#ive always thought it was very good advice

[tangledinink]

Chapter Fifteen of I'm Sorry, Teenage Mutant What Now? is now live. Please read it on ao3 or below the cut.

[ prev ]

My Dear Children,

The other day I saw a story on TV about a man who's friend had died at a young age. He decided to create what he called a 'life list'.  What many refer to as a ‘bucket list’ he turned on its head, instead making a list of things to do with his life. He's become something of a celebrity as he posts videos of himself accomplishing his numbered goals. He's spent a week on a deserted island, he's helped a stranger, he's gotten married to a person he met that day in Las Vegas, etc.

So as I watched the story it struck me - if everyone made videos of their ‘life list’ there would be hundreds of thousands of videos and no one with enough time to watch them all.  Plus, many of life's more important accomplishments don't really translate well onto video.

So I decided to work on my own life list which I am sure will never get a lot of you-tube play, but I think is kind of important nonetheless:

1)  Give some very worthwhile children a chance to see if they can make it in the world and achieve their own sort of happiness

2)  Find people honest and kind and who love you for who are - despite your failings and flaws

3)  Be kind to your world and treat it as if it's important and needed by those who will come after you are gone

4)  Be a good and respectful neighbor for all and treat those you meet with kindness and helpfulness

There are probably tons of other stuff that should be here, but these four are at the top. Call it my Mt. Rushmore of life achievements.

I love you all,

Dad

[ next ]

[tommygotwrittenoff]

the fact that eddie and maddie have never interacted outside a group setting is so funny actually. you cannot tell me those two wouldnt get on like a house on fire. i fear the day we get a solo maddie and eddie scene is the day we get buddie canon

[girlivealwaysbean]

dni.

[bugflies00]

i have so many thoughts about the tommy song/video and theyre a jumbled mess. i wouldnt call this an analysis this is just. most of my thoughts surrounding the video and what it shows about tommy

one of the things that stuck out to me (outside of how depressing and just like. is this guy okay) is something that ive always respected tommy for because he's always stuck with it and its his like. fervent conviction in people doing things theyre passionate about. thats always been one of the things he talks about all the time!!!

when AI started appearing he was talking about death of creativity, with the internet he's always talking about how the real tragedy is the algorithm killing people's passion by driving them with views and money, and even when he talks about youtube itself, and nowadays standup, its so full of passion.

and i think thats really important because it would be extremely easy for someone like tommy, who's in the process of maturing his online image from a very loud, immature and PASSIONATE persona, to make fun of it. it would be so easy to do like so many other creators and laugh at how "cringe" it was and make a quick cash/attention grab with a funny clip of him laughing at himself. but he never has. well don't get me wrong he's laughed at himself or old videos but it's always just. good natured taking the piss out of himself, it's never this like. mocking your younger self who was so excited to do what they did only because now its "cringe".

not only is he constantly giving that advice to other people (its been years of him replying, to any kid in his chat or donations asking advice on how to be a creator etc, "just go and do it if you love it!!"), he's coherent with how he applies it to himself. he realised he was making cash grab tiktok react vids and hated it so much he just stopped uploading for a while.

i dont know i just think there's something admirable about being able to still be sincere in a time where everything especially online has to be processed through a layer of irony. and its even funnier because he's more sincere THROUGH the irony i mean he's literally going into standup.

letting yourself create something that "means" something is fucking hard especially when half the internet still sees you as a kid who screams around. except the thing is that kid DID make stuff that mattered and that meant something because he was, in his own words, having fun.

i think thats what the format of the video was about too. i mean i think it was pretty clearly not a song thats meant to be streamed, its not purely music, its also a video because tommy is also first and foremost an editor who went to film college. its also not a "comedy" song like he's made some before, because those were all intentionally created to land as many jokes and make a big buzz— which doesnt mean they were bad! im philza is a contemporary lyrical masterpiece. but they had a specific purpose and it was to make people laugh and i think this video was completely like. opposite of what peoples expectations are of tommy. the "wow hes not a child anymore hes being mature🤓" reactions are the most obvious aspect of this (which, like, its been a while, get with the program).

i think the point of this was to make something that genuinely meant something but that was also like. as unpalatable to the algorithm and to the TommyInnit Viewer as possible. even now that he's gone into making quieter, more reflective videos, we've never had the flashing texts and the projector images and just all of that. hes always talking about how he hates the way the "youtube formula" has dictated the course of content and stolen all creativity for youtubers. its not meant to be a YouTube Video tm. its just meant to mean something to someone, and obviously process some sort of personal emotions, and i just think thats. yeah. yeah

i mean he even says so outright. "this needless, self indulgent spiral of self gratification" is pretty damn explicit. its not meant to be funny content its really a cry for help or for just. anything at all really

it was also a lot about perception, yknow the "entertainer" dilemma, "its all attention porn"... theres a layer of this point thats universal, everyone struggles with how they're perceived and i think any "artist" or "entertainer" figure can see themselves in it, but there's also a layer thats completely impermeable to most of us because it touches upon the sheer absurdity of a "youtuber". especially one of tommy's popularity. especially one who blew up so so fast so young. i honestly think its IMPOSSIBLE to process that. its about the ethics of having millions of people's time so readily available to you if you just press the right buttons to make the algorithm happy and then you've got them. im like 75% sure i remember him saying this on stream once, something like "your time is valuable" and if a fan didnt value him as an entertainer they should drop him.

and even here^ thats the saddest "lmao" ive seen in my life SORRY LOL but its really just. yeah im not gonna repeat myself it speaks for itself. perception and internet expectations and all that

one of the other images that stuck out to me was also this:

"yeah i know its too much like bo burnham but it wont be in a year though. in a year it will be like tom simons. just let me figure out what that means, ok?"

a lot of the video is about. influences and inspirations. the bo burnham references are so obvious he's poking at them, but i think he's raising a good point about the creativity that he's constantly praising. its never something that springs up on its own, its all about looking at others work and making it your own and feeding yourself with all those experiences and slowly, surely building your own way of doing things (tommyinnit "minecraft talent show" and "a tribute to dream smp" serial quackity + schlatt impersonator would know all about that) ->

and its daunting! its fucking scary to move away from that! which is also the main vibe i got from the video which, outside of his own issues with how he's perceived online, was the sort of existential dread that comes with actually creating. its one thing to preach you need to be passionate and create, its another to sit down and create something thats BY you. its a part of growing up! and we're literally seeing him do it live (well the bits that he chooses to show obviously)! thats also part of why i think tommy's so relatable to so many people is that he's so like. honest and real about what it's like to grow up, simple as that, and growing into yourself.

"this was everything to me" and using the picture of his younger self... man. theres obviously so much sadness underlying the whole thing but i think the nostalgia and melancholy in mourning being someone who was only inspired/excited by your interests and role models is universal. and obviously for tommy a lot of those influences turned out. well i think it was pretty damn clear who/what he was referring to here. ->

i don't think i need to go too in detail about that, especially cause a lot of the video was clearly a way to process his own personal emotions. especially with those next few images. i just hope he's okay and that god doubles his pain and gives it to mr beast to quote my friend bronzetomatoes. man.

of course he had to end with a funny clip about a hot anime girl and i think that kinda. sums it all up in a way. if that makes sense. at the end of the day its about the fact that he has to use humour to make the thing work when its out in the open, even when he tries not to and to be actually honest, but theres also the fact that hes literally a comedian and creating something "honest" IS through humor. its kindof a double edged sword

right well that was my jumbled mess of psychoanalysing tommyinnit i hope he is alright and all that because well that was. something

[malewifesband]

as big as the friend confession scene is i love this part best. laios is ofc still under the impression that kabru likes monster food and went thru this big effort to make something special for him and then kabru goes out of his way to be so warm and sweet, and frankly a bit flirtatious like i know he thinks that exit killed it

and hes kinda right bc laios cannot stop staring after him when he leaves and i cannot attribute all that to him being confused about what kabru meant by "dont forget me next time". like laios means it if he says something like "meeting you was the best part of this" those are not empty words even if hes under a false impression about kabru--i dont think its just that kabru shared his interest that has his attention either. i think its bc kabru really engaged with him. i dont think his opinion wouldve changed much if kabru said "nahhhh im good i wont eat a monster cool for you tho have fun" instead of saying he would try it

(and he really is trying the 'laugh at anything he says so he'll feel special' strat here huh.....)

and kabru despite being a stranger he helped get thru to shuro about falins resurrection

and he does it with a sensitivity and care that laios wishes he was capable of and he know it limits him as a leader

the thought laios keeps having about kabru isnt "wow he loves monsters too!" its "wow he is sooooo nice :3" which he is! at this stage he likes kabru bc he feels heard by him and kabru has qualities he knows he lacks but admires greatly and didnt make fun of him or call him weird for his interest in monsters

the way kabru acts and thinks about laios at this point feels allegorical to how people feel in new relationships. can i trust you? are you who you seem? if i tell you how ive been hurt, will you use this to hurt me or to protect me? i dont know yet, but i like you so far, so im going to show you the self that i think you'll like best. i want to impress you. i want you to trust me so maybe i can trust you

so much of dungeon meshi is about the way that we accidentally hurt our loved ones because we cant always understand them, or we dont know whats best for them when theyve been hurt in such complex ways, or because were too scared of being hurt again to tell them not to press into the bruise (see: chimera falin, falin giving up parts of her life to suit/protect marcille and laios bc she loves them, laios driving marcille deeper into the winged lions grip TWICE with his advice in the nightmares and again with the dungeon rabbits, everything chilchuck has ever done in his whole life, laios' father's everything also, and this is a labru post so ofc kabru lying about wanting to eat monsters to impress laios) i wouldnt be surprised if the allegory was intentional

anyways this part of their relationship budding into a toxic little flower theyll have to prune later is very cute to me and i really like reading it again knowing how they turn their relationship around later into one built on a mutual understanding and trust

[thehauntedetheral]

Can I request Yandere doctor x patient???

