#creative celery

[bruesselbach]

"Ants on a log with butter instead of peanut butter." Analog Imagination 10, 2025, oil on canvas, 12x9in. Prompt by thegreatpi

[msvorderofoperations]

The year is 1907. Celery has been growing non-stop since the turn of the century. No one could eat it fast enough, industrial harvesting implements cannot keep up with it, even burning it only marginally keeps it in check.

It has fast become simultaneously a staple crop and a contagion, where any signs of it inside city limits must be rapidly purged or risk being consumed by the unendingly growing stalks.

No one knows what brought on this explosive change in the plant, only that a mysterious unmarked greeting card found shortly before the shift had occurred seemed to be calling forth the growth. Addressed to a farming conglomerate that had bought up the land titles of nearby family owned farms and switched their yields to corn. It was the first to fall to the celery blight.

Thanks?

[thecupidwitch]

Magical Properties of Vegetables

Alfalfa sprouts: prosperity

Asparagus: lust, grounding

Artichoke: lust, protection, personal growth

Beans: grounding, love, lust, prosperity, protection

Beet: beauty, love, passion

Broccoli: strength, leadership, protection

Brussels Sprouts: protection, luck, rebirth, stability, courage

Cabbage: fertility, health, longevity, love, money, protection

Carrot: banish, clarity, fertility, illusions, health

Cauliflower: protection

Celery: grounding, lust, mental powers, peace, psychic powers

Corn: spirituality, protection, abundance

Cucumber: purity, fertility, healing

Eggplant: wealth, prosperity

Endive: love, lust, physical strength

Horseradish: Exorcism, purification, banishing, empowering, warding

Lettuce: stamina, sleep, rest

Leek: love, physical strength, protection

Mushroom: psychic awareness, physical strength, hidden truths, courage, healing, health

Onion: warding, protection, health, banishing, virility, fertility, energy, psychic power

Pea: love, prosperity

Pepper green: growth, prosperity

Pepper red: energy, strength, vitality

Pepper yellow: empowered creativity

Potatoes: Protection, compassion, potency, wishing

Pumpkin: healing, money, prosperity, abundance, divination

Radish: lust, protection

Rhubarb: fertility, love, protection

Spinach: fortitude, physical strength, general physical health, prosperity, money

Sweet Potato: love, lust

Squash: spirituality

Tomatoes: protection, warding, health, money, luck, love

Turnip: warding, banishing

Zucchini: spirituality, protection, prosperity, lust, abundance

*source: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen*

*source2: Scott Cunningham Encyclopedia Of Magical Herbs*

[acatinabox]

A collection of cultural and food suggestions related to Antiva

From an Italian amateur writer.

Big disclaimer: I am not trying to claim Antiva or his characters as Italian, if you want to see it more Spanish, be my guests. Things in the setting are ambiguous so let's make the most of this vagueness and make space for each others' headcanons.

That said, I'm Italian, and these are the things I can relate/speak about confidently, so I will. I do write Lucanis more Italian in my fanfiction because he was written as such in the Wigmaker Job and it was such a boon to feel represented in a piece of media I loved but I support fan creativity so do whatever you want.

Also these are generalisations. People are not a monolith, goes without saying.

Nobody asked for this, but I hope maybe it helps someone or is interesting.

With that out of the way, here's a collection of themes/suggestions that speak to me, and that might be useful if you want to write them in in your fanfiction and that aren't coffee or organised crime related.

The smell of soffritto at lunch time in the streets. People cook with their windows open when the weather allows it, and the smell of their food permeates the air. You can smell it from the street. Soffritto is the base of many Italian preparations and sauces, so it's a very familiar smell at lunch and dinner time. It's a mix of onion, celery and carrots minced and put in a pan to stir fry with olive oil. If you add a little bit of tomato sauce you make the most basic pasta sauce. Congratulations.

The smell of freshly made bread is fragrant and unique. Every region has its own type of bread and you can easily find a variety of them in most cities. Italian bread is fluffy and light and sometimes a bit dry. Potato bread is made in mountain areas. In the south, bread has a thick dark crust and an airy centre. We eat bread almost at every meal, it's just as iconic and pasta.

I can easily see Lucanis make his own pasta sauce and bread from scratch.

Speaking of bread, I can also see Lucanis make "scarpetta" after he finished eating, which means scraping the sauce from the plate with a bit of bread.

People make small talk in the streets or in the stores, sometimes with complete strangers. It's not a strict social rule but it happens quite often.

The Lucanis/Illario conversation in wigmaker job about not eating Antivan food abroad is the quintessential dynamic between the expat and the relative visiting who expects to not go out of their comfort zone. It happened to me more times than I can count.

Family functions can last all day, we can meet for lunch on a Sunday and spend the whole day together. If you get out of the table before 5PM on a holiday like Christmas or Easter frankly it means you failed as a host (harsh but true). More often than not you'll find yourself staying for a lighter dinner too.

The usual composition of a big meal is antipasto, first course, second course with a side, dessert, fruit, caffè ammazzacaffè. On normal days we only have a main, though.

Ammazzacaffè is the sacred ritual of the digestive after coffee (it literally means coffee killer). I mention it because it's mentioned in the game and in the short stories. It can be I think any strong liquor. We have it after a big lunch or in the evening, usually not at lunch on a working day. It kinda resets you, closes the meal.

Drinking wine has a big convivial function. Drinking alone is not something most people do often, we reserve it for social occasions and usually with a meal.

Dressing up is kind of expected in certain family functions and situations. Not in all families and not at all occasions but I can see it would be expected especially in high society.

Veneto, where RL Treviso is, is known for their creative swearing against god. I can absolutely picture Lucanis shout "by Ghil'an'ain's saggy boobs" or "by Elgar'nan's dried balls" when angry. Honestly go wild, please make up some insults for them and tell me about them (also sorry for the apostrophes, I don't know where they go).

We have a chocolate bonbon, Baci (means kisses), that have paper slips with sappy, romantic quotes in them. Some of Lucanis's phrases remind me of that. I think he'd be a fan and note down his favourite quotes. It's a dark chocolate bonbon with a soft heart and a hazelnut inside.

I said I wouldn't mention coffee but I lied. In some Italian cities there's the tradition of caffè appeso (hung coffee). Someone pays for coffee for themselves and for someone else they don't know that might want one and not be able to afford it. It's adorable and I can see Lucanis do it exaggeratedly all the time because he seems quite generous.

I think I'm done for now and maybe more people will jump up in the mentions or the replies to add their own useful things. I'll try to add some if they come to mind!

[aesethewitch]

Learning to Cook Like a Witch: Using the Scraps

Cooking can create a lot of waste. From peels and rinds to bones and leaves, people throw away quite a lot of scraps in the kitchen. And witches, as you may know, are experts in the art of the cunning use of whatever we’ve got around.

As a witch who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I’ve had ample opportunities to get creative in my cooking craft. It helps that I grew up in a household defined by scarcity: not our own, by the time I was conscious enough to remember, but my parents’ poverty. It colored the way I learned to cook, using everything I possibly could, making enough to last, preserving what I didn’t immediately use, and creatively reusing leftovers and scraps.

There are some topics I won’t necessarily cover here. Composting is an option, but there are some bits of food scrap that don’t need to be composted — they can be saved and repurposed for all sorts of things, magic and mundane. Likewise, recycling, buying sustainably, and growing your own food when you can are all great options for reducing household waste in the kitchen.

For the purposes of this post, I want to focus specifically on food scraps. This is an organized list of kitchen scraps that I’ve used in a variety of other dishes and projects. I’m focusing primarily on food waste, not so much on packaging (such as reusing egg cartons, milk containers, boxes, and so forth).

Vegetable Scraps

Freeze leftover vegetable scraps to make stock. This is a fairly common bit of advice — save bits of leftover vegetables to make a vegetable stock or another kind of stock. It’s good advice! I keep a bag in my freezer that I put vegetable scraps in to save until I’m ready to make a new batch of stock. Not all veggies should be saved like this and used for stock! Some make stock bitter or otherwise unpleasant-tasting. Personally, I tend to freeze these for stock:

- The skins, ends, and leftover cuts of onions (just be wary of the skins; too much will make your broth bitter) - The ends of celery (not the leaves — they’re bitter!) - Corn cobs - Garlic skins, ends, tiny cloves that aren’t useful otherwise, and sprouted cloves - The ends of carrots (also not the leaves) - The ends of leeks - Pepper tops/bottoms (not the seeds)

I would recommend against putting things like potatoes, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and leafy greens in there. Potatoes don’t add flavor, sprouts and cabbage make the whole thing taste like those foods, and leafy greens end up bitter. If something has a strong, distinctive flavor (beets, sprouts), I wouldn’t add it to my freezer bag. These scraps often form the veggie portion of my Sick-Be-Gone Chicken Broth spell recipe!

Regrow leeks, green onions, and celery. Pop these in a bit of water and watch them grow back! It’s a fun experiment, and you’ll never have to buy them again.

