, though seen from the outside at the time you and Bucky weren't exactly the most ordinary thing in the neighbourhood either. Your prejudices marked that Susan looked like the neighbourhood gossipy neighbour who offered a smile to your face but then behind your back criticised any move you made, on the contrary Alexander had a rather funny moustache and seemed to be terrified of his wife, what caught your attention the most was a distinctive pin on his jacket lapel that read 'HYDRA'.

"Of course!" you exclaimed with a slightly unfounded tone. "We'd be delighted to attend, I was just talking to my husband today about how much we were looking forward to meeting the neighbours if only they were half as charming as the neighbourhood."

"You'll see we're all one big family," Susan replied, taking your hand in hers. "Well, I'll see you now. The others will be delighted when I let them know you're coming."

After several comments and a long goodbye, the door closed behind you, causing your features to return to their normal state. Bucky watched you with a raised eyebrow, waiting for a response to the strange attitude you had just maintained a few seconds before, but you only gave him a half-smile.

"So Valentine's Day?" you said, walking into the living room, where the LP had ended but the needle was still spinning. "How could we forget something like that?"

Bucky wrapped his arms around your waist and you did the same by wrapping yours around his neck, dancing to the sound of silence.

"Maybe because Valentine's Day is every day for us?" he said moving closer to your lips but not quite touching them.

"Good point," you affirmed, brushing his nose with yours.

But at that moment the discovery that you had forgotten Valentine's Day was a tremendous disappointment inside you, compounded by how disastrous the dinner had turned out.

"So, even though I'm a little late... will you be my valentine?" a wide smile that reminded your husband of childlike innocence fell across your face.

"Darling, I'm your husband; I'm your automatic valentine." he closed the distance to your lips. "And I'll remain so for the rest of your life."

The depth of the kiss deepened, adding gentle brushes between your tongues, rediscovering again and again what your taste was, until Bucky suddenly broke away.

"Wait, do we really have to go to that barbecue?" he whispered in disgust at the thought.

"I think we're in control of our lives," you narrowed your eyes with a smile, "so we can do as we please."

Taglist Open (DM)

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[kuroopaisen]

imitheos. (oikawa tooru)

➵ oikawa barely recognises the god he used to be. 

wc: 3.8k

warnings: gn!reader, greek god au, melancholia? angst? is that something to warn people about?

a/n: so this got away from me, and ended up half a character study, but,,, @kacchand (sorry for tagging this one but i couldn’t tag @kacchand-archive aa) thank you so much for the warm, lovely things you’ve said to me ever since stumbling across my blog, and for complimenting my oikawa specifically. it’s those sorts of compliments that makes me feel all soft!

Oikawa Tooru. He’s still not sure of the name. He never chooses them himself; they come to him, quite naturally, each time he assumes a new form. Each time he knits himself a backstory, he wonders what this life will bring. If it will be better than the last.

He hasn’t always been Oikawa Tooru. He’s been many other forms littered throughout history, recycling the same ego. And before each of those, he was Apollo.  

Apollo had been a god amongst gods, deity of so much and so many. He could absolve men of guilt, gift mortals with the power of prophecy, balance their lives in his hands as he commanded the fate of their crops. Even the gods feared him, loved him, revered him.

But he is no longer Apollo. He is a whisper of him, a half-forgotten shadow.

His old name is everywhere. Rocket ships, theatres, philosophical concepts. He’s watched countless effigies to his old self shoot themselves into the sky, chasing a distance once thought unreachable. They always seem to take the light with them, blazing into the darkness.

But Apollo is just a name, now. Everything he used to symbolise seems to pass through him like white smoke.

It’s so hard to find the light in this endless winter.

Archery is just a niche hobby, now. Wars are won through other means.

Disease and the means to combat it are far past his sphere of influence now. Both continue to take on new and frightening forms that even he couldn’t conjure.

There is no space in this world for prophecy anymore. Such things are considered untruths, the trade of hackneyed swindlers masquerading as fortune tellers.

But poetry. Poetry refuses to die.

Sunday afternoon. The sky is already dark. Slam poetry night at a dingy little coffee shop. He’s sat in his usual spot, a dark corner that grants him a clear view of the makeshift stage at the back of the shop. It’s the best spot to melt away into, to become a true observer. 

He’s not sure why he’s come here. The coffee itself isn’t particularly good, nor is the atmosphere of the place much to his liking. It’s a little dingy, reliant on weak oil lamps for light. He knows that it’s supposed to give off a retro vibe, but he thinks it just makes it miserable. There’s the smell of musk too, permeated through both wood and cushion. 

 But something is drawing him to this place. Something, beating against the fabric of the universe, is telling him that this is where he’s supposed to be.

He still doesn’t know why.

You smile at him from across the room, giving him a small wave. You usually work Sunday afternoons, right until close. He isn’t sure of your name, and usually, he wouldn’t care.

But every Sunday, you seem to take it upon yourself to fulfil his orders. Once upon a time, he would’ve been sure that it was his charm that induced you to do so; mortals often found it hard to resist the gods, after all. But he’s not so sure he can still claim that allure.

“You’re becoming a bit of a regular,” you smile, setting his drink down in front of him. Something made with honey, but he’s not sure what. He never pays much attention when he orders.

Oikawa raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“You’re always here on Sundays,” you nod, daring to meet his gaze. “But you’ve never performed yourself.”

Oikawa smiles. One person, at the very least, has noticed his existence. That’s as powerful as a prayer these days.

“I take it you’re a fan,” you remark, eyes scanning his face.

Oikawa nods. “You could say that.”

You smile. It’s small, and he wonders if it’s merely a nicety. “Of slam poetry in particular, or…”

Ah. Yes.

He wants to say it’s because he’s tired of typical poetry. Tired of all its embellishments and platitudes. Slam poetry is newer, younger, angrier. There’s a rawness to it, a rage that speaks to something more visceral in him. Pretty words are not enough anymore.

It’s an offering of something else, of a yearning he still struggles to place. It’s a call for something better, for change, for vindication.

But he won’t bore you with that. You’re just a waiter, making small talk to be polite.

“My preferences change often,” he shrugs.

He appraises you for a moment, clad in a button-up shirt and dress trousers, a charmingly small apron wrapped around your waist. He’s not paid you much mind before; maybe because he’s been looking too hard.

He once thought that this café was drawing him towards a modern muse, an echo of Melpomene. Or perhaps Erato? But it hadn’t been that at all. It had been a call to draw him to you.

For what, he can’t say. But this small moment, this little recognition in the back of a dingy coffee shop on a dour Sunday afternoon in the midst of winter, is the closest he’s felt to worship in aeons.  

