#also they have an Etsy shop so go check it out!!

[peltk9]

As someone who made a conscious decision to ditch Amazon when my Student Prime membership ran out years ago, this is been my modus operandi: 1) Become okay with the idea of spending a little more money than you would on Amazon. Most other shopping sites don't have free shipping options and their base product price is often a few dollars more than what it is on Amazon. This isn't always the case, but be prepared to spend more money to support places other than Amazon. Also become okay with waiting longer for packages to ship to you--two day shipping isn't a feasible option the smaller a company is.

2) My most reliable online shopping experiences are with hobby sites. There are a lot of online stores that will specialize in a specific hobby like sewing, knitting, art, stationary, archery, dancing, computers, baking, watch repair, photography, etc. My best tip is to find the sub-reddit for that hobby and find out what they suggest for good online stores. I also collect sites from tumblr posts and YouTube hobby creators I watch. I bookmark every site I find into a folder called "Shopping" and check in every once in a while to see if a sale is going on. I have an email that I use for online stores only so I can use the wishlist feature and get notified of their sales events.

3) Second hand sites are my second go-to. There are a lot of things that are just as good second-hand as they are new, and it's often cheaper. These are the main ones I've bookmarked (US-centric):

ShopGoodwill - anything that can be found in a Goodwill (expect higher prices for shipping)

Mercari - a mix of things

threadUp - second hand clothes

Poshmark - second hand clothes

ThriftBooks - second hand books

Ebay - requires patience and filtering, but almost anything can be found for a reasonable price

4) Ebay is the closest thing to all Amazon has to offer. It's not just second-hand from other people or estate-hunters. Legitimate companies sell their (new) products on Ebay, too. Like Amazon, Ebay requires some thinking and common sense to separate scams from actual product listings.

5) Etsy is good for niche things and sometimes second hand things. If I go to Etsy, I expect to pay more than elsewhere because I'm looking for unique, often hand-made things, which are more expensive overall.

6) Like the tweet said, some companies that sell on Amazon also have their own website storefronts. Often, they'll have a first-time buyer discount or a "sign up for our newsletter to get 15% off kind of thing".

7) In the end, sometimes Amazon is the only place to find something. Whether it's the last of the stock of a product the original company discontinued, or the company doesn't exist off Amazon, or the thing is too niche for a hobby shopping site to exist that ships to your country; sometimes, Amazon is a necessary evil. I treat Amazon as a last resort, and exhaust all other options first.

Amazon has a free shipping option for orders over $35, so I'll usually collect a wishlist of things that qualify for the $35 free shipping and order once I've reached the limit. This gives me time to find items elsewhere, while ultimately saving money (free shipping) without paying for Prime.

How to Ditch Amazon

Support your local libraries and the small businesses that are actually making the products you want.  Fuck Jeff Bezos and the systemic, universal worker abuse, gaslighting, and brutality they live off of.

[kohakuhime]

While at another local con I got this awesome sketch comm of the biker boys done by @atomicpowered! I also nabbed a couple of the keychains too! Thank you so so much! The picture does not do it justice! 💖💖

[rosicheeks]

🤦🏽‍♀️

[ronance4everbrainrot]

Some moooore little incorrect quotes from Descendants! This is gonna be a long one, sorry not sorry.

(with ships)

Audrey: *kisses Uma*

Uma: !

Audrey: ...Did you steal my chapstick?

Uma: Did- did I what?

Audrey: My chapstick, Uma. Did you steal it?

Ben: Audrey, for the love of God, not this again.

Uma: I- No, I didn't steal your chapstick. We use the same chapstick.

Audrey: No, there is absolutely no way we use the same chapstick, because it was only sold on one Etsy shop two years ago and they discontinued it, and I loved it so much that I bought the last of their stock, and I keep it in my freezer so it doesn't go bad. It's been discontinued for three years. No one uses the same chapstick for three years. So unless you've been eating a whole fuck ton of something that's flavored like chocolate and popcorn, you absolutely stole my fucking chapstick.

Uma: Chocolate and popcorn?

Ben: Why do you think it got discontinued?

(WHY IS THERE NO YELLOW! I DON'T WANT TO MAKE BEN BLUE! I ALREADY HAVE SO MANY BLUE ONES! Also slay and wtf? What a great start)

---

Ben: Do you think I'm plastic?

Audrey: No.

Ben: Phew. Oka-

Audrey: Plastic, at least, has some use in life. You're not plastic.

(Damn. What did he do to yo-..oh.. right.. yeah. I've also decided to make him Orange because it's close to yellow)

---

Ben: War is heck!

(facts)

---

Chad, to Ben: If my dad doesn't say "I'm King of the world" within an hour on that boat, I will give you my next pay check.

Charming, within 5 minutes of getting on the boat: I'M KING OF THE WORLD!!!

(Absolutely. Canon)

---

Audrey: God, if only someone loved me…

Uma: *standing behind them with roses*

Ben: *holding box of chocolates*

Chad: *has balloons and a card*

Mal: *facepalms* This is sad.

(Me: *holding a big Teddy Bear* lol I had a crush on her only in the Third movie. Loved her Queen of Mean Era)

---

Chloe: So, what is Red to you?

Maddox: The reason I wake up every morning.

Chloe: ...That’s adorable.

Red earlier that morning, barging into Maddox's room, smacking pans together: WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!!!

(They've got this sibling bond)

---

Chloe: Are pigeons drones?

Chad: What? No, I'm trying to sleep.

Chloe: Think about it. How come you've never seen a baby pigeon? And why do you never actually see a pigeon nest? Because they're DRONES!

Chad: *Crying* Please let me sleep...

(Sibling sleepover. Also Chloe, your Mary Anne is showing)

---

Red: I intend to stay pissed at you forever.

Red: Even if I seem helpful.

Maddox: Then you're in luck.

Maddox: Because you don't.

(Canon)

---

Uma: Hello all, it is I, your favorite person.

Carlos: Actually, Jane is my favourite.

Uma: Okay then, it is I, that bitch.

(Yup and I love you. Carlos and Jane✨🫠)

---

Evie: I love making parties more interesting by telling strangers “I want you to know that I personally have no problem with you being here.”

(Sweet and dangerous. Perfect.)

---

Uma: Evie said its my turn with the brain cell.

Mal: Square up.

(lol. Canon.)

---

Uma: What starts with F and ends with Uck?

Chad: No it doesn't.

Jane: Firetruck!

Mal: FUCK!

(Mal speaks my mind. Jane is smart and Chad got the spirit. He's not wrong tho.)

---

Jay: Good morning. As you begin your day, remember that violence is always an option and often the answer.

Carlos:

Jay:

Carlos: ...Please, go back to bed.

(Jay loves to annoy everyone. Mostly Mal.)

---

Carlos: I can do anything I put my mind to. I once figured out Jane's phone number just by choosing random numbers.

(..why didn't you just ask? But also impressive)

---

Chad: What's the scariest horror movie you've ever watched?

Chloe: IT.

Dizzy: Annabelle.

Maddox: Paranormal Activity.

Red: High School Musical. All throughout high school I was scared that everyone was gonna randomly get up and start singing and dancing, and I would be the only one who doesn't know the words.

(Honestly just did this because Kylie was in the HSMTMTS. Honestly. They do that in Auradon too. So watch out)

---

Red: Why is it so hard for you to believe me?!

Chloe: ...

Red: Oh, right. The lying.

(Has she ever lied to Chloe? I don't think so. But I find the quote funny)

---

Evie: A mouse!

Mal, pulling out a knife: Go back to where you came from or I'll stab you.

Jay, pulling out a frying pan: It'll make a nice meal!

Carlos, giving the mouse cheese: You deserve a treat, little guy.

Gil, gasping: It's Ratatouille!

Harry: His name is Remi, dummy.

Evie: ...I was going to say to just trap it and throw it out the window... what is wrong with you people.

(um.. yeah.. you know what-)

Chloe: A mouse!