Yandere Doctor

Requests are open!

• The world should just end. It was the only thing you were manifesting right now as you were walking down the street.

• Why? Because well when you were mourning at home on your parents death anniversary your boyfriend of years was cheating on you with some random girl. And also your landlord has given you the notice to leave the house in 2 weeks all of a sudden. The only thing you have now is your job.

• You were going to meet a broker to find a new house when your stomach ache started again. You have been feeling this way for quite some days but you ignored it as you haven't got much time between finding a new house and your love life's drama. And on top of that this stomach ache. Just great. Please god just kill me you thought when out of nowhere you felt fainting. No. No god I just thought that figuratively not literary Please don't kill me you thought before black took you over.

• You woke up and found your self on an hospital bed. An IV attached to your hand.

• An handsome doctor came in giving you a polite smile. "Glad you woke up. You fainted on street a kind stranger got you here. You fainted due to appendicitis. It was infected so we took out via surgery. The staff called your emergency contact which is your friend I guess. she signed all the surgery and consent paper while you were unconscious. We have to keep you here for two days under observation just in case nothing serious." The handsome doctor said. Well that explains everything how I ended here you thought.

• After the doctor went your friend came in. Fussing all over you.

• Your friend stayed with you most of the time during the 2 days. You both thought that the doctor was so polite, good looking and handsome. Especially more handsome in his scrubs

• During the two days you were in the hospital. Yan Doctor would stop at your room a lot unnecessarily.

• He would check up on you a lot saying "doctor duties" when it was not at all necessary but who is gonna tell you anyways.

• Would try to chit chat with you and your friends during his break.

• Switched his shift with his colleague just to be around you went it was his day off.

• When he heard you were looking for a house. He told you a house beside his is empty and affordable so if you want you can move there.

• After getting discharged you went to get a look at the house. It was so spacious and beautiful yet it's price was too low according to its infrastructure you thought when it should cost a lot. Nevermind the owners loss you thought and moved into that house.

• You and yan doctor were neighbours now.

• He would often invite you for meals at his house. Under the facade of "I again made too much".

• Helps you in shifting and settling down. Saying "I am just being a good Neighbour".

• Well in reality the owner of that house is none other than yan doctor. He knew that this house's rent value is a lot but he told you less because he wanted you closer to him. In fact he wanted to give you this house to live at free but that would cause a lot of suspicion so he told you a very low price.

• Has been obsessed with you since he saw you unconscious on the stretcher brought into hospital looking beautiful as angel. He thought you looked beautiful while unconscious. But when he talked to you saw you smile, heard your voice he thought you were out worldly. Just Divine.

• This man is madly in love with you.

• Kills your ex with a overdose of drug making it look like an accident just because he was jealous and mad that he hurt you emotionally. How could someone cheat on such a perfect human? He thought.

• Tries his best to become close to you and become your friend and more.

• Gives you health advice all of the time.

• You fell sick? This man becomes your personal doctor, nurse everything.

• Has so much money that always showers you with your favourite coffees, meals and tickets to movies or concert. His reason? "Well I was just passing by and saw this I know you like it so I bought it for you". When in reality this man specifically goes to that place just for getting it for you.

• He sees your one smile and feel like he won in life. This man is whipped for you.

• If you ask this man for his heart he would literally tear his chest and pull his heart out for you. Nothing matters to him except you. You are his everything.

• When you get an invite to a wedding. You thought who should I take with me as a date?

• Yan Doctor keeps throwing hints at you all week indicating that he wants to be your wedding date. This man is so desperate for you.

• When you finally ask him to be your wedding date. This man is the most happiest person in world. You might think you just asked him to marry you by looking at his happy expressions.

• Well don't worry darling because he is damn sure you are gonna marry him one day.

• With you being conscious or high with drug. Choice is yours darling. After all he is a good doctor and knows how to use them well.

Requests are open!

For more yandere reading:

[h-170]

gurl ur writing skills are wow :0

im literally a WHORE for sakura so can i plz request a sakura fluff-smut? so basically reader and sakura are like professional partners (reader is a producer and sakura is sakura obviously) but they are close ASF and it's all lovey-dovey until sakura asks for advice to confess and WABAM wild sex bc why not :3

can i be ⭐ anon? thx! take ur timeeee

THANK YOU SO MUCH :D

its been two fics and ive been getting so many conpliments<33

and ofc you can be ⭐ anon!! we alr got an anon yippiiii

anyways lets start

✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆

“Saki’s producer”

g!p Sakura Miyawaki x female reader

Fluff & smut + ¼ of depressed reader and Sakura

Dirty talk

Making out

Unprotected sex

Overstimulation

Mention of almost getting hit by a car

Mention of getting hit by a car

Mention of death

Indirect mention of suicide

Mention of masturbation

kkura has a big dick :3

‼️NOT proofread‼️

✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆

Gosh, this is exhausting.

Being a producer isn't the best job when you are constantly busy with your personal life, having no one to talk to, always running late for your meetings and other reunions with staff...

But what was the thing that kept you going?

Sakura, obviously.

Okay, okay, the other members are really nice too but Sakura's a different case. Like, an entirely different case.

Every member has a personal producer, (other than the ten thousand they have), and luckily enough, you were paired with Sakura. You thought at first it was probably gonna be awkward since you guys lost connection before meeting back again in LE SSERAFIM, but it wasn't, at least for Sakura.

You two got along very well and very quickly, catching up with everything that happened; good and bad. But there was one bad thing you didn't tell Sakura, and wasn't planning on doing so, but little did you know she was going to discover it later on.

Sakura had a very busy schedule, just like you, and you had to help her with her lessons, obviously, so you decided to stick to late-night practicing sessions, just you and her, no one else. It was kind of romantic if you think about it, but no, you couldn't think about it, this relationship is supposed to be professional.

Then one night, after everyone left, you found Sakura already waiting for you in the room, headphones on and everything. You smile and she smiles back, but there was something about her that was off tonight. However, you brush it off. You sit down on the desk between many and put your stuff there. You look up at her, still with the smile on your face.

"So, ready?" you ask her.

"Yeah..." she replies, a bit unsure.

"O-kay, so let's start from the beginning, yeah?"

"Okay."

She puts her glasses on and looks at the screen in front of her where the lyrics were written, holding her stylus tightly. She sighs, takes a deep breath and starts singing.

You listen to her carefully, preparing yourself to note anything down if needed. As you listened, you couldn't help but feel your heart beat slightly faster; her voice was something you could always recognize, and something you could always listen to.

But then, she stops, a groan escaping her which snaps you out of your thoughts.

"Sakura?"

She looks at you, silent. She sighs again.

"I'm not satisfied with how this is turning out..."

"What are you talking about?"

You hear her dropping her stylus on the desk, watching her disappear behind the desk as she flops back on her chair.

"My voice sounds horrible, Y/N, I don't know what to do. It's exhausting, it's tiring, it's..."

She trails off as she turns to her left, looking at you as you stand there. You take a few steps and rest yourself back against her desk, facing her.

"I don't think your voice is bad."

"Key word: 'Think'. It IS horrible, I just think I should quit-"

"Sakura, what am I here for?"

She looks up, slightly hesitant.

"Let me rephrase that: What am I or... What is my role in this company?"

"A producer..."

"Okay, and what do producers do?"

She pauses, knowing what you were going to say anyway. She chuckles and smiles, that smile making your cheeks burn.

"I know... But I just... It's hard."

"I know it's hard, but I'm here to help you. All the other producers are here for you."

Sakura stands up, facing you, then pulls you into a warm hug. You flinch a bit but immediately hug her back.

"Maybe I'm overreacting... Sorry."

"You're not, it's okay. It's okay to be scared, but you shouldn't let that affect you in a way to stop doing what you love."

She nodded, pulling away, even though she did want it to last longer, but she didn't want you to think she's super clingy.

"So... Again?"

"Yeah... Yeah, let's do it."

"That's the spirit, Kkura."

With a thumbs up and a wink, you return to your seat. But Sakura was still not present.

Kkura, gosh, it sounded so beautiful coming from you.

She pushes these thoughts aside and you two get back to work.

Two hours passed, and it was midnight now. You pack your stuff up and stand, stretching your arms above your head. Now (ahem) your black top slides up, revealing your abs... And Sakura couldn't help but stare (😭). She immediately turns away though, afraid that this might give her a few thoughts...

"Okay, let's go."

"U-Uhm, yeah..."

You two start walking in the hallways, then you remembered something.

"Hey, isn't your house far from here?"

"Kind of..."

"How about you stay at mine? We can have a girls' night!"

Sakura liked the idea, so she nodded with a smile. She adjusts her cap so nobody recognizes her and heads home alongside you. You walked, talked, laughed, your voices echoing in the busy streets. After a while, you point at a building on the other side of the road, saying this is your apartment. Sakura nods and you look on both sides of the road, then walk first. That road was so long... It was also dangerous. Sakura followed you, but then...

"Y/N! WATCH OUT!"

You look back quickly just to see Sakura running towards you and pushing you aside, both of you falling on the sidewalk, your eyes watching the car speed by with a police car right after it. She stands up, taking your arm and trying to lift you up.

"Y/N, are you okay? Y/N? Y/N!"

But you couldn't respond, your brain still processing that you were almost going to get hit by a car. Sakura didn't know that THAT was your worst trauma; after your father got hit by a car just to save you, your mother never recovered from it. She didn't try to put the blame on you, in fact, she tried to take care of you on her own, but the pain was too much for her to handle. One morning you woke up to a letter on your bedside table. It was an apology. She... left this world. Your aunt then took care of you, and you were never the same.

Sakura didn't know that.

But were you gonna tell her?

"Y/N... Come on, you're okay, let's go home before it starts raining..."