He fears, for a moment, that you might be Daphne. Or maybe Marpessa. He’s already lost another Hyacinth; not to death, but to the rhythm of life. The pull of a world to which Oikawa couldn’t follow. How long had it been since Hajime left?

Oikawa can’t say.

But he’s been so lonely. So faded.

Whoever you are, whoever you were, does not matter.

What matters is that you’re the first person in a very long time who can see him.

☉ ☉ ☉

“Back again,” you smile. Another drink with honey is placed in front of him. It’s the only thing he’s been ordering for the past few weeks.

He nods, looking up at you with a smile. He knows it’s dead behind the eyes, but he’s trying. He hopes, quietly, that the darkness will mask it. 

“You must really enjoy the poetry,” you remark, looking over your shoulder.

One girl has just finished, face flushed with both nervousness and pride. She is young, perhaps barely seventeen, but with the fury of someone who knows too much about the horrors of the world. She’d done quite well by Oikawa’s account. He hadn’t derived much joy from it, but she certainly has potential.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, taking a sip of his drink.

“Do you prefer more…” You pause, brow furrowed as you search for the words. “Traditional poetry?”

Oikawa shakes his head.

Perhaps his tastes would err more to the modern, if he knew more about it. But the fact of the matter is that he simply doesn’t have a clue. Too much time spent with volleyball preoccupying most of his thoughts, and very little time keeping up with the artistic scene of the last decade and a half.

He can’t speak as an expert. But he can speak as the god who invented poetry, who gave mortals the means with which to express their magnitudes. A gift, he’d said. To turn the human experience into something beautiful. But was it for them, or for him?

“The anger is sincere,” he muses, “And they all seem to have poured their soul into their poems.”

You nod, smiling at him. “I wish I was that creative, at their age.”

He looks at you. You look about the same age he should be; twenty-something, maybe? Young, perhaps still in university.

You’ve been spending your breaks with him for a few weeks now.

He doesn’t mind; in fact, he enjoys the company. And, you seem to care about what he has to say, which certainly fluffs his ego.  

Why you would care so much about an odd, discreet man sitting in a dark corner of a coffee shop is beyond him.

But he wants to know why. Know more about you. What you love. What you desire.

“What do you want to do with your life?”

The question is sudden, perhaps a bit invasive. It flies from his lips before he has time to reassess it, to craft it into something a bit less intense. He fears, for a moment, that it might scare you – that it might be a bit too much.

But you laugh, tilting your head at him. “That’s a bit of a big question, don’t you think?”

He smiles. “You must have some idea.”

You sigh, shrugging. “I’m not sure, to be honest. I need to survive university before I can start worrying about that sort of stuff.”  

He hums.

“What about you?” You ask, polite smile gracing your lips.

He bites the inside of his cheek, his brows creasing. “Not sure.”

He might have dreamed of greatness a while ago. He would’ve chased volleyball, brilliant and vibrant as he was.

Who would have thought that Apollo would find his heart in something so coarse as sport? For a moment, however brief, he’d felt like he might be able to shrug off this immortal shackle. To exist for himself, and not as a mere echo reliant on mortal belief. To maybe, finally, have a chance to live as he wanted to, dictated by his own desires.  

That last spark of vibrant humanity had spluttered out the day they lost that one fateful match.

He had wanted to chase his own dreams, the tangible passions he’d discovered as a mortal. He hadn’t wanted to be this, a pathetic half-god that was fading into the grey. But that was the trappings of his dying godhood – a life half-lived, a dream unfulfilled. Where would he be, if he had been able to take on the world as Oikawa Tooru?

Happier, he supposes. Though, he can’t be sure. Because maybe this early evening, grey and cold and bitter, almost tastes like happiness. Almost. And he knows why.

☉ ☉ ☉

There’s a glow to him. He doesn’t notice it; he’s been brighter in the past, blindingly radiant. He was once considered the most beautiful of the gods for a reason.

But to you, this distant, peculiar man is beautiful. There’s something of a fallen giant to him; is he the sort of person whose glory days has long since passed? Had he been a high school hero maybe?

There’s something else to him, too. Something strange. Something esoteric.

You don’t quite know how to explain it.

It’s like he’s asking – no, begging someone to acknowledge him. To breathe new life into him.

And for all his strange, aggressive indifference, there’s a little flame in him. One that seems like it’s been burning for centuries, too stubborn to flicker out.

You haven’t missed how it’s getting brighter.

He only comes in on Sundays, staying from three until eight. If his prolonged presence bothers your co-workers, they don’t mention it.

Perhaps it’s silly to be so fascinated by a complete stranger, especially one that simply sits in a corner and watches. Perhaps it is even sillier to spend your breaks with him. But it’s as if you can’t help yourself; something pulls you towards him, even if you don’t understand it.

“What about the Greeks?” You ask one evening, sitting next to him in his booth.

His smile is bemused at best. “What about them?”

“Well… they’re classics,” you muse, “Are you a fan, or…?”

“Homer can suck my dick,” Oikawa grumbles. He never quite forgave that man for the unflattering portrait of his godliness.

You laugh. There’s an echo of a lyre in it. He wonders, for a moment, what you might look like with a laurel woven through your hair, smiling on a Pierian coast in the height of a blistering summer.

He doesn’t let his mind wander too far.

“I’m not really one for poetry,” you murmur, looking down at your hands.

“Is that so?” Oikawa smiles, taking a sip of his coffee. It’s lukewarm after sitting on the table for so long, but he doesn’t mind.

You shake your head. “I find it difficult to wrap my head around. It makes me feel kind of stupid.”

He nods. He used to understand poetry so well – in the darkest of nights, it was often the only thing he understood. It used to be laced with his very being, threaded through his body like veins. But now, it just fills him with bitterness.

“I like the classics, though,” you smile softly, playing with your fingers. “There’s something about the simplicity and straightforwardness of the language that appeal to me. And, I don’t know…” You bite your lip. “Some emotions seem to transcend time and culture. And some of the classics are so… raw. So… human.”

‘Human.’ He gazes at you, that word in particular playing over in his mind. There’s some truth in the classics, he supposes. Something in them that echoes across the centuries. But he’s been around far too long to care for patterns and parallels.

“Sorry,” you blush, smoothing your apron. “I must be boring you.”

“Not at all.” Oikawa shakes his head, leaning towards you. He takes another sip of his coffee. It’s cold now. “So, you’re a history buff, then?”

Maybe you are Clio, after all.

You shrug. “Only ancient history, really. But I haven’t read as much about it as I should’ve.”

“Are you a fan of the myths?” He asks, a playful lilt to his voice. He knows you won’t get the joke, but he doesn’t mind.

“Some,” you nod. “Why?”

“Know any about Apollo?”

“Apollo?” You smile. His old name sounds like a melody on your lips. “As in the god?”

