#Candle holder theory

[a-d-nox]

wyrd web: what to gift a person based these three numbers

this is just a theory of mine because these bubbles of the matrix should represent earthly desires. this is not to say that you can't enjoy things not listed in your category / under your energetic number. this is simply what i believe people with these numbers would enjoy receiving as a gift.

1 - the magician

flowers / garden seeds, gear for their passion project(s), business/self-help books, a tarot/astrology/mediumship reading, art supplies, things that are homemade/artisanal, careof for brain support, things for their computer or car, a diary or journal (moleskine), sunglasses or blue-light glasses, joke books (for the dads with 1 placements here), paid classes, rosetta stone subscription, genetic tests (ancestry.com or 23&me), manicure/pedicure voucher, merchandise from their favorite singer / group / tv show / movie, mittens / fingerless gloves, house plant, sewing/knitting/crocheting supplies, stationary, or tickets to a concert

2 - the high priestess

things that support their spiritual practices, things that support feminine health (hum women's probiotics bundle, honey pot oral vaginal care probiotic, etc), bake goods / baking gear, barbecue sauce sampler / grilling gear (for the dads pt 2), bar in a jar (for those of drinking age) or really any beverage tester kit, bath/spa kit, beach vacation, boat, cruise, careof for brain support, truly nice melons boob butter, candles (it doesn't have to be yankee candle either - bent candles, spiced votive candle, etc) or candle making kit, imported cheeses, clothing staples (blue jeans, black turtleneck, etc), juice cleanse or other things that support digestive health, cooking classes or meal kits (hellofresh, homechef, etc), a tarot/astrology/mediumship reading, or outdoor cameras or other home security tools

3 - the empress

pillows, stuffed animals, rose quartz, personal celebrity cameo, clothing, tickets for an art museum tour, ballet tickets or classes, art supplies, makeup pallets and/or brushes, flowers, jewelry, candy/sweets, money, bells / wind chimes, clothing, designer pieces, cosmetics, dolls, a trip to a fancy restaurant, fruit basket / dried fruits, gardening supplies, jewelry, concert/orchestra tickets, poetry book, tickets to a play, a purse, lingerie (if y'all are close like that), trip to a vineyard (for those of drinking age), couples' dancing classes, or a wallet

4 - the emperor

skincare, rock climbing voucher or some other physical activity they enjoy, an adrenaline rush activity (skydiving, bungee jumping, etc), careof for brain support, crafted wooden objects (cutting boards, tables, etc), coffee trials/samplers, sunglasses, blue light glasses, hair care products/supplies, scalp treatments/care, oral health care (thera breath, whitening products, etc), meditation app subscriptions / in person sessions for meditation, or a planner

5 - the hierophant

moss agate (don't question how random that sounds this is some intuitive stuff), artwork, an architectural tour, beauty products/supplies, historically significant objects, pastries or sweets/candies, earrings, sour dough starter kit, jewelry in general, piano/organ lessons, singing lessons, a wallet, or any classes where they can learn something fun and new to them

6 - the lovers

car stuff (seat covers, cup holder coasters, etc), bicycle or bicycle accessories/gear, books (the more educational the better), briefcase / work tote, bus tickets for a day trip, gym membership or soulcycle classes, crystals, a standing desk / cute office supplies (for the work girlies both those who work in office and from home), hand & foot message, manicure voucher, newspaper subscription (i am a fan of new york times, washington post, and the new yorker), language classes or rosetta stone subscription, magazines subscription, merchandise from their favorite singer / group / tv show / movie, train trip, or we're not really strangers card packs

7 - the chariot

gardening supplies, hermit crab, baked goods, bath products / beauty products, boat, cruise, car stuff (seat covers, cup holder coasters, etc), truly nice melons boob butter, juice cleanse, gut health thrive market kit, glassware / blown glass, stuff they need / need for their home (security system, chest freezer, etc), hotel or bed & breakfast stay, kitchenware, lake trip, pearls, real estate / land, restaurant voucher / gift card, silver jewelry, shopping gift cards, a trip, or intention journal

8 - strength

amusement park tickets, supplies for their passion projects, ballroom dancing classes, tea sampler, games (video games or board games), movie theater gift card, personal celebrity cameo, flower garden supplies/seeds, stuff for their pet, or a belt

9 - the hermit

pet related gifts (if they have a pet that is), bookshelves (they probably need one), juice cleanse, gut health thrive market kit, a cat, clothing, oral health products (thera breath, whitening products, etc), stationary, emergency preparedness (ready to eat meals, fire blanket, etc), cook books, dining ware (new plates/bowls, cups / glassware, silverware, etc), food subscriptions (home chef, hello fresh, pickle of the month club, bokksu japanese snack box, etc), careof subscription, gloves, herb garden kit, a one way ticket to anywhere, or a hiking trip

10 - wheel of fortune

incense, cleansing herbs, bow and arrow, sapling, land, dried berries, budget book, gym/exercise membership, religious/spiritual/philosophical books, poker set, cloth (if they like sowing), wool (if they like weaving, crocheting, and/or knitting), wool clothing, a coat, trip to a country or place they have never been, oral health products (thera breath, whitening products, etc), etiquette classes/books (this is great for the traveler because they are often interested in learning customs before going on their trip), figs, fruit basket (like edible arrangements), honey sampler / royal jelly, horseback riding lessons, lottery tickets, merchandise from their favorite singer / group/ tv show / movie, shoes, really any game, any subscription they have not tried, things that support their spiritual practices, or book on positive mindset

11 - justice

personal celebrity cameo, tickets to a ballet or to an art gallery, air purifier, portable heating pad, spa voucher, cosmetics, lingerie (if y'all are close), closet organizational items (space saving hangers, linen bins, accessory hanger, etc), pastries and sweets, diamonds (perhaps propose to your lover), a dress, tickets to a fashion show or exhibit, flowers, a luxury chair, jewelry, concert tickets, poetry books, any quartz pieces, chocolates dipped strawberries, hair extensions, logic puzzles, a voucher for an escape room, or a kitchen/baking scale

12 - the hanged man

bar in a jar (if they are of drinking age), a book on angel numbers, a book on natural medical remedies, ballet classes or tickets to see a ballet, bath bombs and other bath goodies (salt, bath table, candles, sugar scrub, bath teas, etc), beach vacation, tea or coffee sampler, butterfly farm kit with caterpillars, disposable camera or a camera they would like (polaroid, filming, etc), scientific kits (geode kit, grow your own crystals, etc), cigars (for the dads in your life), unsolved mysteries or crime kit, dance classes, smutty/romance/fantasy books, fairy garden, a tarot/astrology/mediumship reading, budget book, makeup palettes or other cosmetic they enjoy, concert tickets, paint, poetry books, clue the board game, a pass to an indoor pool, a book on poppet making, meditation membership or a voucher for in-person sessions, or something to support their curiosity for new spiritual insight

13 - death

hermit crab, a jumping spider, a reptile, homeopathic books for natural cures and remedies, operation the game, butcherbox subscription, a book on how to cook and trim meats, beginners chemistry kit, a colon cleanse, sea monkeys, unsolved mysteries or crime kit, philosophy of death books, books on magic, magic the gathering the card game, period products (portable heating pad, the diva cup, etc), poisonous plants (belladonna, foxglove, lily of the valley, etc), a frog pond, a scorpion, a snake, a burr/boo basket (these people love seasonal stuff), or marie kondo's life changing magic of tidying up

14 - temperance

a hunting trip, bow and arrows, books on religion or philosophy, book of devotions, book on dream meanings (hello, freud haha), a certification course or college class, horseback riding lessons (for the newbie or a younger sibling or your child/niece/nephew), horse drawn carriage ride (for the couples *smirk*), logic puzzles, things that support their goals, or a book of angel number meanings

15 - the devil

a fan or air conditioning unit, if you have the land for it a cow/horse/goat, kinetic tape, arnicare bruise cream (this is a joke... unless...), coal or a diamond (this is also a joke... unless...), a clock or a watch, cuticle trimmer (and other nail care things), room darkening curtains, a happy lamp, lotion/cream, hat/scarf/gloves, hair products (extensions, shampoo subscription, etc), leather fashion-ware, gardening supplies, ice maker, or a juice cleanse

16 - the tower

tiger balm or other pain relieving ointment, acrobatic/gymnastic classes, homeopathic books for natural cures and remedies, first-aid kit, baking kits, barbecue sauce sampler, barbecue sauce sampler / grilling gear (for the dads), gift card for haircut, dollar shave club (for the dads pt 2), metal works (spoon handle rings, metal roses, etc), boxing lessons, boxing match tickets or monster truck tickets, butcherbox subscription, a book on how to cook and trim meats, crafted wooden objects (cutting boards, tables, etc), cactus plant, beginners chemistry kit, cookbook, pocket knife or leatherman/multitool, tool kit, jenga, emergency kit, food, first aid kit, merchandise for their favorite superhero(es), electric lighter, liqour or bar in a jar (if they are of drinking age), rock music (a vinyl or concert tickets), pepper plant, pipe for smoking (if they like to smoke that is - my grandfather had a collection), lego kit, or lincoln logs

17 - the star

friendship bracelets, a fan / ac unit, model airplane, flight lessons, compression stockings/socks, architectural tour, astrology reading, car stuff (seat covers, cup holder coasters, etc), club memberships (golf, racket ball, sam's, etc), electronic devices (a new phone, amazon fire stick, solar portable charger, etc), movie on blue-ray or dvd, movie gift card, a camera (polaroid or another type they have been eyeing), disposable cameras, camera gear, shadow work journal, aesthetically pleasing bluetooth retro radio, streaming service subscription, a book on health or mental health, or a book on positivity

18 - the moon

abstract art, bar in a jar (if they are of legal age), a fish, a fish tank, tickets to an aquarium, cocktail book (if they are of legal age), a fishing trip (for the dads), book of conspiracy theories, the conspiracy theory map, a crystal ball, unsolved mysteries or crime kit, a jellyfish, a tarot/astrology/mediumship reading, a camera (polaroid or another type they have been eyeing), disposable cameras, camera gear, poetry book, hydroponic starter system, games that involve bluffing (clue, poker, herd mentality, etc), shoes, sleeping eye mask, silk pillow cases, new bed sheets, bonnet, socks, a computer keyboard, typewriter, a book on shadow work, a puppy, or a book on dream meanings

19 - the sun

maine coon, autobiographical books, ballroom dancing lessons, poker set, oral health products (thera breath, whitening products, etc), card games, personal celebrity cameo, circus fruit basket, chocolate gold coins, classes that encourage creativity (create it and break it sessions, pottery classes, etc), jewelry or an engagement ring (if it's been more than 2 years y'all should know what you are doing at this point), flowers, indoor herb garden, tickets to race of some sort (cars, horse, sporting events, etc), sporting equipment, ivy plant, a pottery painting voucher / gift certificate, or something for their passion project / hobby

20 - judgment

a reptile, ant farm, a guide on astral projection, operation the game, the chameleon game, clue game, unsolved case files game, grand theft auto video game, assassins creed video game, dungeons and dragons the game, yahtzee, emergency preparedness kit, magician kit, poisonous plants (belladonna, foxglove, lily of the valley, etc), the divine comedy, puzzles, a rodent of some sort, or lingerie (if y'all are close)

21 - the world

gardening supplies, acoustic guitar, air conditioning or fan, architectural tour, teddy bear, snow globe, boots, calendar or planner, supergoop (sun protectant) products, wooden objects (cutting board, chest, box, etc), carpet, clay (air drying or via kiln), a clock or watch, compression stockings/socks, collectible coins, pain patches or kinetic tape, crystals, budget book, lotions for dry skin, dried fruits, gloves/mittens, hair care products, ice machine or ice making trays, ice cream subscription, pottery classes, rain coat, real estate or land, zen sand garden, sculpture, or snake

22 - the fool

flight lessons, model airplane, a flight to anywhere, car stuff (seat covers, cup holder coasters, etc), an astrology reading, bath products, biking gear, movie theatre gift card, clock or watch, club memberships (golf, racket ball, sam's, etc), mood lighting or strip lights, a train ride, fun magnets, motorcycle accessories/training, microphone (maybe they are filming or recording something), patterns for cross stitch / knitting / crocheting, a camera (polaroid or another type they have been eyeing), disposable cameras, camera gear, stuff for the tv (surround sound, sound bar, streaming subscription, etc), or classes for one of their interests

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#astro placements #astrology readings #astronotes #tarotdaily #tarot witch #tarot art #daily tarot #rider waite tarot #tarot deck #tarot reading #tarot cards #tarot #tarotblr #tarotcommunity #matrix of destiny #matrix of fate #the matrix #wyrd web #web of wyrd #the magicians #the magician #the high priestess #empress #emperor #the heirophant #the fool #tower #devil #temperance

[bobfloydsbabe]

eccentric professor bob floyd (historical romance version) sneak peek

Encouraged by my wonderful friends @withahappyrefrain and @ryebecca, I present you a sneak peek at the historical romance AU fic I'm working on for Eccentric Professor Bob and Imogen. I shared the beginning of this for a tag game a couple of days ago, but I've added more to it since then. Enjoy ✨

“Who’s there?”

The flickering candle comes closer, and slowly, the holder’s dark doe eyes come into his line of sight, along with long wavy hair and soft-looking skin.

“Lady Imogen,” he says when she stops a few paces away. 

“Professor,” she greets, one brow quirked. “What brings you here at this time of night?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Her breathy chuckle fills the quiet library. “So you could,” she agrees. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d get something to read.”

“I had the same thought,” he admits. He’s trying not to look at her state of undress, but his eyes travel down to her simple cotton nightgown, and his breath hitches. She’s not wearing a dressing gown.