You snap back to reality, getting up with effort. Your eyes were still wide with shock and disbelief, making Sakura slightly suspicious as this incident hurt you more than it should have.

"Right..."

You turn and walk towards the building, entering your apartment. It was completely silent, no words were exchanged either. As you settle down and put your stuff away, change your clothes and everything, you break the silence by joining Sakura in the living room with a t-shirt and shorts of your own.

"Here, this is for you."

Sakura blushes slightly and smiles, getting up and taking them from you.

"Thank you. I'll be back, give me a minute."

You nod and sit down on the couch, still thinking about what happened. By the time Sakura got back, you made up your mind; you were gonna tell her. You call her name and explain everything, and she listens carefully without saying a word. Eventually, when you were done, your eyes were filled with unshed tears, and you were doing a great job at holding them back, but the second she put her hand on your shoulder comfortingly, you just burst out crying, your face in your hands as you sob uncontrollably. She pulls you onto her lap, hugging you so tightly, shielding you from the evil outside world.

"Shh... It's okay, Y/N, it's okay..."

"I...I...I... just w-wish I could b-bring them back..."

Her heart clenches as she sees how sad you were. She never saw you like this. You were always so optimistic and teasing and... Happy. But she never knew you were carrying all that weight behind a smile, and she felt guilty not to notice.

You stay like that for a while, just crying and nothing else, until eventually you both fall asleep due to exhaustion.

[...]

The next morning, there was a delicious smell that woke you up from your sleep. You rub your eyes and sit up, your eyes locked on Sakura, who just finished cooking eggs. She smiles warmly at you and places two plates on the counter.

"Good morning."

"Good morning..."

"I made breakfast. I didn't know what to make at first so I cooked some eggs, hope you didn't need them for anything..."

"No, it's fine. Thank you."

You leave the room to do your routine in the bathroom, making Sakura eat on her own for a moment. You come back, sitting next to her as she almost finished her plate. You hum in approval at the first bite, taking another, and a third, stuffing your mouth with the delicious food given to you. Sakura laughs, watching you.

"Is it really that good?"

"Mhm."

What a nice morning, right?

After all that, you get ready and go back to work, preparing for your next session later.

Day after day, your relationship grew stronger, and your feelings for each other even more. But who was bothered the most? You thought it was you but, actually, it was Sakura.

After that day when she saved you and discovered your past, she couldn't help but think about it and how much you went through, as well as how strong and independent you are, all your goods and all your flaws, literally analyzing you. But it was too much to bear. She was going to explode soon...

Later on a sunny day, she invited Chaewon and Eunchae to her place, going to open a conversation she never thought she would have.

"Ding-dong!"

"Coming!"

Sakura opens the door, revealing a very excited Eunchae and a confident Chaewon (as always). They all settle down and Chaewon turns to her unnie.

"So..."

"Before all this, anyone hungry?"

They both shake their heads with a smile. Sakura takes a deep breath, calming herself down.

"This is... About Y/N."

"Huh, weird. What about it, Kkura-unnie?"

"You see, Chaewon, I'm just going to go straight to the point; I'm in love with Y/N."

Chaewon doesn't seem too surprised, but Eunchae however squeals in excitement.

"Really?!"

"Yes... And I need advice. Please?"

Chaewon smirks.

"I have an idea..."

[...]

Sunday night, last day of the week. You and Sakura normally don't work, but she asked you for a late-night practicing session. Just once because she told you it was important. But this time, it was different. This time, the tension was thick.

You enter the room and Sakura is already there. However, she didn't have her headphones on, her stylus wasn't between her fingers, and the screen wasn't even on. There was just a nervous Sakura, standing before you.

You smile, putting your stuff on the floor.

"Hey."

"Hey..."

Before you could do anything else, she calls you over.

"Could you come here for a minute?"

You comply, walking towards her and behind the desk. You place one hand on it to support your weight, the other one on your hip.

"So..."

"Ahem..."

She clears her throat and faces you. You take a moment to look at her, seeing that she dressed up nicer than last time, and the one before, and also the one before... The pieces sticking together in your head. Her nice clothes, the requested session, her unusual behaviour... It was all clear; Sakura wanted something from you.

"Y/N, I hope I didn't bother you by asking you to come here so late, and on a day off..."

"It's alright, but is everything okay? You seem off."

"The thing is... I didn't exactly call you to practice."

You pause, processing her words, but there was no sign of annoyance in your voice, rather understanding and a crumb of confusion.

"What did you call me for, then, Kkura?"

My God, please stop calling me that. Actually, no don't stop...- She sighs, maintaining her composure.

"I have to talk to you."

"...go on."

She looks away for a moment.

"I'm going to be honest with you. Y/N, you're a great person, and I've always admired you for who you are."

"...That's..."

"You don't have to say anything, but please hear me out."

You nod as she turns to you.

"Y/N, I... Really don't want to ruin things between us, as well as I don't know how to stop my selfishness for having you all to myself all the time."

"What do you mean...?"

"You see... I had a hard time finding out what I was feeling all this time. You made me suffer. A lot."

You feel guilty, unsure of why you are feeling this way. Suffer?

"I have developed feelings for you over time. Maybe not when we were young back then, but now... I suppose... I'm not sure, but either way, I do like you."

You stay silent, eyes widen and rosy cheeks. You look at Sakura's embarrassed figure, her hands held tightly together as she talks. You swallow, and you can't help but smile.

"You know... I'm not good with words, but..."

"What is it?"

"I like you too."

"...wha-"

She cuts herself off by rubbing her eyes with one hand.

"Sorry, I'm kind of sleepy-"

"I like you."

The second time you said it made it more sincere, and she smiled uncontrollably, looking away with flushed cheeks.

"Was that what you called me for?"

"Yeah... Sorry, I should've just texted you or something."

"But I can't do this if you just confessed by text or call."

She turns to look at you, unsure what you define as 'this', but she very quickly discovers what it means. With a gentle tug on her wrist, you pull her close and you find yourself closing the gap between you and your crush with a kiss. It wasn't rough or passionate, it was all gentle and soft, also short.

"It's hard to believe you've never kissed someone, Kkura."

"I'd say the same to you."

You both giggle before kissing again, pinning Sakura against the wall as she wraps her arms around your neck, pulling you closer. Your bodies were glued together, and none of you were willing to let go. Both of you were kissing loudly, the sound of your wet lips filling the room even more than your moans.

There were so many things going on at once; your mouths locked together, your lips getting soaked, your tongues getting sucked in and doing a wrestling match, drooling all over yourselves, not even caring about the mess, then your hands roaming everywhere.

It was crazy, but it felt so good, so right. Even if both of you were breathless, you didn't stop, you couldn't stop. Never in your life did you think that your dream of making out with Sakura will come true, but here you were.

But, wait a minute...

You pull back, wiping your drool with the back of your hand before looking down, and- Oh...

"Y/N- I can explain..."

"You... Have a dick?"

The way you made it sound was so hot, Sakura's dick twitched against your core. Gosh, that felt good.

"So, are you planning on putting that cock to work?"

Sakura's eyes widened as she sees you weren't bothered, yet in fact impatient to see Sakura use her cock on you. Or it would probably be best to say in you. She smirks darkly.

"Well, I mean... You aren't going to leave me with a raging boner, right?"

You chuckle, and you both know what to do. Giving her a large trenchcoat from the staff closet, you both run out, knowing exactly where to go.

[...]

The door busts open and you drag Sakura inside, closing the door shut without even locking it. Sakura doesn't even wait for you; running upstairs to your bedroom as if someone was chasing her to murder her.

You follow her next, closing the door behind you as you lean back against it, giving Sakura a smirk.

"You always boss me around, Y/N. Now, it's my turn."

She charges at you, literally ripping your clothes off as you watch them fall to the floor. In less than a minute, you were already naked and ready to be completely destroyed by your now-girlfriend. You give her a peck on the lips teasingly and walk towards the bed, sitting on the edge. In a flash, she takes off her clothes as well, and you see her hard cock flopping before you.

That thing was at least 6 inches, already dripping with precum and swinging back and forth with every step Sakura took towards you.

"Like what you see? Very big, huh?"

"Very. Now... Enough chitchat and shove that dick inside me already."

You crawl back until your back hits the headboard, watching as Sakura crawls towards you menacingly (in a hot way). As soon as she spreads your legs, she raises an eyebrow.

"Hm, why's it gaping a bit?"

"Hah, funny, but... Let's just say I finger myself a bit..."

You blush in embarrassment as you answer, making Sakura smirk even more.

"Thinking about me, I hope."

"You have no idea."

"I gotta admit, I get myself off just by watching you dance."

"Damn, really?"

"Yeah, so that means I can go fast, right?"

"Oh yeah, fuck me hard."

"Good, because I don't think I can hold myself back when I see how delicious your pussy looks."

You couldn't help but clench around nothing because of her words, she saw that, and she likes that. Her juicy tip pushes inside you, your only response being the action of arching your back.

"Oh my God..."

"Thank goodness you're not tight, I can fuck you with ease."

Her thrusts don't start slow, but fast, making you grunt at how good it feels. You were already so wet, helping Sakura pump in and out of you. You grind back against her dick, desperate to keep her deep inside you. Her balls slap against your ass cheeks with every thrust, the sound is literally music to your ears.

"Hah~ Hah~ Ugh~"

"Yeah, good girl, uh-huh~"

"Ugh- Fuck...~"

You LITERALLY hold her hips and force her deeper, spreading your legs even wider as she fucks you. Your pussy lips meet her pelvis so many times, smearing slick all over it and making a mess.

"You're so deep~"

"That's what you wanted from me, no?~"

"F-Fuck yes!~"

She places her hand down on your stomach, then goes lower and lower, eventually presses down on that spot right above your pussy, making you cum hard.

