#TOO MANY THIGNS THIS YEAR

[tu-es-gegg]

i fucking .

i hate that it feels liek, at least in the trailer, no one thought of minecraft earnestly. like they looked at screenshots and gists of the game and went "haha ok we can make this for the kids" like oh my god, playing minecraft survival is such an experience because your are dropped into this uncharted land that is just generated and theres so many thigns to discover, but ultimately the decision on how to play the game, the end goal of it all; thats entirely up to the player.

and early game, its so serene, calm as you explore for resources, whether its the caves or above ground, then nightfall hits and then its a fight for your life out in the wilderness. and its the management of what you have and what can you build witht e blocks you got, and its the horror of the big caves (esp with caves and cliffs) that are filled with goodies but also monsters, its the joy of making something out of the stuff you gathered out of your own efforts, the exhiliration of going through the laundry list of progression from the nether to the end and then comes the fight against the ender dragon. the end poem.. a piece of literature that tell you that the player is everything and anything it desires to be, the player is the universe and the universe says i love you because you are love.

minecraft is so earnest in its gameplay loop of "do whatever you want" and its been that way for years in terms of its main java version. theres no undertone of "needing to cater to a demographic" because minecraft is for everyone and mojang for so long have worked with that.

this minecraft movie trailer just...reeks of corporate. liek it comes from the mind of some business exec that scoffed at teh screenshots and short blurb of the game, and took all the fuckass tiring industry standard of photorealistic and choosing to live action just so they can have physical actors' pretty celeb faces in the marketing and also so they can abuse the vfx/cgi teams in teh middle of animation unions as if world is hard enough...

like anyone who plays minecraft understands this is an unrealistic game, trees fuckign float so why is it live action???, it should be ANIMATED BUT NOOooooo they want better pay i guess we better loophole with vfx teams too

its like worse because its doing an isekai plot and like,. dont understand why, is it just for the actors to do a "why the hell everything a square XD" or for them to laugh at minecraft mechanics being not to real life? is that it you want your "good writing points" for that? you want a gold star for being sooooo clever?

im so unbeleivably upset but it jsut frustrates me that outsider views of minecraft is that its just a "silly blocky kids game for kids" like they think they can make everythign into cubes and think that makes a good minecraft representation, when that is not ever the case, what makes a good minecrat rep is understanding the source material, hell just PLAYING THE GAME IS GOOD ENOUGH and i doubt anyone here has even played the game or at least done so with earnest attempt to understand the game's core values

im sorry im bitching so hard but i lvoe this game, i have played this game for years and watched people play it for even longer, im so sick and tired of people putting minecraft in a box when its so much bigger, its a game of so many possibilies just from vanilla, but people who dont even play the game dont respect it's openess and hoensty in that freedom that is the central part of the game. they jsut see bight coloured squares and think its just for the kids who are dumb and stupid enough to buy anyhting thats a cube.

[thelioncourts]

would love to hear your thoughts on the trailer :) I don't know what thoughts I'm looking for, I guess just general ones, but also the thigns you're excited for and all that

I have to admit, I've only actually watched through the trailer about three times, it makes me feel genuinely insane. we're getting this piece of art this year !!!!

In all seriousness, my thoughts are all over the place (in an overall good way). I'm curious and excited and terrified and crying at all the Louis and Armand things. The part at the beginning where Daniel asks if they're going to finish each other's sentences the whole time, how they've been sitting on the couch in all the clips we've gotten so far, the 'We've been together for 77 years,' the kiss (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), the cheek kiss (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), the strange scene we've seen once or twice where it looks like a kiss might have happened but Louis seems to faint afterward, etc. etc. It's all so much and I have known since s1 ended that Louis and Armand's love story was going to leave me fulfilled and devastated all at once and it feels utterly confirmed in this trailer. I think they're still so in love, in so many ways, and I think it can't, won't, shouldn't work out and it makes me so sad, I can't wait to be heartbroken and destroyed watching it. I will say, though, seeing all the clips of them does make me curious about the future of Loumand. Louis leaves Lestat for Armand again at one point and I have thoughts and ideas on potentiality for that in the future of the show, depending on how long it goes on. Regarding Louis himself, I'm just -- so in awe of Jacob Anderson, as per usual. Louis is the most interesting, beautiful, enrapturing thing on the screen and everything is better when it comes back to him, always. The 'It's you and me' clip, with all the flashes of Louis and other people, all returning to Louis, just !!! it's him. He's everything. It's all so much better when it comes back to him, we're so lucky. In terms of Claudia, Delainey seems to have this grasp/concept of Claudia that has me shaking. Her Claudia is everything to me already. I know lots of people have talked about it, but Claudia's ghost being a part of some later stories feels so much more doable with Delainey and I hope, in some capacity, that comes true. The 1700s stuff scares me a little, but only because it appears we're getting a lot more of it than I was anticipating this season. I expected some, absolutely, and when we got Nicki casting confirmation I was like, "Oh, we're getting the 1700s for real," but the trailer is a lot of 1700s and it scares me for a couple of reasons, namely that -- once again -- we're not getting Lestat's POV of it so there is the toss-up of 'how did he see this play out though' that will somehow have to be addressed in later seasons. It also scares me a little because Gabrielle has to be there, right??? Did they cast Gabrielle and manage to keep it a secret???????????? That's wild. But in reality, it scares me too because I hope we're not living too far in the 1700s this season. I know it's important and I know Armand was there so it makes total sense, but I feel like we're already treading a lot of waters with 1) The life in New Orleans that can only be told by Louis 2) the life in New Orleans after the arrival of Lestat 3) the life in New Orleans once Claudia was brought into the family 4) all the time spent getting to Europe/exploring Eastern Europe (basically, anything pre-Paris) 5) early Paris 6) Paris once Louis and Claudia and the future of their being together starts to play out 7) the trial 6) San Fransisco from what Daniel will inevitably start to remember 7) San Fran from what Louis remembers 8) San Fran from Armand, who might be our most aware of that entire time 9) Dubai pre-Armand knowledge 10) Dubai now. Like, I know a lot of those are paired up (You could categorize it simply as 1) New Orleans 2) Pre-Paris 3) Paris 4) San Fran 5) Dubai) and that cuts it in half, but given all the POV bits we get, that's just not the case. Adding yet another time period in here is just. So much. (It also scares me because I think some fans have expectations of several different things in 1700s that I don't think will happen/can happen/at least definitely not this season happen and I'm readying for the 'WAIT BUT' and the bitching etc.)

The Loustat stuff will utterly ruin me this season. It's going to be gut-wrenching. The hallucinations, the possible reunion that it appears we see, the modern New Orleans skyline, the way that Louis seemingly will talk about Lestat in a way that makes Armand seem to feel not as loved (this is a speculation based solely on the "Lestat, Lestat, Lestat, Lestat, Lestat" scene, I have SO many thoughts on that and of Armand there, god, I'm nauseous with it). I need to find my post about it, but I made a post either during s1 airing or immediately after (definitely by Nov. 2022) about how I think we'll get some kind of complete Loustat confirmation of sorts this season and by s3, they will be back together and will stay together. I have lots of reasons and thoughts on that as well. Anyway, I will cry endlessly about them this season, I know it.