Dizzy, pulling out a knife: Go back to where you came from or I'll stab you.

Celia, pulling out a frying pan: It'll make a nice meal!

Maddox, giving the mouse cheese: You deserve a treat, little guy.

Chad, gasping: It's Ratatouille!

Red: His name is Remi, dummy.

Chloe: ...I was going to say to just trap it and throw it out the window... what is wrong with you people.

(just some family time)

---

Chad: Sometimes I like to call people by the wrong name to show them I don’t care about them.

Red: That’s brilliant.

Chad: Thank you, Maddox.

(yeah)

---

Jay: Everyone has a toxic trait. Except Carlos, they’re perfect.

Carlos: Wrong! My toxic trait is how badly I want to domesticate a raccoon.

(Facts. He is perfect)

---

Red: Hold the fuck up.

Chloe: Excuse me?

Red: I said hold the fuck up.

Chloe:

Red: I’m the fuck up, hold me.

(Aww...canon.. I mean she's not a fuck up. Maybe in her mother's eyes. But aww)

---

Jay: You know, there’s something weird going on with your face?

Mal: What?

Jay: You’re smiling! I didn’t know you could do that?

(Because she and Evie finally got together. UwU)

---

Evie: How do you tell someone their breath stinks?

Jay: Hey, I'm bored, let's drink mouthwash.

(He definitely did that with his teammates)

---

Jay: You look like a corpse that was just pulled out of the river.

Evie: Wrong. I look like a cool rock star who just OD'd in their own pool. Big difference.

(Oof. Do I want to know?)

---

(Little surprise from the past)

Charming: Care to give a free sample to a pretty person?

Ella, manning a bake sale and tired of their shit: Sure! You know one?

Charming:

Charming: Care to give a free sample to an ugly person?

(he's trying)

---

Brigdet: I have a question.

Ella: Shoot.

Bridget: Is the S or C in scent silent?

Hook: Fuck you, I’m going to be thinking about this all day.

Ella: Okay well, cent is pronounced the same way as scent so I’m gonna say the S is silent.

Bridget: Okay, but sent is also spelled the same way.

Hook: Google says that the C was added in the late seventeenth century, so I guess the S is silent.

Morgie: Plot twist, both the S and the C are silent and the E actually makes the sss sound.

Hook: Morgie is not allowed to talk anymore.

(Just them having a double date)

---

Bridget: Made you all playlists!

Bridget: Hades and Maleficent, yours have only heavy metal, and is dark like your soul.

Bridget: Ella and Uliana, yours have sad songs and blues to pair with your crippling depression.

Bridget: Charming, Morgie and Hook have the ABBA Gold album.

(she knows them well)

---

*Everyone is standing around the broken coffee maker*

Ella: So. Who broke it? I'm not mad, I just wanna know.

Everyone:

Bridget: ...I did. I broke it.

Ella: No. No you didn't. Uliana?

Uliana: Don't look at me. Look at Morgie.

Morgie: What?! I didn't break it.

Uliana: Huh, that's weird. How'd you even know it was broken?

Morgie: Because it's sitting right in front of us and it's broken.

Uliana: Suspicious.

Morgie: No, it's not!

Hook: If it matters, probably not, but Maleficent was the last one to use it.

Maleficent: Liar! I don't even drink that crap!

Hook: Oh really? Then what were you doing by the coffee cart earlier?

Maleficent: I use the wooden stirrers to push back my cuticles. Everyone knows that, James!

Bridget: Okay let's not fight. I broke it. Let me pay for it, Ella.

Ella: No! Who broke it!?

Everyone:

Hook: Ella... Hades has been awfully quiet.

Hades: rEALLY?!

*Everyone starts arguing*

Ella, being interviewed: I broke it. I burned my hand so I punched it.

Ella: I predict 10 minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick.

Ella:

Ella: Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

(Damn Ella)

---

Bridget: It’s just that lollipop sticks last longer than the head, even if they’re less flavorful. I’m thinking of paper sticks, because you can peel off the layers with your teeth or leave it there until they fall off naturally, but plastic sticks can be chewed on too or left sticking out like a cigarette. Paper straws can be eaten layer by layer over time though, so they have the edge.

Morgie, bored: Can’t we just leave while they’re distracted?

Ella, genuinely interested: But what about wooden sticks?

Morgie: I hate you.

(No. It doesn't taste good and it's flaky? I don't like the paper ones. I like the plastic ones. Love to chew on them, tastes neutral ig idk. Wooden sticks tho. Taste great. And you can chew on them. But they break easily and you could get a splinter I think? But still Wooden wins for me. Plastic second and then paper)

---

Hope you liked it!

This was a bit longer.

Sorry not sorry.

Byeee.

[shelbycragg]

Hi we are running a 25% off sale on the shop until Monday! We recently posted some awesome new designs so check them out. Our family has been going through a lot of health struggles so your business really really helps!

All our jewelry is handmade with extreme love and care, and just check out all the reviews of Brian’s incredible work. These pieces will last years, they have been tested in the wild and they are durable and expertly made. I really can’t talk Brian up enough, haha.

We also have some prints of mine still in stock! It would be nice to clear out our inventory so we can prepare for the holidays. We have so many ideas for new designs but creating takes time, I work full time (and am disabled) and Brian is disabled so your support is extremely appreciated.

check us out here! ⭐️ and enjoy the SALE woo you know my tumblr girlies get first dibs

[shinonart]

CELEBRATION SALE FROM NOV 1st TO NOV 30th!

To celebrate becoming a full-time artist I decided to host a sale on Etsy! Everything except my original paintings and digital downloads is 25% off the whole month.

I have also added a few new items to the shop, go check them out!

SHIPPING When ordering multiple items and/or adding international tracking the shipping costs may accumulate weirdly due to how Etsy calculates the costs. If you end up with an abnormally large shipping cost feel free to:

contact me on Etsy (makes things a lot easier to have all correspondence in once place)

include your phone number in the message field when placing an order and write "Please review the shipping costs"

This way I can check if I can find a cheaper deal with another courier and refund any excess postages to you. I use the Finnish postal service by default. but other couriers require a phone number which is something Etsy doesn't collect automatically, hence the problem. The phone number is for the courier's use only.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

If you are ordering holiday gifts please do so as early as possible. I cannot guarantee that orders placed in the end of November can make it before the holidays. International shipping is a nightmare this time of the year and shipping times may be up to 1-2 weeks longer than usual.

If you want to make sure your gift arrives on time (especially outside of Europe):

order early

choose tracked shipping

or message me on Etsy so I can try to find a faster/cheaper alternative

Thank you!

[gregorygerwitz]

apparently this is the year for this...

Please Help Us Out With Bills

Currently, I'm virtually unemployed due to health issues and my employer all but refuses to give me short term disability pay because I don't have a diagnosis yet. I'm doing DoorDash as much as I can, which brings in ~$150 a week if that. It leaves my roommate, @kitthekazoo, to cover most of the mutual bills - like rent - virtually on her own. But that does mean she can't pay her own bills (like car and insurance) after paying the second half of our rent this month.

Like I said, I'm doing DoorDash around doctor's appointments and other activities, like school (which is paid for by my employer, who I still technically work for, I'm just on an extended medical leave - it's excused time off, but I don't get paid at all), but that doesn't bring in much. My checking account (where my DD money goes) is negative almost $400 because things keep taking out and every single one of those charges also incurs an insufficient funds fee of $31.

I would need ~$750 just to get positive enough to pay Kit back for my half of this rent payment. Plus I have my own bills to pay - car insurance, credit cards I'm desperately trying to catch up with the payments on, gas so I can keep doing DD, etc.

I know it's a lofty goal, but getting $1k by the end of the month will keep us sane and housed while I navigate my medical issues. Hopefully, after we run a few tests next week, they'll have a better idea of what's going on and when I'll be able to go back to work, and these money issues won't keep coming up...

