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dandelionsresilience · 6 months ago

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Good News - June 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $Kaybarr1735! And if you tip me and give me a way to contact you, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week!

1. Victory for Same-Sex Marriage in Thailand

“Thailand’s Senate voted 130-4 today to pass a same-sex marriage bill that the lower house had approved by an overwhelming majority in March. This makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia, and the second in Asia, to recognize same-sex relationships. […] The Thai Marriage Equality Act […] will come into force 120 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. It will stand as an example of LGBT rights progress across the Asia-Pacific region and the world.”

2. One of world’s rarest cats no longer endangered

“[The Iberian lynx’s] population grew from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to 648 in 2022. While young and mature lynx combined now have an estimated population of more than 2,000, the IUCN reports. The increase is largely thanks to conservation efforts that have focused on increasing the abundance of its main food source - the also endangered wild rabbit, known as European rabbit. Programmes to free hundreds of captive lynxes and restoring scrublands and forests have also played an important role in ensuring the lynx is no longer endangered.”

3. Planning parenthood for incarcerated men

“[M]any incarcerated young men missed [sex-ed] classroom lessons due to truancy or incarceration. Their lack of knowledge about sexual health puts them at a lifelong disadvantage. De La Cruz [a health educator] will guide [incarcerated youths] in lessons about anatomy and pregnancy, birth control and sexually transmitted infections. He also explores healthy relationships and the pitfalls of toxic masculinity. […] Workshops cover healthy relationships, gender and sexuality, and sex trafficking.”

4. Peru puts endemic fog oasis under protection

“Lomas are unique ecosystems relying on marine fog that host rare and endemic plants and animal species. […] The Peruvian government has formally granted conservation status to the 6,449-hectare (16,000-acre) desert oasis site[….] The site, the first of its kind to become protected after more than 15 years of scientific and advocacy efforts, will help scientists understand climatic and marine cycles in the area[, … and] will be protected for future research and exploration for at least three decades.”

5. Religious groups are protecting Pride events — upending the LGBTQ+ vs. faith narrative

“In some cases, de-escalation teams stand as a physical barrier between protesters and event attendees. In other instances, they try to talk with protesters. The goal is generally to keep everyone safe. Leigh was learning that sometimes this didn’t mean acting as security, but doing actual outreach. That might mean making time and space to listen to hate speech. It might mean offering food or water. […] After undergoing Zoom trainings this spring, the members of some 120 faith organizations will fan out across more than 50 Pride events in 16 states to de-escalate the actions of extremist anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups.”

6. 25 years of research shows how to restore damaged rainforest

“For the first time, results from 25 years of work to rehabilitate fire-damaged and heavily logged rainforest are now being presented. The study fills a knowledge gap about the long-term effects of restoration and may become an important guide for future efforts to restore damaged ecosystems.”

7. Audubon and Grassroots Carbon Announce First-of-its-Kind Partnership to Reward Landowners for Improving Habitats for Birds while Building Healthy Soils

“Participating landowners can profit from additional soil carbon storage created through their regenerative land management practices. These practices restore grasslands, improve bird habits, build soil health and drive nature-based soil organic carbon drawdown through the healthy soils of farms and ranches. […] Additionally, regenerative land management practices improve habitats for birds. […] This partnership exemplifies how sustainable practices can drive positive environmental change while providing tangible economic benefits for landowners.”

8. Circular food systems found to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, require much less agricultural land

“Redesigning the European food system will reduce agricultural land by 44% while dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 70%. This reduction is possible with the current consumption of animal protein. “Moreover, animals are recyclers in the system. They can recycle nutrients from human-inedible parts of the organic waste and by-products in the food system and convert them to valuable animal products," Simon says.”

9. Could Treating Injured Raptors Help Lift a Population? Researchers found the work of rehabbers can have long-lasting benefits

“[“Wildlife professionals”] tend to have a dismissive attitude toward addressing individual animal welfare,” [… but f]or most raptor species, they found, birds released after rehabilitation were about as likely to survive as wild birds. Those released birds can have even broader impacts on the population. Back in the wild, the birds mate and breed, raising hatchlings that grow up to mate and breed, too. When the researchers modeled the effects, they found most species would see at least some population-level benefits from returning raptors to the wild.”

10. Indigenous people in the Amazon are helping to build bridges & save primates

“Working together, the Reconecta Project and the Waimiri-Atroari Indigenous people build bridges that connect the forest canopy over the BR-174 road[….] In the first 10 months of monitoring, eight different species were documented — not only monkeys such as the golden-handed tamarin and the common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus), but also kinkajous (Potos flavus), mouse opossums (Marmosops sp.), and opossums (Didelphis sp.).”

Bonus: A rare maneless zebra was born in the UK

June 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

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laughhardrunfastbekindsblog · 5 months ago

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The Start of Something New

Summer of Bad Batch 2024 | Week 10 | Prompt: "Just when were you planning on telling us that?"

Summary: This was the start of something completely new for Tech, and Hunter couldn’t be happier for him. POV: Hunter Rating: G (Word Count: 2971)

Read on Ao3

Notes: Yes, this is another Tech Lives story! The first part of the story takes place pre-"Tipping Point" (episode 14 of season 2); the second part of the story takes place post-epilogue/post-my other Tech Lives work. ( @domino-twinss This isn't exactly a chapter 2 for Lost and Found, but it kinda works as an unofficial follow up?)

Hunter leaned back, resting his elbows on the garden wall in Shep’s backyard, and closed his eyes briefly, welcoming the slight breeze that played across his face. He had just returned from a long but productive day helping move supplies to rebuild more of the homes damaged in the tidal wave. Tech had apparently finished his task of restoring power to the dozen or so homes that had been completed, for he had already been sitting at the table looking at his datapad when Hunter had arrived. Wrecker and Omega, who had both spent the day down at the docks, should be coming back any minute…

Hunter heard the telltale sound of running footsteps, and smiled as his brother and sister burst through the gate. Omega greeted him with a happy grin and a wave, but it was to Tech that she directed her first statement.

“Lyana says the reason why you came in late last night was because you asked Phee to go out on a boat with you,” she declared, her face bright with curiosity as she rested one hand on Tech’s forearm and slightly shook it in her excitement.

“When were you going to tell us you spent time with Phee?” Wrecker asked in barely concealed delight.

Hunter, his brows raised in mild surprise at this revelation, awaited the answer. He had assumed Tech had been on the Marauder completing one of his many research projects yesterday evening; he would never have guessed his brother had actually gone out with Phee.

Tech, who had remained completely unperturbed by Omega's enthusiasm, now glanced up from his datapad, looking slightly puzzled by Wrecker's question. “I wasn’t planning on saying anything," he replied.

Omega and Wrecker both visibly wilted in disappointment at this answer, and Hunter had to bite back a laugh. Omega quickly recovered, though, and eagerly patted Tech’s arm again.

“Well, since we know about it… Come on, tell us! How did it go? How did you decide on taking a boat out at night?"

