#I love using facial sprays with rose water in them

[okayigetitifuckedup]

My Beauty/Skincare/Fragrance favorites, in no particular order:

I guess this is kind of a list of my holy grail products? Do people still say that or am I showing my age? Whatever.

I see a lot of people talk about this stuff, but hardly anyone ever mentions some of my absolute favorites so I wanted to give them what little love I can from Tumblr, haha.

There is going to be a large amount of price difference between these products because price is not the end all, be all of quality. Some lower-priced brands produce products that wow me, specifically in skincare, though I have my high-end vices as well, as you will see. I won't say don't splurge, I would say be particular about what you splurge on. That's the trick. Figure out what you want from the product, then look at what each price point promises. As a general rule, more high-end, or luxury brands have been leaning into a more natural look, so I tend to find myself gravitating to cheaper mascaras, or eyeliners because I like my eye makeup to be a bit heavier. At the same time, most highlighters I use are very expensive, because it is hard to find a cheap highlighter that looks as natural as I prefer.

I will also say that for the skincare portion, I have sensitive, or reactive skin, in combination with minor oiliness in the T-zone, and across my jawline, with very minor dryness on the cheeks. I have tried two-dollar cleansers, and fifty-dollar cleansers, and the lesson I have learned is trial and error is your friend. Don't be afraid to try new products, as the only way to truly know how a product affects your skin is to try it. I recommend looking out for samples, and trial sizes. They are your friend! Anyway, My personal favorites are below the cut.

Cleanser:

La Roche-Posay: Toleriane Purifying Foaming Facial Wash

This cleanser is life-changing for me. One pump of product is enough for my entire face and neck, so the bottle lasts ages, the product is extremely gentle, something that is harder to find when you have sensitive and oily skin. In my experience, I usually have to choose between feeling clean, and not irritating my skin. This is the first one I've found that does both, for me.

Toner:

THAYERS: ROSE PETAL FACIAL MIST

I don't know if this does anything, but it's pretty cheap, feels nice, smells good, and I like it. It has witch hazel in it, so, maybe? But also, it can't hurt, and life is short, you deserve to spray yourself with nice things just because you like it.

All-Over Body Exfoliator:

Frank Body: Express-O Coffee Scrub

This isn't the only product from this brand on the list. I love Frank Body, and honestly, all of their scrubs are top-notch. This one is my favorite, only because I think it's a lot easier to work with, and less mess to clean up when I'm done, but with all the same great benefits of their other products. I would say it's beginner-friendly, I guess, haha. Honorable mention for their illuminator, which does not make my list, but is a fantastic, natural, buildable highlight.

Moisturizer:

Kiehls: Ultra Facial Oil-Free Refillable Moisturizer

This one was a close race, between this one and the Bobbi Brown hydrating moisturizer, but what threw me over the line is that I only ever heard anyone talk about this brand for their other moisturizer, one that I sampled, and found entirely too heavy for my skin, but would do well for someone with a more dry skin type. I wanted to let people with my skin type know that this brand has thought of us as well, and this product is just as good, for our skin! And it's like thirty dollars less than the Bobbi Brown one!

Lip Balm:

Frank Body: Lip Balm

This is another hard one. I have been a lip balm addict since I was a child, and the question then became, do I pick the one I use most often, (The Softlips one I mention below) or the one that is actually my favorite. I chose the better product. RIP to the cherry version that blew this one out of the water. I prefer a petroleum-free lip balm, but mostly due to texture preferences, not for any added benefits. Also, if you aren't a lip balm addict, or looking for something that REALLY softens your lips, you don't NEED this, you can get a much cheaper one, this is the best, but please don't let someone tell you not to buy Vaseline lip balms, they work fine and are cheap as hell. 'Rosy lips' in the mini jar is my preference for that one. Softlips in the pearl tint is also a great brand that no one talks about. It was my mother's favorite, and it became my regular lip balm as I got older. It works, it's cheap, it's pretty, and it's at every dollar store, or Walmart checkout I've ever been in.

Mascara:

Thrive Cosmetics: Liquid Lash™ Extensions Mascara

This one went viral for a little bit, I think, but then fizzled out and everyone went back to better than sex, which is a damn shame because not only is this stuff fantastic, (thickening, lengthening, volumizing, and long-lasting!) but the brand gives to charity for every purchase! Why not buy it!? I've been meaning to look at some of their other products, but haven't had a chance yet. I will say, remove it in the shower. It's easier. Steam helps.

Body Moisturizer:

L' Occitane: Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream

This stuff is high-end and knows it. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly. They have other body moisturizers, including an almond-scented one, but I like this one better, it's gentle, and deeply moisturizing without irritating my reactive skin, and I find that the scent blends with whatever perfume I use nicely.

Daytime Fragrance:

L' Occitane: Néroli & Orchidée Eau De Toilette

I know, I know! We just went over this brand, but I swear, this perfume is so light, floral, and pretty. It isn't overpowering but does make an impact. It's a secret weapon for a first impression, honestly.

Fragrance Notes of orange, mandarin, neroli, lily of the valley, fig milk, and peach, with a base or orchid, iris, and musk.

Nighttime fragrance: BLACK OPIUM EAU DE PARFUM

No one talks about this perfume anymore, and they should. It is approachably sexy, and intriguing. This is a perfect date night perfume and my personal favorite that is currently on the market.

Fragrance notes of: Coffee, pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, and cedar.

Now, a moment of silence for three products I can no longer recommend, but would have made the list if they hadn't been discontinued:

Physicians Formula: Va Va Voom Mascara

If this was still on the market it would be the only mascara I use. It's sultry, it's sexy, it's thick, it's.. it's EVERYTHING I want in a mascara. This stuff is worth its weight in gold to me.

Pacifica: Alight oil-free Foundation

Hands down the best foundation I've ever used. Oil-free, but non-drying, natural finish, has medium-light coverage, is buildable, and feels like nothing on the skin. I've paid more than 50 dollars for foundation before, so believe me when I tell you it brings me no joy to tell you that not only was the best of them like 8 dollars, but it's also gone now. You can still find some shades online at second-hand resellers, but my shade is gone forever. Heartbreaking.

Wet N' Wild: Megacushion Foundation

I know- divisive, especially with oily skin, but this was more of a touchup product than a regular foundation. It would work to help any areas where my foundation begins to sweat off. It's light and compact, and because of how easy it is to apply, I could carry it in my purse. I know there are other cushion foundations, so maybe this trick could work with them as well, but I have yet to try them, so I cannot in good conscience recommend them.

Please please please, like and reblog in you enjoyed, or if you'd like to see more of my useless knowledge on this crap. Also if you have any questions about any of it, I'd be happy to help! My ask box and messages are always open, and I'm happy to make use of my years of wasting money, haha.

[saphlore-blog]

no one asked but here's my skincare routine xx 🌚 (including pictures of all the products !)

i'm a teen with acne-prone slightly sensitive skin that gets oily by the end of the day🧖‍♀️

(i'm 99% sure i'm allergic to salicylic acid bc it didn't help with my breakouts/caused them so i avoid it in my routine❕)

as a makeup remover i use the elf holy hydration makeup melting balm 🚿

& a makeup eraser cloth 🧽

for stubborn waterproof eye makeup i use garnier skin active micellar cleaning water all-in-1 waterproof (aka the blue one) i have a huge bottle of it :)💧

(i want to start using reusable cotton rounds so pls lmk of any good brands !)

i just ran out but if i haven't worn makeup but my pores feel especially clogged i use the burt's bees oil cleanser 🥥 (you do have to double cleanse with a water based cleanser afterwards !)

for a daily water-based facial cleanser i use two different ones

the cerave foaming facial cleanser 🧼 "oil control" on the bottle is no joke ! i don't get oily in the day anymore bc of the niacinamide in this :)

but it can be a little drying/strong so i mix it with the cetaphil gentle skin cleanser 🛁

i use this really cheap & generic silicone face scrubber for my nostrils/chin/sideburn-hairline area 🧽

once a week i use this scrub pixi peel and polish its a mask with physical and chemical exfoliants

it smells like lemon cucumber water🥒 and can also be used for body acne on the chest, back, & arms !!

once a week i use an AHA chemical exfoliant it's elf supertone toner 🌝 it has glycolic acid and is has a little bit of a lemony scent

what i use as a daily toner is thayer's rose-scented witch hazel spray 💌 it calms down any redness i have instantly !

i used to use the cerave daily moisturizing lotion but it was a little oily and it was impossible to apply makeup on 🧘 so now i use it on my hands before doing my facial moisturizer

and for that i use a mix of elf holy hydration gel-yeah moisturizer and elf holy hydration face cream 💦 it's pretty self-explanatory but the former is a clear gel and the latter is a white cream, i adjust the proportions for my moisture needs :) ⛲️

in the winter or if my face feels dry or in need of healing i use clinique moisture surge overnight face mask 🦪

"mask" is a little misleading as you just apply it with your moisturizer like any other lotion 🧴 it's super hydrating, it's a little expensive but i got it as a gift and a little goes a long way ! :)

after a breakout has healed completely i use a little bio oil on top of my moisturizer to fade any dark spots/scars 🐚

after i shower and exfoliate my lips i use this random lip mask from bath and body works that's watermelon scented 🍉 it's thick (a little goes a long way) and yummy

i also use smith's rosebud salve in this tin 🌹 it's like a nice scented vaseline

i don't use it all the time bc it's expensive but i love the mario badescu caffeine eye cream💆it's so good for my sunken dark circles ! but avoid getting it in your eye and keeping it in the bathroom bc it curdles if it gets too hot from shower steam

for active acne spots i use might patch pimple patches 🩹regular for whiteheads and micropoint ones for swollen spots under the skin

those are pretty expensive so for smaller spots i use mario badescu drying lotion overnight 🫧

i'm pretty bad at remembering sunscreen in the morning but i just got the glow recipe dew balm with spf 45 and niacinamide 🌸 i love the glow and the light fruity scent :)

i do want mention that my life-saver game-changer for stopping cystic acne (those painful lumps deep in the skin) and just acne in general has been hormonal birth control pills ! after i started BC for pcos/hormonal reason all of my breakouts decreased significantly🪽

tysm for reading !! 🕊️ xx

[ohsoulymoons]

Confession 0.2

Duncan... being stinky makes sense

Duncan of my version :P

He can't help it , running around everywhere also basically biased on past boyfriends and I be like yummy then gag later on after while 4 days with them.

Sometimes stinky sweat makes my brain want tear you apart and pull out a wedding ring then drag to the church say vows

Musty fog really can be factor to no thoughts just stupid actions

That's why I'm like THAT MAN STINKS AND COURTNEY WOULD RATHER DIED THAN TELLING YOU SHE LOVES HIS MUSTY SWEATY FORM, BLACK ICE AXE SPRAY, AND APOLLO ALUMINUM-FREE DEODORANT FORMULA STICK

A clean Duncan smells like forest pine cones, hints of smoking with fire, red polo cologne known as Polo Red Eau de Toilette, and Axe Phoenix deodorant and vodka with tequila shots somehow

HE SHOWERS BUT AT WHAT CIST EVERYONE SAYS HE DOESN'T!!!

I don't usually sweat everyone gets mad at me after intense workout or 4 hours of labor then I lay down or rest I am sweating like a pig and I'm like ah don't look at me like leaking all the sweat out like nothing

Yes I memorized scents of past lovers, I even memorized their eyes, the way they fell asleep and what they fear most and how wale them up safely from nightmares, and made a mental list of their favorite products to buy them to replace them before they ran out before they notice it.

I used be super hyper focused on being too feminine to scare the gay thoughts away or the mean comments on my body like my version Courtney the need to look perfect always

But

Now I'm mixture of them both lol. I use axe myself lol scares off some they mean men away and I get cute girls to look at me sometimes ❤️ it doesn't help I dress up like them lol homies now out in public with red converse on top.

I hide my hair under my in my black champion snapback and black oversized hoodie usually too with my face mask on sometimes can be confusing experience to people who see me out in the open

Like Courtney will freak out if she thinks she stinky

Based on my personal experience in University I used to have a long routine of 5 days to get ready to even consider going on a date with someone everyday I would brush my teeth three times , twice daily flossing them! A night when I wasn't spending the time with some random guy or person I would have my retainer in at 8:00 with a facial typing away and fixing my papers before they were due in 2 weeks listening to my roommate or letting her explain her essay on the legal system. And as a psychology major and her as the law major or pre-law we actually helped you each other a lot and made sure to find the right etiquette or whatever she needed to make sure she won her fake cases or got the highest grade she could. By university I was c student and burn out hah no more A's and high caliber of life and learn how to calm down and also I realize I wasn't God's gift to man but I could use my ability to copy everyone's energy to use this God complex against others that annoy me often.

Basically: Courtney

5:00am Awake

5:30 am Yoga and pray/fight God again

6:00 to 8:30 am at the gym deadlifting with her best gal

9 long ass shower ritual, goat milk soap bar from Australia, rice water Shampoo and conditioner bar like from kitsch, body scrub lavender of course, then outside of shower routine eye cream for sensitive skin and to lessen dark circles, rose oil like Instituto Espanol Rosa Body Oil then drying herself up putting on Tree Hut’s Vanilla Whipped Body Butter to finally spray once her old rarely used Justin Bieber Someday Eau De Parfum the two sprays of Bath & Body Works A Thousand Wishes Fine Fragrance Mist, shaving/plucking/waxing/ new or fix nails on Thursday to Saturdays, she shaped heart somewhere with purple jewelry of a C

Shower early

Bath rarely afraid of uti her mother told that at a young age she afraid of finding out

Her other rituals usually at night. She carries emergency bags in her thick ass backpack 4 chapsticks 2 unopened different vanilla to mango to cotton candy to pumpkin spice, sewing kit, a mini first aid, 6 water bottles somehow, her lunch, her laptop, spare clothes just incase, and everything else she needs for the day!