I'll link my accounts below, including my etsy where you can buy some crochet projects from me if you want something in return for your donation! Or feel free to message me here or on etsy if you want something made that isn't listed in my shop.

Thank you in advance for any little bit, even if you can just reblog to spread the word. 💜

paypal venmo: amwallace95 etsy

so far: 230/1000

EDIT: I fixed the links!

[bluev0id]

PICK A PILE LOVE MESSAGE

Besties, I am suffering from the worst limerence of my life, I can't even sleep lmao I'm channeling all that intense energy into this reading. Pick a photo and see the results!

💕 Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop 💕

1. White, Pink & Saint Mary pendant

You crave love, and you're ready to go after it, whether it's by finding a new partner or working on a current relationship. You desire action and excitement, playfulness, however lately things might not have been going your way, and you're left feeling defeated. The message you need to hear is that you shouldn't give up on what you desire even if others might think differently or you've been left empty-handed for now. However, if you're facing a partner that leaves all the hard work on you and expects you to be the driving force, stand up for your boundaries and make sure you're not being overwhelmed. Move away from whatever negativity is holding you back from living your truth. Understand yourself on a deeper level and don't pity yourself for your past experiences. Good things are waiting for you!!!

💕 Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop 💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

2. Purple, Light Pink & White pendant

There's a deep connection either already in your life or it will start forming in the near future. It's karmic, and it's mature, or at least you'll come out of it a lot more mature than you are now. I see two strong-willed people having their own truth and both wanting to connect yet not being able to allow that necessary vulnerability to shine through, but there's a big potential for something prosperous here. You need to open your eyes. You're smart, you're capable and independent, however, the skills and personality traits that are needed to love and feel another persons soul are quite different. You need to soften up. Even if not for the other persons sake but for your own, just to explore yourself in private. Whatever the situation is, it's not unsolvable. Reconnect with what you truly want here- to keep your powerful image or to form a deep connection.

💕 Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop 💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

3. Red & two Green pendants

Somethings gone wrong... Did you let someone get away, or did you leave too fast, and now you regret it? Perhaps you wanted something beautiful from a connection, but it ended up hurting you instead. You need to move away from that loss. You can't turn back time and do all the right things this time. Instead, channel that energy into something new. If you still think there's hope for you and that person, you do have the power to fix things in the future if you let go of the hurt you're holding on to and open your heart for a new beginning. If you'd rather have a new beginning with someone else, you have the power to obtain that as well. You should believe in yourself more and stop pondering about the past.

💕 Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop 💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

4. Black and Smiling pendant

Try again. Come on, put yourself out there and try again. You might feel awkward, like dating makes you pretend to be someone you're not or you find it hard to show yourself to new people, don't know where to start and how to act. But in reality, despite all of the anxiety you feel or bad experiences you've had before, you want to be loved and having a beautiful relationship is one of the things in life you crave the most. I'd even say that it is one of the most important aspects in your current lifetime, a major part of your destiny in this reincarnation. And if so, then it will come to you because what's meant to be, will happen and you can't escape it. All you have to do is take one step at a time and you'll get there one day.

💕Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

5. Blue, Green & Brown pendant

There is someone wonderful in your life, or they might soon appear, it could also be multiple people who are craving your attention and love. Don't lose this opportunity, don't lose that person or the chances to experience love and beauty just because you don't know what to do, what is right or because you're too focused on yourself. You want this, so why are you letting it pass by? Loving someone won't make you less independent or waste the time you could have been focusing on your career. And if you make mistakes along the way with this connection, that is a part of being human. You're smart, you'll know how to deal with it. Live life a little more, rush even if you're used to moving steady.

💕Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

6. Black and two Brown pendants

You're stuck, don't know what to do or how to go about love. One message I'm hearing is that there might be someone who can give you good advice in terms of love and relationships in your life. If you feel like your perception of these things is twisted due to trauma or mental illness, you might even want to talk to a therapist or perhaps watch educational videos about relationships on YouTube, read a book. If you feel like you don't have the time for relationships because of a busy schedule or other priorities then you reading this is already an enough of a sign that you crave love and wish it could be a bigger part of your life. There are ways you can find time for it, just put effort into finding them.

💕Please check out my jewelry on my ETSY (link) shop💕

• ° ~ ♡ ~ ° •

[spechblend]

My Guide to Patch/Crust DIY Pants That No One Asked For:

(If you see this guide go through changes, you’re not crazy, I update it all the time)

I’ve noticed that my DIY pants had been noticed on here, so I’d thought I make a guide for new punks getting into the scene 💖

I’ve been in the punk scene for a little over two years now, so don’t take everything I say to heart, I’ve got lots to learn.

Typically, you want to start out with a good base. For instance, the pants you choose can make or break your project. I don’t suggest buying super expensive pants, but don’t buy them super low quality either. You want something that lasts, as crust or patch pants are meant to be your only pair.

EDIT: Before I start any new project, I look around my stuff to see if I can repurpose anything. Old T shirts, bed sheets, bags, you name it. It’s so much easier to repurpose your stuff before buying new things, and you save money doing it. Before you buy pants, see if you can find a pair you already own! I had to buy new ones because I only had one other pair of jeans that I wear to work.

I’ve seen some tutorials floating around for DIY can spikes. Please be very careful doing this. If you’re moshing in a vest made with cut up aluminum, you can seriously hurt someone if you’re not careful. Be on the safe side and either borrow/buy pre made studs and spikes or save the DIY can spikes for non-moshing vests/pants/cuffs.

If you’re moshing with any studs or spikes at ALL, they should be blunt!!!

Good places to buy pants

Thrift (it’s a bit of a crapshoot if you have a hard time finding sizes, but if they’ve lasted long enough to end up in a thrift store, then it means they’re more likely good quality. Check the tags!!)

Edited above, been informed of how Goodwill treats disabled employees

ASOS (I recommend if you have a hard time finding your size. I can’t guarantee the sustainability of this site though.)

Mercari (Like an online goodwill. I find a lot of awesome clothes on here. You can download the app.)

Depop (I seldom shop on here, but similar to Mercari with a wider range of brands.)

How the Pants Should Fit

The fit of your pants can also affect how they lay on you. I suggest buying pants slightly larger on you, if you’re covering them in patches. When you start sewing, you’re going to find that they’re going to shrink a little bit. So please avoid tight fitting jeans if you can! Straight or relaxed fit are the best.

EDIT: If skinny/fitting pants are all you got, sometimes making relief cuts at the knees help when you try to bend down.

Patches

Patches are going to be what makes your pants unique! There’s quite a few you can choose from: plain patches, band patches, politics patches, etcetera. If you’re going to cover the entirety of your pants, I suggest going to Joann’s or Michaels (fuck Hobby Lobby) for fabric. Buy a yard or two canvas or pleather (or both). Otherwise, I usually cut up old T-shirts for my fabric.

How to Make Your Own Patches

Stencil (very straightforward, here’s a guide) (please check out Anarchostensilism on insta/Tiktok/Deviantart)

Paint (Buy white/black stencil fabric paint. I don’t suggest acrylic, since it’s not made to move with fabric)

Where to Buy Pre Printed Patches

crustpunks.com (Hella good, fast shipping, affordable!! Made by punks for punks)

nuclearwasteunderground.com (I found this one randomly)

Etsy (While I hate them for the way they treat their sellers, unfortunately this can be a main source of income for some.)

Shows, punk meets, friends

If you’re going to make crust pants, it’s imperative that you have crust bands on your patches, that’s what makes them crust! (Apart from never washing them)

Edit: I would do your own research on the crust punk subculture, there’s a lot of discourse out there on what makes punks crust punks and so on.

Washing your pants is not a black and white rule, but you can ruin the integrity of your work if you carelessly throw them in the washer. Like if you were to throw a suede jacket into the washer, there’s certain steps to take!

Here’s an enlightening guide on crust.

Here’s some crust band recs!