"Ah! Ah!~ AH!~"

Your body squirms violently on the bed, forcing Sakura to hold you in place.

"You're so cute~"

"F-F... Ugh!~ Again! Again!~"

Sakura speeds up, hitting even deeper places. You feel the heat building up inside you again, then leaves, cumming again. She overstimulates you again. And again. Damn, how many times?

"I'm gonna cum soon, pretty."

She literally starts fucking you so hard, you feel numb, and then for the moment you've been craving all your life; she buries herself as deep as she could inside you and then she cums hard. Thick ropes of cum filling you up, her hot semen making you feel all warm and somewhat safe.

"Hah...~"

Her sigh was probably the most beautiful (and sinful) thing you've ever heard, and when she starts stirring the cum inside your stuffed pussy with gentle thrusts, you couldn't help but moan in satisfaction.

"Finally..."

"I've been waiting forever..."

"Mm... Feels so good..."

"Very good..."

She caresses your stomach, then finally pulls out, watching cum flowing out of you while your gaping hole is connected with the tip of your lover's cock by a thick string of cum. You spread your arms, inviting her for a hug, both of you snuggling close.

"Thank you. So much, Kkura..."

"Thank you... I love you."

"I love you more~"

✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆☾ ✩₊˚.⋆

THIS IS SO LONG (tolerate me pls)

[mattiebluebird]

Yk that post that's like ‘signal is the spiritual successor to nightwing’ bc I DO & IVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT NON-STOP.

And the comics pretty much confirm it (To Me) in Grayson #15.

So in this issue each of the Robins, minus Steph (RIP Steph) get paired off with one of the We Are Robin gang and give them their own advice on what it means to be Robin.

Tim—whose main problem with this whole thing is that they don't know these kids, how can they trust them?—gets paired with Andre Cipriani, a mob kid whose dad was murdered by a rival gang when he was eight years old. Tim trains Dre by having him fight blindfolded. He tells Dre that being a Robin is about truth and investigation, which makes sense, right? Tim became a Robin by figuring out Batman and Robin’s secret identity (keep this in mind, all the Robins’ advice links to their origin).

To be a Robin, you have to understand what you don't know. And then you must seek to know it. You must always ask: how can I see into the dark? Batman once told me, being a Robin can be summarized into one word: investigation.

These two were an interesting choice to pair up. I would've thought they'd put Dre with Jason, given their violent tendencies—Dre is smart, but at this point in the comics doesn't strike me as particularly investigative. Then again, right after this arc he goes undercover in a gang, so maybe he learned something?

Speaking of learning something: at first I thought they should've paired Dre with Steph (#teamcriminaldads lmao), and while that would be an interesting team, Dre did learn from Tim. If Riko were present in this issue, she would've been a good fit for Steph, as she idolizes the Batgirls and Steph was both a Batgirl and a Robin. Plus, Steph and Riko are both brave & have mean streaks, something that Riko has trouble showing because of her shyness. Steph’s advice probably would've been along the lines of “being a Robin is about defiance”.

Besides, if Tim and Dre weren't paired up, we never would've gotten this interaction.

— You like Liszt.

— What?

— Franz Liszt. The composer. You play the piano. I looked you up. People who play the piano like Liszt.

Points to Tim for the most autistic small talk ever. ‘You like this, which I know because I researched you in a totally non-creepy way.’ Amazing. 10/10.

Dax gets paired with Jason. They're interesting parallels. Dax is the inventor/mechanic of the team, but also sort of the wild card with very strong morals, like Robin!Jason in a way. Like Jason, Dax’s father is (implied to be) a crook, though they took different moral directions because of that—Dax is completely opposed to gun violence.

Anyways, Jason's main reservation is that you can't have Robin without Batman. And I guess he decided to solve this issue by just becoming Batman & making the WAR crew relive his origin story by stealing tires from the mob.

Y'know, kid, Batman once told me, being a Robin comes down to one word: confidence.

Jason Todd, the Crime Alley street kid who had the balls (and the skills) to steal Batman's tires and get away with it. Sort of. Confidence, indeed.

Damian's problem with the Robins is, of course, that they're weak, and strength (according to him) can't be trained; you either got it or you don't. He gets paired with Izzy, who probably has the toughest home life of the WAR crew. Her brother's in a gang (that he regularly beats her up for not joining), and she's failing all her classes because she's too busy working night shifts at her mom's restaurant to sleep or do homework.

So Damian's advice to her is pretty apt:

Batman told me that there is one word that captures the essence of being Robin. Suffering.

Damian and Izzy are both outwardly surly, stubborn characters who have had to fight to survive. Notably, Izzy is the first of the crew to almost resort to killing/guns (in WAR #6). She's also probably the best fighter in the WAR crew after Dre and Riko. She does dancing, gymnastics, judo, and kick-boxing.

And, finally, we reach the point of this whole post: Dick & Duke.

Duke deduces Dick's secret identity in like .5 seconds.

— I've solved a lot of hard in my time. This ain't hard.

— No. No, it wasn't hard. Not for you. Again, Duke Thomas?

Dick: You discovered my secret identity!

Duke: What? Like its hard?

After scoping out their strengths and weaknesses, Dick sends the Robins on individual assignments: Dre and Tim to investigate, Dax and Jason to cause a distraction, Izzy and Damian to apprehend Robo-Batman/Gordon.

Dick brings Duke on to a roof for a stake-out, where they have this exchange.

— You think only the originals understand how to be Robin?

— Nope.

— Yeah. Me neither.

Then it turns out that Dick actually turned them all in to the cops because he wanted them out of harm's way. He's been watching Duke for a while and he knows he's scared of heights, so he led him onto a roof he knew he couldn't get off of. Just before they part ways, Dick imparts his Crucial Robin Advice:

Batman once wais to me that being a Robin is about one thing. Family.

(I find this whole thing super ironic considering Dick's whole aside concerning the Robins was the fact that it doesn't matter if people know you're manipulating them as long as it works.)

The point of Robin? Family. Dick and Duke are alike in this way. Dick only became Robin to get justice for his parents’ murder. Duke only joined WAR to find his parents.

Their origins and motivations are similar, and so are the characters themselves. Dick is often called the world's second-greatest detective next to Batman himself. Duke is a child prodigy—one of our first introductions to his character is when he tried to solve the Riddler's riddles in Zero Year. He loves puzzles. He's an amazing detective.

And, of course, one of the things we know and love about Nightwing is his inherent kindness, something that's present throughout Duke’s entire character arc. Even their hero names, Signal and Nightwing, are parallels of each other (light and dark). Batman’s first sidekick and his last. And, like Nightwing, Signal formed his own team (WAR) with no help from the others (except Alfred ig).

Of course, the entire point of Signal’s character is that he's not just a Robin. He's something different. It reminds me of that post that's like—’poor dick grayson, originator of a legacy he never meant to be a legacy, crushed with guilt and jealousy when he looks at all those who came after’. To me at least, it makes sense that Nightwing’s successor would've never been a Robin at all.

[walnutcookie]

I desperately want to know your thoughts on ReflectiveDetective with this

GOUGHHHH OK. FUCK. Cracks knuckles. thank you for this GHAHHAHA i always love yappimg abt these two

What draws them together?

i think that what draws them together is also the thing that drives them apart. Theyre both playing this character of someone whos perfect and flawless out of a desire for love and attention but in different ways (glisten tries to flaunt everything he can while rodger tries to be cool and mysterious and secretive bla bla ive talked abt this before this is just summary GDBKFJF). I think it takes glisten a long time to really realize that theres more to rodger than meets the eye... hes mostly just scared of the guy and is too paranoid to imagine he has insecurities too GSVJDHD but after they start getting closer he starts to see some similarities ..... probably doesnt realize just how alike they are until rodger actually opens up and talks about it. Rodger has always known - just from his own observations ofc and his Nosiness but glisten has also vented to him quite a bit because hes a bit too good of a listener

its comforting to know that theres someone like them. they can look at each other and know that theyre not alone in what theyre dealing with but also its terrifying in a way because Dear Godge someone else knows what theyre going through... they cant even fake anything around each other anymore because the other will know its a lie. And now theyre both paranoid that the other will eventually lose interest because they finally see that theyre worthless and boring (they wont)

What stands in the way?

same answer as before LOLL. i think def rodger is the biggest problem here though his ass does NOOOT communicate. glisten isnt the best with communication either but rodger is worse. i think theyre both a little scared to open up to each other too and be in such a vulnerable state but at least glisten has a mindset of "he alreayd knows me inside and out so idgaf he knows anyways" rodger is still clinging to Oh God ive gotta make myself look cool otherwise he'll hate meeee[acts distant and makes glisten think he fucking hates him] Rodger just. sends soo many mixed messages and it stresses glisten the hell out. and even beyond that glisten still feels like he doesnt truly know who rodger is... he asks so many questions and yet dodges any question thats asked about himself. It gets frustrating sometimes when glisten has to theorize about whats going on in rodgers head and why hes acting so weird

What are their good traits?

