natalia-hargrave

[natalia-hargrave]

She is water: soft enough to offer life, tough enough to drown it away.

Rupi Kaur (via thehopefulquotes)

[natalia-hargrave]

Location: Asteria Art Museum

@finwalker​​

Although some people might think fourth graders were probably too young to appreciate most of the art that the local Asteria museum, Natalia was of the opinion that no one was too young to appreciate art. It didn’t have to be so snobby and uptight like upper crust folks tried to make it. It could be as simple as liking the colors or what was in the painting. There didn’t have to be some grand interpretation behind it all. The principal had her parents to thank for her much more open view on art. They’d raised her and the rest of her siblings to appreciate everything they could from a very young age from music to fine art to nature. And Nat felt a responsibility, as well as a joy, in passing that love and excitement for the world along to her students. She’d come a few days before the field trip to take a few notes on particular places she wanted the teachers and herself to stop with the kids and encourage discussion-about what they liked, how the work made them feel, whatever was on their mind. As the raven haired woman glanced up from her notebook she paused, realizing that she was standing directly in front of the painting and there was someone who seemed to be trying to look at it. Turning slightly to see Fin she offered and apologetic smile. “Sorry, am I in the way? I got distracted.”

[natalia-hargrave]

bryanlevitt​:

WHERE: Fallbrook Elementary School WHO: @natalia-hargrave​

Bryan never really cared for Parent Teacher nights at schools, but knew better than to not show up for his children. His oldest, Millie, was in 5th grade and his youngest, Keaton, was in 3rd. Since being a local and the only pharmacist in town, Bryan knew everybody in the school it seemed. His son was currently leading them towards his classroom when Bryan saw the principal, Natalia. He smiled and gave her a wave, telling Keaton to stop for a moment to talk. “Hello, Ms. Natalia.” He greeted her, keeping her formal name in front of the children. “Looks like the night is going well. How have you been?”

Parent Teacher nights were simultaneously one of Natalia’s favorite and least favorite things about being principal. She loved getting all the parents in the building to get a look at everything their children had been accomplishing and the opportunity to strengthen the staff’s relationships with the parents of their students, improving their community as a school and better setting up the kids to succeed with support. But by that same token, letting parents take such a close look at everything inevitably lead to criticism by a few loud and often obnoxious voices who she then as principal had to placate. Plus, everyone else in the building was watching her, following her lead. So clearly a very low pressure experience. Seeing a friendly face approach gave Nat a second to breathe. “Mr. Levitt, hi.” The raven haired woman smiled, waving to Millie and Keaton who were in tow. “I’m doing well, just keeping the circus running as always. How are all of you? I know Keaton’s excited to show off his water cycle diagram.”

[natalia-hargrave]

“Exactly–see you get it. This is why you’re my sister–you get it.” She nodded, feeling a sense of relief that they could just stay in today. Her fingers tapped along her chin as she pondered Nat’s question. “Mm, maybe painting or–oh we could watch a movie! But nothing scary.”

Natalia smiled, glad to see Rori bounce back into acting more like herself when the relief of not having to go out or leave the house hit her fully. “Well....we could do both? If you want to” The principal suggested with a small shrug, not wanting to impose any specific decisions on her sister. “Why don’t you pick a movie and I’ll go find the paint. Watercolors okay? I think I know where those sets are at least.” She chuckled slightly, now realizing how disorganized all her art supplies actually was around the house. 

[natalia-hargrave]

@sera-shively​

Location: Wildflower Cafe

It had been a drunken whim, and not even the fun kind that involved sex. She’d had a little too much red wine and fallen prey to the influence of the commercials playing during her Law and Order SVU marathon. A simple genetic test to tell her about potential illnesses and conditions to look out for. It made sense in the moment so she’d put in the order and shortly after it was on her doorstep. Nat couldn’t blame actually sending the test in on being tipsy, that honor fell to anxiety getting the best of her. What if there was something that could be wrong? 