Plant sprouted garlic. Aside from the fact that you can still cook and eat garlic that’s sprouted, you can plant a sprouted clove in a pot. Care for it well enough, and you’ll end up with a full head of garlic from that one clove!

Fry potato peels. Anytime I make mashed potatoes or peel potatoes for something, I always save the peels. Give them a thorough rinse and shallow-fry them in oil, turning them over until they’re golden and crispy. Toss them in a bit of salt and pepper while they’re still hot, and you’ve got tasty chips to snack on while you cook the rest of your meal! No need to cover them in more oil or anything — the heat will cause the salt to stick right to them.

Save leaves for pesto. Yum, yum, yum. Pesto isn’t just all about basil, you know. Save the leaves from carrots, beets, radishes, and even celery to grind up alongside basil, garlic, salt, and lemon juice for a delicious pesto recipe.

Fruit Scraps

Save citrus peels. Peels from oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits have a multitude of uses. Candy them for a sweet treat, dry them to add to potpourri or incense, or save them to put into a simmer pot for bright, sunny energy.

Juice the whole fruit. Again, thinking mostly about citrus fruits, when you need the zest from something but not the rest, don’t just throw away the fruit. Squeeze out all the juice you can. Even if you don’t need it right now, you can freeze it to use later in simmer pots, fruity waters, or anything else that needs a touch of juice.

Turn extra fruit and berries into jam or syrup. If you’ve got berries and fruit that are about to go off, or maybe the ends of strawberries, don’t toss them! Look up recipes for jam of the specific fruit you’ve got or make an infused syrup. Syrups in particular can be used for cocktails, teas, and desserts for an extra magical kick.

Pickle watermelon rinds. That’s right. Pickle those suckers. They’re so tasty. I’ve seen people make kimchi with watermelon rinds, too, though I’ve never tried it myself!

Save seeds for abundance work. Seeds in general are great for spells geared toward long-term success, new beginnings, and — when there are a lot of them — wealth. Different fruit seeds have properties that tend to correspond with the fruit they come from, so consider their potential purposes before you just toss them! (Note also that some fruit seeds are toxic; these would be suitable for baneful workings.)

Keep cherry stems for love magic. Have you ever done that thing where you tie a cherry stem with your tongue? If I’m eating cherries, I like to save some of the stems for love workings. Tie them into little knots like you might with string while envisioning ensnaring the love you’re looking for. I wouldn’t do this with a particular person in mind; binding someone to you is almost never a good idea. I’ve used it to attract specific qualities in a person of romantic interest: attentiveness, humor, kindness, and so forth.

Use pits to represent blockages, barriers, and problems. I most often use them in baneful workings, typically jammed into a poppet’s mouth or throat to keep someone from talking shit. It could also represent a sense of dread in that way — a pit in the stomach, uneasy and nauseating. But you could also use them in the sense of removal, ritualistically removing the pit or problem from a given situation.

Herb Scraps

Freeze or dry extra fresh herbs. Different drying techniques are ideal for specific herbs. I’d suggest looking up recommended methods before sticking anything in the microwave. If you’d like to freeze your herbs instead, I typically will lay them on a damp paper towel, wrap them up, place them into a freezer-safe bag, and then put them in the freezer. Most herbs will keep for a couple months this way. When you want to use them, pull them out and let them defrost right on the counter.

Make pesto. Again, pesto isn’t just basil! Experiment with tossing in different scraps of herbs to find out what combination you like best.

Reuse steeped tea. Particularly when I use loose herbal tea, I like to lay out the used tea to dry out. It can be burned similarly to loose incense, though the scent may be somewhat weaker than with herbs that are fresher or unused. I find that it’s fine, since I’m sensitive to smells anyways.

Toss extra herbs into your stock freezer bag. Just like with vegetables, extra herbs make welcome additions to a scrap stock pot. I always make a point to save sage, thyme, marjoram, and ginger. You can add just about anything to a stock pot, but be aware of the flavors you’re adding. Not all herbs will match with all dishes.

Protein Scraps

Dry and crush empty egg shells. This is one most witches will know! I use crushed egg shells for protection magic most often: sprinkled at a doorstep mixed with other herbs, added to jars, and spread around spell candles.

Save shrimp, crab, and lobster shells. They’re a goldmine of flavor. Toss them into water with veggies and herbs, and you’ve got a delicious, easy shellfish stock. Use it to make fishy soups and chowders that much richer.

Don’t discard roasted chicken remains. Use them for stock, just like the shells. I like to get rotisserie chickens on occasion since they’re ready-made and very tasty. Once all the meat has been stripped off the bones, simmer the entire carcass with — you guessed it — veggies and herbs for a tasty chicken stock.

Reuse bacon grease for frying. After cooking bacon, don’t throw away the grease right away. Melt it over low heat, strain the bits of bacon out, and pour it into a jar to put in the fridge. You can use it to fry all sorts of things, but my favorite thing is brussels sprouts. They pick up the delicious, salty, bacony flavor from all that rendered bacon fat. So good.

Other Scraps

Use stale bread for croutons or bread crumbs. When I reach the stale end of a loaf of bread, as long as it isn’t moldy, I like to tear it into pieces and toss it into the oven for a little while. Let it cool and then pulse it in a food processor, and I’ve got delicious bread crumbs! Or, cut it a little more neatly, toss it in oil and seasonings, and then bake, and now I’ve got homemade croutons for salads. You can really hone your herbs for both of these, tuning them to be perfect for whatever spell needs you have.

Small amounts of leftover sugar. I don’t know why, but I always end up with a tiny amount of white and brown sugar in the containers. This can be used in teas, of course, but I like to offer it up to spirits. In particular, my ancestors tend to appreciate a spoonful of brown sugar stirred into a small, warmed cup of milk. You can also look up mug cake or single-serving cookie recipes; often, they’re cooked in the microwave, and they only need a little sugar to make!

Keep vanilla bean pods. Vanilla is fucking expensive. When I have a little extra and want to really splurge for a special occasion, I’ll get a couple pods. And because they’re so expensive, I hate wasting any part of them. They’re good for love magic, sure, but you can also toss the spent pods in a jar full of sugar to make vanilla-infused sugar. I’ll often use the pods to make infused milks, too; warm the milk over low heat, add the pods, and let it steep like tea. It goes great in teas and desserts. For a nice self-love spell, sometimes I’ll melt chocolate into the vanilla milk and make hot cocoa!

Save the rinds from Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese. You might not be able to just bite into these, but they’re fabulous additions to a stock pot. They add a rich, umami depth to the flavors. I also like to throw these into pots of tomato sauce to add even more flavor to the sauce.

Used coffee is still coffee. After I make a pot of coffee, I’ll sometimes save the grounds by letting them dry back out. I wouldn’t make another cup of coffee with them, since all the flavor’s gone, but they’ll still have attributes of energy generation and smell great. I like to pack used grounds into sachets to hang in places where I want to encourage more energy and focus, replaced every few days or so. Coffee grounds also have high amounts of nitrogen in them, which can help plants thrive; just be careful about pH values in the soil! You don’t want to hurt your plants with too much acidity.

Final Thoughts

I hope you found these tips helpful! There are a ton more ways to save and reuse kitchen scraps that would otherwise go to waste. Sometimes, tossing stuff into the compost or trash can’t be avoided. But I’ve found that being aware of the possibilities can help diminish the amount that gets wasted.

If you have questions or other suggestions for reusing kitchen scraps, feel free to drop them in my inbox, reblogs, or replies. And if you did enjoy this post, consider tossing a couple dollars in my tip jar! Supporters get early and sometimes exclusive access to my work, and monthly members get bonuses like commission discounts and extras. (:

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Healthy Habits To Look & Feel Your Best Without Restriction or Unrealistic Routines

Realistic ways to maintain a healthy life/body/appearance (size and weight are all personal, not the most important metric – for certain). No diet culture or delulu-land tips here.

What I've done to maintain my 30-pound weight loss for over a decade, glowing clear skin (no pimples or discoloration, etc.), and super healthy, full & shiny hair, still living life and enjoying it – the mindful way.

Eat home-cooked meals & (plant-based) whole foods – 90-95% of the time

Incorporate at least 1 salad into my daily routine (either a large, hearty lunch salad or a simple green salad as a starter with dinner)

Include at least 1 fruit/vegetable in every meal or snack

Never restrict food groups – whole grains/potatoes, healthy fats, protein-rich plant foods, and produce are all essential to consume every day

Focus on meals, but have whole food snack options on hand to enjoy if genuinely hungry (mainly fruit, lupini beans, edamame, carrots/celery/cucumber with hummus, plain popcorn, handful of almonds/cashews)

Have breakfast after one coffee (before a second) and have dinner late enough (8-9:30 pm) to curb late-night hunger

Only have fruit and tea after dinner; Always stop consuming food at least 3 hours before bed for better sleep/digestion

Order whatever I want when going out to eat, but split dessert

Have at least one indulgent meal/dessert per week

No sugary cocktails – wine, champagne/prosecco, martinis, gin & tonic, margarita, French Connection, Sambuca, Grappa, tequila on the rocks, etc. are great options. Bellinis/fruit plus wine/spirits cocktails are a good middle ground. Sugary drinks worsen the hangover – big-time

Perceive healthy eating as a form of enjoyment, creativity, and nourishment, not restriction or deprivation (it's not if done liberally enough)

Consume a vitamin B12 and vitamin D supplement daily. Keep digestive enzymes on hand for when they're necessary

Always have a large glass of water first thing in the morning (before coffee) and by my side all day long

No soda, juices, sugary drinks, etc. Black coffee, tea, and water only on the daily – wine and no-sugar alcoholic drinks on rare occasions. Smoothies can be a great snack or breakfast, though!