I think theyre both very good listeners :] i think that glisten has relied on rodger as someone he could talk to and get advice from for a long time (based on how toodles says he "cries and complains" to rodger all the time)... rodger has always been able to read him really well and knows EXACTLY what the fuck is up at all times which is, again, absolutely terrifying to glisten because hes left so vulnerable but also comforting. He doesnt know what rodgers intentions are at first or what he thinks of glisten but hes patient and caring which is relieving, especially when glisten doesnt talk abt his issues to anyone else lol . It takes a looonngg time but glisten does eventually get rodger to open up too :] i think glisten very good at cheering people up just in general. Sometime its a bit of a chore for him (referencing the boxten/glisten notes) but hes learned how to listen very well and is great at being a distraction after they get it all out. Even if its just for his reputation hed rather sacrifice a bit of his time and energy to cheer someone up

Describe them with one trope:

opposites attract ? idk theyre too alike for that GDVJDBF im not very good with ship tropes

[adilynnyuri]

I hope this isnt trauma dumping or sm but i just needed to get this out and also get some advice and i think i really like ur advice. So i have been jn a relationship w my bf for 2 years now and i love him with my heart and soul and we plan to get married ( ee are still young but we see that as the futuregoal) so up tntil a few months back i used to just go to random s*x chat groups and something and would share my nudes nd just stuff like that and would also watch p*rn .. these are both things that me and my bf would a 100% consider cheating and if he did this to me i would kill myself out of sorrow. I absolutely hate myself and am disgusted at myself i was distracted for a little while with my exams but now they are over and now im crying all the time again just thinking about what i did to the boy i love the most. At the time i didnt think much of it and at first i would just talk w people but slowly i started sharing nudes and i did this a couple of times until i realized a few months back how wrong it is. I have no idea how i didnt realise how wrong this is?Up until this i was a really good person i dont think ive ever hurt anybody and i am very nice also but now idk i just hate myself and everything about me .Every day whenever i think aboyt this i cant help but cry and think there really isnt anything else i can do. Of course i have changed and wouldnt think of doing such a thing again but still the fact that i did it in the first place makes me want to die.

Ik its so selfish but i cant keeo thinking that he will do sm like this to me also and that ill get my karma. Does karma really even exist and how do i get myself to atop thinking this now i always suspect him of cheating and talking to other girls. Hes done sm similar to cheating to me but nothing on this level. What he did is nothing ckmpared to what i did.

And in the context of manifesting, should i manifest that none of this ever happened and for me to be a really nice person or shoukd i manifest that this completely gets erased from my memory or what?? This also messes up my manifestion so much i cant helo hut tell myself that i dont deserve good things as im a bad person . Please help. If youre not comfortable answering this then im sorry for wasting ur time

Hii love!

BABE CALM DOWN! I UNDERSTAND YOU!!

I totally understand you and your situation but I am here to help you and to remind you THAT YOU DIDN'T AND WILL NEVER DO ANY MISTAKES!

First of all, WHATEVER HAPPENS REMEMBER!

Don't EVER LOSE HOPE!! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO'S CREATING BOTH GOOD/BAD SITUATIONS THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES!!

You are the MAIN CHARACTER! YOU NEVER FACE ANY PROBLEMS!!

And imo Idgaf to karma. I don't even consider it's real. BUT I WILL USE IT TO MY ADVANTAGE BY AFFIRMING THAT WHOEVER TRIES TO HARM ME IN ANY WAYS THEY WILL COMPLETELY FACE THE WORST.

I understand that you feel guilty about your activities! But! NEVER LET IT TAKE CONTROL OVER YOU! AND DON'T THINK YOU ARE BAD PERSON OR SOMETHING!!

You are limitless and you can do anything!

Until you don't hurt anyone in the name of manifestation, YOU ARE NEVER A BAD PERSON OR DOING ANY BAD!

⭐I will give you an example from my life!

My success in revising an embarrassing situation!

Once I did something very embarrassing like so embarrassing I just wanted to k!ll myself💀 but then I thought why should I do that to myself? I was born in this world to be happy and cherished 24/7! so I just affirmed robotically that NOTHING BAD HAPPENED AND I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT AND MY DP WHO WITNESSED THAT FORGETS IT TOO! (It was very tough for me too! The shit which I did kept popping up in my mind, BUT I DIDN'T GIVE MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT AND KEPT AFFIRMING!)

Well it just took me 1 day! One full day of robotic affirmations! LITERALLY THE VERY NEXT DAY EVEN I FORGOT AND MY DP TOTALLY FORGOT!! I WAS SO SO HAPPY!

Suggestion for you! 💕

I know it's so tough for you to affirm totally against of what happened, but trust me! JUST AFFIRM! YOU ARE SO POWERFUL LOVE! JUST REVISE SAYING,

"I never did anything bad and I am never guilty"

I AM BEING 1000000% SURE WHATEVER YOU WANT WILL HAPPEN. WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO CHANGE, WILL CHANGE! MORE LIKE, IT HAS ALREADY CHANGED !!

With lots of love,

ADILYNN YURI🤍🌷

[liminal-therianthropy]

hi!! ^_^ I see that you’re a wolf therian and I’m curious if u have any advice for those that are questioning if they are a wolf or a different wild canine? If u want to share, how did you discover it yourself? personally, I’ve always pretended to be a wolf as a child. I’ve always loved them. I’ve been identifying as a wolf therian for a while. but in a way it doesn’t feel completely right. I’m definitely a dog, but I wonder if I’m still another wild canid. The only other canids that could potentially fit are coyotes and maned wolves. but I keep feeling wolfy and imagining my body as such. I think it’s bc of how exposed and interested in wolves I’ve been lately. I’m unsure of how to shake it. bc I want to experiment with labeling myself as a different canid. when I think about it my traits are more similar to those two instead of wolves. I kinda don’t want to be a wolf. but I don’t have the same connection to them…. Yet. do you have any tips on figuring out which fit beyond research? how do I know what feels right? how do I know when my identity is genuine or if it just bc I want to be something?

Hello hello anon! Good question!!! This might be a tad rambly as im not the best at coming up with summaries or words. Sorry if this goes in circles or doesnt make sense! I'll try to go in a straight line as much as possible. Plus i will make spelling mistakes sorry for that in advance as well! How i found out about theriananthropy was literally i was scrolling on tiktok and found out about that it existed at all and was supportive. I knew about otherkin through my friend {who is dragon kin among other kins}, and i thought nothing of it. I had never looked inward to strongly with myself but i knew that being called human wasnt right in the slightest. Then it happened. My first shift. Well at least my first wolf shift. My first ever shift was that of a rat, but that is a story for another time. My first ever wolf shift is hard to remember due to some memory problems but i remember going straight to my friend about it, freaking out. I thought it was only a one time thing, the shifts. But they kept happening. I wasnt sure what it was and i wanted my friend to help me essentially. I am very close to him as ive know him from elementary school and we told each other EVERYTHING. He then {calmly} explained to me what i was experiencing. And we went on an internet scavenger hunt of sorts. Looking at definitions, comparing them to what i was experiencing, and coming to a hard conclusion. I remember feeling semi lost and in denial for about a week. But i remember having a wolf phantom shift. I knew it was wolf as thats how i mentally addressed myself at that time. I felt ears and a tail. I walked on my toes sometimes as that felt natural. At work. Which was very awkward. When i came to the conclusion i was a wolf, it was more of a gut feeling. I didnt want to be a wolf at the time! I wanted to be a hyena or something else i currently can not remember. But not a wolf!!! My friend told me to go with my gut. See what felt right. Look at images of that animal and compare to how i saw myself in that moment. And thats what i did. I did some research into red wolves specifically as thats what felt correct. And it hit me right across the face! I am a red wolf. It made sense, i pretended to be a werewolf for example as a child, i wore a {fake} tail to highschool as i felt like i had a tail. And i came to accept it. Thats just my wolf experience though, my other theriotypes and kin types each had a different experience but i dont think ya wanna be here all day for that lmao. My advice is to go with yer gut! While research does wonders, you know you better then prob more creatures. What /does/ feel correct? If you have shifts of any kind, what are they? How do you mentally address yerself species wise? When you look inward, what do you see staring back at you? I hope this answered yer question! I love rambling so thank you for asking this!! ^^ {I was wanting to wait till my poll had more answers but i really wanted to answer this ^^;}

[drdemonprince]

do you have any tips on distinguishing between wanting to bang/wanting to be wanted by/wanting non-sexual intimacy with someone? or is it just a case of seeing how you feel when you're actually with them and getting good at communicating about it

im probably not the best person to ask, because it took me uhh decades of fucking random people before i let myself acknowledge that sex is nearly always extremely boring to me and the only thing i'm thinking about during sex or in the lead up to sex is what i imagine the other person might be feeling about me.

every now and then a raw animal chemical attraction happens where i just feel like i NEED the person in me, i love how they smell and taste and i will risk it all to get them to bust inside me and i want them around me afterward.

but the rest of the time its this completely intellectual fantasy. instead of getting all wrapped up in the sex, or the person, all i care about is what i can convince myself it means. thoughts like this:

"oh this person is hot, it's very validating of my desirability that someone this hot wants me"

"oh that guy came very fast, how flattering that he was so turned on"

"i cant see his face in this position but i imagine that he's staring at me hungrily, that's flattering"

"wow i got someone from grindr to come over within ten minutes, im so good at sealing the deal"

"wow i cant believe i fucked eight people at this convention, how cool so many people want me"

"i've never tried this sex act before, i guess i might as well. maybe itll be useful for my writing. maybe ill like it."

thats the kind of shit that is normally playing around in my mind. when im actually attracted to someone i dont have to come up with some weird intellectual justification for why fucking is interesting or rewarding or reflective of me in a positive way. i just NEED it.

the self help guru mark manson (who is a little corny, but not bad) has this age old advice that "either something is a FUCK YES! or it's a no." and i think for some people, especially people who tend to try and persuade/guilt themselves into wanting things they dont actually want, that is a worthwhile reorientation. if i actually want someone its pretty damn unambiguous. if i have to even ask myself or sort out the true nature of my feelings, im bullshitting myself.

granted this advice wont be best for demisexuals, or for lots of other people. sometimes experimenting and trying new things sexually is great! its just. ive been doing that for a long time. i have been a very open minded, open to experience individual. and now im interested in being picky for a while

[polyamorousmood]

Hey there :)

So I have no problem with my bf dating other people, and recently hes started having sth with someone else. Good for them! Legit, no problem with that by itself

But.. now I'm being left on read a lot, like majority of the time it feels like, no matter the topic or time. I just feel.. forgotten, I think, or replaced idk. But it feels pretty bad.