I LOVE the hallucinations. I mean, when we knew that was definitely happening while s2 filming was going on, I was already excited, but seeing it just !!!!!!!!!!! it's so good. I can't even put into words how excited I am about the hallucinations of Lestat. Oh my god. Louis. The theatre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Santiago looks fucking insane, god bless Ben Daniels, and I'm excited to get to actually know some characters from the theatre. It's something that doesn't really happen at all in the movie, and it's definitely not a focus or anything in the IwtV book. But I love side characters, I think they'll fill in some space that the Azalea had in s1 and I love that.

If Justin Kirk is David, that's the one thing that is going to piss me off this season. I honestly, truly 100%, thought we might not get David and I was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo more than okay with that. I hate David so much and don't think he serves any kind of plot purpose and he remains to be a shitty replacement for Louis that never worked out and was completely insignificant by the end of the series. Now, if they don't do some of the wild shit with him and make him solely some kind of tie-in/draw to the new Talamasca show they're doing, then fine. But if they start attempting to make him a love interest, I might legit tap out, I can't stand that man. At least Marius is vital to the stories, we truly can't get Akasha or Lestat or Armand without Marius. David................oh my god, die already. San Fran SCARES ME. It's one of those things that, sure, obviously we know how it goes in the book, but they have flipped it so heavily on its head, I can't predict anything and it's exciting and horrifying. Armand being there, the seemingly-more-than-one-night interview, the interview ending by the time Louis was only halfway done with the story, the brief scene that appears to be Armand looking worried at something (maybe Daniel) while Louis is floating/levitating (!!!!!!!!?) in the back, etc. Oh my god. I think we're in the wildest ride there. Um. Louis and Claudia turning Madeline together........

Louis' men not being shitttttttttttttttttttt. Every time I do see gifs or see clips or something, and I see that quick scene of Lestat walking through the audience (Sam Reid's silhouette is insane, those broad shoulders, that profile????????????? He's so hot I'm feral about him) and Louis is on the stage, next to Claudia and Madeline, and you can see where Lestat's chair is next to Louis, but further away, on the stage.......................bitch, you're really letting them do that to Louis and walking through the crowd, telling your story??? And Armand, bitch?????? You're really letting them do that to Louis, just sitting there watching it play out, having taken Louis and Claudia and Madeline out just before???????????????? They're not SHIT, Louis deserves better, always has. I need to stop rambling, but lastly, the thing I already made a quick post about, but the fact that I do obviously recognize things from the book but none of it is quite how it seems..........I'm obsessed. This show is literally like....okay, like asking someone to summarize the book for you and they say, "The book is about a vampire named Louis de Pointe du Lac who tells his life story to a young reporter in 1970s San Fran. His story details how he became a vampire, how he fell in love with his maker, the Vampire Lestat, how they created and took in the child vampire Claudia, how Louis and Claudia killed Lestat, how they went to Paris and met a theatre group of vampires, and Louis fell in love with the leader Armand. It also details the inevitable and tragic death of Claudia at the hands of this theatre, and how that death left Louis utterly changed." And you're like "Oh okay" but the details aren't all there so they just...............filled in their own, and we get this masterpiece of a story that is the bones of the book, and made what it is by time and care. Idk. I love that we're all on an equilibrium.

OH. I'm also holding out, but not anticipating sadly, some Loustat flashbacks. I need them. I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo in need of it, you have no idea.

[safyresky]

So, Season 2. It's. It's alright ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But like...that's it, lmao.

I did enjoy it! I got WAY MORE genuine laughs out of these first two episodes than I did the entire first season. Magnus is hilarious, I love his whole vibe lmao. Fluffy's character, Kris, he's...man is really out here looking for a father figure and it is deffs biting him in the ASS.

The elves are top tier as per the usual! Betty and Noel are continuing to be THE power couple and I am SO HAPPY ABOUT IT, I love them to death 🥰🥰🥰

My fave thing about the season so far is just everyone out here like Scott wtf are you doing. Wtf, man. I yelled GET HIS ASS so many times lol. The official Get His Ass Count as of the end of Episode 2: 8. 8 whole GET HIS ASS moments. BLESS.

SO RIGHT. NITTY GRITTY. OKAY.

Episode 1

Scott sucked SO BAD this episode. He breaks the SOS on a worldwide level then gets upset when Cal is like "I love Riley! I wished her here! We're hanging out! Riley!! :D" and is like "Bro you should've dusted her."

OKAY SCOTT. WHAT ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD, SCOTT, HMM? ARE WE DUSTING THEM??? HMM??? YEESH.

Scott aside (you know, his usual boomer-esque old guy who refuses to change shtick with BUT WHAT ABOUT FAMILY! And whatnot thing), everything else was. Mid, tbh. But fun! Santa being like "Are you gonna kill him?" With Carol being like "I can take care of Gary" was hilarious.

Betty and Noel, of course, SHINNED. I love them, they are SO CUTE. Cardboard face cutouts??? ICONIC. Nobody is doing it like them!

Now. Cal. aka, Buddy. I am very worried for him. Like, 4 episodes ago he was having ANXIETY about being Santa? And now this? Carol being like "what if he doesn't want it don't force him to follow in your footsteps" like. I AGREE. HE SHOULD GO OFF TO COLLEGE AND LIVE HIS LIFE!!!! I have a lot of thoughts there but it is late and I need to FOCUS because I need to yell about Cupid in a second, ANYWAY

Magnus Antas. I love this guy. I fucks with him. He takes a 700 year nap and is like "I'm fine" until his toxic bestie is like "I WANT TO KILL" and a kid sasses him for not being Santa/being OLD and he's like "Nevermind. I want to kill now too. Time to MURDER." He has VIBES and I like them!! He also seems like he's was over it until Olga was like "but what if" and some kid was mean to him and tbh, I can't even blame him for getting pissy at the kid lol. I'd also turna kid into "a Roblox" if I could (here for Gamer Mad Santa btw. I'd watch him stream on Twitch)

This is verging into Episode 2 territory, lol. May as well get there, then!

EPISODE 2

So, the LORE DROPS. Um. There was a LOT of it? And it seems to contradict itself/not quite equate with itself? If the NP is a utopia for magic, why is it like that? Was Magnus good, or not? Why do ALL the fairy creatures live there, when they come from so many diverse cuktures and backgrounds? That's a lil messed up! What the fuck happened with the gnomes becoming so (what's the phrase) PROMINENT for Santa? Will we get answers for all of these? Based on past season, PROBABLY NOT! BUT I HOPE WE DO! BC IT IS A BIT ALL OVER THE PLACE! AHH!

RIGHTO. SO SANDRA'S MAGIC. Love that for her! Love that they're actually devoting time to showing her interacting with La Befana and learning about herself and the pair of them discussing things!!! MUCH rather watch that than a 5 minute long auto-tuned elf song which is there just for a Santa/Satan joke! I'm excited to see how her whole arc goes--it looks like she's ACTUALLY GETTING ONE.

I wonder why Befana needs her to tell her parents, like, aside from obvious reasons. She was so insistent on Sandra making sure her parents knew she was training with Befana, that I'm wondering if there's something more to it a la "our powers don't work on other legendary figures". Like, was it to keep her mind clear? Is it like a past thing? Bc Witches are "scary" and often "bad" given that Santa calls Befana a "good one"?

That's another thign! Not sure I vibed with THAT whole thing. Both Claus's being like "yeah witches, they are deffs their stereotypes". Like. Idk. It sits. Not gr8 with me. Feels like performative activism, sorta, you know?

