#finding safety in people through pride flags

[penny00dreadful]

So does anyone remember that post that was like "Robin and Eddie meet when she does that thing that's like 'hello, please pretend you know me so I can get away from this person' then Steddie happens?" Because I do. I cannot for the life of me find it. If anyone knows the post I'm talking about please let me know so I can link it, this is very much not my idea, it's that persons idea but the brain worms got me so here we are. 🤷‍♀️

We found it! It's this post by @wynnyfryd Thank you Anon! Obviously I went in a different direction with it but this post was 100% my inspiration so thank you for helping me find it!

AO3 link for those asking! 🖤

Robin should be royally pissed off with herself right now. She would be if she wasn’t so damn scared.

That guy was still trailing behind her, no matter the twists and turns she’d taken down different streets trying to lose him and the only thing she’d gained from it was to get totally and completely lost. It could be something completely innocent, the guy might be coincidentally going in the same direction as her but she wasn’t willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if it meant keeping herself alive.

The distance between the two of them was slowly closing as she was followed through the dark and empty streets of the city, hoping, praying for some kind of shop or restaurant or something to make an appearance so she could hide inside but apparently Robin was able to find the one street in this city where everything was either closed for the night or boarded up.

Her heart was pounding in her ears and the beginnings of tears were starting to sting her eyes and all she could think of was how sick with worry Steve was going to be in the morning when he woke up to no missed calls, no missed texts and no Robin. She’d scoffed at him hours earlier when he’d offered to go to the ‘work thing’ with her but she'd told him she was a big girl and she could look after herself and not to be such a worrywart mom.

And now she had no idea where her phone had gone, if she'd left it behind or dropped it somewhere, no idea where she was and no idea of what she was going to do.

If she’d been a bit more present in her head she probably would have noticed the loud, braying, male laughter coming from just ahead of her and crossed the street to avoid them before it was obvious she was avoiding them. But as it was she could barely see straight through her tears and panicked tunnel vision while simultaneously trying to keep an eye on the slowly encroaching guy behind her. She was practically already in the group’s space and one of them had definitely already seen her though he didn’t pay her any attention.

But even through her blurred vision and panic, she finally registered what exactly she was looking at. Four men standing around the entrance to what looked like the diviest of empty dive bars, chain smoking and being as loud as humanly possible, but that’s not what caught her eye.

Long hair, chains, leather, denim, tartan, rings, tattoos, subculture. If Robin had to choose a group of men to approach, any kind of subculture would be the best option. They knew what it was like to be other. There was no guarantee these guys were safe, but they were probably safer than a group of frat boys.

The next thing that caught her eye that nearly made her cry in relief as she got closer were the patches and pins.

A rainbow ‘A’ against a black and white striped background pinned on one guys collar, a yellow-white-purple-black patch on another's arm, a pink-yellow-blue patch over the third guys heart and a progress pride flag pinned to the largest guys pocket.

Her people.

Without a second's hesitation she made a bee-line for them, planting herself firmly next to yellow-white-purple-black patch person who had a mess of thick light brown curls that reminded her of Steve’s hair. They fell painfully silent at her arrival.

The four of them blinked down at her, with her tearfilled eyes and wild aura of panic around her they were probably, understandably freaked out.

“Hi guys!” She called out to them, probably a little too loud, hoping her voice carried back to the fucker following her, tensing as she could actually hear his footsteps approaching now.

The guy with the longest hair and the pink-yellow-blue patch standing directly in front of her glanced quickly over her shoulder before returning his gaze to her. His face split into a wide warm grin, tapping her shoulder lightly.

“Hey girlie. We thought you weren’t coming, we’ve been waiting.”

The footsteps behind her audibly slowed down. Robin laughed, a little maniacally, keeping her frantic gaze on him, not daring to turn around. “Yeah, I uh- g- got sidetracked.”

“Eddie, what-”

Pink-yellow-blue patch guy, Eddie she supposed, slapped ‘A’ patch guy lightly on the stomach with the back of his hand, shutting him up as her pursuer passed them by, giving the group a wide berth.

“Hey, no worries. You’re here now, right?”

Pride patch guy kept his eyes on the guy who’d been following her the whole time, only looking away when he eventually turned the corner, disappearing into the night.

Robin immediately felt her posture slacken now that he was finally gone, the full weight of everything coming down on her. Her tears began to spill over and her whole body shook as hysterical sobs started to pour out of her body.

“I’m sorry. I’m- I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. I think I left my phone behind and I don’t know where I am. We only moved here a couple of weeks ago and I got lost trying to get away and- and-”

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” Yellow-white-purple-black patch person squeezed her shoulder lightly, keeping their distance. “You’re okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“We can call someone for you, if you want?” Eddie asked, crossing his arms tight like he was trying not to reach out to her, probably worried it would freak her out more. “Boyfriend or girlfriend-”

“Or romantic partner.” The person with their hand on her shoulder interjected lightly.

“Alright Baron from the Baronies.” Eddie snorted. “But fair point, Gareth. Romantic partner or friend or whatever?”

“Um,” Robin’s voice was still shaking. “I don’t… I’ve never been good at memorising numbers…”

“Me too, terrible at them.” Eddie smiled again, pulling his phone from his pocket. Robin’s fear and panic was almost entirely gone now even though she was still hiccuping and sniffling underneath their concerned gazes. They were all firmly keeping their distance, keeping any touches short and fleeting, not moving too suddenly, trying their best to make sure she knew they weren’t a threat and it was really helping her to start feeling safe again. “But we could try to find them online? Instagram or something?”

“Yeah. Yeah we could try that.” She wiped her eyes roughly against her sleeve as she shuffled over to Eddie’s side. “My best friend, Steve, he uh- he’s probably asleep and I don’t think you can call him if you don’t have him added…”

“You can send him a message.” Eddie replied easily, handing his phone over. “And if he doesn’t wake up, we’ll try something else.” 

“Don’t worry we’ll get you home.” ‘A’ patch guy smiled down at her while pride patch guy nodded along.

Robin sniffed again. “Thanks.” She was able to conjure up a small watery smile as she opened the app and found Steve’s profile, shooting off a quick message begging him not to freak out and explaining the situation as concisely as she could.

“Here.” She handed Eddie back his phone who glanced down at it for just a second before his eyes widened slightly as he scrolled through Steve’s profile.

“Oh shit. This is your friend?”

Robin nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“He’s… he’s really pretty.”

That managed to pull a startled laugh from her. “Oh god, don’t tell him that, you’ll give him a big head.”

“Let me see?” Gareth asked, whistling low when Eddie turned his phone around showing a photo of Steve and Robin at their last pride parade cheering with the crowd, Steve with the pink-purple-blue of the bi flag smeared across each cheek and Robin with the pinks, oranges and white of the lesbian flag draped around her shoulders. “He is really pretty.”

Eddie snatched the phone back, cradling it to his chest. “Fuck off, Gare. I saw him first.”

Robin smiled again. “Any response from him?”

“Hm?” Eddie asked distractedly, scrolling through Steve’s photos before pride flag guy punched him in the shoulder. “Ow! Wh- oh, sorry!” Eddie frantically scrolled back up before clicking into his messages again and shaking his head. “Nothing yet.” He held the phone out to show her.

“Okay.”

“What’s your address? If he doesn’t respond, we'll find a way to get you there.”

“Uh…” Robin was drawing a complete blank, only able to remember her parents home address hundreds of miles away.

“Or tell us something nearby.” Eddie added, not missing a beat, clearly picking up on Robin’s lack of an answer. “What’s on your street?”

“Um,” she closed her eyes, trying to picture it in her head, “there’s a couple of Chinese take outs, Asian food store, paint store… there’s… I think it’s a tattoo parlour? There’s designs painted on the window, a tower on either side. I think they’re from Lord of the Rings?”

“Inklings? Is that the place?”