Nausea

Anti Cimex

Dystopia (my favorite)

disrupt

Doom

Heresy

Discharge

Amebix

Things to Add to Your Pants

Buttons (you can buy or make your own. Here’s a guide for DIY bottle cap buttons)

Pockets (easy to monkey wrench with a few spare patches, but here’s a pattern)

Handkerchiefs (the hankey code, much like the lace code, is pretty much dead. But it’s up to you if you want to signal something with it.)

Wallet chains (here’s a cool guide to making your own!)

Bum flap (by far the coolest thing on this list. Makes your ass not hurt when you sit on the sidewalk. Here’s a video)

Make them convertible (I made mine into zip off shorts. Here’s a video)

I made this up, but I added removable knee pads to mine.

Pant Inspiration

Have no shame in taking reference! Here’s are some cool accounts with awesome pants!

carnifexofhate

dontditchitstitchit

no_name_no_reason

okshrimpet

annals_of_the_crustwar

a_lifeisabuse_e

That’s all I got! Remember to never wash your pants ✨

[timelessmulder]

[Fibercrafting] Whatever Happened to Spun With Love? {heavy}

(31 days of horror day 9: Spin)

For the past five years, Caitlin "Cat" Doherty found her foothold on sites like Instagram and Ravelry selling commissions for her eye catching, hand spun yarn made with ethically sourced dyes and alpaca wool. She had a small but moderate presence on the convention circuit, selling handmade goods that showed off her yarn. Eventually she started making limited runs, available at convention booths and through higher tiers of her Patreon. Shortly after this she quit her full time job in data entry to pursue fiber works full time.

In mid-2022, at the urging of some other people in the hand dyed yarn business, and people who had bought from her before, she opened her own Etsy. The catalog was massive, with at least twenty listings. This included her most popular limited runs that always sold out within moments. This was when the cracks first began to show, even among her most devoted followers: this was a huge amount of work for one person to be undertaking, even if the listings promised continued limited runs and wait lists.

In an Instragram announcement, crossposted to her Twitter, Cat said:

I appreciate the concern from all y'all :3c but I calculated the amount of work I think I'll be able to handle running a small business. If things actually spiral out of my control, I will step back and reevaluate.

Despite her words, a healthy amount of skepticism remained. Her fans worried about her health, and naysayers thought she'd fold within a few months.

this is a lot for someone to handle! take care of yourself cat

she's going to hightail it the first time she gets orders and the backlog goes crazy. shes doomed

wouldn't it have been smarter to start with like five??? get that bag ig

The orders remained steady for the first five months of operation. Cat would periodically close listings and get items out to customers with slow wait times that remained consistent, typically a few weeks before arrival. The convention appearances came to an end, much to the dismay of people who enjoyed seeing her cottagecore booth in person, but Cat assured people that once she found a groove with this business she would start going to conventions again.

No one was really surprised when things started to slow down. Reports brought up longer wait times, and a major backlog that she couldn't keep up with.

i was put on a waitlist like two months ago and people who ordered straight from the listing got shit before me

girl just limit the waitlist no one will judge you!!!

Cat Doherty tweeted an apology:

I'm so sorry for all the issues. A major life event happened, but I'll be getting back on top of things! I will be halting any new listings to work on my backlog. I'm so sorry for the frustration and inconvenience. In the meantime, why don't you check out Jessica's shop, Spindle and Thimble?

Jessica White was a fellow dyer who also did work dying fabrics. Her store was not as prominent as Cat's, but she had an unmatched business savvy that gave her a solid niche despite middling Etsy reviews. While most of their friendship remained behind the scenes, with Jessica being someone who preferred to keep her life offline, it seemed that Jessica wanted the novice entrepreneur to succeed. Many took the shout out to be Cat returning the favor.

True to her word, Cat closed her Etsy for the time being and started to send out yarn to the people still waiting on orders. People responded with annoyance at how long it took, but surprised delight that the quality was excellent as always.

Three months after the announcement, the shipments stopped. A thread by Lisa Fitz appeared on ravelry:

Has anyone gotten an order from Spun With Love recently?

I should've been in her next batch of orders but its been weeks. I haven't gotten a shipment and no text communication from Doherty. I paid upfront for this!

This spun out in predictable directions.

Christ I hope she's okay ):

lmao who wants to bet money that we've got another "fake her death because she couldn't handle the pressure?" going on

The second comment referencing multiple situations where fiber craft artists have faked their deaths due to being overwhelmed by their sales numbers, most notably Mystic Creations Yarn (talked about in this thread). This situation exploded, with some people doubling down on the idea that she's vanished off the face of the earth rather than deal with potentially irate customers, while others expressed genuine concern. Everyone agreed that if there was an issue, they hoped she would reach out to them and explain.

A few days later, when the argument was a post every few hours instead of a constant stream, Jessica stepped in.

Hey guys, Jessica here. Cat has asked me to let you know that she's had a major health scare and she's very sorry for the upset she's caused to all of you. In the mean time, I will be offering free products of similar color to those who haven't had their orders fulfilled. Just email me a copy of your receipt. If not, we will work on getting refunds out to you.

Most were relieved at the update on Cat's well being, while others preened at being correct that she'd fold under the pressure. More arguments ensued between those people, and those scolding them for being so callous about her health. The argument got pretty heated, only stopping when a mod stepped in to tell everyone to play nice. Creative burnout is a known thing in the crafting community and Cat shouldn't be punished for it, though she should have stepped forward sooner to let everyone know what was happening.

The thread fizzled out after that. People moved on with their lives, chalking this up to another piece of craft drama and more than happy to leave it at that.

Months passed, and someone returned to that thread:

Sorry to necro, but did anyone else see the news report?

In the post was a link to a news report from the town where Cat was living. She had been murdered, and her body only recently found.

To say the thread exploded after that would be an understatement. There were people apologizing for being so cruel about her vanishing, people were trying to reach out to her family to see if there was any way they could help. Digital vigils were held for the person taken too soon. And as it often does on the internet, a question arose from the posters: who had done it? Why?

hey can anyone get into contact with jessica???

i don't think its appropriate. they were friends, jessica is probably grieving like the rest of us

dude leave her alone

idk yall her post is pretty suspicious

what the fuck is wrong with you?

But the seed of suspicion was laid in the minds of some forum users. It spread into the wider community, though everyone's grief disguised any suspicions placed on Jessica. Those who found her behavior odd were often shunned and blocked for it, until they stopped bothering outside of their conspiracy corners. These people would soon be vindicated when news broke that Jessica White had been arrested in relation to the death of 34-year-old Caitlin Doherty.

The investigation at this point is still on going and very little is known about it, but initial reports are saying that someone broke into Cat's rented studio and beat her to death with one a piece of her spinning wheel. Few other details have been released to the public.

--------

ffiberfarrts commented | 2.1k upvotes:

hey op why is this on hobbydrama

[angelicneonanime]

Hello everyone, I'm getting ready to move by the end of this year! I've got a ton of merch still in stock that I need to get rid of so they're all on sale until December 24, 2024!

You can purchase my keychains/pins on my Etsy and Ko-Fi Shop (make sure to use code MOVING at check out if you go to my kofi shop). I also have a Teepublic where you can purchase my art on shirts, mugs, posters, etc.

You can also support me by donating to either my Ko-Fi account or directly to my PayPal. I am open for commissions but keep in mind they may take a bit to do since I am in the middle of packing.

Thank you so much for all your support!!!

[differentnerddiplomatopera]

Opinions and Interpretation ( Epic Spoilers)

Author's Note (As long as it’s not hurting/attacking anyone mentally, physically, or emotionally, people are entitled to their own opinions, own beliefs, own ideas, and nobody is allowed to make you feel bad for your thoughts/ideas.)