[breleora]

My top ten skincare products! I have used all of these and can vouch for them, they’re amazinggg ✨

1. Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask 🌊

This mask is hydrating and has everything you need to get soft, supple skin. I use this when I need a skin refresher. I also love the Overtime mask, which smells incredible and exfoliates without making my skin red.

2. Cetaphil Oil Control Foam Wash ☯️

I use this daily. The soft foam gently washes away and prevents oil buildup, while also cleansing skin without drying out your skin. It has a light smell that doesn’t irritate, but instead makes your skin smell heavenly.

3. Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ⛲️

Hydrating and softening; I wake up with clear, gentle skin that doesn’t feel tight or overworked. I use this when my face is scratchy or dry and this instantly replenishes my hydration.

4. Vaseline Rosy Lip Therapy 🌹

This lip balm comes in a cute mini Vaseline case, perfect for traveling with. This lip balm leaves my lips soft, pink, and shiny without feeling too sticky or heavy.

5. Heritage Rosewater Spray 🥀

Perfect for Gua Sha or spritzing mid-day when you need to smell, look, or feel rejuvenated. Smells like roses, fresh and floral, and leaves your skin moisturized and bright.

6. E.L.F Oil Control Serum 🪷

Another great product for Gua Sha or when your face feels shiny or oily. Comes with a dropper, which makes it easy to use. After washing, my face doesn’t feel over dried or sticky, but fresh and clean.

7. Herbivore Blue Tansy 🪐

This is one of my holy grails of skincare. Smells earthy and fresh, comes in a beautiful glass container, and leaves my skin soft, hydrated, and clear. This truly recharges my skin after work, a face full of makeup, or when my skin feels too dry.

8. Fresh Cream Philosophy Perfume 🌱

Smells heavenly, perfect for layering with sweet, earthy, or floral lotion. This scent stays put for hours and doesn’t overwhelm. The gently sweet and delicate smell is perfect for a cozy, preppy, or elegant aura.

9. Jade or Rose Quartz Gua Sha 🐇

I use this in the morning to wake up my skin and in the night to relax my muscles. After use, my skin is tight and my muscles feel rejuvenated. Alongside serum (see #6) or toner/spray (see #5) your skin will truly glow after a session of Gua Sha. Use warm or hot water before and after to calm skin and clean Gua Sha.

10. Facial Scrubber 🍓

I use my scrubber alongside an exfoliator (see #1, I love the Overtime mask for this) to pull away dead skin and give my skin a clean glow. I recommend a scrubber that is made of silicone and is soft; a good scrubber won’t leave your face feeling irritated or red.

Xoxo, Bre

🍄🌞 Hey you! Wanna collaborate or send me products to review? Shoot me a message to see if we can work together!

[my-darling-boy]

Goodmorning✨ For the past few years I’ve been dressing in a mix of contemporary and vintage fashion. However, the past few weeks I’ve been having trouble feeling comfortable in my Victorian clothing because I feel I don’t fit the “look”. Especially as a teenager with acne, I don’t look like the pictures of people I inspire to look like. It’s been really discouraging and while I know it doesn’t matter how I look, it’s difficult because vintage fashion is all about the appearance. 1/2

“I don’t want to change the way I look, but I don’t want to feel I can’t dress in my favorite outfits because I look different. I was wondering if you ever felt that way and if you’ve had any advice. Love your blog btw, it’s been a great inspiration to me! Thank you for your time and have a lovely day💕🍓”

Hello! This is actually a REALLY good discussion.

I did actually feel this way when I first started dressing in period clothing. My face and body were no strangers to horrible acne breakouts, my hair refused to do certain hairstyles, my height at 5ft/152cm was still quite short compared to the old fashioned average height of around 5’8”, and other little things of the sort made me frustrated about dressing up.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned about people throughout history: their bodies haven’t actually changed.

Unclear by what we might see in photographs or paintings, acne has actually been around FOREVER. Today, it is in the top 3 most common skin conditions a person will experience in their lifetime. Acne is not a new concept; though media might try to pin it up all on poor air quality, modern day chemicals, and unhealthy foods, the truth is, none of those things have invented acne as references to acne in ancient religious text could certainly not be blamed on Little Caesar’s pizza. In fact, we experience around the same rates of acne as people did hundreds of years ago, and that’s coming from eras where people were urged to put strips of meat on their face for a healthy glow and bathe in radioactive substances to achieve the (literal) toxic Aesthetic of being delicately diseased. Sure, while dirt and grease can help induce acne, this still doesn’t account for the causes of hormonal acne or the natural appearance of acne no matter how much water you drink or how often you wash your face.

The people in photographs you may have observed with flawless completions were achieved through incredibly dangerous means. Arsenic, ammonia, lead, mercury, carbonic acid, and other incredibly toxic materials and devices were used to bleach the skin, burn away freckles, practically seal pores shut, and even warp cartilage in the face to achieve the desired Look. In the Victorian era specifically, obviously (white) western euro-centric, the fragile, dreamlike aesthetic one receives in the early stages of dying from a disease running rampant at the time like tuberculosis was heavily romanticised and desired with the slightly pink cheeks and flawless, porcelain skin.

The quality of the photos during the Victorian era, and even in the following Edwardian era, play a part in how we perceive their skin. Cameras often acted as a complete blemish/rash eraser because of how the camera picks up light and shadow. And no matter their gender, people often looked soft and glowing in their portraits, and it’s largely owed to the camera quality itself. For instance, in this photo a photographer took of me and some guys last year with a genuine 1900s Kodak camera, you would never be able to tell of the various pimples, moles, freckles, fine wrinkles, large pores, and other “imperfections” we had on our faces at the time. In the photo, our skin appears completely flawless

People had wild hair that was unable to be tamed! Brushes had close bristles that made hair appear frizzy and hot irons to straighten hair would severely damage hair, even burn it straight off if you weren’t careful! Special (usually toxic or unavailable today) hair products and means were used to achieve the desired hair! There were short men as there were literal whole battalions in WWI for men under 5’3” called Bantam Battalions, and I reenact one myself, the 15th Sherwood Foresters! People, especially the wealthy, would pile so much stuff onto their faces and do themselves up in ways that were not usual for every day Victorian life and purely for the photo! And knowing these things alone, I started to feel much better about myself in period clothing. Like, oh! these people actually did look like me!

Even though we have an extensive library of low quality photos from the Victorian and Edwardian eras combined, think about the range of people and their unique skin, bodies, faces those capture in comparison to the TRILLIONS of images captured YEARLY in modern day with high definition cameras which, as we all know, point out things in our skin we can’t even see in the mirror with our own two eyes.

In history, if it’s not written or photographed, it can seem like it never existed. It’s perfectly normal, and expected, to be a Victorian teen with acne, even if Jane Austen didn’t write about the extensive skin conditions of each character or cameras weren’t getting up close and personal with a person’s face! The truth is, people were VERY diverse throughout history in body, skin, hair, teeth, you name it; the internet, photographers, cameras, and photo subjects themselves just like to paint a different (often staged and biased) picture!

I’ll add: on top of the various dangerous chemicals and restrictive, uncomfortable clothing to appear Flawless, apperances were also sometimes further altered after the photo was taken by the use of painting over plain backgrounds to tighten in waists and appear slimmer. Painters of paintings themselves would often “correct” certain facial and body features at the request of the subject, as well as paint in backgrounds that weren’t actually there. Basically, people were finding ways to photoshop hundreds of years ago before photoshop was even invented!

My advice to feel a little more Historical, as someone who gets told that they look period a lot, is that a lot of what can make you feel more Period Looking can be found in simple changes to clothing and hair, depending on your gender expression. Instead of using modern looking fabrics, switch them out to cotton, linen, wool, or knits. Use button braces instead of clip ones, make things more high waisted. Switch out plastic glasses frames for wire ones, change thick silk ties to thinner and lighter materials. Wear undergarments that make the chest and body mimic postures or looks particular to the era (I don’t mean “look thinner”: corsets weren’t just for cinching in waists but also for posture and other period features, such as Edwardian corsets arching the back and smoothing out the chest. The divided breasts look didn’t come around until about the invention of the bullet bra). Do some research into hairstyles that work with your hair type, and see if there are any hairstyling methods that can be used in a safer or more convenient modern way (i.e. Victorian ammonia hair wash and hot fireplace irons are a no-no. But people brushed their hair with close bristled brushes or toothpick combs, and those are safe!)

TLDR; you look the same as Victorian people! In fact, we all do! It’s how we style and trim our hair or the way we dress and what we dress in that demonstrates the era we’re from, and sometimes it takes a little experimentation in modern day to figure out ways to mimic these styles

Hope this helps love! x

[loveofself-witchcraft]

A Self Love Altar

picture found here

What is a Self Love Altar?

A self love altar is a place that represents your devotion to yourself. It is a physical representation of the love you have for yourself through items that symbolize you. It is a place you can practice self care or create magical workings regarding self love. It is a place to build a better relationship with yourself.

Where Do I Set Up My Altar?

The most important thing is to have a sacred place. This can be in your home, outside, a portable travel container, etc.

If you want to use a space in your home: Choose an area that is able to be free of distractions that would bother you. This can be in a favorite room of your house. It can also be as big of a space as you want. Some good options include a small shelf, the top of a dresser, the countertop in your bathroom, etc.

If you want to use an outdoor space: You can use a small space in your backyard. You can decorate this space to make it special to you: fairy lights, planting a garden with corresponding herbs like rose or lavender, sigils carved into a fence or nearby tree. A porch or patio can also work. You can get potted plants and paint sigils on the bottoms of them. If you plan to travel a bit farther, like to a nearby lake or a favorite spot in a forest, read about the travel altar below.

If you want to use a travel altar: You can use any container to pack your items. A basket or a tote bag with pockets for optimal organization are good options to carry a lot at once. A smaller and more discrete option would be a mint container. You could easily throw this into a bag or pocket to take with you on your travels. Bonus: because it is so discrete, it's a great option for those in the broom closet.

What Do I Include On My Altar?

Note that all of the items listed below are optional. Pick and choose what you want to include and what works for you and your practice. Some of these items can be found at your local dollar tree, 99¢ store, 5 below, etc. Others can be found on amazon, at your local metaphysical shop, or an etsy store. Find or diy what you can and want.

A mirror. You can use this to reflect where you are on your journey to self love in this current moment.

A picture of yourself during a happy moment. This serves as a reminder to yourself that good times have happened and are bound to come again.

A personal journal. You can use this journal for shadow work, writing down spells, writing diary entries, keeping a gratitude log, etc. I personally use mine to write letters to my past and future selves. I practice forgiveness and understanding when writing to my past self. I also use it to vent when writing to my future self. It's nice to go back and look at these letters and see how things worked out or unfolded and to remind myself that the universe has my back.

Magical workings. If you have a current spell that you are working on that centers around self love, keep it on your altar. I have a couple of spell jars on my blog, such as this self love one.

Divination items. You can use these to help you cue yourself into what you need most in life.

Candles or incense in a scent that corresponds to a specific intention that you have (i.e., rose for self love). You may wish to light this before beginning any working or journaling.

Crystals that correspond to your intention (i.e., citrine for increased happiness). These can be good to meditate with, use as worry stones, or charge the altar space.

Makeup and/or perfume. This can be good for glamour magic.

Self care items, such as things for facials or mani pedis. These items are good to take care of yourself. You can pamper yourself as a reminder that you deserve to have time to yourself.

An Important Note: Before Setting Up Your Altar

Be sure to cleanse the area of any negative energies. Wipe down any surfaces with a cleansing spray or charged oil. You can also use incense smoke. Charge the space with crystals, rose water, infused moon water, etc.

How Do I Use My Altar?

Feel free to use your altar the way you want to. Below are just some helpful tips that I typically do. Feel free to change anything or to follow them as you please.

Light your candles or incense. If you cannot use fire, opt to use digital candles on apps or youtube.

Write in your journal with whichever purpose you chose to use it for (shadow work, gratitude, letters, diary entries, etc.).

Think about what you wrote. How does it impact your daily life? If it is something negative, how do you want to grow from it? If it is something positive, how do you want to continue to manifest it?

Meditate on these thoughts. Imagine the good in your life and the goals you have manifesting. Imagine the negativity in your life being banished and leaving you for good.

If you practice divination, use any divination items you would like.

Decide on an affirmation or mantra for your day or week, depending on how often you want to change it. I like to use my altar once a week or more if I can. Each time I feel drawn to my altar, I like to manifest self love for the next couple of days with a newly chosen mantra.

Additional Resources

All About Shadow Work: a beginner's guide / a small list of prompts

All About Glamour Magic: a brief explanation / a couple example spells

[babyboy-cody]

unrequited (PART THREE)

PAIRING: Michael/Fem!Reader, Roman/Fem!Reader

SUMMARY: When Michael leaves for a business meeting, Y/N finds comfort in Roman’s presence.

WARNINGS: michael being an absolutel dick, roman being an absolute sweetheart, subtle flirting, bad thoughts, brief anxiety attack

WORD COUNT: 1.7k

“What do you mean you’re leaving? It’s our anniversary this week, Michael. You expect me to celebrate alone?” You weakly protested as he hurriedly packed his bags without sparing you a glance. “I made plans for us..”

“I don’t know what you want me to do, Y/N. This is a very important business trip and I need to leave in ten minutes. I’m not going to coddle you and have you change my mind, sweetheart. It’s not that big a deal,” he huffs and rolls his eyes. “Where the hell did you put my ties?”

You sighed softly and went into the walk-in closet that had Michael’s clothes on one side and yours on the other. You reached into a box and opened the lid to show him the neatly folded ties. “They’re where they’ve always been, Michael,” you quietly told him. You crossed your arms over your stomach as a defense mechanism when he stalked closer to look inside the box. He never once laid a hand on you or Aurora, but just his presence makes you uneasy. You had never felt this way before until now when he stood a few inches away from you.

“You know I hate when you touch my shit, Y/N,” he snapped and grabbed more of his things and went back out to the bedroom to continue packing. “From now on, leave my things alone. Got it?” He stared you down, nearly burning a hole into your soul when you meekly nodded.