Robin opened her eyes. Eddie was grinning at her conspiratorially. “That’s it. You know it?”

“Would you believe me if I told you I work there?”

“No way.”

“Way.”

Hope was starting to grow feathers inside Robin’s chest. She could go home, she didn’t have to stay out all night waiting for Steve to wake up and never let her out of his sight again, she could hug her best friend and drink coffee out of her favourite mug and curse at their finicky fridge and steal his hair products again. She could go home.

“Is it far?”

“Nah, only a few streets away. Ten minute walk, tops.”

“D’you- I mean… do you think you could-” Could she really ask them to walk her home after they’d already done so much for her? Would she be asking too much? Could she be putting herself in more danger?

“I can take you there if you want? Let you get back to your… Steve.” There was a slight blush dusting over Eddie’s cheeks. Maybe he did have an ulterior motive, but it wasn’t an ulterior motive involving her. If she wasn’t so wrung out and aching to crawl into her own bed she’d be thinking up teasing material to lambaste Steve with. But as it was, she was desperate to get home.

“Would that be okay?”

“Yeah.” Eddie replied, bright and easy. “It would just be me and you though,” he held his hands up in surrender, “and you can totally say no, like if you're uncomfortable or whatever. Gareth is Grant and Jeff’s ride home and you’re still on the clock, right?” He turned to Gareth towards the end of his sentence.

“Yeah, but I get off shift in about an hour so could come in if you wanted, wait around in the back room until then if you wanna go as a group?” They answered. 

“I think… I think I just want to get home.”

“Okay, cool. No worries I’ll get you there safe and sound. Here,” Eddie pulled his phone out again, “I’m gonna message Steve to let him know we’re on the way in case he wakes up,” he showed her the short message only sending it off when she gave a nod, “and I’ll get you to navigate just so we don’t get lost.” 

He handed his phone to her with the maps app open, directing them towards Inklings tattoo parlour. He was playing it off like an easy joke, instead of another way to assure her she was safe. He was making sure she knew exactly where he was taking her at all times, he was making sure she had the ability to call the police or whatever if he turned on her, he was making sure she knew he didn’t need or want her address if she didn’t want to give it. 

This fucking guy.

He definitely wouldn’t be the worst choice Steve had ever made if it did go that way.

“I don’t know how to thank all of you, seriously. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t run into you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Grant smiled at her before hesitating. “Uh, I just realised we don’t have your name.”

“Oh!” She laughed at herself, feeling lighter. “I’m Robin.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Robin.” Grant held his hand out, shaking hers once she took it.

“Likewise.”

“And don’t worry about thanking us, just pay it forward, yeah?” Jeff said.

“Plus.” Gareth took on a nonchalant tone even though they had a smirk plastered over their face. “We’ll see you again at Steve and Eddie’s wedding.”

“Shut up!” Eddie scowled but didn’t hold onto it for long in the wake of Robin’s giggles.

She sighed once the giggles subsided, a weight lifted off her shoulders. “I look forward to it.” She raised her hand in salute as the three of them headed back inside, turning to Eddie as he held his elbow out.

“Shall we?”

Robin tried to suppress her smile but took Eddie’s arm anyway. They only made it down one street and around one corner, Robin clutching tight to Eddie’s phone before he finally asked.

"So."

"So."

"Best friend Steve." Eddie twirled his rings around his fingers. "Is he…"

“He’s single.” She answered lightly. “But you might be arriving into his life at the wrong time. He’s recently sworn off men.”

“Well we’ve all sworn off men once or twice. Men are terrible.”

“Agreed.”

“Is it because of a bad ex?”

Robin threw her head back with a groan remembering the giant breakdown that had finally finally ended it. “Tommy was the worst. He’s the reason we even moved out here, there’s nowhere to get away from an ex in a small town, you know? They’re everywhere. I’m not going to go into what happened, it’s not my business to say but it was bad.”

Eddie nodded, his eyes down on the ground, running through everything in his head.

Robin could see the tattoo parlour up ahead, the glorious sight of their apartment building just a few buildings away.

“Do you think… with time… he could open himself up to men again?”

Eddie had such a tentative hope in his eyes, it was adorable really. Looking over him, she thought about the type of people Steve would constantly thirst over, blip in the matrix Tommy Hagan notwithstanding.

Lithe bodies with full lips and giant eyes, hair he could run his fingers through and something unusual about them. Something odd.

He’d never explicitly gone for someone so heavily into a subculture before but he’d never turned them down either. And based on Eddie’s job at the tattoo parlour and the way he was dressed, he almost definitely had some ink on him. That alone would be enough to make Steve swoon.

“I think he might. Will you walk me up?” Robin asked, holding the door to the building open, offering Eddie the same kindness under the guise of doing a favour that he had offered her so many times tonight.

“Yeah, sure.”

They’d managed to make it up to the third floor, walking down her hallway before Eddie’s phone started to ping incessantly.

She turned the phone over in her hand, looking at the screen. “He’s awake.”

Robin, where are you?

Are you okay?

I’m on the way.

Please be okay.

Their apartment door was flung open just as they reached it. Steve was standing there panting and terrified, his hair a mess, his glasses askew, his jacket and shoes thrown haphazardly over his pyjamas.

“Robbie.”

Steve slammed into her, holding her tight before immediately letting go to inspect her face and running his hands over her body, checking to see if anything was wrong.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened? What do you need?”

“Steve.” Robin caught his fluttering hands in hers and squeezed, nearly crying out in relief just to have him with her again. “I’m okay. Eddie and his friends helped me.”

“Eddie-” Steve looked to the side, noticing her saviour for the first time. “You’re Eddie.”

“I’m Eddie.” Eddie gave him a short little wave and a dazzling smile that quickly dropped in shock as Steve pulled him into a crushing hug, his blush returning with full force.

“Thank you, thank you so much. I don’t know what I would’ve-” Steve took a big breath in and loosened his arms from around Eddie’s shoulders. Robin saw his eyes slowly trail over his face before very briefly flicking down to the pink-yellow-blue patch then back up. “Come inside, the two of you. Can I get you anything? Tea? Decaf coffee? A glass of water? Like, literally anything to say thank you.” He asked, ushering the two of them into the apartment.

Steve caught Robin’s eye behind Eddie’s back and mouthed ‘oh my god he’s fucking gorgeous!’

Robin snorted and thought to herself ‘sworn off men, my ass.’

[fuckyeahdindjarin]

Seams drabble: Patch

{ Part IV: Notch | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist }

Rating: None

Summary: Ellie finds a Pride-themed sew on patch that leads to revelations.

Warnings: Pure fluff and love for this girl, some angst, coming out, total disregard of canon because I don't know how it goes in the game.

Word count: 1.3k

Notes: This idea struck me out of the blue many months ago, and I was waiting for 'the right place' in the series, until I mentioned it to a dear friend in passing conversation and then I just started writing it. Very lightly edited. Set at unspecified time frame after Part IV.

Ellie hums to herself from her spot in a cosy corner of the Outfitters, one watchful eye on the door. It’s an uncharacteristically slow Saturday, but she’s not complaining - she has her hands full.

A big canvas sack lies empty on the floor, its contents strewn haphazardly all over the wooden floor. The mess drives you up the wall, but you know better than to question her (very questionable) methods, so you’re ensconced in the safety of your studio while she sorts through the clothes and odds and ends that the patrollers brought back from their most recent outing.

Though infrequent - most settlements around Jackson have been painstakingly pilfered for anything useful over the years - it’s her favourite duty at the shop. Lucy is looser with the rules, but sometimes, you let Ellie keep little knick knacks that won’t sell.

The teenager goes through the pile thoroughly. Shirts go in one stack, jeans in another, followed by shoes, hats and scarves. Turning to the heap of smaller loose trinkets, she separates mismatched buttons, safety pins, shoelaces and zippers (as Maria always says, every little help), when something colourful piques her attention.