Okkkkkkk, I had a long day, and this was bothering me so I wanted to make a post about this so humor me. I have problems with an issue in and outside the Epic community, so that is something I will speak on. Also an inappropriate situation happened earlier this week that caused someone to become extremely uncomfortable so I am going to discuss that as well. And imma teach this up, so sit down and let’s talk. (This issue is a separate post)

Opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

As long as an opinion is not hurting anyone emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically,  you are free to speak your mind in the proper time and place. Your opinions on things, with the things above in mind, should be respected because you are entitled to your opinion. It’s yours and it is precious, cause you are precious. 🥰

Same way switched. You certainly don’t call the opposite party’s opinions “cringe” or  “weird” just because you don’t like them. Are you allowed to discuss why you don’t like it? As long as you are being respectful, go ahead. Do what you do but certainly don’t diminish anyone’s ideas. They are precious. 

Now, the jet pack animation in the Vengeance Saga. Was it unexpected? Hell yeah. Would you like to have seen Jorge choose a different orchestration on how Odysseus got out of water? Maybe. But do we call his idea “cringe?” 

Class: No

Absolutely not! He has stated before how video games have affected the creation of Epic and how he wants to demonstrate it in the animatic. So why are we saying it was “stupid” or ”weird?” Is it inaccurate? Unless Homer has a trashcan of scrapped jetpack scenes we have no idea about, yeah it is. But it is fun. And I think that is what we missed. We are allowed to have fun, as long as we are not posing it as accurate information.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Jorge never said this was a “on the mark” musical of the Odyssey. He is gonna take liberties, and unless a Greek Mythology Association sues him for not following the story to the letter, is it hurting anyone? Do the people who like an accurate retelling of Odyssey have to like Epic? No, absolutely not. Well, I mean unless someone has a gun to your head.

I have mutuals who don’t like Epic, and that is absolutely ok! They aren’t doing anything illegal, and neither are we. UNLESS we are telling and or arguing with Greek Religion Experts, mythographists and the like, that Epic is God's honest truth. In that case, we need to read The Odyssey together and apologize to them.

However, if you are gonna listen to it and just shit talk about it, bullying the creator and the fandom for creating/liking it, scrutinizing the road they chose, and just being a Debbie downer about it, do it by yourself. 

You know what is great too? Sparkle* The Power of Animation *Sparkle. Animators don’t like it, you do it. And that is not an taunting attack like, “oh if you think you can do better, then do it” blah blah nonsense. This is the glory of your talents. You are allowed to let your mind travel in the way that it does, I encourage it.  When I saw the prosthetic Poseidon, I didn’t say in the comments, “actually Poseidon didn’t have a prosthetic, this is cringe and inaccurate.” I didn’t say anything in the comments cus I was screaming and shrieking like a little bitch cus of how much I loved it. I apologize to my neighbors, I was losing my crap, like OMFG, HOW ARE SO TALENTED AND WHAT IS IN YOUR MIND I WANNA SEE IT AND-sorry I’m trying to get to a point.

(Also go check out Neal Illustrators Etsy shop, the pins are up and scrumptious)

All are talented artists/animators. I’m pretty sure when he watches your stuff, he gets so  giddy and excited. No one idea is steady law. We all are allowed to shine and share. I wanna see your talent and ability. 

So please, please.  Epic fans, if you don’t like Jorge’s ideas, look towards the animators. If you don’t like the animator's ideas, do your own. And if you can’t, imagine your own. 

But please, do not send hate or nasty messages toward Jorge and his team or to people in/within the community. Jorge is allowed to have fun, I am allowed to have fun, you are allowed to have fun. We are all allowed to have safe, healthy fun. Don’t spend all your time being a hater. Respect, we all deserve respect. Opinions, we all deserve to have our healthy and good-mannered opinion’s. 

Ok? Ok. Yay!

[ofmdrecaps]

08/18-19/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Taika Waititi; GalaxyCon SanJose: Vico, Con, Kristian, Nathan; Leslie Jones; Madeleine Sami; Connor Barrett; Tell Tale TV Poll; Fan Spotlight: BairNecessities Affirmation Cards; Our Flag Means Fanfiction; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika.

== David Jenkins ==

Davi's sharing more love for our crewmates and their dedication to OFMD. @smolbus, you're right hon, there is always hope! Ty for sharing your ink!

Source: David Jenkins Twitter

== Taika Waititi ==

More birthday shenanigans for Taika and Rita!

Source: Rita Ora's Instagram

Annnnd More Time Bandits Articles! This week Taika's gonna be in quite a bit of the final episodes it looks like!

Image Sources: The Taika Archives Twitter

= GalaxyCon San Jose: Vico, Con, Kristian, Nathan =

These four had such a lovely time in San Jose, and so did so many of our crewmates!! The cast was kind enough to post lots of pictures of the convention! Hope yall had fun! Please feel free to share your pics/stories!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

Source: Vico's Instagram

Nathan was out with Harvey Guillen and lots of other friends at the Winchester Mystery House while out in San Jose!

Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram Stories

== Leslie Jones ==

Leslie's going to be doing another stand up tour-- coming up Sept 29 you can see her at the Because They're Funny Comedy Festival at The Wharf in Washington D.C.! Learn more on their website!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BECAUSE THEY’RE FUNNY- BTF (Property of NICE CROWD) (@becausetheyrefunny)

Source: BecauseTheyreFunny Instagram

== Madeleine Sami ==

Nice to see Madeleine was out with the ladies of Deadloch at the 2024 TV Week Logie Awards!

Source: Prime Video AUNZ's Instagram

== Connor Barrett ==

Our beloved Hornberry out and about watching Angel City FC!

Source: Connor's Instagram

== Tell Tale TV Votes ==

Our dear friends over at @adoptourcrew are keeping us appraised of Tell Tale TV's new polls! You can vote for Ed and Stede for Category 3: Ship of the Year (Comedy or Animated Series)! While you're there if you want to help support some other queer shows, What We Do In The Shadows - Nandor and Guillermo are up in Ship You'd Most Like to See Sail (Round 1)!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= BairNecessities =

Back again tonight is the kindest soul, Mik, aka bairnecessities! Her OFMD Affirmation cards continue to make me smile every time I look at them! Did any of you get to stop by her table this past weekend at GalaxyCon San Jose? If you didn't get to you can check out her shop/follow her on the various socials here: Instagram / Twitter / Linktr.ee / Etsy

First up is probably my favorite card from her S2 Deck:

The next two are from her secondary character expansion! I adore that we get Alma and Louis in there, and even Doug NoLastName and Jeffrey Fettering get a spotlight with wonderful messages for all of us!

Mik does other series too aside from OFMD (like Good Omens, and Helluva Boss!) You can check them out on her instagram below!

Source: Bearnecessities Instagram

= Our Flag Means Fanfiction =

New Epitizer this week from our good friends over at Our Flag Means Fanfiction. Seriously, the amount of content they put out, keeping us all engaged is amazing. If you haven't given them a listen or a follow please do! You can check out the new "when life gives you lemons" on their linktree!

Source: Our Flag Means Fanfiction Instagram

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies, I hope your Monday started your week off well <3 As I'm sitting here typing this I have my son asleep under one arm, so I apologize if this is a bit scattered. I saw this infographic today and it made me think of you all. I don't know about you, but I spent a lot of my life thinking I had to do everything, excel at everything, have all the money, and the car, and the house, and the kids, etc. But you know what? Life isn't about having everything. It's about finding the things you love and matter most to you and focusing on them. The things that matter most to me will absolutely be different from everyone else (we may share some of the same) but no two people are exactly the same when it comes to interests, and thats beautiful. Dig deep into the things you love crew, and remember you don't have to feel any shame for the things that mean the most to you. Do you like video games? Or Ornithology? How about fanfiction? Or maybe Indy 500 races? Do you find joy when you're alone in the woods? Or sitting out with friends at a bar? Do you enjoy being alone? Or maybe you love to sing your heart out at karaoke? Whatever it is you love-- embrace it, whether it's "Weird" by someone else's standards or not. If it makes you smile, if it makes you enjoy your time on this little blue dot-- dive in lovelies, with no regrets. I so very hope that even if it's only little bits at a time this week you get to spend doing the things you love, whatever that may be. Rest well and drink some water tonight <3 Love you crew

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The New Happy® (@newhappyco)

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Happy Murray Monday, and Taika Tuesday everyone! Tonight's gifs are courtesy of @fandomsmeantheworldtome and @meluli, thank you so much for keeping us well fed with fantastic gifs of our favorite folks <3 You are doing Calypso's work my friends.