“Sure.” Who else could he mean?

You pause for a moment, pressing your lips together. It’s a beautiful silence.

“Have you read Plato’s Symposium, by any chance?” You ask, gaze meeting his.

He nods. He doesn’t mind Plato; the man had been grateful for the gift of music, after all.

“There’s a story in it I really like,” you murmur, eyes turning towards the roof. “Well, it’s more of a myth, but… it’s the one about soulmates.”

“Oh?”

“Do you know it?”

“Vaguely.” Of course he knows it. He just wants to hear it retold in your voice.

“Well, alright,” you clear your throat, sitting up a little straighter. “There were three kinds of humans, descended from the sun, the earth and the moon. All had four arms and four legs, two faces, et cetera. But, the gods felt they were too unruly and powerful. By Zeus’ count, this was unacceptable, and he wanted to humble them.”

Oikawa hopes his expression is neutral enough. How is Zeus? Is he still around?

“Instead of simply destroying them, he split them in two,” you continue. “And that made us miserable.”

Your use of the word ‘us’ intrigues him, but he wants to save his questions for later.

“But, Apollo took pity on us,” you smile. “He decided to patch us up, and shape us into, well… the form we have today. The story goes that our navel is where he sewed our broken skin together. But he turned our heads around to what had once been our back, so we’d have to look at that mark as a reminder of our punishment and how incomplete we are.”

It does not matter to him if there is any truth in this story. Regardless, it certainly sounds like the folly of the gods.

“Once we were split, the two halves were flung to the far ends of the earth. From then on, each of us yearns with both body and soul to be reunited with our other half.” Your voice is so lyrical, so comforting. It is, perhaps, the closest thing to music he’s heard in a while. “Those of us who are lucky enough to find them supposedly know no greater joy. We’ll never feel so understood, so complete. Most of us though, will never know that joy.”

Perhaps the gods didn’t deserve the reverence they got. Perhaps they really had been tyrants, all along. But then again, there was little love between gods and mortals; if anything, worship was simply a reflection of the fears the divine inspired.  

A new question itches at the back of his mind.

“Do you believe in life after death?” He asks.

You blink at him, eyes wide and round. “Well, I… I don’t know, really.”

He knows it’s a heavy question. He knows that he didn’t prepare you for it, and that it’s only tenuously connected to the conversation at hand. But, he always found that people were at their most honest when they were caught off guard.

 “I don’t like thinking about it,” you admit, looking down at your hands. “It makes me all existential.”

Oikawa nods. Most humans react like this.

The relationship between mortals and death has always fascinated him. Fear, loathing, regret. It’s all bundled together. Sometimes, there is comfort. Sometimes, there is a sense of calm. But it is never easy to face the unknown, after such a brief stint of being alive.

It’s something he cannot understand in this existence of his that stretches itself thin across the millenniums.

What is death to a god? He imagines it must be something like relief.

☉ ☉ ☉

“Do you write yourself?” It’s a little question, one he knows was coming.

He doesn’t know how to answer.

You sit next to him in the lamplight, eyes sparkling as they always do. If he was more human, maybe he would compare them to the stars. Or perhaps the ocean after a storm. But he is not human, much less a poet.

How does he say that he’s never needed to? That his patronage, his presence alone was enough to inspire those classics you so dearly love? That he himself has never put lyrics to the human experience?

He has always been a god. There is no beauty to his experience; only in those small pockets of human intimacy he’s been granted across the centuries. There is no beauty to the life of a god – only fire, and fury, and hubris. Even his body is unlike yours; he has no heart, and he bleeds ichor.

“Not really,” he shrugs. It’s all he can say.

“‘Not really’ implies that you write at least a little,” you smile, leaning towards him.

He shakes his head. “I didn’t really have time to do something like that.” He pauses for a moment. Should he tell you? Should he reveal more of himself than is maybe wise? “I played volleyball in high school.”

“Oh, really?” You ask, tilting your head at him.

“I was good, too,” he sighs, brow furrowing. “But my team never made it to nationals.”

“Oh.” You look genuinely sad. “I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. There’s little else to do.

“I wanted to go further,” he admits. The lamplight casts a long shadow on his face, each feature soft and delicate as marble.

Each form, each reiteration, wants more.

So much of what he’s done this time doesn’t echo the traditional Apollonian figure. There is no art, this time. No song.

There was drama in sport, but it was different. It had filled him with a passion he’d never felt before, beating in his chest just like a heart would. It provided that rush of adrenaline, the brutal awareness of the importance of just one moment. Eternity stretches on forever for a god, but a game must end. Perhaps, in some way, death is very much the same. 

He wants that closure. That passion for the now. 

Now, more than ever before, he wants to be mortal. To lose himself in the storm that is being human – he wants it all. He wants to let go of the god he no longer is.

Where does Apollo end? Where does Oikawa Tooru begin?

☉ ☉ ☉

Time is passing again. Each day is over before it’s even begun, slipping through his fingers like a lucid dream. A heartbeat that isn’t his own thrums in his ears, quick and loud and frantic.

And yet, he finds himself outside the coffee shop, standing on the curb. You’re next to him, hands dug deep in your pockets. He’s arrived earlier than usual, catching you right at the beginning of your shift.

There’s something he wants – no, needs to say. Something that can’t wait.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, looking up at the sky. It’s pale, a shade found in-between blue and grey. A perfect winter sky, one you might find on a postcard trying to capture the beauty of the season.

Something is pressing on his chest, heavy and immovable. It feels like a goodbye.

“What for?” You laugh. It really is a delightful sound.

Where to begin? You couldn’t possibly comprehend it. Nor would you believe him. If he speaks too frankly, you may not remember him fondly.

“For the coffee,” he says.

There’s more he wants to say. Something about how, maybe, in another life, there could have been something more between the two of you. Something quite beautiful.

But he knows it’s wiser not to speak that into being. If you feel even a modicum of these emotions, then silence would be an act of kindness.

“Are you… going somewhere?” You ask, all signs of levity gone from your face. He regrets speaking at all now.

“Something like that,” he murmurs. It’s the closest he can get to the truth.

A long silence ensues. Oikawa doesn’t know if he should try to fill it; perhaps he should just let it sit for a while? To enjoy this little moment with you, standing with you in front of a dingy coffee shop on a dour Sunday night in the midst of winter.

Because this moment cannot last. Because nothing can.

“Well,” you clear your throat, eyes lingering on his face, as if you’re committing each detail to memory.

He smiles at you. He’s not aware of it, but it’s almost blinding. It brings a warmth to his face that you’ve never seen before, a warmth that makes him so striking, so beautiful, that you know you won’t be able to find the words to praise it.  

“I hope I’ll see you again,” you murmur. It’s the best you can manage, keeping your feelings in your heart as best you can.

