#something something saints and sinners and whatnot

[arthursfuckinghat]

"I've been around long enough to know.. you don't hire a saint to catch a sinner.. You bring me what I need, I'll pay you well and I won't ask no questions."

"So.. what is it you need?"

[acourtofthought]

In my opinion, Gwyn and Azriel truly do have religious themes. The Saint and The Sinner. The torturer and the healer. I’ve always thought this since reading the book. I’m only hesitant with sharing my opinion because E/riel’s have also said their ship has religious themes because Azriel questioned his religion and SJM posted Guilty As Sin on her ig story (which is soft launching and E/riel coded?), so I don’t want to be accused of stealing aesthetics and whatnot. But not even concerning Gwynriel, Gwyn herself definitely has religious symbolism and imagery. Her name has religious meaning and she’s literally a priestess. The sword Gwydion makes me think of Gwyn because of how similar the names are, how Gwydion was dipped into the Cauldron by a High Priestess (someone came up with a theory on Gwyn being the reincarnation of High Priestess Oleanna so credit to them), and Gwydion being referred to as a holy sword. I also liked the idea of Gwyn/Gwynriel having religious themes, imagery, and symbolism in their book.

To me, it's not romantic to say "why did the Mother give you guys two sisters and I got nothing?"

That's not Az questioning his religion for Elain, it's Az questioning the Mother because of feeling put out that his brothers got something he didn't.

It's more about feeling left out of the trio, how it's always been the three of them above all else but how he's now the odd man out.

So yeah, Elain and Az are definitely not more connected to religious symbolism that Az and Gwyn, she's a Priestess so I don't know who can claim that more than her character.

As far as Gwydion, I believe HOFAS debunked the then High Priestess creating Gwydion. From what I can tell, that was the legend the acotar characters believed until their true history was revealed to them by Silene.

But even if she did at this point (because Theia then infused her light into it), I think a Starborn fae needs to use it or a descendent of Theia so I'm not sure Gwyn will have anything to do with it. Personally I think Gwyn and Gwydion is a little too on the nose so I've always liked Narben for her since it's lost to the sea. Though she is a Priestess, I think she's going to need a bit of darkness to her personality to be the right fit for Az considering he does torture enemies.

[acridcandy]

helloooo! i know i owe everyone everything and even still have things in my inbox to reply to ( sorry about that omg ) but i'm here anyway to make a plot call for aera's birthday event! she'll pretty much be on cloud nine the whole time due to all the attention and having yoojung as her date ♡ ; and she'll definitely be working the room because she's coming as a saint but changing into a sinner after midnight with a costume change ... because it's her party and she gets to be as dramatique as she wants! anyways, below the cut there's some ideas off the top of my head but please like this post if you would like to plot and i'll come to you! i'm happy to brainstorm and as always, please feel free to hit me up via disc as well, as it's always preferred over tumblr ims!

so she's making an attempt to not get too drunk ( tipsy at most ) or blasted because she wants to actually remember this event. but you bring party favors and she's trying to resist temptation but damn it's hard

while there's no vip section there is a vip list so that those she cares about don't have to wait in line to get in. you walk to the front thinking that you're on the list but end up being turned away. when aera is called to fix the "mistake" all she can say is an uninterested "wow, that's crazy..." ( hint: it wasn't a mistake )

all the fun of getting ready and whatnot! because you can expect aera's outfits to be extra and she'll probably need some help putting them on LOL but this can even extend to sometime prior, like coming up with ideas for outfits or shopping!

flirting with the wrong person and then proceeding to ignore them out of embarrassment after the masks come off and she realizes her mistake

oop or in that same vein, maybe they do know who each other are but the anonymity that comes with a mask gives a good excuse in case they get caught

sneaking away with someone for a just to get some reprieve for a bit, could end up looking like something different is going on

aera going to the one of private rooms for her outfit change prior to the midnight countdown and barging in to see something that she Was Not Supposed to See ( open to interpretation! )

you're someone that she's mad at / usually argues with and find it so odd that she's treating you so much better than she usually does, too bad that only lasts for tonight. maybe you use that for your advantage?

you're one of the very last people to leave the next morning and aera is tired and uncomfortable in her dress and wants to go home but you can't take a hint for some reason. or maybe you help her kick the stragglers out?

[belladonnaandulriched]

the artist | chapter thirty-two

“I come along but I don't know where you're taking me I shouldn't go but you're wrenching, dragging, shaking me Turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky The more I give to you the more I die.” -”the perfect drug”, nine inch nails

I had no idea what to say to my parents, especially given the fact I was all kinds of drugged up and I couldn't even so much as sit up. It also didn't help to realize that I had no idea as to what day it was. But Chris insisted that Joey, Lars, and I go back to the speakeasy, and I had been cleared to return home. I had no idea how to explain the three of them to them, either. For all I knew it was game over for me. I had to fess up. I had to explain everything to them. I had to remove my mask and show them the tip of my nose and my mouth so I could breathe.