And now, four years later, the ghosts had shown up. Well, not actual ghosts. Just a twenty something who had messaged her asking to get coffee because the testing had shown they shared a biological mother. When she was very little, Nat had wondered about her “real” parents. But the Hargrave’s became her real parents and the desire to find the person or people that hadn’t wanted her in their lives dissipated. Even with the genetic testing, the principal hadn’t even peaked at anything besides the health information results. Because it didn’t matter. Her parents were the people who raised her, her siblings were the other children they had taken into their home and adopted like they had Natalia. But apparently the universe felt like it did.

[natalia-hargrave]

The last few months were definitely hard on Dominique, but things were getting better. The winter season was always one that gave her nightmares and then the anniversary of Julien’s death came and she was unable to go to New York, so that added to it all. But things were feeling better now and she actually went on a date with a man she really liked and she was excited about it. And now she was spending time with her sister while wine tasting and she felt a little more normal now. “I am.” She said and smiled as they got their first glass. She wasn’t one to drink often, but here and there was always nice. “So, I have to tell you something.”

Nat was immediately intrigued but tried her best to maintain some form of poker face in response to Dom’s pre-announcement. “Okay...and is this the good kind of something to tell me or the kind of something to tell me where I should be prepared with tissues and/or additional drinks?” She asked, looking across at her sister with hesitant optimism it was the first kind. After everything Dom had been going through, not just recently but for several years, all she wanted was for good things to happen to her sister.

[natalia-hargrave]

aurorajuniperhargrave​:

“Can we please just stay in today Nat? I know I promised I would check out the festival with you but I just have one of those bad feelings in the pit of my stomach you know? The ones that mom used to say were little stomach elves telling us something?” Truth be told Rori just wasn’t ready to participate in anything involving a grand ole town gathering. It brought up memories she hadn’t yet faced.

@natalia-hargrave​

Nat took a deep breath as she looked down at Rori laying across the couch with head resting against her leg. “Of course, we can just stay in. It’s not a big deal. Wouldn’t want to upset the tummy telling elves.” She joked slightly, offering her sister a smile. There were times where Rori needed to be pushed and encouraged and times when she just needed support. This situation was one of the latter. “What do you wanna do instead?”

[natalia-hargrave]

“I thought that you might,” he chuckled softly with her words. There were a few people in his life that had remained his friends since childhood, Natalia being one of them. Her friendship had been one of the first that he really developed outside of school and it had continued through the years. “That never seems to fail, does it. I think you say that all summer. A million things to get done with the school year approaching.” Darius teased her as they continued to watch. “Work has been good, got a few new books getting ready to hit the final stages.” There was no shortage of people wanting to write books. “You got any big plans this summer?”

“Well, that’s what happens when you work with kids. There’s always more to do!” Natalia chuckled. “And it’s not like parenting, it’s a different special kind of chaos.” At least that was always how she’d seen working in education. Especially as someone who had never raised children of her own. “Any of these upcoming titles worth a look in your opinion?” The principal asked, figuring Darius knew her well enough to judge writing in relation to her literary taste. In response to his question, Nat just shrugged “Maybe reading some of these releases at the beach?” She suggested, dancing around giving an actual answer. “What about you?”

[natalia-hargrave]

19. the sun : in general, how optimistic is your muse ? does your muse appreciate the small things in life ?

 While Natalia considers herself to be very realistic and grounded in reality, she prefers to be optimistic when possible until a situation proves otherwise. Her parents raised her to pay attention to the little things and small joys life has to offer. Post high school and pulling her life together her appreciation for the small things has only grown. She actively tries to practice gratitude on a daily basis 

[natalia-hargrave]

20

20.  judgement  :  is your muse forgiving of themselves ? how about of others who wrong them ?

The journey towards self love and forgiveness has not been an easy one for Nat. After her wild teenage years which culminated in addiction and the loss of an unplanned pregnancy the young woman grappled with significant amounts of regret and shame. In rehab, Natalia began to come to terms with her actions and how they had impacted others and herself. She threw herself into service of her community and neighbors which led to her career in education. While guilt mired most of her life for multiple years, with the help of therapy, time to heal, and the forgiveness and love of others Nat has gotten to a good place with forgiving herself and continuing to grow as a person.

