#we baptize the PERSON

[francesderwent]

it’s not that we don’t bother to baptize the unborn because they’re not persons, we don’t baptize them because we can’t get at them to baptize them!! as Catholics we have strict “matter and form” for sacraments, gestures and words that are the given vehicle for God’s grace. having those things set in stone keeps us from going buckwild and doing stuff, aesthetically and ritually, that’s not in accord with the dignity of what’s happening. and part of the matter of baptism is the anointing with water. this is a necessary part of the sacrament, and since we can’t in the normal order of things get into the mother’s womb to sprinkle an unborn baby with water, we wait until they’re born to baptize them.

however—you know how sometimes modern medicine can detect a birth defect while the baby is in the womb, and then doctors go in and do a partial C-section, do surgery on the baby, and then put them back in the womb to finish developing? hypothetically, you could totally baptize the baby in that brief period where they’re being operated on outside of the womb.

I don't know whom I should ask about this, so I'll just post it and trust that God will give me the right answer at the right time.

Catholics and Lutherans hold that people have to be born before they can be baptized, right? You can't baptize somebody in the womb, and you can't baptize them in the birth canal. They have to be fully born first. This seems to imply that human life begins at birth.

How does this fit together with the pro-life position that human life begins at conception?

[yandere-daydreams]

do u have a picture for us not following twisted wonderland so we can nitpick

here's all two frames we got of him in the event teaser, and i'm begging you to believe me when i say that it's literally All We Have so far T-T i've seen rumors that he might have orange eyes and they might be keeping the name jack skellington, but so far it's pretty much just conjecture.

there's already been an event that takes place in spirit realm/afterlife/literally just hell, so my personal prediction is that there's either fae-adjacent realm magic involved or they're literally just going to keep the 'doorway portals to different worlds' thing from the original movie. either way i am filled with enthusiasm and can't wait to see how kalim in specific saves christmas.

[pettykittyx]

Figure in the corner I can't quite see

I just know the shadow's staring at me

It gets closer, it gets closer, it gets closer now

Figure in the corner laughing at me

Water fill my lungs, vision blurry

Heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower

Voices'll tell me that I should carry on

[riwritingrn]

A rumble. 

A gust of wind.

Like a voice that swells in your throat only to be stifled out.

The clouds gather, great and grey,

Like a heavy shroud.

A prologue for what is to come.

It begins with a whisper.

The birds fly back home,

The world holds its breath and waits. 

And waits. 

And then,

It pours. 

The water from the sea has traveled all this way. 

It begins to fall, like a confession punctuated with nervous stutters,

And then gushes without bounds.

It touches the trees and kisses the world.

The sky embraces the world,

Like a blanket, like the arms of a lover. 

An eternity-worth of filth is washed away, made anew.

The world turns greener before my eyes.

Everything pauses momentarily. 

Everything ceases to exist.

The world swells,

Like uncontainable joy,

And the world exhales.

[madelynpryor]

i love you italian characters who struggle with their relationship with catholicism (or lack of relationship)

[autistic-shaiapouf]

Very cool thing that having reincarnation beliefs has done to me is that every single time we get people trying to proselytize at work, it feels even more meaningless than before

[mollysunder]

Arcane gives away the plot in incredibly unsubtle ways The most unsubtle hint is that Sevika's name can literally translate to "Servant of God". That's genuinely clever.

The origin of nations are highly mythologized stories so it works that her role in the story and on a meta level is to assist larger than life characters with cults of personality that can make Zaun's story happen.

The story isn't subtle about any of this! She worked for Silco, a man draped in anti-christ imagery with a cult clearly brewing in the background of Zaun, because he could make Zaun happen. Then when Silco's ability to put Zaun's independence above all else faltered in the face of his loyalty and love of his daughter he dies.

In a bit of foreshadowing Sevika already revealed the trump cards she had in her deck in the face of Silco's absence, Jinx and Viktor. Two figures already set up for greater feats of grandeur and idolization than Silco had achieved alive.

Jinx, whose been baptized and ressurected as often as Silco, is the character for without whom the plot could not exist (or keep going). Jinx's militancy against Piltover forced was the reason Zaun's independence into the Council's room. And throughout the show Jinx imagery has either absorbed or subverted Janna's symbolism.

Janna is characterized by swirling blue winds, but in Zaun it's the blue of Jinx's cloud smoke that defines the land.

Instead of Janna's blue bird meant to symbolize hope, Zaun is filled with Jinx's crows that call out Jinx's next act.

Now Jinx has desecrated Janna's holy site in her own image by adorning the ruins with a shrine to her own life.

Meanwhile we've seen Viktor in the Sump, shrouded like a prophet to heal those harmed from their long-term shimmer dependence. Viktor is not set to remain in rags though.

Half the time the Machine Herald is referenced it's always coded in power.

In the first shots of Zaun post-time skip we see a well guarded building called "The Herald's Palace".

In Sevika's playing cards Viktor's mask is given prongs to evoke the image of a crown. In both instances the Machine Herald's image is laced with Jinx's visual motif. First Jinx's blue swirls Frame The Herald's sign on his building, and her debut tag is centerd on his tarot card.

It's only in past deeds is Jinx's presence unseen on Viktor's work. For example, the drains of the water treatment system Viktor is hinted at creating are decorated to resemble previous iterations of the Machine Herald's masks and are visually his alone.

It seems we're in for a double act next season!

[hihomeghere]

Here is my collection of Red Dead Redemption fics! I hope you enjoy! All of my fics are f!reader if not specifically mentioned

Smut 💋, Fluff 🪽, Angst 🗯️

Rdr2 Boyfriend vibes

John Marston

Burning Love Set in the epilogue of RDR2. You stumble upon John in Blackwater after being alone for years. When he invites you to visit Beecher's Hope, will you be able to fight feelings that have been building ever since you were kids? 🪽💋

Gloves John goes crazy over you dressed up for a job, more specifically your white gloves 🪽💋

Based off an ask 💋

Right Person, Wrong Time You and John have constantly been at each other's throats until you left the gang after he chose Abigail over you. When you return you find him gone, leaving Abigail and Jack. You create a relationship with Abigail and Jack, but what will happen when John returns? 🗯️💋

Part Two of Right Person, Wrong Time

Arthur Morgan

Fakin' It After a botched robbery, Arthur and you take refuge in a hotel, hiding from the O'Driscolls outside your door. When they do decide to search for you two, how will you throw them off your track? 💋

Fishing in the Dark You and Arthur have a private evening away from camp on the Dakota river. 🪽💋

