#it's got to be toxic in some sense like bad work place practice

[foodandfolklore]

Easy Ways to Kitchen Witch

If you're new to the craft, or if your path is recently at a cross roads where you're feeling more drawn to kitchen witchcraft, you might be looking for some easy ways to start. So often when you picture Kitchen Witchcraft, you think of elaborate meals of baked goods beautifully decorated. And sure, that can be part of it; but if you try to make Instagram worthy food for every meal, you'll burn out real quick. So how can you Be a Kitchen Witch without braking bank or burning out?

Stirring your intentions

This is going to be brought up any time talking about Witchcraft and Food, so I figured I'd get it out of the way first. The idea being if you want to add energy or personal intention to food, so that when it's consumed the magic activates. A lot of witches swear by: Stir Clock Wise to Add, Stir Counter Clockwise to banish (Get rid of bad stuff in food). I've mentioned this before, I personally don't feel like this makes a difference. Instead, what makes a difference is stirring towards you to add Energy and intentions. Stir away from you to Banish or remove. Which direction is Towards/Away? Whatever way feels right to you.

The neat thing about stirring is you can do it with any food or drink. You don't need to be actively cooking to do some stirring. You can use a straw, a fork, a spatula; whatever. And if you have something that can't be stirred, like a slice of pizza, try turning the plate.

Candle to Raise Power

Any time you're cooking in the kitchen, or doing anything in the kitchen, consider lighting a candle. I have a round candle holder with a lid that I wash and reuse. Just plop a tea light or votive candle in there. Candles are great at heightening the energy in a room, and as someone who's struggled with depression and motivation, I've found this little ritual/routine helps gets me going.

A few tips, first you wanna make sure the candle is in a place where you can see it but not in a place where it may get in the way. I keep mine on the back of my prep counter. Next, avoid strong scented candles. Scented candles can be great for a lot of occasions, but the smell of the candle can muddle or mute the smell of the food. Finally, as with any time you use candles, please practice good fire safety.

Spell Ingredient Correlations can Carry Over to Food

Have you done extensive research on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme? Well I got good news! All of that research was not for nothing! Herbs and Spices used in Witchcraft and Spells are commonly used in food. If you use cinnamon in a lot of your spell work for prosperity and success, try throwing some in your food with similar intentions and see how it goes.

Granted, this is not going to apply to every spell ingredient as many plants used in witchcraft are toxic. Or at the very lest can be problematic when consumed in large amounts or if pregnant. So please use some caution and common sense. A little research can take you a long way.

Simmer Pots

These are great ways to elevate your home's energy. Also a good way to use up some dried ingredients that's been laying around. A simmer pot is not anything special. You can take any small pot you got, fill it about halfway with water, add dried or fresh herbs, and leave it on the lowest heat setting on your stove, uncovered. Everything will simmer and release amazing aromas and energy. The properties of the ingredients in your pot can release into the air of your home. This can be good to do in colder months when cleaning. Just warms up everything.

Saucy Symbols and Sigils

If your oils and sauces are in easy pour bottles, consider getting a little creative when you use it. Gunna put some Ketchup or Siracha on that? Why not draw a pentacle. Oiling a pan? Maybe cook your food in a symbol of infinity or life. Or create your own symbols and meanings. Add them to your food to help elevate their magic. You may feel limited by the pour spout, but remember it comes down to intention. But if it makes you feel better, you can always transfer your sauces to bottles with more precise pour.

Make a Magic Potion

If you are not a huge fan of Cooking or Baking, remember there's still options for Kitchen Witchcraft. Magic Drinks. You can infuse your magic into syrups, juices, teas, cocktails, mocktails, smoothies, and more. There are options for people who can't consume alcohol, caffeine, dairy, sugar, any dietary restriction. I think I a lot of people write this option off because they think it focuses too much on alcohol or they don't like tea/coffee. But there's a lot of options when it comes of conjuring drinks.

Cook with Sun and Moon Water

If you're not familiar with Moon water, it's fairly easy to make. You fill a glass jar and leave it out in moonlight to charge with moon energy. Same idea for Sun Water. I find Sun Water is better for general Cooking and Moon Water is better for Teas as the energy from moon water is more mellow.

Adding some Solar Energy with Sun water to soups or to cook your rice and pasta in can help infuse your food with some Solar energy. It ups the overall energy and power of the magic in the food, as well as adds success and thus increases the chance of things working. There's also many other benefits, but listing them all might be worth their own post.

Kitchen Witchcraft is more than Cooking

I think the most important thing to remember is that Kitchen Witchcraft is not just food. Kitchens are often the heart of a home, and many things will go on and get done in a kitchen. Family meetings or get togethers may happen in the kitchen, people may do their reading or web surfing there. Or maybe it's where they do their homework or paperwork. They may do their hobbies at the table or counter. There's more than just food going on in the Kitchen.

So, feel free to expand out. Do some crafts with kitchen supplies or for your kitchen. Protective charms and garlands made out of cinnamon sticks and other items. Or just try other kinds of Magic. Maybe you like the idea of knot magic and want to try knitting a protective scarf. Or you like plants and want to get into garden magic. You don't need to stay in some box; try some stuff out!

[ethereal-engene]

One Shot | Mingyu

pairing: Mingyu x fem!reader // genre: angst and non-idol!AU

warnings: mentions of cheating from the reader, implied sex, and depictions of a toxic mindset + relationship // word count: ~2k

summary: Mingyu thinks he has a chance at being your boyfriend despite your current relationship with him.

note: fully inspired by prettymuch’s song one shot. I don’t think this needs to be said but just incase: I don’t condone cheating and this is a FICTIONAL story. Nothing represents the idol here.

Mingyu has no clue when his feelings for you started to come about. Perhaps it wasn’t one exact moment but rather the accumulation of small moments between the two of you.

Even though you were someone’s else’s lover, you both couldn’t get enough of each other. He knew it was wrong but your love was intoxicating. Leaving him bereaved every time you left in the middle of the night to return to where you were supposed to be, in another man’s arm.

Not only did you take yourself when you leave but you unknowingly took bits of his heart & whatever was left of his dignity with you. Maybe he’s a little naive to hope you do the same for him. Mingyu really doesn’t know why he stays.

Hearing so often from his friends that he’s better than this and deserves a better girl who would truly cherish him. He knows that they’re right but he can’t just let go of the possibility that one day, he’ll confess to you & you end up finally breaking up with your current boyfriend to be his.

Everything about you and him makes so much sense. Getting along both inside and outside of the bedroom. And the chemistry you guys have is through the roof. Despite this immoral relationship, you two act like a real couple. Going out on dates and buying each other things. As well as being there for each other whenever things are tough and more.

As a result, Mingyu desperately wants you to be officially his. Anyone could see that from miles away.

From the starstruck eyes he gives whenever he looks at you. From the way his hands always find yours to hold firmly at any given moment. From the way his smiles reach his cheeks as you laugh at his jokes. From the way he holds you closely whenever you two are out and about in case someone might try to do something. From the way, you fit so perfectly in his body. From the way, you both are comfortable being naked with your thoughts and feel comfortable in your own skin together.

This glimpse of what reality could be and feels like with you plagues his mind every time you come over. He’s got a bad case of being love sick. So far, no cure has worked on him. Some people might call him crazy but he thinks that he’s just fighting for love. You know it’s bad when he’s still with you even after all that has happened.

Once you were on the phone with some friends while at his place, and he couldn’t help but overhear some parts of it. A friend asking about what you and him were, and anticipating your answer to be a hopeful one. It gets quickly squashed as you reply with “We’re nothing but friendly fuck buddies that are also friends. I think you forgot that I am still in a relationship with my boyfriend.”

He steps away from the bedroom with a frown painted upon his face. This should have been the time to cut off whatever was going on between you two but still he held onto that silly dream of being together. It’s just he can’t imagine being in a relationship with anyone except you. Plus he secretly thinks that he could easily treat you better than your current boyfriend. Actually, it was a fact. Just as he questioned why you stayed with your boyfriend, others questioned why Mingyu was still with you.

Instead of the reality of your words setting in, he decides to forget that it happened. Continuing like nothing has changed. However that doesn’t stay true for that long when the second instance plays in front of him.

One night as y’all were practicing aftercare and talking about random things. He half-heartedly asks you “Are we really nothing?”. Mingyu’s puppy eyes and frown makes an appearance when he looks at you.

You’re taken aback by his question and piece together that he more than likely heard the conversation between you and your friends. You can’t break his little heart like that so you lie. “Of course not, Gyu. We’re something but we don’t gotta put a label on it right? I love the way things are right now and I love you. You got me and I got you! I love you, Mingyu. So much that you don’t even know.”

Holding his cheeks in your hand as you kiss his frown away. Slowly but surely, it turns into the smile that everyone loves. A selfish thought takes over you and wants this precious smile of his to never leave his face. It lights up rooms and makes people happy.

It’s unfortunate that this moment gets cut short when you get a phone call from your boyfriend. Swiftly picking up the call, you place a finger over his lips before getting off his bed to dress yourself. Not even paying attention, you end up wearing his shirt and leaving so quickly to not say goodbye to him.

As he hears the door shut close, his hands find their way combing through his hair. Something about frustration and the tiniest bit of hope. You had mentioned that you two were something instead of nothing! That must count for something right? But he’s also frustrated at how quick you left and wishes you would break up with your boyfriend.

- YOUR POV -

Knocking on your boyfriend’s door, he greets you and thanks you for coming over. You don’t miss the way he glares at the shirt you’re wearing. A shirt he’s never seen before and is clearly not one of his.

Noticing it, you brush it off by telling him it’s Mingyu’s shirt, but he doesn’t need to worry because he’s just a friend. “Mingyu is nothing more or less than a friend, baby. Really don’t worry, there’s nothing going on between us.” Stating firmly and walking to your shared bedroom.

He doesn’t say much and before you know it, the shirt is no longer on you anymore. The night is spent making love to each other. The last time actually unbeknownst to you.

Your boyfriend knew you were lying as he was prepping you and kissing up on you, the shirt was tainted with another man’s cologne that he immediately recognized as Mingyu’s. It wasn’t hard to tell though, he’s actually met Mingyu a few times and his cologne is distinct. It’s a shame that this will be your last night together because you were truly a wonderful lover to have but not enough as you cheated on him.

As you awaken from your sleep, you’re greeted with an empty spot next to you on the bed. Looking at the nightstand for your phone, you spot a piece of paper and see what it says.

‘Hey y/n, please leave my apartment when you wake up and don’t ever come back. Cheaters aren’t welcome at my place. I should have known that you were a cheater with the way you would come in late at odd hours. Not to mention the shirt you were wearing last night, 100% Mingyu’s without a doubt. I hope you two have a splendid time together & don’t bother contacting me again. I already moved all of your stuff back so you don’t have an excuse to come back.

I would say thank you for the past few years but fuck you for ruining it.

Goodbye y/n.’

You leave the apartment and Mingyu’s shirt behind. With no thought in mind, your feet take you to the one place where you know you’ll feel welcome, Mingyu’s place.

He opens the door to see your sad face and brings you into a hug. His hugs feel like home and somehow open the floor gates. Your tears soak his shirt and he rubs your back continuously. Some part of you didn’t even realize that your ex boyfriend meant that much to you. The other part of you is glad you’re no longer in a relationship.

There is no known reason as to why the cheating happened. The first time it just happened and was something that kept recurring. Mingyu’s presence in your life to your dismay was at your disposal. Thinking about it now, you were quite selfish to be cheating on your ex boyfriend and using Mingyu.

Even now crying in his arms made you realize it. It’s not that you didn’t know cheating was wrong but it just never fully settled until you got caught. As you spit out hateful words about yourself, Mingyu is quick to shut you up with kisses and tell you that it’s not true. You wonder why he thinks that you’re not a bad person for cheating.

Anyone with a right and clear mind would say otherwise. Which is again proven to not be Mingyu as he abruptly asks you out and to be his since you’re no longer with your ex boyfriend. His voice pleads as he looks at you waiting for an answer.

“Please just give me one shot, baby. It only takes a second to believe in us and another to believe in love. Don’t you believe in us?”

Breaking out of his arms, you reject him and tell him that he truly deserves better than what you can offer. Only for him to respond with it doesn’t matter because what he really wants is you & no one else. All he needs is one shot to show you just how much better he can treat you and be that person for you. You apologize profusely and repeatedly tell him that you cannot be the person for him, and it’d just be more wrong than our current relationship.

He doesn’t even have a chance to refute your comments and before he knows it, you’ve left his apartment. Mingyu sits in his living room waiting for you to come back. Looking like a sad dog waiting for their owner to come back home. As the tick tock sounds resonate in the air, hearing it as a reminder of how much time has already passed by. So he takes out the battery and waits some more.