Plucking the piece of fabric out of the jumble, Ellie recognises it as a decorative patch that she’s seen sewn onto bags and shirts. It’s the size of her palm, cut in the shape of a rainbow, the colours still bright. Over the arches, bold white text outlined in black spells out NYC PRIDE 2003.

Tucking it into her pocket for now, she quickly finishes the rest of the sorting. Clothes go into the bin to be collected by the laundry, shoes for the cobbler’s, and accessories into a box to be priced and shelved.

Ambling into the back of the shop where you’re busy hemming a pair of jeans, Ellie plops into one of the rolling chairs, straddling the back of it, and the wheels screech as she careens across the floor to your sewing station.

Your lips quirk as you look up briefly at her. ‘Find anything interesting?’

‘Just this,’ she replies, flashing you the patch and reading aloud, ‘NYC Pride 2003. What does that mean?’

‘There used to be a big pride parade for the LGBT community every year in New York City,’ you explain. ‘They used to close down the streets and everything for it, it was a huge event.’

Ellie blinks, your answer taking her by surprise. She clears her throat, a distant buzzing at the back of her head as she turns the patch over pensively in her hand. ‘What - do you know what it was like?’

‘I’ve never been to one, but it always looked incredible. People used to line the streets in support, and everyone dressed up. There’d be rainbow flags everywhere, floats, dancing, music, and of course, it was an important way for the community to highlight and push for LGBT rights.’

‘You mean -’ she pauses, the unfamiliar feeling of stumbling over her words making her hands sweat. ‘You mean, people would just be out in public, like, being themselves?’

‘More than that - they were celebrating themselves.’

Ellie doesn’t realise she’s fallen quiet until you speak, ‘You can keep it if you want.’

Her head snaps up, disoriented. ‘Keep what?’

‘That.’ You nod towards the patch she’s clinging onto so tightly that her knuckles have gone white.

Panic prickles the back of her neck, an embarrassed heat suddenly making her want to pull at the collar of her flannel. But then you shrug and say, almost flippantly, ‘It’s pretty.’

‘Yes,’ she blurts out in hasty agreement, letting out a breath she’s been unconsciously holding. ‘It’s very pretty.’

Ellie is relieved when you turn back to the sewing machine, leaving her to retrace her steps to the front of the shop. The patch sits on the counter, where she leaves it, as she goes about her business for the rest of her shift.

Her eyes travel to the rainbow, and she thinks of how she wasn’t like the other girls at school, who fawned over dogeared photos of singers and actors long dead. She thinks of how she’s always known she’s different, but didn’t have the vocabulary to express it.

She thinks of Riley.

Riley.

For Riley.

When half three rolls around, you spot the teenager lingering by the studio doorway out of the corner of your eye, her backpack dangling from her fingers. Any other Saturday, you’d be lucky to catch the blurry shape of her shadow when she gallops out of the shop, throwing a see ya over her shoulder.

Thrown by her silence, you prompt, ‘Yes, Ellie?’

Scruffing the tips of her well-worn sneakers on the floorboards, she bites her lip in an atypical display of hesitance. ‘Pin, could you help me sew the patch onto my backpack? Please?’

You smile, eyes soft. ‘I’d love to. C’mon.’

‘You don’t have to do it now,’ she protests, feigning nonchalance, but her twitchy hands give her away. ‘Like, whatever, it’s no big deal.’

Wanting to put her at ease, you shrug. ‘No time like the present. Where do you want it?’

Putting her bag on your work surface, she points. ‘Guess right here under the wings.’

‘Perfect. Can you unzip the bag for me?’

You have Ellie hold the rainbow exactly where she wants it while you thread the needle, and you start sewing it in by hand, stitch by tidy stitch. It barely takes a couple of minutes, but time is of the essence - you haven’t heard the girl take a single breath of air since the anchor stitch.

Snipping off the thread with a flourish and giving it a once over, you grin. ‘There, all done.’

Ellie ducks her head, quiet as she takes the bag from your hands, running a thumb over the arches of the rainbow. Without a word, she suddenly throws her arms around you, hugging you tight.

‘Thanks, Pin,’ she mumbles into your hair.

Your heart swells, and you squeeze her back even tighter. ‘Anything for you, kiddo.’

On Monday morning, Ellie hovers in the hallway outside the kitchen, observing.

Joel is at the table, oblivious with his back to the door, her breakfast of two fried eggs over and easy and toast waiting at her usual spot at the table. Taking a deep breath, she bites the bullet and walks in, backpack in her hand.

‘Mornin’,’ grunts Joel, almost done with his own eggs, sunny side up.

‘Morning,’ she parrots back as she makes herself comfortable.

She usually just dumps her bag on the floor, but today, she pulls out the chair next to her and drops it into the seat. The unusual movement catches Joel’s eye, and he takes a good long look at the backpack.

Eventually, he points vaguely in what she assumes is the direction of the rainbow patch, and says, ‘That looks new.’

‘Yup, Pin helped me sew it on.’

He purses his lips, asking around a mouthful of egg. ‘You know what Pride is?’

She swallows thickly, and it takes a beat to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth. ‘Yeah, Pin told me.’

He nods, then turns his attention back to his plate with no fanfare.

Not entirely sure if he caught the nuance but her mind too in knots to care, Ellie picks up her fork and doesn’t think twice when he gets up to put his dish in the sink.

She nearly chokes on eggs when strong arms close around her shoulders in a vice-like grip, scratchy beard on her temple, Joel’s voice so thick that it makes her think if she turns around, she’ll see tears in his eyes.

‘Proud of you, baby girl.’

Later that afternoon, Joel finds you alone in the shop, restocking the women’s outerwear rack.

You toss him a smile over your shoulder. ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’

‘Lucy ‘round?’ he asks.

‘When is she ever?’ you quip with no bite.

Three steps and he’s spun you around by the waist, soft lips latching onto yours in a sweet kiss with just a hint of heated aftertaste that has you swaying on your feet when he pulls back.

A breathless laugh bubbles in your throat as you palm his whiskered jawline. ‘Why, thank you for that, Mr. Miller.’

The corners of his eyes crinkle, and he brushes his nose tenderly against your cheek. ‘No, thank you, sweetheart.’

Notes: I hope I wrote Ellie's coming out as sensitively as I hoped to. As I mentioned, I have no idea how or if she comes out in the game, but despite being such a chatty teenager, I think she'd find it difficult to broach the subject with Joel in conversation. For me, this was a fun way of weaving in her part-time job at the Outfitters and Pin into her coming out story that stays true to Ellie's character. I hope you enjoyed this - comments and reblogs appreciated as always!

P.S. I am not 'back' back, so I don't know when I will next update Seams. Thank you for your patience while I try to navigate my way back to some semblence of writing regularly, whenever that may be.

Thank you @firefly-graphics for the dividers ❤️

[wyyrmwood]

Things are hard. Things will be hard for a while, but you are never alone. This blog was just for art, but as an LGBT adult invested in community and support, I wanted to make this for whoever may need it.

Very simple crochet pattern for a 4 color pride flower in the situation which it may not be safe for an individual to wear explicitly pride items.

I sincerely hope that some of you may find this helpful in some manner. You do not have to give up who you are when you are afraid for your safety. This can be passed along as a simple rainbow/colorful/etc flower in times when you wish to still show pride colors but not necessarily be recognized as such by general public.

Continue beneath the break if interested for steps and pictures

Most pride flags can be simplified into 4 colors, and if not just know you can add a number of extra base magic ring stitches to equal the number of petal colors you desire, though be aware they tend to become quite crowded. For this, let's assume the 4 petal / 4 color standard.

You will need any size hook, any color yarn such as white (which can be colored with marker) or the pride colors of your choosing, no stitch markers and assumed extremely basic experience. These can be made singly or in bulk in a very short time. I have tried to describe the steps in as much detail as I can to allow for readers who may not be proficient at crochet, I apologize if I tend to "over explain" the steps. I will include images.