Dreams Arthur starts having dreams of starting a family with you 🪽

My Eyes Only Arthur thinks you look like a work of art 🪽

Salt and Pepper Arthur notices his hair is starting to gray 🪽

Deserving. 6. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear. 34. I think you're showing. 36. You're glowing. 41. The baby loves hearing you sing/speak. 83. Was that a kick? 🪽

Blue Ain't Your Color Loosely based on the song, Blue Ain't Your Color 🪽

Little Things Arthur returns from a successful job and wants nothing more than to bury himself in you 💋

Prompts : #30 I just want to be yours. #50 We need to talk about last night 💋

First time : You want Arthur to be the one to take your virginity, you just dont want to tell him💋

Baptized by Fire, Arthur Morgan x Reader x Charles Smith

Series masterlist

Charles Smith

Knight in Shining Armor 1. "Kiss me" "What-", 81. "Your heart is racing." 🪽💋

Prompts : 12 "You look so much softer, so much calmer, I wish you could see yourself as you sleep."13"Sleeping with you was the best sleep I've gotten in years." 54“Here, take my blanket.”55 “You’re cute when you smile, you should do it more often.” 61 “I said I’d take care of you.” 🪽

Desperado Set four months after Charles leaves with the Wapiti. You and Charles try to figure out what to do after the gang falls apart. Comfort fic 🪽

Javier Escuella

Prompt : #19 You're leaving now? 🗯️

Prompt: "You heard me. Take. It. Off.” "Do I look like I’ve moved on?”

Kieran Duffy

Prompt : #66 Were you touching yourself? 💋

[themeaningthemeaningthe]

can’t sleep for other reasons and my brain can’t stop thinking about a post i saw and initially ignored but keep having thoughts about. i didn’t comment on it or anything and now it’s lost to the ether and i don’t wanna go looking for it but these thoughts gotta go somewhere.

this will be long and rambling and probably a little incoherent cuz it’s 3am.

the post was someone saying that they finally picked up gideon the ninth after years of seeing locked tomb posts and griddlehark, then dropped it after like 2 chapters bcuz they think the dynamic between gideon and harrow is abusive (which is fair when u first start it) and they can’t believe people are into it as enemies to lovers. on the one hand, people are totally cool to just not like something for whatever reason, i myself just have thoughts about the Nuance that i didn’t express on the post that i now must here.

lots of important spoilers for GtN!! (and maybe accidentally ones to HtN)

ok here’s the rant.

that’s the point!!!!! that’s the point.

they are terrible to each other and they have always been. the growth and the development of their character dynamics together explores how this thing between them that has always been sharp and seething and spiky must buckle under the weight of outside pressure beyond anything they could have imagined.

in a very important pool scene (one that is ubiquitous in fanart and i have to believe this poster saw at least a few times) we get an explanation from harrow! and not only does this give us a more full look into the context of drearbruh outside of gideons narrow point of view, but it also makes more clear why they were like That.

i’m sorry but literally harrow is 200 dead kids that her parents killed to make her, and gideon is the one kid they couldn’t kill. and gideon realizes once told this, she is the living reminder of the war crime committed to save the house, and no one who knows can forget it.

and harrow has known the truth of her origin since she was old enough to comprehend anything!! so yeah, a traumatized child who knows she’s the entirety of a generation of her house is gonna lash out at literally the only other child on the planet who she happens to also have power over.

and i feel like the book makes this pretty clear!! this was bad!! but also, these are two traumatized kids growing up in a dying, creepy, planet that is lowkey hell.

the other key thing about the pool scene, is that it is a Confession. these books are sooo steeped in catholicism. harrow isn’t just explaining the true history of her life, she is Confessing all of the sins that make her up and all of the sins she has committed. bearing the entirety of the wretchedness of her soul for gideon judge. expecting her only friend whom she has made miserable for years to kill her.

and i know we joke about gideon being lesbian jesus, but there’s a reason for that (besides the obvious). bcuz after hearing her Confession, gideon baptized harrow in that pool.

one flesh one end, bitch.

and also like yeah griddlehark is an enemies to lovers in some ways, but i feel like also not in the typical way you would think about that trope?? bcuz correct me if im wrong but they never really become lovers (and i personally am not sure they ever will). yes they love each other and make the grandest gestures of love imaginable. but that love is inevitably fucked up in some ways and it’s impossible for it to not be.

god that was way too long. anyway. some Nuance is necessary.

[rosa-tulipano]

fluffy lu thought for my loves. i adore everyone in this little community- please don't let nasty people tear you down. <3 shy, lover"girl", maybe-a-little-childish gender neutral reader <3

we all know that luigi loves to travel. to wander, explore, galivant. and he'd love to take you along with him- bring you to corners of the earth you've always wanted to see and to corners you never knew existed. together, you'd traipse crumbled horizons, wade dwindling rivers, and taste flavors both new and familiar. (all on a budget, of course!) even with the excitement he'd get on these trips- a new sort of rush now flooding his veins from being able to take his most beloved person with him- his favorite moments with you were in the stillness.

sitting in the back of a rickshaw or CNG just watching you watch the buildings sweep by. laying on the beach with you draped over his chest as you admired the sun sink below the ocean line while he took in the way the last few breaths of sunlight baptized your fluttering eyelashes. standing on the side of the bustling street, waiting for the local food cart to prepare your snack, with luigi's chest pressed firmly to your back and his arms winded around your waist.

to luigi absorbing the gleam of wonder on your face and the glow of anticipation in your eyes from experiencing new sights was the neurotransmitter that pumped his heart; it kept him alive, needing nothing more than to stay still in these moments with you. no matter where you went or what you saw (or even what state your appearance was in), you were always the most enchanting view to him

"luigiii" you'd whined, nudging him in the shoulder whenever you'd catch him staring at you. it made you a little shy and although you acted embarrassed, you silently hoped to any and all omnipotent powers that he would never stop looking at you in that way. as if you were the only thing that mattered in the universe. as if you were the moon that drew in his tides

"what is it, my love?" he'd answer in a soft, teasing voice. leaning in closer and bringing your hands to his lips. unblinking, he'd press kisses to each of your knuckles. you resisted the urge to push him again when he cocked his brow with a mischievous glint in his eyes. he looooved acting like he didn't know what you were talking about.