Tech shrugged. "Phee mentioned she is interested in sea creatures, and many of the species found near this island have bioluminescent traits that are especially well observed at night, even with a full moon. I concluded she might enjoy some time on the water to see them.”

“You spent the entire time talking about the creatures and bioluminescence, didn’t you?” Hunter cut in drily.

“Most of the time, yes. What else were we supposed to talk about? At any rate, Phee is already remarkably well versed in marine science, and she was quite interested in learning more about the aiwhas on Kamino. I was more than happy to oblige.”

“I still can’t believe you weren’t going to tell us about it,” Wrecker protested.

“We’ve all spent time with Phee before, you know,” Tech stated, as if that fully explained his lack of disclosure.

“Yeah, but not on a date!”

“This was not a date. It was simply a friendly outing.”

Wrecker groaned in frustration, but Omega piped up again. “Well, we’d still like to hear about them!”

At Omega’s plea, Tech sighed and capitulated. “Very well, if it’s so important to all of you…”

“Good, you’re all back!” Shep called from the doorway. “Oh, Tech, Phee told Lyana and me how much she enjoyed last night.”

“That is… gratifying to hear,” Tech said steadily, seemingly ignoring Omega’s giggle, though Hunter got the distinct impression that, in this particular situation at least, the more solemn Tech appeared, the more embarrassed he was actually feeling.

“Dinner is about ready,” Shep continued gamely, “just a few more minutes.”

“Anything I can do to help?” Omega offered, moving toward their host.

“Well, if you want, you can help Lyana get the plates,” Shep smiled.

“I’ll come with you,” Wrecker instantly volunteered.

As the others trooped into the house, Tech silently put down his datapad and stood to follow them, turning back when Hunter spoke.

“Are you going to invite Phee to join you on more friendly outings?” Hunter asked, careful to keep any hint of amusement out of his voice.

“I intend to, yes,” Tech replied without hesitation, before his expression shifted; and while Tech often wore thoughtful expressions, Hunter had never before seen this particular brand of introspection on his brother’s face – it was almost as if Tech, for the first time since he had learned to speak, was grappling for the right words to express his thoughts. “She… is an exceptional woman,” he finally finished, a touch awkwardly though clearly sincere.

And as Tech made his way toward the door to join the others in the house, Hunter smiled.

This was the start of something completely new for Tech, and Hunter couldn’t be happier for him.

*******

Hunter, glancing out the cabin window, saw that Tech had returned from his visit with Phee and had taken up position standing by the low wall that separated the property from the long stretch of rocky soil leading out to the beach some distance away.

Gesturing to Batcher that she should stay where she was, curled up comfortably by the table, Hunter stepped outside to join his brother. It was perfect weather, a light breeze was stirring the air, and Omega would have been enraptured by the scenery of the sunset if she were here; but Tech had already pulled out his datapad and was taking notes. Hunter smiled a bit – despite time, aging, and critical life experiences, some things never changed, and Tech’s curiosity combined with his need to always keep his mind and hands busy were among those things that remained constant.

Any concerns Hunter may have had about Tech being able to adjust to life on Pabu with brothers who had changed so much in the intervening years had been short lived. The impossible had happened – the entire family was reunited – and the growth and life-altering changes they had each experienced in the past decade or so only served to enhance their immense gratitude for the chance they had to all be together again. Tech had offered to continue helping Omega and Echo with decryption and other coding tasks for their rebel missions, but only in a remote capacity; he sympathized with the Rebellion’s cause, of course, but he wanted to stay on Pabu. And while Phee had said nothing aloud upon hearing of this decision, none of the brothers had missed the fact that her stays on Pabu had progressively lengthened over the past year.

Hunter knew Tech and Phee had become extremely close ever since Tech’s return – the spark of mutual interest that had existed early on between them had quickly grown into a flame – and the two of them spending the entire day together had become the norm; but as he stood next to his brother now, Hunter could tell something was different, something had changed today - and Hunter couldn't be more thrilled.

“So, when were you going to tell us?” he prodded.

Tech looked at him, eyebrows slightly raised, but couldn’t keep a small smile from playing on his lips: he knew Hunter knew exactly what had happened. “Tonight,” he replied levelly, “when Omega contacts us. She always includes Echo in her transmissions, and that way we can tell the whole family at once. At least, that was the plan,” he finished wryly.

“Do you have a date set yet?”

“If Omega and Echo can come by month’s end, we will wait for them; if not, it may be sooner. Phee and I want to be married before we begin any travels.”

Hunter was careful to keep his expression and his voice steady, even as his heart now sank. “So you won’t be staying on Pabu?”

Sometimes Hunter wondered if Tech had somehow developed enhanced senses of his own; based on the glance Tech gave him now, Hunter thought the other must have somehow sensed his dismay. “This is still our home, Hunter. Phee says she was already considering retiring for some time before I returned, and you know she hasn’t set off on any acquisition operations for months now. But the news of what the Empire did to the refugees on Ghirtin II really shook her. She says it’s high time a liberator of ancient wonders became a liberator of modern people. She wants to do more to help those displaced by the war, and I want to help her.”

Hunter nodded and even managed a smile. He had known the moment he had witnessed Tech’s face light up upon first seeing Phee again that his brother was as devoted to her as he was to his siblings, and devotion such as Tech’s knew no bounds. And Hunter had been thrilled both for his genius, quirky brother and the strong-willed, witty woman who had always been such a loyal friend to the entire family; he had known they would make each other immensely happy, and Hunter, who had only ever wanted all his family to be safe and happy, couldn’t wish for more.

But…

“What is it, Hunter?” Tech asked almost gently.

Hunter sighed. “I’m happy for you, Tech," he said sincerely. "I know you and Phee will take care of each other – and really, the two of you combined will be unstoppable. It’s just…" taking a breath to give himself time to gather his thoughts, he continued, "It’s been almost a year, but it still feels like we just got you back. I don’t…” he trailed off, feeling that it would be far too selfish and shameful for him to say aloud I don’t want to let you go again.

It was moments like these that made him realize he had never, ever fully released the grief and shame of his failure as a leader, as a brother, as he had watched Tech fall out of sight on Eriadu. Even now, after finally and unexpectedly being reunited, and with so much good happening in their lives in spite of the stranglehold the Empire had on the galaxy, Hunter still felt the pang of regret of all the years missed, all the time Tech had spent lost and alone, working so hard on his own to regain his lost memories and discover where he belonged…

Hunter couldn’t look at his brother, and blinked rapidly to will away the tears.

He felt Tech place a firm, reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I know,” Tech said in a voice that prompted Hunter to look at him despite the threat of tears; and in the long moments of silence that followed, the look in Tech’s eyes said it all: he not only knew exactly what Hunter felt, he understood – and he wished Hunter would finally forgive himself for circumstances that had been outside any of their control.

“We’ll be here on Pabu far more often than we will be away, though,” Tech now continued matter-of-factly. “Besides, compared to any trouble Phee and I may find ourselves in, we all are in significantly greater peril whenever we allow Wrecker or Crosshair to man the boats during fishing expeditions.”

