#these are all from other peoples patterns

[crows4luna]

DANCING WITH ANOTHER GUY TO MAKE HIM JEALOUS.  ﹒˚ ₊ ︵ LOVE & DEEPSPACE EDITION.

mature, suggestive content. explicit content in zayne's section (fingering, nipple play, teasing, pussy slapping). possessive caleb, brief mention of bondage. mentions of miscommunication, disagreements, generally being petty. set in a nightclub. slightly toxic? i think? everything is consensual! reader is gn!afab. reader is not mc but works in the respective fields of their own position (xavier's and sylus' sections). xavier and rafayel's sections are the least horny. sorry, i tried. unedited. 𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀now playing: lokera - rauw alejandro, lyanno, brray [ author's note ] thank you so much @ivohex for helping me brainstorm a little more for xavier's and caleb's sections. also, if anyone has rauw alejandro tickets, please hmu. tysm.

Subtle, strobing lights make the dark intimacy all the more enticing. A beautiful gradient that casts over the bodies that meld with one another in the dark. Beneath them is a fluorescent square platform, following similar color switch patterns as the neon lights above. Those who move on this illuminated island are either drunk, tipsy, or—looking for something with bold intentions.

And bold, you are.

You stand near the middle among these half-inebriated bodies, in a position that makes you secure enough to be within a keen line of sight across the bar. It’s intentional, of course. The music that booms throughout the venue is like a natural, instant spell. Each song that shuffles through is a repetition of a dembow riddim, accompanied by a backing track of pop and R&B instrumentals mixed together.

Naturally, your hips lead a sultry sway. Your body is captivated by the nightclub’s inviting aura, melding with the beat like it’s moving you. A dance that heightens your own enjoyment of the night that’s bound to be filled with opportunity.

Tonight—you’re wearing an outfit skimpier than you’re used to. Showing more skin than you would ever bare on any other night.

And your partner’s here.

But it’s not him who’s pressed up against you from behind. There’s an emboldening heat between yourself and the stranger grinding against you, moving in that same natural gyration. His hands on your waist, squeezing the flesh as you two circle and move as one.

You glance up within that keen line of sight—wearing a hazy, teasing smirk—meeting your significant other’s eyes across the room. Even with the stranger damn near close to bursting in his pants, his hardening bulge grinding up and down against your ass—the only people who exist in this intense atmosphere being yourself and the man you always go home with.

XAVIER - You two were here on a whim to join your coworkers on a night out. It was a spot that had been pointed out by Tara, begging her tight-knit bonds within the Association to ‘let loose for one night.’ - Disagreements were bound to take place between partners, but the light air of tension between you both had been a result of small misunderstanding. He had promised you could accompany him on a mission that was said to be a little bit more precarious. Yet he went alone. - He knows this sight right now was your way of getting back at him. - He gets it. Sure. - But his hand clenches tighter around the glass in hand, ice tumbling and clinking as the liquor inside begins to tumble like a troubled wave. Unknown to him, his jaw is clenched tighter than it ever has. And if anyone knew Xavier better than his usual, composed demeanor, nothing would have been amiss. - You’re always stunning. You’re the most beautiful person to him, and he’s seen you, embraced you in all of your glory. That’s why he finds it unfair that you look as pretty as ever, allowing some random stranger to touch you in a way that only he can. - The glass shatters into pieces—and his tense fingers clench around nothing but the air. - And you’re giggling at the sight. You’re enjoying yourself heartily, feeling a thrum of warmth course between your thighs as Xavier takes an eased stride onto the platform. - You’ve already loosened your grip on the stranger just slightly, giving your partner the ample room to pull away the guy and taking his place. Xavier is stiff at first, but his grip relaxes while keeping a firmer hold on you. - “They already have a dance partner. Find someone else.”

RAFAYEL - The after party following his new gallery opening is handled and arranged by Thomas (surprisingly). Rafayel takes his kindness in good stride. - Yet the artist struggles to enjoy his evening at all. It’s to the point where he’s dissatisfied with the selection of paintings he had for the gallery. He makes a mental note to go over them again, rearrange the space later on so that he’s satisfied. - His biggest gripe isn’t the paintings, though. He realizes it now that the earlier disagreement between you two should’ve been handled better. He misses the normal, casual banter with you, and he hasn’t had ample time to properly whisk you away and apologize. - You’re not holding a grudge against him, but— - You do feel excitement at the thought of him taking the lead. Making the first move tonight. - And Rafayel gets it. It’s why he’s casual, leaned back against the bar as he watches you get lost to the music—as the man behind you is very apparent in fantasizing about taking you home for the night. - Fat chance, the artist thinks. The thought remains when he matches your own playful smile, subtly lifting his hand, in the motion that he would be adjusting his cuff links. - You know each other’s antics already—and you let out a giggle as you make slight distance between yourself and the stranger. Within that same split second, Rafayel snaps his fingers—enjoying how a flame singes the other man’s pant hem, causing him to instantly distance himself as he sputters in panic.

CALEB - It doesn’t take you long to understand that he is seething. The pinch of his brows, slight twitch of the corner of his lips, and a vein damn near outlining on his forehead. - Good. It’s what you wanted anyway. Another petty jest on your end just to rile him up. It’s a fun game, the way you two work together. - Caleb has never once bat an eyelash towards anyone else but you. Yet in the time you were apart, in the time he knew he fucked up and should’ve reached out sooner, you’ve learned how to have your fun. - Don’t get him wrong, he’s absolutely heated in every way possible. You look ready for the taking more than anything tonight—but the sight of that man’s hands on your hips is all that he can focus on. Caleb doesn’t hear a damn thing his colleague is blabbering about. - His teeth might just break from how hard he’s grinding them against each other, hidden behind a forced smile he can no longer maintain. All the while, another vein pops. You’re laughing, knowing how miserable he is seeing this. - He could easily walk up to you, make a scene, and take you into a dark corner and remind you who you belong to. But this was supposed to be a fun occasion. You’ll end up going back with him anyway—and he knows which tie he wants to blindfold you with when he takes you tonight. - Caleb would rather make that happen now. - He subtly lifts his hand with a flick of his fingers—and the stranger you’re dancing with is suddenly pulled back by his pant leg, falling back onto the dancefloor. It startles the other patrons, helping him stand as you walk away with ignorance. You mirror the satisfied smile on his face as you walk towards him—ready to be his for the rest of the night.

SYLUS - It became routine for you two to take on missions together whenever it was something that required going undercover or bringing a plus one. Nightclubs in the N109 Zone were a sleazy but vibrant scene, making the venue all the more intimate when you both stepped foot inside. - Sylus was efficient as ever in handling his task, another arrangement having gone smoothly. He doesn’t have to kill anyone tonight. - Or so he thought. - It’s rare you’re ever in this kind of scene, even more so that you dress for this occasion. Who would you be if you didn’t have your own fun? Especially when it came to riling up your beloved. Between you two, it stirs the very heat needed when you’d like him to be a little more rough. - Sure enough—Sylus is positively seething despite the too calm expression that makes his striking features tense. The look in his eyes is one you’ve come to recognize; it’s the same ferocity that his enemies see in their final moments. - The slightest smirk quirks up on his lips. You’re being cheeky tonight, he thinks. He doesn’t tear his gaze away from your own—ogling him, beckoning him over without a word. - His sharp eyes notice how the man behind you has squeezed your hips a bit tighter, like he doesn’t want to let go. You indulge in it, grinding your ass back into the stranger harder—and that’s all it takes for Sylus to finally prop himself up from the bar. - No, he hadn’t planned on harming anyone at all. He’s a good, morally-abiding citizen. - But oh… the things he was planning to do you. Perhaps keeping you up until the morning was a fair punishment.

ZAYNE - You should have known better by now that your games with him always end up in his victory. - You don’t ever look away from one another as the stranger continues to grind against you, oblivious to the tension and how this was all just an act. But you wonder why Zayne is as calm as he normally is. Eased, relaxed, with no drink in hand. - No, it bothers you. - Your initial, teasing smile begins to soften, and you’re becoming desperate. Your half-lidded eyes now slightly wider, while you jut your bottom lip into a pathetic pout. You’re losing, and your frustration about it makes Zayne smile, ever so slightly. - Your partner eventually pulls away, muttering something about going to get a drink. Just as he turns his back to head towards the opposite side where another bar stands—you feel a familiar, calloused palm tug your wrist, leading you out of the club. - You barely have time to process anything—when Zayne pushes you onto your back against the backseat cushions. He grips your calves, instantly folding your legs back as he slots in between your thighs. - He pants against your throat, humming in satisfaction as his trained hand instantly finds your slicked folds. You gasp for air, instantly weakening beneath him. Your back arches as he presses and circles his fingers into your aching flesh. - “Zayne… Zayne, I—please—please—oh!” You chant his name hurriedly, breathless as you grind into his hand sloppily. - But in trying to chase your pleasure, Zayne retracts his fingers just as fast as he found your skin. His palm strikes against your pussy, drawing a surprised yelp from you. You cry out a whimper, trying to reach out to your lover—and his hand strikes the same spot again. - “What if I just left you like this, hm?” The doctor breathes huskily into your ear, nipping your lobe between his teeth. He groans as his fingers easily slide into you, his low chuckle vibrating against your neck. - His other hand comes forward to expose your chest, instantly latching his lips onto a nipple. You moan out loud into the cramped darkness, more needy than you ever have been. “Ah… agh, fuck… Zayne, I’m sor—” - “How about you go right back into that building, and give him another dance, hm? Just like this.” - You can only whine at this point, huffing with such intense arousal it makes you look pathetic. Zayne is relishing in it, you can feel his smirk against your breast as he flattens his tongue against opposite nipple this time. - “That’s what I thought.”