1: with scrap yarn or a color that will not be the same as the petals, create a magic circle (this can be a little difficult at first but Google is a great help in getting a visual guide)

In that, place 4 single crochet stitches. Pull the tail and tighten. You can put a slip stitch in the next (what would have originally been the first of the magic circle stitches before you tightened it) and change the color of your yarn to the first petal color.

You will have a little circle with 4 stitches in it. In each of these 4 you will repeat these steps exactly, changing the color of the yarn if needed:

ALL WORKING IN ONE OF THE 4 MAGIC RING STITCHES

1. Chain 3

2. In the base magic ring stitch, Double crochet

this is essentially a single crochet but you wrap the yarn around the hook before entering the base magic circle stitch. After you pull through, you will have 3 loops on your hook. Pull through 2 at a time (pull through 2 loops, 2 times) until you are left with a single loop on your hook. This creates length, looking like a chain of vertical stitches.

Wrapping the loop around the hook and after pull through, before finishing the stitch:

3. In the base magic ring stitch, Treble stitch

this is essentially the same a s a double crochet but you wrap an extra loop (for a total of 2 wrapped loops plus the loop of the last stitch) around your hook before entering one of the four magic ring loops. Pull through 2 at a time (pull through 2 loops, 3 times) until you are left with a single loop on your hook. This crates length, looking like a slightly longer chain of vertical stitches.

After pulling through and having 4 loops on the hook, before finishing the stitch:

4. Double crochet as in step 2, then chain 2 on the end

5. Bring the yarn back to the base stitch and Slip stitch,

6. In the NEXT of the 4 base magic ring stitches you made, place another slip stitch in which you switch the color of the yarn to the next color, or remain white if you intend to dye, color in the petal using other methods, want to keep the same color, etc.

Repeat this process in all 4 base magic ring stitches. The end product will look something like this:

I sincerely hope that some of you may find this helpful in some manner. You do not have to give up who you are when you are afraid for your safety. This can be passed along as a simple rainbow/colorful/etc flower in times when you wish to signal to other LGBT people but not to those who may be anti lgbt.

[theflintwarlock]

Alternative fashion and Witchcraft

I know it is sometimes brought up that black clothing has protective qualities, but there is a lot more to alt fashion and Witchcraft than just black clothes. What follows is a small guide to how to use alternative fashion in your Witchcraft.

(Also obligatory disclaimer i don't identify as goth but I do listen to some goth music and I like goth fashion, but I also like a lot of other alternative subcultures and music like punk, metal, emo ect.) Don't gatekeep on this post. Anyway:

Leather

Leather is great for protection and connection to spirits of the dead. Since genuine leather was once the part of an animal I find it important to emphasise the spirit of the cow when I wear it, since that is where it came from. I buy second hand to not support fast fashion. leather jackets and clothing are very common in several different alternative subcultures. I was a big metal head when I was younger and the leather jacket was basically glued to me at all times. Leather jackets are great for protection thanks to their thick hide. Leather harnesses can he a great addition to outfits to add some witchy protection in style.

I use leather gloves as a form of veiling, because I use my hands a lot in Witchcraft. Those fingerless battle gloves you see a lot in emo and metal are great if you want something you can still access your phone in.

If steampunk is more your style, brown leather works just as well as black, more linked to the earth than pure protection.

Spikes and studs

If it has spikes or studs, it can be used for defensive protection/baneful protection, essentially GTFO for those negative vibes. If the spikes are made of steel that is a bonus, as it contains iron which is protective against negative spirits. You can buy a leather awl and studs from most craft stores and get to work on it is yourself, charming the spikes or studs as you go. Clothes covered in safety pins in punk style are great as well. You can charm safety pins as you add them onto your battle jacket/leather jacket/belt/whatever it is.

Collars

Collars in alt fashion are quite common, thanks to overlap with the kink community. They are a good symbol of love and sex, especially if you put it on with your partner's help. You obviously don't have to be a sub to wear one, if you're not kinky they can generally be good protection rather than as a form of sex magic, since they cover your neck.

Rips

Ripped clothing can be great for adding intention to a piece if you rip it yourself. If not, you can add a thread or two through the rips to add intention that way. Regular colour magic applies with the thread.

Patches and badges

Patches and badges are pretty common in alternative subcultures, especially punk. If a patch is sew-on, black or red thread can add protection, green for money magic ect. You can also sew sigils onto your piece if so inclined. Badges can be a simple way to charm a piece of clothing, I have a few death-inspired badges (a zombie hand, an anatomical heart with a frankenstein quote on it, a creeper logo) which I charm with death energies for spirit work and protection from my spiritual team. Pride flag badges are great for gender affirming glamours and protection from homophobes.

Stompy boots

I fucking love stompy boots. I wear leather doc martens mostly, and when you polish them it is a great time to add in intention. Charm your boot polish or leather conditioner, charm a spray you use on vegan leather. I add a small amount of protection oil to the insoles as well, if I'm going on a journey I will mix in a little protection oil with my leather conditioner and rub it into my shoes.

I've seen some people add beads and safety pins to the laces of their boots, and again this is a great way to add in some magic.

Makeup

There are loads of different styles of makeup in alternative fashion, but my personal favourite for Witchcraft is traditional goth makeup.

I don't do ghost face when I do goth makeup, but if you do you can add sigils into the foundation as you apply it. Hell, charm your foundation.

For eyeliner- anything spikey and unblended will give a sharper edge to the magic, if you want something softer then blending is your friend. Eyeliner and mascara and eyeshadow are all good for spells involving seeing and perception. Even for scrying they can be useful.

For lipstick, black lipstick is a classic, but dark green, purple, red or ombré are often used too. Lipstick is great for glamours involving speech and spells of communication. The world is your oyster when it comes to makeup magic and alt makeup. I've seen some e-girls use a heart on their cheek, I know a few emo and punk rock bands which opt for a cross on their cheek. Really any symbol is fair game, I've used runes on my cheek as part of my look before and it is great. Sigils of course are also good for whatever spell you want.

Religious symbolism

Religious symbols are quite common in emo and metal styles. The generally 'satanic' look mall goth tends to go for often incorperates upside down crosses, satanic imagery such as demons ect, all of which are great if you're a satanist or demonolator. Pentegrams and moon symbols are generally common as well, a great addition for magical practice and protection. I've seen some goths use a rosary in their styles, which is great if you're a Catholic practitioner, or you can get (or make) custom prayer beads for your particular deities.

Hair

I could go on about all the different alternative hairstyles, but I will try to keep it breif

Liberty spikes can be styled with intention, draw a sigil on your hair gel or hair spray bottle to help with this. Similar to the spike section, Liberty spikes can be used as a form of baneful protection (get the fuck away from me vibes).

Bat's nest hair can be teased with intention as well. Charming the comb you use for this will definitely help. Also good luck to you I have no Idea how you manage it I am awful at Bat's nest styles.

Hair dye generally can be applied with intention or charmed, and you can incorporate colour magic into this working depending on the result you want.

For emo and scene hair, I've seen some people cut their fringe with a razor blade for this. I don't know a lot about it but I'm sure there are some uses for it.

For shorter hair, hair gel can be used to slick back your hair and can easily be charmed. I personally add a bit of product to mine to help protect me when I leave the house.

Notes

As you may have noticed I do a lot of protective magic and that is my main area if expertise, along with spirit work. Much of what I've mentioned here can also be adapted for spells, especially glamours as keeping something on your person or altering your appearance can be used as a glamour. I haven't mentioned a few other things here such as Tattoos as I don't have any myself and am not sure about giving advice on tattoo magic.