Hunter snorted – this observation was unfortunately all too accurate – and Tech gave a small smile.

“Well, just let me promise you what I promised Omega: if you or Phee ever need us, we’ll be there,” Hunter said.

Tech nodded. “It is, perhaps, obvious; but if you ever are in need of anything, you only need ask,” he replied.

Grinning now, Hunter slipped his arm over Tech’s shoulders, with Tech soon following suit so that they stood arm in arm, side by side, brothers as they always had been and always would be, come what may.

The sun’s last rays were now slipping beneath the horizon, but there was still enough light in the minutes before twilight that both brothers could clearly see Crosshair and Wrecker now coming up the path to the cabin. Hunter and Tech turned to greet them, and Wrecker waved as he drew closer, before abruptly stopping and dropping the package he was carrying, a wide smile stretching across his face as he looked at Tech.

“Don’t tell me, you and Phee are getting married!” he exclaimed.

Sure hope Tech and Phee weren’t planning on keeping this quiet, because with how loud Wrecker is, the entire island knows about it now, Hunter thought with amusement.

Tech, as usual, was unflustered as he replied, “Well, since you clearly already know about it, there's not much point in me telling you.”

Crosshair’s initial look of surprise at the revelation now turned into a smirk. “Did you ask Phee, or did she have to ask you?”

Instantly intuiting that an overly detailed explanation was forthcoming as an answer, Hunter settled in for the inevitable as Tech replied: “Well, we came to what might be termed a mutual understanding regarding our status as partners some time ago; but last week I came to the conclusion that it was time for me to issue Phee a formal request for her agreement to our eventual commitment to each other as spouses, and I completed that objective today."

"Tech, you can just call it a proposal, we all know what that is," Hunter muttered.

"Wait, you were planning this for a week?" Wrecker said. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Yeah, we would have helped," Crosshair added.

"That is precisely why I didn't tell you," Tech said candidly, earning outraged squawks from the other two and a chuckle from Hunter.

"She said yes, so I guess you did it right even without our help, Tech," Hunter said, clapping his brother on the back.

A new thought had obviously struck Crosshair, for he now frowned a little. "Wasn't Phee talking a few weeks ago about wanting to help transport refugees or something?"

"That is correct," Tech nodded. "I'll be going with her."

"So, you won't be living here anymore?" Wrecker asked, looking rather crestfallen now.

"We will, we'll only be traveling occasionally."

"Oh, well that's alright then," Wrecker smiled, lightly knocking against Tech's shoulder.

Crosshair couldn't hide the flash of sadness in his eyes upon hearing that Tech would be leaving, even if only for a short while; but his smile was genuine. "Good man, Tech," he said; and Hunter knew that, while any separation would be painful, Crosshair would fully support his brother in this decision.

"You're going to tell Omega and Echo tonight, right?" Wrecker asked eagerly.

"Yes," Tech said, adding wryly, "though at this point, if Phee and I didn't tell them, you probably would."

"We should head in now to get all that put away before she contacts us," Hunter interjected, nodding at the large package of supplies Wrecker had dropped; and the brothers moved to act on Hunter's suggestion.

They had put away the supplies and just settled in to await the transmission when a brisk knock sounded on the door and Phee let herself in. One look at the brothers, and Phee shook her head ruefully.

"They all know already, don't they?" she addressed Tech.

"Yes, though I myself did not tell them," Tech answered.

"I should have known they'd figure it out themselves," she said, settling down next to Tech and sharing a quick kiss with him before grinning cheekily at Crosshair's usual grunt of mock disgust at the display. Tech took her hand in his, as had long since become his custom; and she squeezed his hand affectionately in return as she continued, "We just waiting on the rebels now?"

"As usual," Crosshair nodded.

"Do you want to share your news first, before Omega catches us up on her end?" Hunter queried.

Ever since Omega had joined the Rebellion, Phee had joined in on every transmission whenever she happened to be on Pabu, and was well aware of the typical flow of these conversations. Now, she glanced at Tech before shaking her head. "Nah, let Omega go first. No need to break tradition."

"Any minute now..." Wrecker said.

At that moment, the communications array beeped to indicate an incoming transmission, and Wrecker lunged forward to accept the message. Omega's image, with her bright smile and uplifted expression, blossomed into view before them; surprisingly, Echo appeared directly beside her, rather than coming in as a separate transmission.

"Hi!” Omega greeted them before excitedly continuing, “Guess what? Echo and I have been assigned to the same mission! Can you believe..."

Omega's eyes had been roving over her audience; now, her gaze falling on Tech and Phee, she abruptly paused, eyes widening, before she let loose an ecstatic high pitched squeal.

"You two are finally getting married??!?"

The surprised silence that followed was quickly broken by Wrecker bursting into a hearty guffaw, and Hunter couldn't help chuckling at the sight of Phee's stunned face. Tech, of course, remained composed as ever, though his lips curved up into a smile.

"How could you tell?" Crosshair, clearly holding back a laugh, asked Omega.

"I don't know," Omega replied, waving her hands helplessly at them as if this would help explain the unexplainable, "it's just obvious!"

"Good thing we didn't try to elope," Phee joked.

Tech just shook his head resignedly before saying, "If these three" - gesturing to Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair - "figured it out, I'm not surprised Omega did as well."

"Congratulations," Echo put in, nodding cordially at the pair. This was all he managed to say, however, before Omega erupted with more questions.

"How did Tech propose? Or did you ask him, Phee? When is the wedding? It'll be on Pabu, right? Can you wait for us to come? Will you be getting your own house now?"

And as Tech and Phee began explaining all their plans, Hunter, quietly basking in the celebratory atmosphere, sat back and smiled.

This was the start of something new for Tech and Phee, and Hunter couldn’t be happier for them.

@summer-of-bad-batch

#summerofbadbatch2024 #week 10 #just when were you planning on telling us that?#the bad batch #star wars the bad batch #tbb hunter #tbb tech #phee genoa #tbb wrecker #tbb omega #tbb crosshair #tbb echo #fanfiction #tbb fanfiction #tech lives #techphee #techphee forever

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the-witchy-housewife · 3 months ago

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｡+*✧ The Basics of Spiritual Safety & Wellbeing✧*+｡

This is an article from my website, The Witchy Housewife. You can read it at the source here or look under the cut to read it here on Tumblr. If you enjoy my work, please consider subscribing (at the bottom of this page) to receive articles as they're posted via e-mail, exploring the shop, leaving a tip, or reblogging this post. I run this all myself, so all support is greatly appreciated. 💜🔮✨

When asked the most important place to begin as a newcomer to the craft, to energy work, or even to simply walking a more spiritual path, more experienced practitioners will often share the basics of their magickal tool cabinet, suggest a bouquet of book titles and YouTube channels, or state plainly that the only correct answer is to let your heart and soul guide you. Only occasionally do I see or hear these types of questions answered with the recommendation to familiarize oneself with spiritual safety and wellbeing prior to diving head-first. But matters of protection, I feel, are one of the most important things to study up on when starting out, and today, I’d like to share my own thoughts and advice on the topic.