Which is also how I feel about the girl power moments, tbh. Like, it's nice to see them--Carol respecting Befana as a self-made woman, sister solidarity, etc. But it feels very performative! It feels very much like they are checking it off a list, you know? They're STILL like "Carol is trying to find a role for Mrs. Claus" and they go for COP? Wildin. Also wildin that the ELFS are COP EQUIVALENTS? Um, since WHEN?! They are funky little guys with jet packs and no regard for authority. Remember when they broke Santa out of jail and bullied the cop at the front desk? Remember that? YEAH.

OKAY SO NOW MY FAVOURITE PART TO TALK ABOUT. CUPID AND THE COUNCIL!

So as a classics major and a lover of the Cupid/Psyche myth (and personal bias from OCs made bc of said myth) I was unimpressed with the Mrs. Cupid convo. FIRST off, her name is PSYCHE so jot that down. SECONDLY. It was ONE ARROW MEANT FOR HER THAT SOMEHOW GOT LODGED INTO CUPID ACCIDENTALLY WHILE SENT ON AN ERRAND BY HIS MOTHER, VENUS, TO TAKE CARE OF (make her fall in love with a horrible monster/something/someone very ugly) PSYCHE BC SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL WORSHIP WAS DROPPING FOR VENUS AND GOING TO PSYCHE.

This resulted in Cupid and Psyche having a very strange romance/marriage in which Psyche's shitty sisters convince her to break Cupid's one rule (which was don't look at me) and he gets injured, HELD HOSTAGE by his mother, and Psyche has to go on a QUEST to free him that involves Venus making her do all sorts of shitty shenanigans, setting the personifications of sadness and despair on her, and trapping her in an eternal sleep. Cupid, afflcited by his own arrow, escapes his mother's house when he hears about this, finds her, and draws the sleep out of her, waking her up and reuniting them.

They then proceed to go to Zeus (not Jupiter despite Cupid being the Roman equivalent of Eros, and Venus roman of Aphrodite? It's interesting) like LOOK WHAT VENUS DID and Zeus goes "Wow, that's a little fucked up, actually. Listen, I'll make her a god and sanction your marriage and tell of your Mom IF you do something a little fucked up for me and help me get ANY woman I want" to which Cupid goes "Sure, that sounds reasonable and not fucked up at all" and then he and Psyche get married and have a fucking rager with the gods and have one kid, Pleasure, aka Hedone/Volupta, or in SOME iterations, THREE kids, Pleasure, Joy, and a third one who's name escapes me (Vanity I think) and presumably live happily ever after! READ FOR YOURSELF!

I am very passionate about this bc uh. this is uh. Dite's whole ass backstory? She is Hedone lmao so I've got some personal attachment here thanks to me own OCs lmao, ANYWAY

So YEAH that got me miffed. As did uh, the whole PEEKABOO and cupid making baby noises back at Riley. The ICK.

But you know what I DID love?? Cupid being like "I'm not spying but also, I am spying and also, the whole ass entire council is like BOI...WHAT THE FUCK". GET HIS ASS! CALL HIM OUT!! BC YEAH, WHAT THE FUCK SCOTT?? SEASON 1?? HELLO??? EVERYTHING BEFORE THAT??? VIOLATING THE SOS BY SHARING ALL THOSE SNOW GLOBES??? AHHHHHHH.

Cupid delivering that 3 month deadline and Council threat I was like. HERE for it. I was like. GET HIS ASS (this was one of the GHA counter moments tbh). Like, this dude is out of control! I think it's high time Scott meets the consequences for his actions! AH!

So YEAH. Excited to see Sandy and for New EB! I hope the whole Council comes back, even if they have to recast, that 5 minute scene would add YEARS to my life that Riley and Cal took away.

Because they are. So icky. I feel as though. There is a scale. And Marie is on one end, and Riley is on the other. This isn't just FIRST LOVE this is just DISGUSTING. Like it was cute at first last season but now Riley is honestly?? Sups annoying. You can tell that they're like, checking items off the list instead of actually putting more thought into them, because Riley is v much a stereotype and they have WAY UPPED her teenager levels. I need them to talk to actual teens. Nobody says OMG like that and also, she's bringing home BIKERS?????????? UM??????? It's like. Why are they so bad at writing love interests? You feel? Tho this could just be a me thing 🤔🤔🤔

They really should've socialized those kids, DAMN. Santa being like "And we all know how that [Romeo and Juliet] went" or whatever the line was had me like "FINALLY SCOTTY BOY. SOMETHING WE CAN AGREE ON!"

AND LAST ON MY LIST. THE SCOTT/SANDRA SCENE.

Finally. Finally. FINALLY. Some good parenting from Scott. FINALLY. Being sups understanding to Sandra? I actually loved it. He finally did ONE (1) GOOD THING. MAYBE HE IS? LEARNING? I DUNNO MAN! WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES! But yeah, I did like that scene a lot. I'm just really here for Sandra getting her moment!

So YEAH. Overall, season 2 is okay. Gave me more laughs which is WELCOME, and I cannot wait to see how this develops. Especially since the lore was like, really thrown our way, you know? It was a lot for two episodes and again, did kind of contradict itself? Hopefully it clears up once Santa inevitably learns the truth about Mad Santa, probably mostly thanks to Carol who is DOING the MOST.

But yeah, I'm hoping to see the lore tidied/explained a bit better. Especially bc the whole elf lore opening, with the icy tunnels and drab vibes, didn't sit well with me? It...I didn't like it. Not my cup of tea. The lore in general isn't my cup of tea though it's fun to see it there finally, lol. Poor Toots, being named after a fart essentially (I went right to toilet humour, I'm sorry, I am so mature I promise i'm not)

Also, they really kinda. Throw around the head elf title, huh? It felt REALLY WEIRD to not see BMan there, and Toots just being thrown in? Weird it's WEIRD. I wouldn't bring B-Man back for it but MAN IS IT WEIRD. Especially since the new elves, as much as I ADORE THEM, don't have the same kind of like. Old feel to them? As the movie elves did? So I was like "they should NOT be there right now. They should NOT."

Righto. I am going to wrap this up bc I am INSANE and this is very very VERY long for a franchise like this 😅😅😅

[thegoldencontracts]

So. You know promise rings? Not exactly an engagement ring but a little more serious than boyfriend-girlfriend... merfolk wear promise shells. Shells that represent the person they're with... Azul's partner (It's Ri--💥) wearing a small spiral shell that's wide at the opening with bumps along it, its coloration a deep purple and black. You could almost confuse it for a tentacle from afar.

How many biographies and autobiographies do you think he'll have? Self-help books?

Annnd what do you think Azul's future mega corporation would be called? Because I've seen some iterations use the 'Mostro' name and I used 'Ashengrotto' because... come on. It's his name! People need to recognize him!

The more I think about it, the more I need to see Azul meet his future self. Would he love the guy or treat him like... Cece? Hehe.

OH MY GOD PROMISE RING JUST GIVES ME THE CUTEST IDEAAA (in my opinion at least)

Azul with ri- I mean, his totally anonymous partner... He gives them a promise she'll and he tries to act as nonchalant as he can but he's also so embarrassed about ITTTT and he's trying to be smug and everything but then rid- I MEAN his partner is like "wow, this truly is quite important to you I'm pleased to see you so greatly value our relationship" not even in a teasing way just genuinely trying to be good faith and appreciate Azul's efforts yk...