Alternative subcultures are lot more than just fashion, and you can embue your alternative looks with the energy of your particular subculture to lend yourself a certain amount of power and connection to others. You also don't need to go all-out for these examples to work their magic, as it were. I mainly do this sort of thing when I go clubbing or to gigs, but adding a collar or leather jacket, a band t-shirt ect to a more everyday look can work just fine. Shopping second hand can be a great way to expand your alternative clothing collection, especially when you're going to be altering or ripping something yourself. Have fun with it, and enjoy.

[aretemisapollo]

Pride month (short story)

"How many years have we been doing this?" "Mortimer sat his cup down, still half full with tea. He thought for a moment "Let's see." He said, "at least thirty?" Lorx hummed, "that sounds right." Neither of them were sure exactly when these little meet-ups had begun, only that it had been many, many years. The Cafe they sat in had banners hung in the windows with little triangle shaped flags hanging down, each one representing a different pride flag. It was quiet, most people were outside at the parade, but Mortimer and Lorx were perfectly happy right where they were, watching the festivities from the comfort and safety of their booth. Lorx rested her chin in the palm of their hand and gazed out the window. "Do you remember that time we went to a pride parade?" They asked. Mortimer turned his attention out the window, watching as the crowds of people gathered. Out of the corner of her eye Lorx saw him hold back a shudder. "Yes, very clearly." He said, hands cupped around his tea, "I don't know what we were thinking." Lorx laughed, "funny, considering it was your idea." They smiled. Mortimer grimaced, "yes," he said, "and I regretted it deeply and immediately." Lorx hummed, eyes softening as they turned to Mortimer. It was true, neither of them had been made for pride parades. Mortimer had broached the idea a few years after Lorx came out and changed their name. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and had continued to until they were in a sea of people and flags, and, to Mortimer's absolute horror, glitter. They'd both stood out like sore thumbs, with Mortimer in his suit and Lorx in their lab coat. From that point on, they vowed only to watch such festivities, not take part in them. Upon making this decision, they sought out the perfect location, finding this little Cafe by the next year. Now they sat across from each other, sunlight streaming in through the window and warming their skin. They were both in their usual clothing, despite how much it made them stick out, except Lorx had since added two pins to their lab coat; one with 'She/They' written in bold writing, and another with a little rainbow heart that read 'queer cutie' in cursive. Neither of them got much free time, especially away from the reaper realm, but when they did, they usually spent it together. It may not have seemed like much, these little meet-ups, but to them it meant the world.

(This is a short story done with characters from a book series I'm working on, it doesn't appear in the actual book)

@drgstore-jr @necromancers-incorporated

[a-queer-seminarian]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers 💕

Thanks, anon. I'm not going to send this to other folks via askbox but if anyone wants to respond in the replies / @ me in their own post I'd love to see!

It's been a rough month or so — trying out new medication backfired spectacularly (prozac my beloathéd </3) and my depression sunk in with a vengeance. It's been more important than ever to pay attention to the good things in life, to remember that it's not all bad.

My truly wonderful wife, Leah. She has been so kind and patient with me throughout this hard time. Just a few days ago, after I had a bit of a meltdown, she took me outside to soak in some sunshine and pointed out some of the things to keep living for — the birdsong, the breeze, our neighbors with their progress pride flag decked yard. The flowers and vegetables I've been growing, most still young sprouts but some beginning to bear fruit. Her arms around me. ...I couldn't ask for a better helpmate.

2. My garden! I'm not very good at gardening yet, but I'm working on it and I'm proud of the progress! And the bright side to living somewhere so fricking hot is the growing season is long, so my slow-growing plants have plenty of time to flourish.

3. Our sweet kitties and (this is goofy but) my plushies lol.* They bring me a lot of comfort and happiness. (*Yes, a lot of them are squishmallows; I'm aware that the company that makes them gives money to Isra3l — we haven't bought any since finding that out in the fall, and have no plans to. Boycott kellytoy!)

4. Stories and storytelling. Listening to novels and reading various theological books, watching something and discussing it with Leah or another friend, is one of the main ways I make meaning and learn how to navigate the world. A few great books I've read lately:

Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (now there's a storyteller)

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans

Decolonizing Palestine by Mitri Raheb (I know I know, I'm always talking about this book but for goodness' sake every Christian should read it)

5. Saints and other figures from Christian history or scripture. I always find comfort and courage in learning their stories and reaching out to them in prayer and drawing from their wisdom. I'm working on an art project centering Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe this month...

[thestarlightforge]

“Ymir with the Freckles”

1/11/24

***

Most of our cousins grew up in Texas. Several of the youngest are still there, working through middle and high school. Texas isn’t the best place for queer youth—nowhere in the South is, but especially there—but they know my sibling and I are safe people. (We’re both queer, and we’ve both let them know that and cultivated safe spaces for them.) As such, a few of them have come out to us over the years.

When my sibling and I came out, we went through all the stages of “so xyz in our childhood was pretty queer, huh”—recontextualizing and further appreciating everything from TV shows we’d watched to things we went through. If I’m honest, that’s still happening. But I didn’t come out as bi+ until after I had left home for undergrad—didn’t even know myself well enough to do so before then; and I didn’t figure out I was genderqueer until last year—and am still struggling to tell people about it. Meanwhile, my sibling’s wheels started turning a little younger than mine had, them having slightly more access to queer community and education because of the internet and our evolving culture—but they still didn’t make those connections until late into high school, didn’t fully until college, and they still consider themself a work in progress.

Because of subtle (and unsubtle) queer phobia and conditioning, because we didn’t know any safe queer people, because of a lack of education and exposure… Because we didn’t know.

Some people don’t find the freedom and safety to make the discoveries we eventually did until far older than we were—and it’s never too late for that. But as an adult, there was some trauma in realizing my childhood was gone, and during it, I never got to fully experience queer joy or really live as myself.

Our little cousins don’t have many safe people—Texas is Texas. But sometimes, they text us. An account of a debate about trans rights that came up in Model UN at their school; they spoke up for trans people, but were confronted with right-wing transphobia, and they wanted to talk to us about it. A comic book panel or TV show with a queer pairing they love. Pictures of drawings in their journals, of queer OCs they’re writing. A screen-cap from a video game they’re playing, showing off some particularly queer fashion choices. A chart of various pride flags with common misconceptions about different queer identities. Like penguins or crows, delivering us little treasures.

Or precious, precious videos—the resolution blurry, the framing wobbly and Dutch-tilted as they held their phone camera close to an ancient, school-issued laptop—where they leaned into the microphone and said: They wanted to tell us, they went on the Fandom website for “Ymir with the Freckles” from Attack on Titan, and it confirms that she was, in fact, “romantically attracted to Historia.” Like this was our precious secret, now. And we must safeguard it together.

I hope it won’t always be like this. That someday, all kids will be safe and free enough to be as loud and joyful as they like. But even so…

Young queer joy is so special.

[lonelyoctoberhours]

What Pride Means To Me (25/6/24)

it's the smile on the face of a child, so trusting of the moment the colours flying through the air, hands held without reservation.

pushing out the fear from shouts in stairwells, moving on from things forgotten, because it'll all be okay in the end, right? there's life and love at the end, isn't there?

in being seen, being apologised to, "this is why we don't make assumptions," a lesson taught from two words scratched up on a nametag.

or that feeling in your chest, a tell me you love me, tell me you believe me, tell me that you know we're okay.

and if it's a shout into the static, "why aren't you listening to me?" i wish you all the best, because i know how much it hurts.

and seeing them made me look in, sides of me i'd never dared dig up further. looking for a sign, so i didn't have to ask first. finding you made it feel good to be this way.

with time and effort, and a three-day crisis, and your own brand of pink and green love it got to a stage where i could be this, and know i had someone on my side.

it's a stolen flag in a display. either a "fuck you" or a "me too." these things just happens sometimes, it doesn't pass just because the months said so.

and i know i haven't had it bad, and i know people who've struggled more, and i know what they did to escape when home wasn't safe.

they've years on me, only a couple, if nothing else their love for being queer beats out everything they've dealt with. their pride is my role model.

if it starts and ends with jokes, a safety between two people so we're not hushed words in some bar, but reaching out hands

"i just want to check in," "i know just how difficult it is" "it's something else to witness." it's something else to be the target.

intertwining fingers, we've got this, let me look out for you. "there's so much joy," and "i'm here if you want to talk."

if pride is in the little things, sharing the good and the bad, the expected and the surprises, then it's in the connections i cannot live without.