Almost on cue, Aurora started whimpering in the little monitor you kept on the dresser. You breathed out a sigh of relief and hurried out into the hall, walking down a few doors away and into the little angel’s room. She’s holding onto the bars of her crib, bouncing happily when she sees you. You cooed gently and picked her up, cradling her in your arms as you breathe in that baby scent.

“Hello, my love,” you gently told her and kissed her cheeks, relishing her quiet giggles as she grips onto your necklace. “Did you have a good rest, hm? Mama’s got some new fruits waiting for you.”

“I’m leaving,” you hear Michael’s voice from behind you, causing you to gasp and hold onto Aurora tightly as you turn to look at the emotionless man. “I’ll.. walk you out then.”

You both walked down the long spiral staircase while Aurora babbled incoherently, mumbling “mama” every now and then. You hushed her softly and kissed her head, loving the smell of the faint shampoo you used on her this morning. Michael opened the front door and sat his suitcases on the top step.

“I should be home on the 23rd. I expect everything to be the way I left it. Do not go into my office. I will find out, okay?” He stared at you with such intimidation that it made you feel uneasy. You hesitatingly nodded and leaned up to give his lips a kiss, but he subtly turned his head so your lips would kiss his cheek. You felt a pang in your heart and sucked in a shaky breath. Michael’s motion almost felt like a punch in your gut.

“Let me know when you land,” you softly told him and took back into your home, not looking at him as you hold onto the knob. “I love you, Michael.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Y/N,” he tells you before picking up his suitcases and walking down the steps to the car waiting for him outside the gate.

You swallowed down a whimper as your eyes instantly filled with tears. Aurora whined quietly and looked up at you with a distressed look at the sight of seeing her mother so distraught and sad. You sniffled and shut the door gently, making sure it was locked before you pressed your back against it and finally letting the dam break. You’re not sure why it hurt so much after being so used to Michael’s actions. But not heating those words you so desperately needed from him was like a stab to your heart.

“Why?” You blubbered and shook your head at yourself. “W-Why?”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

It was almost midnight when you had put Aurora down for her sleep. You watched her for a few moments, not having the heart to leave her just yet. She was the only good thing out of your marriage. She keeps you busy - keeps you on your toes. With her rosy cheeks and soft eyelashes, you’re almost glad that she looks like a mini vision of yourself rather than Michael. With one last brush of your fingers on her stomach, you left the room with the baby monitor in your hand. Now, you were left in a house of silence.

You can hear your heart thumping loudly in your ears as you shallowly breathed in and out. You shakily walked down the steps while grasping tightly onto the banister. You went into the kitchen, your vision blurry from the overflowing of tears filling your eyes. You grasped onto the counter and slow sunk down to your knees, desperately pressing your back onto the cupboards behind you. There was a faint ringing in your ear and your hands trembled so viciously that it was hard for you to grasp onto your knees to keep you grounded.

“No, no, no, no,” you whispered to yourself and covered your ears as you rocked back and forth. Your fingers gripped onto your strands of hair. The burning pain of your roots being pulled was enough ot bring you back to a sense of calmness. You hiccuped and struggled to take in a steady breath. You counted to ten in your head and finally became aware of your senses. Five things you can see, four things you can physically feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, one thing you can taste.

Five things you can see - the smoky maroon cuboards, the freshly watered plants on the windowsill, the hanging kitchen lights, your bright red painted toenails, and the little pile of notes on the counter.

Four things you can physically feel - the cold tiled floor under your thighs, your hair tickling your shoulders, your fingers interlocked with each other, and a small tear rolling down your flushed cheek.

Three things you can hear - the kitchen clock quietly ticking, Aurora’s soft snores on the baby monitor, and the neighbor’s dog faintly barking across the street.

Two things you can smell - your rose water facial spray and the cleaning spray you used to wipe down the counters.

One thing you can taste - your strawberry lip balm.

Your frantic heartbeat steadied and you were able to breath again. Your rest your head back and breathed in through your nose and out through your mouth a few times. The tears have now dried and your hands were no longer shaky. Aurora’s snores still sounded on the monitor and you had a small smile as you imagiend her lips to be parted with a small dribble of spit on them. But then, that feeling of loneliness soon hit harder than before. You stood up with a small groan, an ache in your joints after sitting on the hard ground for a few minutes. You opened the drawer next to the fridge that held notepads, pens, tape, scissors, takeout menus, and written notes. Rifling deeper and further inside, you pulled out the familiar napkin that Roman had written his number on a few weeks ago.

You looked around the kitchen to find your phone, letting out a small noise of triumphwhen you spotted it amongst the numerous books you laid out. You nervously bit your lip and played with the locket around your neck. After dialing the numbers, you listened as it rung. You felt the nerves again in the pit of your stomach. You swallowed and was about to hang up when you heard his voice.

“Hello?” He asked on the other line.

“Um, is this Roman Godfrey?” You softly asked him.

“Who’s speaking?” He sternly asked, now more alert than before. “How did you get this number?”

Completely caught off guard, you choked up a response. “Um.. this is Y/N.. from the coffee shop? We met a few weeks ago, I’m so sorry for calling you this late.”

“Oh!” He eased up again, and you can almost hear his smile through the phone. “I apologize, Y/N. I’ve been receiving a lot of spam calls and it’s been driving me nuts.”

“It’s alright,” you laughed smile. “Again, I’m sorry for calling you so late. I just.. had nothing better do to and you popped into my head.”

“Oh yeah? You been thinking about me?” He cheekily asked you, causing you to snort and roll your eyes as you felt a blush creep up on your cheeks. “I had nothing better to do either. I’m trying to find a good show to binge watch on Netflix.”

“Oh really? I have a few suggestions if you’d like?” You told him excitedly and grabbed the baby monitor before hurrying over to your comfy couch, grabbing the remote and immediately turning the tv on. “I think you’ll my wide variety of movies and shows.”

“Oh yewh? We’ll see about that,” Roman laughs quietly, smiling wide in the other line when he hears your laugh. “I like that laugh... hehehehe.”

“Oh God, please do not imitate that Justin Bieber meme,” you covered your mouth to hide your laugh. “You’re really funny, Roman. I never thought of you to be a man of humor.”

“I am incredibly insulted,” he gasped mock offended. “What kind of man did you think I was, hm?”

You shrugged to yourself, remembering that he couldn’t see you. “I don’t know.. a man of serious business.”

“A man of serious business,” he repeats softly. “Well if by serious business, you mean making you laugh and smile, then yes, I am a man of serious business.”

“Oh hush, Godfrey,” you sucked your teeth and blushed. “But thank you. I haven’t laughed like this in.. a while. It feels good.”

“I’m glad,” he quietly told you. “They say laughter is the best medicine.”

“I heard,” you laughed quietly and looked at the red Netflix logo on the television. “Okay, now the Netflix recommendations.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

TAG LIST: Let me know if you’d like to be added or removed <3

@lathraios @heda-mikaelson @queencocoakimmie @hecohansen31 @masterlaluri @bluebirdbts @kaetastic @midrunner3202 @henrysqueen @duncvns

[pinkpatiencecreepers]

Izzy Stradlin & Johnny Thunders: An essay in the making lol

Okay, time for the conspiracy theories over here. Nah, just kidding but let's talk about the connections between Izzy Stradlin and Johnny Thunders. Here's my take:

I'm currently reading "Too Much Too Soon", the authorized biography of the New York Dolls by British journalist Nina Antonia, who was also close friends with Johnny. The thing is that I can't help but find a lot of similarities between Izzy and Johnny (of course, taking into consideration how much of an influence was Thunders in Izzy's life, not only on a musical level).

So, let's start analyzing some facts about Johnny's life and observations from the people who knew him. First, he didn't grow up with his dad, since the latter split when Johnny was just a baby and he was raised by his mom and his older sister. 

From an early age, he developed an interest in fashion, rock music, and especially, in Keith Richards. So much, that he dyed his hair jet black and asked his sister to cut his hair in the same style as Keith’s. During his teenage years, Johnny made a reputation as a regular on the NY music scene of the late 60s and was praised for his unique appearance. He didn’t look like any of his peers and people often wondered where he got such rare and incredibly interesting pieces of clothing since they couldn’t be found at any of the local thrift shops. Turns out, he bought his clothes at the women’s department and customized them with the help of his mom and sister. 

In terms of his personality, people described him as a quiet, shy, and reserved guy, except when he was on stage and you could see him jumping around and living his best life. Also, he started dabbling in drugs pretty much since puberty, beginning with pot, and then experimenting with LSD, quaaludes, coke, meth, etc., until getting to the ultimate killer: heroin. 

Also, alongside with frontman of the NYD, David Johansen, Johnny was responsible for writing the most important songs of the band, as well as being praised as a songrwriter. Same as Keith Richards, he was keen on simple and precise compositions and focused mostly on bluesy sounds and nods to old school rock n’ roll with heavy influences from the greats Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc.

.....

Got all that? Okay, now let’s go with our Indiana boy.

At this point we have pretty much nailed down Izzy’s background and biography, right? We know that he was raised by his mom and his grandma Elizabeth back there in Lafayette. He has two younger brothers, Kevin and Joe. His dad split and left for Florida where he remarried and had two other kids. 

Same thing, from a very early age he became interested in music, mainly thanks to his grandma, who was a drummer on a local jazz band. He was also greatly impacted by Don Kirschner’s tv show where lots of the most important musical acts from the 70s made appearances. He definitely saw the Dolls there and they became one of his favorites.

We still don’t know many details about his life as a teenager in boring Lafayette, except the little that he, Axl, or other close sources have shared. Izzy started smoking cigarettes and pot, firecrackers, and the usual soft drugs that all of us have taken during high school years at one time or another. We know that he liked skating, playing drums, and drawing, among other stuff.

Things start to get interesting when he gets to Los Angeles. Being Keith & Johnny MAJOR influences on him, he dyed his hair jet black and styled it the same way as Johnny in the early 70s. Long, straight, and looking like raven feathers. So, if you are a hardcore fan of the NYD and one afternoon you casually bump into Izzy down the Sunset Blvd in 1980, you’d highly lose your shit and think you’re seeing Johhny Thunders himself in front of you.

Also, like Johnny, Izzy didn’t start playing guitar. He was a drummer, then a bass player, and finally a guitarist. The difference in Johnny’s case is that he first played bass and then switched to guitar.

Now, concerning clothing, Izzy also brought attention for his curious looks, being one of the first people in Hollywood to wear creepers (according to Hollywood Rose founder and close friends with Izzy, Chris Weber). Same thing happened in New York to Johnny when he decided to subvert the local style by wearing chunky shoes and platforms. Not saying that he was the creator of the look (neither was Izzy), but they certainly inspired some people to do the same and express themselves through fashion. Izzy also used to customize his clothes, DIY some of them, make jewelry, thrift flips, etc.

On top of that, as a little tribute to his idol Johnny, Izzy embraced the color pink by wearing it in jackets that he spray-painted, socks, shirts, etc. Mix that with his ivory skin, dark hair, and facial features and you have another Mr. Thunders right there (And they DO look like they’re related... as well as Keith, Ronnie Wood, Sami Yaffa, Nasty Suicide, Tracii Guns, etc. On the fandom we call that breed of rockstar: “Emo Rat Boy” lol).

Another thing is that Izzy’s drug of choice was smack and as it also eventually happened to Johnny, it made him all doom and gloom, moody, and vanished the once happy and joyous spirit, both on stage and in real life. 

Even in the dynamic between Axl and Izzy, you can see the same chemistry and looks of Johnny and David Johansen back in the day. Even the essence of the New York Dolls as a whole is visible during the formation days of GNR. Just look at Arthur Kane and Duff McKagan, and this is just a little example.

To finish this, around 1990-1991, Izzy is seen playing the same guitar model that Johnny is most known for, Gibson Les Paul Junior in yellow. And in the late 90s-early 2000s (I’m not exactly sure when) he made a cover of “Do You Love Me?”, really, but really inspired by Thunders. 

And that’s all, folks. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK.

PLEASE LIKE AND REBLOG IF YOU ENJOYED IT!

UPDATE: @roger-taylors-car please illustrate this with pictures. I can’t do it because my internet connection is SHIT. Thanks and excuse my French. Much love!!!

[judediangelo75]

Style Witch: Judith Harris

Inspired by the ask from @kc-needs-coffee to @that-scouse-wizard​  

Here’s a little story to go with this as well.

MC Friends: David Willows ( @that-scouse-wizard​ ), Katriona  Cassiopeia ( @kc-needs-coffee​ ), and Lizzie Jameson ( @lifeofkaze​ )

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

David was taking a small kip on the couch in the Hufflepuff Common Room when he was rudely awaken by the loud slam of a door. 

Slightly dazed and annoyed, he sat up to see the fuming little figure of his best mate, Judith.

“Where’s the fire, Little Tigress,” he yawned. The young witch paused upon hearing her dear friend’s voice. The fire that burned in those pale gold eyes dimmed when she looked at her friend’s sleepy face.

“Sorry, David. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said softly. David stretched a bit.

“Don’t worry about it. Something’s bothering you, what’s wrong?” Judith crossed her arms with a huff.

“That bloody style wizard,” she grumbled. David arched a brow, waiting for her to continue. 

“He had the nerve to talk about my outfit today, saying it’s burning his eyes,” she supplied. David studied his friend from head to toe.

Her brown black hair was in twists, partially hidden under a dark blue bandanna. Her usually gold accessories were clipped onto her ears. Her face was make up free. A blue and white V-neck shirt, light gray 3/4 camo pants and white Converses clothed her body.

David didn’t see anything wrong with her look. He always thought she looked nice regardless.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” he mumbled. Judith walked over and sat on the couch next to him, angrily pouting.

“My point exactly. I told him that’s rich coming from a person who tried dressed me as someone’s mother for the Valentine’s Day Ball.” David snickered. 

David remembered that day clear as day. It was hard not to, seeing how peeved Judith looked when she was looking in the mirror. 