It doesn’t seem to phase him how long it’s been until he gets an unexpected call. A call from your ex boyfriend. For some odd reason, he decides to answer it. Followed by a string of cuss words and more, there’s one thing that he tells Mingyu that takes the final straw. “You know, she told me that you guys were nothing and I didn’t need to be worried. She said that all the while she’s wearing your shirt that reeks of your cologne. You two deserve each other.”

Mingyu hangs up after that and doesn’t know what to make with this newfound information. He sits on his couch and returns to staring at the door again. Then he goes back to staring at his phone to see the time. It’s 6:29 PM. Has it really almost been 7 hours since you left? At the back of his head, he knows that you’re really not coming back. Your words of ‘deserve better’ can’t help but ring like crazy in his head.

Does he really deserve better when he knowingly slept with you when you were in a relationship? Does he really deserve better when he enjoyed every single second of it? Does he really deserve better when he was waiting for the moment you were out of your relationship so he could shoot his shot?

The truth is he probably doesn’t. Well at least not now. Maybe in the future when he’s learned how wrong this was. As well as learning to heal and forgive himself. But for now, he’ll mourn the loss of the relationship that could have been despite the circumstances in which your relationship brought you two together.

uhm, all I have to say is that I spun the wheel and it landed on Mingyu. I hope you liked this and if you did, please reblog it with your thoughts in the tag or leave a note or even send me an ask/message!

Thank you for reading this and take care!

signing off,

- ash

[m0tel6mxzzy]

rue bennett, ginny miller, and lack of nuanced perception in how mental illness in black women works

i think the tragedy of euphoria (if i had to list just one) is partially the fandom’s lack of understanding of rue, leslie, and gia…cultural attitudes in the black community have a lot to do w why leslie acts the way she does. and then race is never mentioned bc sam levinson doesn’t comprehend the nuances of race and mental health in the black community.

he can comprehend addiction, but nothing like the fact rue being a black woman will have her heavily stigmatized by the black community as well as the predominantly white one she lives in as her “proving black stereotypes.”

he can comprehend addiction, but nothing like the fact rue being a black woman will have her heavily stigmatized by the black community as well as the predominantly white one she lives in as her “proving black stereotypes.”

that just hits a lot harder knowing in the beginning of s1, she has zero hope and so it feels very hollow when lexi encourages her sobriety, and again in s2 from jules when she’s going thru withdrawals. she is tired of being the scapegoat by everyone around her, even if they have valid reasons for wanting her to get clean and she is making decisions that harm others. and she feels during the s2 interaction with cassie that she is being pitied, simply cannot take it anymore, and retaliates bc she is just so tired of everyone around her being believed to be innocent and pure when they are not, and her being expected to be even in the throes of addiction and it being perceived as “not her.”

bc in a sense, rue is not her addiction. however, she’s lived with it so long that she is used to it, practically revels in the deviant label her entire schools mocks her with, and thus feels like she cannot leave. jules conflicts with this, because she cares for rue as a friend and romantically but is not going to associate with her if she continues. but even when she is sober, people like nate are shit talking her efforts to stay clean when they simply have no idea what she’s gone through, yet jules is proud of her despite rue finding it hard to stay clean. cassie only does the same as nate because she needs a defense for having gotten with him but not taking accountability for how that hurt maddy, even if she was right rue’s friendship with lexi was incredibly toxic and transactional. the issue here is everyone has valid points abt rue except for nate, but no one is seeing the nuances of her situation. it’s either “she’s good because she’s clean” or “she’s bad because she’s not” and jules seemed to be the only one blurring that line because she’s dealt with addiction in her family before.

leslie kind of reminds me of my mom in that she did help me thru mental issues, but it was a very “deviant” thing to do bc of how in most of black american society, racism is seen as something you need to be “stronger” than and thus stronger than any other obstacle. so realistically, some black ppl in rue’s extended family might actually ridicule her or attribute her addiction to personal flaws or solely her father’s death. rue is an atheist, but also her mother was this religious church girl in her youth and rue is seen in church settings during rehab. there’s a possibility leslie didn’t even tell others abt rue’s hospitalizations or if she did and word got around, she had to fabricate some sort of lie so rue would not be judged for her addiction.

and ppl perceive leslie as “overreacting” as they do gia and that’s very suspicious to me. idk like, as compared to ginny and georgia ginny has severe depression and georgia is like, praised for a lot of the manipulative shit she says to ginny when that’s a huge contribution to her mental issues not being resolved for as long as they were in the first place. i personally think a lot of the g&g fandom missed the point of the show—georgia is not perfect. loving your kids does not mean they don’t get to feel traumatized when you admit to murdering their step father. generational trauma is a thing and you cannot love someone into not acknowledging or feeling their extent of their own.

ginny and georgia somewhat makes that distinction in the therapy sessions by explaining bc georgia is white there is a lot of experiences she cant understand ginny has, so she cant just invalidate them. however the fandom is so corny and anti black that they will compare ginny’s trauma to georgia’s to undermine her. and then praise georgia for doing what she should’ve done as a parent which is support ginny and complain how ginny should be “more grateful to have her.” and say the same abt her father. that truly just paints an insidious lack of compassion for black women dealing w/ mental health issues. bc abby and marcus, dealing with their own, have quite never been given such animosity for having mental issues, they’ve actually been given much more sympathy.

[just-a-creep-babe]

The Creeps’ Reaction to Crash (OC)

Commissioned by @taboo-delusion -- thank you so much & I hope you enjoy!! ❤❤

Masterlist: x

Requests are closed but commissions are open!

As usual, the creeps tend to be pretty hostile toward newcomers

There’s a bit of an adjustment period they all go through at their own pace, depending on how anti-social they are and how “out there” the newcomer is

When they first meet Crash, there’s a variety of initial gut reactions from the main creeps

EJ, for example, practically face-palms and thinks to himself “good lord not another one,” because he just knows that this guy’s an injury magnet

Something about the way Crash fidgets in place and always looks so restless—Jack can immediately pick up on the fact that this guy’s a danger to himself and maybe even those around him

Which means even more work for poor ol’ Jack

Jeff, on the other hand, sees the guy and practically huffs with a roll of his eyes

He’s not impressed by Crash’s attempts at kindness; it actually gives him a negative impression to begin with

He has that whole toxic masculinity thing going, so if anyone—especially a guy—tries to be a well-mannered human being, they, unfortunately (or fortunately?), won’t be earning Mr. The Killer’s favor

So Jeff acts extra tough and extra confrontational in an attempt to assert his dominance

He wants to feel powerful, wants the newbie to respect him and, more importantly, fear him

Because of that, it’ll be useful for Crash to whip out his intimidation skills and kick up his creep factor when he’s around Jeff—even if it might not scare him, it’ll probably help earn his respect

And, if nothing else, it’ll at least establish some kind of boundary so that Jeff knows he shouldn’t be too eager to mess with Crash

Masky’s kind of disgruntled because, like EJ, he just knows this kid‘s a chaotic mess

He can tell he’s got a lot of energy and a lot of issues—it’s not exactly difficult to tell he wasn’t the popular kind growing up

And, even though he wouldn’t admit it so easily, Masky definitely has a soft spot for those kids who got left behind

He’s internally like “ah shit, here we go again,” because he realizes he’s probably inadvertently going to become this kid’s mentor figure

And, let’s be honest, he already has his hands full with Toby and Sally as is

He knows Crash’s energy and enthusiasm will make him feel like even more of an old man in comparison, but he also knows the kid’s got a good heart and just wants to be accepted for who he is, so he’s almost like… reluctantly endeared by him, if that makes sense

Nat’s a mix between Jeff and Masky; she’s kind of irritated with the fact that someone so new and so energetic is joining the team, especially since she doesn’t know if they’ll get along

She wants to be tough, wants to prove that she shouldn’t be messed with, but at the same time, she realizes that she can and likely will develop a sort of soft spot for the guy

He’s just so kind in that clumsy, inexperienced kind of way; how can she not find him endearing?

She initially keeps her cool around him, but silently makes it a point to protect him if the others *cough* Jeff *cough* decide to pick on him

BEN’s generally… kind of indifferent to him at first, in all honesty

As far as first impressions go, unless they’re wildly good or bad, BEN usually just doesn’t really care for them

He figures he’ll either get to know and like Crash as time goes on, or the two will kind of just stay as distant acquaintances

As long as he doesn’t get between him and his gaming, he can’t be bothered to have an opinion

In fact, he’s so unfazed by the sight of a new member that Crash might start to wonder if BEN even realizes he’s new

Hoodie’s similarly chill about the whole thing, but he loves anticipating how Crash might get on Masky’s nerves—whether it be intentional or not

It just never fails to amuse him watching all the ways his best friend has to rally the younger members, and Masky just always gets so tired and so grumpy

Hoodie knows watching Crash and Masky interact is absolutely going to make his day, so he can’t wait

At the end of the day, even though he doesn’t necessarily care about Crash as a person when he first meets him, his opinion of the guy’s still pretty positive, all things considered

Out of all of the creeps however, Crash is most likely to hit it off with Toby from the very beginning

Toby’s always the most open and welcoming to newcomers; he knows what it’s like to get picked on and mistreated, so he always tries his best to accommodate new members

Having said newcomer be really open and friendly isn’t the most common occurrence, so it’s such a treat to Toby!

He immediately takes him under his wing, and they quickly become good buds because Toby similarly craves friendship

And, contrary to most, Toby isn’t put off by Crash being too forward or too obsessive; if anything, he finds the enthusiasm contagious!

He shows him how things work around the mansion, and once Nat sees that Crash is chill with Toby, she also eases up on him and starts opening up more to him

Which is how the process of Crash getting accepted in slowly but surely begins

Lo and behold, Masky was right about his initial judgment; Crash becomes another kid he feels responsible to keep safe

Which makes Hoodie absolutely ecstatic to witness the two interacting; the more chaos Crash gets into, the funnier it gets

Hoodie doesn’t otherwise go out of his way to befriend Crash, mostly because he doesn’t think he can gain anything out of his friendship, but he also doesn’t have anything against him personally

So the two are on decent terms as-is, but they’re not quite close enough to be buddies

EJ also becomes protective of Crash

Not to the extent that Masky is, but the more he (inevitably) ends up at Jack’s clinic, the more they talk and the more they start bonding

Jack’s a good listener, so he becomes like the therapist friend who listens and offers advice when needed

He thinks the guy has a lot of potential, and of course he wants to see him succeed; he’s a sucker for unrelenting kindness despite the odds, which is kind of Crash in a nutshell

Once Crash gets settled into things, he also becomes good friends with BEN

BEN, of course, adores anyone who games, so once he finds out Crash also indulges in his hobby—and, to top it off, he doesn’t need much sleep—he’s like the dream gaming partner

The two sometimes end up spending the whole ass night playing together, so they become really close!

Jeff is one of the few that don’t eventually come around to him

He doesn’t like Crash, doesn’t like how friendly and energetic he is, and he most certainly doesn’t like how the other creeps all like him

He’d never admit it, but he’s 100% jealous

Jealous of his stamina, jealous of his adrenaline, his lack of a need for sleep—god, Jeff just can’t stand the guy

And it’s made, of course, way worse by the fact that some of the creeps like him more than they like Jeff

Either way, it becomes obvious that Crash isn’t the problem, Jeff is

So, all things considered, Crash ends up doing fairly well at the mansion ^^

As for everyone witnessing his stunts, well—

Jack is entirely unamused and unimpressed

All he can think about is how he’ll be the one that’ll need to heal him up when he gets injured

Masky and Hoodie also don’t approve of the shenanigans, but while Masky will actively try to stop it from happening, Hoodie just enjoys watching the chaos unfold from the sidelines

Nat and Toby are the type to cheer him on; they obviously care about him and clearly don’t want him to get injured, but they just think the risk is definitely worth the reward

They think he’s an absolute legend for being able to pull those stunts off—even if they don’t always go as planned

Out of the two however, Nat’s more likely to be the one who’ll put a stop to it when she thinks he’s gone too far

Toby, unfortunately, doesn’t quite understand the limits of the human body, what with his inability to feel pain and all, so if it’s just him and Crash in a room together, it can get pretty dangerous

BEN also encourages the chaos

He isn’t alive, which means he doesn’t possess a body, which means he also doesn’t fully understand certain risks sometimes

And the crazier the stunt is, the happier he is to film it all and make a big joke out of it

Jeff is, once again, jealous of everything Crash can pull off, so he’ll either try to actively sabotage him, or he’ll diminish his achievements and try to do anything he can to get the others to dislike him

Which, for obvious reasons, doesn’t usually work anyway

So more often than not, Jeff makes himself scarce when Crash is getting positive attention from his stunts

Overall, once everyone gets adjusted to the new face, Crash might find that he, for once, actually fits in!

Amongst the various losers and rejects of society, Crash could finally say he’s found his family <3

[buriedalienfma]

In this week, Episode 6 of 'My Adventures with Superman' was released, and.....this was a weird one. Out of all the episodes we have of this show so far, this episode has got to have the weirdest premise, and whether that's a good kind of weird or a bad kind of weird, I'll leave up to you, because I can't decide for myself.