Incorporate an (almost) daily walk into my schedule as a form of exercise and a mental health reset (I aim for 4-5 miles/10Kish steps per day on average)

Do short, low-impact strengthen training exercises 3x a week (15-30 mins each usually) for bone health & toning

Never forcing myself to do strenuous exercise/workout formally in a gym – it's not for me; it doesn't make me feel/look better and throws my hunger & energy levels way off. To each their own, though

Have a variety of playlists ready to go for waking up, working, dancing, walking/workouts, doing chores, and reading/relaxing

Internalizing that sexual health is a core aspect of your health & well-being – on all counts

Maintaining a simple skincare routine 2x per week with high-quality products and a couple of weekly treatments

Prioritizing my body care routine with as much as my facial skincare routine

Wearing at least SPF 30 daily

Exfoliating 2-3x per week

Learning what hair products work for my hair type; Using a deep conditioning mask and a scalp mask weekly

Using only cold water when washing my hair

Incorporating face & body massages into my weekly at-home routine

Using Uriage lip balm, hand cream, and deodorant religiously

Flossing 1-2 times a day/using an electric toothbrush

[fishfooddude]

i saw you’re open to requests right now, and i love how you write carmy!! i was wondering if you could do anything about him teaching r how to cook? helping them with a recipe? i love ur work!!🫶

Stop you're gonna make me blush 😭

But, yes, I take requests. I took some creative liberties with this one, but I like how it turned out.

The Bear MasterList

Directory

Soft jazz filled Carmy’s cozy apartment as the two of you stood in the kitchen. Carmy was next to you, trying to make sense of your Dad’s sloppy cursive writing. “I - this man… what the fuck does he mean by light brown chicken?” he mumbled, getting more confused by the second. “And to think the three Michelin star chef can’t figure out what this is BUT had the gull to taunt his non-three Michelin star chef partner for being confused.” Carmy rolled his eyes at your rebuttal and playfully nudged you, “Shut up baby.”  you laughed and handed him the card. “They never taught us about ‘Daddy soup’ in culinary school.” you shrugged and took another sip of broth, gagging at the taste. “I don’t know how I fucked up that soup so bad.” Carmy laughed. “Describe it to me- I will figure it out.”

With the recent passing of your father, you’d found yourself desperate to find a way to connect to him, hence the need for ‘Daddy soup’ growing up; whenever it was cold out or whenever you or your siblings were upset, he’d make ‘Daddy soup’ it was the cure to everything. You attempted to explain it to Carmy, “It was chicken? Maybe turkey? There was carrot… celery? I don’t know- it just tasted like love.”

Carmy spent weeks cross-referencing cookbooks and online recipes. He made stock after stock after stock. He called both of your sisters to get a new perspective on what he should do. After weeks of eating only soup for lunch and dinner, Carmy thought he’d figured it out. “Hey, you doin’ anythin’ tonight?” Carmy asked when you answered the phone, “What you cookin’ me?” “Don’t make me say it…” Carmy awkwardly chuckled, “I’ll come over at 7.” 

“Okay, can you chop these for me while I shred this duck,” Carmy explained, handing you one of his knives. “Be careful, Syd, and I sharpened our knives last night.” you shot him a confused look, “The fattiness of the duck was what my first and fourth attempts were missing- it’ll be good, I promise.” You shot Carmy a quizzical look but started chopping onions and carrots as he’d instructed. He helped you cook the garlic, making sure it didn’t burn this time around. 

“Okay. Try it.” Carmy said, biting the inside of his cheek. As you brought a spoon up to your lips, he swallowed nervously. He stared at you intensely as you tasted the soup. You licked your lips and took another spoonful from the pot. You stood there momentarily and thought, “Well, it’s not Daddy soup but Carmy soup.” Carmy frowned at your criteria, “I thought I had it-” “Carmy, I don’t think anyone can recreate my Dad’s soup, but this is delicious and tastes like love. Thank you.”

[mariacallous]

Schnitzel is one of the ultimate comfort foods. It’s hard not to like a food that is fried and golden brown. Schnitzel is commonly made from chicken or veal, but you’ll also find vegetarian versions made from celery root, or in this case, cabbage.

Any recipe for schnitzel always catches my eye, and I’ve often come across cabbage schnitzel in Russian and Eastern European cooking. Meat in that part of the world could be scarce, and cooks came up with creative solutions for making vegetables taste richer. Cabbage was also often one of the only fresh vegetables available during the long winter months. Even after immigrating to the United States with its year-round abundance of all foods, cabbage is still a favored vegetable among families from the former U.S.S.R. We ate a lot of it in my own Russian Jewish home: cooked, fermented, in soups, or in salads. I especially love cabbage as a meat stand-in for its texture, volume, and versatility.

Cabbage schnitzel can be made with boiled cabbage leaves that are folded into envelope shapes that then get battered, coated with breadcrumbs, and fried just like a chicken schnitzel. But my preferred style of cabbage schnitzel requires less work, and instead employs a thick batter of shredded cooked cabbage, breadcrumbs, and beaten eggs to form the schnitzels. This style of cabbage patty ends up with a schnitzel shape and thickness, golden brown outer layer, and crispy edges.

You can serve this unexpectedly rich entrée with a squeeze of lemon and fresh dill for added brightness. Cabbage schnitzel can also be topped with a dollop of sour cream, and I’ve been known to use some hot sauce for heat. While there are a few steps to this recipe, each one is simple, the ingredients are few, the cooking time is quick, and the payoff is big. Cabbage schnitzel tastes little of cabbage and instead transforms into something savory, caramelized, meaty and satisfying.

[man-i-love-fanfiction]

To Share the Space with Simple Living Things-Hozier x Fem!Florist!Reader

Chapter Two: Daffodils - New Beginnings

Summary: Andrew comes back to pay you, but not before spending some much-needed time at his day job.

Word count: 2439

Author's note: thank you all so much for the positivity the first chapter!!! i cannot wait to keep working on this fic, you guys make it all worth it. i'm really fond of this chapter so hopefully you all enjoy :)

tag list: @celery-grace @gayandfairycore @deathmybride @harry-bowie-mercury @hodgepodge-musings @blue-eyed-bug @secretttytttttttttt @dinner-n-dxatribes (if you want to be added just let me know!)

fic below the cut <3

Andrew did not take two days to come back. He took one day.

He chalked it up to him feeling guilty. What you did for him was a very unnecessary act of kindness. What was he supposed to do? Take his time? Absolutely not.

Admittedly, a small part of it was also that he wanted to see your face again. Not that it mattered, but he wondered what the smile on your face would look like when he told you his mother loved the flowers, and that she immediately put them in her nicest vase and in direct sunlight, wanting to maintain them for as long as possible. He wanted to know more about flower language, something he had done a Google search for when he arrived at home, but he had faith you knew much more than what the internet could tell him. And most importantly, it seemed very one-sided that you had his number and he didn't have yours.

Again, not that it mattered.

It was also an issue of convenience. Andrew tried to plan out his day on the commute to work, and luckily you fit right into his schedule. Your shop was only a few minutes away from where he worked. He could walk over to you during his lunch break, pay you back, and still grab a bite to eat. If he was willing to skip lunch, he could even try to talk to you for a little bit.

Anyway, he was getting sidetracked. He had a lot to do today; he should have much more important things on his mind. This is what he thought about as he pulled into the parking lot. He only had three clients, but he could already tell one of them would be a tall order. Thankfully, that was his first appointment, so he could get that over with. Then, hopefully, he’d repay you, maybe chat, and get back to work.

Right. Work. Love wouldn’t exactly describe his feelings towards his job. Appreciation, definitely. He was grateful that he wasn’t stuck behind an office desk and had a job that could actually let him express his creativity. However, the amount of effort and concentration he had to put into his job on a daily basis was something he dreaded and others (especially his customers) overlooked. He couldn’t truly complain. It was worth it for the end result, and for the happiness on the customer’s face.

Enjoyment probably described his feelings best. Andrew enjoyed being a tattoo artist. A fitting thought to have right as he entered the shop.