‘You lost ya damn mind if you think I’m going to the Ball like this, Egwu. I look like a mother whose in her mid thirties, demanding to speak to your manager to file a compliant.’

 David laughed to the point his sides hurt and he had tears in his eyes. 

“You’re not wrong, that pixie cut definitively wasn’t your style, Little Tigress,” David chuckled. He got a glare for the nickname but he knew there was no real hostility towards him.

“It sure as hell wasn’t. Andre had the nerve to look like I told him Pride of Portee was the worst team in the league. Then he said ‘I’d like you see you do better. Everyone knows I’m the Style Wizard around here.’ Damn title went to his head a little bit,” she grumbled. 

David looked at her curiously. One of the things he knew about his Little Tigress was being told that she couldn’t compare to someone else.

“Well, why don’t you show him? I’ll even let you use me as your little art project,” he offered. Judith gave her a glance.

“Are you sure,” she asked, slightly hesitant. She never styled another person before...

David offered her a smile.

“Positive.” Judith returned it with a shy one.

“Okay...”

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

David sat in her dorm room as Judith was taking notes.

She asked questions in regards to his shirt size, preferred jacket size, pant size, and shoe size.

“What’s a look you want to try again,” she finally asked, twirling the quill in her hand. David looked thoughtful for a moment before saying,

“I admit, I did like the Valentine’s Day look from last year. Ya know, the punk look?” Something shined in those pale gold eyes.

“Gotcha... I think I can work with that...”

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

Few days later, David was called back into Judith’s room. He spied the shopping bags that sat on her bed. He rose a brow at them.

“So I’m assuming you got something.” Judith looked up at him with a shy smile.

“Yeah... but I want it to be a surprise. So you’re gonna have to close your eyes. David shrugged.

“First off, hair,” she said. She pointed to her vanity, a chair already waiting for him.

“Sit.” Doing what he was told, he sat and allowed his friend to style his hair. His face would occasionally scrunch up when he felt the water from her spray bottle hit his face but relaxed at the feel of her fingers massage his scalp. 

After some fluffing, combing and adding gel, Judith step back to admire her handiwork.

“Perfect, now stay still. I’m gonna add a bit of color.” David nodded as Judith fetched her wand.

“Colovaria!” David felt the faint traces of magic dance over him before it fading. Judith was dancing on the balls of her feet, the biggest smile on her face. 

“I’m guessing it looks good,” he asked, ready to turn around to face her mirror. Only for Judith to take ahold of his face.

“No looking! I’m just about done... just need a few more things...” Judith grabbed something from her vanity. 

“Close your eyes,” she said. Doing so, David could feel something cold being stuck onto the skin near his right brow and right ear. 

“Open.” David’s eyes fluttered open, to find Judith’s smile. 

“It’s slowly coming together... but there’s one more thing. You’re okay with facial hair, are you?” David blinked.

“I, uh, never thought about it...” Judith giggled.

“Don’t worry, it’s only gonna be a little. I can’t see you with a full grown beard.” They both shared a laugh at that, and Judith casted another spell on her fellow Hufflepuff. David could feel the hair solely grow on his chin. 

He rubbed it, feeling the new addition of Judith’s look on his face. 

“Wow, you look older. But in a good way. Huh,” she said thoughtfully. David chuckled.

“So, are you done with my face?” Judith laughed and nodded. 

“Now clothes, but remember keep your eyes closed. I’ll hand you the clothes one by one and you can change behind the screen over there. Got it?” David gave her a mock salute.

“Yes ma’am.” The young witch rolled her eyes. 

“Hush and hurry up and strip,” she demanded, shoving him behind screen. Making quick work of his running shoes, jeans and gray V-neck, David shouted that he was done.

“Remember-”

“Yes, eyes closed, I heard ya the first time, Little Tigress,” he sassed, closing his eyes yet again. He heard her annoyed grumble as she placed each article of clothing into his outstretched hand.

He could feel the rips in the pants she gave him and the leather texture of the jacket as well. He felt more and more excited to see what he looked like.

“Step out, I’ll help you put on the shoes,” Judith said. Doing so, he could hear Judith clap rapidly.

“Holy shit! You look great David! Oooohhh, I can’t wait for you see,” she cheered, grabbing his hand to lead him to her bed. David sat down and felt Judith slip on a pair of boots to his feet. They feel a bit heavy but not in a bad way...

“And done! Come, I’ll lead you to the mirror.” Following his little friend, he heard a door opening and Judith saying,

“Okay... you can look now...” 

Brown eyes opened to stare at his reflection only to widen in surprise. He stepped closer to the mirror to take a closer look at his reflection. 

His normally neat hair was now a styled mess, red dye blending into his brown hair, flaring at the tips. Two shiny piercings sat near his brow and a bigger one of his ear. The little bit of facial hair did age him well.

His outfit consisted of a plain white T-shirt, a red leather jacket, black fingerless gloves with a red wristband, black acid washed ripped jeans and black combat boots. He turned his gaze to a suddenly shy Judith.

“Well,” she asked, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. She let out a squeal when she pulled off the ground and into a tight hug.

“I look badass! Thank you so much, Little Tigress,” David cheered, nuzzling her hair. Judith blushed and giggled.

“There’s one more thing, Hound...” David perked up at this, setting her down so she can retrieve it. 

Judith went over to the bags on her bed to pull out a black box the size of her hand before returning to David. Handing the box over to him, Judith bit her lip anxiously to watch her expression as he opened it.

David’s eyes widen before softening. In the box was a silver necklace. On the chain was a ram’s head, a aquamarine gem replacing its eye.

“It’s beautiful, Little Tigress,” he mumbled. Judith smiled softly at her tall friend before taking it out and putting it around his neck. Judith stepped back to admire her work.

“There, you look great...” David glanced at the mirror. The necklace definitely a nice finishing touch to his new look.

“Thanks Judith... why don’t we pay our resident Style Wizard a visit?”

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

Andre was in the Courtyard, talking to Talbott. 

“Then she said I made her look like someone’s 30 year old mother, can you believe that,” he ranted to his fellow Ravenclaw, who in turn snorted.

“Considering that she’s my girlfriend and have come backs for days, yes,” Talbott shrugged. Andre pinched the bridge of his nose.

Maybe ranting to Judith’s boyfriend wasn’t his most brightest idea...

“I’d love to see her try to do better,” he grumbled. Talbott’s red eyes trailed off him for a brief moment only to widen slightly at something behind him.

“Apparently she accepted that challenge. And it’s fair to say you lost, mate.” Andre let out a nose of confusion before turning around to see what Talbott was talking about.

Only to stiffen with wide eyes.

Approaching the two Ravenclaws was David and Judith. However, the attention was focused on David.

...At least they were pretty sure that was David.

“Cheers, Tal. Andre,” the guy greeted them as he stood before them. 

Yup, that’s definitely David Willows.

“Wha-?! How-?! Who-?!” Andre spluttered over his words as he took in David’s new look. 

“What do you think of my new look Judith created for me? Pretty badass, right,” David smirked. He glanced at his best mate to find her sharing a similar smirk on her face as they stared at the dumbfounded Style Wizard.

“Yeah, Andre? Pretty cool, right,” Judith teased. Andre shut his mouth and stared at the two Hufflepuffs with an unamused glare.

Damn it, he forgot how often they loved to push his buttons.

Talbott chuckled and walked up to his little bird to hold her hand. 

“Impressive work, little bird. If it wasn’t for the impish look in David’s eyes, I wouldn’t have recognized him,” he said, placing a quick peck on her cheek. Judith beamed up at him with a small blush on her cheeks.

“Thanks, Talbott...” Andre let out a cough, bringing attention to himself.

“I guess I know when I’m beat. Nice work, Judith,” he mumbled. Judith and David snickered at his sulking form.

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

Andre was at the pre-game party, sipping his Butterbeer when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.

“Cheers, Andre!” He turned to greet David only to pause when he took in his outfit. 

A plain black T-shirt, a custom made letterman jacket, white and yellow track pants and tri-petal running shoes clothes the Hufflepuff Beater. 

“Wha...” David smirked.

“You like? Judith made this for me to wear at pre-game parties. Check out the back,” he said, turning around to show the Ravenclaw Quidditch player. The word ‘HOUND’ flashed at Andre before David spun back around. 

Andre narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah... pretty cool...” 

“Daaaaavvvvvviiiiiiddddddddd....” The two wizards turned to find the short figures of KC and Lizzie approaching them.

“Where is she?! I want to place a custom order of that jacket. I’ll even pay,” KC pouted. David chuckled.

“Sorry KC, Judith decided she didn’t want to show up this time,” he apologized. Lizzie groaned.

“David, you lucky bloke! You have a best mate to designs stuff for you. No fair...”

“You know you guys could ask me to make something you,” Andre quipped. Lizzie and KC looked at each other before looking at Andre.

“Did you think to make a letterman jacket before David showed up in his,” KC asked with an arched brow.

“No, but-”

“Okay, case closed,” Lizzie said. David laughed at Andre’s disgruntled expression as the girls fawned over his jacket.

[slasherwife]

How about a fic where Jason's darling loses her memory :0

omg noooo the angst! 😭poor jason 😂 here u go! 💕💕💕

“Where’s my love?”

JasonxReader

by jena marie

Summary:

A pesky teenager causes Jason’s s/o to hit her head on some rocks, and she loses her memory! Warnings: gore, angst! fluffy ending, as always 🌸

Where’s my love

It was the first thing that crossed his mind, after he had ‘gotten rid of’ some pesky, horny teenagers in the east side of the woods. He entered the cabin and she was nowhere to be found.

Where’s my love?

It echoed, and it crumbled him. The worst crossed his mind. What harm could have come to her? He wanted to know. He wanted to know so he could rip in half whoever took her with his own—

He was jumping to conclusions.

It was something he did often. Especially with her around. He didn’t even let her go near the lake docks, for fear she would fall in and drown without him there. His ultimate fear.

His deep and labored breathing against the plastic of his mask was the only sound in the cabin, and when he saw that she was elsewhere, he marched out the door and was at a fast walking pace, (the speed of the average person’s run) circling the cabin go see if she had gone to their garden, or some place. Nothing.

He never wished for anything more desperately, than to be able to call out to her, to hold her name in his mouth.

Groaning was heard in the distance, then a thump, like a large body had fallen onto a pile on leaves.

With that, he whisked away in the direction, machete clutched in hand. He silently prayed that she hadn’t wandered away, for the traps he set are unbelievably well-placed.

The wind bellowed through the trees, and the birds of the forest sang a nighttime chorus.

Jason’s walking led him to the creek, where a body that he does not remember killing, was strewn about with arms wild in different positions. Skin was familiar. Might be a strange thing to notice, but what did you expect from Jason?

It was the only thing you could see in the pitch black of the night, as the moonlight trickled through the forest canopy and bathed her arms and legs in its colors. Like it had kept her safe in this spot. The way the moonlight was on her skin, it looked more like a cradle.

His eyes adjusted, and he could read the facial features.

That’s my love

Before he could lean in to swoop her off creek side, shuffling was behind him and he turned around with full intention to rip apart the perpetrator. His scary, grey, and torn stature stared down on a foolish boy who looked up in fear at him.

“I didn’t mean—“ he stuttered over his words, his fearful gaze flickering between him and the body. It dawned on Jason, and he dropped his machete. This time it was personal, and Jason saw red.

He lunged forward, and the teenage boy, too frightened to move, screamed out as Jason wrapped his large hand around his head. He wrapped his other hand around his leg. Using all of his brute strength, Jason ripped the boy in half. He was sprayed with guts and blood, and he looked down at the ground at the remains, breathily heavily from his rage.

When he came down from his high, he turned back to his darling, who was now moving about, waking.

Jason watched as Y/n opened her eyes, squinting into the night.

“Who are you?” Fear in her voice.

Jason tried to coax her, trying to be gentle as he held back whines and desperate cries for her sake— for her to come back.

Come back, his thoughts say.

Something for sure, Y/n’s sweet nature still remained. It was like they were meeting again for the first time, something that was bittersweet.

Jason thanked her naive nature for the first time in his life, because she managed to hesitantly follow him through the forest back to the cabin, after Jason had done all he could think of to gain her trust in those first five minutes. He doesn’t know what he would do if she ran away. He wishes so hard he could use his voice.

Jason fed her water. Gave her her favorite fruits. He could tell she was enjoying them. He then offered her the bed that they always slept in together.

“Oh no, I can’t let you do that. It’s your bed!” She insisted, and Jason shook his head vigorously, making an X with his arms, then pointing to the bed.

“Oh, you’re so sweet.” She replied in a drunken tone, and Jason blushed underneath his mask. Yes, her memory had been temporarily stored away, but her sweetness and naive heart stayed.

“I feel like I know you.” She whispered as she laid down, yawning, and Jason came for tuck her in. She was being delusional, so willing to comply with his care. Jason wanted to laugh, but the fear of her memories not ever returning loomed overhead.

Jason left the cabin to go inside.

When she was finally asleep, Jason wept, he cradled her. He didn’t stop moving about nor did he think another word other than her name.

This lasted the entire night until the sun rose again in the east, and he stared at the horizon until it was a good distance over the trees.

It was noon, and footsteps shuffled from behind, inside the cabin.

Jason turned around slowly, anticipating, praying that it was her coming to greet him good morning like she did every morning.

It was.

“Jason? Why did you leave the bed?”

Jason’s heart swelled at her sweet voice, curious and attentive, and he broke out a cry, because she came back.

He got up and marched towards her, still wary of his strength, he pulled her as gently as he could into a hug.

She broke out into a giggle hugging him back tightly with joy in her chest, “Well, good morning to you too! My head really hurts. What happened last night?”

i hope u liked itttt 💕💕

[currywaifu]

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: damask rose 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: yukishiro azuma/reader 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: sfw 𝐰𝐜: 1.2k words 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: ruri <3

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: azuma and reader make perfume together 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: this work is a part of the flower shop event, a series of unconnected flower shop AU one-shots

“Azuma, which one of these smell nicer?”