Imogen seems unfazed by his wandering eye.

“Did you find something advanced enough to challenge your mind, Professor?”

He drags his gaze back to her face. “Not yet,” he says. “Perhaps you have a recommendation?”

In the candlelight, her mouth turns up in a smile that makes her keen eyes sparkle. Humming, she scans the shelves he’s standing in front of, inspecting the titles and writers, and he wonders, not for the first time, where she’s been hiding all his life.

Knowing of her is one thing, but knowing her is something else entirely. He longs to touch her. To feel her skin against his, the taste of her tongue, the sounds she’d make when he gives her pleasure. He wants all of it but is entitled to none of it.

He aches in a way he’s never done before.

“Ah,” she says, having spotted something interesting on the shelf. She reaches past him, her breast grazing his chest as she stands on her tiptoes to reach. Despite the fabric separating them, every cell in his body’s on fire, and the blood that first rushed to his head now travels south to his cock.

If her breast through cotton does this to him, he’s afraid of what would happen if he touched her bare skin.

Unaware of his internal crisis, Imogen grasps the book she’d spotted and settles back on her feet. She studies the leather-bound book for a moment. “I’m surprised the Countess even has a copy of this. She does not strike me as someone with a vested interest in the subject.”

“Perhaps the Earl added it to the library,” he says without knowing what book it is and takes a step away to put some distance between them.

“The Earl is a dear friend of my father’s, but he is not an intelligent man,” Imogen explains. “The Countess is a brilliant woman. I am quite certain it was she who acquired it.”

Imogen offers the book to him. He snatches it out of her hand quickly, hoping she won’t look at him too long and notice the extra limb throbbing in his trousers.

He opens to the title page, brow furrowing when he realizes the book she’s recommended to him. His head whips up.

“I’m sure you’ve already read it,” she says, looking uncertain for the first time since she joined him. “Darwin makes a compelling argument. I wrote him a letter with a list of questions, but never received a reply. I’m sure he thinks me a feebleminded woman who won’t understand the complexities of his theory.”

Robert closes the book. “If Darwin thinks you feebleminded, he is a fool.”

likes are nice, but reblogs and comments are golden

TAGLIST: @bobgasm, @attapullman, @kmc1989, @bluezraven, @seitmai, @roosterforme, @just-in-case-iloveyou, @sweetwhispersofchaos, @auroraseddie, @cherrycola27, @keyrani, @solo-pitstop-vibes, @sio-ina-bottle, @hangmanapologist, @bradshawsbaby, @fandom-princess-forevermore, @bcarolinablr, @xoxabs88xox

#bob floyd #bob floyd fic #bob floyd x oc #bob floyd fluff #bob floyd smut #robert bob floyd #robert floyd #top gun maverick #tgm #tgm fic #top gun maverick fic #historical romance au #au of an au #eccentric professor bob #professor bob #professor bob thots #lewis pullman #oc: imogen van doren #otp: bob x imogen #fic: gold rush (historical version)

[ndostairlyrium]

15 Lines of Dialogue

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

Tagged by @greypetrel 💛 thank you dear, scrolling through the pages was super sweet and it reminded me that doing something for myself without stressing too much on how it could be perceived was one of the best decisions I've ever made ;; <3

So, luckily for you I only have just a dozen of chapters translated so you're getting just the Haven + trip to Skyhold arcs :' there she's more jokes oriented wait until the trip to the Dales kicks in

🌸💀 Ankh before the "Lav" 💀🌸

"I should have listened to you. And this will be the first and last time you ever hear me say it!"

"Every culture strives to make [death] poetic in order to make sense of the pain of loss, but reality is much more selfless than any theory."

"This is the point at which I usually lay out my theory to Varric and he raises ten coppers that the situation is actually far worse than what it seems."

"I'm not "an elf". I'm the one who’s going to send you chopping wood with a butter knife, if you keep this attitude."

"Do you really want me to strip completely naked and dance around the fire, hooting in the moonlight under the influence of psychotropic mushrooms?" she paused. "With this cold?

"They give us a certificate along with the rabbit ears when we sprout from the ground."

"This isn't caution, it's lack of decency. If a man is hovering at the edge of a ravine, you carry him to safety, you don't check his ears first. And don't tell me it's a coping mechanism, or I'll tell Sera where you sleep!"

"And if I die, I'd like you to use my skull as a candle holder. Whatever Avaar may say, skulls make terrible mugs."

"I don't believe in redemption. It's like giving candy to a child after class. Mistakes are not stains, they are a reference point for those who make them to spur themselves to do better. They should be welcomed as much as a person's merits. They exist for those who suffer them and for those who make them, to help them give direction to their path"

"Don't transfer your inability to flirt to the Chantry, mister. It's too convenient."

"Not you too, please! You can't catch the plague if you sleep in the same room with an elf. It's scientifically proven. Unless the elf has the plague, but you can notice it on the fly." she pointed at her face with a circular gesture. "Bubbons, blisters, death."

"Oh, shut up! Thanks to my stubbornness, latrines have never been so clean!"

"I complained as well myself, but your saints have a no refunds policy."

"Humans are fickle, huh? First they hate me, then they praise me, then they forget me, and now it seems like I'm the heroine of all lost causes all over again. In all of this... where's my darn griffin?"

"Oh, I have no weapons; I have an arsenal. And if I really wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't be here now. I know where you sleep, I know your patterns, and it would take very little to convince most of the Inquisition elves that inside the council chambers there's an individual worth shaving at night."

-

I'm tagging: @herearedragons and @bruxbea

If you want to get tagged too just drop a ✨ in the replies u-u

#15 lines of dialogue #tag memes #the mediocre writing tag #ankh #being (not too) secretly liam neeson #only five of these are from a back and forth with cullen I'm very surprised #I expected more because he's the one she interacts the most with lmao #I'm glad I had only those chapters ready tbh or else my brain would've collapsed

[chosetherose]

A few things I noticed during the Eras concert film that I will definitely be circling back to when it’s on streaming:

Did anyone else see those big daisy earrings on a fan? They included a close up of her.

When she’s talking about writing folklore she’s describing herself as some woodsy Victorian woman but she mentions something like a “candle stick holder thing”. Immediately I thought of the candle theory. It seemed so specific.

I never noticed before that during lavender haze, she’s wearing lavender and the dancers are wearing orange. Lavender obviously. But why orange? Because it’s a stunt color on a bearding song.

This is the best pic I could find of LH but I promise the dancers clothes are overwhelmingly orange.

Lavender and orange from the archives:

#I never really got to watch the live streams #so maybe this is mostly old news

[startwi-light]

JENNETTE'S ROOM

I haven't seen any compilation of Jennette's room in the manhwa so I'm going to do it with the few panels we have.

So, everyone would think that the color of Jennette's room should be blue or Athy's room should be pink since those are her "main" colors but in the manhwa it is the opposite, Athy's room is blue and Jetty's is pink.

First let's look at this image. To our left is a fireplace with nothing more than two candelabras and a random painting. Through Jennette we see a large white door. And to our right is Jennette's bed, at the foot of the bed is her dresser and a pink chair.

Now let's focus on our right.

In the first image you can't see it but in the next one we can see that next to the door there is a piece of furniture with many dolls and stuffed animals on it.

15 toys in total, 7 dolls and 8 stuffed animals. Do you notice that the dolls are almost always in pairs? Always two girls together?? I wonder if that was a way of projecting her desire to form a relationship with Athanasia, whom she believed to be her sister.

(I honestly don't think Spoon did it on purpose, but whatever, let's imagine)

Now right in front of the furniture with the stuffed animals we have Jennette's bed! which is also pink. Look to the right of Jennette's bed there is another pink chair just like the one on her nightstand.

Here we don't have the rug :( but at least we can see the chairs that are also pink (lmao) and a fairly simple circular table that has the same design as the furniture with the dolls.

Just above the girls is a chandelier.

In front of the bed but a little further to the left are the table and chairs where Jennette has tea with Athy! look at the following image.

And look to the right, behind Athanasia you can see a part of Jennette's shelf.

Let's have a more close look to the bed now!

Well look at the bed, it has curtains on the sides but all wmmap beds have them although these, unlike the others, are not tied. I wondered if that's because Jennette tends to close the curtains for more privacy?? We can also see on the right more of her miraculously not pink shelf with books. Also...isn't that the table where Jennette has tea with Athy? It seems that she changed it's position.

Let's take a closer look at her nightstand.

Well there is nothing different that no nightstand has from the other manhwas. Lots of pretty jars and boxes and in other pictures we saw that it had a candle holder too. But I find this silver tray with the hairbrush and a mirror adorable, it's so cute. Also, it's the only mirror in Jennette's entire room, right?

In here there are many jewels and some ribbon but nothing more special. The second comb is fun for me :D

Let's leave Jennette's nightstand and see what was to the right of her room.

Finally! the shelf full and with many books. I wonder what kind of things Jennette reads? Will they all be princess books? I guess so but I like to imagine that it has a greater variety of books (how to make dolls, flowers, cake shop, etc)

Can you see there is a white cup there? Well, it's on the shelf and it's not floating, it's on the same table where Jennette had tea with Athy and the parts of brown furniture that can be seen on the sides are the chairs that the girls sit on.

Below the window where Athy is entering there is an couch! And on the other side of the couch you can see some legs of a brown piece of furniture.

Here we have a better view of the couch! and also the rug that we had lost in the other images.

and the brown furniture next to the couch has absolutely nothing on it (lol)

Some comments: We never saw much of the wall on the side of the fireplace, the whole wall in front of Jennette's bed because there is still a part of Jennette's room that we don't know. The truth is that Jennette's room doesn't have many things besides her dolls, there can be thousands of theories why, maybe Jennette just doesn't like having a lot of things, maybe she never allowed herself to have a lot of things because she didn't want to be a nuisance or never filled her room with the things she liked because she didn't consider it her home, or maybe spoon just didn't decorate her room much idk.

Also Jennette needs a mirror, otherwise how the hell do the maids dress her? But I kind of like the fact that Jennette doesn't like mirrors tbh.

#who made me a princess #wmmap #manhwa #wmmap jennette #jennette magrita #jennette margarita #wmmap zenith #zenith margarita #jennette's bedroom #Personally I would have done Jennette's room differently.

[elminx]

Elminx's Boundary Spell (My Side/Your Side): December 2023

Note: This is not a very beginner-friendly spell. I apologize for that. There are a lot of working pieces that need to be here. Does that mean that you can't cast this as a beginner? Of course not. If you think you have a handle on what it involves, go for it.

This spell is designed to create strong boundaries around yourself for the holiday season of December '23. We are harnessing the power of the magic word "ABACADABRA" to create boundaries and a clear delineation between what is "yours" and what is "not yours." This spell relies heavily on folk magic, candle magic, and numerology but can be adapted in any way that suits your practice. It can be used to create a very generalized boundary or used surgically to keep away the acts of a particular individual, organization, or family system.

The Basic Elements of this Spell

SATURN

This spell is designed to harness the intense energy of the many Saturn transits we will experience throughout December 2023 to form a protective boundary. Saturn, as one of the seven planetary powers, is available to all people on this planet. You can work directly with Saturn for this spell (making it folk magic, candle, magic, numerology, AND planetary magic) or not. That is up to you. If you wish to do this magic working directly with the planetary energy of Saturn, I suggest you do so on a Saturday, during the hour of Saturn, or on the day of one of our many Saturn transits. You do not need to leave an offering to work with one of the planetary powers, but I suggest doing so.

FOLK MAGIC

This spell uses the magic power of the word "ABACADABRA" to both create a forceful magic boundary and to decrease the influence of what you are working to remove from your life.

This is done by writing the word itself, either in increasing letters from A to AB to ABA and so on until you spell the full word "ABRACADABRA" in the creation of an upwards-facing triangle (to create or bring something towards you) or in decreasing letters from ABRACADABRA, and then ABRACADABR until you are simply left with A in a downwards-facing triangle (to decrease or rid yourself of something).

Like many types of folk magic, there is no clear origin to this word though it has been sourced to at least the second century. You will find many theories of its meaning, but I want to challenge you with a different idea: its meaning doesn't matter. The magic of this word isn't in its meaning, it's in the numbers.

NUMEROLOGY

ABRACADABRA is an 11-letter word.

When we are additively creating something we start with 1 letter A and add 10 more to create our final product of "ABRACADABRA".

When we are removing something, we start with the word "ABRACADABRA" and remove 10 letters to create our final product A.

I wrote about the basics of numerology recently. One of the applications of numerology is that we can work forward from 1 moving to a high number to bring something towards fruition, and can work backward going from a higher number to a lower to remove something. Note here that as I mentioned in my post, ABRACADABRA magic uses numbers from 1-10 (like the tarot) rather than the base 1-9 I talked about.

In this way, the word here "ABRACADABRA" isn't essentially important and any word could work so long as you use the basics of this spell. You could use the word "Boundaries" if you wished.

For the purposes of this spell, we will stick with the word ABRACADABRA as it has a long and storied association with magic, and that has uses as well.

CANDLE MAGIC

When used specifically with a target in mind, this spell has a lot in common with cord cutting. You could choose to add a cord between your two candles and make this spell a cord cutting if you wish. The reason that I don't do this is that would make this spell more flammable. Please use fire safely.