I dont want them to think I'm jealous or mad, I just wish he would still show me the same attention/care as before. Ive talked about how left on read makes me very insecure, due to fake friends and person past experiences before so I dont want to bring it up again.. but it hurts. Idk what to do?

Bad news, babe. You're gonna have to say something again. The good news though is that you can productively procrastinate it, because there's some stuff I want you to do first.

But before I get into that, I let having a cool opening distract me from very important other things that need said: That sucks, and I'm really sorry, but you can make it through this.

Now then. Time to productively procrastinate a difficult conversation. Look, I'm procrastinating it more by making it a read more! (It, um, it is A Lot. I took "blogging platform" literally on this one😅)

It sucks. Believe me, it bothers me too when I can't hear from my partner📵📴 because they're with my meta. It has been A Problem I've had to work through, so I think I'm actually pretty qualified to give advice on this.

Some of what I have to say is going to smart (old-timey word for sting) a bit, so I want to make it clear that I understand where you're coming from, so you can trust the part that stings is necessary. I imagine its something like this:

You relationship with your boyfriend is great! So great, you're happy for him to have someone else to love! That's. That's so rare and incredible, its a love beyond what most will know. And then he takes that love and wads it up and throws it in the back seat to make room for this new schmuck. The love is still there, it's just... in the back seat. And you never thought that would happen, because the relationship is so good! And you already said something, so you worry you're being a nag, which you don't want, because you ARE happy for them, you're so happy for them... except when you're not because you can't be happy when he can't be bothered to text you back. Its not really so much to ask, and you EXPLAINED why its important to you, so why doesn't he seem to care? You communicated, you did your part, and it was hard and scary! Surely harder than texting you back would be! And you don't want to feel like this, but. There's this anxiety that... shouldn't he want to text you back? Isn't that how he would act if he really did still care about you just as much?

Any of that resonate? I don't know you, so maybe some of it was way off base🎯, I don't know. But I hope enough of it was close enough to right that you know I get it when I say:

This isn't just your boyfriend fucking it up. This is, in part, probably you asking something unreasonable. To give you the exact same level of time an energy as when it was just you too is a big ask. To be able to supercede his time with the other person any time you want is a big ask. If you're only okay with your boyfriend having someone else if it doesn't cut into your time at all, how okay with it are you actually?

So before you talk to him about it, you gotta step back. Its not that you're wrong for feeling sidelined. But a poly relationship just isn't going to be the exact same as a monogamous one. It it were, I wouldn't have bothered making a blog, and I wouldn't have needed to because I wouldn't have a trail of loving, wonderful, burnt to ashes monogamous relationships behind me. Let's take a deep breath together. Pause here if you need.

Now, there are some questions here that do affect what I think would be fair. For example, if you're living with your boyfriend, and he's taking you for granted, always texting the other person when he's with you, you don't have any special time with him anymore, and then when he goes out its radio silence. That's a very different situation from you being in a long distance relationship so texting is your main form of communication/bonding and now he's got a new person that lives near him so he's with them constantly and now, what are you, chopped liver? for example. I'm going to give a list of things you might be doing that's unfair, and I want you to take a minute and evaluate as honestly as you can where you fall on that. This is a self-reflection, not an accusation, so please resist any temptations to get defensive (if you even feel them). I recommend taking out a pad of paper and committing to an answer for each. Some you may not be doing at all! Some okay maybe a little. And some now that you think about it, yeah actually, you're doing a lot. That's okay. You not handling it perfectly is okay, and doesn't mean we can't ask the boyfriend for accommodations still.

Are you valuing 1:1 time with your boyfriend as much as you're valuing (negatively) the time he spends 1:1 (not texting you) with his partner? IE, are you more bothered by him not texting you than you are appreciative when he takes time for you?

Are you texting him compulsively out of anxiety instead of because you have something more important to discuss?

Are you accidentally infringing on his other partner's time?

Are you trying to infringe on his other partner's time to reassure yourself that you're important to him?

Are you texting him to "test" him?

When you communicated that you didn't like being left on read, did you properly convey how big of a problem it is for you and what your expectations were?

When you communicated, did you allow space for negotiation and to work on the problem, or was it more like a list of demands?

Are you misplacing your feelings somehow? Is there something else that's bothering you that you don't feel comfortable bringing up?

Are you letting your anxieties run you? Is there something you could be doing to address your feelings?

Are you forgetting to weigh other allocations or shows of love he's making or you?

Is there anything else internally you might be overlooking in regards to this?

Whew! Heavy stuff. But you made it!🎉 Now, we'll dig into how his actions are making you feel. That last set was about what you could be doing better, and this one will help determine he could be doing better. But just like we weren't making accusations about you, we aren't making accusations about him either. We are assuming good faith on your boyfriend's part. This is still ultimately about your feelings and what reasonable accommodations could be made for them.

Do you feel the time allocation for you vs his other partner is fair? Why?

Does he seem to text them back more than you?

Does it seem like he's not taking your concerns seriously enough?

Does this issue look like a larger pattern? If so, what? How will that look long-term?

Has he made specific promises he hasn't kept to you in regards to this? If so, what were they and how hasn't he lived up to them?

Do you feel he's made adequate time for you to discuss concerns, or do you feel like he tries to rush through them?

Do you think he gave you a reasonably clear expectation of what him dating someone else would look like (or did he make it seem "nothing will change")?

Has he not responded to something critical?

Is there anything else he's done in regards to this that doesn't sit right with you?

You did it! 🎉Now we can officially start working on problem-solving. I imagine that was a lot more than you bargained for, for such a simple problem as "I want a text back," but its important to get everything laid out. This helps in a lot of ways. It helps guard against striking on a "solution" that isn't actually sustainable. It makes sure you're starting a discussion in good faith. And hopefully, it will help minimize having to return to the issue.

For the sake of formatting, we're going to address the questions for you first, then the questions about him, then how to have the hard conversation, then workarounds that you may not have considered that aren't really your or his problem. I actually think that third group has some of the better "quick fixes", if you can find one that works.

Starting with the questions about what you could be doing better, in order, skip any that don't apply:

Re: valuing 1:1 time -- Make active efforts to appreciate the time you do have more. Use this time as a guard against negative thoughts when he is unable to respond ("We spent all day together yesterday, a few hours today without hearing from him is fine")

Re: texting compulsively -- Be more vigilant about self-soothing. I find self-talk to be most effective for me. I cannot possibly cover everything here, but it sounds like it stirs up fears you're losing your partner. Since you cannot guarantee that will never happen, I find it most helpful to reassure myself I will be okay even if I do lose them. Another option is to make a reassurance bank, where you can store and see evidence of his affection without asking it from him. Your mileage may vary. If you really struggle with this, there's always therapy.

Re: accidental infringing -- Be more mindful of what you send. Save things that are non-urgent to discuss later, when you have his attention anyway.

Re: deliberate infringing -- Stop it. It will only strain things and make the outcomes you don't want more likely. See self-soothing. Find something else to distract you that you can put energy into.

Re: "testing" him -- See above. I know, its easier said than done. Do the hard work. That shit can ruin your life.

Re: didn't adequately express importance -- Well, its a good thing we're about to talk about it anyway! Really think through how you can explain how badly it makes you feel. We'll get into that more when we discuss How To Have the Conversation

Re: list of demands -- Well, its a good thing we're going to talk about it anyway! This time, see it as a negotiation. Ask him if that's feasible, or if its too much. But open to trying alternate solutions.

Re: misplaced feelings -- Take the advice on How To Have a Conversation and apply it to the thing that's actually the problem.

Re: managing anxieties -- Again, you'll have to find a way to self-soothe somewhat. That's not to say your partner shouldn't meet you halfway, but you do have to do your half.

Re: forgetting other expressions of love -- Literally make a list of all the things he's done/is doing for you. As many as you can think of. Add to it often. Pick a couple and do a deep dive on why that mattered so much to you and how you felt. Tell him, too. You gotta be grateful consciously, bro. This applies to all of life

Re: anything else -- Take that into account. Work on that, too, however you can. Be honest with him about your shortcomings when you address it.

A lot of these will require upkeep on your part (kind of mirrors🪞how texting you back consistently requires upkeep on his, huh?). Be prepared to discuss the changing you're going to make and have an actionable plan for them. Okay, his turn, same as before:

Re: fair time allocation -- does he need to make more time for you? Do he need to make protected time that is only for you? You said you feel forgotten, replaced, so maybe this is part of it.

Re: unequal texting -- first, consider why. If he lives with you, he's probably going to have to text the other person in front of you sometimes. If you still think its too much, again, protected time for you may be appropriate, he may need to do a better job keeping his New Relationship Energy (NRE) in check. Be prepared to discuss this, possibly including him defending himself!

Re: not taking concerns seriously -- Well, its a good thing we're discussing this again! Make sure you have an actionable, measurable metric he can do to show you progress here. (IE ❌"I need you to care more" ❌ but ✅"When you're unable to respond, I need you to say that you're busy so I know you thought of my needs" ✅)

Re: bigger patterns -- You will have to tell him you're concerned about those too. If it could become untenable for you, this will probably be a recurring discussion. Consider scheduling check-ins where you say one thing you think is going well and one thing you're worried about, for example.

Re: unkept promises -- here, you are super justified in being mad. Try not to be anyway. Try to be curious and interested in addressing the root problem. Ask him what got in his way, what middle ground he's confident he can manage. It is you and him vs the problem, even here, not you vs him.

Re: inadequate room to discuss -- Set expectations before the talk, and remind him of them if he forgets. (IE "I know this isn't nice to hear, but I need you to let me say my piece and talk through solutions, even if it takes awhile." and "I said I needed to talk through the solution. This sounds nice, but I'm concerned about X. How can we make sure that doesn't happen?") Consider reserving specific time to discuss it, consider reserving recurring time to discuss any problem, if you need it.