He greeted his coworkers with a wave and a polite smile, as always (though seeing his best friend Alex at their shared workplace constituted a high-five instead). Attempting to start working as soon as he could, he scrolled through the photos on his phone and pulled up the sketch of what he'd be inking today: two deer lying down side by side, decomposing. Sure, drawing a decaying animal on someone else’s body wasn’t how most people would choose to start their day. It was an unorthodox choice, but he understood the appeal. It was poetic, in a gruesome way, the concept of never being able to be pulled away from the one you love, not even in death. Decomposing, but still being joyous because at least your partner was still by your side. A lyric without a melody came to him.

After the insects have made their claim, I’d be home with you.

Andrew let out a deep sigh. This would happen to him sometimes; the simple act of anything from sketching a design to reading his favorite book caused couplets to sprout in his head. It gave him this guilt, like he was cheating on his career and songwriting was the other woman, but people are allowed to be multifaceted. Besides, his ability to write songs never did evolve into something substantial. If anything, it was a hobby. Just another creative outlet — and Andrew was always itching to create.

His customer walked in a few minutes afterwards, and he got ready to get to work. He had met her before: a thin, freckled young woman with a wide smile and one small tattoo on her shoulder. They exchanged pleasantries, confirmed that she approved of the design, and made small talk as he printed the stencil. He cleansed his workspace and let his client get as comfortable as possible before he began.

He took his time inking the design, meticulously needling each detail he'd crafted. The shading, the fungi surrounding the deer, the exposed, rotting ribcage. What he was most proud of was the subtle looks on the animals’ faces, purposefully made to be filled with both solemnness of their passing, but overall content. Calmness, even. The lyric he had created before played over and over in his head, despite his multiple attempts to push it away.

By the time he’d finished up, his hand was cramping so hard he was concerned it might fall off, a pain familiar to him but one that he never fully got accustomed to. All that aching for something he wasn't even done with; he’d need to have another session to fully finish the job.

Gloves were removed, payments were accepted, and follow-up sessions were scheduled. He took a photo of his work in progress, with the consent of his client. Other artists did this often, but Andrew wasn't one for so much commemoration of his art. He felt too much of an attachment to this specific work, however, and felt he'd be letting himself down if he didn't get to at least have it in his phone. He waved the client (and his artwork) goodbye. Alex walked by, drinking a coffee that had undoubtedly gone cold. He raised an eyebrow, wordlessly asking Andrew what he was doing.

“I’m going on a walk. I have to go back to the florist.”

“Weren't you literally there yesterday for your mum?”

“It's to pay them back. I… technically never paid for the bouquet,” Andrew explained as he shrugged on his jacket.

“Oh, so you stole those flowers? Have fun doing tattoos in prison!”

“I didn't steal them, the woman working there said I could take them as long as I paid her back in two days.” He stuck his hands in his pockets to make sure he had his wallet this time. A perplexed look came across Alex’s face.

“What kind of shady florist are you going to?”

“She's the furthest thing from shady. It was very bright in there, actually. And welcoming.”

“I’m sure it was. Very welcoming, indeed,” Alex commented before taking a sip from his cup.

“What are you insinuating here?”

“That you already fancy this florist woman.”

“You do know it's possible for me to have a platonic conversation with the opposite gender, right?”

“You're too much of a hopeless romantic for me to believe that's what's going on here.”

As usual, Andrew’s best friend could see right through him. He ignored Alex’s theories, becoming more annoyed than impressed.

“And with that, I’m going.”

“Bye. Have fun with your yearning,” Alex joked with a wave.

He said goodbye and stepped outside. To his surprise, he was greeted by a light drizzle, which he didn't mind. It freshened him up, something he didn't know he needed until the cool droplets hit his face. He only hoped it wouldn't worsen, as with his light jacket he would be dreadfully unprepared.

It had been a relatively slow day. Unlike yesterday, no one else forgot their wallet and needed a favor. No one else actually bothered with what you had to say about the messages of the bouquets. And unlike yesterday, no customers caught your eye. For most of your day, you were zoned out, lost in your own world when you didn't have a customer. When you were more aware of your surroundings, you found yourself always checking the doorway, subconsciously waiting for a certain someone’s arrival. Still, you were living most of your day in a daze. You didn't even notice it was pouring outside until Andrew walked in, absolutely drenched. It took you a moment to fully absorb his frazzled state; not only was he soaked, he was out of breath.

“Hello. I didn't expect you to be back so soon,” you admitted. In fact, part of you didn't expect him to return at all.

“I like,” he said, panting after every other word, “to keep my promises.”

“Are you… Did you run here?”

“I started off walking, but then it began to downpour so I tried to hurry up. Weather is a fickle thing, huh?”

“I could lend you my umbrella, if you want. For the walk back.”

“You’ve done enough for me already. I couldn't take your protection from the rain as well. I’ll just constantly try to stay under awnings.”

You chuckled at his comment. He took a few deep breaths to regain his composure before walking towards you.

“You’ll be happy to know my mum adores the bouquet. She liked the look of it first, but then after I explained your flower language, her face lit up. She put it in a vase and it's now on display on her windowsill.”

“That's great to hear,” you responded as a grin spread across your face. It always brightened your day to hear positive feedback from the people who actually received the arrangements you worked so hard on. It also satisfied you that Andrew was beaming the entire time, fueled by the joy you inspired in his mother.

“She's now expecting flowers for almost every occasion, so I hope you're open on holidays.”

“Oh, we're open year-round. Except for Valentine’s Day, when we close out of fear that boyfriends that need to seem romantic will form a stampede and storm through the place,” you joked.

“Good to know that you value the safety of your employees,” he said, continuing the discussion with a similar sarcastic tone.

“Employees? God no, it's for the safety of the flowers. I can always hire someone else year-round. I only get my lily-of-the-valley shipments the last week of January. Those things are expensive. I can't have a last-minute hoard of men trying to seem thoughtful destroying them.”

“I’ve got a cousin that's a chocolatier and she has a very similar policy.”

“What can I say? I take very serious precautions to protect my art.”

You couldn't keep a serious face for too long; after a pause, you cracked a smile and a small giggle escaped you. Andrew took this as an opportunity to change the subject, because as much as he could've stood there talking to you for the rest of the day, you both had jobs to get back to.

“I’ll stop talking your ear off. I came here for an actual reason. Let me pay you back,” he said.He took out his wallet and counted out a few dollars before placing them on the counter.

“Here. That's what I owe you.” He pulled out another banknote and held it out towards you. “And here's an extra fifty. To thank you for your kindness.”

Your eyebrows raised at his gesture, which you instantly declined, giving this extra money back to him.

“Goodness, um… thank you, but I can't accept this.”

“Sure you can. It’s my attempt at repaying you. Think of it as a tip.”

“I did it out of the goodness of my heart. I don't expect anything in return, I’m just happy I could bring a smile to your face. And to your mum’s.”

“Let me do something for you too, then. You deserve to have a smile on your face as well.”

You let out a sigh, but made no effort to counter his proposal. He paused for a moment, premeditating what he was going to say. He spoke again.

“You really helped me out, and I want to be able to do something for you. Let me buy you a coffee someday. Or a tea. Or even a croissant if you’re hungry,” he offered, his tone bordering on pleading.

There was a question on the tip of your tongue, one you were too nervous to say out loud, but couldn't help but wonder.

Are you asking me out on a date?

You kept quiet. He was just trying to be nice; there was no romantic intent. At least, that's what you told yourself. Your answer was the same as it would be if that was his intention.

“Alright. When and where?”

“There's a cafe about ten minutes from here. Want to meet there on Friday at 9 in the morning?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Great! Great. I’ll… I’ll see you then.”

“See you then.”

You both stood there, frozen for a few seconds, neither of you knowing what to do. Andrew broke away first. He took a step back and walked away, glancing over his shoulder to wave goodbye before reaching for the door handle. You waved in return, a small smile breaching your lips. The minute he left, you started to count down the hours until Friday.

There was this principle in psychology that had stuck with Andrew ever since he learned of it: the more you think about something, the more likely you are to notice it in your day-to-day life. He was especially feeling this principle today because ever since he met you, he saw flowers everywhere. It was as if the cosmos had decided that he couldn't forget about you, even if he wanted to.

There were flowers on every table of the restaurant he met his mother at. When he went back to his flat that day, he noticed his landlord placed pots of marigolds on the front step of the building. They even followed him to his place of work; his next client of the day wanted line art of a daffodil on her forearm.

She had told him her reasoning was the meaning of the flower—daffodils mean new beginnings. He wondered if you could corroborate that meaning with what you knew of flower language. If this woman knew how absolutely overrun with flora the past twenty-four hours had been for him. Was she sent by the universe to tell him that what was starting with you was just blossoming? Or was she just a twenty-something that wanted a tattoo she saw on Pinterest? Andrew was okay with either option; he was a grown man, aware that not everything in life was because of fate. He was just excited that he got to start something new with you, no matter how it ended.