The Spell

You will need:

2 Candles* Candle holders (optional) Banishing or Protection Oils (optional) 1 fire-safe plate or tray for candle burning A piece of paper and pen, or chalk makers to draw on plate A notebook or piece of scrap paper Black Salt - See Notes 1-4 Stones - See Notes (optional) Herbs or curious specific to your intention (optional) Tag locks for your target (optional)

*depending on your situation, many different types of candles may work here. I suggest free-standing candles so that you can read the wax, but use what works best for you. You may wish to use a figure candle to represent yourself and use any color associations that work with your practice

Brainstorming Get a pen and piece of paper and figure out what you want to remove or create boundaries around for this holiday season. You may know immediately what this is, or it may take some thought. Do you want to ensure that your father-in-law doesn't sexually harass you? Are you looking to absorb less energy from the people you have to encounter in your work environment? (I'm looking at you retail workers...I'm so sorry) Do you want your needy neighbor to leave you alone?

Prepare your ingredients. This can be simple or complex depending on your process and traditions. I give a lot of optional things that you can add to this spell to individualize it your needs. Keep in mind what you just brainstormed above - what is the outcome you want out of this spell? If you want protection at work, add in a way to bring this spell to work with you - perhaps in a bottle you keep on your desk or as a sachet you carry in your pocket. I would also suggest making a small batch of black salt specific to this working - you can start with a base of culinary black salt if you have it (the sulfur certainly adds an extra oomph), but regular salt will do here as well. Write what you want to be rid of (John S. Doe or my workplace's Full Name) on a small piece of paper and burn it down to ash. Mix the salt, the ash, and other botanicals that provide protection or banishment to create the black salt for this spell.

ABRACADABRA The first step in constructing this spell is the writing of our magic world: ABRACADABRA. Your final product should look like the graphic above ^^^ with the full word in the middle and two triangles stretching to the top and bottom of your space. If you can, write on your surface using dry-erase markers or chalk. If it's not possible, you can use a piece of paper. You want the full word ABRACADABRA to be the center line in your working space. Note: This spell (we are really and truly doing spelling here, folks) takes up a lot more space than you think it will. It is 21 lines, to be exact. You may get the spacing wrong and have to start over. It's okay. We've all been there. Ideally, because we are working this spell Away from ourselves, you would want to start writing from the top of the "page" - starting with A, working all the way to Abracadabra, and moving back to A. This may not be possible for you because it can take a lot of spatial awareness to get the ABRACADABRA in the middle this way. If you need to write that first and work your way out to both A's, that will work fine. We will also add in the movement part of this later in the spell.

ADD YOUR CANDLE TO THE PLATE Setting candles is a personal process that can vary among different traditions. In a way that works best for you, I suggest becoming better acquainted with the candle you will use to represent yourself during this spell. This can be done in many different ways. You can carve your name and date of birth into the candle. You can rub the candle over your body to absorb your essence, breathe life into it, charge your candle with energy, and let it sit on your altar; the possibilities are endless. If you have a skin-safe protection oil, you can anoint both the candle and yourself to create a strong sympathetic link. The process can take as little or as long as needed. Note: one of the reasons that I suggest using a figure candle that you find to be representative of yourself here is because I personally find it easier to complete this step in a candle working when the candle looks like me Once you become acquainted with your candle, put it in the A spot at the TOP of the ABRACADABRA drawing. This is very important. You need your candle to be on the "MY SIDE" of this spell working. You want the energy to be increasing towards our magic word ABRACADABRA. Note: But Minx, there are other ways that you can turn this spell. No, this is a spell - literally spelling. We are deep in letter and word magic here. It needs to be read in the way that we are taught to read, left to right and top down. If English is not your native language and the above doesn't apply to you, that might be a sign that this is not the right spell for you. In this way, this spell is fixed - that is what is Saturnian about it.

LIGHT YOUR SIGNIFIER CANDLE Again, you should add your own magic here. However you do this, make this a power moment for you. You are in charge here. You own your own boundaries. Up until this point, we were in the creation phase of this spell and the above steps could be done in any order. From here on out, we are casting this spell. Each subsequent step should follow quickly.

CREATE YOUR ENERGETIC BOUNDARY Using your black salt, create a line across the word ABRACADABRA on your plate. This is the basis for your energetic boundary, a physical representation of the line between "My Side" (what you are bringing with you through the holiday season) and "YOUR SIDE" (all that other stuff you want to keep out). What you put here is what you will likely want to put into a spell jar or sachet to carry this magic during the month ahead. This doesn't just have to be black salt, I like to add volcanic stones to further ground my boundary into reality. This is where you should add the stones if you are including them in this spell. If you want to charge a type of charm or jewelry with the energy of this magic, you can place it in the center of the Top/"MY SIDE" half of the spell. (Consider putting it into a dish of some kind to keep it away from potential wax spillage) Really focus here on building your boundary. You can do this by speaking aloud, affirmations, energy work, or any other way that suits your practice. You may wish to say the word "ABRACADABRA" aloud after you have finished this step. DO NOT CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT STEP OF THIS SPELL UNTIL YOUR BOUNDARY IS SOLID AND COMPLETE.

CREATE AND PLACE THE OTHER CANDLE The big thing here is that you should tag lock this candle to the things that you are keeping out of your life. You can use names and dates of birth, business names, business cards, or anything that piques your fancy here. If this is a general protection spell to keep other people's shit at bay you can write "YOUR SIDE" on the candle. You can add a banishing oil here if you would like. Place the candle on or near the bottom A spot on the "YOUR SIDE" half of the spell. It should be below the line of your boundary. THIS IS IMPORTANT. See above.

LIGHT AND WORK YOUR CANDLE SPELL This is the kind of spell that I think benefits substantially from the caster using their words to power this spell. After you light the candle, talk about what you have created a boundary against. If you are protecting yourself from a particular person or group of people, address them. If you are doing general protection, you can address the candle itself or the planet Saturn. It doesn't have to be long-winded or eloquent. You definitely can write a rhyming couplet if that's your thing, but a few strong words straight from your heart are fine, too. Depending on your environment and the type of candles you use, this spell might burn out quickly or require days to complete. Please practice safe candle practices and extinguish your candles if you will not be present. If you wanted to use numerology to boost this work, performing the ritual for 4 days (for the structure of Saturn and our 4 sided drawing) would be appropriate.

THE AFTERMATH

As written, this spell is intended to last from the time you cast it until at least 1/1/24. It could last longer. Unless you write an end date until this somehow, this spell will last as long as you are upkeeping it somehow. That said, I am not intending for this spell to be upkept - this spell is designed specifically to protect you during the holiday season which ends on 1/1.

I suggest keeping this spell intact until this date. There are multiple ways to do this. You could keep your tray out on your altar through the rest of the month. You could keep a portion of the boundary salt in a spell jar or other container. If you have charged a charm, that will carry the energy of the spell. After 1/1, dismantle the spell and cleanse your objects or space. When you eventually dispose of this spell, you can do it in any fashion that works well with your practice.

VARIATIONS ON A THEME

There are as many ways to make this spell your own as there are people who cast spells. You can work more closely with Saturn energy by using days or the week or planetary hours, as mentioned above. You can use petition papers, prayers, oils, herb blends, and anything else that you incorporate regularly in your practice. You can include your deities, ancestors, or familiar spirits.

I want to touch on a few ways that I can see to alter it for specific situations.

BANISHMENT

If you are using this spell to banish a particular person, I would immediately collect the remains of the "your side" candle and put them into a small spell jar with additional banishing components and dispose of this jar off of my property. I would personally use a public trashcan, perhaps in a space of public transit to show that I would like them to move AWAY from me.

If using a spell like this to banish, I find it especially useful to do a wax reading on the "Your Side"/Target candle to see how successful the spell will be. Note here if the wax from this candle moves towards or crosses over the black salt boundary. Some people are very persistent and will need stronger magic than this. PROTECTION OF THE SELF

I touched on this above, but I wanted to reiterate this here. If you need to bring this spell with you out into the world (when you go to work or to a holiday party) - BRING THE SPELL WITH YOU. Take a small bit of your boundary black salt and seal it into a small bottle or wrap it in a piece of cloth to make a sachel. Alternatively, you could charge a charm with this spell and bring the charm with you. PROTECTION OF YOUR HOME

This can take on a couple of different forms. If you work from home and need protection over your devices to keep out people's unnecessary shit, try charging an object that you can keep next to your computer or device. (something that you can wear on you while you work might work here, too) If you are inviting people into your home from the holidays, you might wish to take your protective black salt barrier and line the doors to your home with it. (Under a welcome mat works perfectly for this) You can instruct this barricade to do nearly anything - remove unnecessary negativity for anybody who crosses over it, as an example.

EMPATH PROTECTION

Yeah, I know, it's a taboo word these days, IDGAF. Some people need energetic protection from other people's emotional spew. That's just the way it is. Whether it is actual psychic empathy or unhealed hypervigilance, the end result is the same. This spell absolutely can help with this. I don't think that it's a good long-term solution, but I know from personal experience that the holidays are rough for HSPs. I highly suggest using lava stone (porous basalt) as a part of your energetic barrier if you are struggling with this. This is entirely my UPG but lava stone filters impurities out of water and I have used it effectively to filter out unwanted emotional input on many occasions. In this case, I would use the lava stone in the barrier and then carry it on me for the duration of the spell. I must reiterate this though: this is a stopgap and will not make you better at handling overwhelming emotions or emotional output from other people in the long term. Use it sparingly because it can dim your emotional input overall which has other yucky side effects.

****

I really hope y'all find this helpful. Though this spell is drawing on our strong Saturnian influence during the month of December, it could be used at any time with or without Saturn's influence.

Do you like my work? You can support me over on Kofi.

#witchblr #words #mine #celestial magic #Saturn magic #boundries #folk magic

[1moreff-creator]

I'm curious, given how much you like and think about Min, which secret do you think fits Min best?

So, the short answer is “the poison one” like most people believe, but there is a bit more nuance to it, so I think I can use this as an excuse to talk about Min for a while! Yay! In this post, I’ll discuss not only why I think that’s her secret, but also when, why and how I believe she poisoned her competitors. Get ready for a lot of speculation.

Also, I believe you’ve mentioned in your Character Playlist post you think that secret is Hu’s, so I probably should go into detail anyways.

CW for the remaining secrets: suicide, self-harm, murder, and also a lot of talk of Min’s backstory, so toxic school culture.

So, a few of the remaining secrets we can completely rule out, because we can assign them to people without much controversy.

•The “survivor’s guilt” secret Min herself ‘received’ is clearly Xander’s, which is easy to gather from his Bonus Episode and his secret quote.

•That means David’s lying, but like most people, I believe he got Teruko’s secret. The whole “everything in your life is worth killing over” part is already pretty telling, but she’s also the only one who could get “the killing game is your fault” as a motive without being the mastermind, basically. After all, she can blame her luck: “This killing game is my fault because the reason this Hope’s Peak class was chosen in particular is because of my luck” is the quickest defense she would have, for instance.

•Although I unfortunately could see Min self-harming, I doubt she’d feel the need to do it “for fun”. I don’t think anyone believes that secret to be anyone’s but Veronika.

With most of the others already being confirmed, this leaves us with three secrets I feel there is still meaningful debate over. Those being “murderer without remorse”, “hopeless child” and “poisoned the competition”.

For Min specifically though, I feel like we can rule out “murderer without remorse”. Mainly because the other two just fit her better, as there is nothing connecting her backstory to this secret in particular. But also because… well, it’s Arei’s secret. It’s going to be quite weird if it doesn’t at least come up in the trial, let alone if something this dramatic belongs to someone who is… not available.

And that leaves us with two. “Hopeless child” and “poison the competition”.

Is there reason to believe she’s the one who attempted suicide three times? Well, her backstory is quite sad, it’s understandable how something like what she went through could lead someone to suicide, but it’s never been expressly implied.

But if anyone believes this is Min’s secret, I imagine it’d be because they believe the “poison” secret belongs to someone else. The possible candidates are Levi and Hu.

Now, Levi has only slightly less connection to the “poison” secret than Min does the “suicide” secret. That is to say, conceivable, but without much direct evidence. But Hu actually has a decently strong argument for the “poison” secret, I can see why someone would assign that one to her.

The main thing is her secret quote: “I want to pay for what I’ve done. But even then, I still want to live.” If that’s referring to something outside the killing game, it has to be the poison secret. She wouldn’t need to repent for suicide, and if she was a remorseless murderer, she wouldn’t want to pay for what she’s done. Of course, the issue is that it could be referring to something from the killing game (such as Min’s own quote, “I wanted to save you”).

But the LGI MV may actually provide support for the Hu!Poison theory, because of the assassin’s teapot. This is one of the objects shown in that one scene where everything around the room was labeled, next to the (not) a prop gun, the candle in the candle holder, and the bowl of fruit. There’s an interpretation that a lot of these objects represent the different characters of the killing game (gun for Xander, bowl of fruit for Rose, rope for Arei, clock for Eden, dresser for Levi, etc), and the one which best fits Hu at first glance is the teapot. The thing is, assassin’s teapots are commonly associated with poison, so the connection grows stronger.

(If you’re wondering, Min is probably the albino mouse and arabidopsis. Not only are they connected to her via the footnote which talks about the fruit fly Min name-checks in her voice actor reveal, but the albino mouse, arabidopsis, fruit fly and E. Coli are organisms used in experiments. And:

Min: [Talking about Hope’s Peak and the exam she took] But to conduct an experiment to see if someone would force themselves to become their idea of an Ultimate for the Academy’s sake and succeed.

Min sees her talent as nothing but an experiment. I’m so sad)

Tangent aside, Hu does have an argument for the poison secret. Except… the specifics are a bit strange.

You always treated the competition with ruthlessness, but poisoning them to win was a bit too far, wasn’t it?

Whoever had this secret, must be a highly competitive person. I’m… not sure that fits Hu, frankly. Nor Levi, who seems to be relatively new to his talent, or at least that’s the impression I got from his introduction. Neither of them are as competitive as Min, that’s for sure (more on that later).