Cleansing, Purification, & Banishing

As I define them in my practice: To cleanse is to rid a person, place, or thing of stagnant, unwanted, draining, counterproductive, or otherwise negative energies or entities (though positive energies will often accompany them), to purify is to return a person, place, or thing to its original energetic state, and to banish is to cleanse by authoritative expulsion or removal using an outward-pushing energy. You may find others who define these terms differently or use these words interchangeably, but this is how I have come to define them, each offering their own unique function in my workings. If you are looking at correspondences in my digital grimoire, these energetic properties can be found in items marked as cleansing, restoration, and banishment respectively.

A cleansing may be performed when you find that energies are stagnant, stuffy, or negative. Unpleasant energies like these can be responsible for inviting in equally unpleasant entities, hindering the results of energetic workings, creating a state of mental or emotional discomfort, brewing a heavy tension in the air, or even causing feelings of sickness in those who are particularly sensitive. As such, it is usually recommended that cleansings be performed on a regular basis – especially if you live in a space that is regularly exposed to more negative energies. Some common methods of cleansing utilize the smoke of cleansing herbs (alternatively, a spray), water infused with cleansing herbs, or simply a visualization of brilliant white light – and this is just barely scratching the surface. As with many rituals, there are hundreds of methods of cleansing out there for you to explore, and it is paramount to choose one – or even create one – that works for you. Let your intention – your goal – be your guiding force. As a general rule, if you are putting your intention into it and you are going about it in a way that feels intuitively compatible, you will more than likely see the results you are looking for.

Often, cleansing – similarly to banishing – will result in a feeling of emptiness. You are essentially scrubbing the present energies “clean”, including energies that may be more positive. On the other hand, you may wish to perform a purification, or restoration, of a person, place, or thing if the goal is to reverse any energetic damage that may have been done while still retaining those unique individual energies. For this, you would utilize restorative herbs instead of cleansing ones and focus your intention accordingly. It seems it is common for practitioners to opt for cleansing over purification – and even more common for the terms to be defined as one and the same – but I enjoy having this as a separate option when it is needed. In my practice, this process typically comes into play when I want to remove any absorbed energies from a crystal, charm, or tool but would like to preserve its core energies as much as possible.

Finally, banishment is used when you want to push an energy or entity out of a particular space, and in this case, the original energies seem to remain wholly unchanged. For this reason, some practitioners choose to also perform a cleansing beforehand. Like cleansing, there are many methods of banishment out there that you can give a try, though the most commonly passed-around is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (or LBRP) of ceremonial magick, sometimes given different flavors for different systems.

Enchanting & Blessing

The emptiness of a cleansing or banishing can feel pleasant enough, but I find that this sometimes allows unwanted energies to creep back in more easily. A blank slate becomes anyone’s game, so to speak. To mitigate this, you may choose to preemptively imbue the space with more intentionally – and typically positive – energies. For this, we use enchantment or blessings. To enchant is to fill a person, place, or thing with intentional (but not necessarily positive) energies, and to bless is to enchant with fresh, positive, and often divine energies.

Enchantment is one of those foundational things that is pretty crucial to get the hang of when first starting out in a magickal practice, and all it entails is focusing on an intention and willing the energy of that intention to fill the person, place, or thing being enchanted. To a beginner, this can be more difficult, which is why it is also important to learn what these subtle energies can feel like to you. Skipping this step can sometimes deter people away from magick altogether. Lady Gravedancer, one of my favorite witches on YouTube, has an excellent video on learning to work with and sense these subtle energies. If this is all new to you, I highly recommend it.

Typically, though, a blessing is more what we’re looking for post-cleansing – positive, even divine, energies that inspire a sense of wellbeing. If you work with deities, you may also like to ask them to bestow their own blessings in your stead or beside you. Otherwise, it’s just enchantment with a wholly positive intention, but if the idea of a blessing feels too religious for your comfort, stick with “enchantment” and don’t let semantics bog you down.

Warding, Shielding, & Cloaking

In all cases, I tend to feel that the energies we’re working through are not being totally destroyed, but are rather either transmuted, deterred, or even just fragmented. In my opinion, it is usually a good idea to follow up your cleansings or banishments with the re-energizing of your wards. To ward is to create an energetic protective barrier around a person, place, or thing as a semi-passive and long-term protective measure, to shield is to create a more short-term ward that surrounds a personal, place, or thing entirely and is envisioned as a bubble, and to cloak is to make a person, place, or thing energetically “invisible” or “irrelevant” to wandering energies or entities so that interests are directed elsewhere. You can find relevant correspondences in my digital grimoire marked as protection, security, and invisibility.

Warding can be thought of as the closing and locking of your spiritual entryway, though it is often done with the intention to protect from more than just matters of the spiritual. I’ve known people to create physical barriers around properties using salt and/or eggshells with protective herbs as a base and visualizing their wards rising from that barrier. You might also like to bury protective crystals at the four corners of the property for that additional kick. But once again, there are so many methods out there that it really comes down to personal preference.

I tend to think of shielding – or bubbling, as some call it – as a more short-term and active form of warding. Shielding is especially useful as an emergency layer of protection when out and about or as an additional layer over your personal wards in outings that you suspect will be energetically taxing. Where wards are thought of as great and powerful walls, shields are typically thought of as entire bubbles surrounding a person, place, or thing on all sides. If you’re an empath like me – which is a sometimes-misrepresented term I’ll get into in a future article – shielding is a good practice to have in your pocket for going out into crowded environments, whether that crowd is physical, as in a theme park, or spiritual, as in a hospital. Whatever visualization you choose to use for warding, your shielding process can tend to be similar, and much of it, again, comes down to the intention. It is often the case, though, that this process takes more energy to conduct, and thus, if you choose to keep up a more permanent shield, it may require more care and more frequent energetic charging than your wards do.

Cloaking is something I don’t see discussed very often, but it can be very useful to consider when you are trying to be energetically off the radar. And obviously, I am not suggesting you go about doing sneaky, unsavory things. Instead, cloaking may be more beneficial for avoiding unnecessary conflict with nosy neighbors, finding peace to work in a coffee shop, or subduing the attention that can come from large-scale energetic workings. And as always, you may choose to hand-pick some herbs, crystals, or other mystical tools for this purpose, but the recommended visualization varies a bit from that typical bright light you may be used to working with. In the case of invisibility, you may choose to envision the person, place, or thing fading out of view or to mentally play the situation at hand out exactly as you wish it to transpire.

Safety Tips for Spirit Work

Certainly, if you plan to do spirit work – a line of spiritual work in which will regularly involve energies and entities completely independent of you – these concepts may be more important to familiarize yourself with than with someone whose only spiritual endeavor is manifesting a little extra spending money every once in a while. Aspiring spirit worker, the following tips are for you:

• As per the point of this article, it’s a good idea to have your preferred protective methods at the ready prior to actively working with spirits. This, of course, does not mean that your methods cannot change over time – but when starting out, you should find a method that is compatible with you and gets you the results you need. Once chosen, try to become familiar enough with it that you can cast it off-book in the event of some sort of spiritual emergency.