"you know what you're doing!" you mumble-cried, so overtaken by emotions you soared into his arms, tucking your head in his neck and fisting his shirt, feeling his body chuckle in mirth

"oh do i?" his arms seemed to engulf you as he held you close. he pressed a kiss to your hair

"yes, you butthole," your voice was muffled yet your bashfulness and faux pout ever clear. it wasn't often he could make you this shy- usually it'd be the other way around, so he loved savoring times like this. "looking at me...with those eyes..."

"butthole???" he guffawed in amused incredulity, head thrown far back to let his raucous laughter run free, uncaring of who would take offence- not that anyone really would, with it being such a sweet melody. "'those eyes' huh? oh i'm sooo sorry, amore, i really can't help it. it's just that..." his voice trailed off as he finished his tittering, pulling back just enough to cup your face and coax it away from it's favorite hiding spot. he thumbed at your cheek, caressing your skin with the upmost gentleness.

although the tail ends of your timidity were trickling away, your still doe eyed look had luigi melting. and his tender, amorous expression left you almost as breathless as his next whispered words:

"you really are my entire world"

i hope y'all liked this!! barely proofread so my apologies for mistakes. please let me know what you think and PLEASE send me messages with your own lu thoughts! fluffy or smutty hehe i'm open to requests too :D

[lyraanova]

♡ Yui Childhood HC ♡

(Btw I did not make Seiji a creep in this, 'cause what on earth was that LE ending...)

And sorry for any mistake

♡ Yui's biological parents were Romanian. 

♡ She was born on the summer of June 21, 1995.

♡ Her father worked as a construction laborer. He had a stubborn and hardworking personality.

♡ Yui’s mother was what we call a book smart person. She graduated as a veterinarian years before Yui’s birth and moved with her partner to a small but comfortable house near some farm towns. She helped treat the pets of the local people. 

♡ Yui was a precious newborn baby with rosy cheeks; curly, delicate blonde hair; big pink eyes, and soft blonde eyebrows. She looked just like her mother. Honestly, the father was just there. Yui is 100% like her mama.

♡ Yui lived with her biological family only for the first year of her life.

♡ She was kidnapped while in the care of her grandmother while her parents were at work, never to be seen again...

♡ When Richter found Cordelia's dying body he knew he had to act fast. The heart of his love needed a vessel and he opted for a human child. 

♡ The exchange of hearts left the little girl's body so weakened that she didn't wake up for a couple of days.  

♡ Richter knew he couldn't keep the child with him for the time being. If the viboras smelled a part of Cordelia in the baby, they would definitely take her away.  

♡ And he wouldn't let that happen.  

♡ Instead, he decided to give the girl to the only person he knew would keep her away from the Viboras: a demon hunter.  

♡ Richter tricked a famous Japanese hunter (who at the time was visiting some priests in Romania) into taking care of the child.  

♡ The hunter, Komori Seiji, believed that the little girl was being targeted by vampires who had killed her parents. So, not trusting Richter, Seiji adopted the girl instead of staying in Romania as the vampire had ordered, baptizing her as Komori Yui. Then, he returned to Japan.

♡ Let me talk about Seiji: he wasn’t raised in a religious environment, but since he grew up in a neglectful house, he always felt like something was missing in his life. He ended up in the custody of his uncle, a devout Catholic, and Seiji quickly found a sense of security within the religion.

♡ After learning of the existence of vampire hunters, instead of continuing with his college studies, he began training to become one of them.

♡ He spent almost three decades of his life as a hunter. 

♡ It wasn't until his mid 40s that he longed again for a religious life, and started studying theology and philosophy with the hope of rising as a priest in his local parish.

♡ Shortly before Yui's second birthday, Seiji became the new priest of the only parish in Kaminashi City, the Parish of Blessed Thomas Tzugi.

♡ With this position, he also inherited the treaties that the former priest had maintained with the Bishop of Japan. These pertained to the agreements that the Church had with Karlheinz: sacrifices in exchange for the demons refraining from invading the human world.

♡ Seiji was already aware of certain treaties between powerful people and demons, but he never imagined that his own church was involved in human trafficking. At first, he refused to accept the idea, so his colleagues convinced him that they didn’t have another choice: that humans just couldn’t withstand an invasion.

♡ His parish was connected to a nearby orphanage run by nuns. In it, whenever one of the girls reached adulthood without getting adopted (between 15 and 18 years old) they would be turned into a sacrificial bride. 

♡ But returning to Yui…  Since Seiji was usually busy with the administration of the parish and his life as a hunter, the little girl was cared for by the nuns from the orphanage.

♡ Yui adored her father; just seeing him come home would always make her happy.

♡ That's why between the ages of four and six, taking care of Yui was a difficult task. When she started missing her dad, she would cry and ignore anything the nuns said, staying by the door until Seiji returned.

♡ Her father was a kind man, but he was also reserved and strict. In an effort to protect her, Seiji never shared even his smallest concerns with her. However, he expected his daughter to not keep any secrets from him. 

♡ As for his discipline, he was intimidating. Seiji only needed to raise his voice for his daughter to stop protesting, and if things got out of control, he would resort to physical punishments, such as pulling her hair or striking Yui's hands with a ruler. 

♡ Because of this upbringing, Yui went from being a rebellious and sometimes bossy child to becoming submissive in the presence of authority figures.

♡ Seiji didn't like wasting money on things he considered unnecessary for a peaceful religious life, so Yui  grew up without television.  He considered all the cartoons on TV to be violent and with inappropriate teachings for children (he hated Crayon Shin Chan with a passion lol).

♡ Their home was simple, small and somewhat rustic, with walls that let every sound filter through and made the rooms cold even during hot summers. Seiji always let Yui put up her drawings on the walls so she would never feel scared.

♡ However, that wasn't enough to stop Yui from developing a fear of loud noises, like storms, because of how much they echoed through the house and the fact that she often had to endure them alone.

♡ It never crossed Seiji's mind to tell his daughter that she was adopted, not even later on, because he was afraid of losing her somehow if she discovered the truth.

♡ And although Yui felt curious to know why she didn't have her mother in her life, she never truly missed her absence because the nuns at the orphanage already filled the role of her maternal figures.

♡ She was especially close to the director: Mother Makiko. 

♡ Makiko was actually the one who taught her how to cook. 

♡ In the orphanage, only girls who had been abandoned were accepted, meaning there was no record of their parents. The common number ranged from twenty-five to forty girls.

♡ Since Yui could remember, that orphanage had been her second home. 

♡ It wasn’t a very big place, but it had enough space for the five nuns and the girls who lived there. Machiyad-inspired, it was silent because that’s how the nuns demanded it. The books were so old that some were made of wood.

♡ It was expected for her to use her free time studying, doing chores, or helping at the church.