[astrolovecosmos]

The Planets & Random or Obscure Associations

~Sun~

Creativity, vitality, head of state, the father, games, yellow and orange clothing, articles of value, jewelry, gold, brass, power, diamonds, citrine, topaz, jasper, amber, rhodochrosite, mistletoe, almonds, citrus, succulents, sunflowers, fevers, heart, back, spine, grapes, walnuts, rice, chamomile, frankincense, juniper, saffron, marigold, rosemary, rue, palaces, towers, luxury.

~Moon~

Eternal, cycles, silver, aluminum, pearls, moonstone, opal, selenite, chest, glands, lymphatic system, nervous system, emotions, mother, ancestors, nurture, rebirth, tides, baths, ocean, brew, boat, sap, willow trees, succulents, pale color plants, white flowers, cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, melons, shellfish, pumpkins, lakes, fountains, ports, fishponds, pools, springs, sewers, dairies, toys, reflection, blankets, objects of comfort.

~Mercury~

Communication, journal, pen/pencil, any writing tools, wings, phosphorous, mercury, agate, tiger's eye, brain, nervous system, eyes, respiration, thyroid, speech, hearing, intellect, vehicles, money, bills, paper, books, pictures, parties or social gatherings, scientific instruments, butterflies, messages, mail, hazel, mulberry, myrtle, seeds, aniseed, dill, fennel, lavender, liquorice, marjoram, parsley, valerian, hazelnuts, beans, mushrooms, pomegranates, carrots, celery, libraries, schools, markets, fairs, public spaces, tennis or badminton court, studies, banks, bowling greens, offices, blue, white, or light colored flowers.

~Venus~

Love, relating, lust, high-quality fabrics, copper, bronze, sodium, malachite, tourmaline, emerald, rose quartz, kunzite, sapphire, pastels, throat, kidneys, lumber region, art, music, aesthetics, social life, fashion, jewelry, wine, pleasure, alder tree, fruit trees, paint, ash tree, birch, pomegranates, early flowering, daisy, mint, marshmallow, meadowsweet, mugwort, plantain, tansy, roses, thyme, vervain, yarrow, potatoes, strawberries, wheat, sugar, nectarines, ballrooms, bedrooms, dining room, gardens, fountains, wardrobes, theaters, looking and feeling good.

~Mars~

Lust, conquest, desire, flaming sword, red things, fights, iron, brass, bloodstone, carnelian, cinnabar, pyrite, magnetite, ruby, garnet, hematite, muscles, reproductive organs, blood, kidneys, immunity, heat, action, arms, pepper, sharp instruments, cutlery, attacks, scissors, weapons, physical intimacy, bites, stings, scalds, burns, accidents, hawthorn, pine, thorns, cactus, aloes, anemone, arnica, belladonna, garlic, ginger, hops, mustard seed, nettles, wormwood, chives, onions, leeks, radish, rhubarb, tobacco, labs, furnaces, distilleries, bakehouses, ovens, smiths, butchers, fields, anger, passion, self-focus.

~Jupiter~

Expansion, optimism, religion, religious sites, tin, seduction, turquoise, chrysocolla, topaz, citrine, jasper, liver, pancreas, pituitary gland, sciatic nerve, excess, abundance, prophecy, philosophy, knowledge, universities, foreign travel, luggage, honey, oil, silk, fruit, distinct clothing, merchandise, horses, domestic birds, gambling, indulgence, entertainment, oak, dandelion, sage, endive, chervil, asparagus, figs, churches, temples, palaces, altars, courts, mansions, woods, orchards, winery, cornucopia, connecting with the soul.

~Saturn~

Limits, boundaries, father time, lord of death, shadows, lead, iron, steel, calcium, asbestos, sulphur, diamond, onyx, calcite, skeleton, spleen, skin, teeth, nails, joints, structure, crystallization, old age, blockage, anything dark, wool, heavy materials, agriculture, wheelbarrows, spades, farm houses and buildings, cold, laws, aspen, blackthorn, buckthorn, cypress, elm, toxic plants, hemlock, henbane, belladonna, hellebore, barley, beetroot, safflower, parsnips, spinach, deserts, woods, valleys, caves, church yards, ruins, coalpits, sinks, wells, mud, institutions.

~Uranus~

Eccentrics, mavericks, invention, genius, revolution, change, trends, disruptive science or tech, uranium, magnesium, lapis lazuli, sapphire, aquamarine, azurite, chalcedony, electricity, neon lights, plaid, nervous and circulatory system, pineal gland, chaos, violence, upheaval, astrology, steam engines, coal, machinery, coins, baths, fishponds, dangerous places, computers, magnets, quantum physics, research, welfare, humanity, hypnotherapy, railways, banks, gas, psychiatric hospitals, offices, hospitals, dispensaries, fortified places, chemicals, mingled/mingling, spirit and matter.

~Neptune~

Illusions, veils, diffuse, deception, water, oceans, mysticism, enlightenment, artistic pursuit and understanding, zinc, potassium, amethyst, fluorite, jade, sugilite, coral, aquamarine, pineal gland, lymphatic and nervous system, spine, mental processes, addiction, psychoses, disease, photography, music, substances, gas, religion, poetry, mimicry, chameleon, anesthetic, telepathy, empathy, dancing, psychic gifts, places near water, hospitals, places of healing, jeweler, painters, brewers, musicians, visionary.

~Pluto~

Power, influence, darkness, new life, what's hidden underneath, seeds, volcanoes, deep earth or ocean, bury, explosions, eruptions, abduction, plutonium, smoky quartz, obsidian, jet, pearl, deep reds, reproductive organs, the unconscious, nuclear, transformation, death, birth, rebirth, underworld, riches, earthquakes, big business, murder, detection, detective, invisibility, sneak, enforced change, hidden places, underground, drains, sewers, radioactive places, the occult, black magic, sacrifice, renew.

[piratefishmama]

Nest | Part 7

The cafeteria was… chaotic, on the best of days. You had to have nerves of steel and endless patience to work in those kitchens, they couldn’t just walk around with a list of options for Omegas to choose from for their days ahead, it was a ‘they want this right this minute and it could change in five so be quick!!’ kind of deal.

They were dealing with Heat-minded Omegas, which meant they might as well have been dealing with a whole building full of pregnant people. Cravings right left and centre and none of them made any sense to anyone with working tastebuds.

The only thing they consistently had, was carbs.

It meant they had to get creative sometimes.

Owens had been an absolute genius and had made sure there were a few fridges and cabinets stocked at all times with the base items to make up the ‘weirder shit’ that couldn’t be made on the fly. Like Celery sticks, peanut butter, Nutella, carrots, etc.

Anything vaguely phallic shaped was cut up into chunks, slices, or mashed because heat-minded Omegas were sometimes very stupid.

The cabinets also stocked treats too, various snack foods, chips, candy, cakes, etc. It was mostly carb loading foods, things high in carbohydrates which Omegas needed and often craved during the second stage of their heat.

Owens funded that one himself. Took the cost of whatever went into those fridges and those cabinets right out of his own pocket because it wasn’t industry standard across the clinics to have them, so the government wouldn’t fund the addition to the kitchens.

But that brilliant idea had taken a lot of stress off of the four cooks they had on staff, two betas, one Alpha her Omega mate. All of whom had been so close to quitting before the fridges and cabinets were installed. Overworked and underpaid.

This meant that Steve’s trip to the cafeteria was a quick one. He grabbed snack foods, a few veggie options, and picked up one of each tub of Nutella and Peanut butter, worst case scenario, Eddie wouldn’t want any of it, but at the very least he’d appreciate Steve bringing them to him. Like a good Alpha, providing for his Omega.

He put it all into a little basket, and carried it out with him, paying little mind to the looks he was getting.

He knew what he’d almost done. He knew how close he’d come to doing something he couldn’t take back, and no matter how much Eddie had asked for him to do it… whether he’d be happy about it after his heat cleared… that wouldn’t make a difference.

He’d have assaulted an Omega during their heat.

So he took the looks, kept his head down and quickly made his way back to Eddie’s room, where sure enough two Betas had been posted outside to act as guards given their natural ability to neutralise both heat and rut pheromones with their own.

Alphas were good for strongarming someone, but a Beta would be more useful in a pheromone based frenzy.

“Harrington” one of them greeted him, and for a moment, just a moment, he thought they wouldn’t let him in, but neither of them stopped him from unlocking the door, and neither of them said another word against him going inside.

They were there just in case, to protect Eddie.

Eddie, who was still asleep when he walked in, just as he’d expected him to be, Eddie who’d pulled a blanket free from the structure of the nest to curl around, who seemed to stir the closer Steve got to the nest until he was grumbling, sleepy, his eyes still partially closed but uncurling from his blanket to reach out to him with a soft “Alphaaa” that made Steve’s heart clench.

“M’here Eddie, wakey wakey, Omega, m’here” he had permission to enter the nest already, but he still waited just long enough for Eddie to reach out to him. “I got you some things, Eds” speaking softly, he climbed in, lowering himself to sit beside the sleepy Omega, who peeked at him through thick dark brown curls.