• As a spirit worker, you’ll want to cleanse your tools, your space, and yourself very regularly. My preference in my practice is at least once a month and more frequently if I feel it is necessary. Even if you aren’t involved with spirit work, regular cleansings are a good habit to get into, but it is especially important for those inviting a large number of outside influences into their home.

• Get to know your spirit guide(s), and keep them close during any sort of spirit work. I’ve heard from many people who feel that the connection you have with your guide(s) has a sort of solidity to it that can override other communications the moment you ask for it, and I myself have not yet seen evidence to the contrary. If you ever feel uneasy about a communication and are in need of a second opinion on who or what you may be speaking to, ask your guide(s) to come through and communicate with you. Still, as we communicate between realms, discernment is a necessary skill to develop, and having protections in place is always a good idea, regardless of whether you choose to involve your guide(s) or work on your own. If you are completely new to the idea of spirit guides, I do plan to write an article on the topic in the future – but in the meantime, if you’re interested in meeting yours, Lady Gravedancer also has a wonderful video featuring a ritual for communicating with your guides for the first time.

• You may also want to look into the idea of casting a circle (another topic I’ll likely be discussing here in the future). While an entire ritual may not be in the cards for your practice, it may help you to develop some alternative ideas for shielding the space around you during active spirit work. In doing so, you maintain greater control over what is permitted to enter. Afterwards, be sure to say your goodbyes and to close up your circle and any portals you may have opened to avoid uninvited visitors outside of working hours. If you are someone who chooses to always leave your space open to visitation – and some people do – be aware that anything can enter and be prepared for the circumstances that could stem from this.

• If you are someone who allows certain spirits to reside in your home – what I refer to as my “spirit family” – I think it is a hospitable gesture to let those spirits know when you are going to be performing a cleansing or banishing. I can’t imagine that having your energy forcefully transmuted or shoved out the door would be a terribly comfortable thing to experience, so I think of it as a sort of courtesy that exhibits the respect I have for them. This will give them a chance to temporarily leave the space of their own volition while you go through your routine. Alternatively, if you have a special space set up for your spirit family like I do, you may choose to shield that space with the intention for their energies to remain unaffected by the cleansing. I’m not sure that it’s the most perfect method, but it’s one that I’ve found to work well for my spirit family thus far. In both cases, there are those who would argue that this gives unwanted entities a chance to temporarily leave or take shelter within the shield, as well, but I tend to feel that my spirit family would act accordingly to keep our home safe. It is their home, too, after all.

Despite popular Hollywood tropes, working with spirits doesn’t necessarily equate to “terrifying and dangerous” – but this does not mean it is without its risks. And just as you wouldn’t find your way into a dark alley in the middle of the night without some pepper spray, it’s likely not a good idea to invite spirits into your home without compatible defense measures in place.

Safety Tips for Energy Work

Energy work, in general, tends to have the odd side effect of making you a sort of beacon in the realm of the spiritual – and the more you do, the more your energy builds, the more your awareness expands, and the brighter your whole being shines. No matter the level you find yourself at spiritually, the following tips are for you (though feel absolutely free to read through the previous section, as well; the additional knowledge can only benefit you):

• Whether it be through tarot, runes, pendulums, spirit boards, prayer, or some other form of divination you find useful, it is wonderfully wise to seek guidance regarding any workings you do. This practice can help you to avoid unwanted outcomes, to avoid manifesting something you may not truly want, and to uncover exactly what it is you need to add or take away from your workings to bring you the results that you are looking for.

• Keep a journal of what works and what doesn’t in your practice and of any intuitive insights you receive that you feel may be important. Your spiritual path is a deeply personal one, and one person’s experience will likely never be perfectly identical to another’s. There is an abundance of wonderful advice out there. There are many methods out there that work very well for many as-is. But at the end of the day, you must discover what works best for you, even if that is different from the teachings of the majority. Be sure to keep track of it.

• Be mindful of loopholes, especially in manifestation workings. Being too specific can sometimes be ineffective, but not being specific enough has the potential to cause even bigger issues. Manifestation, I find, tends to take the path of least resistance, so when putting your energies out there, you want to be sure your intentions don’t put anyone in harm’s way. Again, divination can be a wonderful source of guidance prior to your workings.

• If you are going to be working with negative intentions of any kind – which is something I don’t advise for a number of reasons, and especially not for beginners – be sure to deep-cleanse yourself and the space the spell or ritual took place in. In addition, it’s generally a good idea to not keep any items used in the working on or near your property. Also know that there are other options, like justice workings, that can be done in place of this. Sometimes when we feel very upset or very angry, we speak or act irrationally and come to regret it later. This can also be true for spellwork, but the results can sometimes be a lot more devastating. Ultimately, I cannot stop you from doing what you feel you must, but at the very least, I hope you’ll think things through.

• Finally, this may seem like common-sense, but don’t let your spiritual practice throw off balance in your life. The realm of the physical has its own value and importance, and that certainly includes your health and wellbeing. If you find yourself neglecting your health, your hygiene, your friends and family, your responsibilities, or your other hobbies, it may be necessary to take a break or dial it back until you’re able to find a good balance.

A Regular Cleansing Practice

You may have already seen this in my article on making the home more magickal, but I thought it would be good to include, here as well. The following are my two most often-used cleansing rituals – one which I perform monthly, and the other as-needed:

My Monthly Cleansing Ritual: I perform this ritual on the first of each month. Any cleansing tools to be charged on the altar should be set at least a day before performing the cleansing. The morning of, weather permitting, open windows and play uplifting music or cleansing affirmations, frequencies, or subliminals of choice. Take a cleansing shower. Clean the home as you normally would. When physical cleaning is complete, use a smoke or spray cleansing blend of choice, walking with intention from room-to-room. Pay special mind to corners and doorways. I like to use sound cleansing – bells, drums, or even snapping your fingers will do – in these spaces to really ensure the breaking up of any “stuck” energies. If you are someone who performs banishing rituals, you may choose to do so now. At this point, I also take a moment to cleanse myself, particularly as an empath. I then tend to my wards by first taking a blessed salt blend around the perimeter of the property, followed by sitting at the center of the property and funneling my own energy into the ward. If you would prefer to instead bless first and ward after, feel free to do so. It is your ritual, after all. Regardless of which order you perform the ritual in, the blessing process may be a deeply personal one, so this is a step I suggest thinking on a bit rather than following to the letter. In my ritual, I use a spray with positive energy-promoting herbs (as well as herbs that may promote the intention I wish to set for the month) and follow up with prayer to my deities. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at my Monthly Cleansing Ritual, I do have detailed instructions available on my Monthly Blessings Patreon.