♡ As a little girl Yui already was a compassionate person, she didn’t like seeing any of the other kids cry or play alone, so she would go to them to make them company.

♡ Yui was a very silly child. The kind of child that liked covering her body with stickers first and ask herself if it was gonna hurt taking them off later. 

♡ She also loved, LOVED, aquabeads.

♡ She would make animal figures all the time ‘cause she had a little obsession with them. 

♡ Like, she could tell you the most random animal facts as soon as you fell silent. Were you in the middle of eating? Did you know that hippos' sweat is red?

♡ But the closest thing she ever had to a pet was the orphanage director’s parrot, which screamed whenever she got close. When she tried to win its affection with food, the fluffy thing would accept the treat only to start screaming again.

♡ Oh, she hated him. 

♡ What she always dreamed of having instead was a turtle. In the Mizube Park, where her father took her most of the time, there were many red-eared turtles, and Yui often put flower hats on them ‘cause it was cute. Sometimes she even made the hats herself. 

♡ I think that in elementary school, Yui probably had a larger group of friends because she liked talking to everyone, but this group was less intimate compared to when she was a teenager, as they were just classmates.

♡ She never had a good ear, so the subjects that were most difficult for her were music and languages. On the other hand, she was quite good at social studies. 

♡ Yui was described by her teachers as a sweet, cheerful, persistent girl, and very talkative.

♡ Honestly, I can’t see Yui as an introverted person. I think she’s shy and easily embarrassed, but she definitely likes being able to open up to others.

♡ Once she entered adolescence, in junior high school, she began to drift away from her father a little. She still adored him, but Seiji was incapable of opening up emotionally to her. Yui didn’t understand why he would get upset when she asked him about his past or his travels, and didn’t like it when he responded poorly, so their only connection ended up being through religion.

♡ And speaking of religion, her faith was what influenced Yui’s life from a very young age, especially during the moments when she felt vulnerable.

♡ I mean, is there another reason she has such an optimistic personality? She always had faith that God would make things turn fine in the end.

♡ She had her first crush at thirteen. She developed an almost obsessive interest in a boy from another class—not necessarily because of him, but because of how he made her feel. He was a teacher’s favorite, just like her, so they would often run into each other while doing tasks, and Yui became fascinated by the way he spoke and acted (which helped him stand out in school). He was incredibly intelligent and charismatic. There came a point when she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be with him or just be him. That first crush didn’t last too long, though, because all that perfection started to annoy her. Maybe it was the first time she ever felt that way. The first but unfortunately not the last.

♡ (Ryoutei Academy was hell).

♡ Leaving that incident behind, Yui actually enjoyed junior high school. She began to take the initiative to hang out with other girls her age. Her group of friends was smaller than in elementary school, but much closer.

♡ After school, they would often go to fairs or the arcade. Seiji was actually happy about this because it was the moment when Yui showed him that she was responsible enough to go out and still maintain good grades. That’s when he started to be less controlling with her routine.

♡ It’s canon that Yui wasn’t really into the idol world, but I can see her being a fan of two or three 90s/2000s singers, mostly influenced by her friends liking of them

♡ I think of artists like MISIA or Miliyah.

♡ As for her future, I don’t think she thought too much about what she wanted, or at least she wasn’t someone to make big plans about it. She liked the idea of a peaceful life (oh my sweet summer child), and that’s why becoming a nun always was her number one plan. She wouldn’t mind whatever happened as long as she could feel content with what she had, as her father taught her.

♡ A final addition: I firmly believe that the gorgeous pink  flip phone was her 17th birthday gift, so god dammit Subaru! 

[doloresdisparue]

Since I've had some clown in my mentions claiming Nabokovs intent was to present Dolores as equally culpable echoing the good old "but what about her TEEN SEDUCTRESS powers to CONTROL MEN" let's collect some of what Vladimir "Strong Opinions" Nabokov said about the book and Dolly in particular:

"Some simply haven’t read the book or don’t understand it. It is not obscene; it has none of the dirt of many so-called realistic modern novels. “Most critics have failed to stress the pathetic side,” said Mrs. Nabokov. “It’s really a tragic story. Here, in the hands of this maniac is this poor girl—.” “And a very ordinary girl—” Nabokov put in…." (What Hath Lolita Wrought? Ithaca Author Distressed by Some Reactions,” Elmira Telegram, Dec. 14, 1958. )

"In Lolita, who’s the most likable person for you? It’s Lolita. It’s with her that the good reader should become friends. American readers, generally, talk of her as an unbearable kid, but you pity her as you would pity any kid. There’s something touching in her." (“While Lolita Travels Around the World, the Entomologist Nabokov and the Agronomist Robbe-Grillet Exchange Pawns on the Literary Chessboard”), Arts (Paris), October 28–Nov. 3, 1959, 4.) 

"She came entirely out of my imagination. Critics, in general, find her odious; I pity her: an orphan, alone in life with a demanding forty-year-old. When I wrote about her last meeting with Humbert, I cried, like Flaubert at the death of Madame Bovary. “She cries every night, and the critics don’t hear her sobs,” said Mrs. Nabokov." (“Nabokov Without Lolita”, Nouvelles littéraires, Oct. 29, 1959, 1–2.)

"But she’s also a very touching character. Toward the end of the book, the reader and the author pity her, this poor child who has been sacrificed on the altar of motels. It’s very sad." (“The Good Mr. Nabokov: Lolita’s Father Forsakes Nymphets for the Sake of Pushkin and Robbe-Grillet”), L’Express, Nov. 5, 1959, 32–33.)