[lifeanddreamsandhopes]

Captions for 　企画書

throughout the recent decades, Gay/ LGBT bars have been a place for queer people to find comforts of expressing themselves and finding people who also shares similar experience as them. Some places around the world, Queer bars even provides a shelter for queer people who have been kicked out of their house because of their identity. In our current society, most places are still very heteronormative that queer people can't fully express who they are and be understood and so Gay/ queer bars are playing an important role in LGBT community.

Through my thesis Exhibition, i am hoping that the visitors can experience the freedom and a sense of safety that is being given to queer people through this space. and hoping that spaces that queer people can express themselves freely like this expand to more than this.

what makes a gay/ queer bars different from any other ones?

It's important to note that the LGBTQ+ bar scene is diverse, and the specific characteristics can vary from one establishment to another. However, there are some unique features are common across many LGBTQ+ bars and create an environment that celebrates LGBTQ+ culture, history, and community while offering an inclusive space for everyone to enjoy.

Some of the features are: Pride Flags, Drag and Queer Art, Rainbow Decor, Quote Boards, Anti-Stigma and Safe Sex Initiatives, etc.

[penny00dreadful]

I'm wondering if my Safety fic has been shared somewhere because the engagement on AO3 has gone wild in the last 24 hours and like I'm not mad, people are so nice but I'm a slut for validation so I NEED TO KNOW!

I pretty much exist only on tumblr and AO3, do I need to be elsewhere as well?? Somebody help a crotchety old bitch, please!

Edit: I ended up joining twitter 😅

[sundayforeverstays]

Discover Dehradun’s Most Alluring Destinations with the Assistance of Sundays Forever

Dehradun, nestled among the hills, is a unique city cherished for its refreshing air, lush greenery, and welcoming community. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a frequent explorer, Dehradun always has something new to offer. At Sundays Forever Stays, we’re excited to unveil some of our favorite Dehradun destinations, along with a hint about finding the best accommodations.

Discover Dehradun:

1. Robber’s Cave (Guchhupani): Picture a serene spot where water gracefully flows through rocky formations, allowing you to stroll inside while feeling the cool water beneath your feet. Robber’s Cave is an ideal location for a fun-filled day out with friends or family.

2. Forest Research Institute (FRI): This expansive and picturesque location is enveloped by towering trees surrounding an imposing building. Here, you can explore a wide array of plants, birds, and animals, making your visit akin to a delightful garden experience.

3. Sahastradhara: Known for its reputed skin-friendly waters, Sahastradhara attracts many visitors with its beautiful vistas. It’s a tranquil setting where you can sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.

4. Tapkeshwar Temple: This peaceful temple features a constant drip of water onto a stone surface, creating a serene ambiance that beckons visitors seeking solace and spiritual connection.

5. Mindrolling Monastery: A haven of tranquility adorned with colorful flags and a grand Buddha statue, the Mindrolling Monastery provides respite from the bustle, allowing you to recharge in a serene setting.

After a day of exploration, it’s only natural to crave a comfortable place to rest and rejuvenate. This is where homestays come into play!

Why Choose Dehradun Homestays:

Homestays offer a unique experience akin to staying in a second home. They are not the typical large hotels; instead, they are more like family residences where you are warmly welcomed and made to feel like part of the family. Dehradun boasts numerous such welcoming homestays, ranging from simple to luxurious.

At Sundays Forever Stays, we take pride in offering some of the finest homestays in Dehradun. Our homes are characterized by cleanliness, safety, and coziness, designed to make our guests feel truly special. In line with the Indian saying, “Guest is like God,” we treat our guests with the utmost respect and care, which has won the hearts of many who have stayed with us.

Homestays in India are gaining popularity, with more and more people opting for this personalized and warm alternative to traditional hotels. Staying in a homestay not only offers the comfort of a second home but also allows you to savor homemade cuisine and immerse yourself in local culture.

In Conclusion:

Dehradun is a city filled with delightful surprises, whether it’s the beauty of nature, the serenity of temples, or the enriching educational institutions. And what better way to conclude a day of exploration than by unwinding in a homestay?

At Sundays Forever Stays, we offer more than just a place to sleep; we provide a home away from home in Dehradun. We present the finest, including luxury homestays, ensuring that your trip is nothing short of exceptional. If you’re planning a visit, think of us, and we assure you a wonderful experience awaits. Your journey through Dehradun will be truly unforgettable!

[voxnumbskull]

Just wanted to take this time to tell you guys happy pride month!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷🤍

I've been out as an omnisexual trans man for about 8 years now, and no way in hell was it easy, but I've found a few people along my journey that made it way easier than it was when I started out.

I know that not everyone has that kind of support though, but I want you all to know that no matter who you are or what you're going through, I love you, and I'm proud of you, and you always have a safe space on my blog.

**Just in case this gets attention, I will NOT tolerate bullying or discrimination of any kind on my blog, and if I find a nasty comment, it will be flagged. I don't do that shit around here.

**If you're going to any events, please make sure you practice safety in doing so. Bring a buddy or two, bring water or sunscreen if you need it, and don't engage with protesters, and if someone engages with you and makes you uncomfortable, find someone who can help you de-escalate the situation. Pride is a time for love, not pain.

If you can't make it to any of the celebrations, that's fine too! You can celebrate right here with me! I'll try to post something every day for pride to show support, and so those of you at home can feel less alone knowing I'm thinking of you.

Happy pride everybody! Be your best you, and be safe! 🥰

[ghostonly]

How to have a good internet experience in 8 easy steps

#1 - Stop having a bad faith interpretation of every thing you read

If you think something someone said might have been something you disagree with, instead of starting an argument, ask them to clarify or ask them specific questions about what they said

You will be so surprised to find that half the people you assume are being shitty or negative just didn't phrase what they meant very well

#2 - Learn to block people

It's free, it's easy, and it will save your life. Tired of someone tagging your stuff with characters from a fandom you don't like? Don't try to control them by telling them not to, just fucking block them. Less upsetting to them, less work for you, less inflammatory, more effective.

#3 - Don't share your entire backstory with strangers on the internet

No one is entitled to your information - not your pronouns, your age, your sexuality, your location, nothing.

Share the things that you're comfortable with, but remember that the more you share, the more vulnerable you make yourself to attacks. Like, do not share your triggers in your bio. You are giving abusers and harassers a to do list. Keep that shit private for your own safety.

You can get harassed, you can get stalked, you can get doxxed. Internet safety is real and necessary and the less we care about it, the more we set up future generations to get hurt through the internet

#4 - Learn to say, "It's none of my business."

Don't understand someone's desire to use neo pronouns? None of your business. Can't understand why someone is a furry? None of your business. Curious about how someone who talks about being poor can have a Starbucks in that last selfie they posted? None of your damn business.

If you don't like certain things on your dash, unfollow or block people. If you don't understand how someone can identify a certain way or do a certain thing or like a certain thing or feel a certain way or literally anything, just remember, it's none of your business.

If you have genuine questions from a place of good faith (i.e. what inspired you to use neopronouns?/what do you pronouns mean to you?) Go for it. But if you're only asking questions to draw negative attention to someone or make them feel bad or to other them, you're just being a nosy asshole.

Minding your own business is also good for you because - and I mean this genuinely - feeling entitled and superior is fucking exhausting. I know, because I've been 20 before. You will have a way better time online if you just stop caring about shit that doesn't concern you

#5 - Learn to lurk

Lurking is frequently seen as a bad thing, like someone who's lurking is somehow being creepy. The truth is, lurking is a great way to learn. More people should do it.