My As-Needed Cleansing Ritual: This is essentially a truncated version of my monthly ritual. If the energies are something I’ve tracked in or absorbed too much of, I will take a cleansing shower first. Following this, perform your usual smoke or spray cleansing, focusing especially on any room(s) that may be the most abundant in the energy that brought about this need for an emergency cleanse. You may also like to perform a shorter version of your regular blessing ritual. Unless the situation is really dire, I will generally stick to my spray in this case.

Just to reiterate, all of the information, including these rituals, are from my own practice and my own experience. You must do what works for you if you want to get the absolute best results and the most fulfilling experience. Take what serves you, and leave the rest. Much love and many blessings to you on your journey. Take care of yourself.

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officialsollux · 2 months ago

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erikar fic rec list

50 First Dates by Xagave

Eridan falls back into your life the same way he left it: abrupt and without warning. It hurts because you love him, and maybe that will never change. no archive warnings, E

Torrential Overflow by FindingZ

The game is over. Everyone is finally able to relax and rebuild in 'Verse C. Except Eridan. no archive warnings, E

the wworst by 2x2verse (agent_florida)

“Oh my god,” you say out loud. “We are the two most insecure assholes on this side of the fucking planet.” “The planetary system,” Eridan wails good-naturedly. “The entire goddamn galaxy,” you trump him. “We are the best at being the worst.” -- They both hate their bodies, and they've been hurt so much over them. And each of them barely dares to whisper it, lest the other one leave them alone to deal with it. no archive warnings, E (past noncon implied)

As Fast as you Can by BlueMoonHound

Cosmetic mutations. In a highblood, it's hardly a concern to the empire. Especially one so close to the color of the Condesce herself. In the past, however, that hasn't stopped her from culling them. They do carry on genetically into descendants, and mess with Her plans. To have that in the slurry? It could end up in lowbloods, who would be culled on sight, midbloods, who would be shunned, or – gog forbid – the Tyrian line itself. You're only important because you're an orphaner and no one else can hold that job. no archive warnings, T

a whiter shade of pale by Spacefille

AU Future fic, Alternia is restored in all its horrible glory and Feferi is not in charge. Karkat is a blood prisoner and Eridan is his guard. Eridan POV. Dark. noncon, M

Choices by Spacefille

Eridan finds out Karkat’s blood color. Karkat lashes out in self-defense, which lands the mutant in the brig of Eridan’s hive. Now Eridan has a dilemma on his hands, does he cull him or risk letting him go? rated with graphic depictions of violence but it should also be rated with noncon, E

You don't Choose the Helmslife by BagtheBagisnotaBag

The helmslife takes you from your hive and tortures you till you crack. "In Which a Seadweller Captain of the Imperial Fleet and His Lowblooded Matesprite Find Their Long Lost Childhood Friend Suffering as a Yellowblood Helmsman Trainee, They Then Proceed to Enlist the Damaged Helmsman to Helm Their Ship as Both of Them Hold Long Buried Romantic Interest in Him. Includes Emotional Turmoil, Psychological Torment, One Sided Pale Advances, Unintentional Auspising, Excessive Swearing, Delusions, Crying, Yelling, Monologing, Torture, Treason of the Cullable Variety, and Hope." creator chose not to use archive warnings, M

You Part the Waters by poodles

Karkat works at a shitty little restaraunt frequented by Eridan the rich asshole who leaves extravagant tips as an attempt to woo karkat. It backfires. creator chose not to use archive warnings, T

What do you Want? by Rubaiyate

A fill for a request on homesmut: [paraphrased] "The imperial drones come for Karkat, his blood color having been exposed to the empire somehow. Of all the trolls to come to his rescue, it’s Eridan. Eridan goes toe-to-toe with a drone to make them back off, but Karkat doesn’t know this and, having never met Eridan face-to-face, is confronted with the terrifying view of a pissed off seadweller bursting into his hive and forcefully escorting him to his own hive. Thing is, Karkat has absolutely no idea who he is, why he has been taken to somebody else’s hive, and Eridan doesn’t realize that Karkat is freaking the fuck out." (The "Rape/Non-Con" warning is more of a precaution. There is no actual rape, but it is a close thing, so I figured it would be better to err on the side of caution.) noncon, M

Dirty Deeds by Miko

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and nobody is more desperate than a troll facing the Imperial Drone at collection time. Unfortunately, anonymous sex isn't so anonymous when you run into someone you know. no archive warnings apply, but I digress the consent issues inherent to the premise and would warn for noncon, E

The Power the Dark Lord Knows Not by TrashfireRadiowaves

You would say that you don’t know why you’re here, but you’d be lying. You know exactly why you’re here. You know exactly why you’re here, and the stupid fucking reason is that stupid fucking Eridan Ampora has gotten himself into some stupid fucking shit yet again. no archive warnings, T

Pale As the Creatures of the Deep by TrashfireRadiowaves

He's a highblood, and highbloods are prone to highblood rages. You can see it in the way his hands tremble, long fingers clenching in fury when he gets cornered, taunted by one troll or another; you can see him take his anger and lock it away, watch him drop into a state of false calm, and you worry more with every day that passes. You aren't sure how long he can keep himself under control, and you don't think any of you will come back to life if you die again. You don't want anyone to die, and you don't want him to be forced into a position that causes him to hurt someone. You don't want anyone to die, but everyone on this fucking asteroid seems hell bent on making it happen. no archive warnings, T

#erikar #erikat #eridan ampora #karkat vantas #fic rec #homestuck #fanfic #fanfiction

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rosiewalks · 1 month ago

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Tutorial / Techniques / Tools Roundup

These are the main ways that I customize and modify my dolls. I'm not an intense customizer, due to limitations imposed by my chronic pain -- so these are all pretty simple, basic mods. This post will be updated as I try new techniques.

I've included a rating for how much pain a mod causes me, in case you are also a chronic pain doll collector. Your pain is different than mine, but if nothing else, I hope this rating helps you feel less alone. First up, piercings (because that's the one I'm most often asked about). cut for length

PIERCINGS Piercing vinyl heads: I follow this video by Of Crafts And Curios, and use the techniques on both Monster High and Rainbow High. RH is a little more difficult, since their heads are harder.

Here are some dolls I've pierced with the above tips.

Lala: Snakebites; EVA: ears, nose, philtrum; Cruella: Nose; Lagoona: lip 2/5 for nerve pain -- one or two piercings is not bad, but if I do a bunch in a row, it's not great for my nerves. Gripping the doll and the tools is suboptimal, but it's a pretty quick mod with a big impact.

HAIR Reroot: Here's one of the videos I followed when I first started collecting. 5/5 nerve pain, I don't do this one anymore.

Fixing gnarly hair: You can "boil wash" hair. Doll hair is plastic. Wetting and then heating it will reshape those plastic fibers, often restoring smoothness. If you brush the hair straight while wet, that will also help smooth it back out. I've also used a flat iron (again, it's not human hair -- get it wet first.) NOTE: Different dolls have different hair fibers; test on a small area first.

I rescued this thrifted Rapunzel by dampening her hair and flat-ironing it.