Now, there is also the “to win” aspect of the secret’s wording, which is worth talking about. There are such things as zither playing competitions (thanks Google), as well as general music instrument competitions which I imagine are more competitive, and it makes more sense to say Hu “won” one of those, rather than Min “won” her exam, right?

Well, two issues with that. One, Hu has never mentioned these competitions, ever (nor has Levi mentioned anything analogous). Two, while you can’t “win” an exam, you can win a “contest”. And the thing Min actually took part in was called “Ultimate Contest for Eminent Students” (UCES). Under that wording, it does make sense to say Min “won” it.

This is where we dive full force to the Bonus Episode… and where the idea of the “suicide” secret belonging to Min starts to fall apart.

Min: Failure was not something I even considered, because if I failed, then there would be no future for me or my family.

Min: I had simply accepted for my whole life that I would be the Ultimate Student, and I lived my life accordingly. That’s the Academy chose me.

See, the problem here is… well, to put it bluntly, dying would mean not winning the contest. Although her life sounds horrible, she speaks of it as if she had fully accepted it at one point, resigned herself to it, and she simply wouldn’t think of committing suicide because it would go against her goal of becoming the Ultimate Student. Keep in mind she was doing it for her family just as much as she was doing it for herself, if not more.

That said, suicide is inherently irrational, so it still isn’t ruled out. She does fits being a hopeless child, unfortunately, so the secret is still up in the air.

However, as the Bonus Episode progresses, it’s clear Min’s competitiveness is a much more important part of her character than it is for Hu’s or Levi’s. This had already been established as early as her introduction, where she claims she constantly has to hone her talent to maintain it, but the Bonus Episode drives the point home.

Min: Because of this contest, because I wanted to win, I had let my entire life revolve around that one test.

(Oh, hey! Confirmation on the “win” phrasing!)

This is by itself more competitiveness than Hu or Levi have ever expressed, and shows that Min really was ready to go extremely far for this contest. But it runs even deeper than that.

Min: High achievement, studying, taking exams, being the top of my class.

Min: I cut everything else out of my life for that one goal. And that is exactly what they wanted to see.

Being top of her class is one of the main things Min brings up as aspects of being the Ultimate Student, separate from getting good grades. In other words, competitiveness is intrinsic to her talent.

But would she really be willing to harm or even kill others for her own purposes?

Well, yeah, obviously. We saw it in the killing game. Even if you spin Xander’s death to be an accident, Min was very much ready to let everyone else die in that class trial to live and escape (good ending, tbh /j). Although we don’t know enough about Levi or Hu to be sure, we are certain Min would be someone to poison her competition to win that Contest.

Then, there’s the matter of who received these secrets. Veronika received the “suicide” secret, and is keeping it to herself to “keep things interesting”. Mind you, she’s unpredictable enough that I’m not sure she wouldn’t consider keeping a dead person’s secret to herself “interesting”, but she still seems too excited for it to just be Min’s. Or maybe that’s just me.

But the big thing is that Xander was the person who ‘received’ the “poison” secret. And considering Min ‘got’ Xander’s, I think it makes sense to assume both the chapter one deaths got each others. Even beyond the ‘character foil’ aspect those two have going on, this essentially lets them stay out of the narrative entirely, to let the alive people have the stage. It could also be read as ironic; the seemingly dangerous and aggressive ‘Ultimate Rebel’ has a secret where he did nothing wrong, while the seemingly calm and innocent ‘Ultimate Student’ has a murderous past.

(Speaking of past, while researching for this, I noticed the pinned comment on Min’s Bonus Episode is “someone who wants to move on from the past”, while the pinned comment in Xander’s is “someone who wants to hold on to the past”. The quote could apply to both secrets, so I just brought it up ‘cause I think it’s cool)

With all this in mind, plus the few lines which imply Hu has self-esteem issues and more depressive thoughts than she usually lets on (which I won’t get into because I’ve already talked about Hu too much in a Min post), I think it makes more sense for Min to have the “poison” secret, and for Hu to have the “suicide” secret… or the “murderer” secret, she’s honestly my fallback on who the accomplice may be if Levi isn’t it. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t worry about it too much.

However, that wasn’t enough for me. So now I want to figure out what exactly Min did, to see if I find anything more conclusive on this poison incident. Because we have a motive, but we’re lacking a method. And… I think I have a more clear idea of what may have happened now.

Originally, I thought maybe Min had only non-lethally poisoned people in the place the contest was held, to distract them and make them fail. However, it’s stated that the Contest actually took place across the US, so that doesn’t entirely make sense. Instead, I want to focus on this line:

Min: I’m sure I did amazingly well, but it seems highly unlikely that I was number one in the nation in terms of raw scores.

Let’s think, what does this line imply? Well, it implies Min doesn’t believe she got a perfect score, so she must have made a few mistakes. And if you recall from that trial I get sad thinking about, Min has a… bad reaction, to the idea of mistakes.

Min: Right now, everyone suspects me, which is a mistake. But that’s alright. Mistakes are meant to be fixed.

Min: Like filling out a multiple-choice test. You bubble in answer after answer and sometimes get it wrong.

Min: If I let even one miscalculation slip by, then the life that I worked so hard for will come crashing down in an instant. So I’ll keep erasing those mistakes until they’re correct.

Min: As long as I learn from my mistakes… As long as I make the correct choice in the end… That’s how I’ll achieve success.

So, first, this reiterates Min’s fixation on the future she worked for her whole life, making it more unlikely in my eyes that she has the “suicide” secret. But the important thing, the one I highlighted, is that Min is obsessed with the idea of correcting mistakes.

But, how would she correct the mistakes in a test she already turned in? How does she correct the mistakes she made during the UCES now that the test is already being graded?

Well, the grading process would take some time… so she just needs to find a more “creative” way to address her mistakes. As long as she makes the right choice, she can achieve success.

Thus, we reach a point where the UCES has already happened, the results aren’t in, and Min is freaking the hell out because she knows she made some mistakes. She has to do something, because her entire life revolves around this. She has to win. The idea of any other outcome is utterly inconceivable. And in the (paraphrased) words of a wise man no longer with us, “there are two paths to succeess. One, self-improvement. Two, sabotaging literally the entire competition”

So, she finds a way to track down the other candidates or likely winners, and she poisons them in some way. Can’t win if you’re dead!

Although, admittedly, that is the hardest part to understand from all this. How would she go about tracking all those people all around the US and managing to poison them all? It’s be nearly impossible unless she did something large scale like poisoning entire water sources or some-

…

Heeeeeeey… The Chariton incident didn’t happen to coincide with the UCES, riiiight?…

…

Okay, no. Crisis averted. On further research, it’s stated in Bonus Episode #2 that incident happened when Xander was 14, while Min took the Contest when she was 17. Assuming they’re the same age (which is an assumption, but still), Min can’t be responsible for that. Good.

However, thinking about that did give me an idea of how Min could have gone about doing this.

Min: But one day, we were visited by the founder of that big company XF-Ture Tech. He told my parents that he would sponsor me and pay for all of our expenses.

Min: All he asked in return was that in 12 years, I would pass the Academy's test and became the Ultimate Student.

So, we know very little about whatever the hell XF-Ture Tech is, but we can assume it’s pretty powerful. Maybe owned by the Duke Spurling guy from Xander’s and Rose’s backstory. So, if they’re so interested in getting Min into Hope’s Peak, maybe they could arrange something for her to poison the other potential winners. Anything to get Min, someone who owes them essentially her entire purpose in life (from her perspective), into Hope’s Peak. They have invested 12 years into this, you know. What’s a bit of poison to guarantee success?

And there is one other line which implies XF-Ture Tech may have helped Min in her quest more than just by giving her family money.

Min: Maybe I'll become a teacher. I'm not the best at teaching, and I'll never be as good as him, but I want to try.

Yeah, did you forget about this line? Frankly, me too. But it does imply Min received private tutoring from a really good teacher; hell, maybe Duke Spurling himself, who knows. It’s clear XF-Ture Tech desperately wants influence in Hope’s Peak, and if this “him” is the one who’s to blame for Min’s “fix all mistakes” obsession, then I could see them facilitating something like this. Or even goading her into it, which helps me cope and say Min was manipulated and isn’t that evil trust me bro please-

A minor issue with this theory is that the secret’s wording implies Min poisoned her competition directly, which… doesn’t fully track? You’d think they would delegate something like this.

Unless… they had some reason for Min to administer the poison herself. As a way to show Hope’s Peak how committed she is to being the Ultimate Student.

Min: I was selected as the Ultimate Student not because of my academic performance, nor my intelligence, but because I had grown into their ideal of an Ultimate Student.

Min: In the end, what the Academy wanted wasn't to select the most intelligent student nor thr best test taker...

Min: But to conduct an experiment to see if someone would force themselves to become their idea of an Ultimate for the Academy's sake and succeed.

So, I know I’ve already speculated a lot based on very little evidence, but this definitely feels like the largest stretch I'm making. Essentially, I believe it’s possible Hope’s Peak knows about her poisoning the competition, but they just see it as further confirmation that she truly deserves the title of Ultimate Student. Competitiveness is a part of the talent, according to my interpretation about that line about being top of the class. And Hope’s Peak in this universe clearly is somewhat fucked up, considering what we’ve learnt from Xander’s Bonus Episode.

After all, think about it. Min says Hope’s Peak picked her for reasons outside of her test, but how do they know about the other stuff she’s done? It’s perfectly possible I’m reading too much into this, and XF-Ture Tech just has a trustable source which could recommend Min to the Hope’s Peak talent scouts or something. But that’s boring. It’s more fun to see this poisoning as the ultimate (hah) demonstration of Min’s devotion to the Academy and the ideals of Ultimates.

… Also, maybe that opens the door again to the poison being non-lethal? If she was just asked by Hope’s Peak to show her loyalty by eliminating competition, she could have maybe put them in comas, ones too long for the Academy to consider giving them the Ultimate Student title. Hey, if turpentine fumes can knock people out…

Actually, now that I’m thinking about it (this post wasn’t planned too well), that works even if Hope’s Peak doesn’t know about this. I did always find it weird the secret specifically mentions poisoning instead of straight up murdering, even when they’re supposed to be as unflattering as possible. So… she’s evil, but I can fix her (in a completely platonic fashion). Surely. Or make her worse. Whichever’s more fun.

(Watch her secret be the suicide one, btw. I don’t know if I’d laugh or cry)

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

So, hope that satisfies your question! And hopefully I didn’t bore you too much with my insane speculation! I honestly don’t know which theory is crazier, this one or “the Sleepy MV is actually about Min and Mai”. But I had fun, and that’s what matters.

Anyways, thanks for reading so far! You deserve an A+ for putting up with my insanity! Take care!

#drdt #danganronpa despair time #drdt theory #fanganronpa #min jeung

[separatist-apologist]

Of course you can assign meaning to any of Taylor's songs however you like. However, I keep seeing people put The Alchemy in the Tayvis timeline because of the sports references and I'd just like to offer a different analysis of the lyrics.

The Alchemy is about calling up that one person you know is always waiting on you. The one who got away, the ex you never quite got over. The Alchemy is Taylors Version of Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored.

For your consideration (in this essay, I will-):

This happens once every few lifetimes-

Like the phrase, "that was a lifetime ago,"- if you subscribe to the theory that Taylor and MH were together back in 2014, you could consider that a lifetime ago.

I circled you on a map/ I haven't come around in so long/ but I'm coming back so strong

She's calling him up, he's back on her mind and she's ready to give this a shot again. She's saying, I'm single (finally) and you're the first person I thought of, the first phone call/text I'm making now that it's over. I'm in it, now.

So when I touch down call the amateurs and cut them from the team. Ditch the clowns/get the crown/ baby I'm the one to beat

I get why people think this is about Travis but consider touch down in terms of an airplane landing on a runway. She's coming to him and telling him, break up with your girlfriend if you have one or cut your roster. Ditch the clowns LMAO because baby its ME. The one you've wanted for YEARS.

Cause the sign on your heart says it's still reserved for me

This implies they've been together before. It's STILL reserved for me- we didn't work out before but you've been holding the same candle I have. You can be done with all those others (they're never gonna work out anyway) because we both know you and I belong together.

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

I love this line because alchemy is a pseudoscience. In medieval times, alchemy is basically proto-chemistry. It's looking at taking metals and turning them into elixirs, most famously turning lead into gold. Taylor isn't saying, who are we to fight fate? She's saying who are we to fight the ALCHEMY- it's not real, but she wants it to be. And I love this song because its a doomed love song. Lets turn these feelings we have into true love- but its alchemy. She can't, even if she wants to.

I'm taking this interpretation from Taylor's insistence that while Travis knows ball, she knows Aristotle. She'd be familiar with Neoplatonism and its relation to alchemy. Only she knows for sure, of course- I'm not stating any of this as fact.

Anyway back to the lyrics:

Hey you, what if I told you we're cool? That child's play back in school/Is forgiven under my rule

What happened in the past doesn't matter anymore. The things we messed up back then don't matter to me now. It's a fresh start for us

I haven't come around in so long/But I'm making a comeback to where I belong...

I haven't seen you in a long time- for whatever reason (her long term relationship imo), but I'm coming back to you now. I belong WITH you and I've always known it.

These blokes warm the benches/We been on a winning streak

All these other guys were just place holders for you, but they can't touch you. They'll never be US, they were never as important to me as you were.

He jokes that its heroin but this time with an "E"

I think this is the biggest indicator this song is not about Travis. I'm not a 1975 scholar, I don't know their music well, but I did listen to Halsey's Colors, she mentions similar themes with the drugs. A quick google search confirms that MH did have an addiction to heroin and honestly, this seems like the kind of joke he might make. He feels high again but this time it's her, the Heroine. She's his new drug.