[rosicheeks]

I hate to see you sad princess. I just bought one of your paintings. I hope this brings a small smile to your beautiful face.

[nieded]

Two weeks to go!

Hi everyone! We have two weeks to go until pre-orders close for the #RAINBOWROAD for Rainbow Railroad Charity Drive. Please check out my master post with FAQ here and the Etsy shop here.

Additionally, if you're in the UK and balk at the shipping prices, @literarion is graciously trying to organize a group order so everyone can split the cost of shipping, and she plans to deliver books at TIC this summer!

There are also PDFs available if you want to participate in the drive but don't want to purchase hard copies!

[smolvenger]

The Boat in the Water: A Beauty and the Beast Story (Loki x Stella Ransome, An MCU/The Essex Serpent Crossover Multi-Part) Part Six

Fic Summary: Having lost her health and her husband's fidelity and love, Stella has nothing more to lose than her life. Then...she is swept away to another realm, to an enchanted castle. A castle whose master is a god...a god with a striking resemblance to her husband.

Chapter One//Chapter Two//Chapter Three//Chapter Four//Chapter Five//Chapter Six//Chapter Seven Finale (coming soon)

Chapter Summary: A black cat arrives at the Ransome house

Chapter Word Count: 4K

Chapter Warnings: Cheating, portrayed in a negative light with the Will/Cora affair (don't like, don't interact), and somewhat of emotional cheating portrayed in a positive light with our main couple (not that Stella would ever act on it, you know our girl would never). Small plot things, but this is mainly a lot of fluff with a little angst.

A/N: This is a lot of filler fluff, but the idea of Loki becoming a cat to infiltrate the Ransome house was so cute and so funny I had to write about it. So I hope you like it and think it's as cute and funny as I did! Shout out to @muddyorbsblr and @mari-malgamore and @steasstuff for letting me indulge in a Lokitty AU with the Ransomes. I also discovered too late that the show only has two of the Ransome kiddos and not all three like in the book (which makes it worse for Show! Stella because it technically means she lost three children, not just two :'( ) But for continuity's sake for the fic, John is still in.

A03//My Ko-Fi//My Etsy Shop//Masterlist//Wattpad

Taglist: @anukulee @asgards-princess-of-mischief @jennyggggrrr @five-miles-over @fictive-sl0th @ladycamillewrites @villainousshakespeare @holdmytesseract @eleniblue @twhxhck @lokisgoodgirl @lovelysizzlingbluebird @raqnarokr @holymultiplefandomsbatman @michelleleewise @wolfsmom1 @cheekyscamp @mochie85 @fandxmslxt69 @skittslackoffilter @mischief2sarawr @mari-malgamore @steasstuff

One day in Aldwinter, a black cat had never been there before. It walked across the marshes to the white house amid a field. It strutted over with an alert tail, as cats usually do, heading to the backyard with a little stick house and a tree and tall poles with lines of laundry.

Loki couldn’t stand it. Being alone in Asgard, in his palace. He did nothing but pace for hours. He was worrying over her. Would she go back into that boat? Or hurt herself in another way? Even if she was better, still…not to mention, would she be unhappy? 

He couldn’t sit about and do nothing. He had to make sure Stella was…was…was safe, at least. That she wasn’t miserable. 

But he couldn’t do it looking like himself. Stella would recognize him and act differently. And not to mention her husband. 

He walked over. Ready for his mission. To appear like an ordinary cat no one would notice- and black to blend into shadows. And secretly glad to have a black fur coat. The air was chilly. Even for spring.

He felt confident. Smug as he could be, for a cat cannot smirk. He would simply stay outside. If anything unpleasant came up, he’d change to his Aesir form and blast it away with magic. He would wait and watch. Probably near the little hut with all of the sticks. Yes, check on her then-

“Ruff! Ruff!”

He turned at the sound of the back door and froze. 

Loki forgot to consider they had a dog.

The brown terrier took off, charging towards him. All wagging tail and barks and slobber and teeth. 

In a panic, Loki turned and ran as fast as his little cat body would allow. The dog lumbered after him- but it couldn’t match his agile feline speed. 

Loki found the closest tree, and getting out his claws, quickly attached himself to the bark and climbed up. Frantically, beyond canine reach. He perched up on a tree, his back arching up and his ears slant.

The dog kept wagging his tail, his bark sharp. He put his front paws on the bark and wagged his tail, announcing to all of Essex that there was a cat on the tree.

Loki glared at him from the branch.

“I am a god, you dull beast! And I shall not be trifled with the likes of you!” he threatened.

But what came out of his mouth was a bunch of meows.

“What’s that?!” cried a small voice, like the cooing of a dove.

Loki was about to deliver a new threat that would come out as a hiss. The dog stopped pawing the tree and turned his head.

Out from the back door were two young children. The first was a girl. A pale face with freckles and long, light brown hair. The boy with a mop of curly dark brown hair. 

He remembered they weren’t just any children…

“Look, James, up in the tree!” cried Jo. “Get John! He can calm him down!” 

They were Stella’s children. The ones she loved so much, the ones he even saw her deliver to the world in visions. The ones she stayed in the palace to heal. The ones that mattered to the woman he loved. 

Out emerged the third, the middle boy. He went to the dog and ordered him to sit and the dog obeyed. Loki found himself relaxing.

“I’ll get him!” offered the girl.

She easily climbed up with her long, slender limbs. She sat on the branch and petted him. He purred and leaned into her touch. He noticed the blue eyes and the sweet smile. Traits she got from her mother- little signs that signaled this was a bit of Stella out there in the world for all to see, how to love. 

She scooped the Loki into her arms. Though the dog sniffed at him and wagged his tail, Loki gave him a warning hiss. But he settled.

“Look how sweet he is! Do you think we can let him inside? Do we have a cat now?!” James asked.

“What will Mama and Papa say?” John asked.

“They won’t mind!” Jo assured him. She scratched Loki’s head.

“Feral cats won’t let you do all that- maybe he’s hungry! We should feed him!” John replied.

Yes, he would let them. For then, he would be allowed in the house. He would keep a closer eye on her again and see Stella in her element. No poetic suicide attempts. Just a close watch. Maybe the odd thing of mischief or two. But only to see that Stella and her children too were happy and alive and safe.

 Curled like a baby, he let Jo carry her into the house. He even gave another purr and felt her smile over him. 

This was already too easy.

He could do it.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

He couldn’t do it.

Already, seconds after they fed him, Jo broke out her old dolls. And her old doll’s clothes. 

He was in his third humiliating outfit of a ruffled white dress.

“Look at how they fit! It’s perfect!” John laughed, being the one to hold Loki up.  

The last one was a gown where they declared her (since they were unsure of Loki’s gender as a cat) the fairest princess in the land.

Loki was tempted to hiss and scratch his way out. Wriggle until he was out of their arms and bite off the clothes. Or even change to his Aesir form, the clothes ripping into bits as he grew to his actual size. The look on their faces would have been worth it. And the screams!

But no.

These were Stella’s children. They were happy. They deserved to be happy, even if it meant another babydoll dress and hat on him. So he gritted his feline teeth and bore it, though his ears flattened with annoyance.

“Here! Add the hat!” James cheered, handing over a little pink baby’s bonnet from the doll.

Loki let out a meow in protest. But the boys’ little hands fitted the bonnet over his ears. He tied a bow beneath his chin. The children smiled even bigger at the sight of it.

“Just like a real baby!!” Jo cooed.

John began to sway him as they all made up a song to parade him around the brown house. Marching like he was their prize and swinging him back and forth as they sang to the tune of Greensleeves.