For example, if you're new to a community, spend some time consuming content and information from that community without saying anything. This goes for fandoms, queer spaces, disabled spaces, cultural spaces, etc.

Nothing is worse than being in a community for years and someone popping in for the first time in their life and airing their opinions loudly and with zero respect for the space. A great example of this is that post someone made about the leather pride flag. You know the one.

(If you don't, basically, someone said that the leather pride flag is embarrassing and insulting to the queer community and has no place at pride and then got schooled by hundreds of people about how the leather pride flag is one of the oldest flags in the queer community and leather daddies and leather dykes were the people on the front lines protecting other queer people from cops back in the 80s and 90s)

So basically, learn the history of a community, research your opinions before you decide they're your opinions, and keep your ignorance to yourself until you're not ignorant anymore. Not only is this better for community spaces, you won't have 9000 notifications of people telling you to shut the fuck up

Learning to lurk to educate yourself about a space also makes actually speaking in that space a lot easier

#6 - Stop believing everything you read

I'm not talking about stupid funny stories. Believe them - it's not hurting anything to get a laugh out of something that may or may not have happened.

I'm talking about news and current events. If you hear that some celebrity did something and there are no receipts, go and find the receipts or discard it. People spread misinformation on here all the damn time. It's like a game of telephone and, unfortunately, a lot of small creators end up getting slandered and canceled because of it.

#7 - Quit wasting energy on hating random shit

Being annoyed by a certain fandom is one thing, but actively hating things that other people do just because you're not into it is such a waste of your energy. Not only are you actively putting more negativity into the world, you're wasting your own time on things that upset you.

Focus your time and energy on the things you do like and quit scrolling through Tumblr user AnimeIReallyHate7648's discourse blog. You might think it's fun, but there comes a point where hating something goes from kind of fun to actually obsessive and unhealthy for you as a person.

#8 - Unlearn purity culture

This is a big one guys. What is purity culture? It's referenced a lot, but I think a lot of you don't know what it is.

In short, purity culture is when people take many nuanced situations and try to divide them into black and white categories. There's the Good category and the Bad category. The problem is, life is not in black and white. You can't put a neat line down the middle between good and bad. This kind of thinking is extremely regressive. Ask any therapist alive and they will tell you that black and white thinking is unhealthy and often a Symptom of Something.

So, what happens is, someone sees something on the good side and spots something they think is morally objectionable in it and says, "this can't be here, it needs to go to the Bad side." (Cancel culture). The problem is, people are always on the lookout for anything wrong in the Good - constantly looking for impurities so that they can completely sanitize things and therefore be free of sin. So they will look harder and harder and harder and keep moving things to the Bad side of the line until there's basically nothing left on the Good side.

This ends up meaning that perfectly good media is canceled because every character in it didn't make the perfect, right choice every time. It damages media in that it demands characters be completely flawless - something no human is. When a character does something that's actually problematic, even if the media doesn't condone the behavior, instead of engaging with it and using it as an opportunity to learn and teach other people why that wasn't okay, people who subscribe to purity culture throw the baby out with the bathwater, saying the entire piece of media should be canceled because its creators support the problematic action of that character (even if they don't).

This entire line of thinking is extremely unhealthy, heavily informed by Christianity, infantilizes adults, assumes no one can distinguish fiction from reality, and promotes censorship, which has a long and sordid history.

I could go on about this at length, so if anyone wants a full post, just let me know. But the point is, purity culture is bad for community, it's bad for media, it's bad for healthy emotional and intellectual development, it's bad for interpersonal understanding and empathy, and it's bad for you.

Unlearn purity culture and you will be a happier person. If all else fails, remember step #4.

[internetgremlin-writes]

Passionate sexy times with carlos after he comes back to the hotel drenched with champagne 🥵🔥

When I say you're about to get SEVERAL versions of this... I don't even care this man deserves the world I will write him winning A THOUSAND TIMES OVER (also the gifs from today aren't in yet so bare with)

@hnmaga-blog here is one hopefully BEFORE you sleep!

Warning: SMUT

im actually so overwhelmed with all this im struggling to sit still and write so I've got the highlights on for the race I've just watched lmao

You had screamed yourself hoarse. Hands clasped so tightly your nails had made small crescents in your skin, as red as the garage you were sat in, your eyes locked on that screen. You didn't remember even breathing during that last safety car. You'd been bouncing on the balls of your heals, mumbling half of prayers to every god you could imagine, and some you were sure you'd just made up.

And then it happened.

He sailed past his teammate, took his lead back and held onto it like a dog with a bone. And you watched, screaming, shouting, sobbing as the chequered flag waved and Carlos Sainz, your Carlos, became an F1 Winner. You felt like you were erupting, your entire body splintering as you burst with joy and pride and relief and a million other emotions that you couldn't name as you turned his mother who had the same look on her face and sobbed freely onto her shoulder.

You didn't stop crying through the entire podium ceremony. Everyone saw Carlos as this new man. New confidence, power, and control over the car. The Carlos who had finally settled into Ferrari and was proving everyone wrong. You didn't. You saw the teenager you'd grown up with. You saw the Carlos who'd just gotten into his first race car, not a go-kart, who'd come away with a P5 and ran at you, cheeks flush and grin big as he assured his best friend that he was going to win a Formula 1 race one day.

The look he gave you when he finally found you in the crowd was identical. And then he was grinning at you and winking and your stomach dropped to the floor because you knew what was coming next.

It didn't help that you didn't think you'd seen anyone look sexier drenched in champagne. With his image blown up on the screens behind him, you could see every curl of his hair that was plastered to his neck, the flush on his cheeks, and the smile that really, truly reached his eyes.

You'd finally stopped crying. He had a lot of media duties now, and then team debrief and photos and lord only knows what else. You knew you had some time. You slipped back to the garage, finding yourself sidling up to Rupert with a horribly poor acting job of feigning tiredness and asking for Carlos' spare hotel room key. There was no way Rupert believed you were tired, but he handed you the key with a knowing look in his eye.

Your relationship wasn't exactly a secret, you'd been best friends since childhood; your father a British rally driver who had competed with Carlos Sainz Sr which had evolved into a longstanding family friendship. You spent your teenage years going through phases of crushes on the Spaniard. In your early twenties it started as a mortally embarrassing hook-up after a night of drinking that was perhaps a bit too soon following a messy break-up of yours. And then that hook-up turned into casual sex on the rare occasions you saw each other - nothing more than two young, hot people letting off some steam. The casual hook-ups turned into him inviting you to his races, getting dinners before, and staying for whole weekends. During a challenge video he did with Torro Rosso, he let slip that his 'girlfriend' wouldn't have been impressed with his poor attempts at cooking.

You'd called him that night and asked, with a cold dread in your stomach you tried to ignore, whether his girlfriend was currently in a hotel he'd paid for close to the track for the next race weekend. He'd said yes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and that was it. You were Carlos' girlfriend. You never really went public with the news, he just started appearing more on your social media and you on his - and the fans put the puzzle together pretty quickly.

Once in the hotel you changed into a dress you'd brought with you- just in case. It wasn't really a dress, more a virtually see-through slip with lace stained a deep, dark red.

You only had to wait an hour before you heard the familiar fumbling of the door handle and Carlos stumbled into the room, a faraway grin still on his face. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you grin fading from his face and something hungry stealing over his eyes.

He was still in his race suit and first place cap, the trophy in one hand and champagne bottle in the other. You could see the fabric of it was still soaked, shining. You could smell the alcohol on him. He placed the prizes reverently on the desk, trophy beside bottle beside cap, which he took off and gently folded before shaking his hair out. It was wet, black and shiny and sticking up in all directions.