Cheers chanted 'cause they said/There was no chance trying to be the greatest in the league/Where's the trophy?/He just comes running over to me

I struggle to make meaning of the bridge, but to me, I interpret this as HER saying he's the prize, where's her trophy, well he's running over to her right now. He's on his way to her. Everyone is telling her this isn't going to work, this isn't the kind of love she was writing about in Enchanted but she's not listening. It SHOULD be that kind of love, she wants it to be, and he's on his way to her. This time they're gonna get it right and this time it's going to work the way they both want it to.

#taylor swift #again this is just an interpretation #if you disagree thats okay! i dont mind but dont come running in here hot #the alchemy has become one of my favorites like if this is a stage of grief #its denial for sure

[chai-af]

pomegranates in judaism

pomegranates have deep significance within judaism. they are thought to have 613 seeds, similar to the 613 mitzvot (commandments) that observant jews adhere to. of course, there aren’t necessarily 613 seeds in every pomegranate let alone one, this is just and old-age theory that is shared for historical/nostalgic/religious reasons.

rosh hashanah

pomegranates are often the fruit of choice of a rosh hashanah*** tradition of eating a “new fruit.” a new fruit is a fruit someone hasn’t eaten in a long time. in sephardic*** tradition, it is customary to have a rosh hashanah seder***, in which a pomegranate is one of the foods incorporated into it.

jewish texts

pomegranates are also mentioned in jewish texts, as well as being listed as one of the “seven species”***:

a pomegranate was one of the things brought back by the spies who scouted the land of canaan*** (torah, numbers 13:1-15:41)

pomegranates decorate the robes of a high priest (torah, exodus 27:20-30:10)

a wife of a rabbi disguises herself as a sex worker and seduces him, demanding a freshly picked pomegranate as a form of payment (talmud, kiddushin 81b)

many judaica*** is adorned in pomegranates, such as torah scrolls, mezuzot***, kippot***, candle holders

coins

pomegranates are found on ancient judean coins. recently, a coin was discovered dated to the bar kokhba revolt*** in 132-136 CE.

hope you learned something new ♡

*** glossary

rosh hashanah: a jewish holiday celebrating a new year

sephardic: jewish diaspora population that has ancestors who have lived in the iberian peninsula

seder: jewish ritual service + ceremonial dinner, usually observed on pesach (passover) but also observed on rosh hashanah by sephardic jews

seven species: seven products that are listed in the torah as being special types of species; it includes wheat, barley, grape, figs, pomegranates, olive (oil), and date (date honey)

judaica: jewish literature, customs, culture (examples include mezuzot, kippot, menorah, candles used for jewish observances, etc.)

mezuzot (singular → mezuzah): a small decorative case that holds a parchment with religious writing; placed on the doorpost of jewish homes

kippot (singular → kippah): also known as a yarmulke or skullcap, it is circular in shape and traditional placed on the head of jewish men, but women and gender non-confirming folks wear them as well

bar kokhba revolt: large-scale armed rebellion/war led by jews against the romans rule of their land

sources

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/9-jewish-things-about-pomegranates/

read about the judean shekel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/ancient-shekel-sells-for-1-1-million/

#jewish #judaism #spirituality #history #archeology #pomegranate #fruit

[yellowcry]

Personal opinion: "Mirabel didn't get a gift BECAUSE she's the future candle holder" theory ruins the movie whole point

So, this theory is pretty popular, but I strongly dislike it. Because, yes, Mirabel was portrayed as the outcast of the family for years, then the house is fall apart and river scene happened. And it showed to us how much Abuela actually suffered. She admitted that she was too strict and valued her family mostly for their gifts, forgetting of what was really important. Then Mirabel assured her that everything okay and everyone is coming home. And All of you is happening. A song where Mirabel saying to Luisa that she is more than just super strong person, song where Abuela confirmed that "The miracle is not some magic that you've got. The miracle is you, all of you"

And it's basically the point of the Encanto. They are special because they are family, not because of being able to hear a pin drop or grow the flowers. Magic's condition depended on family relationships. House stared to cracking for the first time when Mirabel felt like an outcaster. Cracks started to disappear when Mirabel and Isabela became close again, and house was broken when argument happened. Magic's condition depended on family's relationships with each other, which clearly shows that Madrigals were the miracle themselves, not candle or Casita, only them.

And Mirabel's getting a gift in any way just ruins it for me. She is special because she's part of the Madrigals, she was the miracle like everyone else in this family.

I have no problems with Mirabel being the future familyhead, I actually think that she would fit in this role better than anyone else. NOT because of not having a gift, but because of how she managed to unite her family.

#encanto #random rant #all of you #mirabel madrigal #encanto thoughts #personal opinion

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

genshin charas and their vision holder!s/o ft. albedo + xiao x gn!reader

tags: gn!reader

a/n: considering how allogenes are the minority in teyvat, i sincerely doubt that any character in the game would care about the vision their partner has. but i do think if their partner had a specific vision, they’d definitely enjoy certain aspects of it. also enjoy me complaining about one of the quirks of chinese language, the tones lmao (and yes, i know that the archons aren’t actually part of the reason why people get visions but only the traveler knows that)

question of the day from my genshin ask game: if you were blessed with a vision, which one would you want to have (and which one do you think you’d actually get)?

reblogs appreciated!

albedo: dendro

while the reaction to receiving his own vision was lackluster, if someone were to ask albedo the alchemist which element he found the most interesting, he would probably pick dendro

sure he is plenty interested in the other elements

is the water produced by hydro visions safe to drink?

how much earth can be produced with the might of geo? enough to make a new continent entirely? would one geo user suffice or would there need to be a specific number to amass that much earth?

but his interest in them doesn’t hold a candle to the amount of questions he has surrounding dendro as an element. 

why? because true to its heart and leaf symbol motif, dendro is the only element in teyvat that is alive. dendro is the element of plants and plants are organic. dendro users are literally creating life with each of their elemental conjurations. try as he might with his geo vision, but that is something he cannot do and the origins of life and creating new life is the entire basis of his research

earth may be capable of housing life, but it isn’t the same as creating it. that is something none of the remaining six elements can do

so if his lover had a dendro vision, he would undoubtedly try to ask you to participate in his experiments and have plenty of questions to ask you. do you have the ability to communicate with plants, are you better connected to specific kinds of plants like trees or lilies, and any specific quirks only experienced by dendro vision holders similar to the way pyro vision holders have warmer body temperatures

"Are you... sprouting mushrooms?” Albedo’s blue eyes might not have believed it if he hadn’t witnessed it himself.

Mushrooms, little small fungi, sprouting in the very place your bare feet had just been. You’d set your sandals to the side as you enjoyed the meal he prepared earlier, Klee his faithful assistant and taste-tester. But in your desire to step into the cool water of Cider Lake, you left your sandals behind and there the mushrooms were in each imprint of your feet.

Mushrooms, baby grassー Oh. Albedo leaned closer in his fascination. I think that might be the sprouting buds of cosmos bipinnatus and bellis perennis! “Love-”

“Albedo.” You were equal parts amused, equal parts exasperated as you saw that familiar gleam in your boyfriend’s eyes. The gleam that was full of circulating questions and theories moving at a faster pace than you could comprehend. “No. You promised me this wasn’t going to turn into another experiment for your research again.” You already knew, however, the moment you forgot your sandals, you’d doomed your picnic.

It was honestly flattering when, a few months prior, your boyfriend asked you if he could research your Vision. “Really? You’re interested in Dendro?” You asked incredulously at the time. Dendro wasn’t the most popular Vision out there. You remembered your schoolhood days when you and your peers all naively believed you’d all inherit Visions one day and be essential additions to the Knights of Favonius or the Adventurer’s Guild. Pyro and Cryo were the most popular choices, sharp Electro a close third. But no one picked Dendro, you didn’t even pick Dendro.

You were sure the you of your childhood who desired a Hydro Vision desperately after one family trip to Fontaine would be quite disappointed if they discovered you instead received a Vision from the God of Wisdom.

“There’s no element as fascinating to me.” Albedo replied and with a heart that swelled three times that day, you heartily agreed to participate in his research. You just weren’t expecting how many questions and experiments he’d have you go through. 

All you wanted today was a simple date that didn’t turn into an experiment, yet there your man was, whipping out his sketchbook. (And you sincerely doubted it was because he wanted to paint you in all your glory.)

xiao: pyro

i feel like xiao would have an appreciation if his lover had a pyro vision. he’d find it suitable for you, you’re passionate. no one would ever be able to say you weren’t

and you were warm, something he’d stop being a long time ago when violence and war became the only things he was good at

yet it was that very warmth that you used to somehow burrow yourself into his heart and pass the wind-chilled block of ice he kept around himself at all the times

pyro was one of the more dangerous elements, in xiao’s opinion. easy to learn but hard to control and master. yet your use of pyro seemed to lean into the warm and life-giving aspects of it. warmth was what kept people and animals alive after all

“Aren’t you cold like that?” You queried with your brows furrowed. “This is cold even for me.” Even being this close to Dragonspine was bone-chilling and yet your adeptus partner acted as if it were nothing, no sleeves. Even worse was how he’d tossed the blanket you brought for him back at you.

Cat-like eyes spared you a glance, “it takes a lot more than this to make me cold.” Xiao replied coolly, making no move to take back his blanket. “You use it, the fire’s enough for me.”

That only made you roll your eyes in turn. “I’m not taking your blanket. I’m fine with what I have.” There was no response. “Xiao. Xiao.” You scowled at the attempt to block you out. “Fine.” You huffed; if he wanted to be stubborn, so could you. 

And with some shuffling, you sat beside the yaksha, pressed firmly against him.

“What are you doing?” Xiao’s tone would have sound like an aggressive hiss of rejection to anyone else, but you could recognize the flustered heat of his cheeks despite the night.

“Well you don’t want the blanket, so I figured a Pyro Vision’s warmth was what you wanted instead.” You replied pettily, making yourself comfortable. A moment of silence passed before Xiao begrudgingly accepted his loss and you smiled in satisfaction.

“Remember when I came to Liyue and could barely speak the language?” You mused as you relaxed against the deceptively young man. You’d come a long way since then when all you were to Xiao was a bothersome human and he was a mysterious and brooding man you couldn’t help but be drawn to. Things changed when he’d appeared out of nowhere and saved you from meeting a gruesome end to an ax-slinging mitachurl. “All the tones frustrated me so much. Reading it was easier for me, at least.”

“I remember you telling me that you had a beautiful horse.” Xiao snorted as the temperature between you both spiked at your embarrassment. It wasn’t as if he talked to mortals often, but if there was thing the Vigilant Yaksha had learned over the centuries... it was that outlanders had a very hard time with Liyue’s language and you were no exception.

Wǒ māmā hěn piāoliàng, you’d meant to say as you lovingly boasted about your mother’s beauty. But the third tone of mǎ is what slipped through your lips and just like that, you were bragging about a horse. “Oh, right. You meant to tell me about your mother.” And that wasn’t counting the many times you’d pronounced his name wrong.

Sometimes you’d call him Xiǎo, small. Other times it was Xiào, laugh. It took a long time before you were able to say Xiāo with ease.

“You knew what I meant, let me live that down!” You snapped, giving him a shove. “I help keep you warm and you make fun of me.”

“Aren’t you the one who told me I should adopt a sense of humor?” Just barely, the corners of his lips quirked into a teasing smile. Archons how it was unfair for anyone to be this beautiful and archons how it was unfair that the man in question refused to see it. 

#look she's writing #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #allogene!reader #visions #headcanons #albedo x reader #xiao x reader #pyro #dendro #will i write more of these? mayhaps

[blarrghe]

“this might be a weird time to mention it, but you smell really great.” sounds like something taren would say to dorian i'm just sayin

@dadrunkwriting!

Bringing you some Fallow Mire huggins! Canon-ish. Pavellan. Gen and sweet :3

forgot this was in my drafts and determined to finish it tonight. thanks ro! sorry for the wait

--

"Do you know," Dorian remarked with a curious pause, head tilted slightly to the side, eyes glittering in the conjured light, "you give the strangest compliments?"

His speech was inflected, but it was not a real question so much as it was an amused observation. He shook his head lightly, breathing out an almost-flustered laugh.

Taren liked the laugh, liked the eyes, wasn't sure about the rest of it.

"Dropped right out of nowhere, and I have -- what? An inspiring repertoire of knowledge on banned magical theory?"

"You wouldn't say so?" Taren smiled and shrugged the still glinting curiosity off.

"From Agata to Vitus, but it's another thing to hear it put so... plainly." Dorian shook his head again, smiling on his way back towards his book.

"Would you prefer my compliments be given less plainly?" Taren tried to smirk. Dorian seemed to prefer smirking to a genuine smile.

"Not at all, and I ought to return one," he replied, "You've a lovely gift for the arcane of the arcane yourself."

"The --? oh." The wordplay was clever. Taren told him he was clever, plainly, before he could think better of it, and Dorian chuckled and shook his head again.

"Never change, Inquisitor."

---

"Don't let me disturb you," Dorian waived Taren's startled attempt to rise from his seat off with an outstretch hand. "Only taking some midnight reading of my own, I'll leave you to yours."

"You could join me," Taren ventured.

Dorian eyed him, huddled as he was in a nearly-hidden corner of the library, well past dark. He hadn't conjured any extra light from that which glowed from the dim, smoky stubs of candles in a holder overhead. His eyes didn't need so much light as human ones did to read by, but the library was still more dimly lit than was really comfortable for inviting in company.

"I was planning to take mine to my chambers. Don't you have some of those?"

Taren shrugged beneath his blanket, the one he'd brought down from his comfortable, if isolated, chambers. "I like how the library feels."