Re: didn't set expectations appropriately -- ask. Ask what this would ideally look like to him. If he's having trouble getting started, point out some differences you've already noticed, and ask if he thinks those are the new norm.

Re: didn't respond to something critical -- Establish a way he can see what is critical and what isn't. This might be texting something that can wait, but calling for something important, for example.

Re: anything else -- address that too. Give him a chance to explain himself. etc.

Okay, you've done everything up to this point alone. You're prepped. Now How Do You Have The Conversation?

For this type of stuff, I recommend the WIBS format. That is, "When [something happens], I feel [feelings] Because [explanation] So could you please [change]". But of course, it can't be that simple either. Critically you CANNOT say "you" before the "so could you please". The example I'm about to give is going to use the texting issue specifically, but if you've done the soul searching and found there's a bigger problem you want to address (which ngl, sounds like there might be something bigger based on what you sent), adjust accordingly! This is good general advice for any tough conversation. Anyway, here's what that might look like on the texting thing:

"When I am left on read, I feel anxious and betrayed, because I've had a lot of friendships completely fall apart, and that's always how it started. So could you please make a point to text me something when you read my message, even if its just 'lol' or you saying you want to discuss it later."

But wait a minute! That doesn't include any of the bullshit I just made you do. What the hell am I trying to pull? Okay okay, so we have to modify this a bit. Our new format is going to be something more like this: "When [something happens], I feel [feelings and impact], because [explanation]. I have tried [things you've tried], and I am still struggling because [reason why that hasn't helped, including what you could do better]. So I was hoping to look at some more solutions, like, would you be willing to try [change]." Which might in practice look something like

"When I am left on read, I feel so anxious and betrayed I start spiraling thinking the relationship is doomed, because I've had a lot of friendships completely fall apart, and that's always how it started. I have tried dropping some hints and self soothing, and I'm still struggling because this is a really bad anxiety that I didn't have to deal with before recently and even with the hints I'm not getting the response rate I would like. So I wanted to talk about it and see if you'd be willing to try making a point to text me something when you read my message, even if its just 'lol' or you saying you want to discuss it later."

And then! The discussion continues. Maybe he says "oh my god, yeah, I didn't realize it was bothering you that much, absolutely I can do that" and maybe he says "I'm with you all the time how is this still a problem?" or maybe its "actually, [other partner] gets really anxious when I text, which is why I don't respond unless its important. I figured I could talk to you about dinner plans any time" and whatever the case is, you keep talking until you've set on clear goalposts and have reassurance they feel okay to all parties. So in order, your responses might be something like "are you sure you can manage that? I was really worried by my hints not being picked up on that that was the reason", "I know its a problem. That's why I'm talking to you about it. If that's not a good solution to you, let's come up with something else, because the way things are is really hard on me," and "okay. I don't want to make [other partner] anxious either, but this isn't working for me, can we find something else to try?"

Allow him to explain, be prepared to explain more yourself, and be willing to try a variety of solutions. Acknowledge

Is this my longest post yet? Maybe! Wild. Let's top it off with something easier: The Hack Solutions🧑‍💻. Sometimes, anxiety isn't logical, and goofy workarounds can be super helpful! Here are some off the top of my head, but feel free to get creative, too! Not all of these may be feasible, not all of them may help. But a lot less work than some other solutions so worth mentioning!

You said being "left on read" is what bothers you. Can you just... turn off read receipts? Or switch to a messaging app that doesn't have them? Can he just not read your texts until he has the time to respond?

A lot of phones have a driving mode, that will send an automated reply to texts. Can he turn that on when he's with his other partner so you get a reply like "hey I'm busy rn, but I'll text back later!" and would that help?

If you just want to feel more involved, maybe it would help if he just like, took a picture of his pizza to send to you. Reminds you you're thought of, doesn't require conversation.

Something that I've done with friends is write like, a dozen short affirmations/reassurances, and have them keep them in a special spot. When they need to feel loved, they can take one out to read. This has worked PHENOMENALLY for them, and still protects your partner's time away while allowing you to get love direct from your partner WHENEVER you want.

Can he just kick it with you both concurrently?

Can you have a friendship with your meta where you text THEM like "tell [bf] to text me back real quick" and then your bf doesn't feel bad about texting in front of the other partner because they're telling him to do it?

Classically condition yourself. Like, every time he leaves you on read, eat a chocolate. And then sometimes instead of it being "boyfriend won't text me :(((" it'll be "oooo! candy time!"

ai yai yai! That's all I have, though! Come back if you need help working through some specifics. I'm very happy to help however I can. Its not your fault you're struggling with this. Most polyam relationships have to deal with this to some extent, but with a little effort, you can make it through. Best of luck to you, friend. 💙💖🖤

[karnalesbian]

ive always thought the absolute funniest thing abt kotomine kirei is that with everything he's got going on (obviously some sort of villain, always smirking at you, fond of saying incredibly ominous things every other sentence) it's sooooo easy to be like 'well that dude is up to no good. why is he posing as a priest' including the fact that other characters themselves literally call him a fake priest (rin in particular cant go thirty seconds in his presence without calling him that)

and then as it turns out yes he is all those things but he is also just actually a genuinely dedicated and faithful priest, and very very good at it. including the fact that he takes the time to hold a special new year's mass every year that leaves everyone who hears it feeling absolutely depressed but is full of legitimately good advice for them. he's holding this mass in the same building in which he keeps the charred but still-technically-alive, endlessly suffering husks of what used to be human children in the basement so he can farm mana from them. height of comedy i tell you

[windvexer]

helloo. recently ive noticed that some entity has been trying to make itself known to me/contact me, and has probably been in my life for a long time, and ive just not picked it out as a specific being. i thought it was a deity at first but it seems to be more of a protective/guardian spirit? and/or maybe something like a spirit guide, or familiar, or other sort of companion? so, youre pretty great at spirit work (and i personally dont have much experience with it), and i was wondering if you had any advice on how to determine what they are, who they are, and just like how to reach out and communicate with them. i dont feel like its some popular figure in any religion or anything btw—its a more unique spirit, if that makes any sense and possibly helps guide any advice you may be able to give me. my goal is to properly befriend this spirit, and i completely believe that its friendly to me, so i dont have any worries about that. thank you!! love your blog!!!

Good morning, thanks for waiting.

I don't know if I'm very good at spirit identification. Either it takes a lot more work than people seem to imply and I'm bad at it, or it's hard and I'm average. So, I'm not sure I have great advice on that. I'll see if I can make a post about it, but it's a bumpy road on my end.

What a spirit is usually isn't helpful information, especially compared to who they are, especially in terms of developing an interpersonal relationship.

My advice is to kill the correspondenceification of spirits you want to build relationships with, which in my opinion is often why people want to identify what it is they're working with.

Working with them as an individual will fill in necessary blanks; identifying them and prescribing encyclopedic traits to them, sight-unseen, will create blockages.

To build a relationship, try making them a spirit house and/or a small shrine. This is very useful in a number of ways, and is also a good focal point for divination and communication.

There is no need for an intensive or rigid offering & communication schedule. Try leaving a small gift once a month.

However, try asking for help as often as you think to do so. This can be very informal. Try speaking, signing, and/or "loudly" thinking towards the spirit, as if you know he's right there next to you. Ask for help or support in anything you're coming up against, just always use excellent manners.

See how the spirit seems to react to this, and use this feedback to learn more about them and guide your efforts. Does he seem uninterested, unresponsive, or confused when you ask him to hold a green light? When you ask him for help with a difficult social situation, does he seem suddenly all-present, focused, and talkative?

Asking a spirit to help with things isn't selfish. It opens communication, and invites spirits to have an active impact on our lives. This can loosen the knots that leads to deeper communication: when interacted with in small ways, spirits may begin to appear in our dreams, initiate more contact on their own, and arrive in our lives in more impactful ways.

Start with interacting in these smaller ways, and see where things go from there. Focus on knowing the spirit as an individual. Be open to his input, and always use good manners :)

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I have some questions abt hellenic polytheism and how its practiced. I myself have been practicing it for a while, but something I noticed while researching about it is a distinct lack of actual greek people in online social media spaces. It was first brought to my attention after seeing a reddit post and youtube video explaining how using “hellenismos” is considered cultural appropriation. After that, Ive noticed how the main sources Ive used about hellenic polytheism isnt really from the people whos culture were trying to practice. AKA non greeks.

I would like to know your explanations on the basics of hellenic polytheism like altars/shrines, khernips, prayers, devotees, tarot/oracle cards, pendulums, kharis, and offerings. There might be some knowledge that I got wrong and need to change, like maybe the way I give offerings needs fixing and I need to give more perishable offerings like food than handmade crafts like art for apollo. And maybe theres a spicic way to do it and not just place it on the altar. Other than websites like hellenicfaith.com, r/hellenism is usually my main source with a grain of salt because of the strange lack of greeks in discussions, and although my friend who is also practicing hellenic polytheism gives me a lot of advice, their main sources are tiktok and. Well, I dont think I need to explain why thats a bad source. (Their main justification is “of course tiktok isnt that serious” and “it comes from the pagans themselves”)

Also, Im also curious on your thoughts about people who practice in secret.

I hope this isnt too long, I just wanna make sure Im using a better source than reddit because, well, its reddit. Not the most reliable source.

Hello! If you don't mind I will also address two more questions I got on the matter, since I feel they are related to yours. They are the following:

Hello all! You did very well to seek Greek sources because you are essentially dealing with a foreign culture and it's not right to assume it looks just like your local one. I will guide you as much as I can but I am very open to being corrected by knowledgeable Greeks and xenoi alike because I am not an infallible scholar. As always, my posts are open to additions in case I missed something.