As a result of her history, Nat tries to give everyone the benefit of the doubt even those that wrong her. However, if someone wrongs someone she loves she can be far less forgiving and has more difficulty moving past it.

[natalia-hargrave]

a collection of muse headcanon questions inspired by the major arcana of the tarot  /  send the corresponding number(s) for headcanons surrounding the given prompts !

00.  the fool  :  what are your muse’s thoughts on new beginnings ? does it frighten them or  excite them ? 01.  the magician  :  how does your muse feel about fate ? do they believe they can change their own destiny ? 02.  the high priestess  :  how does your muse make decisions ? do they trust their instinct or would they rather trust their heart / their logic ? 03.  the empress  :  does your muse have parental / nurturing figures in their life ? how do they impact them ? 04.  the emperor  :  how much respect does your muse have for authority ? why is this ? 05.  the hierophant  :  what are your muse’s morals / ethics ? do they follow their moral code strictly ? 06.  the lovers  :  how important are relationships to your muse ? do they value having a significant other ? 07.  the chariot  :  how much does your muse care about winning ? are they a sore loser ? 08.  strength  :  how does your muse use their energy ? do they tend to work towards their goals steadily or in bursts ? 09.  the hermit  :  how introspective is your muse ? how often do they self - reflect ? 10.  the wheel of fortune  :  how well / badly does your muse take setbacks on their goals ? 11.  justice  :  does your muse find it easy to be impartial in emotional situations ? 12.  the hanged man  :  how open is your muse to new opportunities ? do they constantly look for them or do they simply take whatever comes their way ? 13.  death  :  is there anything in your muse’s life that they should be letting go of ? 14.  temperance  :  does your muse make plans ? how impulsive are they ? has this gotten them into good / bad situations and how have they dealt with them? 15.  the devil  :  is your muse addicted to any substances ? is there anything that could possibly make them quit ? 16.  the tower  :  what event drastically changed your muse’s life ? do they resent that event or are they glad of it ? 17.  the star  :  what does your muse take inner comfort in knowing ? what guides your muse ? 18.  the moon  :  what does your muse long for ? is it a realistic desire ? 19.  the sun  :  in general, how optimistic is your muse ? does your muse appreciate the small things in life ? 20.  judgement  :  is your muse forgiving of themselves ? how about of others who wrong them ? 21.  the world  :  is there one thing in life that your muse must accomplish ? what will they do when they complete that goal ?

[natalia-hargrave]

@dominiquehargrave​​

Location: Tuscany Taste Winery and Vineyard

It wasn’t hard to tell that Dom had been having a rough go of it recently and if it was glaringly obvious to anyone in the world, it was a sister. So, Natalia had arranged absolutely everything to give Dominique a day free from stress and responsibilities. Aside of course from the responsibility to consume some very delicious win if she so chose. As their first tasting flight arrived, the principal glanced across at her sister to try and get a read on her vibe at the moment. “Ready for a drink?” She asked, offering a smile

[natalia-hargrave]

@dianamoulin​​

Location: Hilltop Cafe

With how busy both their schedules were, it was rare Natalia and Diana had time to meet, let alone outside of school walls. So in some ways the sit down was a nice change of pace. Drinking real coffee instead of using K-cups in one of their conference rooms. But, as always, there was still business to attend to. As the principal settled back into her seat from retrieving their coffee orders, she sighed slightly looking at the mountain of paperwork and folders stacked precariously on the table. “I swear, when the day comes I never have to look at another paper copy of a record again I will be the happiest woman alive. This push for further digitization cannot happen fast enough.”

[natalia-hargrave]

dariusxzuhair​:

starter for @natalia-hargrave​ location: anderson park 

“It’s nice to get out and walk, isn’t it?” He looked down at one of his oldest friends. “I mean normally I just go to the gym to get my exercise but this is actually kind of relaxing.” Darius paused, smiling at her. “And I know I say that every single time we go out on a walk like this but it always surprises me.” He continued to admit to Natalia, for probably the hundredth time in his life. “So, thanks for always getting me to go on these walks, is what I really mean to say.” He shoved his hands back into the pockets of his jacket. “How’ve you been? Being principal still treating you well?”