Atop the palm of your hand, two white petals of different varieties resided. He wasted no time plucking them from you one by one, drawing the delicate pads closer to his face as he caught a whiff of their scents. Expectedly, the manner of which his already lidded eyes drooped to a full close had more than just a semblance to the flowers that closed up at night. He was probably just closing his eyes to assemble his thoughts properly, but it was hard not to find the simple action gentle and graceful.

When his eyes opened again, his lips parted to let you know his thoughts.

“Go with the jasmine— it’ll work better with the peony than the magnolia,” Azuma said, taking hold of your hand once more as he gently returned the petals back to their original placements.

Oh, he was right!

“Honestly, I think you’re doing better at my job than I am!” you joked, unfortunately having to look away from him to jot down the different plants you were planning to distill and extract oil from.

First, the Base Notes— the scent that lingers the longest… perhaps something woodsy, like blond wood, maybe several drops of patchouli?

“Fufufu~ I just enjoy perfume is all,” Azuma replied with a chuckle, “and I’m quite pleased your store decided to start selling perfume as well~”

Next, the Middle Notes— the heart, the scent that makes itself known second. Jasmine, peony, maybe even water lily? To be decided later. 10-15 drops each.

“I’m glad you think so! We decided it was finally time to expand our horizons,” you explained, mulling over your options for Top Notes. They were what the customer would smell first, after all, and first impressions were incredibly important.

“It’s actually quite cheap to produce perfume, but the market pricing…” you trailed off, your mind going back to the task at hand. There were several fruits and leaves you could use for the Top Note, but what would match the rest of the components?

“It won’t be that interesting if you keep it purely floral. Maybe add tea leaves, or something like cranberry or lemon,” Azuma suddenly suggested.

Tea leaves to give it a fresh feeling, while the cranberry and lemon would give it a fruity scent… it’d work really well, actually, especially in this season.

You whipped your head around to meet his gaze, the upwards quirk of your lips matching with his own.

“Honestly, I’m so glad you visited me during work today,” you said, not failing to miss the way his eyes crinkled slightly. “Your opinions really helped me, as in I would’ve been stuck here choosing between two flowers for 20 minutes if it wasn’t for you.”

“I just wanted to see my lover hard at work, is all.”

You had expected him to chuckle in response, but instead his voice turns just a tad sultrier, a change quite small but just enough for you to pick up on, then he hits you with that “my lover” like… how was that fair to you at all? First and foremost, of all the terms you could use for a significant other he really just had to go with lover? Second— it was only three in the afternoon…

“Azuma,” honestly, you weren’t sure if you were going to attempt scolding him, or if you were just going to whine, or if you were going to try responding in kind. Luckily, your boyfriend decided to save you from making that decision by yourself.

“And I’m happy you let me make my own perfume, too,” he said, interrupting your current train of thought, “I’ve never tried it before, but it’s been fun so far~”

You looked at his side of the table. Since he was already making something instead of merely conceptualising, he had minimal choices for the scents— the tiny bottles of essential oils you’ve distilled from beforehand being his only choices.

Dragging your seat next to his, you began resting your head against his shoulder as soon as you plopped down on the chair to observe him. It’s not like you were slacking off or anything, you were just… gaining inspiration.

Hahaha, definitely.

“I can smell roses,” you said, the smell strong enough that you wouldn’t need to put it too close to your face, “it’s a bit different from cabbage roses… so these are damask then, right?”

He hummed, and you quietly watched him as he carefully put drops of bergamot into the spray bottle, making sure he’d put the correct amount only.

One, two, three… you counted in your head alongside every press his fingers made on the pipette’s rubber bulb, admiring his precision to somehow have exactly one drop of oil come out with each press.

On the eight count, he asked you a question, breaking the sudden quietude the two of you took part in.

“Do you have a name yet for your perfume?”

Normally people named their creations after its creation, right?

That didn’t stop you from pondering on the possibilities.

As you thought of ideas, you found yourself observing Azuma (as if you ever looked away from him in the first place) as he rationed how many tablespoons of vodka to add to the perfume. Without meaning to, your eyes went from watching him work to his silky hair, silvery hue not unlike the snow that kisses the land and blankets it during winter time;

the name “Snow Prince” flickered in your mind, and with a faint blush that rivalled the champagne pink of Azuma’s perfume bottle you pushed the thought away.

The scent was clearly leaning towards being a spring or summer day perfume, so wouldn’t a name like “snow prince” be incredibly misleading? Not to mention, this would probably be targeted towards women so having “prince” in the title would be weird, right?

It was becoming clear to you that having him in your workplace in all of his beauty, even piping in with his own opinions and helping you conceptualise, was oh so distracting. It was hard not to think of Azuma though, especially with you still resting against his shoulder.

You still can’t believe your first thought was to name a perfume after him though!

“Oh? It looks like a rose just bloomed beside me,” his comment only worsens your embarrassment, and before he could question why you were suddenly so flustered you steered the direction of the conversation elsewhere.

“W-what about you? Do you have a name for your perfume?”

He swivelled on his seat to face you, and you’re unable to read his facial expression as he quickly lowered his lips, now beside your ear.

Without warning his voice drops to a sultry whisper, the only word coming out of his throat being your name.

As soon as you realised what he meant, your brain could only handle so much before it began malfunctioning. As overused devices had a tendency to do, you found yourself heating up. Though you averted your eyes from the man, you knew he was watching his effect on you— most likely the reddening of your cheeks.

His soft but mischievous laughter did nothing to quell your current feelings.

“What should I do with you? Should I just admire you from afar? Should I pluck you from your garden? Or should I be a good gardener and make you nice and wet?”

“ thank you for your hard work today at the flower shop! here, feel free to take home this damask rose with you~ ”

【 rose 】 love and passion, trust and unity 【 damask rose 】 beauty and love. formally known as Rosa × damascena (a type of hybrid rose commonly used in perfumery).

“ maybe you’d like some more flowers before heading home? ”

-ˋˏflower shop masterlistˎˊ- |  -ˋˏfic masterlistˎˊ-

𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨: my friend gifted me some perfume recently. the bottle was golden and had rose embellishments. the yellow gold reminding me of azuma’s eyes + that one R story of his = this fic.

also, the perfume reader was conceptualising is based on Givenchy’s Ange ou Demon Le Secret (2009) and while vague, i based azuma’s perfume on Chloe’s Roses de Chloe, which is said to be delicate, graceful, and subtle.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: i just meant to do a quick research about perfume but i got so invested that i spent two days researching- i watched two documentaries, learned how to make perfume, did research on the industry, on what common ingredients they used- now i have a bunch of random info about perfume taking up brain space. 

[nxmuzluv]

nights with ariana (ft. byakuya)

the length of ariana’s days vary. byakuya can never tell when she’ll be coming back home (and neither can she KSJDKSDK)

if she’s working at her casting agency, they can last for 13 hours, in which she comes home before byakuya

if she’s filming something other than a movie or drama (like an interview), then ariana’s days last for around a couple hours. either eight, nine, or maybe even ten (they usually stay in the single digits, but if girlie wants to workout afterwards, then her days usually stretch into the doubles). in this case, ari & byakuya come home at around the same time

if ariana is filming a movie or sumn related, then this is where it gets rather absurd KSJDKSJDKSJ

in that case, her days can last well over 13 hours (although it does tend to vary). the longest ari has spent on set was 17 solid hours,,, i really could never

if she’s lucky, ariana comes home before byakuya. on her 13+ hour days, however, it’s pretty much obvious that she comes home after him SDKSJK

(ari has off days on sunday, btw)

but even if ariana’s days are short, they still drain a lot from her (even more so if her days are longer), especially since she works out after. as soon as she walks through the door she wants to give byakuya the biggest hug ever (if he’s home before her, that is), but she refrains from doing so as she’s sweaty & byakuya would literally loathe touching her in that state SGFSDJHFDKS

like byakuya, ariana’s night routine is pretty structured

she starts by taking off her sweat-covered, overwhelmingly uncomfortable clothes and puts on one of the abundance of silk robes she owns lmao

(honestly we love a classy hoe)

she then removes her makeup and since her skin tends to get a lil irritated because of that, she massages her face for a bit while listening to music on a speaker (preferably k-pop, musical soundtracks, or lofi hip-hop)

(she sometimes puts on k-hiphop or english hip-hop, in which you’ll hear her flawlessly rapping along to the song SKJDKSJK either that or she plays songs from the 2000s)

(her favorite 2000s songs are lee hyori’s “10 Minutes” and *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” btw)

ari has a chair on her side so she just sits there & ✨vibes✨

then she brushes her teeth. usually with bubblegum-flavored toothpaste

is that babie behavior i see ?????? 🥺

she takes a shower right after, ofc

i mentioned that she can smell like peaches sometimes, and that’s because she usually uses peach-scented body wash. we love a girl who walks around smelling like a pastry 🤩

ALSO like byakuya, ariana has a pretty intensive skincare routine (she’s an actress from korea - the skincare capital tbh SJDKSJDKSK - this is typical lmao)

she tends to follow the ten step korean skincare routine, but sometimes ari modifies it to either be shorter (since her days get so long & after that clusterfuck all she wants is a hug from byakuya) or to satisfy exactly what her skin needs that day

in addition to smelling like peaches, ariana smells like rose water, too. that’s because she uses a rose water facial spray for the “moisturizing” part of her routine

i ALSO mentioned that she tends to smell like vanilla sometimes, and that’s because she uses vanilla-scented hand cream (which is why her hands look so attractive and feel so soft)

it’s also because she uses vanilla-scented shampoo and conditioner, so ariana just walks around smelling like an extra good pastry (& because of that vanilla, bees tend to follow her around a lot because they think she’s a flower,,,, and we all know how much ari hates them SJDKSJDKSKJ)

(AND she smells like roses ??? those bees are really following her around now-)

after completing her skincare routine, ariana has to blow dry her hair (because yes, damp pillows are disgusting and they get uncomfortably cold) & brush it out

if her & byakuya are getting ready for bed together, ari usually asks him to brush and blow dry her hair while she either organizes the makeup on her counter that she fucked up that morning (SJGDHFJDSDHKJ) or simply scrolls down her phone

after that, though, ariana’s hair is the silkiest and softest thing you will ever lay your eyes on and istg it’s so satisfying to touch (byakuya you’re real fucking lucky-)

you can thank her vanilla-scented shampoo & conditioner for that one lmao

she doesn’t really put on her nightgown until the moment right before she decides to go to sleep, so she just walks around with a silk robe on for a while lol

if ariana gets home before byakuya, she usually makes tea for the both of them (ofc, she doesn’t make byakuya’s right away lmao. she just sets it up for him. cold tea is the most unsatisfying thing ever, and warming it back up just doesn’t hit the same skdfjdkskjhk). it’s vice-versa if ari gets home after him

(her favorite is vanilla chamomile tea, btw)

(ok wow this girl REALLY likes vanilla 😳)

those two just sit there & talk over tea about their days or anything of the sort. it’s actually really cute just seeing them talk so freely to each other (but for the love of everything that is holy, don’t say that in front of them. ari won’t have a problem, it’s just byakuya that would)

after they’ve finished, that’s when ariana would finally give byakuya that hug. she just stands there for a few seconds with her head on his chest, & afterwards she says, “i really needed that” 🥺

(I’M CRYING THEY’RE ADORABLE-)

if her day isn’t unbearably long, ari would return upstairs and stay up a bit longer

usually she scrolls down social media (she has twitter & instagram,,, istg everything she posts there is iconic), finishes revising a script (if she has to lol), watches an episode of a series that she’s currently watching, or texts her family or friends

(the conversations she has with her family are either funny, straight up cute, or downright savage because the park sisters tend to roast each other SDJSKDJKSK ah-young & junghoon please stop them lmao)

ariana also speaks with her manager or her stylist over the phone and usually in korean,,, & like how does she not fall asleep to the sound of her own fucking voice ?????

like it’s so deep and soothing and satisfying,,, like ma’am if you speak a WORD to me i am OUT in two seconds !!

n e ways, this is where it gets cute

when she has nothing better do to, ari just rests her head on byakuya’s shoulder & skims through the book he’s reading,,, the silence is comforting and girlie really needs it

or she asks him to read to her, and it literally takes everything in her not to fall asleep within a few minutes KSJDKSDKS like byakuya’s voice is just as soothing as hers

prepare to cry harder lmao 🙃

when they’re cuddling, ariana tends to put her head on his chest & she also listens to lofi hip-hop while doing so

the atmosphere is just so comforting & it’s just so warm while ari’s laying in byakuya’s arms that she just can’t help but fall asleep a couple of minutes later lol

like ariana’s phone would just randomly fall out of her hands because she’s suddenly out like a light and byakuya would have to pause her music for her SKDJSKDJSK

(it’s just so cute i’m literally going to pass away)

@raes-ramblings mentioned in her “Nights with Byakuya” headcanons that byakuya isn’t a sleep cuddler & would push his s/o away,,, like watch ariana subconsciously remember that in her sleep and wake up to get off of him before she gets pushed DSHKFJSKLSDFJ

she would probably get pushed off the bed if she doesn’t tho, but would honestly stay on the floor for quite a while if she’s that tired lol

(she would wake up and get off the floor tho SKDJSKSK)

if ari gets hurt after literally CRASHING onto the floor, however, she’d instantly wake up & hiss in utter pain before letting out the world’s deepest sigh because she knew it was byakuya who sent her flying down there lmao

she’d also let out the world’s deepest sigh since she was rudely awoken by intense pain and a near head injury KSJDKSGDFKDF

ariana doesn’t move around too much while sleeping, but tends to switch the side she’s sleeping on or just subconsciously says “fuck it” and sleeps on her stomach lol

she does wake up with quite messy hair tho & ends up having to do her hair routine all over again GDFJDJKSDK

(@raes-ramblings inspired this post & a lot of her ideas appeared here !! please check both her blog and her “Nights with Byakuya” post out <3)

[royallyprincesslilly]

Can we get y/n’s skin care regimen from Q15? Head to toe, how does she do her daily self care. I read coconut oil and screamed and the my mind went to Shea butter and I’m like GIRL YES!!!! Then it got me thinking what’s everyone’s body care routine because we’re all different yet similar. And I welcome all additional advice to help my melanin GLOW BABY!!! 🙌🏾😊 I use dove body wash and melt my Shea butter and other lotions and then I seal it with coconut oil.