[imliterallyf7ckin9crazy]

“𝔐𝔶 𝔤𝔯𝔞𝔰𝔰 𝔦𝔰 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔤𝔯𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔞𝔫𝔡… 𝔥𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔩𝔶 ℑ 𝔠𝔞𝔫’𝔱 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔣𝔲𝔠𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔠𝔞𝔭 𝔫𝔬 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔢… ℑ’𝔪 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔞 𝔩𝔬𝔱” (hope yall get this ref)

Nam gyu x reader x thanos

Smoking weed with thangyu :3

Warnings: weed, smoking it, I don’t think they are crazy toxic in this one actually, kind of a poly relationship but not like officially in words? Idk, pre game/ no game AU bitch I have no clue. If you don’t like weed/aren’t comfortable pls don’t read and pls don’t judge 🙏

A/N: this is for me basically. I just thought this would be funny and I haven’t written in like 2 or 3 days and I wanna get back into it bc I miss it IDK😭 and these two are my favorites. America is geeking out and I’m stuck with it for 4 years so to cope imma write abt smoking zaza w squid game characters.

Also these are head cannons I just wanted to have that lyric as the title lol

_______

- dream and nightmare rotation somehow.

- I feel like smoking with them starts out chill ASF. Maybe yall start back at home and roll up, the three of yall cramped together on the couch.

- thanos is chilling at the arm rest end of the couch, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he meticulously distributes the goods evenly on the paper and rolling it to perfection. He even knows how to make those cute pattern filters. He repeats this process a few more times

- you are in the middle, crushed between him and nam gyu. Your head is nestled right on his shoulder blade as he works, and your right arm is looped through his left. No matter how many times he does it, you still always comment on how he’s “faster than last time” or that he’s done a great job. If he had a tail he’d be wagging it

- and then nam gyu is PRESSED up against you. One arm is clutching your torso as he practically lays on you, and the other is reached all the way behind you to rest on thanos’ back. His hands are never ever still so he’d be lightly tapping a rhythm on your skin as he waits impatiently

- once thanos is all done it’s time to smoke 🙏 now here’s some actual stoner HCs. I’ll make it short

Thanos: I wouldn’t say he’s a light weight bc he can get super high and be SET. But he just gets super high every time. Somehow he glitched out of high tolerance hell. Also he is a joint hog >:( ik it’s infuriating to try and get him to pass the fucking joint. Prolly uses it as a mic. Smh.

Nam gyu: has to smoke a lot to get high. Like eventually he gets there but he has to smoke one together with yall (bc he wants to be included) and one for himself. Bro gets sleepy, HELLA. Don’t matter indica or stativa. Honk shoo mimimi. I would say it makes him not keep his hands to himself but when has he ever??? Be prepared.

Together: world’s most stoppable duo. Literally whatever brain cells they had die. They are hanging off each other, laughing at genuinely anything, they don’t make any fucking sense, and to make it all worse they reek but tell each other they don’t. Once they’ve smoked they like to hit the streets together, maybe go clubbing :3 ends in 14 arrests idek

- they don’t skip you in a rotation EVER. They take their system serious asf. It’s always been thanos, you, nam gyu, repeat. And they will be dammed if you don’t get your hits in. They insist on shot gunning it to you (and each other but you ain’t hear that from me)

- they will never say no to more, three joints is just TO START. They got bongs, pipes, carts, brah everything

- they are extra sweet to you when smoking weed. Very cuddly, keeping you between them and then holding each other. You are literally trapped that way. And they keep looking at you with hazy eyes…

- hungry bastards. Usually they get food to eat before and then they can partake after. Sometimes they take you out to like a street vender for a cheap munchie session.

- not often tho. They like you keep you inside and away from other people. They like having you curled up between them, looking at them with glassy eyes, smoking the weed THEY bring you. Thanos and nam gyu are really possessive guys so they like moments where it’s literally just you three chilling.

- they be talking about the most random shit if all time. If yall remember the shower thoughts trend, that’s just the shit they say.

- they the typa guys when high to ask if you’d still love them if they were worms

- (you said yes and that you’d make a little compost bin for them to live in. They liked it)

- compliment city!! “Baby you’re so pretty” from nam gyu and a “don’t look away señorita, i wanna see you” from thanos.

- they hold hands with you.

- if you happen to green out they are with you in the bathroom. Nam gyu will hold your hair if you throw up and thanos is getting water and setting up for bed.

- tbh not all smoke seshs end in getting freaky, but it’s high in likelihood. Bc like cmon. They are freaky. And sometimes the weed be weeding. And they love you, and each other.

- but sometimes they end in just yall cozied up together in bed, rambling abt random shit, holding each other tightly as smoke clings in the air.

_______

Idk I just thought this was funny. I think the world would be much better if politicians talked shit out over a fresh J imma be real. America is hell.

[mameillieureennemie]

Hey i think it would be cool if you do another jinx x femreader ishas sister and something about isha walking in on a cute moment and getting grossed out maybe some angst😌 maybe some smut 😙😙 if u do that

hey love! sorry this took so long, but i hope you enjoy and thank you for the request :)

jinx x f!isha's sister!reader

there're hardly any moments you two can get alone. with the whole of piltover after you and the whole of zaun championing your girlfriend, it's been a very rough couple of weeks.

most of your time is spent hiding out, and during that time, you're entertaining isha as much as you can. whether that be through beetle brawling, drawing, or re-dying her hair so it doesn't lose its blue. it's anything you can do to keep her happy, to keep her away from the impending war that brews on outside.

but then a moment comes along where isha disappears. which isn't entirely odd because she's been known to vanish from time to time. you've grown used to it, after years of observing her movements, and calm jinx down when her look for isha grows a bit frantic.

"she's fine," you assure jinx, rubbing at her shoulder. "i wouldn't be this calm if i knew she wouldn't be."

"yeah, but," jinx says, running a shaky hand through her hair. "it's getting dangerous out there, and isha isn't us. she's young; she's practically a baby, and people are sick fucks with deranged brains and—"

you instantly draw jinx into your arms, tugging at her until her face is in the crook of your neck. you rub soothing circles against her back, softly cooing until jinx's muttering falls silent. then her arms are curling around your waist, holding you close, as if she's scared you'll disappear too.

"i know it's hard," you say gently. "to trust that things are okay. that the people you love are okay. but you can trust me and trust that i know what i'm talking about." you lean back so you can hold jinx's face in your hands, smoothing your thumbs over the angle of her cheekbones. "so trust me on this, okay? isha's fine, and she knows what to do if she runs into any trouble."

jinx seems unconvinced, but she slowly relaxes as she nuzzles into your touch. with a heavy sigh, she closes her eyes and says, "i've...never had to worry like this before. usually, it was others worrying about me. because i was the jinx, y'know? so it's odd...feeling this way."

you hum in response, still tracing patterns into her cheeks. "feeling what way?" you ask, a little curious and jinx opens her eyes with a shrug.

"responsible?" she tries, before shaking her head. "i don't know, i just—the idea of anything happening to you or isha rips me up inside. like i'd permanently lose my mind, go absolutely fucking crazy if something bad happened to you guys."

you hum again, this time with a hint of a chuckle. but her words have your heart racing because that's exactly how you feel. it also means that what jinx is experiencing is probably similar to your experience.

that she—

"you love us," you whisper, barely loud enough for jinx to hear. but she hears it, loud and clear, as she stares at you with eyes that momentarily look powder blue.

"i...do," she whispers, just as loud, and it's enough to push you. enough to have you pull her in so you can press a sweet kiss against her lips. a kiss she reciprocates eagerly, her arms still tight around your waist, placing you in a trap you hope to never escape.

just as she licks into your mouth with a soft moan, there's a noise that startles you both. you pull apart quickly, looking around and sighing when you see that it's isha.

whose nose is scrunched up in disgust, eyes clenched shut.

you can't help but laugh loudly as jinx snorts, refusing to let you go.

"some nerve you got," jinx scolds playfully. "you couldn't have come back in like twenty minutes?"

you shove jinx, just as playful, and say, "isha, you can open your eyes."

but isha shakes her head, intent of keeping her eyes safe.

but she's smiling now, and that's all that matters.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing a "Toxic" Character

Toxic Behavior - any kind of behavior that results in unpleasantness for those around you.