At that, strange a comment though it was, Dorian only nodded. "I suppose you don't get as much time to revel in it."

"Mhm."

"Nor so much time alone with your reading, I'll --"

"Really," Taren interrupted the politeness too quickly, "stay if you like. That is, I'd like you to stay. I enjoy your company, even..." liked how he felt, too. "Even just quietly."

"Ah. In that case..."

Dorian took a seat with his book, sitting with less comfortable a recline in the chair beside Taren's. He brightened the space with a flick of his magic, but not by much. They turned pages in the dimness for some unknowable length of time. Taren absorbed himself in the feeling, more than the text, relaxed into the quiet. Occasionally, he stole glances at the other mage's face, admiring the concentration between his brows. He held his tongue from saying anything about how delightfully serious he looked.

He woke to a cautious prod from Dorian's hand at his blanket-covered shoulder.

"Inquisitor," Dorian murmured, "I think it may be time you took leave of me, no matter how compelling you find my company." He was smirking again, the comment sarcastically self deprecating, but still playful.

"M'comfortable," was all Taren managed to mutter back.

"More so in your bed, I expect."

More so in yours, Taren thought, but did not say.

He rose and gathered himself instead. With a parting pat to Dorian's shoulder, he paused.

"Thank you, Dorian."

"Whatever for, Inquisitor?"

"For your company."

"Mm, riveting, I know."

"It was comforting. I -- I often feel lonely, up there in that tower." Taren shrugged with the words, forthright and vulnerable as they were. "And I always enjoy your company."

A stunned smile flashed across Dorian's face before he blinked it away. "Very kind of you to say, Inquisitor."

----

"Fasta vass --" Dorian's curse came with panting as he kicked aside the newly re-killed corpse that had fallen at his feet. "Thank you for that."

"Of course," Taren said, hiding his smile behind a wipe of the back of his hand. He flicked the gooey black-blood and viscera of the swampy undead off of the blade of his staff.

"I may be a necromancer but this," Dorian went on complaining, "this is very much not within my purview. And did -- did you just stab it?"

Taren shrugged. "Staff's got a blade."

"So it does." Dorian's lip curled halfway up to a smile. "Well, best keep getting on with it. How many more of these fun little veilfire rune stops are on this path, you reckon?"

Taren squinted into the foggy distance, then shook his head. "Suppose we'll find out. Come on, watch the water."

"Yes, yes. Wouldn't want to ruin our boots." Dorian sighed and followed his lead, taking careful steps from one half-sunken bit of wooden walkway to the next.

He complained some more as they walked, careful to disturb the water as little as possible, but muttering under his breath all the way. Taren chuckled at some of it, and the complaints grew more dramatic and exaggerated the more he did.

"This is funny to you, is it?" Dorian shot back eventually, furrow in his brow, but a telltale glint in his eye.

"Mhm, you have a delightful way of expressing distaste. Almost makes this fun."

That won him an actual laugh. "And leave it to you to find a bright side in my misery. Flattered, Inquisitor, really."

"Watch out!"

Dorian turned and swerved just as a reaching undead's hand missed a grasp for his ankle. Taren swung at it with the blade of his staff, cutting away the arm and then aiming a quick jolt of force magic to push away the rest of it.

Dorian hopped back in surprise, bringing his own staff forward, cursing again. His startled leap brought him toppling back into Taren. Taren braced, throwing an arm around the mage and pulling him into himself to keep them each from falling from the slippery path and into the curse-infested waters of the greenish swamp.

Dorian turned, steadying himself against him, taking too long a moment with his hand at Taren's shoulder, his wide-eyed face close enough to his own to feel the warmth of his breath.

His breath was minty.

A faint scent of something else clung to the fabric of his robes, cutting through the dank of the swamp.

Taren pulled him in slightly closer, adjusting his feet, trying not to fall. And...

Like incense, and a little bit floral, and a little like the library.

He held him longer, even though both their feet were now steady enough to let go.

"This might be a strange time to mention it, but you smell amazing," he said.

Dorian laughed and gave his head a slight shake. He stepped away, moving carefully to a higher, drier section of the path. "Good, well, something ought to. Maker, this place."

Then he spared Taren a backward glance, slightly smiling. "Delightful timing," he added, "almost makes this fun."

#idk idk this is nothing just vignettes just needed it finished #flirting etc #dadwc #inquisitor x dorian #lavellan x dorian

[foggyfanfic]

Encanto World Building Headcanons

Maybe not the most exciting headcanon list, but I’m trying to nail down how the Encanto functions as a society, so this is what I’m doing rn!

I’ve said it before, but the Encanto probably can’t be completely self sufficient, despite what the creators said. I suspect they trade for raw materials such as glass, or stone for bricks; and for things like books or records. In return, somebody else has pointed out how rare wine would have been in Colombia, so presuming they could find a safe way to trade it, that’s probably their main export.

They probably have one of those three or four room schools. I’ve touched on this in my Bruno x Oc, but my going theory is that when the triplets are in school, each class is split up by age groups, then when the village gets too big for that to be practical, they do combo classes, 1st & 2nd grade in one class, 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, then maybe even 7th & 8th. After that, things like math and science get advanced enough that kids need to learn from the one guy in the village with a hyper fixation in astronomy or something, plus teenagers would have apprenticeships to worry about. So from 14 onward, kids get assigned homework and have the option to go to the village expert on the subject if they need help. Whether or not they do that homework is largely up to them and their parents/professional mentors.

Probably don’t have cows, cows take up a lot of land and they’re in a small valley.

They grow cotton and wool, grapes for the wine, corn for corn flour, coffee, avocados and lemons. Then they cultivate fruit trees in the surrounding rain forests.

Another thing from my Bruno x Oc, before Pepa became the primary irrigation source for the farmer’s, they probably made irrigation canals and maybe a few emergency reservoirs.

It just makes sense to me that Mirabel is the next “candle holder”, but for the sake of the disability metaphor, I doubt she figures that out until she’s already overcome her feelings of inadequacy and stepped up as a village leader.

Speaking of the village leadership. For years Alma is the de facto leader, but as the village grows this becomes more and more stressful for her. After the movie, she probably starts calling for official elections and stuff. The village never stops looking to the Madrigals for leadership, but by the time Mirabel is an adult, they have a mayor, a treasurer, and a town council. Not to mention monthly town halls.

The village starts out as a straight barter system, with minimal use of money. As discussed in that video I shared, the community takes care of itself. Then as it grows, money is used for things that aren’t essential. They have a sorta Universal Basic Income, in that, as long as your family is contributing to the village, the village is contributing to you.

The miracle is technically love magic, we see that it is harmed by relationship strife and powered by hugs. So, the “candle holder” must be chosen on the basis of who in this next generation is the best at love, so to speak. Mirabel gets it for her communication skills, compassion, and patience.

This one is pure fun, no basis and only relevant for my fics. Seers in the Madrigal family all get the glowy eye thing, but the color depends on what they can see So Bruno, who sees the future, gets green glowy eyes, but if there is a seer that sees the past, their eyes would be magenta, the opposite of green.

[wardenred]

Flufftober 7: Porch Swing

One of those random freewriting things, except now it's giving me more ideas. Maybe I'll write more about these two sisters reconecting, or maybe I'll use those ideas to rework an old WIP that kind of fell apart... 🤔💭

The porch swing creaks on and on while I cook. I choose to perceive the sound as soothing rather than annoying. In truth, I kind of envy my sister’s energy. I would’ve been dizzy thirty minutes ago, but she just keeps swinging. Sometimes, she slows down, and I start wondering if she’s going to stop after all. Quickly enough, she picks up the pace again.

The kitchen around me is exactly the way Grandma left it, except cleaner. I spent most of the morning getting rid of the dust and old grease spots. The surfaces are clean enough to operate on; if they don’t look like that, it’s only because their age is showing. It would make sense to get rid of some of the useless knick-knacks taking up space: framed embroideries on the walls, chipped vases and candle holders lurking in the cabinets. I don’t have the heart for it. Not yet.

I find myself wondering how much effort it will take to keep the place just as pristine in the long run. Camilla and I haven’t really been under the same roof for a decade, but I remember her uncanny talent for creating messes whenever she went, like a hurricane of misplaced objects and stray sandwich wrappings. People change, of course. Maybe she has, too.

I stomp down the sudden urge to go up to her room and assess its state  in the name of testing this theory. This entire thing will only work if we respect each other’s boundaries.

My hopes for that are slim, but there.

I fill two bowls with hot soup, grip two spoons tight in my fist, and nudge the door with my shoulder. The backyard greets me with a gust of cold breeze. I should have grabbed a hoodie. Oh well.

“Hey,” I call from the worn wooden stairs. There’s moss growing in the cracks, and at least one tiny, weird red-capped mushroom. A line of aunts marches around my sandal. “I’m not going to make you come inside, but you might have worked up an appetite. So.” I hold up one of the bowls, suddenly self-conscious. “Want some?”

Camilla digs her hills hard into the gravel and dust, bringing the swing to a halt. She blinks owlishly at me, and I’m once again caught off guard by the sight of her without her glasses. I got the same feeling every time I pulled up her Instagram account in moments of nostalgia. In person, it’s even stranger.

I wonder how strange she finds me now.

“Um, yeah. Thanks,Nat,” she says after a small delay. Her breathing is heavy, like she’s holding back tears. Probably just exhaustion. “Can I ask you to bring it down here though? I think if I get up, the world will tilt.”

“Sure.” I briefly debate putting my own bowl somewhere while I do that, but there are too many insects in the air. A lizard crawls down the porch railing. A frog croaks from somewhere uncomfortably close, and I swear the chuffing sounds in the tall grass come from a pair of hedgehogs. How is everything here so brimming with wildlife? Grandma’s house stands in the middle of a regular street in a regular small town, not even on the outskirts. Cars are driving past our fence this very instant.

Camilla gingerly takes a bowl from me and balances it between her knees. Good thing I waited until it was steaming hot, not scalding. She frowns at the contents. “Is that chicken soup?”

I shrug. “I didn’t know what to make. This seemed fitting.” Grandma always insisted on making us soup whenever she thought we were sick or upset. The latter definitely applies.

On the back porch, there are two mismatched chairs. I pick the smaller one for a seat and the taller one for a makeshift table, but only after a thorough inspections for any cobwebs, insects, or snails. My arms are covered in goosebumps, even though the wind is settling down. Definitely should have put on a hoodie. How did I even let the weather fool me into wearing a sundress? Have I forgotten how quickly it changes here in autumn once the clock ticks past noon?

“It’s good!” Camilla announces from the swing, and I roll my eyes lightly at the surprise in her voice. She studies her spoon like it has all the answers to the most complicated problems of the universe. “Grandma always used to overcook the noodles.”

“I like to think I’ve improved on her recipe.”

She smiles. “You definitely have.”

Wow. For our first conversation in almost ten years, we’re unironically doing great.

For a while, we both eat in silence. I survey the overgrown flower beds nestled against the fence—more like weed beds at this point. The last time I tried gardening I was still in high school, and I can’t call it a rousing success. I wonder if we can get someone to help us turn this place into something less decrepit. Perhaps some of the neighbors have kids looking for weekend jobs. Not that I’m looking forward to mingling with the locals, but it’s not like I’ll be able to avoid that. Today has already been full of interactions, between the grocery store and the home supplies one and random people approaching me in the street with out-of-the-blue greetings.

“So,” Camilla says eventually. “A year here, before we can sell the property. Seems...” She scrunches up her nose, looking around the yard, as well. “I don’t even know. What was Grandma thinking?”

“Something about family and legacy and embracing the secrets of life, according to her letter,” I reply. A twinge of uncertainty pulls at my mind. “You got one, too, right?”

It’s a relief to see her nod. “Probably a copy of the same one you got.” She drops her spoon and tugs at the single green strand in her otherwise pastel-pink hair. “Well. This is going to be an adjustment.” She hesitates before adding, “I’ll probably want to invite friends over now and then. I’ll start climbing walls otherwise.”

Camilla having friends over never meant anything good for me when we were kids. But people change. I’ve changed. She clearly has, too.

“It’s fine,” I say. “Just as long as you warn me beforehand so I can stay out of the way or whatever.” And as long as you don’t make too bad of a mess, I don’t say. I really have to give her the benefit of a doubt. “Hey, speaking of ‘out of the way,’ do you have any plans for the basement? I was thinking of setting up a studio there.”

“I don’t mind,” she says with a shrug. “Though don’t artists usually need plenty of natural light?”

I laugh. “Yeah, well, with all the trees growing right by the windows, I think I’m better off investing in a bunch of lamps.”

“Makes sense.” 

She gives me a long look I can’t quite decipher, then twists down and around to place her bowl by the swing post. The next thing I know, she’s tugging off her studded suede jacket.

“Here.” She tosses it my way. It lands in a heap over the railing, right on top of a fiendishly big bug that buzzes in indignation. “I’m getting cold just looking at you.”

I could tell her I was going to head inside and find my own clothes anyway.

Sticking around feels like a better idea.

#warden's random scribbles #writeblr #original fiction #flash fiction #flufftober2023 #day 07 #my writing #writers on tumblr #snippet #sisters #siblings #family #on one condition trope

[captainsimagines]

hunting the fates || two

Summary: When the repercussions of giving up your Immortality come back to haunt you, a journey to Hell seems to be the only solution. With the help of your friends, both old and new, you set out on a journey to destroy the three Fates who have messed with your life long enough. There you discover that your power extends further than you ever thought possible, as does the Winter Soldier’s.