“Me too.”

He means it.

It’s time to go. Where, he’s not sure. But, with all the courage he could muster, he turns his back to you, making his way down the street.

There’s a space in his heart for fear. But it’s empty. Whatever’s coming, whatever’s about to change – he’s ready for it.

He welcomes it.

☉ ☉ ☉

He opens his eyes. He’s tangled in blankets; his own, or someone else’s?

One thought.

My name is Oikawa Tooru.

In the haze of a Sunday morning, he knows nothing else. His eyes flick to the blinds as they flutter with the wind that whispers through his window.

The light floods in.

It’s finally spring. 

[sanoiro]

Lucifer 5x09 - Family Dinner -Spoilers & Speculation

Written by Joe Henderson

Directed by Nathan Hope

Nathan Hope has directed

1x02 - Lucifer, Stay. Good Devil 1x13 - Take Me Back to Hell 2x01 - Everything's Coming Up Lucifer 2x07 - Trip to Stabby Town  2x10 - Quid Pro Ho 3x05 - Welcome Back, Charlotte Richards 3x19 - Orange Is the New Maze 5x07 - Our Mojo He will also direct Episode 2 or 3 of S6

Behind The Scenes Video 

Ignore the fact that I accidentally watermarked it with the number 519... 

The Case & Deckerstar

Now we can start with the case of the week.

The murder happens at Golf n Stuff which is rather popular due to the scenes that were shot there for The Karate Kid. Rafferty was actually giddy over that.

So we have a murder. After over 70 episodes we know that the case of the week is somehow connected to the main plot and that it leads to a resolving of Lucifer’s issues or at least a small or big breakthrough.

The victim in this case was burned to death or at least he was… charred. A bit like how Mum ‘enlightened’ Jared in 2x17 but worse.

(In order to make sure most bts are included I have put them in the same file in their original resolution and you need to open the image and zoom. You can do it from your PC, MAC or mobile)

The mini golf has several fun statues like knights and pirates but what was not supposed to be there was the figure at the hole where nearby the victim was found. To be more You might have guessed it has many teeth by the photo and the answer is, it’s a reddish dragon head.

Back in December I came across the props building it and I thought it was cool but I wasn’t aware it was for Lucifer as the account is not affiliated with our crew or production. So imagine my surprise when a friend told me about what she had seen on the lot and going through the archived bts I found the victim photo as well.

You may have noticed it but in two particular episodes more dragons made their appearance. First it was at the second showrunner’s office in 503. There we see a dragon impelled by a sword, it seemed really out of place but I then correlated it with Baphament’s blade which is a representation of Azrael’s blade.

Later on I saw something else. In 508 Pete’s apartment had shelves dedicated to dragon figures as well as some knights. All along I was wondering can I even meta about that? What can it symbolise if it means anything at all? For some reason all I could think was the movie ‘Dragonheart’.

But let’s assume they have laid some hints, so far we have seen that they go very basic on bible and comic material so it’s funny how dragon-like Lucifer was presented in Series 3 of the black label of DC/ vertigo. But there are also more tidbits.

Now in 1x12 you all remember the Angel who was defeating a very Lucifer-looking Satan?

That was a prop. But it is derived by the work of Guido Reni ‘Michael and Satan’ (1636) Who was in turn influenced by Raphael’s painting ‘St. Michael Vanquishing Satan’ (1518) and if we go to Raphael’s early works... St. Michael (1504-1505)

Anyways!

The investigation of this ‘week’s’ case has its usual suspect chase which leads us to an arcade where we can spot some members of the crew doing rounds with the go-carts on that location. What I do know is that we are looking for someone young as far as guest posts go but other than that not much is known. The case seems to be progressing slowly but at some point the murderer appears to want to skip town so the leads bring us to L.A.’s train Union Station.

We also have scenes at the precinct during the case as we have seen from Aimee’s bts but not much is known there. 

Now the suspect might be played by the elusive guest of this episode John Clover whose appearance was posted on Reddit and had sparked the first speculations over the title of the episode.

We should now wonder whether the theme of this episode’s case which takes us to gaming areas has anything to do with how Lucifer views his Father’s appearance in the mid-season finale and whether it will provide him with a resolution to not act in a rush way. The same after all happened with Mum.

Do not forget that Lucifer in Season 2 and especially at the beginning with Mum and when he thought Earl Johnson was his Father, Lucifer’s plans changed as his vengeance turned to a slow paced questioning over why their relationship deteriorated. 

For an Angel who was ‘forced’ - not yet clarified so let’s not take that for granted- to punish the guilty Lucifer seems to be more merciful, understanding and open to explanations in the long run especially with the people who wronged him. Amenadiel, Michael, Uriel, Azrael, Mum, and Earl ‘God’ Johnson.

As Amenadiel said in the Pilot Lucifer away from Hell showed restrain and mercy… Perhaps it is true that we cannot escape from what we truly are. In any case that’s meta talk!

Back to the Union Station. 

In the train station we have a bts where we can see Chloe and Lucifer chasing the suspect and from the photos and videos outside of it we can safely say they are successful on apprehending the murderer.

Now a funny incident was that during the shooting the area was closed to the actual travelers but somehow a Japanese tourist ended up sitting where the background actors were. No idea if it was her Pizza or it was given by the craft service but the girl was obviously bewildered on what was happening. It’s the little absurdities of life I guess…

It seems though as a lighthearted episode at first...

Do not be mistaken, the writers, cast and showrunners have revealed that in S5P2 we enter the emotional and equally dark (In P1 I missed the darkness aside from Pete of course) part of this season. It means that by the end of 5x09 as we roll on the last minutes of this episode, Lucifer is heavily conflicted and a resolution is needed, one that seems to be somewhat provided.

Since P1 I thought it would be weird to have Deckerstar break up for effect, in order to break us, especially since S5 was supposed to be the last season and S6 is effectively from what they imply (again cast and showrunners) an epilogue. So do not expect Deckerstar to break up but on the contrary as we saw Lucifer and Chloe in 507 they pull each other back up. 

It is why I’m wondering what will be unraveled after the arrest of 5x09’s murderer.

The end of the episode takes us at night to L.A.’s Grand Park. The Grand Park is across the City Hall by the way, and for the Christmas season it was decorated with a Christmas tree made out of light bulbs.

In the bts the prominent colour of that tree is deep lilac. That’s where our next Deckerstar moment will unravel. We should also be ready for the Lucifer Universe to acknowledge yet another holiday of the human world, Christmas!

A tiny break here but you should remember that on each side of the elevator we have two bronze plates depicting the transfer of Christ after he was taken down dead from the Cross. So in the most discrete of ways Lucifer’s Universe has acknowledged Christ and perhaps it was because before the Sumerian text set Amenadiel as the favourite son, in Season 1 and for the majority of S2 we knew Lucifer as the favourite one.