This can range from accidentally telling a joke that hurts someone’s feelings to alienating close friends and family through consistently negative and cruel behavior.

In other words, toxic behavior is whatever someone does to bring negativity upon themselves and others.

Everyone can be difficult on occasion, but you want to avoid allowing occasional, accidental toxic behaviors to become a long-term feature of your personality.

It’s one thing to make a selfish decision and meaningfully apologize afterward, but it’s another when it becomes a defining trait.

Even the most toxic people can improve their behavior patterns, so long as they make an earnest effort to understand themselves and become more compassionate.

Even though it might take a lot of self-compassion, patience from friends and family, and a resolute commitment to becoming kinder, it’s well worth it for everyone in the long run.

Prominent Toxic Behavior Traits

Toxicity manifests in numerous ways. If you’re worried you might be consistently exhibiting toxic traits, ask yourself if someone would describe you as having any one of these 5 qualities:

Critical: When people behave in a toxic way, they often blame others for all their problems. Rather than accepting any responsibility for their unhappiness or aggression, they convince themselves they behave this way solely because of the kind of people around them. Ask yourself if you’re quicker to criticize others than to self-reflect.

Manipulative: Controlling behavior, gaslighting, and other forms of manipulation are some of the key signs of a toxic person. Perhaps you try to passive-aggressively get coworkers to do your job for you or try to make family members feel guilty so they’ll do you favors. If you manipulate other people, knowingly or unknowingly, you’re exhibiting a key toxic trait.

Narcissistic: Certain toxic people only look out for themselves. As narcissists, they view their own lives as above anyone else’s. While everyone can veer into self-interest from time to time, this sort of constant self-involvement is a sure sign of toxicity. Think about the last time you put someone else’s needs above your own—if you have a hard time remembering when that was, it might be time for some further self-evaluation and improvement.

Negativity: Toxic people are often negative people. They feel the need to nitpick and criticize the minutiae of their lives, berating friend and foe alike for making things more difficult than they need to be. No one can feel happy all the time, and negativity can balance out positivity on occasion—but if you constantly dwell on things that make you sad or angry, you could be embodying toxic behavior.

Unapologetic: When toxic people lash out at their loved ones, they’re unlikely to ever apologize or see what they’ve done as wrong. This might be because their self-worth is bound up in thinking they must be right at all times and at all costs. Ask yourself whether you ever feel comfortable being wrong. If the answer is no, this might be a toxic trait worth improving.

Tips for How to Not Be Toxic

Devoting yourself to positivity rather than toxicity can prove a boon for both you and all your loved ones. Learn how to stop being toxic with these 7 steps:

Apologize when necessary. Everyone exhibits bad behavior from time to time. Apologize when you act out of line so you can get back to spending time creating positive memories with friends and family.

Assess yourself regularly. Toxic traits often emanate from low self-esteem and unaddressed trauma. Work on bettering your mental health and wellness. Journal out your thoughts to improve your sense of self-awareness.

Be open to feedback. Free and open communication is one key hallmark of healthy relationships. Listen more than you speak. Ask people what you can do so you both can have a good relationship with each other.

Deal with past trauma. There’s an old saying: “Hurt people hurt people.” In other words, people who’ve gone through hard times and are in a painful situation are likely to create hard times and painful situations for others. Seek out help to deal with these very real wounds. No one deserves to suffer, and the sooner you heal, the sooner you can help others heal, too.

Practice mindfulness. Very few people actively set out to be a toxic person, they just fall into toxic habits. Practicing mindfulness meditation gives you the tool kit to break up negative thought patterns and assess why you might behave in a toxic way.

Respect boundaries. Individual toxicity often leads to toxic relationships with others characterized by codependency. Respect people when they set boundaries with you, then pay attention to whether you’re crossing them.

Seek opportunities for compassion. Rather than looking for opportunities to criticize, seek out the ability to be compassionate. Give yourself grace as a form of self-care—remind yourself you’re not a bad person, just someone trying to get through the difficulties of life like anyone else. Forgive others who frustrate or wrong you. Focus on spreading a sense of well-being and you’ll be well on your way to ensuring each day is a positive rather than toxic one.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[wyvern-of-whimsy]

It depends on which spellcheck youre using but some of the most popular ones like Grammarly are making LLMs that are colloquially known as generative AI that train off of user data. It's not a database of known words since it also takes in the typos and misspellings. If a misspelling/typo is common enough, it'll start trying to correct *to* that incorrect word instead of correcting that word to the original.

My mobile keyboard, for example, trains off of my most commonly typed words. And i misspell "the" as "teh" often, so it has started suggesting "teh".

And to put my own 2 cents in on @emperor-of-the-hill 's questions:

1. Collages take art from various sources and put them together in order to view the whole alongside its composite parts. But collages also highlight each piece of art used in their collection, and so having even one piece of AI art displayed amongst real, human-made art devalued not only the other art in the piece but also the composition as a whole.

2. Yes, using AI for even the background of a work stains the art (but this one is only my opinion). You could've taken a photograph from elsewhere, had someone else draw the background, or done a simple gradient/pattern background if you didnt want to do it yourself. Then, you have the creative choices still: you choose a photo that complements your foreground, someone else has the creative choices in choosing an artstyle and art that best frames the forground, or you get to choose colors/patterns that work with the foreground. With AI, the creativity is drained out of it.

3. Digital tools with gen ai is a broad category. I like to split it up with this qualifier: does it make something new that wasn't there before? If it does, thats generally not ok in my books. If it only repeats what was already on the canvas, it is acceptable. Let me give you a few examples.

A "background maker" that will repeat background patterns in Photoshop, often used to edit objects out of photos: it doesn't make anything new, so its OK!

A filter that will make a person look like an anime character: not OK. It creates something new on the canvas, that being 2D drawing style.

A smart fill tool on an animation software that will attempt to color an object in all selected frames the same color when it detects that object: A-OK! The color is still chosen by the animator, and the object was made by the animator. All the AI is doing is coloring where the animator tells it to. This tool speeds up the animating process, but it doesnt create new material.

AI is a new and confusing subject, and it's important to educate people on the different uses of AI and the different types. Id recommend researching Large Language Models (LLMs) which is what ChatGPT and other "generative" AIs are.

i literally dont care what your excuse for using AI is. if you didnt put your own effort into making it im not putting my own effort into interacting with it.

[theballadofharkness]

That’s your price?

Pairing: Agatha Harkness x fem!reader

Summary: As Agatha’s partner of over a century, you can’t help but feel jealous over the amount of time she is spending with Wanda. You deserve some compensation…

Word Count: 1.4K

The kitchen was bathed in the warm, golden light of a 1950s morning, the rays streaming through the lace curtains hanging over the sink. You leaned against the counter, still wrapped in your soft, floral-patterned night robe, clutching a steaming cup of coffee. The house was quiet except for the faint hum of a radio playing a cheery tune somewhere in the background.

Agatha swept into the room, the click of her heels on the linoleum kitchen floor heralding her arrival. She was dressed impeccably, as always, in a period accurate tartan dress adorned with her brooch that glinted in the morning sun. Her hair was perfectly styled, every wave in place, and her lipstick was a bold, commanding red, even if when she stepped out of the house it would appear a dark grey. She was a vision of mid-century poise and confidence, the very picture of a perfect housewife- except Agatha was never confined to anyone’s idea of perfection but her own.

“Good morning, darling,” she said, her voice dripping with honeyed affection as she set her latest gift for Wanda on the kitchen table. Her eyes swept over you, a smile tugging at her lips when she noticed the disheveled way your robe hung loosely, revealing the barest hint of skin beneath.

“Morning,” you replied, feeling a blush creep up your cheeks under her intense gaze. Even after over a century together, Agatha still had a way of looking at you that made you feel as though you were the only person in the world.

She crossed the room in a few measured steps, her heels clicking softly, and stood in front of you, one hand reaching out to trail her fingers lightly along the edge of your robe. “Still not dressed, I see,” she teased, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. “You do realize we have a busy day ahead, don’t you?” You’d agreed to take a walk around Westview with Agatha to see the extent of Wanda’s hold over the town of Westview and the people in it.

“I thought I’d take my time this morning,” you said with a small smile, though the heat in her eyes made it difficult to maintain any semblance of composure. “Besides, you seem to like me this way.”

Agatha chuckled, a rich, throaty sound that sent a shiver down your spine. “Oh, you know me too well,” she murmured, stepping closer until the scent of her perfume enveloped you. Her hands found your waist, her fingers firm yet gentle as they rested there, grounding you against the counter.

Her lips captured yours in a kiss, soft at first, but quickly deepening as her confidence and passion took over. The world outside the kitchen faded away, the only reality being the warmth of her body against yours and the taste of her lips. One hand slid up to cup your cheek, tilting your face to give her better access, while the other held you firmly in place as though she were afraid you might slip away.

“You’re irresistible, you know that?” she murmured against your lips, her voice low and full of affection. Her hand moved from your waist to the tie of your robe, fingers brushing against your skin as she toyed with the fabric. “But you’re also a distraction. How am I supposed to get anything done with you standing here looking like that?”