But of course Azul gets embarrassed T_T I-It isn't like that, he's just... Yeah he has no defense for himself and he gets so pouty and huffy "Not now, I'm losing" (This line is paraphrased from a tootally random fic that you toooootally didn't write and I toooooooooootally didn't reread 5 gorillion times lmao)

A bunch, Azul is all about that grind 💪💪💪 he will power through the writers block

Anndd if Azul has a restaurant chain I feel like he'd actually keep Mostro because despite him acting aloof and business-minded he actually truly cares for the Lounge (one of the funniest parts of twst imo is that fact that Azul in canon is basically... A FUCKING TSUNDERE OVER HIS LOVE FOR IT'S CRAFT IT'S THE FUNNIEST THIGN EVER Jade says it's clear he cares about the lounge, Azul says "Hah! Do you honestly believe me to be capable of an illogical sentiment such as 'attachment'?" And Floyd and Jade are like... Yeahh... Sure we totally believe you Mann he's literally a tsundere for his restaurant HOWEW-)

Anyways sorry the temptation to yap was there and I couldn't resist but back to what u were saying so I feel like he'd be attached to the name too and no matter how he tried he can't bring himself to change ittt

CECAELIA FAIRBANKS MENTION SPOTTED I WILL NOW RAMBLE Cecaelia is Azul's worstie she breaths within 1000000000 miles of him and he's immediately like "SHUT THE FUCK UP NO ONE ASKED YAP YAP YAP RIZZLESS BETA WHITE KNIGHT L + RATIO + I HAVE MORE CONTRACTS THAN U" nothing can compare to his hate /j

But actually though I feel like it depends on whether or not Azul knows this is his future self bc with cecaelia that's the conflict it's literally a better version of Azul bc... Azul from the future but Azul doesn't realize thatttt

But the version you're bringing up? Even better version of Azul. More successful and more skilled. If Azul doesn't know... Poor dude's gonna be put through the emotional wringer (and develop a strong hatred for what is quite literally himself) His hatred will be stronger than what he harbors for cecaelia lmaooo-

If he does tho I feel like he might have mild jealousy that's overshadowed by "HOLY SHIT THIS IS WHST I'LL BE IN A FEW YEARS" kind of thing...

Anyways that concludes my ramble thank you

[sidhewrites]

Twelve!! Listen we are skipping an entire 3 scenes using the bracket method and I don't care, I wrote, I have written, I will write again. The chapter is also 90% Dialogue which will almost certainly be pared down in later versions, so it'll make up for it lol.

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[Josie suggests bringing renfield to the graveyard and holding their own seance, to recreate the ritual that summoned it and see who's haunting them, since weird stuff has been happening in the graveyard lately and at josie's home and nobody can figure out why. Eventually, Kaz lets herself get talked into it. or moreso strongarmed into it when she complains to lucy who thinks it's a great idea.]. kaz finds it completely ridiculous and shows up anyway

Note: possibly change ren to Kaz's kitty, and josie was going to drop thigns off at kaz's apartment and let him out?]

#

[Scene opens with Kaz and Lucy chatting at the graveyard, josie arrives]

"Who are you talking to?"

[What do you mean?

there's nobody there?]

"What? of course there is. She's right here. Josie, this is Lucy." I gesture vaguely.

[ha ha very funny. can we just get to work? the sooner we do, the sooner you can get rid of me.]

"Are you kidding? She's right here. Lucy, say something."

"Good evening?" she tries.

"Kaz, stop it. There's nobody there."

[and anyway at this point kaz realizes lucy's a ghost,]

"Wait you...actually can't see her, can you?"

Josie shrugs, exasperated.

"Uh... Lucy, how old are you?"

"Forever twenty-one."

"No, I mean...what year were you born?"

[1880s or whatever]

"You're being funny, right? Josie, she's being funny, right?"

Josie rolled her eyes. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, there's nobody there."

"I'm not in the habit of lying," Lucy said.

I don't believe it. I mean -- she can't be, right? She's goth, and she's adorable and spooky, but she's not... She can't be... "You're a ghost, aren't you?"

"I am rather spectral inclined, yes."

"What's going on?" Josie asks. Her frustration has given way to a shocked confusion. "Kaz, who are you talking to?"

"Lucy. She's, uh...Lucy, what's your last name?"

She gives me a smile, either pleased that I've finally put two and two together, or irritated that it took so long. I can't quite tell which. "Blue."

"Shut up."

"I'd rather not."

"You're not Lucille Blue," I say.

"You're talking to Lucille Blue?" Josie asks.

"I always preferred Lucy, if I'm honest."

[Transition]

I'm honestly a little surprised to see it. Josie has never trusted spirit boards, much less an actual Ouija board. She's definitely too steeped in pop-culture. In her mind, not only do ghosts exist, but so do demons or malevolent spirits or whatever.

Oh.

Uh.

Hm.

I glance at Lucy, then back to Josie. I may have to put more groveling on my to-do list.

Reluctantly, I join Josie on the ground, sitting opposite her with the candles and Ouija board between us. Renfield's breathing is unusually quiet as he watches us from his bed.

[Uh Mrs. Blue can you sit over there?] She points to the empty spot to her left.

"Is that meant to be me?" Lucy asks.

"I think she prefers Lucy," I say, glancing over my shoulder.

"Right. Sorry. Uh, Lucy, can you...sit over there?"

Lucy does as instructed. This time, I notice there's no noise when she walks, nor does she seem to disturb the grass at all. I watch her skirts swish over the ground, but there's nothing to suggest she'd ever been there at all.

"And Kaz, you sit..." Josie gestures to the spot on her right.

I can't help but make a face for being pulled into something like this. But Lucy is sitting there smiling at me as prettily as ever, with her dress so black it almost looks like shadows in the night, that I force myself to swallow. "I'm gonna have to do a lot of existential exploration after this, aren't I?"

"I'm not going to say anything," Josie says, while her tone says more than enough.

When the two of us are settled, Josie looks over to the Carrier again, considering the mass of shadows within. Renfield is a skinny cat underneath his fluff, and he's squished himself as far back as possible, looking like a ball of blackness with two gleaming eyes reflecting the dim light outside.

"He okay?"

She nods weakly, and reaches over to unlatch the door and take up the lead attached to his little harness. "Come on, baby boy. Come out." She takes him out carefully and places him in the cat bed, expecting him to curl up and go to sleep like he normally does when confronted with a flat surface. Instead, however, he stands stock still like he doesn't know how to handle four legs. He watches his front paws, and takes a single step forward, off the bed and onto the grass.

She watches him consider the next placement of his foot, then look up and regard us three. His gaze lingers on Lucy, and begins stumbling directly over to her.

"Can he see me?" she asks with delight. "Hello, darling!"

"Where's he going?" Josie asks. "Is he going to Lucy?"

"I think so," I say.

But there's something wrong in how he walks -- something worse than usual. He's getting tangled up in his paws, missing steps. My worry grows, wondering if he's got a neurological issue, up until he stands upright. Suddenly Renfield appears much more confident in himself. His steps are awkward but more confident, and he fixes his eyes on Lucy. There's a focus there that hadn't been present in years. A single-mindedness towards...something that none of us understand.