Let me start by saying I believe it's important to focus on the living Greeks as well, in parallel to your studies of ancient religious texts. Not only were our ancient people diverse with various opinions but... they are also dead and cannot speak anymore. So, it's the alive Greeks who now handle and pass down the culture. If something gives the ick to modern Greeks, it probably goes against what the culture considers appropriate or strange.

Greeks will get "the ick" even if they are not well-read on ancient Greek customs, because the Greek culture largely holds its philosophy when it comes to worship. Disclaimer: This is not an unbroken rule, as some of our cultural elements have shifted or changed, as it happens to all cultures around the globe, and also because a Greek does not know everything. But it's good to keep that general statement in mind.

An example of a practice not seen favorably by Greeks nowadays is some Western women practitioners covering their heads because of Hellenic Polytheism. The ancient faith may demand it but the veil was forced a lot on Greek women and collectively we believe it doesn't make any sense to wear it, even in scenarios of faith tied to our culture. Now, that doesn't mean that it's any of our business if a Hellenic Polytheist wants to veil but it'd be good for this person to have knowledge of the history and rights of Greek women, and really evaluate why they want to veil beyond "the ancients did it", since Greek culture is largely disagreeable to that practice now. Find a larger discussion on veiling here.

Also please capitalize the first letter of Apollo's name because this shows proper respect ;)

Let's dive into specifics a little bit. Our culture was and is practical and anthropocentric. It takes into account reality and environment, as well as human nature.

For the anthropocentric aspect: Yes, there are general guidelines because we are talking about a tradition here but no one will take your head if you do it a bit differently. As for the practical aspect: if you give non-perishable items to the gods by putting them on their altar, in 10 years you won't have a space in your house to stand. If they are non-perishable you have no reason to remove them. Because if you remove them is like taking back offerings that were meant for the deity.

The offerings of Greeks in Polytheism and Christianity included perishable items such as food, candles/oil lamps, flowers, incense, libations, etc. And since they go bad you have a reason to remove them. But you also don't want any waste on the streets or in your house. Even the sacrificed animals were meant to be eaten, and the Greek communities believed that the smell of roasted meat made the gods rejoice. In some cases, offerings that were left outside were meant to be consumed by the homeless and travelers. Everything has a purpose and a reason within that specific community. (Flowers not so much, they are just ornamental)

It's not that you cannot or should not offer non-perishable items to the gods. I'm sure a few don't hurt anyone. Just keep in mind that if the offering is a non-perishable item it is/was usually offered to the temple, so the priests can sustain themselves and continue doing their religious service on behalf of the community. We are talking about coins, clothing, jugs, animals, or whatever else.

Continuing on the matter of offerings. A small rant on how clueless some people seem to be about offerings. It would be weird to knit a winter scarf for a god and then wear it yourself because that's not how dedication/devotion works in the Greek context. Also, leaving that winter scarf on the altar doesn't make sense either because it's just… impractical in the Greek sense. You are wasting a scarf, to put it plainly. But if you make something for one deity then give it to the deity, don't wear it yourself.

I'll tackle a few more specifics now. I think you already know what they mean so I will give my opinion on them rather than explaining them. I think my opinion is shared by many Greeks.

hellenismos -> I am not sure if it's appropriation but it's surely inaccurate. Here is why, for those who wonder, with some suggestions on how to call yourself. (hint: Hellenic Polytheist is fine)

on how to be respectful and accurate: I always recommend reading as many ancient Greek texts as possible the view of the gods directly from the ancient worshipers themselves. You can read whatever texts interest you, including plays. Plays are my favourite source, to be honest. Understand on your own what the text says. The Hymn to Demeter is focused on the pain of a mother, which is pretty obvious, you are under no obligation to hear Kate the TikToker who insists on something different. You don't have to hear YouTubers who tell you Zeus is an asshole when ancient texts show us the opposite, and give a good context on why he does what he does.

altars/shrines -> The altars I've seen are usually fine, so I think western polytheists have this down. The ancient ones would be more homogenous but in our era the religion is unorganized so it's up to the individual to create an altar. Greeks still have altars in their homes as a continuation of our polytheist practices and they also have some variation. Generally, all good here.

khernips -> χέρνιψ literally translates to "washer of hands". It's a Greek practice to have clean hands before touching any sacred objects, either in Dodekatheism or in Christianity. We do not always follow it but it's important. Our old custom is also to wash hands, face, and feet before entering our Christian temples (that's why there are κρήνες outside many of them) but that's not practiced anymore because our hygiene is overall better and we already visit the temple while clean.

The cleansing part will feel natural for most Greeks and not unfit for the whole procedure. You can also cleanse items with water if the purification ritual says so. Don't lose sleep over it. Remember practicality. Khernips is just water with which you wash your hands and you can do it before a meal, like we do today. It is meant to keep you clean but doesn't bear any spiritual force - it's not like the holy water of Christians which is imbued with divine power. It's just water included in a practice that helps the religious person get ready for spiritual time.

Also! Khernips doesn't mean that you wash the whole body! It's second part, νήβω / nivo = rub is connected to cleaning body parts. For the cleanliness of the whole body we used/use "λούω / λούζω". Fun fact, on of the greatest christian temples Hagia Sofia, had a reminder outside the gate with the same verb, and it was an anagram. "ΝΙΨΟΝ ΑΝΟΜΗΜΑΤΑ ΜΗ ΜΟΝΑΝ ΟΨΙΝ", meaning "wash your sins, too, not just your face". This anagram is found in other Christian sites, as well.

prayers -> Any prayer is good. There are only a few ways a prayer can go "wrong", since there's not a subscription for that. For example a prayer has to usually praise the magnanimity of the deity, even if you are just doing it to ask something, but words from the heart are also fine. Zeus won't smite you if you include him in a phrase without praising him first.

devotees -> Afaik this was a rare phenomenon in antiquity and it's only nowadays that Westerners decided that everyone is a devotee, which looks weird to Greeks because being a devotee doesn't work exactly like Westerners do it. You don't get to pick one god, talk 99% of the time about that god, or worship just them and not recognize the whole pantheon, or just give little attention to them.

Ancient Greek towns and people had gods they were closer to, for sure, but from what I know they didn't have the same concept as modern foreign worshipers today. They were not "αφιερωμένοι"/devoted, unless they devoted their life to a deity by serving in their temple. The devoted/devotees were not everyday people.

The everyday people felt closer to some gods in the way someone can have a saint or a prophet that they align themselves with, that they feel like they can see themselves on them, or that these gods see them, or that they are related to their struggles, or have given them some sort of protection. A cultivator of vineyards will probably feel closer to Dionysus, while a fisherman to Poseidon, and a warrior to Ares. It's the same for Christian Greeks, since each of the saints has one domain and we call on them depending on our needs.

I mean, it's okay if modern people want to make new things, but we should also be clear on the nature of the ancient practice.

tarot/oracle cards, pendulums -> They are unrelated to the practice. They are just recent elements of western spiritual fascination, and the ancient Greek religion is already complete without them. If Apollo chooses to reveal himself through tarot he may as well reveal himself on a toaster xD A toaster is as related to the ancient Greek religion as much as tarot cards.

kharis -> Some Westerners overhype foreign words that are, in reality, very simple terms. Kharis is just "the grace of god" and the concept is similar to the grace spoken in Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Kharis is not lost if you forget to wash your hands once, or if you are afraid that the item you placed on the altar is not good enough. You don't have to tiptoe around it, it's not something incomprehensible and mystical.

miasma -> Nobody asked for it but I am delivering it anyways because I see many new people to the religion treat miasma like they are 5th-century Greeks who will be punished by the plague if they menstruate too close to the altar. I've seen endless discussions online about what miasma is and all the detailed ways that you can avoid it, and how to cleanse everything and... as a 21st-century practitioner you are not supposed to be that fearful. In the Πλυντήρια festival, the statue of Athena goddess was washed clean but also cleansed metaphorically by people's sins. And you can cleanse your statues as well of course but not with the mindset of considering yourself unclean. Do not follow every advice from ancient people who thought women unclean when menstruating. Ironically, this post and this post from r/hellenism have a good approach to this. As one user says:

people who practice in secret -> I don't have particular thoughts for them. If they must hide their spirituality for reasons beyond their control, it's natural for them to do so. I wish them the best in their spiritual journey.

Take a look at my F.A.Q. page, and more specifically on these questions:

Can I worship the Greek gods as a xenos (non-Greek)?

What do Greeks think of people outside of Greece worshiping the Greek gods?

Reading List / Book recommendations on Greek Mythology

Are the Greek gods assholes? // What’s up with gods coupling with mortal women?

Also, when it comes to the practices of the ancient Greek religion, Google Scholar is your friend. Read a variety of scholars and please include Greek ones on your reading list. Western academia focuses a lot on what the myth means to The West today, while Greek academia focuses on what the myths meant in their time. Some classical students report that studying classics in Greece VS in the US can be night and day, and they got a more authentic feeling from the knowledge they gained from the Greek classes.

For gods, festivals, and rituals in Greece, I have some recommendations below, if you’d like to take a look! (The links open directly to them so you can read them for free)

Let it rain’, or ‘rain, conceive’: Rituals of magical rain-making in Ancient Greece, a comparative approach. In Roca, Z. et al. (eds.): European Landscapes and Lifestyles: The Mediterranean and Beyond. Lisboa: Edições Universitárias Lusófonas 2007: 285-304.

Cosmos 17 (2001), 197-251 Rituals of Magical Rain-Making in Modern and Ancient Greece: A Comparative Approach by Evy Johanne Håland

http://en.arch.uoa.gr/fileadmin/arch.uoa.gr/uploads/images/evy_johanne_haland/cosmos_17-2_haland.pdf

p.s., I call Christian temples "temples" because that's how we call them. We use ναός very frequently for our religious buildings.

I hope I covered your questions so far 💙😊 See you around, and have a great day!

✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺✨🌺

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