"Is Lolita amoral? On the contrary. It has a very moral moral: don’t harm children. Now, Humbert does [...] And Lolita, isn’t she a victim and not a little slattern….After all, haven’t I indicated the evil of all this, in giving Lolita a stillborn child?" (“Conversation, Vladimir Nabokov: He Likes Humor, Tennis and Proust. He Hates Communists, Sade, Freud”),  L’Express, Jan. 26, 1961. )

"How, then, do you explain the “Lolita cult”? How do you explain all these girls who move, act, dress, and talk like Lolita? I wouldn’t know. Perhaps it is a result of the way the popular press has distorted my poor Lo. It has come up with something that has absolutely nothing to do with the book or Lolita the character. Lolita is the story of a sad little girl in a very sad world. The “Lolita cult” is something completely different." (“Love Today: How the Author of Lolita Sees It”), L’Europeo, June 23, 1966, 28–33. )

"Humbert Humbert is a vain and cruel wretch who manages to appear “touching.” That epithet, in its true, tear-iridized sense, can only apply to my poor little girl." (Paris Review, The Art of Fiction No. 40, Issue 41, Summer-Fall 1967)

"Lolita isn’t a perverse young girl. She’s a poor child who has been debauched and whose senses never stir under the caresses of the foul Humbert Humbert, whom she asks once, “how long did [he] think we were going to live in stuffy cabins, doing filthy things together…? [...] It is equally interesting to dwell, as journalists say, on the problem of the inept degradation that the character of the nymphet Lolita, whom I invented in 1955, has undergone in the mind of the broad public. Not only has the perversity of this poor child been grotesquely exaggerated, but her physical appearance, her age, everything has been transformed by the illustrations in foreign publications. Girls of eighteen or more, sidewalk kittens, cheap models, or simple long-legged criminals, are baptized “nymphets” or “Lolitas” in news stories in magazines in Italy, France, Germany, etc.; and the covers of translations, Turkish or Arab, reach the height of ineptitude when they feature a young woman with opulent contours and a blond mane imagined by boobies who have never read my book. In reality Lolita is a little girl of twelve, whereas Humbert Humbert is a mature man, and it’s the abyss between his age and that of the little girl that produces the vacuum, the vertigo, the seduction of mortal danger. Secondly, it’s the imagination of the sad satyr that makes a magic creature of this little American schoolgirl, as banal and normal in her way as the poet manqué Humbert is in his. Outside the maniacal gaze of Humbert there is no nymphet. Lolita the nymphet exists only through the obsession that destroys Humbert. Here’s an essential aspect of a unique book that has been betrayed by a factitious popularity." (“Apostrophes: Bernard Pivot Meets Vladimir Nabokov”), live television interview, Antenne-2 (Paris), May 30, 1975.)

And let's close with my blog title:

"Lolita is an indictment of all the things it expresses. It is a pathetic book dealing with the plight of a child, a very ordinary little girl, caught up by a disgusting and cruel man….But of all my books, I like it the best. " (Author of Lolita Scoffs at Furore over His Novel,” Niagara Falls Gazette, Jan. 11, 1959, 10B.)

Thanks for coming to his TED Talk

[andi-kook]

DEAD KIDS ✦ Chapter 2

SUMMARY: A group of university students kidnaps their rich batchmate for ransom. However, things take a darker turn when the new recruit grows a dangerous obsession with the captive and all hell breaks loose.

PAIRING: Jungkook x Fem!Reader

GENRE: Slow burn Yandere, Crime AU

WARNINGS: Not suitable for audiences below 18. Please do not engage with the story if you are underage. WATCH OUT FOR: dark and morally corrupt characters, foul language, mention of Catholicism, slut shaming and objectification of women, mention of inappropriate relationship between professor/student, mentions and depiction of “rape” and “rape fantasy” throughout the story, masturbation, threats, MC has an NSFW blog with hard kinks and fantasies, non consensual touching. Overall, this is a disturbing chapter – based on my standards – so if you are not comfortable with these topics, do not proceed. Inspired by the film, Dead Kids (2019).

TAGLIST: @hopeworldsupremacy @aliajomarie011 @ackercute @tatumrileyslover @ane102 @jjk174 @dontcallmeelle @merrygo1427 @taekritimin123 @r1r111 @gguksfilter @coralmusicblaze

If I didn’t tag you – either your blog doesn’t exist according to Tumblr or because you did not show your age in your blog. Thank you!

ANDI: I send my love to the beautiful souls who sent me asks about Dead Kids as well as these equally beautiful souls – @.taekritimin123 @.hellbornsworld @.tinytangerineangel @.namjesusdaughter – for commenting on Chapter 1. I cannot express just how much I appreciate your words. I would have tagged you directly, but I wasn’t sure if you would want that. But I wanted to show my appreciation.

WORD COUNT: 3K

“Why did you really want to take her?” Jungkook asks Namjoon as they sit and eat the ramen he cooked around the living area. Beside him, Yoongi and Hoseok are fast asleep, the latter clutching onto the former’s arm like it’s his plushie while the former has his head thrown against the headrest.

Namjoon, who is seated on the other makeshift sofa, gulps down the soup from his ramen before letting out a satisfied sigh and wipes his mouth with the back of his mouth. “How many times do we have to say that we kidnapped Y/N for ransom?”

“I’m not stupid, Namjoon,” Jungkook says. “We’re already tied to this shit until the ransom drop. The least you can do is be upfront on why you did this in the first place. I’m not taking a bullet for you or anyone.”

The buzz-cut haired man leans his back against the sofa, which unlike his premium one, is built from scratch by Jungkook using old wood and cases of beers around the warehouse. He gazes at Jungkook for a while, studying him while swimming in his own thoughts. The tattooed man wonders if Namjoon is contemplating telling him the truth. He wonders if the two sleeping men beside him also knew the truth.

They claim to have been friends since the fourth grade, but does time really make you know a person inside out?

“My father didn’t used to be the way he is now – corrupt. Growing up, I looked up to him because of how honest and upstanding he was as a cop. I knew he did some off-the-books shit, but he still had a moral compass, still had lines he didn’t cross. But then he met Y/N’s father, Kim Seokjin, when I was ten. Suddenly, everything changed,” Namjoon narrates, letting out a scoff as he shakes his head and rubs his palms on his baggy jeans. “He went from being a great husband and father to my mother and I to a complete asshole. We didn’t have religion but after meeting Kim Seokjin, we were suddenly Catholics, attending church with his family every Sunday. I was baptized and Kim Seokjin became my godfather. But the worst part was seeing him erase all the lines he drew and swore never to cross when he began to use his position as a detective and then eventually sergeant to now the chief of the entire police force in Seoul to protect Kim Seokjin and his criminal empire.”

Jungkook inhales deeply. “So, kidnapping Y/N is you taking on revenge against Kim Seokjin for corrupting your father? It is personal. It’s never about the money?”

“Of course, the money is important and integral to the plan. But yes, you are correct – I want to avenge my father from Kim Seokjin by hitting him where I know it will hurt the most: his only daughter, Y/N.”

“You promised that we are not going to hurt her,” Jungkook counters immediately.

Namjoon doesn’t say anything.

“Namjoon,” Jungkook clicks his tongue. “If you do that – what makes you different than Kim Seokjin?”

“Why are you so protective of her?” Namjoon asks pointedly. “What? Just because she gave you a boner, you’re suddenly fucking in love with her? Don’t think I didn’t notice. We all did. Yoongi is right – drop the morally upright act, Jeon. You’re just as demented as we are. The moment you agreed to this plan, you’re just as fucked up.”