Lucy reaches her hand out, and I wonder if she would be able to pet him. But once he's just barely out of her reach, his focus wavers. Renfield regains his usual wall-eyed expression, and falls back onto all fours. He regards the grass for a minute, sniffing the cold air, and meeps.

"I'm coming," Josie coos, and scoops him up. This time, when she deposits him back into the cat bed, he curls up like nothing happened. She scratches behind his ears until his wheezy purring fills the air, and she looks up at me.

I don't have anything witty to say.  Josie was right -- that was weird. I'd never seen anything like that from any animal before outside of scary movies. If that had been happening for a month now... I swallow around a lump of guilt in my throat. I should have believed her earlier.

"Josie...?"

She doesn't look at me for a moment. "Let's just get this over with so I can put him to bed."

Lucy and I watch helplessly as she sets up the rest of the scene. She [does stuff to set up. Pulling candles and ash and stuff from her bag,] and finally a pendulum -- a small crystal on the end of a silver chain.

"That's quite the toolkit," Lucy observes

"She prides on herself on being prepared."

Josie sits, holding up the pendulum and considering it. She's the one running the show tonight, but I really hope we don't have to sit here watching a shiny rock wiggle back and forth for an hour before doing something more fun.

"If she asks a question, I can't promise I won't tap it."

"You're evil."

"What?" Josie looks up. She must have decided against the pendulum, because she puts it away while looking between me and where she thinks Lucy's sitting. "Are you guys talking about something"

"No."

Lucy places a delicate hand over her heart, the picture of innocence. "It's extremely tempting to sabotage attempts to contact the deceased."

"Lucy-- wait." I run a few calculations in my head. "You're... you're the deceased. Right?"

"My body is enjoying an eternal rest, but my mind still yearns to wander."

"Right. Cool. So doesn't that mean... -- Josie, she likes to interfere with people's seances and stuff. Doesn't that mean ... Lucy, doesn't that mean you're just giving them a successful ghost encounter? If you're -- you know ... that?"

Josie nods. "That sounds right to me."

[But i'm just having a bit of fun, I'm not actually giving them a ghost encounter]

"No...Lucy..." I frown. "Josie can you pick up the pendulum?"

Josie does, confused.

"Okay now...ask a question."

"Like what?"

I gesture vaguely. "You know. Anything. Something you'd ask a ghost."

"Okay...?" She holds her hand out and balances the pendulum. "This is yes..." she starts, letting it swing one way. "This is no," she says, letting it swing the other. "Does anyone... want to talk to me?" She grimaces, looking to me for some sort of hint of what else to do.

I nod, then point at Lucy. "Okay, go touch the pendulum."

She doesn't.

For a moment, nobody moves. Then Lucy shrugs. "Well, now I don't want to!"

"Luce!"

"What's going on?" Josie asks.

"She's got stage fright."

"It's not stage fright!" Lucy frowns. "I simply... don't care for performing just to prove a point. I'm not going to tap a crystal because it can channel energy between worlds.  That's not how it works."

"No, you're going to go touch a shiny rock because other people thinks it channels energy between worlds. Please."

"What's going on?"

"I will not!" she protests, indignant.

A breeze shifts around us, swinging the pendulum and sending a shiver down my and Josie's spines.

It's a fight not to argue when Josie says, "Maybe another time."

Lucy nods.

She puts the pendulum down, and shifts uncertainly. "So, Missus Blue -- Lucille."

"Lucy," she says.

"Lucy," I say, so Josie can hear.

"Lucy. Right. I don't know how much Kaz told you, but we're recreating the Ouija board session from the Haunted Archivists video as best we can. Hopefully that will attract the attention of whoever they spoke to that night, since they thought it was you."

"It wasn't me," she confirms.

"It wasn't her," I reiterate.

"Right."

It's about time we get started.

Tag List

@adaughterofathena

@ambreeskyewriting

@carnelianflames

@feather-dancer

@halfbloodlycan

@nadunacreates

@serenanymph

@vigilantdesert

[paran0rmality]

So I went to a 'jazz concert' a month or two ago(Think a small group of community members that played typical jazz instruments, nothing big or fancy to be sure) and honestly, as someone who's not really a fan of jazz typically, it was ok. I mean that in the 'huh, that was better than I thought it would be' way, not because they played well, some of them didn't play very good at all, too pitchy and too loud, too out of tune or fast or slow, but they tried. And I think that's what made it a good experience, that that's what makes me think about it een now. Becaue despite not knowing or favoring teh songs tehy played (Except for Havana lmao), I still enjoyed the hour, And I think that's what matters, not that they played well, but that they got in front of a small gathering of streangers and played passionately and loudly and even if they were off key they still did it despite the anxiety most of them clearly had for playing that day. I think there's so much pressure to do great things the moment you go public with something, and I think that's a little unfair. You know how many years, if nor decades, it takes to master an instrument? Or spoken word? Or timing and pace and rhythm? It takes so long, and so so much effort. I htink we place too much weight in Perfection as a concept that a lot of us are unable to appreciate imperfection bc we're hung up on 'well it had flaws or mistakes', when that's literally teh point of existing, is to do so despite the mistakes and the problems and the 'oopsies'. Idk, I'm jsut kinda feeling a litttle sentimental tongith with my partenr in the hospital. I think that little concert has made me think a lot about my own learning and expectations tbh, There's less pressure to be perfect, becasue at least I'm trying, I'm still moving forward, be it in the flute(dizi and the metal whatever it's called lmao), or learning tiny bite size pieces of mandarin (which I will likely never actually learn how to speak or write, but that's ok), or my multitude of artistic endeavors. I'm still trying and growing with all of it, and that's the part that matters, even if it scare me, even if the public sees my mistakes, I'm still growing and learning and Doing the Thigns I Love.

[fairytale-poll]

i am here to show a few reasons why cinders ouatis does, in fact, qualify as a cinerella.

(btw htis is not to pcik a fight or to be rude to that anon, i would sjut like to show that there are several thigns the propaganda did not speak of that qualified her for the position, if she's meant to follow all the cinerellea tropes.)

first, her story, then how it falls into line with what makes a cinderella.

so, her mom died. that's. that's kidna a big stapple in msot cinderallas. her dad (the king btw, i promise it's kinda important) remarried to her "wicked stepmother" and then had new stepsisters as well (wicked in quotes. they're- ok. there's a lot)

in the era of a war against king Cole, cole ended up taking over her kingdom/planet, with the help of her stepsisters and step mother, and they kinda turned her in ("wicked" part). she was then thrown into jail.

(also her love interest was, at least in popular theories since it wasn't explicetly stated, one of the commanding officers in the raid.)

rose, her love interest ("Prince Charming" but yk princess bc lesbians yippee!), got to know her a bit while she was still in prison, and there was like a lot of unresolved everything.

then a "godmother in white" (snow, rose's sister, or at least that's how i interpreted it, however it could very well be general white or whatever her title was that snow ended up adopting) broke her out the day that rose was resasigned and leaving planet. the godmother told her that if she and rose were married by midnight, then they woul be able to be together bc idk laws ig? (i mean, i've nevre heard of laws that allow that but yk ok why not)

then at the wedding cole ended up kidnapping rose and cinders fled (she also feels really guilty about this, but if you read the fiction for it, im pretty sure it said that rose had told her to run) and was one fo the few survivers of the everything that happened there.

then she spends the rest of her years hunting down rose wiht this like... mood ring? at least it kinda works like one i think.

then when she finally finds rose agin.... um.

well, i'll let you listen to the album.