Boil wash is 0/5 for pain; flat ironing can be up to 4/5, depending on how much hair a doll has and how damaged it is.

Washing doll hair: Honestly, just do whatever. I've used hot water, cold water, dish soap, shampoo, hand soap -- it all comes out the same in my experience. 0/5 for pain.

How to texturize nylon hair: Planning to use this for Delilah; will report back!

Dying RH hair: I haven't done this myself, but Mia has tons of tutorials on her youtube. I commission her to dye my dolls.

Saffron (orig. orange); Poppy jr (orig. orange); Gilly (orig. minty teal); Ophelia & Jade jr (orig. easter grass green). 0/5 pain if you commission Mia.

Hair restyle: I like to follow people-hair folks on IG for dolly hair inspo.

I did EVA's hair based on one of Jessica's tutorials...who may or may not be AI generated ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2/5 for pain, more if do more or braid a lot.

BODY MODS/REPAIR

Cleaning gook off vinyl & plastic: I start with soap and water. If there's still gook, I'll use a small amount of acetone to try to remove it (acetone will strip off paint, so don't get it on your doll's makeup/eyes). If something still won't budge, I bleach the plastic using benzoyl peroxide (acne cream). Dab a small amount on the stain and let it sit in the light (either sunlight or under a lamp). May take hours to days, and the cream may need to be reapplied, but I've successfully gotten Sharpie out of a Skipper's face with this method.

Head swap: I put the doll in a ziploc bag, dunk her in hot water to soften the head until squishy (longer for big ol' heads like RH), then pull the head firmly off. Be gentle and don't force it -- if it's not working, heat the head more. Barbie heads can usually be smushed back on a new body without re-heating, RH often needs to be heated again to go on a new body.

Both Thalia and Feld got new bodies this way.

1/5 pain -- can cause some pain if I'm impatient and don't let the heads soften enough.

Restring AG doll: I plan to follow this vid by A Thousand Splendid Dolls for my old Felicity doll. Will update.

RH eye swap: Hectorr uses a heat gun, but I use a blow dryer -- I put it on high, rather than medium (as is often suggested), but you'd have to experiment with your own tools. I've tried both hot water and a heating pad to soften the heads, but I like blowdryer best.

Blossom has Daria's eyes, and Genevieve has Olivia's.

OTHER

Free clothing patterns with video tutorials from Chellywood, if you are sewing novice like me and need someone to walk you through things step by step.

I made Goo's leggings, following one of her tutorials.

3/5 to 5/5 for pain. There's a lot of steps and a lot of gripping of small tools and a lot of bending of the neck.

I use acrylic paint pens to detail accessories, add freckles, and change lip color. 1/5 to 3/5 for pain, if I get too focused and don't take breaks.

Poppy's freckles and lips, and Whiskey's boots were done with paint pen. Always feel free to ask how I did something, what materials I used, or how much a tool cost -- I want to help others enjoy their collections and I'm not going to gatekeep anything.

#behind the scenes #rainbow high #monster high #barbie #making

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mykingdomforasong · 8 months ago

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Needed to get my fanfiction groove back, so I asked @theydjarin to send me a place, a position, and time period for a skysolo fic (madlibs style).

General tags for smut, unsafe sex, probably unsanitary sex, spit as lube, and an intense swing from dirty talk to earnest conversations about feelings, all mid-fuck. Also, twin swap au.

It was going to be a quick jump back to base. Han hated to see Leia take off on her own for some kind of Jedi training he never got the memo on, but he was glad he got to see it at all. His eye sight was mostly back now. Lando wouldn't let him pilot them off of Tatooine in the sandstorm though, so Han sat at the Dejerak table, waiting to see if the prince would join him for a game or something.

Luke had fled to Han's room and shut the door soon after they made it back to the ship. He'd been able to borrow some additional outer layers, but not many. Han hadn't actually seen him in the gold-trimmed loin cloth, but Lando mentioned it being "pretty unfortunate. It would have been hot anywhere else." Between the sand that had surely made it's way into every sensitive crack on his body, and Jabba's slimy tongue, he couldn't blame him for taking off to the shower before Han could even ask what are we?

Han tried to focus his eyes on the meter for the Falcon's water supply, which he was sure was slowly slipping down as Luke showered. Han ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake out the sand. The ship's data readings looked blurrier than they usually did at this distance. Han started to panic that the carbonite had seriously damaged his eyes.

"Your eyesight should return to normal soon," he heard Luke say. He turned. Luke was a blurry vision himself -- just a rough outline of colors standing down the hall, but still gorgeous despite the blurred edges of his frame.

Han never quite understood how he knew exactly what he was thinking. "If it doesn't, the Rebellion can help restore it. They replaced Leia's hand."

"What happened to Leia's hand?" Han asked as Luke came into focus. He was wearing his own clothes now, tan fatigues that were more well-tailored than anything the average soldier got, his wet hair combed down to one side.

"She lost it against Vader," he said simply, "trying to save you."

Han leaned back in the booth, spreading his arms across the back of the seat, inviting Luke to sit. Han was no mind reader, but he knew what Luke thought -- that he and Leia were something. Maybe they could have been, but Han's eye was always somewhere else. Once he saw the prince covered in garbage, shouting at him, he was a gonner.

"A lot happened in the last few days, then," Han said.

Luke's eyes widened before he forced his face back into a diplomatic, neutral gaze. "It's been six months, Han."

Han buried the sudden rush of existential horror that brought on, taking a deep breath through his nose to stifle the knot in gut and lump in his throat. He'd deal with that later.

"Took you guys that long to rescue me?" He tried to joke.

Luke finally sat next to him. Up close he could see the bags under his eyes, a bruise the peaked up above the collar of his shirt, and the red spots on his otherwise flawless skin.

Luke started to respond, but Han cut him off, choosing to be honest for once in his life. "You all did your best. I appreciate you coming after me like that."

Luke nodded. The air started to feel thicker, and Han felt his finger tips start to itch with anticipation. Luke was scooting closer to him, pressing the outside of his thigh up against Han's. Luke's head turned towards Han just a little; he looked the rest of the way with his eyes. There was something cunning and determined in them, and Han understood finally that this is what it looked like to be seduced by royalty. Oh if only Leia could see him now. She might have been his best friend (besides Chewie, of course), but she never had any faith he'd pull it off.

The silence between them told Han now it's your turn. He's said it twice, now say it back.

Han hooked a finger under Luke's chin and turned his head the rest of the way. "I love you," he said.

"I know," Luke grinned. Luke threw his arms around Han's shoulders, letting the romantic moment hang for just a few seconds before using the leverage to climb into Han's lap.

He felt Luke's erection press into his stomach right away. He's hard. He's been hard the whole time, Han thought, I must be blinder than I thought.

Romantic, careful kisses quickly slipped into messy, careless, and needy ones. Luke's hand was on the side of Han's face, trying to pull them ever closer.

"How long until we land?" Luke breathed.