The sudden call out makes Jungkook turn crimson and Namjoon smirks, placing his leg over the other. “Don’t worry – unlike you, I don’t judge people. To each our own. If shit like that turns you on, then that’s on you. Why don’t you take the opportunity to act on it?”

His eyes widen, shocked and disgusted. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Jungkook knows exactly what Namjoon is talking about, but he is completely aghast at the insinuation.

The de facto leader only widens his smirk, pulling out his packet of cigarettes and lighter from the front pocket of his large, oversized coat. “You know what I’m talking about, Jeon. A pretty naked girl tied to a chair in your warehouse – it’s perfectly normal to feel aroused by such sight. We won’t judge you if you just get it over and done with.”

“You’re more than fucked up,” Jungkook hisses, face flushed and veins popping out on his neck. “I’m not going to fucking touch her.”

Namjoon lights the cigarette in between his lips. Then, he inhales, and smoke leaves his lips as he replies, “Why not? Y/N is a dirty slut who fucks her married professor with kids her age after church and dinner every Sunday night and more – I bet you all my cut that she’s not going to resist you because she’s probably into fucking someone having their own way with her. No, in fact, I can tell you she’s going to enjoy it.”  

Jungkook feels hot. Images of your naked trembling body and whimpering pleas filling his mind and ears.

“She has a blog, you know? A secret blog where she writes these fantasies and kinks she has. Posts her nudes on there too. Do you wanna know what is one fantasy she keeps on writing about?”

“No, I really don’t,” Jungkook says through gritted teeth.

“It’s a rape fantasy, Jungkook. What a fucking dirty slut she is, right? I bet she’s fucking wet right now at the thought, at the anticipation that one of us or all of us are going to have our ways with her. I bet she’s aching to be touched. I bet she wants you to rape her, Jungkook. So, why not just do it?”

He stands up in a jolt, hitting his knee on the makeshift table he made from old tires and steel roof and stammering some excuse that he needs to go the bathroom or air – he can’t remember. Jungkook finds himself in his room, back pressed against the door. His shirt sticks to his skin because of the sweat, and he takes it off, leaving it discarded on the floor. Namjoon’s words mixed with the flashing images of your perky nipples, smooth skin, sound of your whimpers, pleas, your smell – it makes him hard. Harder than he’s ever been.

Before he knows it, Jungkook is unbuttoning his jeans, pulling it down along with his boxers, his erection springing free. He spits on his palm before he begins stroking his length, shuddering at the touch, making his mouth dry. He presses the back of his head against the door, eyes closed as he imagines you on your knees – like you were with the professor – those lips around his shaft, head bobbing as you suck him dry. He imagines hearing your moans, imagines his dick hitting the back of your throat as you go deeper and beg him to fuck your mouth like a whore. Jungkook’s stroking himself faster. He imagines hearing you gag as he fucks your mouth, not stopping even when you’re clearly suffocating. Then, he cums, toes curling and a guttural groan escaping his lips.

As he comes back from his high, Jungkook stares at the white sticky substance covering his hand and cock. He just jerked off to you, a girl they kidnapped, and he knows it won’t be the last time.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Yoongi hisses at him the moment he comes back from his room, showered and changed into more comfortable clothes.

Jungkook deliberately ignores the stare of Namjoon and flops on the seat beside Hoseok who is eating the remaining ramen. “Why the fuck do you care?”

“I’m going to punch this kid, I swear to God,” Yoongi grumbles, rolling his eyes. “We’re making the ransom call, you dumb fuck. Or rather, you are.”

Jungkook furrows his brows. “What? Why me?”

“Every one of us here has already encountered Y/N’s father at least once. The man remembers everyone he encounters. You’re the only exception,” Namjoon explains as he hands you a black phone. “It’s a burner phone, untraceable. I took it from my dad. And this is what you’re going to say – make sure you sound intimidating at least. Put it on speaker too.”

Namjoon places his phone on the makeshift table and Jungkook clicks his tongue. “The deal was you only use my warehouse. So far, you got me doing far more than that.”

“Do you want 25 million or not?” Yoongi asks, crossing his arms over his chest. “Cos if you do, you better start calling Kim Seokjin.”

I’m going to punch you soon, Jungkook tells himself before he unlocks the phone and goes to the contact list where Kim Seokjin’s name is the only one listed. He takes a deep breath, going over the script on Namjoon’s phone before clicking on the contact and putting the call on speaker. The ringing sound echoes throughout the warehouse. The tension is palpable again, like it was back in the car earlier that night.

After a few more rings, Kim Seokjin’s voice fills the warehouse. It’s light but a hint of roughness and irritation is noticeable right away.

“Who is this?”

Jungkook licks his lips as he read the script in front of him. “We have your daughter. If you want to see her alive, prepare 100 million won and bring it to 2020 this Friday night. Otherwise, the next time you’ll see her is on the news, dead.”

Hoseok covers his mouth to keep himself from laughing while Yoongi stares hard at the phone. Namjoon, on the other hand, is relaxed on his seat, smoking.

“You sound young, boy,” Seokjin remarks. “You are not the first person to call me in the middle of the night asking for ransom. Do you really have any idea what you’re doing?”

Namjoon motions for him to repeat what he just said.

“If you want to see her alive, prepare 100 mill—,”

“Don’t you think I would be able to find my daughter faster than you could ever imagine? Do you know who you’re talking to?”

That triggers Jungkook. He’s been hearing that question – that discrimination his entire life and he’s sick of it. He’s fucking sick of it.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are. Either you give us 100 million in exchange for your whore of a daughter or I will personally make you watch as we do everything we want with her, make you watch as she begs you to make it stop, make you listen as she takes her last breath before I fucking slit her throat so deep her head nearly decapitates. You have until Friday night – and you better make sure the police don’t get involved. Don’t fucking ask me who the fuck you are again.”

He ends the call, gripping the phone tightly.

“What the fuck was that? Why the hell didn’t you stick to the script?! Are you trying to get us all a one way ticket to prison?!” Yoongi exclaims.

“Did you not hear what he’s saying? He caught on that we are fucking amateurs. I saved our asses – you should be fucking grateful,” Jungkook snaps, clenching his jaw. “If you didn’t want me to do the call, maybe the three of you should have done it yourselves. Fucking useless bastards.”

“Hey! What did you say?” Hoseok stands, pushing Jungkook by placing his hands on his chest. “Who are you calling useless, huh?”