Curls that Steve found himself gently brushing aside behind his ear to see that pretty face underneath, pretty, awake, and smiling at him.

“You got me things?” God he was beautiful. How had he never noticed how beautiful this ridiculous Omega was? How had he been so blind? "Is my big strong Alpha providing for me?"

Focus Steve, he told himself, do not let him rile you up. “Mmhm, some food, snacks really, I wasn’t sure what you’d be hungry for yet, so I got a variety of things just in case” he’d have brought the entire goddamn cafeteria for him had he known it’d make him light up like a few snacks did.

Eddie was up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hand, smiling, “Oh god m’starving… how’d you know I’d be hungry?” Steve didn’t stop him from grabbing the basket, smiling in warm amusement as he watched Eddie rifle through the goodies picking out the things he actually wanted, thankful that among the things, there were actually things he’d want.

“Stage two. Owens… the director here, he… said something, that how your reactions to things are like you’re skipping heat stages in response to finally having an alpha nearby.” He wouldn’t mention the scent mate thing, not yet anyway, he wasn’t about to get his hopes up and Eddie didn’t need that confusion on top of everything. “I figured since the nest is made up and we’re comfortable with each other, you’d probably jump into the second stage before the days up, very uncommon but not impossible apparently, so you’d start getting really hungry pretty soon.”

“Having it broken down like stages feels weird, like… clinical I guess.”

“We are in a clinic.”

“Touché.” Eddie opened a bag of chips, content to eat those for the time being, but an expression of thought still lingered on his face as he ate before he asked “Did… did you get into trouble?”

“No, I would have… had I not stopped myself, but Owens has faith in my ability to keep my hands and other parts to myself.”

“Boooo” Steve laughed, ducking his head in bashful amusement “think if you got my legal guardian’s permission you’d be able to—”

“Your uncle can't consent for you, not that anyone in their right mind would ask him, plus he’s not even your legal guardian anymore, you’re older than me, Eddie, you’re your own legal guardian.” Unfortunately that meant he was shit out of luck. “I can hold you though… if you’d like that?”

“…Will you?” In response, Steve opened his arms up, giving Eddie the perfect little spot to crawl and snuggle himself back into, tucking his legs in and leaning back into Steve’s warm embrace, releasing the softest hum of contentment as Steve buried his face into the junction between neck and shoulder and just breathed, his arms squeezing gently around him.

He still smelled earthy, like camping in the forest, dirt, moss, everything Steve loved about morning jogs through the woods, or hikes into the mountains, the smells. It filled his senses and left him rumbling, content, purring into Eddie’s neck, delighting at the sound of Eddie’s own matching purr as he relaxed into the embrace, only the crunch of chips breaking those little purrs. “Feel better?” Steve hummed into his neck.

Eddie snuggled himself back, as if trying to climb inside his Alpha, snuggling his head up under Steve’s chin, remnants of sleep still clinging to his mind making it easy to fall into a comfortable doze, even with his chips in his arms. “Mmnhm… promise you’ll do this when I get out of here too?”

“You’ll have to fight me off with a stick.”

“Duel at sunset? I might surrender very quickly if I get cuddles out of it.” Steve pressed a light kiss into the top of Eddie’s hair then nuzzled into his curls.

“Then I accept your surrender ahead of schedule and offer cuddles for as long as you want them.”

“Is forever a good amount of time?”

“Forever is the perfect amount of time.”

Part 9

[covertleathers]

Pulling Cords (Rookanis Fanfiction)

A meditation on tension and yearning.

Title: Pulling Cords (WIP)

Rating: 18+, Explicit, Gradually intensifying sexual tension, nudity, etc etc

Relationships: Lucanis Dellamorte/m!Rook (They/Them pronouns)

Key words: Yearning, teasing, jealousy (eventually)

Chapter 1: Lucanis dutifully doing his 'midnight' meal prep when an insomniac Rook joins him.

AO3 Link

A night at the Lighthouse was never quiet, per se. While day or night didn’t necessarily occur there, the body had its own rhythm that it followed like clockwork; most of the team ended up sleeping similar hours, give or take.

Except Lucanis. Sleep came in minutes, if any at all. Meditation helped at times, but it was a tenuous line to walk.

He kept himself busy in the kitchen when it was at its most empty with prepping the team’s next meals. The smell of a light roast always lingered there at these hours. These were the moments when he needed the most focus. In the absence of company, even without Bellara and Neve casually talking in a far corner, a quiet would grow. It pulled at the edges of his mind like that of a string of yarn until he could feel himself begin to unravel. 

Sounds of an expertly wielded blade hitting the wood countertop as he prepared the onions, carrots and celery. A stew perhaps. Normally, he could start with a bone broth to enhance recovery time when his companions returned from their assignments. However, with two Mourn Watch mages at the lighthouse, it was becoming more pragmatic for him to get creative.

Heavy greens. Bay leaves. Rosemary. Purplish-red Arlathan legumes. They were buttery and savory when soaked then boiled. Beets. It wasn’t Antivan cooking by any means, but it would be restorative to the body.

“Wow, you really don’t sleep.”

His knife paused, hovering above a bleeding beet. His hands were soaked in red.

“Rook.”

How were they able to move so quietly without him realizing? He should have felt their magic approaching with a small sting behind his eyes. Though, he countered mentally, this whole place made his eyes feel that way. Something to resolve later.

A lackadaisy energy seemed to coat the room as the young mage, wrapped tightly in a green linen robe sauntered inside. Lucanis, taking an unnoticeable breath, realized they were not wearing anything else, not even shoes. He resumed cutting, the knife clicking against the wood.

“I hope I’m not disturbing your alone time,” Rook said. They hadn’t seemed to notice his hands going stiff. If they did, they didn’t show it. “It’s hard to sleep in that old office sometimes. I keep having dreams about drowning.”

“You’re not interrupting.”

The Mourn Watch green was a particular color that glowed iridescent against their umber skin. Lucanis caught a glimpse of their cock pressed against the thin material and quickly turned his attention to the sautéing aromatics. Rook floated across the dining room, their plum hair falling in curls down their back like heavy plumes of smoke. “Antivan coffee really is something else. I am so used to white peony tea in Nevarra. It has such a striking boldness.”

This made Lucanis chuckle softly. Striking indeed. He moved to add the main vegetables to the sauté. Rook, knowing that Lucanis would have a ready and hot pot of coffee ready, make themself a cup, adding cream and sugar until it was almost white. Lucanis frowned deeply.

Their gaze caught his face before he could fix it and laughed. Warm and smooth. The contents of the pot started to crackle. Lucanis stirred, making sure they were properly, evenly cooked through.

“It’s better sweet.”

“Oh, I remember. You like drinks for children. I could have made you a pot of chioccolata calda.” Vegetable broth. Salt. Pepper.

From the corner of this eye, Lucanis detected their unwavering look. Rook crossed the dining room; the elf was a head taller than him and moved like lakeside grass in a gentle breeze. He couldn’t imagine someone so beautiful working in those catacombs. Handling corpses or enchanting skeletons. With skin so even. Was it soft? Did it run like silk against your fingers?

In contrast, his shoulders tensed back, right hand clutching a ladle like a dagger behind him. They stopped short of an arm’s distance away. To his surprise, they extended a mug of coffee to him. The contents fresh and dark.

Breath in.

“You do so much for us, you know.” Rook ventured. Their lavender eyes were reflecting an orange glow from the fireplace. “I can’t ask you to do any more.”

Lucanis smirked, taking the mug. His fingers, covered in red, grazed theirs. He sighed, “Nothing like work focuses the mind.” He took a long sip of the bitter, acrid drink. Hm, slightly burnt. The water was too hot. Rook’s presence seemed to throw many things off kilter.

Rook stepped forward with a one-sided smile, as they often did when they were attempting to bite back a smart remark. This usually didn’t work.

“There are other things that can focus the mind.” They said, lowering their voice as they leaned into Lucanis’ space. His heart skipped a beat. His cock stirred in his breeches as he caught the scent of their fragrance. Sweet and flowery. Like HONEY. AND LAVENDER. Mierda.

At this moment Lucanis noticed the exposed cleft of Rook’s front spilling out of this robe. Not as brawny as Davrin, though not as slim as Emmrich. Soft flesh. A single gold chain bearing the death beetle of the Mourn Watch dangled helplessly at the center of their chest.

“Oh?” Empty, empty, quick. Lucanis turned away, a dish cloth in hand to deftly hold the boiling pot of stew as he churned the contents. He had to remain in control of his face. Keep his mouth a straight line. He clamped the pot back shut and met their gaze cooly.

“I love a good riddle. Your mind will be turning it over for hours.” They laughed tenderly. Mierda, how buttery. “There are secret passageways in the Grand Necropolis that will only open if you answer them correctly. Lots of people die getting stuck that way.”

Lucanis didn’t realize how long he had been holding his breath before he opened the stew pot to let the steam engulf his face and let out a sigh of relief. When he straightened, he realized Rook was peering over his shoulder down at the roiling bubbles.