So here's my thoughts on Episode 6 (Spoilers incoming) :

So first off, I guess I'll have to address the ''controversy" from the previous episode. Apparently a bunch of people got mad about Lois's actions in the previous episode, saying that she was unreasonable for getting mad at Clark for hiding his identity from her, and also calling her "toxic" or whatever for jumping of the building to prove that Clark is Superman. If it sounds like I'm being flippant about this, it's because I am. Normally, I try to accept that different people have different opinions, but this is the exception - those people are wrong, and their opinion is wrong. I might have seriously over-estimated just how much people know about Superman through pop-cultural osmosis, because Lois discovering Superman's secret identity and getting mad about Clark keeping secrets from her is such a well-established Superman plot. It's been done in several Superman stories, and it's part of what makes the dynamic of Lois and Clark so interesting.

And as for Lois jumping off a building to prove that Clark was Superman, well that's just another thing that has its roots in other Superman stories. Lois pulling insane stunts to get an interview from Superman or to try and find out his secret identity is practically one of her defining character traits at this point. Hell, even the comics lampshaded it at one point. Here's Clark Kent pulling that exact same stunt in a story where he was powerless and had to get an interview from a new superhero that was running around in Metropolis :

Within the context of the show on it's own, Lois being angry at Clark makes perfect sense. She obviously has issues with people keeping secrets from her, and previous episodes established that her father lied to her about how severe her mother's illness was. Clark trying to brush off his injuries at the end of that episode must have reminded her of that incident, which explains her strong emotional reactions. Also people seemed to have taken Clark's side in this conflict, but consider Lois's perspective here. She's been trying to get ahead in the Daily Planet for months. She tried to get an interview from Superman, who bailed out on said interview despite initiating it in the first place. That's kind of a jerk move, especially since Clark knows how important that interview was for her. It also feels hypocritical of him to lie to Lois when he made such a big deal about lying being a bad thing in the pilot. On the one hand, he keeps telling her to trust him and open up to him, on the other hand he keeps evading her both as Superman and as Clark. No wonder she's angry at him. I saw some people saying it was 'forced drama', when it obviously isn't. 'My Adventures with Superman' is pretty simple compared to other cartoons and superhero TV shows, I'm actually surprised that everything I discussed above is flying over people's heads. In any case, I should stop rambling about the previous episode and just move on to the next episode.

The episode follows through on the cliffhanger from the previous episode, as Clark and Lois quickly catch on to the fact that Jimmy is missing and they try to retrace his steps to find him. I like that Clark and Lois still care about Jimmy even though they're caught up in their own drama. I also like that Clark is unable to find Jimmy with his own powers, which means that they have to use good old-fashioned detective work to find Jimmy.

It turns out that Jimmy was captured by a talking Gorilla named Mallah and a sentient Robot named Brain who worked for an organization called Project Cadmus before they had to flea for their lives when Cadmus turned against them. The pair now live in an area of the woods that is shielded from the public. Despite my familiarity with the DC Comics, I've don't know much about these guys. Apparently they have connections to Gorilla Grodd, a Flash supervillain, and have served as enemies to the Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol ? I guess it's nice that this show is adapting such obscure characters. So far, this show has had some very grounded antagonists and characters with Superman himself being the fantastical exception, so it feels bizarre to have characters like Mallah and Brain in this episode.

On the other hand, it's nice that Jimmy gets to be validated when it comes to some of his conspiracies. Him managing to talk his way out of a bad situation with Mallah and Brain is also a great moment.

There's a lot going on in this episode between Clark and Lois being menaced by a bunch of scary robots, Clark losing his powers inside the hidden area in the woods, and the trio working out their conflict through all the chaos going on around them, it's a good thing that the writing is solid enough to balance all of these elements.

Boy, this show really wants to capitalize on how attractive Clark is. He spends half of this episode completely shirtless and those moments are all drawn in ways that emphasizes his muscular build. It's not a complaint, just an observation.

So it turns out that Jimmy already knew that Clark was Superman this whole time. On the one hand, I really like this moment. I was worried that Jimmy might just fall into the comedic airhead role, so it's nice to see that he is smart enough to figure out Superman's secret identity. He also shows a great deal of emotional maturity when he confesses that he kept that secret from Clark because he was waiting for Clark to tell him on his own terms. On the other hand, I kinda wish that the previous episodes at least hinted that Jimmy was in on the secret, because it almost seems to come out of nowhere.

The reason that Clark kept his identity a secret from his friends was because he just wanted to be normal, and didn't want his friends to treat him like he was an alien. I really like this. For one, it shows that the writers have a good understanding of Superman's character. There's a deeper layer to the character beyond simply being a decent man. In the comics and other stories, Superman has often struggled with feelings of alienation and loneliness - it's what makes him a fascinating character for me. Fundamentally, Superman stories are about Superman finding acceptance despite being "different", and this show adapts that aspect very well, with Lois and Jimmy letting Clark know that they accept Clark for who he is. This moment also reinforces Clark's optimism and faith in humanity as the episode ends with Clark asserting that he will continue to try to make the world a better place.

We're given a few more hints as to the identities of the antagonists from the previous episodes, though it's not much. For now it seems that the antagonists will challenge Clark's faith in humanity since they seem to have a "needs of the many" mindset that drives their actions.

So that's episode 6. It's a strange episode as the premise is more than a little outlandish, but there's still a lot to like about it, and the character work continues to be solid.

[houseoffourcats]

What Do You Need to Know Right Now? Pick a Pile and Find Out!

14 July 2023

If you enjoy this reading, please consider getting a personalized reading through my Etsy page. Thanks for your support!

Pile One

VI of Swords - IV of Coins - The Magician

The VI of Swords tells me that you escaped something hard if not downright traumatic - an abusive relationship, a toxic family, or a bad job, for instance. The process of getting out of that situation was by itself a long, difficult and even dangerous path. As a result, as seen in the IV of Coins, you’re careful not to lose what you managed to keep through all this. You don’t trust other people easily, and keep your resources - internal as well as material - out of sight so others don’t try to destroy them or use them against you.

The Magician calls upon you to do something new to come into your own after surviving that. In contrast to how the figure in the IV of Coins hides part of herself as well as her resources, his posture is open, his arms where people can see them… though he remains somewhat mysterious, draped as he is in black robes. More than that, though, he’s powerful, channeling strong forces through what he has - though it may not seem like much - to make big changes.

You shouldn’t have had to go through whatever it was you escaped from, and your wariness is completely understandable. When you’re ready, though, you can use the qualities and skills that got you through the difficult times, and any material resources you’ve kept throughout, to reclaim your power. The best case scenario is being able to use your experience in a transformative way, making things easier for other people experiencing what you did or preventing it from happening to others in the first place.

Pile Two

Ace of Swords - Page of Coins - The High Priestess (Reversed)

You have a great new idea, as represented by the Ace of Swords. Maybe it’s a project like a book or an invention, or a new way of thinking about things that informs the rest of your life. The Page of Coins shows that you’ve already set to learning how to put the idea into practice and laying a solid foundation for what comes next.

The thing is, though, you’re still learning, and not everything is intuitive yet - far from it. To make matters worse, there’s some bad advice out there (hopefully not what you’re reading here!), a lot of it coming from people with ulterior motives. The High Priestess warns you to be aware of what you don’t know, including who has your best interests at heart.

Your idea is a good one, even if there’s a steep learning curve. Do your research and think things through. Is that degree program or “boot camp” training a good investment, or is it a scam? Is the person who wants to work with you on this reliable, or will they try to take advantage? Also ask advice from those you know you can trust, especially if you know anyone who’s actually done something like this before. If you make it past this early stage without things going horribly wrong, you’ll get to the point of being able to make decisions in this area of your life with no problem.

Pile Three

Queen of Wands - The Hermit (Reversed) - III of Coins (Reversed)

The Queen of Wands and the reversed Hermit are two very different people here. The Queen of Wands is very driven and confident, and can be more than a bit impatient when it comes to getting things done. The Hermit reversed is directionless and doubting, thoughtful to a fault. The III of Coins reversed suggests here that this doesn’t make for a good partnership, whichever side of this dynamic you’re on.

It makes sense, in a way, why you would be drawn to each other. If you’re the Queen of Wands, you want someone who’s not going to try to usurp you, as it were. If you’re the reversed Hermit, making all the big decisions would be overwhelming, so having someone to do that piece of things is a must. It’s just that you’re too much the opposite of each other to work out, romantically, professionally or otherwise.

When you call this partnership quits, though, see what you can learn from it. Can you communicate your frustration with a delay in a kinder way, if you’re the Queen of Wands? If, on the other hand, you’re the Hermit reversed, can you ask for help making a decision earlier so you don’t agonize over it endlessly before getting anything done? This will help you develop a healthy relationship with someone, where your needs and skills complement one another’s rather than clashing.

—

I hope you enjoyed today’s reading! If so, please head over to my Etsy page for a more personalized reading at an affordable price.

In the meantime, though, here are Arya and Sam enjoying the cool tiles of the kitchen together:

[vahnikana]

360-Degree Day.

Last Wednesday, I had a bad day at work. I should have just taken a day off the next day to lick my wounds, but instead, I decided--drastically and impulsively--that maybe I should just go back to full-time work. In an office. At that point, when everything was bearing down on me, I just decided that neither WFH nor content writing was working for me any longer. Let me tell you, it takes one toxic boss to push you into making weird, uncharacteristic, 180-degree swing decisions. Just one toxic boss.

So, I called back a recruiter who had contacted me about a full-time, on-site role and fixed an interview for the same day. It seemed like everything was spinning too fast and I was aware that I still had to be at work, but I was frustrated, demoralized, and teetered on the edge of self-destructive madness. So I got a printout of my CV ( I had forgotten what that looked like cos we are so used to uploading our CVs) and started from home.

It was a lovely day and the prospect of maybe working from an office made me feel happy. On the bus ride, I thought: finally, I might be able to wear my formal clothes and make-up. Plus, I had just been to H&M over the weekend and they had an absolutely divine office wear collection--silk shirts, cropped jackets, straight-cut trousers, and pleated skirts. I practically salivated over them. I thought, maybe now, if things went fine, I might get a chance to wear them instead of the shorts and tees that I wore every day, dressing sloppily and for comfort. If I worked in an office, H&M's office collection would be in my wardrobe. Hey, I am just like every other woman like that.

The office is in a place called Saki Naka. A person from Bombay may experience a sharp stab of anxiety on hearing the name, because the place is…literally…the worst place in the city. I used to work one stop before Saki Naka, in an area called Marol. The difference is only in the names because everything on that route is a congested-traffic mess. I mean we had people from my office who had resigned due to the location. I should have been shaking with fear at the thought of working at Saki Naka but as I said, self-destructive mood.

I reached the office fine. The two rounds of interviews went fine. Then the interviewer asked me about the commute. I told her--pretty happily--that there was an AC bus from my doorstep that dropped me close to the office location. She looked wary and said: yes, but it is far and you will spend 2+2 hours daily in commute…how will you handle it? I didn't quite get the line of question, so I simply said: yes but I will be taking an AC bus, so I should be fine. She continued, saying: maybe you could take a metro to the station and then take a train to your place, it would be a bit faster. Well, there was no fucking way in hell I was going to do that, so I just said: I think the bus will work fine. She looked a bit worried as she stared at me. I think she was wondering what to make of...this. I sensed she needed reassurance, so I said: I have worked at Marol in the past, so I am aware of the traffic here. She just smiled beatifically like some HR Madonna and said: well if it was bad at that time, now it's even worse.

I thought it was a strange conversation.

After my interview, I got out and walked back to the main road to get a bus. The road--the same one that had been empty and peaceful when I had come in for the interview--was by now like the road to hell. Buses, cars, autos, bikes in a tangled, slow-moving mess. Cars and buses honking like amateurs giving a cacophonous performance. People everywhere, waiting for buses, eating, talking on phones. It's getting to winter now, so the sun was gone, and it was all dark, congested, noisy, and very far from home. For a minute, I panicked! What if I got stuck here and could never get out. The interviewer's weary face flashed before my eyes. I kept walking in the general direction of the office I once worked in because at least from there, I knew what to do. There were office-goers everywhere. Not dressed in H&M. Tired. And I knew from experience that they, like me, were a long commute away from home.

It was all pretty dreary.

After asking around, I finally found a bus that would take me to a place from where I could get a bus to my area. I climbed in and started making my way home. I reached at 10.30 at night. I was hungry. The formal clothes--and the shapers inside--were deeply uncomfortable. The shoes (which were not my usual Birkenstocks or breezy slip-ons) cut into my skin. I had a migraine. I was thirsty. My bladder was full. I was exhausted. And when an auto driver leaned out of his auto and asked me something I said: fuck off. This, is how each day would be for me commuting to and from that special-kind-of-hell location.