"What is this?" He asked, slowly approaching you and gesturing at your outfit. You shrugged at him, a languid smile of red lipstick breaking out across your features.

"What? You can't handle one more prize?" His eyes visibly darkened, his grin becoming wolfish as he stole towards you.

"It depends," he stood directly in front of you, fingers toying with one of the spaghetti straps holding your outfit up, before drawing it down and over your shoulder with ease. Just his fingers grazing your skin was enough to make you shiver. "Do I have to share this podium?" His race suit hit the floor and he stepped out of it, already pulling the fireproof top over his head and allowing it to join the pile.

"This one's all yours, you earned it,"

That was all it took for Carlos to lunge at you, pinning you to the bed as he kissed you with something you'd never felt before. It was electric, charged with liquid serotonin. You didn't think you'd ever experience anything so pure and so filthy so simultaneously. He was groaning into your mouth as you pulled on the knots formed in his wet hair, your hands grappling to touch him everywhere you could.

You found yourself laughing into his mouth as his tongue slipped into yours at the same time you realised his skin was damp, everywhere. He pulled back, watching you, amused.

"What?" You'd not heard him sound so light. So happy and carefree and joyful in so long. It was like a breath of fresh air that made you fall in love with him all over again.

"You're soaking wet!" That made him laugh, collapsing his weight onto your chest as you felt hot puffs of air in your neck, making you squirm below him. He quietened, pressing kissing along the vast expanse of exposed skin that was your chest. His hand was sliding along your thigh, making its way all the way up until you could feel him so close to where you wanted him so badly.

"I'm supposed to say that to you, no?" Before you could say anything you felt his finger dip between your folds, swiping experimentally. He raised an eyebrow at you when he realised you weren't wearing any underwear. His grin faded to a smirk. "Ah, but so are you," he held his hand up, and you could see his fingers glistening in the low light.

"You looked so good up there," you murmured, arching your back to press your chest against his. He groaned appreciatively, at your words or the way you were pushing the waistband of his fireproofs and boxers down, you weren't sure. His head dropped into the space of your neck as you wrapped a hand around him and started to move lazily, enjoying the way he responded to you with a shudder and a guttural noise.

"I was thinking about this in my interviews," he admitted, a guilty smile and what you thought might have been a blush creeping across his features as he bucked into your hand once more. He cast a glance over his shoulder, to where his small pile of treasure was sat on the desk, which struck you with an idea.

He gave a small moan as you slid out from underneath him.

"What?"

You didn't say anything as you moved, deliberately swaying your hips far more than usual as you crossed the room, turning to him with a devilish grin on your lips. You elegantly lifted yourself up, seating yourself directly beside his trophy and allowing your legs to fall open.

"You should be able to see your winnings," Carlos looked like he's died and gone to heaven, all too eager to rush over and have you in his arms once more, kissing you feverishly, urgently.

"I love you," he mumbled against your lips "You're the best prize," you were a little distracted, he was standing so close that he was brushing against your clit, sending small shockwaves down your spine.

"I love you too,"

He hesitated as you reached down, lining him up with your entrance, you gave him a quizzical look.

"But I haven't-" you kissed his cheek.

"I warmed up before you got here," you admitted. Carlos loved to make sure you were fully seen to before he even thought of having sex with you. Usually, you loved how attentive he was to you, but today, well today the only thing you wanted to celebrate was him and okay - so the image of him soaked to the skin in champagne on that podium had been enough to get you going so much so that waiting for him to come back had been a little too long. Carlos must have appreciated the gesture because he almost growled as he pushed into you.

"Dios Mio, I will never forget how good you feel," he groaned into your neck, beginning to build pace. You were gripping his shoulder, knowing full well your nails would be marking his skin but you couldn't bring yourself to care. You'd waited so long for this moment that the euphoria of it all building rapidly within you and you felt your stomach tightening already. Carlos had one hand on your hip and the other, you noticed, was gripping the base of his trophy.

"My winner," you purred into his ear, knowing exactly what he needed to hear.

"Be careful," his voice was low, strained and dangerous. "If you want to-" Carlos was unable to finish his sentence for you were already gone, your walls clenching around him as your head fell back, calling his name repeatedly in bliss. Carlos shuddered, his entire body stilling as you felt him come with you, his lips pressed against yours in one last burning kiss as your hands knotted in his hair to keep you grounded to him.

He stilled, his hand on your hip becoming an arm wrapped around your waist, holding you flush against him. You pecked his lips, only pulling away enough so that your foreheads were pressed together.

"Congratulations, Carlos,"

He was still breathing too heavily to speak, his eyes closed and eyelashes spread across the top of his cheeks as he nodded against you. He was still smiling.

"Celebrate with me in the shower?"

You grinned at his thoughts, knowing exactly where this night was heading, and that you'd only just scratched the surface of the celebrations to come.

[hee-blee-art]

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happy pride month! this june I’ll be doing icon commissions for pay-what-you-can through ko-fi, with all profits donated to Rainbow Railroad!

Rainbow Railroad is a global not-for-profit organization that helps LGBTQI+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics escape systemic and state-sponsored violence and find safety through emergency relocation and other forms of assistance. [more information available on their website, linked here].

icon commission details:

icons will be stylized single character busts with solid and/or pride flag backgrounds, and can be of real people, characters, or OCs (ask about props and accessories! / as with any other commission, I may turn certain requests. see my commissions page for further details [link])

$5-15 is recommended (but don’t feel pressured to donate more than you’re able, less or more than that range is okay!)

payment is received through ko-fi will be pooled and donated to Rainbow Railroad at the end of the month via canadahelps.org [linked here], and I am happy to provide donation breakdowns and receipts to those who request them!

I will also do icons for anyone who prefers to donate directly to Rainbow Railroad if you’re willing to share the donation receipt!

dm if interested (you can forego my commission request form for these icon commissions!)

I encourage checking out Rainbow Railroad and donating if you can regardless of my commissions, and if you live in/are celebrating pride month in canada and/or are able to, consider also supporting the following Indigenous non-profits:

2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations - “a non-profit dedicated to creating a place where Two Spirited people and Aborignal people living with HIV/AIDS can grow and learn together as a community, fostering a positive self-sufficient image, honouring our past and buidling a future.” [website link]

Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society (TWHLS) - “an Indigenous-led charity based in Toronto dedicated to supporting formerly incarcerated Indigenous women,” currently working to create “Ontario’s first Indigenous owned and led healing lodge for Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ women.” [website link]

NWIA (Native Women in the Arts) -  “a not-for-profit organization for First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and other Indigenous gender marginalized folks who share the common interest of art, culture, community and the advancement of Indigenous peoples.” [website link]

reblogs & boosts greatly appreciated, stay safe & happy pride!

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[heretherebedork]

It's about how Kan lashes out and Thua withdraws and how Kan thinks he's supporting Thua by beating up the people who insult him but all Thua really wants is for someone is to stand beside him against the insults.

Thus turns his hurts in on himself and Kan turns his hurt out on the world and they both hurt so much but they're speaking different languages.

Kan is trying to change for Thua, to find a way to support him, to be with him because Thua is the greatest comfort in his life but he is struggling with his own hurt and his own pain and aching with his own self-hatred and there is only so much he can do.

They are both so young and so hurt and so scared and while Thua might want to disappear Kan wants to not be himself and neither of them knows who to turn to or who to ask for the kind of safety and support they need and deserve.

All I want at the very end is for them to be able to exist. For them to find comfort in each other and in their truth and in their identities.

I hope for queer joy.

I want Kan and Thua in the Cafe for All, sipping tea in front of a pride flag, neither blank nor angry, merely calm and content and for Thua to smile and Kan to laugh and their fingers to touch.

I want Thua to know his voice matters and for Kan to know that who he loves is not something to be ashamed of.

But first they need to communicate with each other and that's going to be a fight through darkness and pain, loneliness and self-hatred and it's going to take a long time.