You couldn’t help but laugh, the sound breaking the tension for a moment before her lips found yours again, her kiss stealing away any witty reply you might have had. Agatha was always in control, always the one to set the pace, and you loved the way she made you feel cherished and utterly powerless all at once.

When she finally pulled back, her lipstick slightly smudged and her eyes bright with mischief, she gave you a look that promised this wasn’t over. “Finish your coffee, sweetheart,” she said, her voice sweet but commanding. “And then get dressed. We’ve got a whole day of exploring ahead of us.”

As she stepped away, smoothing her dress and readjusting her brooch as if nothing had happened, you couldn’t help but grin. Agatha always had a way of making the mundane feel extraordinary, and mornings like this reminded you just how much you loved her.

Agatha paused, sensing what was happening next door. “Wanda needs me. Our little morning expedition will have to wait my love.” she grabbed her purse, ready to dash off.

You don’t look up from the coffee, muttering, "fine." This was the fourth day in a row that Wanda had come between you getting any significant time with your partner. Never before had her grab for power taken this much of a toll on your time together. While you played your roles in Wanda’s sick sitcom fantasy, there was no way Agatha could even hold your hand without alarm bells ringing. Agatha had convinced you to play the part of her husband Ralph’s sister who was staying for a few weeks which was bad enough, but Wanda had begun to try and set you up with a love interest. Because god forbid a woman could be single in this time period.

Agatha paused her movements, reading the stiffness in your posture. With an almost feline grace, she glides over to your side, leaning casually against the counter.

"Oh, don’t be like that," she teases, nudging you gently with her hip.

You glance at her, eyebrow raised. "Like what?"

"Like you’re sulking. You’re not jealous, are you?" She smirks, her tone dripping with mock innocence.

Your jaw tightens, and you turn back to your coffee. "Why would I be jealous? It’s not like you’ve been spending every waking moment fawning over Wanda lately or anything."

Agatha tilts her head, her expression a mix of amusement and mischief. "Darling, it’s all part of the plan. You know that."

"Do I?" you shoot back, finally meeting her gaze. "Because it feels like you’re enjoying this a little too much."

She laughs, a throaty, melodious sound, and steps closer. "Oh, come now. You don’t think I’d forget about you, do you?"

You hold her gaze, your frustration simmering beneath the surface. "Prove it."

Agatha’s eyes twinkle with a wicked glint. "Oh, you’re going to make me work for it, are you?"

Before you can respond, she closes the distance between you, her hands slipping around your waist under the robe, groaning at the feel of your naked flesh under her fingertips. She pulls you flush against her, her lips a breath away from yours.

"Darling," she murmurs, her voice low and sultry, "you know you’re the only one I’d burn this world down for."

And then she kisses you—slow, deliberate, and intoxicating. It’s the kind of kiss that makes the room spin, that makes every ounce of doubt and frustration melt away.

When she finally pulls back, you’re breathless, your fingers clutching the lapels of her dress.

"Convinced?" she whispers, her lips quirking into that signature sly grin.

You roll your eyes, but a reluctant smile tugs at your lips. "Fine. You go help the witch and her robot. I’ll get dressed. But you owe me" you sighed, your tone laced with mock exasperation. "Big time."

Agatha raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And what does my darling little witch want?"

You smirk, leaning back against the counter. "When you’re done with all of this- after you drain Wanda of her magic and become the most powerful witch in the world- Senor Scratchy stays with us. No arguments."

Her expression falters for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing the request. Then her lips curve into a sly grin.

"Senor Scratchy? Really?" she asks, half-laughing. "That’s your price?"

"Yep," you say, crossing your arms. "I like him. He stays."

Agatha lets out an amused sigh, shaking her head. "Fine. But only because you asked so sweetly." She leans in, planting another kiss on your cheek, her lips lingering just a moment longer than necessary. "Now, behave yourself while I’m gone. I’ll make it up to you later."

You watch her saunter out of the kitchen, her humming trailing after her. As the door clicks shut behind her, you look down at your cup of coffee, a small smile tugging at your lips.

"Hear that baby?” you looked at your new pet lounging on the sofa “your new mommy is gonna make it up to me later” you smile, taking a sip and heading upstairs to get dressed. Or not. She did like you better that way after all…

Masterlist

[lastoneout]

Looks like those of us in the US are already going to have to fly blind on bird flu for a while.

It is only until the 1st and it claims that exceptions will be made for genuine emergencies but ngl given all I know from following this for a year and remember from COVID I don't trust the new people in charge to be able to recognize when the situation is actually serious or not, and I have a bad feeling that we won't know when it goes H2H(which everything Trump is doing and has said he'll do means this is truly only a matter of time right now, it's not if, it's when) and will have to rely on news from other countries to get info on the situation.

If you have stopped masking, now is the time to at the very least start stocking up, and grab some flu tests and covid tests if you can. Also please, I am begging you all, if you can get the latest COVID booster and flu shot do it NOW while you still can. If the COVID vax side effects bother you try the Novavax version, I had it and it didn't cause any adverse side effects. Costco seems to have them, where I am anyway, and you don't need a membership to use the pharmacy. Also you can still self-attest to being high risk which gets you on the 6month pattern instead of the yearly one, so if you had your last one within a year want to top off, do it now before things get scary.

I would also advise doing what you can to get the qualifying people in your life the RSV vaccine. One of the key things we're worried about with H5N1/HPAI is concurrent infections, if someone gets sick with H5N1 and another illness like the seasonal flu it seriously increases the chances of the virus reshuffling with the other one and setting it up to be H2H. You want to minimize the chance of you being the test tube that experiment happes in, so mask if you can and get your shots.

I truly do think those of us in the US are about to be on our own with this. I do not trust this new administration to stop here. You gotta take care of yourselves and your families, friends, and communities.

Edit: ALSO STOP DRINKING RAW MILK AND BRING YOUR FUCKIN' CATS INSIDE FFS

[mumms-the-word]

I know I’m screaming into the void here but do not witch hunt people with AI accusations

As someone whose job for the last two years involved me reading and rereading essays and creative fiction written by my students (a group of writers notorious for using AI despite being told not to because they worry about their grades more than their skills) let me tell you straight up that detecting AI in any written work isn’t straightforward

AI detection softwares are bullshit. Even Turnitin, which is supposedly the best, has an error rate that is slowly increasing over time. They’re not reliable. The free ones online are even worse, trust me

“Oh but it’s so obvious!” Sure. If you’re trained to notice patterns and predictive repetitions in the language, sure. I can spot a ChatGPT student essay from a mile away. But only if they haven’t edited it themselves, or used a bunch of methods (Grammarly, other AIs, their friends, a “humanizer” software, etc) to obscure the ChatGPT patterns. And it’s easier with formulaic essays—with creative fiction it’s much harder.

Why?

Well because good creative fiction is a) difficult to write well and b) extremely subjective. ChatGPT does have notable patterns for creative writing. But it’s been trained on the writing that is immensely popular, writing that has been produced by humans. Purple prose, odd descriptions, sixteen paragraphs of setting where one or two could be fine, all of that is stylistic choices that people have intentionally made in their writing that ChatGPT is capable of predicting and producing.

What I’m saying is, people just write like that normally. There are stylistic things I do in to writing that other people swear up and down is an AI indicator. But it’s just me writing words from my head

So can we, should we, start witch hunts over AI use in fanfic when we notice these patterns? My answer is no because that’s dangerous.

Listen. I hate AI. I hate the idea of someone stealing my work and feeding it into a machine that will then “improve itself” based on work I put my heart and soul into. If I notice what I think is AI in a work I’ve casually encountered online, I make a face and I stop reading. It’s as simple as that. I don’t drag their name out into the public to start a tomato throwing session because I don’t know their story (hell they might even be a bot) and because one accusation can suddenly become a deluge

Or a witch hunt, if you will

Because accusing one person of AI and starting a whole ass witch hunt is just begging people to start badly analyzing the content they’re reading out of fear that they’ve been duped. People don’t want to feel the sting or embarrassment of having been tricked. So they’ll start reading more closely. Too closely. They’ll start finding evidence that isn’t really evidence. “This phrase has been used three times in the last ten paragraphs. It must be AI.”

Or, it could be that I just don’t have enough words in my brain that day and didn’t notice the repetition when I was editing.

There’s a term you may be familiar with called a “false positive.” In science or medicine, it’s when something seems to have met the conditions you’re looking for, but in reality isn’t true or real or accurate. Like when you test for the flu and get a positive result when you didn’t have the flu. Or, in this case, when you notice someone writing sentences that appear suspiciously like a ChatGPT constructed sentence and go “oh, yes that must mean it’s ChatGPT then”

(This type of argumentation/conclusion also just uses a whole series of logical fallacies I won’t get into here except to say that if you want to have a civil conversation about AI use in fandom you cannot devolve into hasty generalizations based on bits and parts)

I’m not saying this to protect the people using AI. In an ideal world, people would stop using it and return back to the hard work of making art and literature and so on. But we don’t live in that world right now, and AI is prevalent everywhere. Which means we have to be careful with our accusations and any “evidence” we think we see.