I picked a shawarma, met my sister and nieces and then quietly went home, cured of all my madness and wayward ambitions. The whole experience made me appreciate what I have been given. Those 8 hours saved me. Sometimes you need to step onto that green grass on the other side to be able to see the rosebushes in your front yard. Pretty sure someone said that.

[mediaevalmusereads]

Diavola. By Jennifer Thorne. Nightfire, 2024.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Genre: horror

Series: N/A

Summary: Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.

It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone—including her blandly docile husband and two kids—falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.

The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: abortion, blood, suicide, disturbing imagery, self-harm, mild sexual content

OVERVIEW: I saw this book on display at a local bookstore, so I took a chance on it and picked it up for my October Halloween read. I was intrigued by the premise and stunned by the cover, so I had high hopes for the story. While there were some things I liked, I think what mainly held this book back was the writing. Some of it was fine, but when it came to the spooky elements, it felt like Thorne was trying to cram a movie with jump cuts and into a novel. On top of that, it felt very dialogue-heavy and not very atmospheric, and the plot as a whole was a letdown, so I struggled to enjoy the horror aspect. As a result, this book only gets 2 stars from me.

WRITING: Thorne's prose is very quick, but that's to its detriment. While easy to get through, I also got the sense that there was more telling than showing and that certain moments (atmospheric, emotional) didn't get their due weight. Instead, I felt like inwas breezing through plot and character development at a breakneck pace.

I also wasn't the biggest fan of some of the millenial humor. While I do like some humor in horror, I personally find this flavor of humor rather tiresome. It wasn't as bad as some books, but I still think it detracted from the story.

PLOT: The plot of this book follows Anna Pace, a 30-something-year-old who joins her family for a vacation in Monteperso, Italy. In between the bickering, the family realizes that something is not quite right with the house, putting further strain on the relationship between Anna and others.

The family squabbles constituted a kind of train wreck that was, for the most part, fun to watch. I liked the dysfunctional dynamics, and plopping them all inside a haunted villa seemed like a great opportunity to explore their flaws and fears.

However, I personally don't think the rest of the plot was handled well. Thorne didn't seem to put much work into building up the dread and suspense, relying on techniques that were probably more suited to film than a prose novel. We also just kind of breeze through big character moments rather abruptly so most of the focus is on the day to day activities and arguments rather than the relationships and inner conflicts beneath them.

The last third of the book was, unfortunately for me, a slog. Anna is separated from her family at that point, and without spoiling anything, I will only say that it felt rather jarring and the focus on Anna's daily routine was tedious. There were details that I don't think were needed, and Anna didn't strike me as someone who was using her particular strengths to overcome her challenges with the ghost. By the end, everything was something of a letdown, and I couldn't help but feel like Thorne was trying to say something about toxic people, but didn't quite pull it off.

CHARACTERS: Anna, our protagonist, is the black sheep of the Pace family, but because we see everything from her side, she comes across as rather sympathetic. I felt like she was the family scapegoat, which was all well and good, but Thorne didn't do much to instill a sense in the reader that maybe Anna was responsible for the things in the villa. Instead, she just felt unfairly blamed and the plot didn't do much to untangle the psyche of a character who has that kind of relationship with her family.

The rest of the Pace family was entertaining in a dumpster fire sort of way. Watching them fuss and bicker was like watching trashy reality TV, and I was always waiting for a full-on fight to break out. A lot of that bickering contributed to some of the tension, but in my opinion, Thorne didn't do much with it in the grand scheme of things.

TL;DR: Diavola tries its best to be a "Vacation Gothic" story but ultimately doesn't do much to use its ghost as a commentary on dysfunctional family relationships. On top of that, I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style, and the pace felt way too quick for any meaningful character work.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Rebloging this because I just realized how toxic the workplace at Pixar was. According to one source:

According to one former employee, Pixar was under huge pressure to deliver Inside Out 2 in time for release. They described it to IGN as the “largest crunch in the studio’s history,” with a second source stating it was “an all-hands-on-deck studio emergency.” 

Another source says this had a damaging impact on demands placed on employees, alleging they were working long hours for months on end.

“I think for a month or two, the animators were working seven days a week,” they claimed. “Ridiculous amounts of production workers, just people being tossed into jobs they'd never really done before… It was horrendous.”

 “The internal culture of Pixar right now is really rough,” a further source said, adding that this may be prompting other employees to leave the company. “There is just an incredible amount of people who are like, ‘I can't do this anymore.’”

Other former employees claimed to IGN that the reported seven-days-a-week work schedule was further complicated by bad leadership, poor communication, inefficient management structures, and a lack of trust, damaging the company’s culture. “It was rushed work, paranoid work, paranoid leadership, mixed messaging,” one source told IGN.

The same individual even claimed that the emotional and psychological toll impacted their physical health. “You're just working 24/7. And so after a while, your body just starts breaking down.”

The article will be below if anyone wants to read it entirely:

According to another source:

“It was definitely rough,” they say. “Everybody, at least in my circles when we were talking, it was just kind of the sense of, ‘we just want to get it over with. We just want it to be finished and done and to not be looking at it anymore,’ which, I don't feel like is the best way to make a movie that everyone feels good about. There was definitely kind of a sense of ‘just push through it. We're just going to hit the finish line and get it over with.’”

The rush at the end of the production, too, was spread unevenly throughout Pixar. A couple of sources were largely unaffected; others found it unusual how long they had to wait to get their work while watching their colleagues push through grueling hours. “It was odd to see some people on fire and some people with nothing to do,” one source recalls.

It got to a point where some had to wait so long while others crunched, one source says, that visual effects artists were starting their shots when the shots weren’t even fully animated. It’s a practice that’s referred to as “working dirty” – essentially, doing a large chunk of work ahead of time that you know will likely be thrown out, on the off chance that it will be used.

The full article will below of anyone wants to read it too:

I’m very disappointed and sad about how toxic the workplace was. It seemed like no one cared. I feel especially sorry for those who were laid off.

Pixar is my favorite. Seeing them do something like this is very upsetting and makes me feel bad about liking the movies.

This is just all kinds of messed up…

Okay, so I watched Inside Out 2 at like 5 am this morning. And I have to say that the movie isn’t bad! I just expected more to happen. Like Riley having a crush on a boy from her hockey team or something? And maybe add more to the girls that were gossiping about her?

I just feel like they could’ve added a bit more to the story to develop her character even more. Makes me wonder if we’ll get an Inside Out 3 or something.

Have any of you seen Inside Out 2? If so, what did you think about it? And what stuff would you add in if you could?

I have to say, my favorite emotion is Joy. She’s a very complex character and I loved her character development in this! She seems to understand the good and the bad side of things, which is why she’s one of my favorite characters. ♥️

[snortspepsi]

Beyond the Empty Bowl

The steam swirled around Sam's face, carrying with it the aroma of his infamous Buldak super-spicy sauce that he’d use to garnish his instant noodles with. A historically unfamiliar scent, but one that sparked his memory all the same. He was taken back to a time, nearly two decades past, when he’d take instant noodles to school for lunch. His mum was a great cook, all his friends would agree to that, but for the most part of his schooling days, he’d bring instant noodles for lunch. Was just easier for mum to make that for him apparently. He had taken that convenience to heart and now stood slurping his spicy noodles against the kitchen counter.

Back then, instant noodles were a symbol of joy, a shared experience that transcended differences. All the kids, with their carefully curated lunchboxes filled with exotic curries and vegetables, would trade envious glances for a taste of Sam's simple pleasure – Maggi, everybody loves Maggi.

But somewhere between adolescence and adulthood, the joy faded. The instant noodles became a crutch, a quick and easy solution in a life filled with complexities. They became a symbol of his isolation, a testament to his inability to cook, to nourish himself properly, to do what adults are supposed to do.

As the noodles slurped down his throat, the guilt gnawed at him. His mother, a full-time mum, had always provided him with delicious meals. He knew she didn't have it easy, juggling the demands of raising two children in a tumultuous household. Yet, he felt a simmering resentment, a sense of neglect that clouded his memories of her love.

He found himself at home in that neglect. Everyone around him deserved all, and he was to not ask for more. Warned only of the toxicities of the ego, he was never shown the language of self-love. He wore neglect like a comfortable cloak, believing everyone deserved more than him. He learned to nourish the world, leaving his own desires to starve – He cultivated a garden of compassion for all but himself.

Slurping through the spice, he wondered if it was fair to him. Was it fair to blame his parents for the burdens they themselves carried? Torn between compassion and criticism. Were they not victims of their circumstances, trapped in a loveless marriage, living a life they never chose?

His therapist's words echoed in his mind: "Depression can be funny sometimes. You got pretty sad once and never really fully recovered." Sam chuckled, a dark, self-deprecating laugh. He recognized his humor as a coping mechanism, a shield against the pain that threatened to engulf him. He couldn't even remember what hurt him so bad in the first place. He was a joke, a walking contradiction – a man who practiced compassion while harboring resentment, who dreamed of darkness while clinging to the faintest glimmer of hope.

Picking up his phone, scrolling through his Instagram feed in a trance: he knew he was bitter. He saw his friends building families, achieving successes, living lives that seemed normal, and a sense of fulfilment that eluded him. He saw himself, a lone island surrounded by a vast, indifferent ocean, the instant noodle packets on his empty table a testament to his isolation.

Anger bubbled up within him, a fiery mix of resentment and self-pity. Why did he strive for compassion, for gratitude, for unconditional love, when he felt so utterly neglected? Why did he dream of being a villain, of unleashing the darkness within, when all he ever did was try to be good?

He was split.

As more noodles slurped down his throat he began to think again. He was working on himself nowadays. He understood that this misery is just in his head. And life, despite everything, still has some sweetness in it. He reflected – He was eating better than before, the noodles were now just the carb base of his meals, he has learned to make more nutritious and filling meals now. Exercising, socialising, taking care of himself, he was doing what all was required of him to do for himself. He was taking control, making small but significant changes in his life. He was nurturing his body, seeking solace in therapy, and slowly shedding the victim's skin.

He was choosing to be the author of his story, not a character defined by someone else’s narrative.

He knew the road ahead would be long and arduous. The shadows are there to stay, whispering doubts and anxieties. But he was determined to dance with them, he would rise above the bitterness, the anger, the self-pity, find humor in the face of the void, and forge his own meaning in a world devoid of inherent purpose. He was daring to build a life that wasn't just good, but meaningful, fulfilling, and truly his own.

As he pushed away the empty bowl, a strange calm settled over him. He was no longer a victim, but a participant in this grand, cosmic joke. He would need to remind himself of this every now and then of course – this is a journey of reclamation. He was ready to write a new chapter, a chapter where the protagonist wasn't just a victim, but a survivor, a warrior who emerged from the darkness, stronger and more resilient, ready to face the world with open arms, and a heart that, despite the scars, still dared to hope.

And maybe, just maybe, he would finally learn to make his own damn lunch.

[vidalinav]

ok, so I’m leaving this here for you to think about LATER after the necessary work on nesta appreciation week is done (which is was such a gatekeep gaslight girlboss move from you)::

boob discourse, make it nezriel, (AGAINSORRY) and adding the piercing on the titties and in a modern setting

I LOVE YOU 🛐💘✋

Can Azriel be the one giving her the piercings?

[spoopylay]

hiii pretty

can i request some hq boys reacting to their s/o being offended in public??💕

i would really appreciate if you make some for Bokuto and Sakusa ❤️

i love your works. don’t overwork yourself baby😊

(sorry if i made any mistakes but english is not my first language☹️)

Tysm for requesting❤️!! (And that’s fine, English isn’t my first language too lol)

Hq boys x chubby s/o getting offended in public

Sakusa

You two were in the park, taking a walk and just admiring each other’s presence

Sakusa loves how you much you take care of your hygiene and loves how your body looks too.

Although some people think otherwise about your body.

A toxic friend of yours who has been trying to get with Sakusa approach you two.

“Heyy Kiyoomi~! Oh hey y/n.”

Lemme just search up how to beat the shit out of someone on wikihow rq

So anyways she’s talking and then insults you about how you look.

Obviously you get offended and leave and Sakusa is just looking at you like “👀 someone fucked up”

He knows what that girl said was very mean and decided to put her in her place

“You know if you were jealous of my beautiful s/o, you could’ve just asked them for some advice on how to look better :)”

Sakusa can be very mean with others when they upset you

Later he went to your house and told you everything that happened and tried comforting you.

“Y/n why would you care about what she thinks. You are the most beautiful, amazing, spectacular person I could ever ask for.”

Although he doesn’t do this much he gave you a kiss and the two of you ended up eating movies the rest of the night.

Bokuto

Bokuto was meeting your parents today

He was so nervous and would not stop asking if they were going to like him

“Y/n are you VERY SURE they will like me?”