On the cross Christ (no I didn’t write Lucifer at first :P) according to the scripts in a moment of lapsed faith “Father, Father why do you abandon me?”. In a way we might meta that for 516 but also for what Lucifer has experienced so far and has so eloquently expressed in 3x11 and in 1x09.  

But back to the Deckerstar moment…

It takes place on the ‘balcony’ above the fountain as the purple Christmas tree is behind them. The setting happens at night and provides the place for our characters to talk, to open up and perhaps even express certain fears but also be urged to take advantage of the current circumstances.

From my perspective is the scene of a couple that talks a difficult matter but at the end of that talk they know each has the other’s back so they can step forward, take that chance and their partner will always be there to catch them if they fall. It is also how we will experience Lucifer finally opening up without Linda probing him. But whatever comes forward also gives space to truths and a realisation which will break our Devil as we have seen from the bts of the next episodes.

We might even have an understanding why ‘I love you’s’ are difficult for Lucifer and for Chloe to also realise that. We might even get Lucifer to say it. Here is to hoping…

On a final note. Maze in this episode seems to have gone MIA but many times we do not see the bts of every scene so all we have is Lesley-Ann’s bts from her trailer during that time. Also do not forget how things ended in 508. Maze did betray Lucifer and with God on Earth... 

The Dinner

This episode is expected to open back to the precinct. The reason is because it is a mid-season finale which means that the in between scenes are not implied but also because of some spoilers we had back in December.

As you remember the actress who played officer Cacuzza had posted on Twitter that she and Lauren were in a ‘very small’ room which had just been painted. That room we can safely say is the ‘evidence room’ and that Cacuzza managed finally to find a way to close the surveillance in order to take a nap.

Now do remember that back in S4 Cacuzza was also the officer who let Lucifer ‘sample’ the drug busts… I’m not sure if that will come back somehow but we do know that Cacuzza will appear later this season, whether alive or not is yet to be seen.

What we do know is from the clues that were given by the actress.

1) She will be in the same room as Chloe meaning we will revisit the evidence room once Dad arrives and perhaps it will be a comic moment? Perhaps a random human will figure things out? But what was interesting is that according to the bts photo we see the actress and Lauren in their own clothes while Dennis is in his ‘Dad/God’ clothes.

2) Both Chloe and Officer Cacuzza were supposed to act distressed and shaken. If we take the ‘I love you’ element from that scene for Chloe let’s remember that the evidence is suddenly a bit of a mess. A glass has broken, the sound and effect will be heard once the time has started running again and they are two cops in a room with no idea of what is happening outside. So perhaps the shaken and distressed effect comes before they open the door (or walk out) and are sure there is no imminent threat.

3) In my opinion in this episode Cacuzza has some lines no matter how brief they might be.

Now the question here is how to proceed.

We obviously have a Family Dinner from which only two bts exist. 

If we assume that the Family Dinner is arranged after the brothers have hid their wings and then Dad has met Linda then the dinner is set up by a very flabbergasted Linda.

I do expect Linda to bow by the way and for this dinner to bring some elements from 1x10 Pops. For this speculation I’ll include the video of the scene from that episode and I’ll try to tie them up with 5x09.

All the episodes in P2 are meant to do a full circle and the writers have based most of their storytelling on the events of S1 and S2.

So first the spoilers of what we know from 5x09 and then the ties we may find with 1x10 and some more past episodes.  

The 11 minutes are quite long but is it really all things concerning? 

Henderson tweeted that there will be 5 actors but as we know know Ellis plays two characters which is why the dinner scene may have taken three days to shoot so we should count six people at the Dinner Table.

The location will be (most probably) at Linda’s house as we have seen from a bts that her main table is full of different varieties of fruits and food in an attempt to recreate an Olympian affluent meal. For Linda is only normal to be out of her element and try to impress God. So far she has been almost killed by his ex, has a child that can be snatched away to the Silver City if she is not deemed worthy perhaps or even because of Charlie’s half genetic code.

Remember there was a stand in actor for Michael 

The problem Linda also faces is that she has supported Lucifer. Yes, he is her friend but how will God react to that? Having a human siding with His rebellious son? Linda as it has been written knows how far pissed off celestials can go and I’m sure she remembers Lucifer’s agony and fear over his Father where Chloe was concerned. So she tries, really tries to present a wonderful setting for the grandfather of her child.

So we do have Linda in the mix. Obviously God, Amenadiel, Lucifer and Michael. That makes us five characters and four actors. Little Charlie also makes an appearance as far as I’m aware as the twin babies were on set and that also contributes on why the scene took so long to be shot. However the babies do not count as the sixth character. Chloe though does.

In short we have:

Linda

God/Dad

Amenadiel

Lucifer

Michael

Chloe

and

Charlie

Another thing we should take into account for this scene is Rafferty’s posted script page of the midseason finale.

While Amenadiel and Lucifer appear shocked and in awe, Michael seems rather pleased. I mean he literally ‘Grins with excitement’.

Amenadiel in 5x03 said that the only one who was talking to the throne meanwhile Henderson as far as I remember in one of the post P1 interviews, revealed that God and Michael have a relationship that Lucifer wishes he had with Him. D.B on one of the virtual cons (or ET interview. I have issues with keeping track of them now) have said that the scene at the family dinner would be gut wrenching and absolutely fall down hilarious’.

So in this dinner we will get to know our characters more and as Ildy and Henderson have said Lucifer will go back being a 14 year old at the Thanksgiving table. That perhaps is the reason why the script episodes 510 and 511were reversed. The last time that had happened was in S1 in order for Lucifer’s vulnerability to not come too soon in the season. In the case of these two episodes I believe it has to do with Lucifer’s emotional state but also the constant collisions he will have with his father in the Family Dinner but also during the Musical episode.

Another aspect to consider is that if 5x09 reminds us a lot of 1x10 -Pops right now and 5x10 the Musical episode is directly influenced by 2x16 - God Johnson.

The next section will now be dedicated to a quick recap of 1x10 - Pops and the possible connection to Michael and his story.

Michael in 5x09 teases Chloe as she is kept captive that there is a bigger plan and ‘Spoiler Alert’ it will be EPIC. That can be left alone as a promise to see more of that plan in S5P2 but before we go forward we should also go back in 2x04 - Weaponiser.

Do you see the parallel? How far Uriel’s view of the ‘Patterns’ could go was always a meta I couldn’t crack. Sure Michael hinted as per one Anon hinted on Tumblr that Michael might have been the one to urge Uriel on Earth to kill Mum and hopefully Lucifer as well. It is also perhaps why we were reminded of Azrael’s Blade in 5x03 - Diablo with Baphament’s blade, the only blade that could kill the Devil. Perhaps that was Michael’s plan back then but it didn’t work out.