🤣🤣🤣.

She definitely is into skincare and loves natural care products or products that come as close to possible to natural. 

-For bathing, she likes brands of body wash that are Vegan, PH balanced, free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, etc. I get the vibe that she’d add her own blend of essential oils to the bottles and mixes them according to whatever mood she might be in.

-For her face, she probably keeps it simple with African black soap, and a drizzle of coconut oil with her trusted electric facial wand.

-For body moisture, she likes to make her own blend. She’ll whip up shea butter, mango butter, coconut oil, essential oils, some dried flowers she’s crushed until they’re practically powder. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My routine is similar. For bathing, I use Puracy body wash or SebaMed. If I use Puracy, I’ll mix some essential oils into it, mainly mint, eucalyptus, lavender, orange, lemon, and gardenia. Sometimes I add others sometimes not. 

My god SebaMed has done wonders for my skin you would not believe. I have such sensitive skin; it’s insane that I am still alive and not covered in hives, bumps, and rashes. SMH. The cool thing is SebaMed also has a facial wash as well, but you can use the Liquid soap for your body for your face as well. (I love twofer products that actually do something for me)

For facial moisture afterward, I follow it up with SebaMed’s Moisturizing face cream and add a few drops of Mario Badescu’s vitamin C serum. For body, I use SebaMed’s hydrating body milk that I add coconut oil and some essential oils to. I’ve been using them for a while now, and I have had no breakouts, my skin tone has evened. I’m loving it. After moisture, I love to spritz with any of the Mario Badescu facial sprays, mainly the rose water one.

If I have breakouts because I do love my candy and Red Bull and caffeine, then Mario Badescu’s products bring me right back, like the Anti-acne serum, and the drying lotion.

At night I use two things, a watermelon glow mask I’m in love with, it’s from glow recipe.

What routine do you guys use?

[creative-type]

wake from death (and return to life) chapter ii

AO3 Previous Chapter AN: Huge shout out to @codedredalert for doing art for this chapter. We Kuina stans gotta stick together, and she did a fantastic job. Please consider giving her a commission, I promise it’ll be money well spent

Kuina walked into Ipponmatsu’s shop sopping wet and chilled to her very bones. At the entranceway she shook herself like a dog, spraying drops of water all over the store. It was a childlike indulgence, something she never would have considered just that morning. But at that moment nothing seemed to matter. Not the shop, not her manners, nothing.

She heard Ipponmatsu before she saw him hurl a towel in her direction. Kuina caught it one handed, keeping the other clenched tightly around her sword. It was still nameless after all these years. It didn’t seem right to bestow it with such an honor when her birthright was still at Shimotsuki Village.  

Except Wado wasn’t with her father. Zoro wore it at his waist, because... why? Had he taken it? Had Father given it to him?

Kuina dried her face and hair before turning to face Ipponmatsu properly. The commotion had drawn his wife from the storeroom, Ipponume standing by his side with an arm wrapped protectively around his waist. Twin looks of concern broke through Kuina’s distracted thoughts. She blinked once. Twice.

“I’m leaving.”

What would have been a grand pronouncement moments ago came out strained and creaking. She was leaving the people she’d come to love as family, possibly forever. Kuina’s vision went fuzzy, and even though she’d just dried her face she could still feel the wetness on her cheeks.

Kuina wiped them with the back of her hand. She hated crying, had ever since she was a little girl.

“Kuina, what’s going on?” Ipponmatsu said. “I saw the pirates in the square, and then you come running in here like the devil himself was on your heels before running back out again! They’re saying on the den-den mushi that Smoker’s put the whole city on lockdown!”

Smoker . Somehow, Kuina had forgotten about him. She put her mask on hurriedly, not that it’d do much good now that Tashigi knew who she was. “Sorry, I don’t have time to explain.”

Not waiting for their reply she hurried to her room and began shoving clothes into a pack as fast as she could. It was the same one her father had sent her with years ago. The material was faded and worn, but it suited her, sturdy enough to fit her needs without drawing attention to itself.

“You can’t leave now!” Ipponume exclaimed. “Even without Smoker’s crackdown there’s not a ship on the island that’ll sail in this kind of weather!”

“I’ll worry about that later.” Kuina dug her small bundle of savings out from under her mattress. She’d offered to hand over her earnings as a bounty hunter for rent, but neither Ipponmatsu nor his wife ever allowed it. In exchange, Kuina didn’t let them pay her for the work she did for the store. She supposed it more or less balanced out in the end, except she owed them so much more than money. Kuina had to blink back more tears, which had been joined by an uncomfortable tightness in her throat.

“If anyone asks, you never saw me,” she said, willing her voice not to waver. “You didn’t know about my mask, and I was just some village kid you picked up on a whim. I’m...I’m sorry if I get you into trouble.”

Kuina got back to her feet, and without looking at either Ipponmatsu or Ipponume bowed deeply at the waist, deeper than she ever had for anyone she didn’t call Father. “I know words alone cannot convey the gratitude I owe you, but thank you. Thank you for opening your door to me that night.”

Still bowed, Kuina heard Ipponmatsu turn sharply on his heel and march out of her room. Surprised and hurt, she rose jerkily and stilted. Even if there was anything else to say, Kuina didn’t trust herself to speak. Turning her back so she didn’t have to see Ipponume’s reaction, Kuina resumed her packing, willing her facial features into a stoic expression more befitting of a swordsman.  

Suddenly, her nose was assailed with the smell of Ipponume’s cooking. Kuina stiffened at the sound of Ipponmatsu’s wooden geta clacking softly against the hardwood floors. Against her better judgement she turned to see Ipponmatsu tying a plastic sack around a box of bento. He handed it over to Kuina, an eyebrow raised. “I suppose this is about that green-haired swordsman?”

"Zoro? You met him?”

“Met him?” Ipponmatsu snorted. “Girl, I gave him two swords free of charge.”

Kuina accepted the offered bento, too shocked to say anything else.

“He’s the second person I ever met whose luck matched Sandai Kitetsu’s curse.” A faraway, awed look came over him. “Bet an arm on it, in fact.”

“You gave him Yubashiri, too,” Kuina said, remembering the other sword she’d seen hanging at his waist. She’d been too focused on Wado to even wonder about it. She looked up at Ipponmatsu’s face, searching. “Why?”

It wasn’t because of any connection to Kuina. She’d made a point not to talk about her past before Loguetown, preferring to make as fresh a start as possible. It was easier, in some ways, not to reminisce.

“Because I saw something in him. He’s the real deal, a true swordsman.”

“Oh, honey, please,” Ipponume said. “What does this have to do about—”

“And I see that same look in you, Kuina,” Ipponmatsu interrupted forcibly. He crossed his arms across his chest and tilted his chin, looking like a rooster that had just finished his morning preen. Kuina knew him well enough to know when he was bluffing, and to her astonishment...he wasn’t.

“We knew we couldn’t keep you here forever,” he continued. “A cage as small as this isn’t near enough for you to spread your wings. I look forward to seeing how high you can go.”

Ipponmatsu lifted the blue oni mask from Kuina’s face, pinching her cheek like he used to when she was young, knowing how much it annoyed her. He offered a grin that couldn’t quite hide the extra shine in his eyes.

“Knock ‘em dead, kid.”

Kuina managed a wobbly smile of her own. “The marines will be here any second. Remember, you had no idea. About any of this!”

She tried to bow again, but with the single most derisive snort Kuina had ever heard in her life, Ipponume wrapped her in a hug strong enough to crush a bear. “I have no idea what’s gotten into you all. Swordsmen .”

But Kuina heard the pride in her voice, and she fixed it into her mind, hoping to remember it forever. Pausing only to grab an oiled cloak, Kuina plunged herself back into the streets of Loguetown for the final time.

If there was one ship stupid enough to leave port in the middle of a raging storm against the orders of Captain Smoker, it was Zoro’s. Kuina didn’t hold out any hope that he would still be on the island by the time she made it back to the coast, and even if it did, her pride rankled at the idea of riding his coattails to the Grand Line. She’d always imagined them setting out together. As equals . But that was before knowing that he’d spent the better part of a decade thinking she was dead, before learning he’d become a pirate, and before Kuina threw away nine years of secrecy to attack one of the few marines who knew who she really was.

So much had changed since just that morning, and in it all Zoro had found his way. Now it was up to Kuina to find hers.

It was a sentiment that was much easier said than done. Kuina stayed close to the alleys and side streets she knew like the back of her hand, having to duck back into the shadows more than once as clusters of marines ran down the rainy streets. The usual crowds had vanished, and despite the rain and the thunder, the absence of the human element made Loguetown feel like a ghost town.

Kuina guessed by the direction the marines were running that they were still busy at the square. Buggy the Clown had snuck an incredible amount of pirates into the city under Smoker’s very nose, and that wasn’t something he would take lightly.

With their paint and their ruffles, Buggy’s troupe stuck out like a sore thumb, and at the moment, so did she. For the first time Kuina wasn’t sure whether or not to wear her mask. It didn’t seem right to be seen with her sword without it. The two had always gone hand in hand, the familiar weight on her face a comfort that protected her more than any shield. Without the demon mask Kuina felt a little like she was going out to battle naked; there was no rule saying she couldn’t fight without it, but she had absolutely no desire to do so.

If she stuck to the shadows the dark of the storm should be enough to keep her hidden. All Kuina had to do was make it to the docks and stow away on a ship, and if not stow away use her reputation as the Demon of Loguetown to get what she wanted, hopefully before the marines put out a warrant for her arrest.

It was a risk. The mask was conspicuous, and in the past Kuina had always gone out with her chest bound. She knew—she knew —that everyone and their dog assumed the Demon was a man. In a pinch she might be able to bully her way onto a ship, the shapeless silhouette of her cloak enough to disguise her gender, but she didn’t feel confident enough in her acting ability to pretend to be a man for however long it took to reach the Grand Line. Without the duplicity she could easily see a ship’s captain brushing her aside as an imposter or kicking up a fuss. Or both, if she was especially unlucky.

A crack of thunder broke through her jumbled thoughts, and Kuina bit back a curse. Time . She was running out of time, each wasted second dwindling her already-limited options . There was no point trying to figure out what would happen out at sea if she couldn’t get off the damn island.

Father always said a true swordsman would never allow themselves to be swayed by emotion or sentimentality, and logic dictated that stowing away was the safest option, assuming she could find a ship setting sail at all. And stowing away meant stealth, and stealth meant not walking around dressed up as one of Loguetown’s most feared bounty hunters.

Gritting her teeth, Kuina slid the mask off her face and stuffed it into her pack, irritation burying like ants under her skin. Now the only thing conspicuous about her was her sword, and that wasn’t so easily hidden even within the bulky confines of her cloak. A thousand warnings echoed in her mind in a voice that sounded suspiciously like her father’s.

She stuffed that down as well and resumed her journey. With Captain Smoker effectively shutting the city down, there was a chance it could be days before she could actually make her escape. Smoker’s control over Loguetown was too tight for anything to escape his grasp, his men too well trained to let anybody slip through once they set up a perimeter.

Unless, of course, she hitched her ride to freedom someplace other than Loguetown.

Kuina came to an abrupt halt, suppressing the urge to smack herself upside the head for not thinking of it sooner. There was a cove just outside the city favored by pirates, smugglers, and merchants too cheap to pay the docking fee in town. Every couple months Smoker and his men went on expeditions to clear the place out, but as it turned out scum was an infinitely renewable resource, and the criminal population that called Canary Cove home always came back twice as strong as before.

Kuina herself had ventured to the cove on occasion to collect bounties. A shantytown sprung up from the mire, grown around every sort of illicit trade like a tumor. And like a tumor, it sucked life and resources from Loguetown proper. Cleverly nestled at the base of a shallow cliff, it was close enough to Loguetown for easy access, but almost impossible to find unless you knew what you were looking for. Any ships that dropped anchor were hidden from view by the sheltering arms of the cove.

She would be safe from the marines, but it would be a trick and a half to convince someone to let her aboard one of their ships, let alone to get to the Grand Line. The people who lived at Canary Cove were damnably insular, with lookouts posted every hour of every day and a dozen bolt holes hidden in the cliffside for people to scatter through once an alarm was sounded. Kuina always hated when a hunt took her here. For every trick and secret she discovered it seemed like there were a dozen she didn’t know about, and anyone found ratting out an accepted member of the community would quickly find themselves with a knife in the back for their troubles.

An exception was made for those who could afford it, the exchange of money for goods and services a universal language understood by both lawmen and the lawless.  Maybe she wouldn’t need to stow away at all. With enough coin in the right hands Kuina could buy her way into the Grand Line.

That was an awful lot of maybes , but she was at the point where a bad plan was better than no plan at all. Kuina was confident about her ability to go up against any of Smoker’s men, but his Devil Fruit was another story entirely. It was best to avoid any chance of a confrontation, and to that end Canary Cove was her best bet.

By the time Kuina snuck out of the city and made it to the bluffs, the sky had faded from dark grey to pitch, starless black. Wind howled, and without anything to cut its teeth, Kuina bore the full brunt of the storm’s ire. Guided by sporadic flashes of lightning and the unpleasant memory of previous excursions, she carefully picked her way down the rocky slope. There wasn’t a proper trail as much as a zigzagging path that looked like it had been intended for a group of particularly athletic goats. The footing was loose and slick, and Kuina was forced to use her katana like a walking stick just to keep from tumbling into the sea below.  