(it's sad.)

NOW HERE'S WHERE THINGS OVERLAP

again, the remarriage of her father.

then the way her stepmother and sisters treated her. now, again. never explicitly stated how they treated her before cole came and stuff, but after that, she was in the position of being in rags when she deserved so mcuh more than that, but her stepfamily took it from her (in a few other ersion it's the stepmother making her the family servant/slave, in other version it's... something else idk i don''t read a lot of cinderella stuff tbh i preffer other fairy tales).

then we have the godmother saving her. that part speaks for itself. i think.

then for the ball (or in this case, a wedding to her "true love"), it IS explicitly stated that the rings, that turn red when its other is with it, are made of glass. in the fiction, it said that as cinders was putting the ring on rose's finger, the bmombs went off, and she dropped it. rose caught it, stuffed it in her wedding dress pocket (fuck yeah, i would love to have that on my wedding dress), told cinders to run. leaving the glass slipper (ring, ig, but yk it slipped so) behind, right around midnight.

also, her name isn't even cinders officially! i don't know what it was before, but durring the whole revolution and such and her looking for rose, she edned up taking a new name/persona, much like snow, and was dubbed cinders, "after the her ashen world" (or whatevr it was, idk, i haven't listened to the album in a bit). again, this plays into the whole thing with the name that many other version and adaptations liek to play off of.

tbh this is all i can think of rn bc im kinda tired, so feel free to expand on this. wanted to give as mcuh details as i could abotu her story and how it is fairly similar to every other cinderella story.

however to me, a lot of these cinderellas also jsut. aren't too close to a certain story of cinderella. there's a lot of creative liberaty taken in every version. now, the album in it of itself, (once upon a time (in space)) takes a bucnh of stories, this and many other fary tales, and twists them and makes it their own. it's an adaptation. and when it comes to things like folk lore, ledgends, myths, and fairy tales (especially those), there's always gonna be some inconsistancies than with other version derived of the same media. hell, even jsut the stories themselves almsot never stay consistent.

a cinderella is a cinderella if they are said to be based off of the story of cinderella. (im looking at you carrie, and how no one said she was any less of a cinderella than any other competitor)

-A

If this propaganda has convinced you, click here to vote for Cinders (Once Upon a Time in Space)!

[staybeautifu1]

Your Annoying Tumblr Mutual strikes yet again !!

I'm gonna ask you a few questions :> (these are all so random lmao) (as always, feel free to ignore ^^^)

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

✰ how long have you been on tumblr?

✰ how did you come up with your url/username?

✰ what’s your phone’s lock screen?

✰ do you have any piercings//tattoos? (any you’d like to get?)

✰ do you wear glasses//contacts?

✰ has anyone ever told you you have a "celebrity look-alike"? if yes, who?

✰ best compliment you’ve ever gotten?

✰ are you a collector of anything in particular? If yes, what?

✰ I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR DAY AND TREAT YOURSELF AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YES OKAY BYE FOR NOW <3

i meant to respond to this earlier oops sorry !!!!

i joined tumblr in may this year !!

my url is j my fav taylor song

my lock screen is a painting of swans on a lake i found on pintrest

i have my ears pierced and am too scared to get any more done

i used to wear glasses but i got a surgery like 8 years ago so i dont need them anymore 🎉

the girl i was talking to told me i looked like sydney sweeny but i dont thjnk so

i always love compliemnts abt my style / my outfits, i was alos once told i give off very pink lover energy i liked that

i collect so many thigns bc i cant like things normal amounts, i have collections of carmexes, bracelets and sylvanian families

this was fun sorry it took so long for me to respond 😭

[autogynocrat]

we r ending this year with a cup of lavender chamomile tea feeling quite happy. this was a good chapter in my life!!!

notable moments(chronologically ordered):

graduated with honors and awards

went to my first anime convention

GOT MY BF BACK

picked up yoyoing as a hobby

managed to saved up enough money to get my sister a car. and then me a car too

got my drivers license

became a cassie

got to meet my bf in real life. MANY MOMENTS OF CUDDLING AND KISSING AND HANDHOLDING AND THIGNS THAT ARE NOT PG-13

[thoughtcock]

One year later since my last post...

I'll have to say, so many things have changed. For the better. But also, I couldn't have been more out of touch with my own feelings. Time that could be used reflecting went on to the following:

Spending time with said ex-colleague, our relationship has evolved into something stable, comforting. A little less lonely in this city

New apartment by myself, furnishing/cleaning (I have so much more to say about this hehe)

New job with new benefits and perks, long work hours yet still having work life balance. Time spent learning how to deal with breaking news, make sense of filings, find specific figures, to make sense of this financial work

Everything is nice, but I am also yearning for more?

Boyfriend: how we can have a better quality relationship instead of just being each other's ranting bags/favour do-ers. Quite frankly we are in different phrases of life. I got out of my rut, while he's still knee deep in his. I don't want to discount his troubles, but damn the negative vibes sometimes just eats to me. For someone who's been in a rut I ought to be more understanding, but I also can't discount my own feelings of wanting something more than just "ugh everything in my life sucks" vibes creeping around me all the time. what is the right sense of balance in this case?

New apartment: I find myself becoming much happier since I moved to this space. A space that is truly mine, without much sharing apart from bf coming over regularly and helps with logisitics/some chores/companionship. I think for the first time in my life I truly feel like I'm creating a safe space, a HOME for myself. I never felt like that in the past. So that leaves me wanting to do more for this house. A new air fryer? More decor? fancy plates? A projector? What can i buy to make my home more homely? Or am I just spending too much and having to make space for so many more new items which could drag me down potentially? i'm also becoming neater and more organised (i know right who am i), so how do i want my space to be respected?

New job: how can i do more to drive up the career ladder? do i even want to do that when i already have enough in terms of pay and benefits? or do i want to keep building that validation amognst my colleagues and managers? what is it that i want to do for myself at this job? truth be told, its a cushy job that comes with high;y stressful moments and so so so much more to learn as well. how do i keep that balance of learning more without overwhelming myself?

I haven't been going for therapy ever since that B*etterH*lp counsellor semi-ghosted me after our last session. The good thing is my company now has quite a few mental help resources, so i'm trying to restart my therapy journey again. because despite all the new and good thigns coming in, i find myself shoving all my inner feelings and moments for self-reflection aside. sometimes the negative thoughts creep in, and i just feel kinda disillusioned/jaded in a way. i feel like i want to push people away and just be on my own. and i dont know why. i feel like it could be because im expecting more from my bf and hes just been too cooped up in his own negativity/issues.

i spend too much time doom-scrolling and thinking about all the other things that needed my immediate attention more. why would i spend time digging up on how my parents raising me has made me who i am today, when i have to spend time soothing my bf or preparing a tv hit for monday or thinking of what to cook for dinner or just being on twitter reading up on wars and influencer gossip? which is why i am finally back on this little space of mine.

I need time for myself to reflect.

[inside-a-sinners-mind]

Hi. I mean, Hell-o.