Chris lay me down in the backseat, to which he lay my head in his lap all the way there. Lars was kind enough to drive even though he wasn't really the best driver in the world: at one point, I could hear Joey breathing hard and letting out a low whistle every so often. I didn't mind given the amounts of morphine I had been given during my stay at the hospital, but I was concerned about him more than anything.

“You alright, Joe?” Chris asked him, to which he responded by rolling down the window.

“We're almost there, though,” Lars assured him as we took that exit off towards the speakeasy. I saw Joey run his fingers through his black curls and lean the seat back to ease his stomach.

“Would you like some tea, Joey?” Lars offered him as he pulled the parking brake and killed the engine.

“Please. I gotta walk around, too.”

“I'll come along, too,” Chris volunteered. “I have to pee real bad—” He looked down at me. “You gonna be alright here?”

“Yeah, I think so—my mom and dad are here, too, anyways.”

He slid out from underneath me and the three of them climbed out in unison. Once I lay there in the back seat in silence, I closed my eyes. I couldn't even so much as sit up and open the door, and yet I had my hope that the car could be seen from there, wherever Lars had parked us at. Indeed, I heard a tap on the window over my head.

I peered up to see my mom standing there. I almost burst into tears at the sight of her and she opened the door so she could talk to me.

“Oh, my poor little girl,” she cooed as she pressed her hands to either side of my face. “Your friend Chris told us what happened. I'm glad you were wearing a helmet!”

“Yeah, I'll say—where's Dad?”

“He went down the block for a mask—his other one finally wore a hole on the inside. But I told him I would stay here once you showed up.”

I had no idea how to confess it to her, especially given the fact I was on my back and with nowhere to go. I figured it was best to just ease her into it, rather than drop it right on her head.

“I feel awful, Mom,” I started.

“Oh, don't. It's not your fault, honey, and it's not that other boy's fault, either—accidents happen. Like I siad, I'm glad you kids were wearing helmets.”

“No, I mean—I feel awful that being an artist has got me to this point. Hanging out with a bunch of boys like this...”

“Well, Holly—maybe you should consider this a good thing,” she said.

“I—wait, what?”

“You know the story of Frida Kahlo, right?”

“Yeah, she—she sustained horrible injuries in a trolley accident when she was like—eighteen, like my age. She had to undergo a bunch of surgeries and she was in pain most of her life.”

“See this as a means that you are meant to be an artist. The abuse on your body is meant to be put to good use, much like the abuse Frida felt herself. You're an only child so it's not like one of these boys are going to be like Diego Rivera...” Her voice trailed off. I was speechless and I found myself wanting to keep quiet about it all at that point. Of course! I could still make art, but I would have to rethink things. I would have to rethink the Artist move, too, given I couldn't hardly squat so much as I could stand or sit up.

“But one thing is for sure and that's we're taking you home. But these boys are more than welcome to come by and visit, though.”

“You serious?” I was stunned by what I was hearing.

“Totally serious. Like I said, Holly—accidents happen. And these boys were kind enough to take you to the hospital and help you. They like you—you're their friend...” She turned her head and I recognized Joey walking towards her with a cup of something in hand.

“Are you Chris?” she asked him, and he stood that six foot distance from us.

“Nah, I'm Joey,” he corrected her before he took a sip. “I was the dude drivin'.”

“I was just telling Holly that accidents happen.”

“Uh—yeah. They do. They definitely do.” Even though he was upside down to me, I could make out the surprised look on his face.

“I also want to thank you for being such a sweet heart,” she continued.

“Um—thank you?” He showed her a grin, and the little gap in his teeth looked even more adorable upside down. “I mean, I—I did call the medics, after all.”

“You and Chris are more than welcome to come on over any time you want, by the way,” she added.

“Aw, yer too kind.”

“Where you from, by the way? I like your accent.”

“Upstate New York, like Syracuse area, near Lake Ontario. I'm a hick who's a long way from home.”

“Oh, I love upstate! I haven't been there in forever it seems. And you're not that much of a hick.”

“Oh, no, Miss Sherman—I assure ya that I am without question the biggest hick you've ever seen.”

“I've seen worse, Joey. You're—what Holly's father calls 'humble.' Have you been to Schenectady?”

“Not lately, nah.”