“I really want this to go well!”

Later that evening he comes over to your house and meets your parents.

They were a bit skeptical

“I still can’t believe our y/n was able to get a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, considering the fact that they look like that.”

You’re parents have always been very critical towards you but you were able to deal with it.

But now that they said it in front of YOUR boyfriend you now start to worry.

“What if Bokuto doesn’t like that anymore?”

“What if he wants to break up.”

You immediately run up to your room before the tears could start spilling out of your eyes.

Bokuto doesn’t realize it until a couple minutes later that what your parents said really hurt you.

He walks into your room and finds you crying, so he sits in your bed next to you and wraps his arms around your torso.

“Baby what’s wrong,” he asked.

You then go on to explain that what your parents said maybe made him think that he might to break up with you.

Bo let’s out a small chuckle and gives you a kiss on your forehead.

“Y/n I would never ever break up with you. You’re so beautiful, amazing, talented, smart, funny, etc. What your parents say won’t ever change how I see you.”

Oikawa

You and Oikawa had just started dating

How it started was you would occasionally help out with setting up stuff for his team and he just caught feelings for you from there. Not to mention that he also fell in love with how you looked. Like c’mon, that ass was lookin too fine.

Anyways, he word eventually had gotten around and people were happy for you two lovebirds.

But the fans girls were ready to rip you to shreds.

At this point they wanted you dead because of how many times they’ve seen you and Tooru holding hands in the hallway.

One day after practice, you were waiting for Oikawa to finish up with practice. You were just looking down at your phone until a girl approached you.

“Hey! So I hear that you and Oikawa are dating? Gosh do I feel bad for him! He’s probably just dating you out of pity. Like come on, who would actually date someone who looks like YOU?!”

You looked at this person like they were a whole different species for a second. Like EXCUSE ME, HOW FUCKING DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?

“Ok listen, I don’t know if anyone told you by now but bitchy isn’t a good look on you. You and your fan behaviour can go somewhere else cause I’m not taking your bullshit today,” you said walking away.

Although you kept a brave face on, deep down you were a bit hurt . Did Oikawa really date you out of pity?

You got a text from Oikawa asking where you were. You didn’t wanna talk so you told him you didn’t feel well so you left a bit early.

You see, since you two started dating he developed some type of sixth sense where he can always tell whether or not something is bothering you.

And in a time like this, his senses are telling him that something is bothering you and that you weren’t sick.

He later knocks at you door and you answer

You see your boyfriend at the door and was like, “ 👁👄👁 well shit.”

“Y/n something is wrong, so spill it.”

“DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME,” you loudly blurted out.

“Wha-, of course I do y/n, why wouldn’t I?”

“Because well... I look like this and I-,”

Oikawa put his finger on your lips so you can be quiet and proceeded to say, “ y/n I don’t know what has got you think this lately but it’s wrong. Of course I love you and what do you mean your look like that? All I see is a badass person with godly looks that could kill. Also trust me, if I didn’t like you I would’ve straight up told you.”

Kuroo

You just got out of a toxic relationship with your ex.

You’re now with a new guy named Kuroo, a third-year at Nekoma high school and captain of the volleyball team.

Your boyfriend legit adores you, from your chubby cheeks to your squishy hips, he loves it all.

He was taking you out on a shopping date at the mall because he LOVES to spoil you.

You guys were walking out until your ex saw you and you saw them.

The two of you exchanged looks and he walked over to you.

“Hey y/n, long time no see. I see that you’re with a friend, huh?”

“Actually, he’s a my boyfriend.”

Your ex then walks over to Kuroo and gives him a pat on the back saying, “ I am so sorry you’re being put through this. I know it’s hard dating an ugly piece of shit.”

Your ex the walks away laughing while you’re just standing there trying to process what the hell just happened.

The rest of the day you stayed silent, only speaking when it’s very important

Kuroo was trying to get you to talk the entire day but couldn’t even get a peep out of you.

At some point he got fed up and threw you over his shoulder and placed you on his bed.

“Y/n we don’t hide secrets from each other. Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“Am I good enough for you?”

“Good enough? You’re more than good y/n. You’re perfect. You’re absolutely amazing and I would never second guess our relationship.”

[hotwings0203]

Bully!Dabi pt. 3

Tags: @shikamaruscumrag @pinkiy13l @an-ambivalent @luno614 @sukunasleftkneecap

Tw:dubcon, noncon, bullying, manipulation, Russian roulette

“Doll? Come on out and I won’t hurt you too bad.”

You wait with bated breath as he walks right past your hiding place behind some crates, blue fire licking up the sides of his body and held in the palms of his scarred hands.

He’s mad, you know he is. He’s teasing you, of course he is, why else wouldn’t he just turn on the lights and pounce?

No, this is another punishment of sorts. A punishment for escaping your previous punishment from being locked in your room.

Another lash of burning cobalt strikes against a wall about 10 feet away from you, and you curse yourself internally. If only you had just stayed in bed a couple days more, if only you hadn’t snuck out when he left, if only, if only…

“Baaaabbyyyyy”

It sounds so wrong and uncharacteristic coming out from his gravely voice.

You huddle your limbs even closer to yourself, paying no mind to the cramping in your knees from being squished for so long.

It’s been about 25 minutes or so from what you can remember. It’s hard to remember anything that happened this bland morning anyways when the climax of your life was seemingly taking place here, after you entered the wrong room.

You had honestly just wanted a peek outside of Dabi’s room and maybe a drink of water, nothing more.

Or so you tell yourself.

But can you really be blamed? Who else wouldn’t have run out the moment they got a chance after spending almost two weeks in the same shitty room, being used as fuckmeat and only given bread scraps and salty cum as meals.

It didn’t matter how close he held you at night, how his strokes seemed to brush up against all the right places, how he tried catching your eye every time he wanted to talk about anything (which you would never really indulge in, only giving him a soft grunt or a nod). He was a monster, a demon in disguise that was keeping you against your will in his clutches.

A loud crash closer than before hits your ears, and you stifle an impending whimper. You can tell he’s roamed closer than before, finding nothing from his earlier place in the front of the storage room.

“I’m getting pretty fucking tired of repeating myself doll. You must be even more of a masochist than I thought since it’s like you want me to fuck you up even worse than I did before.”

His words are quiet but they do enough to cause a loud beating in your already-pacing heart, so loud in fact that you fear he can hear it racing a mile a minute.

You wonder if anyone is nearby, if they even remember you’ve been missing for a while now.

“Y/N”

“Come out, pretty girl. You know I miss you”

But you don’t miss him.

What you do miss, however, is not being chased into an empty storage room and hounded like a fucking dog. You miss joking with Twice, painting your nails with Toga, making Shigaraki chuckle.

All of a sudden, the crate next to you is covered with hellfire. The flames that are thrust from Dabi’s hands are so wild that they seat through your shirt and prick your skin.

You scream and scrabble backwards, the light of his fire illuminating his face leering up above you in the dark like a ghoul from a children’s book.

You clap your hands over your mouth, ignoring your bubbling skin as fear overrides premonition, but the damage has already been done.

It’s eerily quiet for a minute. Then, he whispers,

“Found you”

Even in the pitch black room you can practically see him lunging towards you, and you scuttle backwards on your hands and feet in terror. His hands miss your bare feet by a few inches, and he snarls before making another swipe.

“Fucking bitch, this is the thanks I get for taking care of you, bathing you, feeding and fucking you?”

You yelp as he lights up the floor on both sides of your trembling body, and you see his figure once more as the blue fire shows the sick grin twisted up on his face.

“Leave me alone,” you sob, clambering up on your feet and running backwards as he advances on you. The smoke from his quirk is filling the room, and you erupt in hoarse coughs as it’s filtered through your aching lungs.

Everything about him is toxic.

“Nah. That’s not how this works sweetheart. You see, I take care of you, and in return, you do whatever the fuck I say when I say it.”

He raises his palms to you and you flinch, covering your head and colliding with the wall behind you. You’re too scared and tired to evade him again as you feel his body cover you and brush against yours as you shake in place, your arms still above your face.

He cooes at you. “There there, my stupid little bitch. You were scared daddy was gonna hurt you, right?”

His stitched palm caresses your bitten bottom lip and trails up to your tear-stained cheek.

After a moment of you saying nothing, he slaps the side of your face, hard, and you gasp in pain. Now it wasn’t just your stomach that felt on fire.

“I asked you a question, you brain dead whore. Are you scared daddy’s gonna burn you? ‘You scared he’s gonna beat you black you blue? ‘Scared he’s gonna cut a gaping hole in your burnt tummy and fuck the gash?” He leans in and lets his raspy words settle over your ears as he tenderly brushes your hair away from it. He softly kisses the shell of you ear, and when you sob quietly he wraps his arms around your middle and hugs you close, paying no heed to how you uncomfortably squirm when your raw torso burns from the contact.

You squeeze your eyes shut and try not to inhale too much, lest the smoke embedded all over his body gets too close for comfort in your system.

“Y-yes daddy. Please don’t hurt me, I was…a bad girl.” You cringe when the words are wobbled out, but you know it’s what he wants.

To humiliate you, to hurt you. Who was he kidding when he said he loved you?

Dabi, however, feels butterflies in his own stomach.

See, this is what you need. To answer to Daddy, to submit to him so that he can take care of you. That’s why you stayed so long in his room, right? It’s cause you knew it would make him happy if you listened to him. You let him make love to you, and treat you like his little girl because deep down, you know this is where you belong.

So why are you fighting him? You never raised a complaint for a week and a half, you only stayed quiet and kept your eyes shut when he asked if you were okay. That means you liked it, right? No real opposition, after all.

Except for now.

Dani is honestly disappointed in you right now, you were doing so well…so why’d you have to go and ruin it?

He might’ve softened from the way your body shakes and your sobs are muffled by his smoke-scorched jacket as you press against him for comfort, but the image of you turning around and running away when you saw him earlier hurts him too much.

It angers him.

Why the fuck were you so scared? Hasnt he shown you enough that he loved you? What, does he need to fucking spell it out for you?

Why were your eyes filled with such terror when he caught you? Did you turn away from him and run because you thought he was going to make you look like him, all burnt up and hideous?

Honestly, he would never, but if you’re so hellbent on making him the bad guy, then fine, he’ll play the bad guy.

Anything for his precious little girl.

And so he tightens his arms around you and chuckles cruelly when you whine at the lack of air.

“Well, you were right. I am pretty pissed, I mean I told you to come out and you didn’t listen right?”

“S-sorry,” you weakly choke out.

He laughs even more crazed now, crushing your ribs so tight he could actually hear your breath wheezing out of you, could feel your weak little punches against his back.

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it. No no, I want you to beg for your fucking life now.”

Your eyes widen as his arms begin to warm up and become unbearably hot.

“Dabi, no, no please!”

You writhe in pain as he cackles above you, savoring the choked breaths that emit from your wetted lips.

As soon as you begin to see spots, he releases you, and flings you against the corner of the room.

You go flying and bang your head against the concrete wall, his voice muted and swimming around in your ears as you fight for consciousness.

He saunters towards you in all his flaming glory, hands in his pockets as if he were walking out for some fresh air. He crouches in front of you and lifts your head with the pads of his fingers.

“Awww, my poor little girl. That had to have hurt, huh? You’re bleeding,” he cooes and blows a strand of hair away from your eyes.

He’s not lying, you can feel hot blood trickle down the side of your head as your vision sways.

“Stop this,” you pant. “I get it, I’m sorry- you were right and I was wrong, I shouldn’t have ran. I’ll listen to you from now on-“

“-But you said that last time, didn’t you?” He cocks his head and with the light of his turquoise fire against the shadows of the room, he looks like a being from hell itself.

“Remember? When you sucked me off like the dirty whore you are? Remember that you stupid cunt?” His grin becomes more reminiscent of a wolf baring its fangs, and you’re rendered silent in complete terror.

He takes your silence as an encouraging factor to continue his fun.

“You ever played Russian Roulette, Y/N?”

You have enough sense to quickly shake your head, a sinking feeling in your stomach forming at his implication.

“Me neither. But I kinda wanna try it right now. So, back against the wall. Stand up straight and spread your legs.”

You look at him incredulously. “You can’t be serious Dabi.”

He raises an eyebrow and a fire grows in the palm of his hand. “Wanna find out? Oh wait, you already are- now do what I said otherwise you’ll have one less leg.”

You don’t need more motivation to act on his orders.

Taking a deep breath, you hesitantly spread your legs and place your palms flat against the wall.

“Spread ‘em more. That shouldn’t be anything new to you.”

You wince at his dig but continue to widen the stance between your legs.

He smiles at your compliance.

“Good. This should be fairly easy, I mean the room is already dark enough to count as having a blindfold. Whatever you do, just don’t move.”

You wouldn’t know it, but he’s sincerely saying it for your sake. He’s glad for the safety of the dark, because he doesn’t want you to see the way he hastily wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans as he prepares himself for his next move.