‘I am a little cat oh so faaaaiiir just pet and hold and giiiive me miiiilk!”

 They were not natural poets, the Ransome children. Not when the eldest was merely thirteen. So the latter part of the verse required simplicity.

“Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meoooooowww, meow meow moew meow meow meeeow meow meow!”

AllMother forbid Thor to see this. Loki was sure that Ragnorak beginning at this moment would be merciful over his brother having more ammunition to tease him. 

The door opened and they stopped their song and turned their heads.

“Why, what are you doing, my loves?” asked a soft, feminine voice from the entrance.

Loki felt his ears and face turn. 

Stella then entered. She took off the kerchief on her head and her shawl and set it on a doorknob. She smiled at the parade around the house. 

“Mama! We found a cat!” James explained.

John held him up to show her proudly.

Loki let go of his glare. He had to be appealing to her. So he fired his biggest, cutest eyes and gave her his sweetest mew.

Stella burst into delighted laughter.

“Set him down- he is probably wanting it,” she instructed.

James relented and released Loki down. He found a way to walk towards her, despite his peripheral vision blocked by the bonnet and the dress. He walked towards Stella’s blue skirt. He heard her ask the children if they knew if the cat belonged to anyone and they replied no, they did not.

“Can we keep him? He doesn’t seem feral!” asked Jo.

“You must remember- you must feed and look after him and give him water and a place to relieve himself. Animals are like babies themselves- you cannot be cruel to deny them their needs. And they may cause some trouble- it is your responsibility!” she lectured them, even leaning down to look into their eyes.

The children claimed that they would nod their heads. 

The cat went before Stella. He purred loudly and rubbed against her skirts, giving his sweetest meow. He heard her gasp and melt a little. She leaned down her arm and began to pet him. He leaned even closer to her touch- its smoothness, its gentleness that he loved, even in this form.

“Oh, what a little dear you are!” she cooed. She got him out of his little doll clothes by picking him up and putting him in her lap on the chair. But he made sure to be sweet and pliant. She looked carefully at his body, and then at the children.

 “I think he is male. But how is he with Dan?” Stella asked.

Loki looked over and there was the dog, wagging his tail and wanting to play again.

“Dan doesn’t hurt him!” John explained. “They get along! Dan’s always good with cats! He just wants to chase them and play with them!”

“Well, you know your father must name any male pet we have after the twelve sons of Jacob…” Stella began.

Jo stood up proudly and began to recite.  “I already know all of them now- Nephtali, Issacar, Judah, Benjamin, Joseph, Asher-”

“It should be Asher! For his ashy face!” cried James.

Stella looked down with a laugh as she stroked Loki again.

“Oh, then Asher it is!” Stella laughed.

Allowed into the house, Loki began his mission to make himself the best cat he could for her. Followed her as she made dinner, took care of a few chores, and asked after the children. At one point, he heard a noise beneath the table and found James hiding there. He meowed at Stella to signal her. She leaned down, pulled up the tablecloth, and smiled at the hiding boy. Then she got up and fixed a saucer of biscuits. Crouching down, she brought them to James beneath the table with a smile that made Loki melt on the inside.

The second she sat down, Loki was on her lap. Kneading on her, much to her joy. Or laying down in the submissive pose with his belly up and his paws curled. 

“Oh, he likes you, mama!” John said.

Loki was happily in her lap, curled up and warm and content.

Then the dog barked at him, Jumping and wanting to play. Loki gave him a good swat.

“You shall leave us alone, shall you!” he cried. Only it came out as a “Mrow!”.

But the dog obeyed Stella’s commands and left her alone. This was it- this was almost like the peace of Valhalla. She was petting him, everything was warm and cozy. Jo was reading her book and the boys were playing a game. It was perfect, absolutely per-

The door creaked open.

“Papa!” shouted James.

In came Will, looking perfectly snug in his large, green scarf and coat, a sweater beneath him. Loki felt himself stiffen as he turned his curly head towards there, even with three children who all got up to hug him. 

Will went over to Stella with the chair, looking down at Loki. A half-laugh came out of him with a smile. But Loki did not smile back. He instead gave him his biggest death glare. Which, given his current species, proved quite simple.

This did not deter the reverend.

“The children found a cat,” Stella explained.

Will went over and reached his large hand towards the new pet.

“Hello there, little fellow,” he began.

Loki could not play sweet little kitten around him. 

He swatted at Will’s paw quickly.

“A feisty fellow!” Will chuckled.

He reached again to pet the cat. Loki batted Will away and hissed at him. 

“Oh, he is only not used to you!” Stella claimed. “Give him time!”

She did scoop him off of her lap (to a protesting meow) to embrace and kiss her husband. Loki did everything in him not to gag.

As dinner was being served and plates were appearing on the table, Loki wished to join them. That wish was not granted.

The dog wanted to play. He barked and wagged his tail, prancing around him. Loki could not avoid him wherever he was. He tried to ignore him by lying down on a small blue rug on the floor. 

“I shall have nothing with you, Midgardian scum,” Loki silently cursed.

The dog in answer picked up the rug and dragged it across the house with Loki dragging on it. He meowed in protest, much to the amusement of the Ransome family. Who applauded and laughed like they were watching a play.

It had felt like ages and dinner was done by the time the dog was bored of him and he went to the table. Stella had picked some bits of chicken, set it on a blue saucer, and leaned down on the floor offering it to Loki. 

“Here you are. For your troubles,” she offered.

He ate every bit of it. 

The world was inky with night as each person settled into their bed. Stela noted that the cat ended up in her room. As she unbuttoned her dress and removed her corset and petticoats, she noticed the cat in a corner with both paws over his eyes. She giggled lightly as she finally put her nightgown on.

After all, Loki was a gentleman. 

He did not do the same when the husband undressed into his shift. What did he care if Will was the one undressing? For some godsforsaken reason unknown to him, it was his own cock anyway.

Will went to the chair to read, the pages flipping quietly. Settling in.

With a contented sigh, Stella pulled up the covers of the blankets and settled into bed. Her hair was still in her braid, draping over her shoulder. With her ruffled nightgown, she seemed every bit. 

 Loki hopped up over the blankets to her.

“Oh, hello!” she said.

He curled up on her chest and her chest, purring. With another beautiful smile, she stroked his fur.

He loved it- to just touch her, be with her in this form. To hold her and feel her. How warm and comfortable and safe and alive she felt.

The bed shifted as a second weight got on.

Loki shot the occupant a glare and then focused on Stella again.

Will each time Will got close, Loki would turn around and glare at him. Daring him to lay a hand on Stella, bonds of  Christian matrimony be damned. And Loki would let out a growl or a slap if Will attempted to pet him. The viar only sighed and settled into his half of the bed.

Stella slept all night with the cat curled on her. When she awoke, he stretched and greeted her, wishing to snuggle more before she got out of bed. She had never been this cozy in ages.

The week passed on blissfully. Will was gone for long periods. Stella remained at home, keeping everything tidy, rearranging her collection, sometimes making trips to pay calls, and waiting for the children to come home. Sunday morning came and went with everyone scrambling to get ready and head to church, then return home, and sink into a half exhaustion all afternoon.

Loki wasn’t complaining. He liked being her companion. Being near her all the time.

Tuesday, there was a visitor.

In walked a woman with small eyes and high cheekbones with a soft face. Her nose was up in the air with confidence and her long, almost wavy blonde hair, streaked with red was up in a bun, though strands came loose. She wore a grey coat. Beside her was a young boy with straight brown hair that fell over his eyes. He kept his eyes low but looked up softly as Stella went forward to greet them.

Her steps paused. Loki noticed why.

The woman wore Will’s green scarf.

She said she was here to see him and go off on another walk. She patted her son’s shoulder. Stella kept her gentle smile, but remained still, though her eyes sometimes flickered to the scarf. She said he would be in the backyard and that yes, Frankie is welcome to stay.