But is Michael the big villain? According to the showrunners no. There are more things happening but Michael has a reasoning, has a story, one that explains his deformity and is the hero of his own story as all  the other season ‘villains’ so far were. Mum, Amenadiel, Malcolm, Kinley, even Cain.

What the Interviews say about Michael:

Beginning with the parallel between the dinner we had in 1x10’s dinner and plot, and in what may have in episode 5x09 I would like to remind you- 

- at this point I have censored some spoilers, not speculations, spoilers for episodes of P2 that will not be added in the S&S -

I’ll return to this topic and explore it thoroughly as the S&S are written but for now remember that 1x10 might tell us more than what we think right now and it might take us as a point of reference even up to 5x16.

Between 1x10 and 5x09 we can also wonder what are God’s intentions, can we attribute them all to Michael’s manipulation or it goes beyond that because the showrunners have promised us an emotional P2. I do believe issues are addressed and Lucifer will have to come face to face with some hard truths without that meaning that Dad was always right.

In the Pilot - wait.. Pilot? Yes, 5x09 is an episode that slowly builds us to the very end. There are spoilers and references that need to be addressed from past and future episodes before and after 5x09.

We need to address that in the Pilot, Lucifer told Delilah the very truth he uttered to Linda where he was concerned in S4 (4x08). God has nothing to do with your mess. Like Delilah, Lucifer was putting the blame to others, circumstances and even questioned God. He was wasting his eternal life and his talent, which he eventually found in crime solving.

On cue we get to the scene with Chloe asking God what she is doing to a bar with Lucifer. And what follows is Chloe telling Lucifer how she saw things differently from everyone and she paid for it. That story for me at least rings a bell.

We still do not know why Lucifer was cast out, the actual reason. No matter the sexescapeding with Eve or the rebellion what was the core of all that acting out as Linda called it in season 2? Whatever it was if we go back to 3x11 we will see that Chloe in the Pilot is basically Lucifer in 3x11.

They feel alone, misjudged and while Chloe tries to move on and later in S1 finds what actually happened, in Lucifer’s case he gives up on waiting for forgiveness from his Father until Michael comes, and tells him that even his Fall was a manipulation.

In Pops Lucifer asked something very interesting what did the sous chef wanted? And the answer was to surpass Pops. I do wonder if that’s what Lucifer wanted in a way and of course Michael on Lucifer’s expense. Two ‘children’ fighting for attention but only one was groomed to take over.

Speaking of taking over at the end of the episode of 1x10 we learn that Pops despite what Junior had done still had his son in his mind for taking over the restaurant. Pops believed in his son but allowed him space to grow eventually when everything failed.

If you remember Zadkiel’s spoiler we see that in 5x15 for some reason Lucifer wants to re-join the Host. That aside from a reconciliation shows that like Junior, Lucifer for his own reasons - we do not know what has happened but we will go back to that in the S&S of 5x15 - wants what divine power has to offer.

What happens next is again interesting -censored-. I just want you to see how we do not deal with standalones but everything progresses towards a point, a familiar yet innovative point for the series.

In episode 2x01, Lucifer asks mockingly an offended Chloe who did she thought he took after, his Dad? That happened because Lucifer believed to have taken more after his mother but as we know genetics is a funny thing, Celestial genetics even more so.

God’s absence from Lucifer’s life shaped him. He did drove Lucifer to become something he wasn’t but after 4.5 seasons can we claim that Lucifer and God are nothing alike? 

Maze I believe was spot on on the similarities God and Lucifer held.

Lucifer believes in justice, in truth and is able to love. He has been more of an Angel than any non fallen Angel has ever been so far. 

Amenadiel tricked a dead human to kill Lucifer thus condemning him again in Hell however as we know from Charlotte’s case a redemption was not impossible. 

Uriel wanted to kill his mother and wouldn’t hesitate to kill Chloe in the process. Azrael is basically a liar and manipulator, Remiel would gleefully cut open a human for their half-celestial baby while Michael is really-really messed up.

So what has happened?

Like with Junior, Lucifer was pushed by his Father to become the man he is today. And Lucifer likes what he is, who he is because he sees the change and is even afraid of not being real when that change is questioned or exposed to him.

The same happened with Amenadiel, once he decided to embrace humanity and brotherhood. He changed for the better and became more ‘angelic’.

So yes, Junior’s story does apply to Lucifer on many levels. But Junior didn’t have that dinner with his Father, Lucifer will as they will do two more of his siblings. Some will be hurt, some will feel betrayed and some may walk out.

Which brings us to a very big question. 

Was Mum truthful when she said to Lucifer, his Dad wanted to destroy him? If the answer is yes, how will both deal with that? Because Lucifer may have not totally believed Mum.

If that answer comes to play we should consider it as the common question children come forward to when they learn they were not planned or their parents had opted at first to have an abortion. The fact that they didn’t get on with the abortion or had willingly made a child does affect their feelings towards that child now? Do they regret it? Do they want what that child has become?

These are all tough questions and sometimes the answers are not easy either. Mainly because humans like celestials with human emotions as it seems, are secure and balanced only with the totality of a circumstance. Everything or nothing, the rest in between are not welcome and it’s bound to hurt.

Finally, on this 1x10 weird reminisce. Can we say that Lucifer will be allowed in the end to create something that represents him? I think he may but more about that in 5x16 S&S.

Probably the story will not end with redemption but with Lucifer finally becoming his own person one that resembles a lot of Dad and Dad may accept or even encourage that path. That does not mean he will start anew though

Which brings us back to the adversary of 1x10 - Pops. The sous chef believed that Junior was not worthy of his father’s tolerance and reward so she made sure to destroy his reputation and went as far as trying to kill him. That sounds a lot like Michael.

Michael’s speech towards Maze about what was happening in the Silver City in 5x02 did echo the sous chef words:

So we should wonder if Michael will succeed to a point to ruin Lucifer’s chances and leave Lucifer live with the consequences in the end as our hero learns to move on from whatever injustice happened or the writers will provide a catharsis.

And a final question here… Is Amenadiel really the favourite son? I somehow doubt that, perhaps I’ll be proved wrong as in many interviews Henderson has gone back to Amenadiel’s arc as he learns he is the ‘favourite’ and so far he has not said anything to contradict the belief 2x17 brought to us with so many translated Sumerian words.

But as we said teh Dinner will not be cathartic on the contrary so does that mean that Lucifer eventually walks away? Probably.