The room goes dark, his fire has been put out.

You inhale softly, blood pounding in your heart as your hands shake in anticipation.

Then all of a sudden, a fireball comes barreling right towards you, in between your parted legs.

You shriek and jerk, but luckily you’re saved from being singed.

“I told you not to move, babe.” He clicks his tongue and rubs his erection absentmindedly.

A second, then third bolt of fire comes at the side of your head, singing your hair and then dangerously close to your already burnt stomach.

At each one you sob and do your best not to move, not to take in Dabi’s utterly emotionless face as you wail for mercy.

The last one comes so powerful that as it strikes the wall next to you, flecks of ash sting your cheeks and lips.

Your knees are jelly, your mouth is aching from begging for your life as he wanted.

But you know he’s done when he lets out a loud yawn and groan as he stretches his arm and flexes his fingers.

“A-are we done?” You sniffle.

He says nothing at first. You just hear him ask a couple steps towards you, his boots echoing in the room. You assume he stops in front of you because you can feel his body in front of your kneeling figure.

His hand descends and feels around until he reaches the top of your head. Stroking softly, he twirls locks through his fingers and gently shushes you until your hiccups subside, and you lean your forehead against his thigh.

“‘You happy it’s done? You did so well for me, sweetheart.”

“Yes Dabi. Thank you,” you utter softly, knowing it’s what he wants to hear.

“Yeah? How thankful are you?”

You still at that.

He starts to unbuckle his belt.

You pull your head back, and he pulls his pants down.

“Dabi-“

“Shhh, don’t ruin this. Just keep your mouth shut and let your body do the talking. Show me how grateful you are that I spared your fucking life.”

The gentle way he handled you clashed with his harsh words, and you have a moment of whiplash.

He kneels down in front of you and lets his hands wander in the dark until he meets your torso.

You hiss at the sensitive flesh, but he doesn’t stop. He just moves his hand under your shirt and higher, pushing your bra up until your tits spill from the bottom of it.

He bites his lip as you whimper from his touch, his thumbs swirling around your nipples and prodding the squishy flesh.

Dabi gets more eager when you throw your head back at one particularly rough squeeze and shuffles even closer, his pants and underwear at his knees, member bouncing out in the open air.

“Take your panties off,” he rasps, furiously stroking his cock.

You surrender and slowly pull your sweats off, and then your panties as you hear him lightly panting in eagerness.

The second he hears them drop to the floor he lunges for your feet and yanks your forward, catching you in his lap as you yelp.

It’s pitch black, but he can feel you clear as day.

The tickle of your hair hanging in his face, your sweet smell clouding his rationale, the melodious sounds of fear and pleasure mixed with pain make his prick stand painfully at attention, weeping at the slit for your pussy.

He doesn’t even bother taking your shirt off in impatience, he simply barks at you to hold the hem up so he can feel your breasts bouncing against his face when he motorboats them.

You, however, shakily hold his hand at your waist when he pulls you forward until your bare hole presses against his length, coating it with light juices.

“Oh fuck, doll, your pussy’s practically begging me to fuck it. ‘You like having your life in danger? No wonder you keep fucking up,” he groans as he moved beneath you, letting his hips rock back and forth to gain friction from under you.

“Wait, go slowly-“

“No the fuck I won’t,” he interrupts. You have enough sense to bite back any retorts from the subtle growl in his words.

He lifts you up from underneath your ass, and you raise your hips in compliance as he grabs his dick, circling it around your swollen nub and then pressing it against your entrance.

You breath shakily and run your hands through his hair, not so much in a loving gesture but tightly in futile hopes to deter him in any possible way.

He takes it either way as you wanting him equally, and without further ado he slams your hips down on his whole length.

You howl in pain as he begins bouncing you, pressing down on your shoulders and forcing your poor cunt to envelope him fully at each stroke.

The room is filled with the lewd sounds of your ass clapping on his dick, the mixed fluids from both of your bodies and the harmonies of his low grunts and your high pitched whines.

You can feel his dick twitch violently inside of you as he nears his climax. He flips you over on your back and starts pounding into you, laughing cruelly in your face as you cry out from the intensity of his strokes.

“D-Dabi! Pull out, I’m not on birth control!”

“Good.”

You open your eyes to stare at him in horror, barely making out the marred features of his face.

“I’m gonna fill you up with my babies. You’re gonna be plugged with my cum from now on, ‘s the only way you’ll stop running.”

“Get the fuck off me, this isn’t funny-!”

He grabs your rising fists and pins them back against the floor, crushing your wrists in the process.

“Who said I’m laughing?” And he isn’t laughing anymore, no, on the contrary he looks the most serious that he’s ever been, and that terrifies you the most.

The upper half of his body is suspended in midair above you as his pelvis smashes against your clit in a steady rhythm.

“‘Bet you’d like that, bet you’d like having all your holes stuffed with my kids. They’re gonna grow up and know how slutty their mommy was, they’re gonna watch and learn how Daddy earned his name. You think they’ll cry when they hear you scream for me?”

You want to rip out your ears from the filth pouring from his mouth, but unfortunately your hands are trapped under his grasp.

All you can do is chant “no, no, no,” under your breath as he’s pushed over the edge.

“Or maybe I’ll tie your legs against the barstools outside and let every man out there have his way with you. You missed them, right? I’m sure they missed you too, I’m sure they missed the way you’d fuck them the second they made you laugh,” bitterness seeps into his voice as ropes of cum shoot out.

He moans loudly in your ear and collapses against your body, sweat intermingling in the cervices of your entangled limbs.

It takes around three minutes for you both to catch your breaths, and for him to shakily raise himself on his elbows to peer down into your ruddy face.

“Clean yourself up. You’re going back to my room. And this time, if you try to run we’ll repeat this entire process again, but I’ll actually let everyone have their way with you. It’ll be like an orgy version of Russian Roulette, well all place bets on whose kid it is.”

You don’t miss the rest of the League, anymore

[zuko-always-lies]

ATLA AU Idea which is Basically “Azula Raises Katara for Several Years”

I’ve had this idea kicking around my head for months, and, since I have no intention of writing it, I figure I might as well post it. To be clear, the premise of this fanfic is “Azula, Katara, and Sokka get traumatized in ways they weren’t in canon, but the events that traumatize them potentially help lead to a better outcome in the long-term,” so be prepared for rough sailing.

This idea is very much inspired by all the “Katara gets kidnapped young and raised within the Fire Nation royal family” fanfics, which I think can be excellent if done with care. However, in a situation where Katara and Azula develop a relationship when they are young, the natural tendency is to make Katara the “motherly” or parental one, and I wanted to turn that on its head. I also wanted to explore some of the possible implications of Azula taking on adult sized responsibilities as a child and of the perverse ways that power differentials can influence things. I also wanted to explore some of the ways that Azula’s commitment to duty and responsibility can be a positive thing. Another ~2000 or so words under the cut.

The premise is that, shortly after Zuko gets banished, Katara gets captured by the Southern Raiders as the last Southern Water Tribe waterbender and brought back to Caldera and presented as a trophy to Ozai. Ozai’s first reaction is to have her executed, but fortunately Azula is also present in the throne room. For reasons which Azula doesn’t entirely understand herself but which definitely have something to do with her guilt over what happened to Zuko, Azula decides to intervene, despite the risks involved. However, not being Zuko, she manages to do this without provoking Ozai, through convincing him that Katara is more valuable alive as a trophy, a symbol, and a plaything than she is dead. Ozai doesn’t really care that much, so he pawns Katara off to Azula and basically forgets about her, accidentally using language that implies to Azula that Katara and taking care of Katara is now Azula’s responsibility. Azula is at an age where she’s started to take her responsibilities and duties with deadly seriousness.

Katara doesn’t know what to make of this all.  She’s been severely traumatized by being kidnapped and torn from her family and culture and by having her life threatened by Ozai. She’s aware that Azula saved her life, but the language Azula used to in order to do so sounds warped and screwed up to Katara, who is unaware that Azula had to say what she said in order to manipulate Ozai.  Katara noticed that Azula seemed a little nervous when she talked to Ozai, but Katara doesn’t initially know how risky and dangerous what Azula did was.

Again, Azula takes her responsibilities with deadly seriousness. So, when it becomes her responsibility to take care of Katara, Azula is determined to do the best possible job, even though she’s 11 and Katara is also 11. If there were any responsible adults present, they would intervene and talk to Azula about how awful an idea this is, but there aren’t any left.  In any case, Katara’s waterbending abilities make it so she has to be kept under some kind of supervision, Azula is perceptive enough to worry that Katara might be mistreated if she got fostered out, and in any case Azula is convinced she can do a better job than any foster family.

Azula is a badly abused 11 year old who grew up indoctrinated in an absolutely toxic ideology. She’s never really seen good parenting in her life. The idea of her trying to parent should be terrifying. Yet she’s aware that Ursa didn’t do the best job with her, and since Katara isn’t a “monster” Azula sees no reason to replicate Ursa’s behavior. Azula believes the way that Ozai treats her is absolutely justified, even though she has some knowledge of its negative effects on her, but since Katara isn’t a princess who has immense duties to her nation and family, Azula sees no reason to treat her that way. In fact, Azula is aware of ignorance about parenting, and tries to read as much about parenting as she can. She also reads as much about the water tribes as she can in order to try to understand Katara better.

In terms of being a “parent,” Azula is overall a little standoffish, absent, and demanding.  She doesn’t need to directly look after Katara’s physical care(she has servants for that), but she has to look after Katara’s emotional needs, her education, and her overall care. As a temporary measure, she arranges that Katara sleep on a cot in Azula’s room because she’s not sure where to put her, and this arrangement becomes permanent. This means Azula and Katara usually eat together, since Azula has taken most of her meals in her room, but Azula is very busy with her duties, training, and education, so they don’t spend much time together in a typical day. Azula has Katara officially declared a servant(but one who only reports to Azula) in order to regularize her status and allow Katara to draw a salary(most of which Azula holds in escrow for when Katara comes of age), but Azula only rarely asks Katara to do work; Katara had far more chores back in the Southern Water Tribe. On the other hand, Azula demands that Katara work hard in her education and on practicing her waterbending. Katara is too old to be sent to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, but Azula obtains tutors for her, in addition to getting her whatever waterbending scrolls she can and trying to obtain the best possible bending coaches for Katara’s waterbending, sometimes even stepping in herself to try to coach Katara.

Azula is aware that Katara wants to return home, but she doesn’t think that Ozai would ever allow that, and, in any case, Azula is an imperialist who thinks Katara is better off being “civilized” in the Fire Nation than she would be back in her ignorant and “savage” home.  A large portion of Katara’s education is intended to “civilize” her. Azula doesn’t have firm ideas of where adult Katara will fit into Fire Nation society but plays with the idea of marrying her into the nobility or of making her governor of the conquered Water Tribes. So overall, Azula does a shockingly good job as “parent” given she’s an abused 11 year child acting within the toxic norms of the Fire Nation, but that still means she does a bad job, and her relationship with Katara remains pretty toxic.

Ozai and the rest of the court have some awareness of what’s going on, but they honestly don’t care as long Azula continues to be an exemplary princess, fulfills her duties, and continues to exceed expectations. Some members of the court even find Azula’s personal commitment to “civilizing” a savage to be inspiring. However, the burden of taking care of Katara means that Azula is under even more pressure than she is in canon, with the good news being that Azula has something more of a support network than in canon. Katara provides some measure of support, and in this AU Azula never has the energy to really push Ukano’s political career forward, and so Mai never has to leave, so Ty Lee also stays put.

Katara, again, is severely traumatized by her experiences, and to a degree feels helpless. She knows that she can’t escape and go back home. She’s resentful of Azula and particularly of the efforts to cut Katara off from her culture, but at the same time Katara ends internalizing some Fire Nation culture. Yet after a while Katara gets a sense of how toxic the environment is at the Royal Court, and she soon(after overhearing a conversation between Mai and Ty Lee which was supposed to be confidential) learns what happened to Zuko and realizes how much Azula risked in order to protect Katara, and Katara can’t help but feel intense gratitude to Azula for it. Azula also gradually becomes more and more respectful of Water Tribe culture, and Katara deeply appreciates the emphasis Azula places on Katara mastering waterbending.  Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee are also the only people in the Fire Nation who are ever consistently kind to Katara, and Katara ends up deeply bonding with each one of them, although the resulting relationships are not the healthiest. Katara eventually starts to develop a sense of how each one of them has been deeply victimized by Fire Nation culture. Azula goes to great lengths to hide her own struggles and pain from Katara, but Katara spends a lot of time with her and sometimes notices. Several years in, Katara notices some positive changes in Azula and begins to play with the idea that she can positively influence Azula so that Azula will be become a kinder and anti-imperialist Firelord.