And if we do find AI in fandom spaces, we must be careful with how we handle or approach that, otherwise we will start accusing writers who have never touched AI a day in their life of having used it. We will create a culture of fear around writing and creating that stops creatives from making anything at all. People will become too scared to share their work out of fear they’ll be accused of AI and run off.

I don’t have solutions except to say that in my experience, outright accusing people of AI tends to create an environment of mistrust that isn’t productive for creatives or fans/readers. If you start looking for AI evidence everywhere, you will find it everywhere. Next thing you know, you’re miserable because you feel like you can’t read or enjoy anything.

If you notice what you think is AI in a work, clock it, maybe start a discussion about it, but keep that conversation open to multiple answers or outcomes. You’re not going to stop people from using AI by pointing fingers at them. But you might be able to inspire them to try writing or creating for themselves if you keep the conversation open, friendly, and encourage them to try creating for themselves, without the help of AI

[anna-no-emma]

If you were born into a time were there are wrong words and right words (like gender terminology) to use to signal your politics, like gen Z has been, I think it creates a certain mentality. Like you grow up watching people get shunned (cancelled) from the only third space that's available to you and your peers for using the wrong words...that's going to create some anxiety about using the right words, right? Like if you get it wrong, your community (possibly the only one that's available to you due to the destruction of physical communities and third spaces) will stop engaging with you (at least in a positive manner). And maybe anxiety is too strong a word but the experience is certainly going to cement the importance of what words are socially acceptable and what words aren't, the idea that certain words are acceptable and others aren't.

Now take into account that current undergrad students have probably been on TikTok since they were 11? 12? The people on TikTok are using certain words, certain euphemisms, and they do too. They've spent hours a day on that app, listening to people talk, it's completely understandable to pick up those speech patterns. They also might have spent hours using the app to talk to audiences and had to modify their language to do that. And then the people around them in real life use those censored words or phrases too (maybe it's just to show their peers they're in the loop with a trend, maybe it's to be funny, or maybe, unfortunately, it's just that the first time they heard of that concept it was in a TikTok video with a funky little censored euphamism was being used - maybe they were eleven and the first time they heard anyone properly speak about sex or rape it was as smex or grape on TikTok and that's just how it cemented into their brain, especially because their peers then use those censored euphemisms in real life too. And if they come from a conservative or information poor background it's gonna be a while until they're exposed to the proper terminology). A lot of these now-undergrads grew up only engaging, at least in a meaningful way, to people their own age (due to the destruction of communities and third spaces, as well as the pedophile scare). Older people, at least that the undergrads wanted to connect with as teenagers, who use the real terms are going to be a rarity. Motivation to actually use, for example, sex as opposed to smex is going to be low.

So, maybe if you grew up with this mentality around certain words being socially acceptable and then everyone around you (everybody you crave validation from) is using the TikTok censored version of words...the TikTok words become the socially acceptable terms, at least to you. You can kind of see how one might get to college and be using this 1984-esque language without understanding you are censoring yourself. When you and your peers talked about the issues before college, you all used, for example, the word smex. So why wouldn't you use it now in a lecture hall filled with your peers?

And maybe you feel like the proper term isn't acceptable, especially when addressing someone older (or someone in a position of power), because it feels rude. You haven't had a chance to desensitize the real term. Like I spent ages 15-18 almost constantly saying sex to my friends meaning it wasn't so taboo when I got to college. It was just another word. But if you haven't used the real word that much and your talking to someone older, especially when you don't have much experience talking openly to someone older, you might shy away from the real word and use the term you're used to or that feels more socially acceptable.

I think the language politics anxiety gen Z grew up with (combined with the destruction of communities and third spaces, and TikTok taking the place of these things pushing TikTok to a play a very central part in Gen Z's lives from a very young age) has made them more susceptible to language censorship.

And it's a fucking problem. And having the poor teaching academics pushing the kids to use the real words isn't a real, systematic solution. I don't know how to fix this (not without a lot of money going into education and legislation, anyway).

we have GOT to kill tiktok/twitter self-censorship i just witnessed a grown adult say the word “smex” out loud to our professor

[lesorciercanadien]

My Current Inventory of Magic Tools

Here's a list of tools I use in my spiritual practice that can inspire others that are on this path! While some are heritage pieces that cost a lot of money up-front due to craftsmanship, the every-day tools are pretty inexpensive. For example, most candles can be found at the dollar store, and incense can be personalized to your taste. For my practice, I use cedar incense, since it is known as a cleansing plant in the Christian tradition, and many Acadian and Québécois households used cedar on Palm Sunday before palms became widely available.

Most of the heritage pieces, for anyone wanting to participate, I strongly encourage investing a few extra dollars to get good quality items! It will last you years of magical practice, and you can use them with pride.

La ceinture fléchée - the woven sash

A symbol of identity to the Métis living on the Canadian plains, the historical Huron-Wendat people, and historically worn by French voyageurs and fur traders and their indigenous partners in trade, these sashes were strapped around the waist. These were mostly useful in keeping the woollen coats closed, store belted tools, help with the strain of carrying heavy pelts, and prevent hernias and back strain on long canoe expeditions. The long strands on the end could also be used as impromptu sewing thread. These sashes would reach about 15cm to 25cm and its length easily passes 2 metres. These sashes were traded among indigenous groups for furs, and later, by the Hudson's Bay Company in the 19th century. It became a part of the traditional Québecois peasant clothing at least since 1776. As the sash travelled upriver to the plains and beyond, Métis groups adopted the sashes, elaborated on its craftsmanship, and truly made it one of their most recognized symbols. Depending on where the sash is woven, the colours can change. For example, for Québec, they preferred a blue colour scheme, for Montréal, red, and for those woven in between Ottawa and the Red River, black was more prominent. Hand-woven sashes can take up to 500 hours to complete. (1)

The one pictured above I bought from Etchiboy, a Métis artisan. The sash I bought was inspired from the Assomption sash motif, one of the oldest known woven patterns from the 18th century. I wear it on my woodland wanderings, for rituals, and cultural days. I especially wear it in winter to keep my coat closed. I chose to adopt the sash into my practice after lots of research. It is an item of rich history between the French and their indigenous allies, and a consequence of the fur trade in our country. I encourage anyone who's interested to buy from artisans who hand-weave them! There are machine-woven ones nowadays that might be less expensive, but nothing beats the quality of good wool and good weaving. With the richness of variety in the weaving patterns depending on the region they're from, why not have a sash that harkens back to the history of your region?

The walking stick or 'le gourdin'

In Québécois folktales, the stick, known as 'the gourdin', was most seen as a gift from a woodland fairy (like a guardian of all trees, or a mistress of the birds) to the intrepid hero Ti-Jean. This magical stick could thwack all his adversaries with the simple command of "tappe, gourdin!" (slap, stick!), among other fabulous deeds (2) This stick was a tool of protection on long journeys fraught with peril. So, what better companion to the Canadien witch than a walking stick? I use mine for every excursion, and have added to it some talismans of a wolf, owl and skull to keep evil spirits at bay. There's also a portable rosary around the stick, and the Ste. Anne of Beaupré religious medal. Historically, she was often a saint prayed to by voyageurs before they undertook the long and perilous journey to the fur trading posts, usually near present-day Montreal. (3)

The pocket knife

The pocket knife is a multi-talented tool of our trade! It can carve folksy figurines, cut wooden branches for weaving, harvest plants, cut curses, and keep les feux-follets (willow-the-wisps) at bay. Folklore has it that if you're out camping in the woods, fold you knife so that it creates a 90-degree angle, and stick it into the bark of a tree bordering your campsite. In the morning, if the blade is bloody, chances are it was the feux follet being intrigued by the space between the blade and the tree, and cutting its throat, thereby being free from its doomed roaming. (4) It is also a well-known tool in case you need to free a loup-garou (werewolf) from its curse by cutting it on its white spot on the forehead where he previously received communion as a kid. (5) By extension, it is a vital tool to break curses. Of course, don't make anyone bleed with the knife. That goes without saying. Treat the knife well, keep it sharp.

The rosary

Yes, my path has Catholic tools in it. Of course! Quebecois and Acadians of my ancestry were Catholic people primarily. It is a versatile tool in my practice, used for shellwork as well as meditative prayer. For those who are interested in praying the Rosary traditionally, I'll create a separate post. For shellwork purposes, I usually say a round of "Hail Mary" ten times before starting a spell for the ultimate protective shield. There is also known folk uses for the rosary in Acadian and Québécois communities. For example, to fidget with the rosary without intent or purpose brings about the Devil. (6) The rosary can also be used as a tool to find lost items. Simply toss the rosary over your shoulder, and the crucifix will point in the direction of the lost item. If you want good weather on your wedding day, hang up your rosary on your laundry cord the day before. (7). Rosaries nowadays even come in decade forms as portable rings for your pocket, and some are actual rings you can wear on your finger. I got a few rosaries myself. One for special rituals (I never toss that one over my shoulder!), and cheaper, more portable options for the tossing spell.