At the photos that were posted near Christmas we have two bts one crystal clear and the other more hazy which shows Lucifer at the Penthouse and Dad being there in his white cardigan. I do suspect that meeting at the penthouse happens after the dinner but it does not resolve things between Father and son. it is also possible that it’s why we need the very emotional scene from the musical to be moved forward and 511 script to become 5x10 aired episode.

Perhaps the comment on it’s not just Lucifer who hits the keys was referring to Dad and not Maze in 5x01.

Although we cannot be sure on what will happen in the penthouse and whether Scarlet was meant to join that scene or simply was on set for the day (highly probable) for another scene, we do know that in this episode we had a LUX night. A most perhaps unconventional one.

By this point you know that the writers are ready to address everything or at least make parallels and so somehow we have one with 1x09 - A Priest Walks Into A Bar. This time however it is seems like God Walks Into His Son’s Bar.

If the camera is clear enough we can see God (?) talking to a white person. I would have loved it if it was Dan but I cannot tell for sure.

Whether that visit happens before or after the family dinner I believe it may happen before as the clothes Dennis wore at the lot around that time were different from the white we saw him appear with in the end of 5x08. Of course that does not say much as we will see Dad in the same/similar white clothes in at least three different episodes in Part 2.

Therefore in the conclusion of this S&S we should speculate that the Dinner is placed at the middle of the episode and a resolution is reached for Deckerstar in the end of the episode but Lucifer’s turmoil did fit better through the musical episode hence the change. 

[chibimyumi]

Hi there! So I've been meaning to ask this for a while after realizing it, but don't O!Ciel's, Doll's, Alois', and Lizzy's color schemes kind of reveal their past and future a tad bit? I've know Alois outfits are bold yet kind of gothic colors like violet emerald green black and brown which all in the world of art are color forms of different emotions depending how you work with them, green being envy or disgusted but he hides it with royal purple, black means wounded which are his shorts & tie

Dear Blackbutlerfandomnerddomain,

While colour symbolism is popular, I personally don’t think the colours in Kuroshitsuji’s costumes are supposed to deliver any meaning other than aesthetic value. Especially with O!Ciel and Lizzie we can say with some certainty colour symbolism is not within the intention, because they change clothes in every single illustration, and every time they wear different colours. Yes, these characters do have tones they tend to wear, but that’s how real people dress themselves too. Somebody who likes calm colours is slightly less likely to have a rainbow assortment of neon, for example.

This is simply the way I understand Yana’s style, there’s not really ONE correct answer here. So feel free to read as much into the colours as it pleases you. But as I personally see it, Yana’s style of using symbolism tends to rely on objects rather than colours. Allow me to briefly analyse two artworks to illustrate what I mean and how I came to my understanding.

Case One

One of the most famous artworks is the front illustration of the second illustration book. Many colours including green, red, blue, white, gold are all present here.

One could make arguments for the black and white of the Earl’s attire being symbolism, but this meaning is quickly overshadowed by the ravens emerging from the Escher patterns. Red is the most eye-catching colour in this illustration. One might say O!Ciel’s gloves being red means to symbolise his hands being blood-dyed, or his shoes red because he walks a bloody path... but then how do we explain the inside of the drape or Sebastian’s waistcoat?

The setting is a place that appears to be a type of greenhouse; a place built to maximise the function of sunlight. And yet, while the illustration seems to suggest it is daytime, the sun is failing miserably in face of the heavy clouds. Rather than painting the sky ominous red or just dark, Yana uses the unsuccessful sun to set a mood or convey symbolism. “Is the white light against the dark clouds not also a type of colour symbolism?” Yes, it may be, but then one should also ask the question: "why choose a greenhouse then, and not any other setting that could have conveyed the light/dark contrast?”

Case two

Another famous piece is this 2014 artwork. The overall tone is gloomy and is mostly lacking in colours. Though held back in terms of colour, there is a lot to be unpacked here!

The first thing that catches the eye is indeed the overwhelmingly sombre palate of this illustration. Black can symbolise many things, but when 70% of the illustration is black, one could say this illustration is either incompetent in conveying symbolism in it being over-saturated with “meaning”, or that the black is merely here to set a tone.

Instead, we can see white lilies in O!Ciel’s hair as well as one stem carried by Sebas. Rather than colour symbolism, Japan has a long history of flower-symbolism (花言葉・Hanakotoba), and Yana herself is big fan of this style. When Western culture was introduced to Japan, black and white lilies were accepted as symbols for death.

The composition of the artwork leads the eye from the bottom left corner to the top right. This guides our vision to the empty plate at the top of the table, where a bright white saucer lies with a conspicuous bit of red sauce.

Red might symbolise blood here, and it is befitting. But more importantly we also need to consider this choice from an artist’s point of view. How many different colours of edible sauces are there? There’s chocolate sauce and other dark sauces, but that would just blend in with the rest of the illustration. Yellowy sauce is certainly a thing, but that’d be overpowered by the golden details. So red is the only bright colour that would make the empty saucer pop out. The Empty saucer has a fork placed diagonally on top, meaning that somebody had consumed food and is now finished. Rather than the colour of red, I think it is the now-empty saucer that is supposed to symbolise Sebastian’s goal of consuming his master.

Next to the saucer is the skeleton of a bird; presumably a crow judging from the size. Skeletons universally symbolise death, but it has nothing to do with the colour.

In Japanese native culture the topic of ‘death’ is big taboo. In older Japanese buildings for example, the 4th floor would often be skipped because ‘4′ (四・shi) is a homophone of death (死・shi).

In the past when Buddhism was introduced, the Japanese embraced this religion with open arms because finally there was something else that would deal with ‘death’ while native culture could stay in its comfort-zone. It was a bit like: “we do we... Hey, Buddhism, can you take care of that thing we’re too afraid of for us? Thanks dude!” Since the introduction of Buddhism, images of skeletons came to not just mean ‘death’, but more specifically ‘impermanence’ (無常・mujou). Impermanence is one of the core teachings in Buddhism, reminding humanity that everything will eventually come to an end, be it good or bad. With Buddhism introduced, skeletons were no longer only associated with pure fear, but instead gained an additional meaning of acceptance of change and the cycle of nature.

The origins of the meaning of skeletons have blurred through the years, many Japanese people probably don’t even know why things evoke certain meanings in them (just like in other cultures, I presume). But fact remains that though still macabre, in Japan a skeleton is now assumed to symbolise the naturalness of death.

That the skeleton of the bird is preserved in a glass dome is interesting. Glass domes’ function is primarily display. Out of all things, Yana chose to specifically display the symbol of impermanence and death, meaning that within this artwork that skeleton is the key object of display. In human subjectivity death is finite and fearsome. To a demon like Sebastian however (from whose perspective we view this artwork as he’s the only one awake here), he probably views death more akin to the way Buddhism views it; as just impermanence. I am NOT saying that Sebastian subscribes to a Buddhist philosophy, but I am saying that he must view death a lot more neutrally than most humans do.