“Who do you think?” He scoffs.

“Let’s fucking kill this son of a bitch, Hobi.”

“Gladly.”

“Enough,” Namjoon says sternly. “No one is going to kill anyone. Not amongst ourselves. What Jungkook did is right, Yoongi. Jungkook saved our asses. And you,” He turns to the long-haired man, glaring at him. “Mind your fucking tone and language with us. We’re not fucking useless. Remember that we recruited you. Not the other way around. If anyone should be grateful to someone, it’s you. We’re the reason you’ll get out of this shit hole.”

Nobody says a word.

“It’s getting late. Let’s gather here tomorrow after our classes. Just go about your usual days until the drop. Don’t be suspicious,” The de facto leader reminds. “Jungkook, keep an eye out, okay? Don’t forget to check in on our little friend from time to time. Make sure she’s still breathing.” He smirks as he pats his shoulder on his way out.

Yoongi and Hoseok follow suit. Once Jungkook hears Namjoon driving off his – rather his aunt’s – property, he resigns to the sofa behind him. He buries his face into his hands. Five days. You’ll be stuck with him at the warehouse for five fucking days. Granted, he has classes to attend to, so he won’t be at home all day, but he’s sure you won’t leave his mind wherever he goes.

The phone in his hand buzzes and he stares at the new notification on the screen – a text message from an unknown number. Jungkook unlocks the phone, goes to the messaging app, and clicks on the new text.

avirgins1ut on tumblr if you wanna read some things tonight

“Fuck you, Namjoon,” Jungkook mutters under his breath. However, when he goes to his room, grabs his shitty phone and opens his data – he installs the app despite knowing it will consume almost all the remaining gigabytes he has left.

Jungkook lies down on his bed and creates his profile. He doesn’t bother customizing it, going straight to your blog which is all black and hot pink. Instantly, he’s drawn to your profile picture – a simple mirror shot of you hiding your bare chest with your arms, head tilt slightly to the side and a black panty covering your cunt. He swallows the lump in his throat as he scrolls down, reading your pinned post:

“Hey. You can call me Angel. I’m 23 years old. This blog is filled with all my fantasies and kinks, sometimes my nudes. Feel free to send me yours too.

My kinks: cnc, free use, somnophilia, spit, slapping, marking, choking, daddy, and more.

My favorite fantasies: rape play, kidnapped, kept as sex slave, knife/gun play, forced gangbang, and more – why don’t you help me unlock those? DMs and asks open for all your threats and nudes.

Update: already got myself a master/daddy. Asks and messages are off.”

As he scrolls further down your blog, Jungkook doesn’t even realize he already has his hand wrapped around his dick as he masturbates to your the latest fantasy you wrote albeit months ago.

I can’t stop masturbating to this dark fantasy of mine – being raped by someone so brutally after they kidnap me. How they would keep me chained to the bed, always naked so they can easily rape me whenever and however they want. They would mock me whenever I would tell them to stop (“You shouldn’t have worn those skirts if you didn’t want to be raped. But you did. So, this isn’t rape. You were clearly asking for this like some depraved filthy bitch in heat. You’re fucking loving this, don’t you? Isn’t this what you want?”) and choke me as they pound into my wet and clenching pussy relentlessly. They would slap and spit on my face, abusing my cunt for hours until I’m full of theirs and their friends’ cum whom they called to let them have a taste of their new toy.

They would rape me day in and out until my body gets so used to it that I start asking for it – crying and begging to be fucked. “Shh, angel, daddy’s going to fuck you, okay? Don’t cry.” Slowly, I would forget all my autonomy and identity, wholly submitting myself to them because I was never my own in the first place – I was always theirs.

“Fuck, Y/N!” His entire body shakes as he cums again. Jungkook can’t stop – he wants to read more, see more as you posted a picture of your cum covered cunt at the end of the post and he imagines it’s his. But he gets a notification that he is out of data and Jungkook slams his phone on his bed, frustrated beyond bounds. He is still hard. He still wants to see more of you, read more of your fantasies.

Namjoon’s words echo in his mind. I bet she’s fucking wet right now at the thought, at the anticipation that one of us or all of us are going to have our ways with her. I bet she’s aching to be touched. I bet she wants you to rape her, Jungkook. So, why not just do it?”

And before he knows it – he is standing across from your limp body. You’re still unconscious – sack over your head, tied and bound on the metal chair. Jungkook walks towards you, gently touching your shoulders to see if you would react but you don’t. He bites his lower lip as his eyes fall on your naked chest. He reaches down to trace its curves before ultimately cupping one breast in hand, fondling, squeezing, twisting the nipple and pinching it. No response.

He begins to stroke himself as he continues to fondle your breasts. This is wrong, but why does it feel so good?

“F-Fucking slut, you’re asking for this,” Jungkook hisses through his teeth. He’s not going to last any longer – not when those perky nipples are so inviting and moments later, he cums all over tits. He’s panting, an exhilarating feeling he hasn’t felt before rising within him as he stares at your cum covered chest. He swallows, breathing heavily. Should he stop now or keep going? He doesn’t have data anymore, but he does have the real thing right in front of him. But you twitch and he jumps in surprise. Suddenly, the realization of his actions washes upon him. He feels a coil in his stomach. What has he done? He scrambles out of the room and dash straight to the bathroom where he extensively washes his hand and splashes cold water on his face. Then, he throws himself on his thin mattress, staring at the ceiling as he pants. Namjoon is right – he’s just as fucked up as they are.

CHAPTER 3 is coming soon.

TAGLIST: Wanna be part of Dead Kids’ taglist? Fill out this form and don’t forget to read the short note in order for me to tag you.

ANDI: I do not condone the behaviors exhibited in this story. The characters of Jungkook, Namjoon, Yoongi and Hoseok do not reflect who they are in real life. Fanfiction is just fanfiction. I have no schedule in writing – I write whenever I can. Please try to refrain from sending asks about updates (or at least be kind and polite about it) and let me know your feedbacks instead as they help a lot in motivation and inspiration! 🦉

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © ANDI-KOOK 2024. NO PART OF THIS STORY MAY BE REPRODUCED, TRANSLATED, MODIFIED, EDITED, REPOSTED AND THE LIKES WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION.

[imsososolesbian]

I’ve seen so many people harassed these past few months because of opinions on fictional characters that aren’t real. This is disgusting behaviour. People are allowed their own opinions and should not have other’s opinions pushed upon them. You wouldn’t like someone’s opinion pushed onto you if a person was doing that to you so don’t do that to others.