Holy medals

I amassed quite a collection of holy medals for individual saints. Other notable ones are those for the souls in Purgatory (worn on All Souls Day), the Holy Spirit at (worn on Pentecost or when I do divination), Jesus the Shepherd (it's comforting), Stella Maris (patron saint of Acadians). I have a few of the same for more frequented purposes, for example, I keep a Saint Luke medal on my artist's pencil case, since he is the patron saint of artists. Traditionally in Acadian communities, it was known that when your day was going awfully, and your bread dough just wouldn't rise, you just needed to boil some holy medals in water to turn your luck around (8). They are quite inexpensive, so it's fast and easy to grow a collection in a short period of time. Many catholic retailers sell them.

Divination tools : the playing cards, dice and coin

My divination tools can be found in anyone's cupboard and drawers. The trusty playing cards deck nowadays comes in such amazing variety of art, the one I picked for myself was the Bicycle Aviary Playing Cards. It has such a lovely folk art vibe to them! The way to divine them comes from sources of card-playing and superstitions from history and folktales from folklorist Marius Barbeau, and people over centuries carrying around the cards for entertainment and perhaps a glimpse into their futures. One guide on reading the cards: Fifty-Four Devils: The Art & Folklore of Fortune-Telling with Playing Cards by Cory Thomas Hutcheson. Dice can also be used in the same manner if you're doing a numerology-based divination. The coin can be used as a simple yes or no divination by playing 'heads or tails'. The coin can be a beautiful commemorative coin like mine, or a simple 'cenne noire' (blackened penny), or whatever currency you have on hand.

The sewing kit and fibre arts

I wanted to add this iconic cookie tin into the folk witch's repertoire, because we all had grandmothers who had this tin lying around with their tools to mend and sew anything. In my practice, and in my hobbies, I make clothing and I embroider. I can use this tin to house my relevant supplies to have some sacred time darning old socks, creating spiritual garments by hand, or embroidering pretty things. You can also draw sigils on the rim's inner side for blessing your items inside! There's also other uses for some of these tools in your home! For example, my great-great grandmother used to use her thimble to create the holes in her croxignoles, these woven doughnut style rings from the Magdalen Islands.

Musical spoons

Musical spoons, sometimes made of wood to be used for musical purposes, as shown here, or made from every-day metal spoons held together for the same effect, are an iconic instrument in French-Canadian folk music. I would recommend learning how to play them rhythmically and to use that as a grounding tool. I just find these way more authentic than a drum. Not to mention rhythmic foot tapping and step dances are frequently used in our folk music to set up a beat.

Woven Cloths

These beautiful cloths or 'serviettes' were woven by my mother on a giant hand-loom, often employed by local farmer's guilds in Québec. Les Cercles des Fermières du Québec sometimes has craft fairs where they sell these among other hand-crafted items. In folklore, the cloth was present when Ti-Jean needed to create a magical feast on the fly, create a magical tent for shelter, or carry around all his tools for his journey. These cloths however were almost always given by a fay creature, so best be cautious in eating food from it. Nowadays, it can be used as altar cloths, protective shields for your tools, or to apply healing energy to an ailment you carry. (9) I use mine to do my card readings, wrap special items. If you are lucky enough to find a 'catalogne', which is a heavy blanket woven on those big looms from scraps of old t-shirts, cottons and the like, that's like, a massive cloth you can have over your bed and its folkloric properties can be used for protection and good dreams. It is also the best weighted blanket for anxiety, tried and tested by me! Mine was woven by my grandmother.

Cited sources

Wikipedia "Ceinture Fléchée" consulted on Jan 21 2025/ 2. Barbeau 1st series/ 3. Podruchny / 4. Butler/ 5. Maillet / 6. Dupont 83. / 7. Dupont 122. / 8. Dupont 83. / 9. Barbeau 2nd series

Bibliography

Barbeau, Marius, « Contes populaires canadiens », The Journal of American Folkore, vol. 29, no 111, janvier-mars 1916, 154 p.

Barbeau, C.-Marius. “Contes Populaire Canadiens. Seconde Série.” The journal of American Folklore 30, no. 115 (Jan-Mar., 1917): 27-36. http://www.jstor.org/stable/534454. 

 Butler, Gary R. Histoire et traditions orales des Franco-Acadiens de Terre-Neuve. Québec 1995. p. 156

Dupont, Jean-Claude. Heritage d’Acadie. Collection Connaissance, éditions Lemeac. 1977. 

Maillet, Antonine. Rabelais et les traditions populaires en Acadie. Les presses de l’université Laval, Quebec. 1980. 

Podruchny, Carolyn. Making the Voyageur World: Traveler’s and Traders in the North American Fur Trade. University of Toronto Press. 2006.  

[teriri-sayes]

Reactions to The Worst's Chapter 395

Brief summary: Cale is doing his best to convince himself to stay positive upon learning what Clopeh had done. Count Lupe wakes up.

==========

Most of the chapter was so funny because of Clopeh. 😂 And Cale was heavily in denial, trying to stay positive despite his ominous feeling. 🤣🤣🤣

"Cale-nim." And finally, he faced Clopeh Sekka, the disaster. No, not quite a disaster yet. "Uh, umm.." For some reason, Cale was speechless. He would like to ask why the quest progress was like that. "Did you have a nice trip?" But when he saw Clopeh smiling, he was afraid to ask. '…Did I choose wrong?' For the first time in a while, Cale regretted his choice. “I did what you asked me to do, and I did it with all my heart and soul.” Ah. A sigh escaped his mouth. "Now that everything's ready, Cale-nim, all we have to do is wait a day." A smiling Clopeh. His gentle voice. Eyes filled with happiness. And eyes that sparkled with excitement. 'I'm screwed.' Cale realized that whatever it was, he was doomed. And- "Hahaha-" He laughed. "Yeah. Good job!" Yeah, everything will work out somehow! And I'm not going to live in the game, and it will only be a little embarrassing for that dragon half-blood guy. 'Yeah, people will soon forget his birth!' Honestly, look around you. Who, not even family, would remember the moment someone was born and talk about it for decades? 'Yeah! It's just an event! A quest!' Therefore! "Okay, I'll just wait!" Let's just sit still and receive the quest rewards. "Hahaha!" Cale laughed.

But that sentence in the middle though - Who, not even family, would remember the moment someone was born and talk about it for decades? ...KRS's past is just so sad. 😭

Clopeh then asked for Cale's help later, saying that it was "nothing special" and just "something small." Yeah, right. 😂😂😂 Last chapter, Cale spoke of his raid as "nothing special" while Alberu and Rosalyn looked at him disbelief. 🤣🤣🤣

So, Cale... why did you agree to help? You even had an ominous feeling. 😂😂😂

Count Lupe was confirmed to be dead, and his soul was trapped in the game. But his family did not survive the experiment, dying in agony. So upon regaining his memories, he vowed revenge against the Demon King.

Problem was, Count Lupe was in awe at Cale who instigated discord between the Demon King, hunters, and GoC alliance. He was giving Clopeh vibes today. Welcome to Caleism, Count Lupe. 😂😂😂

So what exactly did Clopeh do? Well, he caused 39 different phenomena in the entire continent, overworking Gashan, HD, Mary, and the others. This caused the powers of New World, such as kingdoms, magic towers, and the Eight Evils, to secretly send their strongest people in the 7th Evil area.

"…" Cale shut his eyes tightly. In the incubation room, there was only Cale and Eden Miru. On his lap lay Clopeh's report. "…" He opened his eyes and stared at the egg wrapped in a flower-patterned blanket. "…I'm sorry." …Shake. It was a gesture of understanding and resignation. (Insert several paragraphs of what Clopeh had done.) Clopeh's report ran to a whopping hundred pages. It was hard to even hold it. "…39 strange phenomena… across the entire continent? This crazy bastard." Shake. "You made a video and posted it on the forums to spread public opinion? How did you know that? Legends just make stories on their own, right? But why did you make a video and post it? Hah. You crazy bastard." Shake. "Are you excited too?" Shake. "Thank you for your hard work." Shake. "But it will be okay after tomorrow. Yes." Shake? "Yeah. I guess it'll be okay." …Sh…Sh…Shake. Cale tried hard to ignore the report that contained the order in which the birth, or rather the legendary birth, was to take place. "Hey, you just have to be born well. We'll take care of the rest." Sh…Sh…Sha…Shake…Shake… Eden Miru also turned away.

Cale's reactions. 😂😂😂 And Eden's shaking. 🤣🤣🤣 Clopeh overdid it that with less than an hour left, the birth ceremony progress rose from 159% to 197%! 🤣🤣🤣

Ending Remarks As expected of our pope, Clopeh! Next chapter would finally be Eden's birth. What do you think will his skin color will be?