Azula thinks Katara’s waterbending is the coolest thing ever(well, aside from firebending at least), a sentiment shared to a lesser degree by Mai and Ty Lee. Azula also thinks that learning to fight is vital, so she brings Katara along for her spars with Mai and Ty Lee. Katara makes rapid progress, particularly due to her access to many waterbending scrolls. As a result of this, and of Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee not separating, all four girls end up being significantly better combatants than they were in canon.

Mai and Ty Lee have complex reactions to Katara, but they eventually come to like and even love her. There is an element of resentment present because Katara takes up so much of the ever busy Azula’s time, but Azula forces her friends to spend time with Katara, and they end up bonding with her.  Katara’s empathy and compassion works in her favor here, especially since she rapidly develops into one of the few people who sees and appreciates them for who they are. Mai and Ty Lee also find Katara’s waterbending to be an interesting and intriguing method of combat, soon come to respect Katara’s budding combat skills, and, as people deeply unhappy with their own places in society, they find Katara’s stories of life at the south pole to be interesting. Mai has issues with Katara being a little too “motherly,” but on the other hand appreciates that Katara pays attention to Mai’s actual desires and needs.  Ty Lee sometimes finds Katara to be a little too similar to her for comfort, but also at the same time appreciates Katara’s caring side and the way she’s not reluctant to give her positive attention. Frequently Azula is too busy to join her friends, so Katara, Ty Lee, and Mai end up hanging out together. Freaks and outsiders stick together.

Azula, through her research into the Water Tribes, personal experience with Katara, and interest in Katara’s waterbending, begins to subtly yet strongly move in anti-imperialist directions and doubt Fire Nation ideology, but her transformation has scarcely begun by the time Book 1 begins. She does benefit from better relationships with her friends, though, and Katara gives her some emotional support. Meanwhile, to a lesser degree Mai and Ty Lee have had their own doubts develop about imperial ideology.

Azula tends to see her relationship with Katara mainly in terms of responsibility and duty, but she ultimately comes to fiercely love Katara.

Zuko and Iroh do their things, just like in canon.  They receive vague reports about Katara’s presence in court, but they don’t understand the significance of them.

Sokka gets badly traumatized by losing his sister and believes her to be killed by the Fire Nation. Hakoda, Bato, and the water tribe warriors also still leave to fight the Fire Nation. Sokka is absolutely dedicated to seeking vengeance on the Fire Nation, and when he accidently defrosts Aang, he sees an opportunity.

Book 1 largely plays out the same, with minor changes. I think an interesting one is that Suki ends up joining a badly understrength Team Avatar and temporally leaving her warriors behind in order to aid Avatar Kyoshi’s reincarnation with the fulfillment of his destiny.

Book 2 opens with Azula being sent to capture Zuko and Iroh. Mai and Ty Lee tag along, in part with the hope of making sure Zuko is captured without being harmed, and Azula decides to bring Katara too rather than leave her alone in Caldera.  However, the operation goes south, and Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Katara soon find themselves hunting the Avatar. Katara’s loyalties are about to be tested like never before…Meanwhile, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee all have seeds of anti-imperialism growing within them, but what will it take for these seeds to blossom and give fruit? Meanwhile, Azula grapples with not only her canon trauma but also the trauma she experienced through her parentification.

[nastybuckybarnes]

Deep End  -  Four

Pairing: Dark!Steve Rogers X Reader

Summary: He’s back. After all your best efforts at getting away, he’s found you again. And this time, he’s not letting you go so easily. He’s determined to do whatever it takes to get you to be his. Forever.

Warnings: Dark Themes, Language, Angst, Manipulation, Fluff, Smut, 

Word Count: 2.9K

A/n: Hello and welcome, formally, to part four. I hope you all had a lovely weekend and have an amazing week! I love you all very much.

Madness Masterlist

Bad Dream Masterlist

THIS IS A DARK FIC WITH SEXUAL AND TRIGGERING CONTENT!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!! 18+ ONLY!!!

~*~

You sit nervously on the lip of the bathtub, picking at the skin around your thumbnail as you wait for the timer to ring.

It feels like it’s been hours already.

“It’s okay, honey. Don’t worry. If it isn’t positive, we’ll just keep trying.”

Steve's words don’t ease your anxiety the way he thinks they do.

Your eyes are trained on the timer, counting down the seconds, though you already have a feeling of what the tests are going to say.

The alarm sounds like war drums and you’re racing for the row of sticks on the bathroom counter, your heart dropping into your stomach as you inspect them.

Positive.

Every single one of them.

Tears fill your eyes and you bury your face in your hands, shoulders shaking with sobs.

There it goes.

Your last shred of hope for gaining freedom. Out the window, just like that.

Steve’s arms come up around your shoulders, hugging you tightly.

“I knew it. I just... I knew. You smell different, your breasts are bigger. I fucking knew it.”

He nudges his nose against your cheek until you finally tilt your head back, and then his lips are on yours.

You don't fight him, too hopeless to even try anymore.

Your tears are salty, you can taste them on his lips, but he doesn’t seem bothered at all by them. No, he still kisses you, walks you out of the bathroom towards the bed.

He helps you out of your clothes, his hands groping and squeezing every inch of you as if he’s never felt you before, as if you’re the first woman he’s touched in forever.

The tears are steady, continuing down your face as he pushes you gently onto the bed, his lips trailing over your inner thighs while his eyes raise to yours.

“We’re gonna have another baby, honey. I always knew your body was perfect. Absolutely made for me. And now you’re gonna give me another baby. You’re gonna grow all nice and round...” He trails off, his eyes dark and full of lust as he gazes down at your stomach as if picturing you pregnant again.

“C’mon, darling. We need to celebrate.” He sheds his clothes so that you’re both naked, his warm body pressed tightly against yours, though it does little to quell the shivers of distress rolling down your spine.

Pregnant. Again.

He places kiss after kiss onto your neck, trailing down to your breasts and halting there.

“Can’t wait for you to be nice and big again, all full and round because of me. Fuck, can’t wait ‘till you start makin’ milk again, honey.”

His lips latch around your nipple, sucking hard enough to make your back arch, a whine of pain and pleasure rolling out of your mouth.

“That’s it. M’gonna make you feel nice, honey. Gonna make you feel loved. You know I love you, huh? Yeah. I do.”

His words make your stomach twist in uncomfortable knots, and you close your eyes to avoid the intensity of his gaze. You focus instead on the feel of his body against yours, nice and warm and heavy.

One of his hands snakes between your legs, toying with your clit and dipping into your heat to prepare you for his cock.

“Getting all wet and messy for me, huh?” Your eyes remain shut, blocking out his face, the face of the man who’s done so many atrocious things to you.

He thrusts his fingers in and out rather slowly, dragging them against your sensitive walls until he deems you ready enough for him, though there’s no way to truly be ready for him.

He positions himself between your legs, perched on his haunches while his hands rub over your thighs gently.

“Can’t wait for you to have my baby, sweetheart. Gonna watch you get all nice and full, bring another life into this world for me. That’s what you’re here for, darling.”

He slides his manhood through your folds, coating himself in your essence before slowly pushing into you, forcing every inch into your tight wet heat.

Your mouth drops open, brows pulling together at the stretch of him so deep inside of you, pushing against every resistance your body brings forth. He forces himself into you until he’s seated comfortably, cock held tightly by your fluttering walls.

“Fuck, feel that. Feel you. So tight... tight ‘n wet. Fuck... Fuck...”

He pulls back then pushes in, each thrust slow and precise and far too good. You hate how good he makes you feel, how well he knows your body. You hate how good you feel beneath him, how right it feels to be with him, to be held in his arms.

And you fucking hate him for making you enjoy a single second of time spent with him.

His thrusts speed up until he’s hammering his hips into yours, each movement of his hips forcing his cock to press against your cervix painfully, but the pain is welcome.

It’s what you deserve for enjoying it.

A soft moan falls from your lips when he drops his hand between your legs, fingers working your clit with practiced ease.

He’s spent months learning and re-learning your body, he knows you almost as well as he knows himself, and if the only way you want him is physically then fine, but he’s going to make that want stronger than your hatred for him.

“O-oh god...” Your eyes squeeze shut as the edge creeps closer, each pass of his thumb on your clit and his cock between your walls bringing it so much nearer.

“You gonna cum for me, honey? Yeah? Gonna be my good girl?” You nod, if only so he doesn’t stop.

“Fuck, you feel so good, darling... so good.” He picks up speed, and you get lost in your orgasm like a leaf in a windstorm.

It picks you up and pulls you from reality. Bliss clouds your mind, your senses, and nothing matters except the rolling waves of pleasure flooding you.

“Just like that, honey... fuck.”

He drops his head into the crook of your neck, breaths hot and damp against your skin as he follows you into the blissful embrace.

His hips stutter to a stop, warmth painting your walls and filling you to the brim, just like he always does.

He pants against you, his mind consumed with obsession, adoration, love. He finally has you back in his arms. Finally gets to rebuild his family, get the happy ending he’s been craving.

He’s not gonna give it up.

You’re right where you belong.

~*~

He waits an absurdly long time before telling anyone.

He doesn’t want anyone to know, especially not Nat. Bucky, sure, he can know, but not Nat. Not after the way she kept so many secrets for so long.

It isn’t until you start showing -about two months after the positive tests- that he finally tells the two of them the good news, inviting them over to help set up the baby's room and have a nice night with his family.

Bucky and Steve have just finished painting the walls yellow, a neutral baby colour that you suggested.

Steve insists that you sit slightly outside the room, even though both windows are open and a fan is going, the paint specifically bought because it’s non-toxic.

But you don’t argue. You’ll sit as far away from them as possible.

Sarah’s in your lap, her eyes focused on the colouring book on the ground in front of her, her tongue poking out between her lips as she tries to stay inside the lines.

“Alright. That’s the crib all done. Honey, you wanna grab us a drink?”

Your head snaps up at Steve’s request, and you nod, rising to your feet and instinctively dropping a hand to your small bump.

“Can I help?” Sarah asks excitedly, bouncing up onto her toes and following you down the stairs.

“Of course. You wanna bring this up to Uncle Bucky?”

You pour two glasses of lemonade, one for the blond and one for the brunet.

“Can I have some?” You nod, grabbing a cup for her as she starts carefully up the stairs with the glass.

“Need a hand?” You stiffen, eyes slowly raising to the redhead’s.

“No.”

She sighs, taking a seat at the counter.

“Just hear me out, (Y/n), please. I just... I just wanna explain. Please.” You grind your teeth together at her.

“What could you possibly have to say to me? How could you possibly explain the way you betrayed me? Betrayed Sarah? You got my dad killed, Natasha, and now I’m pregnant again.”

She looks so lost, so desperate, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s her fault you’re here.

"Just please, (Y/n). Please.” There’s nothing you can really do to stop her. It’s obvious that Bucky and Steve would side with her over you in a heartbeat.

“I never breathed a single word of your whereabouts to anyone, I swear. Not even my therapist. I swear on my life, (Y/n) I never told anyone where to find you.”

You look up at her and shake your head.

“You were the only other person who knew where we were hiding.”

She lets out a shaky breath and looks away from your eyes.

“After what happened at the cabin I started going to therapy. Saw a good therapist who helped me get through a lot of stuff. James was going to therapy too, we were getting better together.”

You don’t think any therapy in the world will change the fact that James Barnes is a monster through and through, but you don’t say that to her. No, you let her continue.

“I started getting better. James did too. We got back to work, to helping people,  being the good guys.”

She pauses, sniffling then scrubbing at her cheek.

“I told him that uh, one of my friends had a baby and that spending time around them made me want one too. It upset me because that... that’s a dream that I’ll never be able to have. Or, I thought it was.” A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, but it lacks any positive emotions behind it.

“He told me about this experimental procedure that they started doing in Switzerland. Reversals for female sterilization. Highly experimental but... he said I should give it a shot. The worst that would happen would be... well... no worse than what I’ve had to live with for most of my life.”

She crosses her arms over her chest, not in defiance but in comfort. Self-comfort, and for a moment you feel bad for her.

“I talked it over with Bucky. Told him about how much I wanted a baby, a little mini version of him or I, and he was on board. Said he wished I told him sooner.” She chuckles, shaking her head fondly at the memory.

“That’s when I left for that while, remember?” You nod.

She missed Christmas and you were only slightly devastated at having to spend the holiday alone.

“I got the procedure done. Was on bed rest for a while after and even after I was given a clean bill of health I... I didn’t want to try. I was too nervous. Afraid that it wouldn't work but more afraid that it would.”

She takes a deep breath, her eyes squeezed shut tightly as she recounts the events that occurred leading up to your abduction. Her betrayal.

“It uh... it took three months but we conceived. I was finally pregnant.” She smiles a tearful, wet smile at you and your own eyes prickle with tears as you realize that her story won’t have a happy ending.

Your mind immediately goes to the worst things you can think of, ranging from miscarriage to murder, and you find yourself wanting to call Sarah down away from her father.