Now let’s get into the real deal. Travis is a man yes, we know Travis. He grew up in the 80s and 90s he has the world views of that time. Yes he’ll be misogynistic, and that’s a product of the time that’s like taking a character from the 90s and getting mad that he is misogynistic.

All Yellowjackets ships are trauma bonds, other than JackieShauna and Taivan. No ship would have happened in the context of the show if not for the crash. LottieNat have gotten together for the people who like them, heck travnat most likely wouldn’t, but still would have stood a chance because they are in a cannon relationship. LottieLee is a trauma bond, they held hands as they went down and also Laura Lee baptized Lottie because of what was going on, if they got together it would have been because of a trauma bond. Even Shauna and Jeff’s relationship is because of trauma, less of a trauma bond but most definitely because of trauma.

I’ve seen so many people get hated on for not liking LottieNat or finding travnat good. Let’s break it down, het ships are good, hell sometimes better than sapphic or mlm ships. Sometimes sapphic ships are better. Sometimes two ships are the same goodness. We shouldn’t hate people just because they don’t like the same thing as us. It’s bad. Yours truly, Raph.

[arielleslipgloss]

hii arielle! so now that is summer i would love to rest and take a long break but also keep my days productive, like having a good morning and night routine as well as doing chores and feeling motivated enough to do them, etc, but i'm literally always mophing around feeling really down. what would you recommend for that?

have a great summer!! from a pinterest girlblogger <3

Ahhh hiii love!! Tysm for asking this 💗

Summer Lifestyle

“I don’t chase, I attract. What’s mean’t for me will simply find me.” - Kendall Jenner

Routines!! Your morning and night will impact your summer A LOT. Just in general, having routines will impact your life. If you don’t have a set routine it’ll be hard to stay productive. So, make sure your routine(s) are always adjusted to your schedule. Whether that means time for chores, exercise, or your hobbies. Just try your best to fit it in. Also, try not to overpack your routines with loads of stuff. Making your routines too long could make you unmotivated throughout the day. So try to keep your routines short. That way you don’t rush everything on your to do list. Also, having a short & flexible routine will let you have more freedom throughout the day. For example, maybe you forgot to do a chore from yesterday? Well, with a flexible routine you should be able to do that chore. Without having loads of stuff to do on top of that.

2. Self care days!! Summer is the season to REST! No more stressing over exams and no more drama. It’s time to take a step back and rest. Meaning, take time to care for yourself. Do your nails, skincare, steam your face, make yummy food, watch a movie, romanticize summer, journal, read, develop new hobbies, take a everything shower, spend time in nature, etc. Whatever you can do to refresh your mind, I’d do! Even if that sometimes means rotting in bed. If you’ve been stressed out DEFINITELY take time to, rot in bed, spend time in nature, watch a bunch of movies with popcorn, etc.

3. Make a list of activities to do!! Me personally, I love making bucket lists. For example, this summer I wanted to go blueberry picking, get baptized, go golfing, make lots of flower bouquets, etc. I always like to make bucket lists for different seasons. Especially bucket lists for summer. That way I’m not bored 24/7. It’s like a fun adventure that I do every year. So, I would definitely recommend making bucket lists. It’s the perfect way to stay occupied with different activities. Or if you don’t want to make a bucket list, try new hobbies. You can simply list things you are interested in doing right in your notes app. Then do them whenever you want!!

4. Practice self love!! Doll, it’s summer! We shouldn’t be down bad crying at the gym. We got love to give ourselves!! It’s time to acknowledge how wonderful you are. 2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” We all were created beautifully and with care!! There’s no reason why we shouldn’t love ourselves.

5. Motivation!! Unfortunately we aren’t always going to feel motivated. Which is why I constantly will tell you dolls to work on having discipline. It’s something we will all struggle with time-to-time. However, we have to push through and do whatever we have to do anyways. Pushing through may even help you become motivated. But just because it’s difficult in the moment, doesn’t mean it will be difficult forever. So, keep a positive mindset and keep going!! You got this doll! 💗

6. Get off your phone and go in nature!! I know, I know you dolls probably don’t like to hear it, but seriously. We spend so much time on our phones. Our dopamine levels are probably through the roof. So, take time to slow down and go out in nature. Maybe all you do is run away from bugs, people watch, read a book, or pick dandelions. However you spend time in nature, make sure you actually breathe. Take time to look around. Romanticize those moments that you run away from bugs or read a book.

“You can help as many people as you want but you also have to remember to check in on yourself.” - Kendall Jenner

Love you dolls!! Remember to enjoy all moments in your life 💗

Xoxo, Arielle 💋🎀

[jollmaster]

how does Al feel about historical figures from Louisiana like Marie Laveau?

• Alastor feels pure interest because it's a big part of Louisiana history, — and if we talk about voodoo, he didn't practice voodoo at least openly in mortal life, but as Louisiana-born believes in many superstitions

• fun fact number one, Al knows Marie Laveau in person, and she thinks that he's aggorant; fun fact number two, Marie Laveau knew Al's great-grandmother in mortal life :'D

• she noticed that deer sinner reminded her a bit of someone, got excited when found out Al was related to one of her friends, and showed him great-grandma's skull

my deer, your nose looks familiar

• Marie is the Tainted on second stage of decay, with snake scales on arms, neck and back; she lives near the swamps, feeds snakes and does some witchcraft and spell-casting (Marie treated demons with respect, and demons return this favor)

• she also asked Alastor to be her apprentice, but Alastor said "thank you, lady, I'll think about it more"

creole women (gossiping), great-grandma is on the right

• Alastor's great-grandmother from mother's side, Marjolane, was half (or quarter?) Choctaw and baptized Catholic, this woman was lucky enough to be born before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803; she was officially considered as father's heiress and even became a wife of a white French Creole man

• strictly speaking, there are almost any non-Creoles in Alastor's family for four or five generations (everyone who was born in Louisiana was called a Creole), and in terms of roots Al's blood is like a gumbo soup

• at first Marjolane was just a customer at Marie's salon and gossiped about locals, then they became friends (their life situations were similar in some ways), and future great-grandma attended voodoo gatherings

• husband thought it was nonsense (wife, chill, that's stupid, you have several children), but then he also felt interest and went to gatherings with her; later spouses had to stop, — Marjolane was almost accused of worshipping demons, — but women kept in touch until deaths

• when Marjolane found Marie Laveau a few years after death, she asked to cut off her head and take care of skull when she started to decay and lose sanity

• Marie kept promise, often talks to skull and decorates it with flowers