Whats in the word Hi? To many beginnings, and how many goodbyes? I never say goodbye, i dont do funerals, and i dont go to graves. Death is the permant fear of me., and the craziest thign is that im not afraid to di, but im more afraid that live will go on without me and that no one will even notice that im no longer living. Im existing, im a hollow damn near empty shell of whom i used to be. Pain. it didnt change me, emotinally was already dead inside form the lack of love or care. or maybe i was just blind to those who truly loved me, and now that everything around me reeks of failure do i truly start to see that everythign in me is spewing hatred for the living and those whom can be free. I have hoped for many things in life but the one thing i wanted was to be loved. Just honest love, someone to look at me every single day and tell me that i will always come back for you, and mean it. TO Never be the joker or butt of the jokes for loving someone and proudly looking stupid. I have had it too many times...or so i thought. Maybe this was the hardest chess games and queen beat rook everytime because i started to focus on me. ho selfish, yup ho, the word that everyone uses to describe me because i finally comfortable in my body. only took me 28 years, to find clothes that fit and were me, not somones handme down, or my mother butt floss, or my cousin who idolized the most, for not letting me slide. Actually all of them Osss, they kept the world spinning for a sinner like me, someone who knew all the darkness but always kept the light in. until i was alone with one friend, laughing and having a spill of lemonade telling them the horrors i thought was normal. I never knew a better Bear, Kitty, and Taco Flavored kisses, but my Lonely island was the one i never thought was an oppenant, she was literally my everything, and i lost it all in one swing, because i need to let it out. She did what she thought was right i guess, but i had never used my hands to cause harm...since i was provisioned that way. I hated the pool but them it became my transperncy circle. I could lay in the water and be clean, but it somehow triggered me to be dirty. I never think about savannah, because all i remeber is 3 reds and a little boy who just wanted to swim, and a little girl who wanted to know what the biggest secret was. Kuriousity, Kills every searching soul link, when i search for it i find it. Never takes me long, Ol' Red, was the athemn that i didnt really understand, Love will always be the weak link in human society; show me affection and my legs fly, and all rational thinking goes out the window. To be loved, to be free, to be me, something i can never be again, for i couldnt breathe, but i made it, but i couldnt see, but you made it, i still feel him lingering, but hes a ghost, but i,....like it never happened all over again, like my words were taken from me, just like the churches silenced the little women, i was never allowed to repeat, what has forsaken me. I am not lost, or depressed, i am just not who i used to be, and that isnt alright with me but i can not change the past. I can not become her. prideful, powerful, strong, and had every sense of home. Now i wonder the streets like a lost pug with tears flowing for the thought of a persons voice. I hear them everywhere but i never see them until i know a voice before a face, and its like magic, i see the picture of them where, how, alone or not ,safe or not. Sage, the name is not a familiar of mines, but shes hurting, she lost but she wasnt always that way, she drank the pain until it bled into a point but i know that she is better now, hurling to the skin to spit out the poison, she cnat take it anymore, will the hunted, bart the brother, and a friend of a sandmine, the past cant be, so be kind AjC because those who werer not kind to you will bring you boutiful of blessing, ease the pain not with dirty water or nonremembrance for you were the first to help me see that

IM THE SH*T

SURPRISED.....yeah metoo.

[foxstens]

OH M YFUCKIGN GOD

[ittybittybumblebee]

Overwhelmed abt cleanign my room before i even start.. again...

[witch-hazels-musings]

HAZEL 10 MILLION??? HOLY FUCK??? CONGRATULATIONS, OH MY WORD

ik we don't exactly interact all that much, but from what i've seen even before we were mutuals, you're a phenomenal writer and an even more phenomenal human being, hazel; you deserve each and every one of that 10k! congrats on that, and on one year! i'm wishing you all the best 🥰 be sure to treat yourself to something you enjoy, yeah?

congrats again!!

- zuzu ♡♡

ooh well thank you soososo much! -- AND WE ARE MUTUALLS !! OF COURSSE WE ARE -- I LOVE YOUR WORK <3 <3 (though it’s only 10k, i can’t imagine i’d ever reach that many ><)

I wish you all the best zuzu, sending you my love and appreciation - oh and all the best to you and Kazuha hehe 

[cosmiclatte28]

Sushi Date! (Dad!Yuta x you)

a/n : hey sorry for disappearing, I have midterms last week and this week I only have to do 2 more... anyways I am double updating today :D

warning : none

a/n again : This is like the second scene after Fringe (though it’s not related) Namie is your first born daughter and yes you guys delivered a second child! Find out who the prince is... oop spoiled it

ENJOYYYYY

this is your fave dad!yuta domestic kind of thigns right? @yutahoes

anyone who wants to be tagged, please let me know :D

vocab crash course : Otosan - dad in Japanese

“Open up,” said the sweet man seating on the other side of the table as he extends his arm and brings a chopstick with sushi to your mouth.

You giggle, blushing from the bold public display affection nevertheless you open your mouth and take in the piece of sushi.

“Aaaa" he mimics you by opening his mouth and you really have to hold yourself back from crawling under the table. Yuta is really affectionate, but you are the type to keep it low in public. Mainly because the man you are dating is a public figure and you are just a small girl in the village doing alright . And you are just a lucky girl who happens to fall in love with him aannndd its mutual.

“wae?” He asks when you slowly kick his shin under the table. Your red ears are enough to make him realize that you're shy.

“there’s many people Yuta,” you whisper and glare at him. He runs his eyes along the room and nods his head “so what?”

“Well I don’t want to attract attention.” You play with the chopstick in your hand. Yuta doesn’t mind you instead he picks another piece and stuffs it into his mouth “No one is paying attention to us. Besides I've missed your tons! I just want to make sure you know I love you.”

You feel guilty but thanks to the banging on the table, both you and Yuta quickly drive your attentions to the little member of your family.

“Oh Kenji-san, you want more?” Yuta quickly refills his son’s empty plate.

Kenji's big smile soon reappears as he picks up his training chopstick and make an attempt to eat the salmon sushi.

“Otosan! Namie-chan too,” your first daughter who already grows up to a well behaved sweet 4 years old tug on her father's shirt.

Yuta looks at her with heart in his eyes and with his father mode he takes care of her.

Yes, your second child has been in the family for a year. Kenji is a healthy baby with calm personality, unlike Namie who cannot sit still, Kenji can entertain himself with sitting down on the floor and dozing off. You sometimes feel bad seeing Kenji staying quiet despite Namie's tireless attempts to make her brother laugh.

They're a dynamic duo, but Namie loves Kenji with all her heart. She was sometimes jealous at first, but when Yuta makes sure she gets the love she deserves and explains Kenji is her brother, Namie wants to understand and helps you a lot on daily basis by being a good sister. Yes, Yuta's absence in the house during promotion era is crazy for you, but with his constant hard work your small family can enjoy living a good life.

Yuta and you continue to supervise your children as they gladly enjoy their meals.

“I love seeing them eat like this,” Yuta puts down his chopstick and you quirk an eyebrow. Sushi is something he really likes, but he only ate a few earlier.

“Stopping? Diet?” you ask totally aware of his food restrictions. Yuta shakes his head “Let the kids have it, I had enough.”

You smile, as you help Kenji scoops in some more food.

Namie is eating like every other kid her age, totally engrossed in the delicious foods that her face is messy and her hands are full of rice.

“Aigo look at how big you've grown! Otosan still remembers the day I can cradle you.” Yuta rubs a loving hand on Namie's soft hairs. She smiles which makes Yuta smiles too.

“I am a big girl! I am a sister now! Kenji is my little brother.” Namie proudly points to Kenji who is clapping his hands as if he understands his sister's words.