[phoenixrisingastro]

Common Serial Killer Placements: When the Stars Turn Dark 🌑🔪

Astrology reflects the full spectrum of human nature—the light and the shadow. While most charts speak to love, growth, and potential, some reveal darker paths, paths carved out by pain, obsession, and destruction. What makes someone cross the line? Let’s delve into the sinister placements that show up in the charts of some of the world’s most infamous figures.

Pluto in Harsh Aspects: The Lord of Death and Obsession ☠️

Pluto doesn’t just rule transformation—it’s the underworld. Hard aspects between Pluto and personal planets like the Moon, Mercury, or Venus create an internal war between desire and destruction. These people are often consumed by power struggles, deep obsessions, and the need to control. If left unchecked, their hunger for dominance can become all-consuming, leading to dark, dangerous extremes.

Mars Square or Opposite Pluto: Violence in the Veins 💥

Mars is your drive, your raw physical energy—and when it clashes with Pluto, it can explode in terrifying ways. This aspect fuels intense rage, suppressed anger, and a desire to dominate through force. It's the kind of energy that burns bridges and scorches anything in its path, leaving devastation behind. In the charts of serial killers, this aspect screams of unchecked aggression, often masked beneath a calm exterior.

Moon Square Neptune: The Illusion of Innocence 🌫️

Moon-Neptune aspects blur the lines between reality and fantasy. Squares here can indicate someone who lives in a world of their own making—often one that’s steeped in delusion. These individuals may appear charming, even sweet, but their inner emotional world is chaotic and ungrounded. They are masters of deception, wearing masks so convincing that even they start to believe the lies.

Venus in Scorpio or the 8th House: A Love That Consumes 🩸

Venus governs love and attraction, but in Scorpio or the 8th house, it takes on a darker, more possessive tone. These placements crave intimacy that borders on obsession, a connection so deep it becomes destructive. In some cases, the desire to merge fully with another can manifest as control, manipulation, or even violence.

Saturn in the 12th House: Isolation and Hidden Guilt 🪐

The 12th house is the house of secrets, and when Saturn resides here, it creates an individual burdened by inner demons. There’s a sense of isolation, guilt, and repression that festers over time. In extreme cases, this placement can lead to a cold detachment from emotion, making it easier to rationalize the unspeakable.

Chiron in the 4th House: Wounds That Never Heal ⚰️

Chiron represents deep, often unbearable pain, and in the 4th house of home and childhood, it speaks to early wounds that shape the psyche. For some, these wounds become motivators for growth and healing. For others, they rot, turning into resentment and rage that eventually erupt. Many infamous figures with this placement experienced trauma at home that warped their sense of self and humanity.

Moon-Pluto Aspects: Emotional Turmoil on Steroids 🌋

When the Moon (emotions) and Pluto (power) clash, the result is volcanic. These individuals feel everything too much and often struggle with intense emotional reactions that spiral out of control. In some charts, this aspect shows someone deeply aware of their pain but unable to escape it—leading to destructive behaviors toward themselves and others.

South Node in the 8th House: Karma and the Dark Side of Desire 🔗

The South Node represents past life patterns, and in the 8th house, it hints at unresolved karmic themes of power, control, and taboo subjects. These individuals may feel inexplicably drawn to the shadow side of life—whether that’s through fascination with death, crime, or forbidden pleasures. Without conscious effort, they can get trapped in destructive cycles.

Final Thoughts: The Stars Are Not an Excuse, But They Are a Blueprint

It’s important to remember that astrology doesn’t make anyone do anything. These placements don’t create monsters—but they do show where the potential for darkness lies. In the end, it’s about choice. Do you embrace the shadow and channel it into growth, or let it consume you?

[atthebell]

one last thing before i mute notifs on this post forever: these issues are obviously just as present when it comes to depictions of trans women in fandom. constantly pigeonholing every trans woman, canonical or fanonical, as a domme or a top, making every trans woman extremely sexually aggressive, and vice versa (making every dommy or aggro character a trans woman 'because it just fits so well'), insisting that transfemme characters must be some stereotype rather than dynamic and varied people; all of these are part of this gender essentialist plague in fandom and in online spaces generally.

and even aside from that, it's very clear to me that a lot of people on this website use transfemme headcanons as a way to deflect criticism or to pretend like their engagement with a story is unimpeachable or just in bizarre attempts at actually giving a shit about female characters but in point of fact all they do is treat women, and specifically trans women in this instance, like personality-less dolls they can insert into scenarios. rarely do i see people actually examining what about a character makes them connect with ideas of transness, let alone specifically transfemininity. having a half-baked headcanon about some canonically male character being a trans woman does not make you immune to perpetuating misogyny, and i want to direct that especially towards other transmascs. you are just as capable as anyone at being sexist morons. please knock it off with this transmisogynistic bullshit.

i'm focusing here on sexual stereotypes because that's where i see some of the worst perpetrators of this stuff and what i was talking about in the original post in large part, but by no means does that mean it's absent elsewhere nor that horny spaces are evil by nature in some way. anyone is capable of this stupid shit, it's just very obvious that you don't actually care about trans women when all you do is objectify them.

and like always the issue is not this happening one time or with one character. the issue is that this is a pattern, both with people on an individual level but more importantly across fandom spaces. it comes up over and over again and makes it very clear that no matter how progressive fandom spaces make themselves out to be, there is a lot of work to be done on these fronts.

there is nothing inherently wrong with trans headcanons, obviously. but increasingly in the last several years ive seen them used to uphold hegemonic ideas about gender and race and sexuality and im extremely tired of it. recognize the diverse and broad experiences of other people and stop poisoning your own brains with repackaged conservatism.

i'm so tired of the yaoi-ification of mlm ships where people feel the need to make one of them (usually the fandom-assigned bottom) into a teeny tiny waifish twink and the other into a huge musclebound super aggro guy (usually the fandom-assigned top) i know this is like a thing many people have been saying for years but i just feel like it has never actually gotten better in fandom spaces. the fatphobia of it, the gender essentialism, the homophobia, it's all so fucking annoying it makes me want to scream

[miwiheroes]

Dropping Byler Evidence Every Day Until Season 5

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Day 18: Mike's Bedroom Scene . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

Everyone knows this scene, everyone here LOVES this scene (or they better love it). It's so ripe for analysis in every single way, not even just for byler, but for things that happen later on in the season. I think shots like this are extremely thought out. They chose a wide angle shot to show you Mike's bedroom for a reason. They also showed you this bedroom right after seeing El's, to show the contrast between their two lives and how they view each other.

I've already talked about this contrast between their two rooms and the fact that Mike has nothing from El in his room in this post.

1. Rainbow Letter + Closet

I want to talk about something else before the glaringly obvious queer coding first: and that is the fact that El has her own stationary specific for writing Mike's notes, while it is canon that Mike just writes his letters to El on some scrap pieces of paper, showing the unequal amounts they are putting into their relationship:

Anyways, back to El's letter to Mike having literal rainbows on it. For El, this is some clear foreshadowing for her being in the rainbow room, and we can all agree on that right?

So if we can agree on that, then I think we should agree that it could also be true this is queer coding for Mike. It's the first thing you see in this scene, even before you see a shot of Mike himself. Also the fact that the next shot of the scene is Mike next to the open closet with the light on, kind of implies or foreshadows his story being tied to queerness for the rest of the season.

Having the light on in the closet is also to draw your attention toward it. I've talked before about how often in film it is to use light to mean truth, meaning this would imply that being in the closet is the truth that Mike is hiding, since a lot of this scene is taken up by the fact El's lying to him. So what does he have to hide? The set designers utilise light in this scene very carefully, which I will touch on in the later sections <3

2. Posters

This is such a famous piece of evidence that I feel like I don't really need to say anything here lmaooo, like we can see in multiple different shots that instead of having posters of literally anything else on his walls, he has posters of men. Specifically buff men (or a dragon if u wanna be pedantic guys).

This seems so on the nose that it has to be queer coding, just like the scene where Mike goes to the wrestling gym while on his search for a DND replacement for Lucas, and stuff like this has been used on many different queer coded characaters in media for a long time.

I've heard people argue that there is also a girl character in the Conan the Barbarian poster, but honestly, if you watch the film you would know why this is not a great thing to say or equate women to lmao... Basically this film does not shy away from the fact that men in this time period treated women like property so I'd be careful saying that.

If you want to go past talking about the fact this CtB poster is just a poster of a buff man, I'd say that it could symbolise Mike's need to be normal and fit into the "male role" in society that we saw in S3. To be honest, if I saw a guy with this poster, I'd.....run, girl RUN

So anyways, not only is there one poster of a buff guy, there is another. The one on the left is a poster designed by Rick Ruhman, whose other posters can be seen in the show, like in Reefer Rick's house. Buff dragon poster you'll always be famous <3

This is two instances already of Mike being associated with buff men, um, and to be honest that should be enough, but it's funny that there are two other instances of this happening in the show. Another is literally in episode 1 of S4, where Mike goes to the wrestling gym, and another is when he mentions Superman in relation to El for some reason, rather than calling her 'Supergirl' like Argyle does 10000 times.