Pairing(s): Bucky Barnes x (Fem) POC Enhanced Reader; Sam Wilson x Female Original Character

Trope(s): Fantasy/Mythology/Horror; Soulmates/Mates; Angst/Fluff/Smut; Bisexual! Bucky Barnes; Multiple POV’s

Based on the Song(s): ‘Power’ by Isak Danielson ; ‘Breakfast’ by Dove Cameron ; ‘Darkside’ by Neoni ; ‘Bow - Slowed’ by Reyn Hartley

AO3 Link

Warnings: mention of infertility; strong language; sexual tension; mentions of slavery and curses; inaccurate Greek mythology; slow build-up to more extreme plot (lol)

Word Count: 4,960+

Author’s Note: Slow world building, but it picks up tremendously after this chapter! Don’t worry! Sorry about no Hades this chapter. I miss him too lol xxMoni

~

Sam wandered, and wandered, turned right, and wandered some more.

He wasn’t armed with anything remotely dangerous—when Bucky called he dropped the television remote and sprinted the whole way to the restaurant. The second he threw open the doors, however, he had realized he forgot the shield. And his wings. And a gun.

So Sam made do with what was provided to him in his extravagant suite, taking a hanger from the closet—closets, really—and pulling the metal cord from inside. Bending and twisting it into what Sam would embarrassingly compare to a shank, he now held it firm in his right hand while his left carried a candle in its holder. He immediately regretted asking you for book recommendations from the 19th century all those months ago, because now he can’t stop comparing himself to Jane fucking Eyre.

He just hopes he doesn’t run into Hades’s estranged, tormented wife along the way.

The hallways were decorated with some of the most beautiful artwork Sam had ever seen. Pieces that rivaled the greats, pieces that were from the greats—all in a Renaissance or Baroque style. Which made sense considering the Renaissance era focused heavily on Greek and Roman mythology.

On his fourth right turn, however, Sam stopped to behold a painting that was unlike the others. Not as vibrant, not as large, not as commanding. A simple piece, but one Sam believed was hidden between all the rest on purpose.

The painting depicted a woman with striking red hair that could easily be mistaken for orange, tied back but allowed to run wild. Although her gaze was solemn, it wasn’t entirely pitiful. Something else shined in her eyes, curiosity and patience perhaps. She held a single pomegranate, and with the other hand held her own wrist.

Sam had passed dozens of paintings depicting war, love, and peace. And in all of those, not one depicted Hades’s other half. Where was Persephone? Thor had mentioned that this current Hades had been sitting on the throne for over six hundred years, which meant there was someone before him. But don’t Gods live forever? And if not, is this Hades the offspring of the Hades before him?

A theory clicked: Maybe Persephone has just not been born yet. And since the physical descriptors for each Hades have been spot-on with the dark blue eyes, pale skin, and blue fire, maybe the next Persephone is a red-head.

“I told you the locks were on the inside, Birdling.”

Sam jumped and stumbled backward, the hand holding the shank reaching up to clench at his shirt. “Fuck!”

Elva rolled her eyes but turned to the portrait of Persephone. With her arms crossed, she joked, “There are so many red-heads down here in Hell, and Hades has been through them all.”

Sam rubbed at his chest, huffing gently. “Like…Through them, through them?”

Elva shrugged. “He’s a sexual being. Of course he’s fucked them all.”

Sam grunted, looking at her and down the hallway he supposed she came from. When she reached up to swipe the hair from her face, Sam took note of the chain bracelets. Anger simmered in the pit of his stomach and he found himself asking, “Has he touched you?”

Elva turned to him and snorted. “I would hope not. He is my uncle.”

Sam, ignoring the way his stomach settled way too quickly from her response, lifted an eyebrow. “We’re talking about Greek mythology here. Zeus literally married and fucked his own sister.”

“Yes, well, the Hades I know isn’t as demented.”

Sam continued to stare at the chains. Whether Elva noticed his gaze or not, she didn’t comment. Was she a slave? She acted way too casual around him, around the palace, around Hades himself. He didn’t order her around, nor did he attach a leash between the rings of metal. Besides, slaves weren’t usually given a sword and an opportunity to speak.

“Where were you heading?” Elva asked, following him down the hallway as he continued on.

Sam lifted the candle higher, checking the ceilings for spider-webs or loose demons. Banishing demons from his mind, Sam focused on the spider-web portion of his worries. Would Shortcake’s message get back to Peter? How much time had passed from the portal to now?

At least Sam knows Peter will keep Alpine fed. And when he, Shortcake, and Bucky aren’t home soon, Peter will contact Margot, Berenice, and Thor immediately.

“I was just getting to know my surroundings.”

Elva hummed, unconvinced. “You won’t find an escape route, you know. There are tunnels underneath this palace even I wouldn’t dare map.”

“Good to know.” He didn’t pay her a glance as he spoke. He could feel her beside him, anyway. Her golden hair bounced and her leathers made the barest of noise. It was the sword at her hip that clanged each time the steel locket of the scabbard hit her belt. As if noticing it, Elva placed her hand on the sword’s pommel, holding it still.

“Why aren’t your friends with you?”

Sam turned into another hallway, nearly barreling into Elva as she stepped in front of him. He glanced down at her, noticing her close proximity, meeting her eyes.

Those red, red eyes.

Was she a vampire? She was an Immortal, but her teeth were normal. Plus, she hadn’t tried sinking her teeth into his neck yet. Everything else about her screamed soldier. A woman who took pleasure in wielding that sword, and driving it through flesh.

“You are staring.”

Sam flushed, and cleared his throat. “Sorry. I’ve never met anyone with such interesting eyes.”

Elva gave him a small, downward smile. “A backhanded compliment.”

Sam quickly recovered, “I’ve never met anyone with red eyes.”

“Oh? You’ve never met a Blood Elementalist?”

“Up until a few months ago, I hadn’t realized I met an Earth one.”

“Ah,” Elva sighed. “I guess there’s an explanation. Elementalists of all kinds have gone into hiding more recently. Demons prowl your human lands more often than you think.”

Sam shuddered. “Don’t remind me.” Then, playing it casual by continuing down the hallway, he asked, “What is it that a Blood Elementalist like you can do?”

Elva followed him, her expression one of subdued displeasure. “I have not been able to wield my powers for seven hundred years.”

That made Sam halt his steps. “Seven hundred?”

She raised her wrists.

Sam clenched his jaw tight. Looking across both sides of the hallway, he stepped forward and silently declared, “If I find a way out of here…come with us.”

Elva studied his face slowly, her fiery eyes moving from left to right and downward. Scrunching her eyebrows, Elva asked, “What is it that you’re thinking?”

“That Hades has you trapped here, restraining your power, and forcing you to be his right-hand.”

Elva shook her head, as if his words were intrusive. “Hades is not my captor. His father was.”

“He hasn’t released you—”

“Because he cannot.”

Sam waited, taking the time to study her face as well. Her creamy skin was the slightest bit tanned, her lips were more pink than red, and her neck contained one mole—one brown mole that rightfully disturbed the expanse of clear skin.

“I am the offspring of the current Poseidon and a Blood Elementalist. Therefore, I am his niece. But Hades’s father had not yet been killed, and he is the one who enslaved me for daring to point a sword at him. He did not order the Fates to curse me—they did it themselves.”

Sam rolled it over in his head as quickly as he could. If he didn’t solve the order of those words in the next five seconds with Elva staring directly into his soul, he might never recover.

This current Hades had a father, but he was not the brother of the current Poseidon.

This current Hades is related to the current Poseidon. They’re brothers. Without the same father?

Elva is Poseidon’s daughter. Hades is her uncle.

One more time—

“Did you think I was his slave?”

Sam’s lips thinned as he blushed. “In all honesty, I could have thought worse.”

Elva’s lips twitched in amusement, and her red eyes flashed gold for a quick second. But Sam caught it, and he swore the flecks resembled confetti.

Elva turned, looking over her shoulder as she instructed, “Follow me, Birdling. If you want to know the palace, then the palace shall know you.”

Armed with his makeshift knife and a permanent embarrassed pit in his stomach, Sam did as he was told.

~

     “Oh! He could be exploring the catacombs! Or the Styx—everyone wants to see the Styx! Maybe the Prison of Demons—”

Bucky choked on a breath. “Sam’s an idiot but he’s not that much of an idiot to willingly go there.”

Bucky’s right. Sam wouldn’t stray too far without knowing how to return to his room. And when Bucky calls him an idiot, it’s more a term of endearment than anything else.

But this.

Sam was a complete idiot for this.

“I think we’ll stick with the places closest to his room, Wenrel. Thank you,” you said softly, smiling at the water sprite ahead of you. She had leapt from your shoulder a while ago and has been skipping along the red carpet of the hallway instead, guiding you and Bucky. Bucky made sure to keep his steps in time with yours, especially when Wenrel whipped around once and Bucky nearly stepped on her.

“The library is close by! But Maxwell’s probably down there sulking and he’s no fun when he’s sulking.”

“Sulking over what?” Bucky asked.

“I don’t know this time. He usually tells me everything.”

“You and Maxwell are friends?”

Wenrel nodded, and hopped onto the nearest stair railing. “He’s my bestest friend!” And with that, she slid all the way to the bottom.

“She’s really cute,” Bucky whispered to you as he watched Wenrel flip and land on a table against the wall. But the water sprite proved to have way more advanced hearing than you thought.

“Don’t call me cute!” Wenrel ordered before you even had the chance to respond to Bucky.

Bucky’s cheeks reddened. “Sorry.”

“I know my size is cute and I sound high-pitched, but I was once her size!” She wagged a tiny finger toward you.

“Then…Why are you—”

“Tiny?” Wenrel finished. “It all ties back to those damned Fates! I was a full-sized water nymph, but when I refused Poseidon's advances, he asked the Fates to place a curse on me so no man could ever touch me again!”

“Poseidon?” Bucky stuttered, amazed.

“Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, yes. Before your time, before Maxwell’s, before my Hades even took the throne.”

My Hades.

Wenrel huffed, swiping at her face. Her hand looked as if it touched real skin however, as if she was truly tangible. She ringed her arm back and gathered her floating hair into a ponytail, holding it tight over her shoulder. “I’m going to Maxwell in the library. Maybe Sammy’s there. You’re welcome to follow.”

Wenrel hopped to the floor and ran down the hall, her elvish feet meeting the ground as if on lily pads.

Bucky scrunched his nose. “I think I offended her.”

“I think you did.”

Bucky snorted, wiping his face with his metal hand. “Do you want to follow her?”

You shrugged. “Sam loves libraries, but he loves mystery more.”

“Books contain mystery.”

“Not the kind he can find on his own trail.”

You and Bucky traveled through the palace on light feet, studying your surroundings and joking along the way.

Can’t Hades choose one damn theme?

I think the theme is Gothic-chic. Or medieval.

To very distinct things, Goddess.

And—

The night crew look happy. How many rooms do you think the palace has?

…Thirty.

Wha—? Buckingham Palace has 52 bedrooms alone, James!

It was a rough estimate.

Which led to the conversation you were having now as you pointed out yet another bedroom during the tour. “I think that’s twenty so far. And we haven’t even climbed down a flight of stairs.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes. He had turned the safety back on his gun and was currently twirling it around his metal fingers. “Whatever. You think they’re occupied?”

“Dare you to knock.”

“And come face to face with Apollo himself? You dream, Shortcake.”

You squinted, smiling as you bit down on your bottom lip. “Does Apollo get it going for you?”

“You know what gets me going,” Bucky mumbled, still not meeting your gaze.

Something greedy swooped in your stomach. What in the world was happening? It took you six months to even want to try something serious with Bucky, six months of casual flirting that led nowhere, six months of guilt and shame.

Every time you had thought of Bucky in a certain way, guilt only grew. And not because it was some kind of betrayal to Ari—because it totally wasn’t—but because you still hadn’t found a heartbeat. Neither Sam or Bucky have mentioned it, but Peter has.

The two of you had been watching television together, relaxed in the quiet space, when Peter turned to you with a scrunched forehead and a stunted breath. He listened, listened, and realized.

Sam couldn’t possibly know, but Bucky? Can’t his advanced hearing pick it up?

So whenever these feelings of pure, unadulterated lust came rushing, you felt shameful that it would lead nowhere emotionally. You feel deeply for Bucky. Of course you do. What you felt for Ari was endless, and what you currently feel for Bucky is ethereal.

“I don’t know much,” you commented, scanning your surroundings to avoid looking Bucky in the eye.

“Mm,” Bucky hummed. He stored his gun back into his belt when a group of night servants turned down the hallway. They all gave you kind smiles, some even verbally greeting you. All you could manage was a small wave. Once they were out of earshot, Bucky said, “One night surely isn’t enough to know what I like, is it?”

Even if you had never seen it before, it was obvious the bright light coming from the giant, cracked open doors hinted at the library. Doors from floor to ceiling, heavy and intimidating. They were entirely black except for the elaborate gold art depicting two women, heads bowed and facing each other. You could hear low voices from within, probably Maxwell and Wenrel.

You snorted softly, chuckling afterward. “Your game is a little weak there, James.”

The air is knocked from your lungs when your back hits the wall. Bucky’s metal hand cradled the back of your head, a shield, perhaps the one place he protects now from unconscious instinct.

“Shortcake…Goddess,” Bucky breathed, his lips parting near your neck. Hot air immediately incited goosebumps along your skin. “What do you want me to do?”

“Huh?” Your voice was nearly high-pitched, embarrassing. Bucky Barnes had never shoved you against a wall before. He shoved you into a mattress—but a wall with his thigh between yours, his flesh hand squeezing your waist? This was the tension the two of you should have explored before jumping into bed together. Tension Bucky Barnes had decided he wanted to start now, in Hell, in the middle of a damn hallway.

“What—” He squeezed your waist tighter, lips now hovering dangerously close to where your pulse should be. Gently, he bit down. “Do you want me to do to you?”