Han tried to look past him to the controls, but he couldn't get a clear reading. "We've probably got time," he said. They were sure to be swamped the moment they landed. "If we're quick."

"Can I fuck you, Captain Solo?" Luke asked, not wasting a moment. He pressed his lips to Han's neck as he waited for an answer.

Han's brain went haywire, but his hands knew what to do. He started undoing his own pants, freeing his own erection quickly.

"That's a yes then?" Luke asked.

"I haven't showered in six months," he warned, "and I've never been fucked by royalty either."

"That's okay," Luke promised, shimmying his own pants down, "we like it dirty."

Han grabbed the front of Luke's shirt with both hands before leaning back. The booth curved, forcing him to shift awkwardly as Luke landed on top of him. He heard Luke shimmying out of his pants as he pressed his mouth back onto Han's, one hand cupping the underside of Han's thigh. But with one leg up in the air Han started to feel his lower back slip off the booth. He broke the kiss as he started to fall, trying not to make any noises that would make the whole thing more embarrassing.

He tumbled to the floor with a quiet oomph, but Luke's hands were on him soon, pulling him back up. Luke's cheeks were flushed, and his dick was still hard and waiting, not turned off at all by Han's fall. If anything, he looked more aroused.

"Let's scoot down," Han said, pulling Luke more wards the end of the booth where the cushion straightened out a little more. "It's easier here."

"Oh, is it?" Luke said, faux-betrayal in his voice.

"Sorry princess, did you think I was a virgin?" Han asked, using the moment to fully take off his pants.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Luke teased. Their lips met again, this time Luke was more teasing, biting Han's bottom lip, a hand on Han's side, manipulating his body to go where Luke wanted it.

Before Han knew exactly what Luke was doing, he found himself on his hands and knees, facing the corridor to the cockpit. It was closed, but if Chewie or Lando were inside, all they'd need to do was open the door to catch them.

"Lando is in there," Luke said. "If that makes you nervous?"

"Lando's seen me in worse spots than this," Han said. Lando had put him in positions like this, but he wasn't about to tell Luke that. "But I do have a bedroom, if you're nervous."

Luke pressed his back over Han's, his hard cock resting in the cleft of his ass. He leaned over, biting the shell of Han's ear before whispering, "I like when I get caught."

"Always been a rebellious one then?" Han said, his voice waving as he did, revealing just how much Luke exhibitionist streak turned him on.

Luke hummed an mm-hum into Han's neck as he kissed his way down.

Han had imagined plenty of time what fucking Luke would be like. In most fantasies, they were in some nice bed, fancy, bubbly wine in abundance, and they made love slowly. But they were at war, and Luke was full of surprises.

He felt Luke spit before rubbing it in, the gentle press of his fingers against Han's hole was a welcome bit of friction after leaving his hard cock so neglected.

"Whenever you're ready baby," Han said. He'd taken enough cocks in his life. He'd gotten a good look at Luke's. It was nice, but shorter than Han's own, and smaller than most of his toys. He'd take it no problem.

Luke didn't waste anymore time. He pressed into Han like wanted him to feel every minute of the last six months. "Slower," Han said.

"Sorry," Luke said, genuinely apologetic for his pace. "I should have planned better." He slowed down, letting Han enjoy the slow drag of his cock inside him, filling him up.

"There was lube in my room," Han said, before gasping as Luke bottomed out. Luke paused for a moment there, letting Han enjoy the feeling. Han could have stayed there for the rest of the war, impaled on his royal cock. Luke probably would oblige.

"Oh, I found it," Luke said as he started to move slowly, "your toys too. Borrowed a few of them."

Han groaned, overwhelmed at the thought. "I'd like to see that," he said.

"I'd like if you watched that," Luke said, promising a future. Alright then, Han thought, we've gotta end this war, and come out the other side of it.

"That's a good enough reason to keep living as any," Luke said. Maybe their heads were in the same place, or maybe Luke really was a mind reader. "Actually," his fingers dug into Han's sides, "you're the perfect reason to keep living." Luke's voice had changed -- he wasn't dirty talking Han anymore. No he was just ... talking. Earnestly, openly. The way they really never had before. They'd fought, but there was always ... subtext to it. Not now though. Now everything was just ... text.

"You'd better live through this, baby," Han said, letting himself be earnest for moment (although earnestness didn't come naturally to him, at least not when he was on the bottom). Luke was still rocking into him at a steady pace. Han could feel his arousal building low in his belly, but he wasn't near close yet. But he didn't reach down to touch himself. It felt like the wrong moment.

"Well then you'd better not let me die," Luke said.

"Never. You saved me, I'll save you." Luke kissed Han's neck, before picking up his pace. Luke reached around, finally -- finally --touching Han, stroking him in time with his thrusts. Han wasn't close before, but Luke was doing something to him that was bringing him close to the end rapidly. Maybe Luke just did that to him.

"Fuck, Luke," Han said.

"I'm gonna cum," Luke warned.

"Please baby," Han said. He figured, mind reader that he was, Luke would understand his instruction.

Han gasped when he felt Luke cum inside him, thrusting slower and slower as he released, letting Han enjoy the last few drags of his hard, pulsing cock as he did. Luke kept his hand on Han's cock as he came, and Han was quick to follow after him.

He'd never enjoyed the messiness or the stickiness of cum inside him, but Luke's was different. Luke's he seemed to crave. He wanted to blow him more than anything. He wanted to suck his cock and taste every drop of him. But he'd never particularly enjoyed going ass to mouth, certainly not after six months of carbonite. And by the way Luke was panting, he didn't think he'd be up for it either.

Luke slipped out of him slowly. Han stayed where he was, not exactly sure how to avoid getting cum stains on his own ship. Well, he thought, wouldn't be the first.

He felt Luke press his sleeve to his hole, wiping it gently with some expensive fabric, hopefully not from his home planet. "Sorry," he whispered, although he didn't sound very sorry.

"I'll shower quick," Han said, turning around now to face Luke, planting his bare ass on the seat as he reached for his pants.

"Han," Luke said. "Kiss me?"

Han didn't waste time. He let his pants fall to the floor again as he captured Luke's mouth with his own.

"I'm not lying," Luke said, "so you'd better not be either. I love you." Luke pressed their foreheads together.

"I know you can read my mind, baby," Han said. "So you know I love you too."

"We'll be landing in just about -- whoa-ho," Lando said, leaning against the corridor wall as he stared at Luke and Han. They stared at him wide-eyed, both of them with their pants half-way off. Judging by their soft cocks, messy hair, and tell-tale smell in the air, he'd bet this ship he'd caught them after a quick and dirty fuck. "That cockpit door is more soundproof than I remember."

Lando didn't get a great look, but he was pretty sure he saw the prince's cock go hard again, just as he pulled his pants up over it.

If there's one thing I'm gonna do, it's create an AU where Luke grows up basically royalty. Also they never take their shirts off, so they are winnie-the-pooh-ing it the whole time.

#skysolo #han solo #luke skywalker #twin swap au #my writing #lando calrissian #leia organa

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