The woman looked down at the black cat. Loki backed down, ears flat, and gave her a loud hiss.

“Don’t mind him, he doesn’t like strangers!” Stella replied.

Then the lady squeezed the boy’s shoulder, turning off with almost a flourish. And the boy stayed behind, his shoulders tight.

“How are you, Mrs. Ransome? I-I heard you got better,” he asked.

“Oh, I’m fine, Frankie. Come on in, I’ll fix you some tea,” she offered. Taking his hand.

Loki wasn’t sure of the lad at first. It seemed unfair to hiss at him because of who his mother was.  Yet Stella liked him. She smiled at him and talked to him like a friend. She made him tea with some honey. He held his cup with both hands and sipped it politely.

“Mrs. Ransome…I know people call me disturbed. I can’t pretend like I don’t…am I?” he asked.

“Oh, no, you’re not at all. I think you’re a very wise, patient, sensitive boy and you have nothing to be ashamed of,” she spoke to him.

As she got out her collection to show the new additions, they talked happily. She beamed at him, letting him go through whatever he wanted.  He then found the flowers from the time she was with Loki in the field and pulled them up.

“Where did you find these?” he asked.

Loki jolted up from the floor.

“I was sent to a place to recover. And it was run by a man. Loki is his name. He was incredibly kind to me. And he found out about my collection so he took me on a trip to see a field full of those flowers. I will never forget him…it’s thanks to him and his generosity I am still alive,” she recalled. A slight pink to her face and her smile was genuine.

“He sounds nice,” Frankie said.

“He didn’t think himself as nice. He…he had some troubles in his life, just like you. But sometimes people don’t realize that they’re not as bad as they think they are.” she replied, adding on.

She touched his arm and looked at him with a motherly glow.

“So do not worry if others think you are disturbed. You have done nothing wrong. And if you continue to be as you are, they will learn they are wrong about you.” she said.

Loki went up to Frankie’s legs and began to rub on them, purring. The boy almost jumped.

“You said he doesn’t like strangers!” said Frankie.

“Well, he likes you,” Stella replied.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

But what use is a mischief god if he just sits around rubbing against people’s legs and purring all day? Loki had to cause some trouble. And he knew how.

Stella was hardly in Will’s office. So she couldn’t stop him. Sneaking in the shadows thanks to his black fur, he arrived that day in Will’s study. No doubt what was happening right now with him and Cora was not in the least bit academic. So he needed to be punished.

After all, he promised Stella he wouldn’t end his life. That meant everything else could be done instead.

Loki hopped onto the desk and the bookshelves. Maneuvering his paws, he knocked over one book. Then he snuck into its crevice and knocked down the one next to that. Being a cat, he could squeeze easily into the shelves for books that weren’t pushed in. 

When Will returned, whole rows of his precious, long-kept book collection were knocked onto the floor. 

Will shooed the cat out.

The cat got back into the room. He targeted the large, open book on the desk and clawed up.

Will shooed him out.

The cat returned to the room. He scratched up a love letter from Cora. He urinated in it for good measure.

Will tossed him out and kept the door locked from that point on.

Then again every night, Loki would snuggle with Stella. Playing the devil with the husband and the angel with the wife. 

But every time he thought he could knock something of Will’s over with her present, she would look at him and tilt her head. He would back down with lowered ears and widen his eyes. If only he could let his magic conjure a halo over his head.

There was one afternoon, as he went about to cause mischief to Will’s belongings again, Stella said “Loki, is that you?”

He froze, looking at her. Blinking slowly. What should he do?

But she went up and leaned down.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. But you must behave yourself or I will not give you any chicken from dinner.”

Loki went up to her, purring and rubbing against her to seal the promise. 

As another week passed, Will was spending even less time at home. And the time he was with Stella, they were more quiet. More stiff. They talked less. Smiled even fewer.

One morning, Will was already gone. Stella awoke in her nightgown, went to the window, and stared out, her face pale and frowning. When Loki hopped by her, he could only see the fields and forests outside.

He touched a paw on her just barely, and she did not respond. Her memories coming up to him.

Will and Cora- Cora in her red dress. They were in the marshes and muck…and Will was on top of her.  Doing what you would expect from the lusty vicar.

And Stella watched it all through that very window.

He returned his paw. Fury building silently in him. How he wished he could turn into his Aesir form and bring more chaos to Will than a few upturned books. But he saw a tear go down her eye.

He meowed sweetly, touching a paw at her until she turned her head. He crawled up to her and purred, leaning against her. She picked him up and he leaned close to her She needed comfort, to not be alone. To not tear herself apart for others and never consider herself. No, right now, she only needed to be loved.

That night, he was especially affectionate at bedtime. He laid right on Stella’s lap to cuddle her. The picture of a perfect feline companion.

Will had already undressed. It was a warmer night and he was sleeping bare this time. He sat up in bed reading his Bible. Loki wouldn’t even look at him and remained on Stella. 

He heard the Bible close and being put away. 

Then Will caught Loki off guard and scooped up the cat into his arms. Loki was so surprised he let out a meow despite himself. 

He was plopped onto Will’s bare chest.

“Ah! There I have you! I think I got you now! I think it’s time we be friends and let a man enjoy embracing his wife,” Will replied triumphantly, a smile on his face. 

Loki had enough.

He bit Will’s nipple.

A loud, masculine scream exploded in the white house.

Will let go of his hold on Loki as he hopped out of his arms. He went onto the floor and sat to watch with triumphant slow blinks. Will lept out of bed, hunching over in pain. Stella ran over to him to put a hand on his arm.

“Will-it’s alright! Let me see!” she was consoling. But there was a smile on her face, trying to suppress chuckling and be a good wife.

The children scurried over, wondering about the commotion as the door barely creaked open. They took in the scene of their father naked with nothing to cover him. Without saying another word, they closed the door and hurried back into their rooms, the image, unfortunately, burned into their mind. Even as handsome as Will was, papa’s bum is papa’s bum

Stella helped him with the bite marks. But she laughed. Despite her scolding the cat and seeing that the marks didn’t bleed, she was laughing the whole time.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Cora returned to be with Will the next afternoon. Dropping off Frankie for Stella to look after the whole time. But today, Stella stood up folded her hands, and went to her.

“I am making dinner. And I will need help- could you please return in an hour? I don’t want my husband to be late,” she asked.

Cora blinked. Loki turned his head between them. 

She never did that. She let them run about and do whatever. For as long as they wanted.

But now…now was different…was it, perhaps, she was remembering him? 

Cora then dropped her shoulders.

“Of course. One hour,” she replied.

“If he is not, I will go and search for you both,’ she replied.

Cora nodded begrudgingly. 

Loki smiled as much as a cat could smile. He purred again with pride. She was doing even better than he expected and she was slowly standing up for herself more. Asserting what she wanted, bit by bit. Far more than the sacrificial wife in the boat.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After some time, Loki decided enough was enough. With his magic, he snuck out and made himself a lady in town and conjured the black cat. He knocked on the door and explained that her cat was long missing the family and thanked them for taking care of him and keeping him safe. They all assured her that he was perfect. The lady promised the family their friend would be just as petted and spoiled as he was here. He made the conjured cat happy and grateful to be in his real owner’s arms. So they said their goodbyes, and despite the tears, they were joyful little Dan found his home again.

With a silent smile, he returned to Asgard. 

That next afternoon, the house was completely quiet. The children were away. Will was away. The dog was asleep. And Stella thought to herself of how alone she felt. Alone-and at least she could indulge in her memories. 

The castle. The dances. The dinners. The flower field. His dark hair. His impish smile. 

She went to her room and from her wardrobe. On the bottom was a box, rectangular and long. Opening the lid, she looked down on the soft velvet where she kept the dagger. 

 Perfectly safe. Lovely as a gem. She traced the hilt with a finger, careful to avoid the blade. 

“Oh, Loki…” she whispered with longing.

She missed Loki. Missed him so badly, so much…but she would never see him again.