“Oh, well—her father was going to go there for a job right before the pandemic, like the day before all the lockdowns, and then it fell through. He's still on call, though, so maybe—just maybe—when things lift, he can transfer that way.” News to me, but then again, I did recall my dad receiving a phone call on that last night, but I didn't hear much of it because of all the news of lockdown surrounding us and the fact my life as a teen was going to consist of being alone most of the time and I would turn to art and the music I loved for the rest of my life as far as I knew. My mom raised herself to her feet and adjusted her blouse.

“Got your mask?” she asked him.

“Right in my pocket. Why, ya wanna help me help her?”

“Like I said—you are a sweet heart.”

She rounded the back end of the car, to which he joined me there at the doorway. His standing there above my head allowed me to look right at his crotch and his thighs. He looked down at me like a prince.

“How ya doin',” he asked me in a low voice.

“Liking what I see,” I said to him.

“Not even a bit'a drugs can keep that mind of yers outta the gutter,” he teased me before he took a sip. I had a nice view of that nice slender neck of his, too.

“Holly's parents in Schenectady,” he remarked in a low voice. “Do ya remember anythin' 'bout that?”

“Vaguely. Then again, like what Mom said, it happened right before the lockdowns went down. It's tempting, isn't it?”

And he winked at me.

“Come out there an' live not too far from me—that's pretty far from home, though. Speakin' as a guy who's far from home himself.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“An' with—with—” He gestured at my laying on my back. “—this right here, it'd be a li'l hard to say as to if or when it'll even happen.”

“True.”

“But—” He peered up at the other side of the car, where my mom had walked to. I lifted my head to find she wasn't there, or maybe she was, but she had ducked down or something. Joey bowed his head closer to me. “—know that no matter what happens,” he lowered his voice to a near whisper, “I'll always like you.”

I glanced up at him.

“Y-You will?” I stammered.

“Yeah.” Even upside down, I could make out the soft look on his face. He swallowed and looked off to the side: stray tendrils of black curls dangled down from his head and towards my face. “I got a crush on you, Hahlls. I dunno if it'll advance beyond that 'cause of Chris an' Lars an' whatnot... but that's how I feel about you. And I gotta fess it up to you 'cause of the accident an' the return of the pandemic and everything. I'm not makin' sense, sorry...”

“No, no,” I assured him, “you're making perfect sense.”

A soft blush crossed his aquiline nose and those little cheekbones.

“I gotta tell ya that I'm just absolutely captivated by your art. An', not ta mention—yer perfect in my eye. You're a saint to me, even when yer a sinner. You'll pull through. If you can survive some sick bastard attackin' you on the street an' without question the worst thing that's happened this century, you can survive this nonsense. An' I'll be here.”

I showed him a smile, to which he showed me that crooked one of his. I couldn't say anything because the other door swung open and my mom prepared to help me out of the backseat without putting strain on that awful injury. I could crab walk out of the back seat but I couldn't so much as crawl into the wheel chair Chris had brought along with us. If I leaned to the side and sat with my knees way out, it didn't hurt so much, but it still hurt. Chris and Lars weren't able to see us off, but Joey helped me into the back seat of my mom's car.

“You know where we live, right?” I asked him in a low voice.

He paused for a second with one hand on the mask underneath his chin and then his face lit up in junction with the afternoon sun.

“I do,” he told me, still in a near whisper.

“Tell Chris and Lars you know where to find me.” And he winked at me before he shut the door.

I was eager to paint for Joey again. And I was eager to paint for Chris and Lars again, even if it meant having my parents within a few feet of hearing us.

[askapentecostal]

I understand you guys wear skirts and whatnot but why? I know it's says a women who dresses like a man is abomination to God. Do you believe that someone who wears pants to an abomination to God, not close to God, or is sinning?

Everyone is expected to examine their life according to the Word of God. If the Word of God calls something a sin, and you know it is wrong, but do it anyway, then it should not be a great revelation that other Christians recognize it as sin.Do Apostolic Pentecostals consider women who wear pants to be sinners? The short answer: yes.The longer answer: We do not judge those who have not received this teaching on modesty, or who have not had it preached to them. We may consider other Apostolic Pentecostals who do not adhere to the teachings as backsliding, or in error, but it is not our place to correct them publicly. It is their pastor's duty to correct the error in doctrinal teaching, or in the private lives of individual saints. While some will say otherwise, the teaching is accepted or discarded by the individual. It is not enforced by force or by private eyes spying on the congregation.Do Apostolic Pentecostals consider Christian women who wear pants to not be true Christians?Short answer: some do, some don't.Longer answer: it is not our business to judge another's walk with Christ, unless that particular person in question chooses to make it our business by bringing up the subject in conversation. We may offer our opinion, based upon the Word, but it is not our place to correct them publicly (and we will not do so unless incorrect doctrine is shared as if it is correct doctrine).