This is a pattern, everyone. And can be compared to the fact that other male characters who were around the same age as him have posters of women surrounding them in different scenes.

In Steve's room: he was 17

In Lucas's scene with the other basketball guys: he is same age as Mike

3. His Noticeboard

thanks to @runninguplenorahills for this very good photo haha

First of all, want to establish that the lamp is placed next to this notice board on purpose, in order to draw your attention towards it, just like his closet earlier on (and later, you shall see). So you are meant to view this notice board as having little hints on it.

And there are! Not just towards his queerness. and they are pretty much confirmed to be foreshadowing for some of the plot points in S4, so other stuff in his room could also be foreshadowing , but for his queerness too.

These Garbage Pail Kids cards clearly foreshadow some events of S4. I think Heavin Steven may have something to do with Steve literally biting the head off of a demobat, which makes sense, or it could be about him randomly pouring his heart out to Nancy in the caravan. Evil Eddie obviously foreshadows that everyone thinks Eddie is the head of an evil cult and has murdered a woman, which is what's happening in the card. Live Mike is either a reference to Eddie playing his guitar later on, or it could be a reference to Mike's monologue where there are many lightning strikes at the most interesting times... Finally, Mad Max's card shows a brain being outside someone's head, foreshadowing her mind visiting Vecna's mindscape and her being braindead by the end of the season.

Also on his notice board are:

Escape Fun City: reference to California

Pizza Sticker: foreshadowing his time in the surfer boy pizza van and the pizza place.

Will's Drawings: obviously showing that he places more care in Will's drawings than El's letters which I talk about on one of my previous posts. He also still has Will's drawings in his basement.

So how is this byler evidence? Well, I really think this proves just how much thought and care went into making Mike's room foreshadow some later plot points, because the audience can hardly see what's going on here, but it still foreshadows stuff. This leads me onto....

4. The One Way Sign ;)

This one is a classic, and if you don't know this already, then I guess you must be new here hello

I just want you guys to think for a second about the intentionality of this. And I want you to imagine people setting up his room for filming. Because it wasn't just created out of nowhere, people genuinely thought about each decision. Imagine this just being written off as a coincidence, because let's lay out some facts here:

A light has been set up in Mike's closet

That light has been pointed so that it is a beam towards Mike

The closet door has been opened for no practical reason

A one way sign has been ordered, put on the wall in this specific spot.

A one way sign does not foreshadow any other plot points in S4.

I am baffled when I talk to people and they don't think this type of stuff is intentional. It's a blink and you miss it hint, yes, but those types of hints are supposed to be subtle so that when you look back on them, they make a lot of sense.

Overall, this shot of Mike's room is the perfect introduction to his character this season and makes the most sense. There is no other way that he could have been introduced in S4, in my opinion. It's subtlety is only for people who care enough to look, but it heavily queercodes him nonetheless. Just because they're small, doesn't mean they are insignificant.

[loveandleases]

How would each ro react to the mc parnets trying to be involved in their child life?

Cause they sound insane as hell considering how they are acting

I'm not going to go into too much detail because some of that will be in the story itself. (below the cut!)

❤️ Cam - Originally, MC's parents treated him well. (likely due to that last name of his.) But, once they realized he was the black sheep of his family, their treatment soured. He sees them for who they are - self-serving and opportunistic. For him, it's a big no. Big no. He knows them too well to give them the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe you should focus on Jade, I mean why stop now right?"

💙 G - So, MC's parents met G several times when they were attending Uni together. They initially liked G, especially when they thought G was on track to become a surgeon. G got along with them until they began noticing the favoritism between MC and Jade. They had hoped they would improve, but from what they noticed they never did. Over time they realized that MC's parents' treatment wasn't a fluke - it was a pattern. G likes to think things through and figure out what's going on. But their patience has limits, and they quickly decide that the parents aren't worth the effort. They don't hide their disdain.

💚 Kara - Our sweet girl likes to believe the best in people, including those two. Kara has been treated like royalty by them. So, she doesn't know all the bad. She has seen MC's parents when they're at their happiest. Surrounded by the Clarke's money and living it up, since they're family friends. Her optimism will crack though, once she starts seeing the difference in how MC is treated in comparison to Jade. Watching MC get brushed aside time and time again is eye-opening for her, and it even parallels. She often feels like a backup/afterthought to her parents. Her loyalty to MC will outweigh her idealism, and she'll start to see the parents for who they are.

💛 M - HATES them. Like really hates them. M has an amazing relationship with their mothers. So, seeing people act so aloof with their child, pisses them off. It's revolting. And you know how M is, sometimes they can hold their tongue, and other times it's out of their mouth before it's even fully processed in their mind. M thinks it's in MC's best interest to cut ties with them. Because they know MC deserves better, and if their parents won't give it to them. M will.

💜 Isaac - So, their feelings about MC's parents are complicated. Isaac lost their mother and has a pretty rocky relationship with his father. So, his perspective is unique. He knows what it's like to feel like a dollar sign to a parent, and he fears MC will face that too when they're more successful. Beneath that cynicism, there's a bit of sadness. Because they can't help but think about the relationship they had with their mother, that they wish MC could have. If Isaac thought there was a chance for MC's relationship with their parents to change and become healthy, they would oh so cautiously, support it. But if not, then he'd be the first to tell them to walk away.

🖤 Ardent - Ugh, this guy has really good parents. Most of his family is great. (then the others well.. spoiler) One of the two out of the ROs. He's used to arguments and disagreements with his family, but those are small fights. Over stupid things, it's never about favoritism or neglect. To him, family means showing up and making someone feel like a priority. MC's parents fail that test immensely. If MC needs companionship, a partnership, or a family he is ready to offer it all. For him, blood isn't what defines family; actions do.

[generic-sonic-fan]

Sonic + Friends Youtuber headcanon post??

Tails is just canonically a youtuber. Sorry not sorry, look up TailsTube.

Sonic, when he's not guest-starring on Tails' channel, would have a tiny little channel of his own with approximately three youtube videos and all three of them are about how not to get lost in the jungle. He doesn't appear on camera once. Shitty MS paint overlays, Arial font crudely edited over the footage, but really, really solid advice.

Amy does youtube/tiktok shorts doing tarot readings! And sometimes talking about her own adventures, but mostly as sidenotes to the reading of the week. She will, however, use her platform to boost fundraisers and talk about political causes she believes in.

Knuckles doesn't have a youtube account, but Tails did do an hour-long feature where he followed Knuckles around his usual route on Angel Island and interviewed him. They covered a good variety of topics, like how Knuckles occupies his time, grows his own food, searches and records lost Echidna artifacts, etc. It was very casual, sort of like a podcast.

Rouge doesn't have a youtube but she does run a successful anonymous instagram shitpost account comprised entirely of blurry pictures of Sonic and Shadow from people's doorbell and dash cams.

Shadow? Motorcycle repair and gun-cleaning tutorials. He films using an old digital camera Rouge got for him. It took him a bit of experimenting to figure out how to use it, but now he's got the hang of it. His videos aren't the best quality, since he tends to set the camera down and forget about it, but his explanations are thorough. Some people find his voice soothing.

Omega doesn't do youtube- he does twitch. He streams through his own optics as the camera, giving a first-person view of the carnage as he destroys Eggman bases. However, this isn't what got him viral. After each rampage, he'll stand over the remains of his robotic enemies and do a Q&A with the audience. The internet has decided that his responses are the most hysterical thing. Part of him is pleased he has so many watchers, but the other part of him is pissed that none of them want to stick around for the actual destruction.

Vanilla doesn't want Cream to be on the internet at such a young age! Good call, honestly. Sometimes Vanilla worries about Tails in this regard.

Vector flopped on Youtube, but he was HUGE on vine when he was back in high school. And he will never, ever, ever let anyone know about it. Sometimes Sonic will quote one of his vines and it gives him a heart attack.

Espio makes cute little origami tutorials! His channel isn't very popular, but he is one of the top results when searching how to make some very specific origami patterns.

Charmy has expressed interest in being a minecraft streamer, but Vector does everything in his power to prevent this.

Blaze has wayyyyy too much stage fright to consider a private youtube channel, but she appears on the news often enough in her home dimension.

Silver showed up in one of Tails' videos once and has gained a cult following ever since. They keep asking Tails to bring him back.

Metal Sonic is a Minecraft youtuber who focuses on pretty little creative builds. He tried to do multiplayer PVP for a little but he quickly broke his controller. Sometimes he gets roped into a video with-

Sage is also a Minecraft youtuber who focuses exclusively on redstone builds with more computing power than the fucking apollo program. Other than her voice, her videos are entirely anonymous. She's gotten comments calling her the "Tails" of Minecraft, and she couldn't be more flattered.

Eggman runs a propaganda channel for his empire that quickly got banned, and he moved to one of those sketchy youtube knockoffs. And a certain. . . more explicit website. The one with "hub" in the name. Every video is your typical propaganda fair, all hail Eggman, death to the blue rat, etc etc etc.