Most Japanese people are not raised consciously religiously, but everyone is always influenced to some extent, Yana included. And therefore it is no surprise that Yana might have been inspired by the neutral view towards death (for at least Sebastian), even if she might not know where this inspiration comes from.

The casualness of ‘death’ in this illustration is further indicated by the coffin that is set up as a dining table. There is no respect, no ceremony, objects are scattered on top and around. The message is rather straightforward so I shall waste no more time explaining the obvious here. But I do wish to point out how this gives further evidence for how the meanings of this illustration should be considered from Sebas’ perspective, just like the crow’s skeleton as explained above. What is finite to us, is just a fact of nature to Sebas.

Conclusion

Yana has created many illustrations. Not all include symbolism, but the more elaborate pieces are usually packed with them. Of course I have only analysed two illustrations, and I would not blame anyone for calling this post insufficient evidence. But... I could just go on and on forever, and I need to draw a line somewhere, right? What I can say with confidence however, is that if you were to grab any artwork by Yana and see it for yourself, rather than colour, item symbolism is stronger.

Also, the way Yana uses colour is just not very symbolism heavy; she has a much stronger tendency to use colours purely aesthetically. Take any of the inside covers of this series, and one would quickly find out there really is no pattern to be found here.

In a nutshell, Yana’s colouring style is mostly aesthetic and used to set a tone for her illustrations. What carries the symbolism instead is in the objects.

Again, this is merely how I personally read Yana’s illustrations and an elaboration of how I came to this reading. There is not one correct answer to read illustrations, because art is subjective in its core. So if the colours do mean more to you than they do to me, please do enjoy doing so by all means ^^

[tlatollotl]

The goddess Mayahuel, depicted in the Codex Magliabechiano, 16th century © Bridgeman Images.

Everything you thought you knew about the Aztecs is wrong. Or, as Camilla Townsend more tactfully puts it at the start of her wonderful new book: ‘The Aztecs would never recognize themselves in the picture of their world that exists in the books and movies we have made.’

The picture to which Townsend refers is perhaps best symbolised for British readers by the image on the cover of the original Angry Aztecs volume in Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories series (1997): a cartoon depicts an Aztec warrior holding a fresh human heart, saying ‘His heart was in the right place’ (covers of other editions show variations on this theme, save for a 2014 edition depicting a rat in Aztec warrior garb). The joke works because the association of the Aztecs with the practice of human sacrifice runs deep and wide: most people who know only one thing about the Aztecs know that they are famous for sacrificing people to their gods; and those who are more familiar with the Aztecs – including those who, for example, teach in schools or universities – tend to think of Aztec culture as one in which bloodthirsty rituals and exotic superstitions played central roles.

In recent decades, a growing number of scholars have pointed out the many ways and reasons why and how that perception is distorted, if not plain wrong. The Aztecs, it turns out, were no more bloodthirsty or savage than anybody else in the world – including the early modern Europeans who systematically demonised them. Their culture was part of a civilisation (that of the Nahuas of central Mexico) that was as sophisticated and accomplished as that of those Europeans who sought to destroy it.

But fighting negative stereotypes and replacing them with something less prejudicial, less sensationalist, more multifaceted and more accurate has proved to be an uphill battle. Franciscan friars in the 16th century, along with other Catholic priests and chroniclers, created a portrait of Aztec religion, politics and social practices that was designed to justify the often-violent imposition of Spanish colonisation and forced conversion to Christianity. That portrait took root and flourished for centuries. The era of the global triumph of European empires was fertile ground for derogatory views of ‘barbarian’ societies swept aside by civilisation’s progress. When new fields of study and new evidence on the Aztec past emerged – archaeological discoveries from beneath Mexico City, for example, or unpublished manuscripts written in Nahuatl in the early colonial period – they tended to be deployed to confirm, or at best modify, that deep-rooted stereotype, not upend it.

What has changed? As Townsend explains in an appendix to Fifth Sun, not until the 21st century was there a convergence of scholars with a profound grasp of colonial-era Nahuatl, a willingness to challenge the well-established portrait of the Aztecs on which generations of scholars had built their careers and a readily available body of sources written in the early colonial decades by the descendants of the Aztecs (mostly in Nahuatl). Townsend makes particular use of a genre of documentation called xiuhpohualli by its Nahua writers. Literally meaning ‘yearly account’, such sources were more like community histories. Townsend presented the xiuhpohualli in greater detail in an earlier book, Annals of Native America (2016), so here they stand as the largely invisible foundation to her reconstruction of Aztec history. But, significantly, they allow her to present the Aztec past through a skilful synthesis of Nahua memories and traditions. From start to finish – even after Spaniards appear on the scene – the perspective is Aztec-centric to an unprecedented degree.

The bulk of the book is devoted to the two centuries that straddled the Spanish invasion that began in 1519. Its narrative thus takes off in the 1420s, as the Mexica rulers forge the alliance of city-states that we call the Aztec Empire. The story’s basic elements are common to human history and are therefore broadly familiar: the leaders of a marginalised town turn the tables on the neighbours who have dominated them, generating a momentum of expansion that within a generation or so turns that town into the capital city of a diverse empire. Such a tale can be gripping and, in Townsend’s hands, it is certainly that.

Despite the dramatic changes that resulted from the Spanish invasion, Townsend is able to maintain an Aztec-centric (or, after the fall of the Aztec Empire, Nahua-centric) perspective into the 17th century. Considering that even her most important source documents – such as the xiuhpohualli – were written alphabetically by Christians, some with partial Spanish ancestry, that is no small accomplishment. The final 80 pages of Fifth Sun offer one of the best descriptions of the first century of Mexico’s colonial period I have ever read. In fact, this is the best book on the Aztecs yet written, full stop.

That is not just because of its focus on the Aztec perspective and not just because Nahua history is presented through Nahua sources and in terms that are sensitive and sensible to indigenous culture. Townsend has not set out to pen an Aztec apologia. She shies away from polemical defences of Aztec practices and from romanticising the individual Nahuas who play central roles in her telling of their history –although, to be fair, she comes close to an intellectual romance with Nahua women surviving the conquest wars (such as Moctezuma’s daughter, Tecuichpotzin, and Cortés’ interpreter, Malintzin) and with some of the xiuhpohualli authors.

Rather, the value of Fifth Sun lies in how it rescues Aztecs and Nahuas from centuries of colonialist caricature and renders them human again – fully human, with flaws, people capable of brutal violence but also of deep love, who also savoured ‘a good laugh, just as we do’. We are so ‘accustomed to being afraid of the Aztecs, even to being repulsed by them’, that it has never occurred to us that we might simply identify with them. With this book, that can change.