Yuta plants a kiss on Namie's head and the smaller one winks.

“Look at both of you having the same smile,” you comment while helping Kenji cleans up after his happy meal mess.

Yuta watches as Namie reaches out for her own wet tissue and starts cleaning up, Yuta's heart swells at the thought of his daughter growing up so fast … he'll drive her to school and suddenly she is a young lady and one day Yuta will walk her down the aisle!

“Otosan?” the small girl's tug on his shirt brings Yuta back to present days.

“Yes princess?” Yuta plants his attention to the less messy girl.

“Help me, I don’t know if I'm clean already…” she hands Yuta the wet tissue pack and Yuta gladly takes one fresh sheet out “Of course, here next time you want yo make sure you didn’t miss this part.” Yuta explains as he wipes the cheek area.

“Thank you for dinner.” Namie mutters to Yuta after they all settle into the car and head back home.

Yuta looks surprised, Namie has never said that usually it was you, but you were quiet because Kenji fell asleep already on your chest.

“You're welcome Namie.” Yuta replies although he shoots you a questioning yet proud look.

Once the car is parked and the small family enters the house, Namie stays behind to wait for Yuta to lock his car.

“Oh, go inside Naemie, it's cold.” Yuta ushers the small girl into the house and Namie is all good she just waits to tell “Thank you!” for Yuta to drive them home safely.

Yuta feels warm, receiving small gratefulness from his children is enough to recharge his energy.

Once Namie and Kenji are asleep in their room, you finally have the time to enjoy your husband's attention. Well Yuta has been giving his attention to Kenji and Namie, but you don’t blame him. He needs a bonding time with them or else they don’t know who their father is.

You snuggle comfortably into Yuta's hug and he runs a finger throughout your hair while sometimes massaging your tense neck.

“Namie really grew up so fast!” Yuta mumbles.

You nod proudly “I taught her all of her manners.”

Yuta smile “I am aware of that; it is a habit of yours that always thank me for dinner and driving and anything else! Every small thing I did… you give me thank and attention! Namie sure saw you do that all the time and thinks it is something to do… which I am glad she did copy!”

You laugh “Yes I am glad she picks up this habit from young. Thanks, Yuta, for tonight.” You impulsively thank him like any other days.

Yuta lovingly rubs your shoulder “See, always thanking me! I should be the one to thank you… must be hard to look after them by yourself. I promise I'll try to go home more.”

His hand brushes your shoulder and he focus his eyes on the dark to notice a patch of neck pain reliever stickers on your back. He sadly smiles and runs a hand over the tensed muscles

“Must be hard right? Tired… taking care of children… I am sorry,” he presses the tight nods away, trying to help you unwind.

You blush when you let out a breathy moan on a good knot Yuta is pressing “Well I need to thank you, because I really am thankful. Thanks for being a good father to them. If it's hard? It is, but your job is also hard. so, both of us have our own duties and we need to do them well.”

“Am I? I feel like I am a bad father.” Yuta frowns as his hand continues to do wonders to your tensed shoulders. Carrying Kenji with the baby carrier while doing house chores made you want to buy a nee spine.

You smooth out the lines between his brows “No, they see you as their hero! Namie knows you work hard for her so she can go to school and eat her favorite foods.”

Yuta feels happy about that and kisses your head “You're a wonderful mom! Teaching that to your children by yourself.”

You shake your head “You are being responsible, and it is a good father image for them. They'll understand.  You- coming home every free time you have is strong enough to remind them how hard you're working for them. You're not a bad father Yuta, instead I am glad you're always trying your best to be a dad.”

Yuta hugs you deeper into the sheet “Is it? Then I am glad you are the mother to my beautiful, handsome, and wonderful children. Thank you (y/n). Saranghae~”

“me too, love you tons Yuta!” you press a kiss on his cheek and bury yourself to his chest as you slowly drift to dreamland.

end

[piristephes]

A personal rant about Helios and Apollon

 Ok, we are all tired of the whole discussion about who’s the Sun-God because of the conflations they had on late antiquity. I don’t intend to contribute to that debate because 1) I think it leads nowhere in the end 2) I’m a reconstructionist, which means I’ll prefer historical accuracy first, focusing on the practices of the Attica region of Ancient Greece. 3) So y’all know I’ll treat Helios as the God of the Sun, Sight, Oaths and Apollon as the God of Light, Healing, Plagues, Prophecy and a million other things beforehand.

That being said, I think it’s completely possible to honour both and perceive them differently. Apollon came to me in my initial moments, when I was still only agnostic after a whole life of religous turmoil (Thank you, christianity). I prayed to Him with an amulet I got when I went to Rome, looking at the sun through my window with many things in my head.

 Then, I got answered. 

A dream-filled week followed after the first time I genuinely prayed to Apollon. Light, Gods and serpents entwined  inmy head everytime I went to bed in such a welcoming way...I’ll never forget.

I had found my place - I prayed and I got an answer, that was so wild to me. Gods that welcomed me with open arms, bright smiles and that wanted me to seek my own virtue, in my own path towards Arète (The daimon/goddess of excellence). 

In my first year, I wasn’t a polytheist. I guess I was some sort of neopagan devotee with witchy vibes that didn’t quite know what I was doing, I only knew that a God and I were building a relationship and it was wild. It took me a while to feel myself inclined to solidify my practice and worship properly, to find a schedule and to make it all make sense. That’s when I found Hellenic Polytheism, and Apollon (through divination and other signs) guided me to where I am, to the other Gods that were to be important in my life - Hekate, Ares, Hermes, Aphrodite, Artemis, Selene...Helios.

 So, the Lord of Light helped me on my path towards many thigns I deem important: A solid spirituality, a set of values to guide my life, philosophy and...many things.

  And as I delved deeper on polytheism, I found myself inclined to Helios too - the conflation made things a little harder to me, but it all changed when I was praying to Phoebus for some enlightment and Helios showed up not only through the Sun card, but also through my alphabetic oracle, where I got an ήτα, which bears the phrase:

“Bright Helios [Sun] {Hêlios}, who watches everything, watches you.”

And I was like: Oh, so that’s whom I’ve been feeling around me everyday too.

I made a small offering to Helios and took some more cards, looked for signs and yeah, I decided to begin honour him too - As a polytheist, as a witch (because he has SO MANY witch children in mythology, wow), as a person. Eventually I stablished that I would honour both, Apollon and Helios, as part of my lunar-month observances after the full moon, and it has been so good. 

 I devoted myself to Apollon, trying to incorporate some of His lessons in my life within many areas - my profession (I’m a psychologist), my daily basis (through some of the Delphic Maxims) and as a manteis (a diviner, someone who uses divination). Helios specially comes up in my mind whenever I consider the natural world, His role in it as a Giver of Life, also His All-Seeing nature as a God who knows a lot and has a lot to teach, as the Father of Witches and many other things. The Gods, each of Them, are complex beings with complex roles in the universe and deserve a lot of love!

 The Gods are many and they have plenty lessons to tell us. Sometimes, we approach first and sometimes, They approach us. Either way is valid!

 I wanted to share a bit of my jorney with you guys after the offering I made to Them - myrrh incense, red wine, honeyed bread and laurel leaves - because the Theoi have been so kind to me on these trying times we live in...I can only wish They are in your favour as well.

 May they guide us towards our own virtues!

 Eirene! (Peace!)