“That smells amazing,” they crooned. A shiver tickled down Lucanis’ spine and a heat bloomed in his chest. But he didn’t move. Rook seemed to realize they crossed into his personal space and quietly apologized before taking a step back.

“Crows don’t really deal with riddles.” He managed as he grasped his mug again to take a swig.

Rook seemed to mull it over and pursed their lips. “I suppose so, you’re more stab now, talk later type of folk.”

“Precisely.”

Their eyes held for a moment.

Rook nervously looked to the fireplace. Their feelings ripple across their face like ocean waves. It is impossible for them to hide. “Can I stay for a little while? We don’t have to talk—” Lucanis stopped them with a raised hand.

“Tell me more about the door riddles.”

[thelandboundseawitch]

🥕Vegetable Correspondences🥕

Artichoke- Love, lust, personal growth, protection, safety, sexual desires, temptation Asparagus- Aphrodisiac, cleansing, fertility, healing, lust, sex, power, unfaithfulness Avocado- Beauty, love, lust Beans- Decision making, grounding, love, lust, prosperity, protection Beet- Beauty, blood, desire, fertility, healing, love, passion, relationships, sexual energy

Bellpepper:

Red- Love, strength

Yellow- Intelligence, energy, focus, creativity

Green- Money

Broccoli- Healing, health, leadership, physical strength, prosperity, protection, wealth Brussels Sprouts- Determination, endurance, health, protection, stability, strength Cabbage- Anti-nightmare, fertility, lunar presence, money, prosperity, protection, sleep Carrots- Desire, dispel illusions, fertility, healing, lust, sexuality, protection, visions Cauliflower- Emotions, feminine energy, growth, lunar energy, personal protection Celery- Calming, concentration, lust, mental clarity, passion, peace, psychic awareness, sexuality Corn- Abundance, blessings, fertility, luck, prosperity, protection, rituals,  spirituality Cucumber- Calming, chastity, fertility, healing, hinders lust, peace, relaxation, stress relief Eggplant- Hoodoo, money, prosperity, sexuality, wealth Horseradish- Anti-negativity, breaks hexes, energy, passion, protection, purification Kale- Healing, strength Leek- Anti-impurity, exorcisms, friendships, healing, love, protection, purification, strength Lettuce- Astral travel, divination, love, lunar magick, meditation, protection, sex, sleep

Mushrooms:

Button- Protection

Chanterelle- Love, romance, protection

Chicken of the Woods- New beginnings

Enoki- Psychic power

Morel- Protection, memory, clarity

Oyster- Prosperity, protection, psychic abilities

Portabella- Strength

Shiitake- Healing, love, divination

Olive- Fertility, healing, lust, peace, protection, spirituality Onion- Anti-negativity, dreams, endurance, health, lust, money, prosperity, protection, stability Pea- Love Potato- Energy, healing, hoodoo, luck, money, poppet, stability, wealth Pumpkin- Banishing, divination, love, lunar magick, prosperity, protection, rebirth, wishes Radish- Breaks curses, fire magick, lust, protection Spinach- Prosperity Squash- Spirituality Sweet Potato- Friendship, harmony, grounding, nurturing, sensuality Tomato- Anti-negativity,creativity, love, offerings, passion, prosperity,  protection, repel evil Turnip- Death, ending relationships, fertility, protection, sexual energy Zucchini- Faithfulness, fertility, lust, prosperity, protection, relationships, sex magick

[rae2velarisart]

After watching one of Abagayils most recent tiktoks earlier, I'm inspired to be blunt...

Take the darn delicious cake that's in front of you...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE TROPE

THE GRUMPY AND SUNSHINE TROPE

THE LOVE TRUMPS A MATING BOND

THE CHOSEN TROPE

THE SLOW BURN TROPE

THE WAITING A LIFE TIME FOR YOU TROPE

...and EAT. IT.

You are being FED.

Stop acting like Elriel is a bland celery stick of a story. You know what's bland? Another mated bond story... We've had enough of that same pie OR a (no offense to her because I like her...) side character fandom created tofu ship monstrosity.

I'm eating that darn cake SJM baked, and I'm going to love EVERY. LAST. CRUMB.

EAT. IT. or enjoy your bland fanon tofu pie.

You can still be jealous that your ship isn't remotely as creative and filling as Elriel... but regardless, at some point...

YOU. WILL. EAT. THE. CAKE.

[enbeeanon]

Masterlist of herbs and plants!

This is a list that I have in my Book of Shadows, typed up so that you can use it, too!

Do not consume those with an asterisk (*) next to them. Some are edible in certain forms, but consult a qualified herbalist before you use them

Absinthiumn*

Healing, maintained good health, fighting off disease

Acorns*

Good luck, fertility, spiritual growth, prosperity

Acacia*

Prosperity, money, success, love, psychic powers

African Violet*

Protection, healing, spiritual growth

Amber*

Happiness, love, friendship, comfort, reassurance

Agrimony

Protection, removing negative energy and bad vibes, helping to remove hexes

Aletris root*

Feminine magick, protection, prosperity

Almond

Prosperity, wisdom, success

Aloe

Spiritual growth, luck, success, protection, love, barrier against unwelcome things

Angelica root

Protection, exorcism, removes negative energy, boosts feminine energy

Anise/Aniseed

Spiritual growth, dreams, sleep, protection

Apples

Love, luck, longevity

Arrow root

Purification, cleansing, healing

Ash*

Divination, luck, prosperity, protection

Aspen*

House and item protection, healing, psychic growth

Avocado

Youth, beauty, love, lust, healing

Azalea*

Happiness, uplifting, full of life

Bamboo*

Wish magick, luck, protection

Banana

Fertility, passion, success

Basil

Home and business protection and blessings, warding off negative energy, purification, cleansing, divination, exorcism, prosperity, love

Bay leaves

Warning: if burned, ensure the area has ventilation!

Protection, psychic power, divination, success, money, wish magick

Beech*

Wish magick, happiness, divination, spiritual growth

Belladonna*

Astral projection, psychic powers, boosts spell's power, healing, helps to forget past loves, protection

Bergamot*

Success, psychic powers, fertility, mental clarity, sleep, protection, prosperity

Birch*

Protection, purification, cleansing, removing negative energy and hexes

Blackberry

Protection, healing, prosperity

Black pepper

Banish negativity, warding off bad energy, protection

Blueberry

House protection, home blessing, legal matters, luck, prosperity, protection

Brazil nut

Protection, prosperity, love

Brimstone powder*

Used to remove hexes

Burdock root

Protection, purification, healing, cleansing, self acceptance

Buckthorn bark*

Exorcism, wards off negative energy, removing hexes, aids legal matters

Cabbage

Fertility, luck, prosperity

Calendula (Marigold)

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, happiness, protection

Camellia*

Love, protection, healing, prosperity

Chamomile

Sleep, calms nerves, prosperity, luck, purification

Caraway seeds

Helps children stay safe from illness and general harm, protection, clarity of mind, passion, healing

Cardamom

Courage, love, passion

Carnation*

Protection, inner strength, healing, creativity

Carrot

Lust, fertility

Cashew

Prosperity

Catnip

Courage, beauty, love, used in magick surrounding cats

Cayenne

Aids separation (such as divorce), emotional heartache, a traditional offering in Wicca (I'm not wiccan but that may be helpful for any of you who are)

Cedar*

Protection, purification, removes negative energy and hexes, prosperity

Celery

Mental clarity, psychic powers, aids sleep, lust, passion

Centaury

Psychic powers, protection

Cherry bark*

Love, romance, passion, divination, clarity of which path to take

Chervil

Helps to contact spirits, used to help people find deities

Chestnut

Love and peace

Chrysanthemum*

Healing and protection

Chives

Protection, used in dieting spells

Cinnamon

Promotes dreaming, business success, healing, psychic powers, love, purification, protection, spiritual growth, adds power to any spell

Cloves

Adds power to spells, speed up spells effects and manifestation

Clover*

Mental clarity, protection, love

Coltsfoot

Prosperity, peace, calms nerves, love, psychic powers, dreams

Coriander

Love, healing, passion

Cucumber

Fertility and healing

Cumin seeds

House protection, home blessings, general protection, exorcism, wards off negative energy

Daffodil*

Luck, love, fertility

Daisy*

Innocence, spells for children

Dandelion

Contacting spirits, dreams, healing, purification, clairvoyance

Deadly Nightshade*

Astral projection, psychic powers, adds a boost of power to spells, healing, protection, helps to forget past loves

Dill

Protection against hexes and curses, mental clarity, luck, love, wisdom, enhances magickal knowledge

Dock leaf*

Prosperity, success in business, fertility, healing

Dragon's blood*

Increases power and boosts spells, banishments, exorcism, strong protection, love, energy, purification