It was a bit funny how little time Natalia spent in the park considering how close it was. But after getting off of work, it just wasn’t something she thought about as a possible activity to do by herself. So it was good she and Darius were getting to spend some time there today and had been previously. The principal chuckled slightly, waving off his addendum. There was no need for apologies or even self deprecating reminders between the two of them. Not after this many years. “I will always be happy to be your walking buddy. Always.” The dark haired woman smiled glancing over to her friend as they moved. “It’s good. Work is good. Busy. With the end of the year rapidly approaching there’s still a million things to get done. What about you?”

[natalia-hargrave]

Some people from Eris wouldn’t know how to act around someone like Natalia who was successful and poised, but Dakota was painfully himself no matter who was around. Heavy lashes weighed down on his eyes as he lazily looked from Natalia to the potato chip display. “Don’t see much that doesn’t go with a good pie around.” He pointed out and gave her a lazy nod. “Yeah, just tryna decide how many chips is too many chips for a guy who lives alone.” He got his answer as he said it and reached for a couple more bags, holding them between his fingers as he dropped his arm to the side. “If you’re asking for help…” He raised one of the bags of chips to her. “Or.” He pointed at the ice cream in the freezer section at the back, but then cocked his head. “Beer?” His eyes trailed to the Budweisers. She probably wasn’t looking for side salads in a convenience store. 

Nat nodded in agreement with a smile. He wasn’t wrong, the convenience store was full of good options to pair with a pizza. But that was part of the problem. Having too many good choices had the principal feeling a bit indecisive. When it came to the school, to her work, the raven-haired woman was confident and sure of herself in matters of decision-making. But outside of the job she was often more ambivalent. Thankfully this wasn’t a particularly serious choice so the consequences regardless wouldn’t chalk up to much. “Well, as a woman who lives alone my answer is 5 bags of chips. But that’s just me.” Natalia offered in return, eyes lighting up when he pointed out ice cream and mentioned beer. Perhaps she was hungrier than she’d initially thought. “Hmm well, I guess there’s no harm in grabbing both, right? Not like either is likely to go bad overnight.”

[natalia-hargrave]

She took a deep breath and smiled softly at her sister before falling asleep. It was a few hours later when Dominique came to and honestly, she was feeling so much worse. She had chills and felt dizzy. It wad definitely clear she was sick. She wrapped herself up in a blanket before going out into the living room where Natalia was and saw Ivey was gone. “How long was I out?” She asked before she curled up on the couch and looked at her. “I feel like I was hit by a bus.”

After making sure her sister had gotten settled alright, Nat had called their mom and helped Ivey pack a little bag. She gave her niece a big hug before passing her off to Grandma and then sat back down. After about two hours of playing games and reading news article on her phone, her stomach had started to rumble. This lead the principal to the kitchen and she grabbed a plate, knife, and two apples before heading back to the living room. Natalia ate the first one with the skin on and then, just to kill time decided to peel the second. She was in the middle of this when Dom got up and came in. “Hey, just a couple hours. Can I get you anything?” She asked, putting the apple and knife down on the plate and getting up to be ready to help.

[natalia-hargrave]

Aimee chuckled softly even though it was half forced. A part of her didn’t have a single clue how she as going to be able to mutter even an understanding on the topic. She slipped her hands into the straps of the bag, standing up and holding them. “I guess they do.” She gave her a smile, nodding her head. “It’s going well. It was… I really enjoyed seeing everyone during the holidays bond over skating. Who knew it was a bonding activity.”

“I’m sure, it’s definitely among my favorite winter activities with friends and family. Though I’m certainly not the best at it.” Natalia noted with a small shrug. “I hope you got to get out there and enjoy it a little too, after putting in the work for it to happen. That’s always nice too, getting to enjoy the fruits of your labor and see other people enjoy them too.” She left it at that, wanting to make sure she wasn’t talking Aimee’s ear off and preventing her from leaving