“I was ecstatic, (Y/n). I was so fucking happy.” Her eyes are filled with a type of sorrow that you’re far too familiar with. One you’ve felt too much in your short life.

“I told my shrink about it, told him how happy I was. Bucky and I cried together when we found out cause... we were finally gonna be parents. That’s around the time when I started coming by more often. What, sic months ago? Yeah, right around then. I uh, I wanted to wait until I was showing more to tell you, but...” She trails off, her face falling even more and tears trailing down her cheeks.

“That’s around the same time when Bucky started seeing Steve more. Spent less and less time at home with me and more time with Steve. I uh, got a call one day from his therapist, asking if everything was okay because she hadn’t seen him in weeks. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right. We hadn’t spoken to Steve since the cabin incident and then Bucky was spending every waking moment with him.”

She stops speaking, her fingers trembling and her bottom lip wobbling.

“What happened to the baby?” You ask softly, needing to know who hurt her, who caused it.

She exhales deeply and slowly opens her eyes.

“I uh, I guess Bucky must’ve told him. And uh... if Steve can’t have his happily ever after then no one can.”

My heart drops into my stomach.

“What did he do?”

She doesn’t answer right away. No, instead she picks at her fingers for a long moment.

“Did you know... that drinking certain teas can cause a miscarriage? Because I didn’t.” You furrow your brows, trying to figure out what she means until it dawns on you.

“He made you drink it?” You’re not sure which ‘he’ you’re talking about, but you know it must’ve been at least one, if not both of them.

“The last time I uh, set foot in this house before that dinner we had together... he invited us over for drinks and to watch the game. He made me some tea and asked me why I thought it was okay to keep secrets from him. I didn’t understand what he meant at the time but... that hardly matters. A few days later I started bleeding. A lot. I was in the infirmary for days on end only to find out that he’d poisoned my baby.”

She sniffles again and wipes her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“After that, he didn’t trust me, only trusted Bucky. Went to my therapist and took his notes, beat answers out of him when he refused to speak. I’m assuming they bugged me o-or something. Or followed my licence plate, searched through my history to figure it out."

Her candy apple green eyes meet yours, vibrant and staring directly into your soul with passion and fire rivalling that of a forest fire.

“I never breathed a single word of you or Sarah to anyone. Steve figured it out on his own, after almost killing my therapist, and killing my baby. I never said anything, I swear. On the life of my child, I didn’t say a thing.”

Your breaths come in shallow bursts, anxiety spiking as you shake your head.

“I-I don’t...” She puts a gentle hand on your shoulder and nods, guiding you towards the couch.

“I’m sorry. But that’s... that’s the truth. Steve is a monster, and he’s got Bucky following him mindlessly. I don’t... I don’t know what to do or who to turn to.”

You open your mouth to speak, but the sound of feet trudging down the stairs cuts you off.

“Everything alright down here?” Steve asks, reaching for his glass of lemonade but pausing when he sees the look of distress on your face.

His eyes flutter between you and Nat before he takes a seat beside you, grabbing your hand gently in his.

“Honey? You okay?”

You shake your head, trying to rid it of the overwhelming thoughts.

“Mommy?” The three of you look up as Sarah bounds down the stairs, climbing into your lap.

“Where’s my juice?” You pick her up and rest her on your hip as you stand up, walking into the kitchen to grab her cup of juice and distance yourself from the people on the couch.

Bucky comes down the stairs next, confused and wondering where everyone went.

His eyes find Natasha’s first, the poorly masked sorrow colouring her features, and his heart aches.

Sarah drinks her lemonade quickly, making a loud ‘ahh’ sound once she’s devoured the last drop.

“Can we have pizza for dinner?” She asks eagerly, looking up at you with big blue eyes.

You swallow hard then nod, your eyes slowly raising to Steve’s as he walks over to you.

“Pizza?” You ask softly, turning back to your daughter when he nods.

“Of course.” She squeals excitedly, wrapping her arms around your neck and hugging you tightly.

You hug her closer to your body, burying your face in her hair as a tear slips down your cheek.

You knew he was a bad man, but you never thought he’d hurt a child. That would’ve been his niece or nephew, a friend for Sarah and your new baby. But no, he decided that Natasha didn’t deserve her happy ending, neither did Bucky.

Natasha is one of the few friends you’ve ever had, and the fact that he’d hurt her that way, kill off her one dream, is disgusting.

It makes you wonder what he’ll do to you, or even Sarah.

You thought hurting kids was something Steve would never do, but now you’re not so sure.

[cozycottagetarot]

Who's Coming In & Why? (General)

Here’s the thing… I'd love to tell you this is all love and friendships, but it’s not. It’s more of a who’s coming in to help you move forward.

Still, I’m posting it because it may still resonate with some people.

However, I will do a second reading of the same topic in the future focusing on love and friendships in particular.

Check out my Paid Readings ✨

PILE 1 — The Inspiration

Energy surrounding them: Queen of Pentacles

I see this as being some person you need to move you forward, be it a general mentor, someone with a career, or someone to get you motivated to get up and take action (the latter comes through strongest) . They could be well off, not necessarily lavishly rich, but more so in the sense of being a better situation than you. There could be a nurturing or gentle energy to them as well.

The vibes I get: Vision boards, goals, goal setting, power move

Why they’re coming in? The Empress, Judgement, The Tower (all reversed)

There may be some kind of disharmony in your life, particularly with you. You may be too much into your masculine energy (logic and material) and neglecting your feminine energy (nurturing, intuition). It could be a matter of self confidence and unhappiness with how your life is going. This person is coming in to put you back on track, and shift your perspective. Them entering your life will help you to face your fears and release any self doubt you may have. They may help you to avoid ending up in a bad place. Because all your cards keep coming out reversed (even though I didn’t want to take all reversals) I see it as a sign as well to don’t be afraid to start anew, instead of trying to situate everything exactly the way it was in the before. Like that quote/saying that goes something like-- "don’t be afraid to start over because this time you’re not starting from scratch, your starting from experience?"

How they'll help you? 10 of Swords, 9 of Wands reversed

The only place to go from here is up, but you need to stop being so stubborn about it. This person coming in is going to help you get your back you drive to 'fight' so you can pursue happiness/goals in a new way.

Potential Struggles? Knight of Wands, The Star reversed

Be careful your inspired action is not really impulsivity . You’ll have to do some inner work as well. You may compare yourself to this person and risk falling back into the same state again. You need to take responsible actions, get in tune with your emotions and work on your confidence and any anxieties you may have. Healing from the past as well, because your past isn’t your future.

PILE 2 -- The Therapist

Energy surrounding them: The Star

The energy surrounding the person coming in is one of calm and stability, and that is what they will bring to you. This person is going to help heal you, be it professionally (a therapist or psychologist) or unintentionally (someone who triggers our healing). This person is going to feel like everything will be okay.

The vibes I get: therapy, a guiding star, two people sitting and talking, letting your soul speak

Why they’re coming in? 6 of Wands reversed, The Moon, 6 of cups reversed

This person is going to help reveal the truth about a situation. Particularly if you haven’t had the best things happening a) in most of your life, or b) in this particular chapter or your life. This person will help you realise the things that weren’t your fault, the things you can change and the things that all come down to your beliefs. You may come to realise with the help of this person, that a lot of fears and limitations you have are self imposed. Not only that, but this person may help you figure out what your positive inner voice sounds like and help you to embrace it. Any dreams you’ve had hidden away (sleep dreams or goals-dreams) may also become more clear to you. After this you’ll be able to move forwards in live. The past won’t hold you back anymore. You’ll be able to move on or view these events that took place through a new lense.

How they'll help you? 3 of Wands, 8 of Swords reversed

The blindfold is going to come off. You’re going to be able to move forward in your life. The work you put in is going to help you move forward with a new found confidence and belief in self. You’ll be able to take your life into your own hands.

Potential Struggles? king of pentacles & ace of swords

You may struggle with the whole process of breaking through and envisioning a different future for yourself. Also, seeing your growth and how mature and stable (as in the different areas of your life) you may have become may take you some time or be difficult.

Pile 3-- The Sage

Energy surrounding them: The Emperor

The person coming into your life has a strong energy to them. They are most likely older than you or at the least has a very wise energy to them. They might not be the most emotional or expressive, but they are reliable.

The vibes I get: Someone with an otherworldly energy or wisdom. Someone established. You can't help but notice them.

Why they're coming in? 4 of Pentacles, The Chariot, Page of Cups

This person is coming in to show you how to find and build security in many aspects of your life the right way. You may be holding onto things that aren’t good for you and this person is going to come in and force you to ask yourself why. Also potentially isolation may be something you need to deal with. You may be currently playing defence. But once you allow yourself to let go, you may find new things, people, and opportunities come in, better than you image. You may find yourself becoming someone you really want to be as well as finding yourself in the beginning stages of tapping into your emperor energy.

How they'll help you? Strength reversed, Knight of Swords

They’re going to help you tap into your inner strength so you can take the necessary actions to help yourself. They’ll help trigger the arrival of big changes in your life.Things will finally start to flow.

Potential Struggles? Judgement, 6 of Pentacles

You may feel resistant at first, feeling as if they don’t know what they’re talking about and are just trying to bring you down. You may be hesitant to take their advice or trust that they have your best interest in mind.

** Gandalf. Gandalf came to me but I don’t know why as I know practically nothing about him. 😬 Maybe you do!?

Pile 4-- The Charmer

Energy surrounding them: 8 of Cups reversed

The person coming in is going to scare you, but not in a bad way. You may have this happy, “I’m put together” facade, and this person is going to be able to see right through it. They have the ability, literally or metaphorically, to bring you into something better and that may leave you feeling afraid.

The vibes I get: Someone clever and charming. Feeling flustered. Oh no, I have a crush.

Why they’re coming in? Temperance, 9 of Pentacles, 8 of Swords

They’re coming in to show you that if you stop allowing fear to keep you where you are, peace, balance, and contentment will find you. The situation you may be staying in may not be a result of your actions, and taking the steps to get out of it may be difficult, but this person is one hundred percent here to challenge your reasoning for why you can’t.

How they'll help you? The Magician, 10 of Swords, The High Priestess reversed

They’re going to show you magic. I’m feeling like you might develop a romantic or platonic crush on them. There’s just that vibe. They’re going to show you how amazing you truly are. They’re going to show you that you have the ability to make things happen. They’ll help you create that ending and see your new beginning.

Potential Struggles? Knight of Cups reversed, 2 of Wands

This person most likely isn’t going to stay long and that may throw you off guard. This all feels very fast paced so their quick arrival and departure may leave you feeling a little bit broken hearted. Be careful you’re not investing too much headspace and emotion in this person.

Pile 5-- The Cheerleader

Energy surrounding them: 3 of Swords reversed

This person has a very calm healing energy to them. I feel like if you’re going through a heartbreak in particular, the prominent pain of it is going to start disappearing. I actually redid your reading and the vibes I was getting before were not good ones. I felt like I was trying to shoo it away, and the reading felt like it was about someone leaving you who had hurt you so I think that’s what this could be. This could also be someone from the past. An old friend in particular.

**As for the person from the past, to help you figure out if this reading is for you— i was thinking back of the cards I pulled and this person felt emotionally immature and manipulative, though I’m not sure it’s intentionally. Were you trying to fix them? To make them feel better? But they were so stuck in their toxic habits/mindset that they just ended up sending your world into turmoil? Because that came through strongly just now.

The vibes I get: thank you, troubles disappearing, a sigh of relief

Why they’re coming in? King of Swords, King of Cups reversed, 4 of Cups reversed

This person is coming in to help you move on from the pain and worries that you have been in. You’re ready to get back to business and this person will be there for you. Cheerleading came to me as well, so that’s what they’ll be— your cheerleader. You’re also going to be stepping into a new chapter of maturity and level headedness. Any responsibilities or ideas you’ve been putting off, this person is going to help you with them.

How they'll help you? 9 of Wands, The Empress reveresed

Like I mentioned before, they’re going to help ease your anxieties, pain and sadness. With The Empress rx, ‘makeover’ came to me as well and I got super excited, so maybe that’s what you need and this person will help you with? They’re going to help you sort your emotions, make sense of everything and feel confident, attractive and capable again.

Potential Struggles? The World, Page of Wands

Setting your world back in order is going to take some work, but the results will be worth it. The only caution would be don’t rush your actions, without thinking about the consequences fully.

———

Disclaimer: I read tarot for self reflection and guidance purposes, but as always, this reading is for fun and entertainment purposes only. I may include advice for if you find a particular topic resonating, but it is in no way meant to replace any kind of professional advice. Any reading I post is in no way meant to act as or replace professional advice of any kind. You know yourself and what’s going on in your life best so I ask that you trust yourself above all else. Prediction readings are to be seen simply as a potential outcome. Finally, please take only what resonates from the reading which may be some of it, all of it, or none at all.