About halfway down Kuina slipped on a patch of crumbling stone. Her feet slid from under her, jagged edges of limestone tearing holes in her cloak. She didn’t have time to scream as she plummeted down…

down…

down…

Reflex alone made her keep her hold on her katana, and when a jutting edge of rock sent Kuina airborne she was able to regather her senses enough to twist her body, stabbing her blade into the cliffside and praying she could hold on long enough to arrest her momentum even as her shoulder threatened to wrench out of socket. She slammed back against the cliff, stars flashing across her vision brighter than lightning, but somehow Kuina was able to maintain her grip.

Kuina slowed herself enough not to snap her ankles in half at the base of the bluffs. She tumbled into a boneless heap, gasping for air and not entirely sure she was still alive. Chunks of wet sand clung to her cheek, stinging as it grated against an abrasion that ran from temple to jaw. Kuina felt blood trickle down her leg, a dozen other aches and pains vying for the rest of her attention.

So much for her glorious entrance to the Grand Line.

With a grunt of effort Kuina forced herself upright, shaking as the surge of adrenaline left her as suddenly as it had come. Another bolt of lightning revealed that her sword was still stuck in the slide of the cliff. With as much dignity as she could muster, Kuina retrieved it before leaning back against the rockface.

Ow.

It was the only coherent thought she could manage at that moment. Sinking back to the ground, Kuina decided that finding a ship could wait the five minutes it took for her to catch her breath.

At least she was out of the wind. The storm had only grown stronger in the time it took for her to reach the cove. Each raindrop was an icy needle that penetrated her now-useless cloak. Kuina wiped strands of wet hair from her eyes, ignoring the blood and the grime on her face as she peered out into the darkness. The torches that usually illuminated the shantytown had fizzled out, leaving only a few specks of lantern light to show the blocky outline of shacks made of rough wooden planks, held together with bits of twine and waterproofed with oakum and tar. The town jutted over the edge of the water, standing on stilts that swayed haphazard with the waves and the wind. To Kuina’s surprise, two great warships were anchored just offshore. More lightning revealed that one bore the mark of Buggy the Clown, while the other didn’t have a flag at all.

Curious.

What was more curious were the dots of light clustered by the wharf nearest the second ship. The dim light was just enough to see a cluster of people hurrying up and down the gangplank. Kuina grinned. Maybe someone was crazy enough to depart tonight after all.

“Oi, who goes there?”

A vague mass of humanity emerged from the darkness. Kuina struggled to her feet, shrugging her pack higher on her back and keeping a hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. One of the figures lifted a lantern, illuminating a hard-faced woman flanked by two bulky men with swords. Underneath their raincoats they wore the mismatched, ragged clothing typical of the people who called Canary Cove home. Lookouts, most likely, who’d seen or heard her tumble down the cliff and come out to investigate.

Kuina didn’t relax her stance. “I don’t mean any trouble. I’m just looking to hitch a ride, and it looks like you’ve got the only ships setting sail.”

The woman peered at her suspiciously. “Who are you—”

Her eyes widened in recognition before ever finishing the question. An unholy shriek pierced over the whipping wind, and she screamed, “Marines! The marines are coming!”

“What, no!”

Kuina barely had time to draw her sword before one of the thugs was on top of her, the clash of blades sending sparks into the night sky. She shoved him aside and met the second man before he could decapitate her, the weight of his strike making Kuina’s injured leg buckle.

The woman continued to shout the alarm, waving her lantern high above her head. Kuina let out a string of curses as she batted the second man’s blade out of his hands before smashing the hilt of her sword against his temple. He crumpled instantly, and Kuina prayed that she hadn’t killed him.

“Listen, this is a big misunderstanding. I’m not a marine!” Kuina shouted as men and women poured out of Canary Cove like wasps from a kicked over nest. Most fled for the cliffs, but enough came charging at her for Kuina to know she was in trouble.

“You think I wouldn’t recognize the face of the bitch who killed my boy?” the woman snarled. “I’ve seen you yipping at the heels of that dog Smoker often enough, praying for the day I’d do to you what you Government bastards did to him!”

From the depths of her robes the woman pulled a gun, but Kuina was already moving. The first shot went wide right, and Kuina rammed her shoulder into her abdomen before she could get off another. The woman screamed as she fell, firing wildly into the growing throng of people.

Kuina felt the bullet whizz by her ear, and the person in front of her doubled over clutching their ribs. She dove between two others and somersaulted back to her feet before they could turn around. This time she didn’t waste time using the back of her blade. Two quick strokes and they were down, her sword slick with their blood.

“It’s just one girl! Don’t let her get away!”

“For fuck’s sake , ” Kuina muttered irritably. “I’m not a marine!”

It didn’t matter, and Kuina couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of her current situation. She ran toward the shantytown, dodging bullets and ducking under swords. The crowded housing and narrow walkways lessened the advantage of numbers, and she was still determined to force her way onto the unmarked ship. Sand shifted to rickety planks of wood underfoot, the docks made entirely of salvage and held together with little more than some rope and a prayer.

Kuina’s grin widened. Hardly breaking stride, she swung her sword behind her, the keen blade cutting through the half-rotted wood like warm butter. She ducked behind a house and listened for the screams of those following her to fall through to the sea below.

Amateurs.  

Wood creaked overhead. Kuina looked up in time to see a teenage girl standing on the top of the house to hurl a rock at her head, dodging to the side before it hit the walkway.

“Missed!” Kuina yelled.

But the girl had already thrown herself off the other side of the roof. Puzzled, Kuina glanced back and saw that the girl hadn’t thrown a rock at all.

“Oh shit—” Kuina flung herself backward as the bomb exploded. Her heel caught on a post, and she fell into the water. Brilliant light flashed, the blast tearing the dock to pieces. Slivers of wood longer than her hand shot through the water, any one of them enough to pierce her through at close distance. Kuina swam as far and as fast as she could, until her lungs burned for lack of air. In the confusion she couldn’t remember which way was up, the weight of her clothes and sword making it hard to fight against the pull of the water.

Turning wildly, Kuina panicked until she saw the orange glow of fire through the murky water. Blackness ate at the edges of her vision as she used the last of her strength to breach the surface, gasping for air.

“There she is!”

Swallowing a curse and a lungful of air, Kuina dove back under the water, pistol fire flashing like fireflies in the dark of the storm. With her bearings it was easier to swim back to the docks, diving deep enough to avoid being shot.

She came up directly under their feet. The swell was rising every minute, and Kuina had scant inches of air between the sea and the rickety slats they stood on. She willed her heartbeat to slow, ignored the sting of salt in her wounds. Her hands searched until they found a bit of wire latching two planks together. Fingers numb with cold held on with whatever strength she had left.

She was in trouble if they had explosives that could detonate underwater. She was in trouble anyway, injured and fighting and a dozen enemies that she could hardly see. But now that she could think, Kuina refused to panic. Each breath came out slow and steady as she weighed her options. Overhead, the people of Canary Cove began to argue.

“She’s dead. Ain’t no one that could survive a barrage like that.”

“Do you see a body? ‘Cause I’m not gonna rest easy until I see a fucking body.”

“I can’t see shit . C’mon, guys, I’m going home.”

“I would, except one of you idiots blew it to smithereens!”

Someone stomped their foot, sending drops of water through a crack nearly an inch wide onto Kuina’s face. Slowly, carefully, she adjusted her hold on the wire, positioning herself more squarely under the squabble. The people paid less and less attention to the water as they argued, yelling about the fire and the supposed marine attack. Kuina felt the rumbling of bootsteps up and down the length of the dock, but couldn’t tell if that meant people were leaving or if more were joining the fight.

“What’s the meaning of this?”  a new voice exclaimed. “What’s going on here?”

“This doesn't concern you, stranger,” the man who’d complained about his house said. “If you were smart, you’d walk back to that fancy boat of yours and get on your merry way. Ten to one says it was you people who brought the marines here in the first place.”

“Marines? Here? But our intelligence says—”

“Well you can take your intelligence and shove it up your—”

Using the wire for leverage, Kuina thrust her sword through the crack. The man screamed as he tried unsuccessfully to jerk his foot off her katana. There was a sickening squelch as Kuina pulled free, immediately stabbing a second time.

This time she missed the opening between the planks, but it hardly mattered. There were more screams as people hurled themselves away from her sword, many falling into the sea. The few that kept their wits fired back, thrusting swords and shooting blindly to the space Kuina had occupied just moments before.

They were too slow. After her second thrust she bit down on the hilt of her sword and swam to the other side of the docks, cutting through the water as if she herself was a blade. Kuina pulled herself out of the sea while they were distracted, their backs turned.

Kuina’s grin turned razor sharp as she raised her sword. She hadn’t wanted this fight, but she would gladly finish it. Her pulse thundered in her ears, her muscles coiling. All it would take is one strike…

A hand clasped around her wrist and squeezed. Kuina suppressed a yelp as the bones of her wrist ground against each other, pain shooting up her arm. She fought against the hold, but the more she struggled the tighter the grip became until Kuina had no choice but to drop her katana.

Anger boiled over into fury. Without thinking, Kuina twisted her body to its breaking point and caught her sword with her off hand before it could hit the ground. Her grip was awkward, but she didn’t care, slashing wildly at the person who held her.

Her arm made it about halfway through its swing before it jolted to a stop, as if Kuina had hit some invisible metal wall. She barely had time to register what had happened before she was thrown backward, slamming into the back of one of the men who had been trying to kill her.

The blow knocked all the wind out of her, and the man staggered into the person next to him before falling. People began to shout as that man then fell on top of Kuina , burying her in a pile of thrashing limbs and blades.

There was so much noise and so much confusion that she almost didn’t hear the telltale crack of wood beneath her, and before Kuina knew what was going on she was plunged back into the cold, dark, unforgiving sea.

By the time Kuina woke the rain had eased from a torrential downpour to a mere thunderstorm. Every inch of her ached, and for as heavy as her limbs felt she wouldn’t have been surprised if her blood had been replaced with rivers of lead.

Blinking grit and salt from her eyes, Kuina struggled to sit up. In a brief moment of panic she realized that her scabbard was no longer at her hip, only to find that it, and her sword, had been laid out beside her.

“She lives!”

“G’wah?”

A cloaked figure squatted down beside her. Smaller, Kuina realized, than the person who’d knocked her out cold. And a woman. A woman with one of the deepest voices Kuina had ever heard, but a woman nonetheless.

“Who’re...who’re you?” Kuina asked, her words slurring together like she were drunk. Her head pounded as she tried to sit up once more.

“I was wondering the same thing.” The woman paused to light a cigarette, the hood of her cloak protecting it from the rain. Kuina squinted to see her better, the ember of the cigarette illuminating a pleasant round face, dark eyes, and lips that had been painted the color of fresh blood.

The woman exhaled, the smell of smoke briefly cutting through the ocean brine. “How did you find us, little marine?”

“‘m not a marine,” Kuina mumbled.

“Folk around here seem to think you are.”

Kuina told her in anatomically-improbable detail just what she thought of Canary Cove’s opinions.

The woman laughed, took another drag and said, “You have to admit the resemblance is rather striking. If the boss hadn’t seen you two together I might not have believed it. In fact, I still have my doubts.”

She reached beneath her cloak and pulled out Kuina’s mask. “I mean, who would have thought that the good Captain’s right-hand man would have a doppelganger moonlighting as Loguetown’s most feared monster. There are operas with more convincing plotlines than that.”

“Give it back,” Kuina said through gritted teeth. “It’s mine .”

“Oh ho, so you admit to being the Demon of Loguetown?”

Kuina clenched her jaw and didn’t answer.

“Thought so.” The woman flipped Kuina’s mask in the air like it was a frisbee, catching it again before it could hit the ground. “So what brings a bounty hunter here, and on today of all days? Hmn? Was there a hunt you couldn’t refuse? Did someone tell you about a certain ship coming into port?”

She tossed the mask again, but this time Kuina was ready. Quick as a snake she plucked it out of the air, bringing her katana up in the same motion. Kuina was so close she could feel the heat from the woman’s cigarette, the edge of her blade against her neck.

“I said. Give it back .”

From within the depths of her hood, Kuina could see the woman’s eyebrows raise, red lips curling in an amused smile. She was completely relaxed, and that gave Kuina pause.

“I’m a firm believer in letting people do things for themselves,” she said. Without seeming the least bit threatened, she arching her head back, turning her attention somewhere behind her. “Well, boss, what do you think? Should I kill her?”

A second figure emerged from the gloom, and it was a testament to how out of sorts Kuina was that she hadn’t noticed his hulking figure until the moment he decided to reveal himself. It took her confused mind precious moments to recognize him as the man who grabbed her. Kuina scrambled backward, but the woman only laughed, pushing aside her sword with one hand and giving Kuina a hard shove with the other, knocking her flat on the ground.

“That wasn’t necessary,” the man grumbled in a low voice that rumbled like thunder.

His massive shadow fell over Kuina. She knew she should be afraid, but all she could feel within her was anger. She stared into the impenetrable depths of his hood, defiant even in weakness. If they wanted to kill her, the future greatest swordsman in the world, then they were in for a fight.

“Who are you?” Kuina demanded just as a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, as bright and bold as the one that had taken out the execution tower. For that brief moment she could see the face of the man strong enough to throw her like a ragdoll, a man so strong her blade failed to even reach him.

Kuina saw his long, beaky nose, the mass of black hair that fell down past his shoulders and the piercing eyes that seemed to bypass all her defenses. But most of all she noticed the red tattoos criss-crossed down the left side of his face, instantly recognizable even to someone who refused to read the paper.

“ Dragon ,” Kuina said dumbly. “You’re...I don’t...What’s the Revolution doing here? ”

The woman got to her feet to stand by Dragon’s side. “You mean you didn’t know? Then what are you doing stirring up trouble on a night like this? Don’t tell me you were looking for that buffoon with the red nose.”

“ You were the ones who attacked me, ” Kuina said. She pushed herself upright, using her sword clamber to her feet. The motion made the world spin for a moment or two, or maybe that was just her mind trying to catch up with the momentous revelation she just learned.