The whimper you released was involuntary. Your hips moved on their own accord, making you grind down on the muscle of his thigh. Bucky chuckled deeply and glanced down, watching the way that made you grind again.

“I—” you choked. Bucky licked the area of your neck he bit, then kissed it.

“Don’t think for one minute that I haven’t thought about your legs around my waist again. Or those hands on my body. Or your taste, your noises, your tight, wet—”

“Bucky…”

“Hmm?”

Dragging your hands up his neck, you gripped the hair at the base and pulled him back. Meeting his eyes, you whispered, “I don’t know what I want right now.”

Bucky stilled, a low groan caught in his throat. If you didn’t know any better, you would say Bucky was disappointed. But it’s a groan laced with desire, desire that had been brewing for months, and was no way judgmental.

And before you could explain to Bucky you meant that you didn’t know what you wanted right now, the answer to his question, Bucky extracted himself from you. The loss of his heat almost made you cry out.

“Okay,” Bucky sighed, a smirk on his lovely face. “But Goddess, know this. When you do know, it better include me behind you, in front of a mirror, so you can never unsee it.”

Then he turned, the half bun on his head bouncing with each step.

~

    Maxwell’s eyes were burning. Words upon words flooded his sore vision, their meanings compounded. In fact, he may have forgotten how to form words altogether. These were letters. Pure, meaningless letters.

In his past life, when the threat of death was a mere fact of life itself, he had worked as a printer. Conducting research, drawing, bookkeeping. This type of work was not foreign, but it was time-consuming. It was kind of shitty for Hades to not offer him a different role down here, but Maxwell always had a knack for changing dirt into gold.

As for what he was currently researching… Well, he tried not to let the lack of information discourage him.

Infertility was not a grave issue amongst the Gods. Every book he had opened told him just that, that it wasn’t much of a problem at all. Practically nonexistent.

So that posed the question: How were the Fates able to curse a God with it?

The books didn’t reveal much. Stories about Gods themselves who cursed humans, but not vice versa. Nor did any God curse another God with it. Maxwell would argue, however, that Athena basically cursed Medusa out of disgusting jealousy.

One thing was a repetitive occurrence in his reading. All Gods were tied to life and death—the ability to create life, and the ability to incite death. So Maxwell’s only theory is that your powers already fulfill its use. With a flick of your wrist, you create life. With the same flick, you take it away.

To reverse a curse would be to enlist the expertise of someone who had way more experience with curses than he.

Maxwell raised his eyes from the book in front of him, focusing on the wall as he also strained his ears. His lips twitched in response, and he prepared himself as the footsteps grew closer. He waited, waited—

“Throw it, Darling, and we’ll see what happens when you ruin my eyeliner.”

Wenrel released a loud hmpf as she collected her waterball back within herself. She stomped her little feet across the tables until she came upon his. Sidestepping the books and all his half-eaten pastries, she sat on the only empty plate available.

Maxwell raised his teacup to his mouth as Wenrel complained, “I can’t seem to ever sneak up on you. It isn’t fair.”

“I can hear you splashing from a mile away.”

“Liar.”

He doesn’t tell Wenrel she’ll most likely never sneak up on him, that for some odd reason, he can feel her presence in any room in the palace.

“How does the new skin feel?” she asked, picking at the strawberry tart Maxwell had only bit into once. She popped a few crumbs into her mouth.

Maxwell shrugged. “Fifty years I lived with that shit. Now I can’t remember the feeling at all.”

He won’t miss it. He did not miss the spikes protruding from his skin, skin that was both his and not. Not for one second did he miss it. He doesn’t miss being mistaken for a goblin, or a demon, or a nymph. He doesn’t miss countless lovers avoiding his arms or his shins, his hands and his stomach.

His curse was lifted. Now he vowed to help his Goddess with hers.

“That sounds lovely.”

“It is.” Then with a frown, Maxwell continued, “I haven’t found anything yet, Darling. I’m sorry.”

Ever since Hades assigned him this job, he’s been trying to find a reversal for Wenrel’s curse too. He had met her when she was already this size. He had taken one look at her and sighed, enveloped in her, in whatever she was. They clicked, everything clicked, and they’ve been friends ever since.

Perhaps his only friend.

Wenrel sighed, crossing her legs and leaning back on one elbow. She continued to eat crumbs. “Don’t apologize. I doubt I’ll ever be myself again.”

“I didn’t think I would, and now look at me.”

“You’re the same ol’ Maxwell to me,” she said, smiling. But that smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “So…How’s Titiana?”

Maxwell rolled his eyes at the change in subject. “Not seeing her anymore.”

“Of course you’re not.”

“She went back to her husband.”

Wenrel yelped, finally throwing that waterball at his shoulder. It splashed lightly, droplets wetting his left cheek. “Scoundrel!”

“The one and only.” Another waterball. “Hey—She was the one who cheated!”

“You encouraged it!”

“Darling, if you would have seen the way her mouth wrapped around my—”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll tell Hades you held me over a flame.” He immediately shut his mouth. Wenrel was like a daughter to Hades, and Gods help any man who crossed her. “Good boy.”

Maxwell grumbled, shifting in his chair. She always called him that, and it did things to him. Things that shouldn’t be happening. “Don’t call me that.”

Wenrel scoffed, “Don’t make everything so sexual.”

He brushed off the comment. Instead, he looked down at the book laid open in front of him. He couldn't remember what he was reading before Wenrel interrupted. “I’ll keep looking, Wen. I’ve just added our new resident Goddess’s favor to the list, so.”

“Ah. The infertility curse.”

Maxwell nodded. “Bruce Banner’s medical examination showed no internal damage. The curse is the blockage. Break the curse, break the blockage.”

“Curses. Our most annoying foes,” Wenrel fussed, crossing her arms.

“And you? When we break your curse—” Because there was no if, “Will you miss being like this?”

She looked at him, shaking her head, persistent. “No. I miss when people could touch me. And I them.”

Maxwell flinched as she said it. He always bragged about his exploits, about the amount of skin people allowed him to touch, to lick, to explore. To live without such a touch, such a beautiful shared thing, was quite unimaginable. Sure, Wenrel can touch others—to hang onto them, to hit them, to shoot them with waterballs. But she couldn’t touch them. And yet, Wenrel has been living without it for several hundred years. He’s never asked her if she was intimately touched before. The thought always made him…protective.

He opened his mouth, about to lift the conversation and steer it back to something less serious, when voices interrupted his thoughts. He and Wenrel snapped their necks in opposite directions. Only to find his Goddess and the Winter Soldier entering the library from the entrance, and Sam and Elva entering from the back rooms.

~

    “Are you kidding me, Samuel?” Bucky scolded, extending his arms out in that obvious what the fuck motion. You giggled next to him.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Uh-oh. My full name.”

“You’re damn right I’m using your full name. What the hell were you thinking about leaving your room to wander around alone without backup?”

Elva tilted her head, confused. “He was not alone. I was with him.”

Bucky tried his best to smile at her. “No offense, but you could have killed him.”

You interrupted, gripping Bucky’s shoulder in a silent order to stop talking. “Or you could have stumbled across something dangerous, Sam.”

“All I found were paintings and Elva. And I haven’t even explored every floor of this place yet.”

Bucky nodded, agreeing with Sam’s statement the backhanded way. “Not tonight you won’t.”

“Getting a little up my ass there, Buck.”

“I don’t want to be anywhere near your ass, Sam.”

Maxwell threw his arms in the air, Wenrel now on his left shoulder. She conducted the same motion with her own arms. “Welcome, all! To the Underworld library.”

Bucky fumed quietly, the rage building in his stomach. Sam could have gotten hurt. Whether he found Elva and she proved innocent or not, he could have gotten hurt. The very thing that almost took Sam away from him could have easily found him again tonight. Bucky turned and pointed directly at Maxwell. “And this fucker—“

“Woah! Woah! Okay,” you announced, stepping in the middle of the tiny square everybody had created. “Let’s all calm down.”

“Mr. Let me abandon the humans during dinner with fucking Hades over here!” Bucky continued, ignoring your squinted eyes.

“He told me to get started on research. I skipped on his orders,” Maxwell explained.

You gave Maxwell a small smile.

No. Nope. Maxwell shouldn’t be getting any of your smiles. And the fucker eats them up too, like he can’t get enough of them. “A knock on our doors to apologize and say goodnight would have been appreciated,” you told Maxwell.

Before Bucky could intervene, Maxwell responded, “Didn’t know you wanted me to tuck you in, Mother Earth.”

Wenrel giggled, pulling at Maxwell’s detached earlobe. “She is the Earth’s mother, and you’re flirting with her?”

“Like I haven’t flirted with other Gods and Goddesses before.”

“Trust me, Maxwell. We know,” Elva shot, looking disgusted. “We share a bedroom wall.”

Sam raised a hand, looking up at the massive bookcases that towered over everyone’s heads. Bucky hadn’t had a chance to marvel at the wondrous supply of reading material because of how heated he was, but he could spare a second.

White and black bookcases housing books with spines of all colors, all titles, all sizes. Perhaps a thirty-foot tall room, the ladders attached to the stacks were half of that. Some books were scattered and randomly placed on the desks, as if the librarians only worked at certain hours. Or maybe this was the purpose. The more cluttered a library looked, the more used it seemed to be.

But then that would make searching for certain titles an absolute nightmare.

Sam asked, “Can I get a tour of the library?”

“Can you get it in the morning?” Bucky countered.

“Okay!" you exclaimed, holding your arms up as a signal. “Sam, it’s the first night. James will not let me go to bed unless you follow us out. Maxwell, keep flirting. It helps my ego. James, you know I’ll help you drag him out by the ears, so don’t stress.”

Sam shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Not until Bucky apologizes to Elva for assuming she would outright kill me.”

“Anybody here can outright kill us,” you tried to reason.

“Yet, Elva’s been nothing but kind to us.”

Elva turned to Sam, an angry expression across her blushed face. “I do not need his apology.”

“Fuck shit, you’re getting it. Buck—“

“I’m sorry,” Bucky quickly obliged. Annoyance flashed through his eyes, but his apology was sincere. Bucky didn’t mean to villainize her. Especially since people still look at him and see a cold-blooded killer. “I’m just angry at the bird.”

Elva glared Bucky down, but her expression only lasted so long before Sam conceded to Bucky’s demands.

“I didn’t travel far,” Sam grumbled, bumping both your and Bucky’s shoulder when he passed in between. Without looking back, Sam called out, “I’ll share my location next time!”

“In Hell?” Bucky watched Sam go, shame immediately poisoning his veins. He didn’t mean to treat him like a child. But when either Bucky or Sam scold another, especially one another, it was exactly that.

“He should…he should be scared, no? He was the one ripped apart by a demon. He was the one who blasted in and needed to protect me from the portal. What is going on with him?” Bucky asked you, ignoring Maxwell’s soft goodnight behind him. “Curiosity killed the cat.”

You hummed, and took Bucky’s metal hand as you walked alongside him. “But satisfaction brought him back.”

~

   They weren’t home.

After his comment last night, Peter Parker fully expected the two lovebirds to book a hotel room and go at it. They could have left a note or a text, but it’s whatever.

But Sam? Sam didn’t mention going out last night, nor did he shoot Peter a text telling him to not wait up. Peter had just arrived back to the apartment with a very hungry Alpine clawing at his work boots. After feeding her, he found Sam’s bed still made and Bucky’s room empty. He found nothing in the apartment next door either.

“Sam?” Peter tried again, but it was pointless. He’d hear Sam’s heartbeat if he was anywhere near the apartment at least.

Peter busied himself with mail, breakfast, and TV before finally deciding to call. When Sam’s voicemail greeted him, he tried again. And again. And again. Then he called Margot, Sam’s personal assistant, but she hadn’t heard from him. She promised to track him down, but Peter was only half listening.

Something felt wrong. He could crawl along the side of every hotel building and peek into the windows in hopes of finding the whereabouts of at least two of his friends, but that would scar him for life. Plus, it felt a bit stalkerish.

It hasn’t even been a full day. Probably only twelve hours. Waiting a little bit longer could prove smart. Sam could walk into the apartment right now.

Yeah.

He’ll wait a little bit longer.

~

TAGLIST:  @fandoms-writings @hajmola-vs-aamchaska @natbarnes1917​ @howlermonkey69 @shirukitsune @sentimental-for-maneskin

#Bucky Barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x poc!reader #Bucky Barnes x female reader #hunting the fates #hunting the fates series #sam wilson x original female character #dreaming in june sequel #captainsimagines #by Moni #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes fanfiction

[lottiemilfews]

8, 9, 25, 36, 40 🧡

8. Do you collect anything? If so, what? god where do i start....... i collect feathers, animal skulls (and other bones), dead moths/butterflies (other bugs too but mainly lepidoptera), minerals/rocks/crystals, vintage candle holders, reeeally old books, antique jewelry..... honestly i could probably go on and on ksfhfs i might have a bit of a problem with maximalism (dusting) 9. What sounds or scents calm you down? i prefer silence to calm me down, but soft rain against my window is also nice. for scents i'd also say rain, wet soil, forest - and warm bread or cake and tea

25. Do you have any piercings or tattoos? Are there any that you want? i don't have any and my anxiety successfully prevents me from organising anything so.... in theory id love to have some little vintage scientific illustration style floral and animal tattoos tho

36. What’s an arcade or table game (air hockey, ping pong, etc) that you’re really good at? honestly ive never played any besides ping pong (forcibly at school, i was NOT good at it) and billards (which i was also bad at sjfhsf)

40. answered here

thank you sophie <3

#ask #answered #we also just dont have arcades here jshfsdf idek where id play games like that if i was interested in them