Echinanea

Inner strength, physical strength, healing, prosperity

Elderflowers/Elderberries

Exorcism, protection, house protection/blessings, healing, love

Eucalyptus*

Healing, purification, cleansing, protection

Evening primrose

Healing, purification, creativity, protection

Eyebright

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, mental clarity

Fennel

Protection, purification, healing, passion, courage, strength

Feverfew

Protection against accidents, clumsiness and illness, helps with colds and fevers

Frankincense*

Protection, purification, healing, cleansing

Fumitory

Protection, purification, cleansing, consecrating tools

Galangal root*

Protection, prosperity, psychic powers, lust, passion, legal matters

Garlic

Protection, healing, exorcism, inner strength, family bonding, home and business blessings

Geranium*

Healing, protection, love, meditation

Ginger

Protection, prosperity, healing, luck, love

Heartease*

Aids healing from heartache, love, friendship

Hibiscus

Dreams, divination, love, lust

Holly*

Protection, love dreams, good marriage

Honeysuckle*

Prosperity, luck, peace, inspiration

Horseradish

Purification, protection, exorcism

Hyssop*

Protection, purification, cleansing, consecration, positive blessings

Jasmine

Love, dreams, spiritual growth

Juniper berries

Protection, exorcism, healing, calming nerves, love

Ladies Mantle*

Aids sleep, love, purification, beauty, inner calm, fertility, luck, protection, happiness

Lavender

Purification, healing, cleansing, home blessings, protection, calming, sleep, love

Lemon

Uplifting, mental clarity, healing, psychic powers, friendship, contacting spirits

Lemon balm

Healing, psychic powers, spiritual growth, divination, love, success

Lemongrass

Mental clarity, psychic powers, love, lust

Lemon Mint

Healing, love

Lemon Verbena

Purification, protection, cleansing, love, passion, adds a boost to other herb mixtures

Lettuce

Divination, sleep, protection

Lilac*

Past life regression, protection, love, luck, exorcism

Lily*

Removing love spells/enchantments, protection

Lily of the Valley*

Healing, uplifting, happiness, inner calm

Lime

Protection, healing, love

Liquorice root

Love, romance, fidelity

Liquorice stick

Love

Magnolia

Good marriage, love, passion

Mandrake*

Protection, exorcism, home and business blessings, divination, luck, prosperity

Maple

Luck, prosperity, love

Marjoram

Inner balance, psychic powers, spiritual growth, happiness, love, prosperity, protection

Marshmallow root

Love, protection, removing negative energy

Meadowsweet

Happiness, love, divination, inner calm, peace

Mint

Prosperity, psychic powers, spiritual growth, travelling, exorcisms, healing, protection

Mistletoe*

Youth, beauty, love, healing, prosperity, protection, fertility

Mugwort

Warning: can cause drowsiness and vivid dreams. Do not consume if pregnant.

Dreams, astral projection, psychic powers, healing, inner strength, visions, protection

Myrrh*

Protection, purification, cleansing, exorcism, spiritual growth, helping relieve sorrow after tragedy, healing

Neroli*

Inner calm, sleep, peace, meditation, inner confidence

Nettles

Protection, healing, removing negative energy, exorcism

Nutmeg

Prosperity, divination, love, luck, mental clarity, protection, uplifting, healing

Onion

Protection, purification, healing

Orange

Peace, calm, love, luck, lust

Orchid*

Calming, dissolving anger, beauty, love, peace

Oregano

Happiness, protection, prosperity, healing, love

Parsley

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, luck, uplifting, healing

Passionflower

Home blessings, friendships, sleep, inner peace, emotional balance, love, family bonds

Peony*

Natural lucky charm, healing, prosperity, protection, exorcism, removes hexes

Patchouli*

Used to break a spell, exorcisms, removes hexes, mental clarity, passion, prosperity, contacting spirits, divination

Pennyroyal*

Purification, protection, home blessings, inner calm, aids calm in arguements, helps prevent travel sickness

Peppermint

Psychic powers, calming, healing, aids rest, mental clarity, dreams, love, purification

Periwinkle*

Good marriage, mental clarity, purification, protection, love

Pine*

Protection, purification, cleansing, prosperity, inner strength, grounding, healing, fertility, success, home and business blessings

Pineapple

Prosperity, luck

Pink rosebuds/petals

Friendships, love, romance, self acceptance

Plum

Healing, love, peace, inner calm

Pomegranate

Divination, wish magick, protection, prosperity

Poppy/Poppy seeds

Happiness, love, lust, luck, sleep, prosperity, fertility

Potato

Healing, luck, prosperity

Primrose*

Love, luck

Pumpkin/ pumpkin seeds

Healing, divination, honours the moon

Raspberry leaf

Protection, sleep, dreams, healing

Red rosebuds/ petals

Passion, love, romance, psychic powers, healing, protection, divination

Red sandalwood*

Trance work, divination, meditation, consecration, purification

Rosehips

Love, luck, healing, invoking positive spirits

Rosemary

Purification, healing, sleep, mental clarity, psychic powers, spiritual growth

Rowan/ Rowan berries*

Protection, home and business blessings, success, psychic powers, healing

Rue*

Exorcism, protection, luck, removes hexes, love, mental clarity, healing, home and business blessings

Saffron

Psychic powers, healing, love, lust

Sage

Purification, cleansing, mental clarity, psychic power, spiritual growth, home/general protection, wisdom, knowledge

Sandalwood*

Cleansing, purification, protection, removes negative energy, protects against psychic attacks

Sea salt

Purification, cleansing, casting circles

Slippery elm*

Protection, stops gossip and rumours

Spearmint

Protection, protection during sleep, clarity of mind, healing, love

St. John's wort*

Protection, healing, love, happiness, divination

Tea tree*

Healing, peace, harmony, mental clarity

Thyme

Psychic power, spiritual growth, love, stopping nightmares, divination, courage, purification, restful sleep, healing, inner calm, balance

Valerian root

Sleep, purification, cleansing, protection, dreams, love

Vervain

Inner calm, harmony, peace, protection, purification, divination, consecration, prosperity, love, creativity

Walnut

Healing, mental clarity, wish magick, fertility

Willow*

Divination, protection, love, healing, relieve sorrow

White willow bark*

Protection, love, healing, divination, luck, inspiration, psychic power

Witch hazel*

Protection, healing, charm

Yarrow

Exorcism, protection, love, removing hexes, dispels fear, promotes calm, inner strength, psychic powers, courage

Yew*

Removes negative energy/hexes, protection

Ylang Ylang*

Inner calm, brings peace to situations, love, happiness, tranquility

This took me two hours to write up, but hey! Hope this helps!

[lurafita]

CEO!Magnus and personal chef/bodyguard!Alec

(There is every chance that I have posted this before, I just can't remember. I tried to search through my archive, but.... there is a lot of posts there, did you know? 🤣😂 Anyway, in case I'm making you read this twice, sorry. 😅)

Magnus being like this really big shot CEO who has meetings 24/7 and charity events and social appearances and all that other busy stuff going on. So he gets a personal chef to keep an eye on his nutrition. And Alec is ruthless when it comes to making sure Magnus eats healthy. Magnus: "You know I love your cooking, Darling, but how about a good old fashioned fast food break?" Alec: "All that grease is bad for you. Eat your carrots. You look pale. How much sleep did you get last night?" Magnus, innocently: "Enough?" Alec: "Unlikely. No more caffeine for you today."

Magnus trying to sneak all kinds of unheathy Snacks, and Alec foiling him at every turn. Magnus had an energy drink hidden away in his desk, but as he opens the drawer, there is a bottle of water with a note attatched with "stay hydrated".

Alec even convinced the close by Cafe to not serve Magnus anything with Caffeine, after Magnus' last doctors appointment showed high blood pressure.

Maybe Alec is some kind of ex-agent or ex-military, who got into cooking for an undercover op, but really enjoyed it and wanted to pursue it further when he quite the force.

When one of Alec’s old colluegues comes visiting him, Alec is crouching behind the entertainment system to find Magnus' latest snack hidey-hole. Alec: "He gets more creative every time. Some of the drug dealers we busted could have learned from him."

Bet you Magnus is the type of CEO who has a loyal Twitter following and he tweets about everything Alec cooks for him (and the things he doesn't let him eat.) The Internet already ships them.

Possible tweet: The_Magnificent_Bane: Thank you for the suggestion @randomfollower, but unfortunately Alexander didn’t go for the argument that carrot cake counts as a vegetable.

Why am I know picturing a fight in the kitchen where Alec uses kitchen utensils and food to knock out people who have come to kidnap Magnus

Imagine someone broke into Magnus' place, and the police are called and as they arrive Magnus is like: "Thank you for coming. My chef has already apprehended and restrained the perpetrators, and is waiting for you to take them off his hands in the living room." Police: "... Your cook apprehended them?" Magnus: "Yes. Sadly, the confrontation did not result in the death of that cursed celery he bought earlier."

Magnus: "Tomatoes can't be trusted, my darling. Are they a fruit? Are they a vegetable? No one knows." Alec: "They are fruits." Magnus: "That's what they want you to believe."