“That’s not what it looked like from where I stood,” the woman said. She flicked the remnants of her cigarette behind her in disgust. “You would have killed—”

“Betty.”

That one word was enough to stop her rant dead. Dragon took another step forward, and Kuina had to force herself not to step back to accommodate him. Before he could say any more, she pointed out to sea.

“Is that your ship?”

Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army and the most wanted man in the world, tilted his head. It was a strangely human gesture for someone most were convinced was some kind of monster. A real one, not a girl who dressed the part while she was out working.

“Why do you ask?”

Kuina jutted her chin out defiantly. “You do most your business out on the Grand Line, right? I need a ride.”

Betty laughed to her face, but Dragon merely nodded. “All right.”

“I can’t very well ask the idiots here after the fight they started, and Smoker’s got all of Loguetown locked tight. You owe me–wait.” Kuina startled as his words sank in. “You’re serious? I can go with you?”

“The Army doesn’t owe you anything ,” Betty snapped, before imploring her boss, “I know you saw her with that marine girl, but I don’t trust her. She’s a bounty hunter , for god’s sake. It’s bad enough she saw our faces, think of the breach in security—”

“The World Government nearly cut me in half because of you,” Kuina said coldly. “You probably don’t remember, but nine years ago my father gave you aid. I hope it was worth it, because the Government decided to punish us for your crimes.” Her gaze never wavered from his, daring him to try and contradict what she knew to be true. “So before you get all uppity about me ending a fight I didn’t even start, maybe you should ask yourself how much innocent blood you’ve got on your hands first.”

Betty fell silent while Dragon continued to peer down at her. Kuina’s cheeks flushed as years of pent-up resentment and anger and helplessness bubbled to the surface, and no amount of swordsmen training was able to push it back down again. The Revolution was just as bad as the Government as far as she was concerned, fighting in an endless war that hurt more than it helped.

She didn’t care about any of it. She’d spent countless nights wondering what would have happened if her father had just left well enough alone, what it would have looked like if a simple moment of altruism hadn’t torn her life and family apart.

All that mattered now was her ambition. And if Kuina was ever going to become the greatest swordsman in the world she needed to get to the Grand Line, and if she was ever to get to the Grand Line she needed a boat. It didn’t matter to her where that boat came from, as long as she was on it.

Ignoring her long itinerary of aches and pains, Kuina sheathed her sword and picked her tattered backpack off of the ground. “I’m ready to go when you are.”

Dragon inclined his head, and without any further deliberation started walking to his ship, Kuina limping closely behind.

[witcherycottage]

affordable witchy supplies~ uk edition 🌞

witchy supplies can be extremely pricey, and the only help i’ve seen on here is for the us, so i thought i’d share my go to places as a broke witch <3

1) the works

this shop is THE BOMB! here prices range from 50p to around £5 for the biggest hardback books. super affordable and good quality! you can get~

small glass jars with cork stoppers (spell jars! also storing herbs) 6 for £1

twig wreaths for pentagram making

seasonal craft supplies, eg flowers and eggs around spring, fake holly and wreaths in winter etc

wooden boxes, £1-£2.50! you can paint them or leave them as! great for storage or wish boxes

books!! here i’ve found “The Green Witch” “The Angel/Tarot/Crystal Bible” “wiccapedia” “The House Witch” “The Apprentice Witches Spellbook” and “Spells for peace of mind” all for under £5! there are so many spirituality books here

paints, ribbons, fat quarters etc

poundland

there’s more useful stuff here than you’d expect!

incense! packs of 50 sticks in lavender, vanilla, patchouli, sandlewood and myhr.

CANDLES!!! scented candles, coloured candles, tea lights!

candle holders

large glass jars! amazing quality

large glass bottles

notebooks! there is a A4 hardback black notebook that would be perfect for a first BOS

paints, glues, ribbons, glitters

table salt

TK Maxx

this shop is the home of the miscellaneous. you can find so much it’s amazing, and all at discounted prices!

CANDLES!!! they have isles upon isles of candles with all scents colours and styles you could ever ask for

glass jars and bottles

essential oils

pestle and mortars

i’ve seen a 15 piece spice and herb rack, for around £20. it comes with all glass bottles and a wooden rack! includes all your basics, basil, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon sticks etc

i’ve even seen beginner crystal sets here!

pink himalayan salt

rose quartz facial rollers! perfect for beginner glamour spells

notebooks, pens and paints

please bare in mind that every tk maxx is going to have something different, and it may be hard to find things due to their unorganised nature, but try your best and you’ll find some gems garunteed!

your average supermarket!

this is going to be your most accessible place, so i got you.

HERBS AND SPICES! every shop, even corner shops has these. sainsbury’s and morrisons do glass containers with around 15g worth of herb depending on the type. it’s a lot and will last you ages. £1 ish :)

flowers!!!! roses are surprisingly cheap if you buy a plain bouquet, but of course other types too. in spring they also sell plants for growing in your garden, like lavender.

seeds and bulbs! start your imbolc off by planting in your magickal garden!

craft supplies, ribbon, paint, glue etc

fresh herb plants such as basil, mint and rosemary! i presume if you take good care of them you can keep them for long term :)

travel bottles, spray bottles etc

glass jars and bottles

candles! limited selection and could be pricey but worth a shot

primark!

primark home has loads of cool things :)

candles candles candles! i’ve seen packs of 50 tea lights for £1.50! range of colours and scents

scent diffusers, for those that can’t use smoke

harry potters things! it’s cheesy but i think it’s so cute :) you can buy broomstick hair pins and things like that!

faux leather satchels! great for nature walks and foraging

boots!!! almost doc martin rip offs, not more than £15! seems pricey but compared to the <£100 of real docs it’s a steal! great for nature walks, hikes and foraging

seasonal! fake succulents and flowers for altar, cute little jars and fairy lights :)

online!

im gonna link some really affordable online witchy shops!

EBAY!!! i’m telling you! incense is insanely cheap here, you can buy spell candles, crystals and pendulums! tarot cards too! i’ve used ebay so much and it’s saved me a tonne! most shopping is fast and free there too! way better than amazon imo.

https://www.thepsychictree.co.uk is amazing for crystals! tumbled stones from as little as 50p! you can also buy tarot cards, jewellery and books! shopping is around £3 i belive but free over £30! honestly this place saved my life

wish! right, i wouldn’t reccommend anything too amazing here because lots of things are cheap rip offs, but you can get gorgeous tarot cards, jewellery, and tapestry’s here! be careful though loves <3

hobbycraft!

this shop makes my heart melt. so many amazing supplies here!

glass jars and bottles! i’m talking 6 jam jars for a pound!

ribbons, paints, glitter, glue and all craft things!

tiny jars!

decorative stones! great for creating rune stones!

floristry stuff! wreaths, flowers, fake flowers etc! i even bought moss!

essential oils! and soap/ lip balm making kits!

candle making kits!

sewing supplies!!!!

hot glue guns!

D R I E D L A V E N D E R! it took my friends a while to track this down! but i know you can get it here

scrapbook supplies= book of shadows supplies!

little baskets for foraging and nature walks :’) this will truly bring out your inner cottagecore witch

so so so so much more!

home!

this can be complicated when you live with parents, especially if they’re unsupportive but here are some ideas!

save ALL glass jars and bottles! i’m telling you they’re so useful. if you need an excuse, say you have a craft project in mind, you want to put fairy lights in them or you need them for school :)

go foraging! this doesn’t have to be crazy. collect things around you, like sticks (for wands) collect nettles! mugwort can be found by most roadsides! dry out needles, go to your local park or national trust area! collect rain water and stream water!

you can substitute all herbs for rosemary i’m pretty sure and all crystals for clear quartz! all candles for white ones and all incense for nag champa! all flowers for roses etc :)

crest alter pieces yourself! my amazing friend @ella-ruby12 made an amazing pentagram alter piece from sticks and string for my yule present :)

that’s all my loves! i have broken my right arm so it’s very hard to type with my left, please ignore typos :’) i hope you find all you’re looking for, and blessed be

[lovemesomesurveys]

Favorite beverage: Coffeeee. Brewed and Starbucks Doubleshot coffee energy drink.

When was the last time you had ketchup? Hmm. It’s been awhile. Have you ever had a red hotdog? No. Do they taste like regular hot dogs, just red? I’ve never heard of those.

What is the most recent gift you've been given? My birthday is at the end of this month, so I might get something then. I honestly can’t think of anything I want, though. Is what you're wearing comfortable? Yes.

Did you leave the house today? It’s only 6:44AM, but no I won’t be going anywhere later. I haven’t gone anywhere since my doctor appointment back in May.

Are there bumper stickers on your car? I don’t have a car. I wouldn’t want to put stickers on it if I did, though.

Are you watching tv right now? What? Roseanne is on, but I’m not watching it at the moment cause I’m listening to an ASMR video.

Are you wearing anything blue? Nope.

Do you have a job? No.

Is your car messy?.

When did you last have whipped cream? Last month sometime with hot chocolate.

How far away is the closest house? If you step out my front door and turn to your left it’d take like 3 steps to the neighbor’s door.

What street do you live on? Uh no, I’m definitely not giving that out. What is your favorite flavor of smoothie? Strawberry and banana. Or just either of those by itself. Chocolate banana smoothies are good, too. Wow, it’s been like 5 years since I’ve had a smoothie.

Are you dating anyone? Nope.

What color is you computer? Silver, but I have a rose gold case on it.

Do you own an iPod? What color is it? I have a black iPod Touch stored away that I haven’t used since like 2012.

What is the most recent picture on your phone/camera of: My doggo.

Have you ever shot a gun? Once. I went to a shooting range with some friends years ago. 

What temperature is it? 64F. Do you know anyone with a third nipple? I guess it’s possible. I wouldn’t know. Or care to know.

What do your parents do for a living? My mom is a manager at Walgreens and my dad works at a mechanic shop.

Have you ever had a pet that had babies? Nope. 

Which grocery store is closest to you? A local one.

Do you have a hamper in your room? Yes.

Do you know anyone that's a nurse? No.

Do you know someone with the name Alaina? No.

What color is the blanket on your bed? Rose gold.

What are your parent's middle names? I’m not sharing that.

Have you ever broken a bone? Yes.

Do you wear braces or glasses? I wear glasses. I’ve had ‘em since I was 9.

What color are they? Black rimmed.

Are you currently reading a book? No, but I’ve meaning to start one. I have the last book in a series I’ve been into to read.

When did you last get your blood drawn? Last year.

Have you ever done hard drugs? Nope. All I’ve done is weed.

How many contacts are in your phone? *shrug* Not many.

Does your toilet have a seat cover? No.

What's currently on your grocery list? Creamer, Hostess coffee cakes (I’ve been obsessed with those), and these Healthy Choice pesto pasta meals.

What things do you take with you everywhere? My bag with my wallet, phone, medicine, and hand sanitizer. And now if I were to go anywhere (which I don’t), I’d also have to bring a mask.

Do you know someone that is/was over 100 years old? No.

Was your HS principal a girl or a boy? Girl.

Have you ever eaten a raw egg? Uh, no. Ew.

Do you own any rings? Yeah, several.

Have you eaten fruit today? No. It’s been awhile since I’ve had any fruit. 

What about milk? No. I don’t drink milk. The only time I have any, which by the way I’m lactose intolerant so I use vanilla almond or soy milk, is if I have a coffee drink from somewhere that has milk, with cereal, or if I’m dipping something like cookies or brownies in it.

What letter does your state start with? C.

Could you list all 50 states? Yeah, easily. And in alphabetical order. 

What about their capitals? No.

What internet browser do you use? Chrome.

Do you know anyone that lives in Wyoming? No.

Do you smoke cigarettes? No.

Which person you know has the most unique name? I have a few family members with pretty unique names.

Do you know someone that's missing a limb? No.

Do you have facial hair? No.

Are you a bad person? No, but I could definitely do and be better. 

What was the last swear you said? “Fuck.”

Have you ever called the police on someone? Yeah. Once was to report a suspected drunk driver and the other was to report domestic abuse that I witnessed by someone who was also driving. 

What is the most amount of pets you've had at one time? I’ve only had one dog at a time. Well, I have a fish tank full of fish and a dog when I was a kid. 

When did you last check your email? Yesterday.

Have you ever had a 3rd degree burn? No, but I’ve had 2nd degree burns.

Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes.

How long is your hair? It’s down to my butt.

Do you lock your doors at night? Of course. They’re always locked.

Does your bedroom have a lock? Yeah. 

What do you have at your bedside? A table with my medicine, pill crusher, bottle of soda to take medicine with, bottles of water, a glass with a straw to drink the water, nail clippers, and body spray. Those things are always there. I also currently have a bowl from last night and a my Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink can that I will take out when I get up later. Oh, and I have a wet washcloth cause I get hot even with my fans on.

How big is your bed? It’s a full.

Do you know someone that was murdered? Yes.

Do you know someone who's pregnant Not personally. I do know someone who just had a baby, though.

Do you wear a watch? Nope.

What was your first pet? A dog. 

How much jewelry do you own? A decent amount.

What is the closest purple thing? Hmm. There isn’t anything.

Green? Nothing green either.

What time is it? 7:19AM. D: I need to go to beddddd.

What is your ideal profession? I don’t know what I want to do. :/

How tall are you? Like 5′4.

Have you ever gotten x-rays? Countless xrays, the regular kind, CT scans, and MRIs, throughout my life.

Do you wear gloves in the winter? Very rarely cause it’s hard to wheel in them. I do have a pair that has those bumps on them for easy grip and that helps. Honestly, I don’t feel I really need them. 

Do you consider yourself smart? Meh. Are you good at algebra? Noooo. Me and math never got along.

What color eyes are the prettiest? I love blue and green eyes.

Are your teeth straight? Yeah.

Do you like chocolate milk? No.

Do you own a bike? Nope.

Are you taller than your mom? No. Most people are taller than me.

Have you ever been engaged? Nopeee. Not even close to that point in a relationship cause I’ve never had a serious relationship.

What, in your opinion, is the ugliest name? Well, that’s just mean.