#begging people to go and get their own tarot decks if this is how they are going to treat people

[icanseethefuture333]

Just wondering if you don't want to do a reading could you say, so we don't have to unnecessarily wait.

Do you realize how "unnecessary" it was for you to ask this? I shouldn't even dignify this with a response but I'm gonna say this once so no one else asks me this again. I have over 50+ asks in my inbox anon💀. I received multiple requests (and counting!), why would I go through several asks to announce which I'm responding to or not? I even made a list of requests I am gonna get to eventually and I didn't even have to do that but I wanted to so I can be polite. Most other readers on here don't do that and they dont give a shit and answer when they feel like it. Unless you're gonna be my intern and go through every single message that I receive, then don't bother rushing me. In fact, it makes me want to do it less. Maybe you should be patient or tip $2 dollars like everybody else does if you want to see your request done that badly. I'm not really understanding why you couldn't just wait like everybody else does to see a reading done since I am providing a free service and the readings are just for entertainment, it's never that serious. This is really rude of you to say to someone and frankly, I'm disappointed. Mind you, it is a holiday in my country and I just posted a very detailed astrology post two days ago. Or do you only come to my page when it's convenient for you? I am allowed to rest and I could go days, months, or even years without answering a request because I can. At the end of the day its my blog! I can do whatever I want with it. I am not going to bend over backwards and make myself uncomfortable for people who do not care about me. I will get to these readings whenever I feel like it because A. it's supposed to be for fun for everyone around, including myself - B. this is a free service - and C. This is not my job! I have no idea what your request was but whenever I'm done with it, honestly don't ever come back to my page or speak to me again because I don't appreciate people who give me an attitude and show entitlement. Another thing is that paid readings will always be priotized over free requests. I don't even accept people's money if I know I am unavailable 😐. I've done more than I should have and I don't appreciate people taking advantage of my kindness, at all.

[greenboyfriend]

choose a fantastic green thing (tarot reading)

"what do you need to know?" image 1: ahh, a classic. woman with fish. iridescent fish, no less. image 2: women want him, men want to be him. whether you love him or hate him, you can't deny... he is a bug. image 3: the bowl. image source not everything may resonate with you, and that's ok! take what does & leave the rest. don't force it.

1.・。.・゜✭

hello friends. what a nice pull! you may be giving or receiving a gift as an act of charity or kindness. it seems like you’re unaware of something, but it’s not a bad thing. consider it blissful ignorance. it may be wise to stay in this state, shunning negativity/corruption. also, some of you may be dealing with children/ a child? maybe someone is having a baby?!

nevertheless, you’re trusting your intuition at this time, and it’s serving you. however, you may be a bit apprehensive about a change/transition you’re going through. know that it’ll happen no matter what you do! you’ll have to eliminate excess one way or another, cutting down to the bare essentials. it’s scary to go through change where you’re unsure what will happen, but you’ve got to do it at some point.

and anyway, you’ve got your intuition at your side. tune in with yourself however you know best, whether that be taking a walk outside, listening to your favorite song, etc, it will help you to regroup.

being sympathetic and loving towards others will also work in your favor. try to open up, and give others what you would like to receive yourself. “forgiving and forgetting” may also be relevant for some of you.

(6 of cups, death reversed, ace of cups)

2.・。.・゜✭

holy FUCK, you need to pump the brakes. holy FUCK, whatever it is, SLOW THE HELL DOWN!!! four of swords literally came flying out of the deck before i even got the chance to shuffle. take this as the universe/your future self urging you, begging you, pleading on hands and knees, to CHILL OUT!

yes, we all know you are very determined and forthright. yes, we all know it, and we all know that has turned out very well for you in other situations. however. at this point, you’re gambling whether things will go your way, and you can tell. loosen your grip on those reigns! resting ain’t so bad!! not every moment needs to be jam packed with activities.

i feel like you know that, but you don’t want to accept that it’s true, or can’t. despite this, you’re feeling the effects. the 10 of swords spells exhaustion & burn out– finding yourself depleted, full of swords, and on the ground (in vain); all the while, the call for action has not even arrived yet. 

consider yourself. if you need to have a goal, think of it this way: how can you most effectively relax? what activities (or lackthereof) will make you feel the most refreshed when the time comes to get moving again? in a sense, take all the anxious energy you’re feeling, and put it to use by taking care of yourself. you’re not going to be able to succeed in the way you want to if you’re completely exhausted from ignoring your own needs.

so relax! if you’re not sure how, beg the universe for help. that’s what i did, and now, i have a cat. 

(the chariot reversed, 4 of swords, knight of swords, 2 of wands, 10 of wands)

3.・。.・゜✭

your cards strike me as very sweet, my bowl lovers… after going through a trauma in your past, you’re working towards healing by opening up to those around you. now is a great time to be intimate, and not just in the romance way! maybe you’re interested in moving forwards with this, but you aren’t sure which path (which person/people, perhaps) to take. not to fear, however!! page of cups is here! let your heart/intuition lead you, and don’t be afraid to have some fun with it.

consider your emotions exactly as they are: does this person make you feel happy? secure? take your knee jerk reactions and mix them with your observations. after that, the choice should be clear.

six of swords is not always the most fun of cards (typically denoting healing, sloughing through the slop, ect) but trust that where you’re going certainly is… a blast, that is!! it may be a celebration you’re heading towards, but more than anything, it seems like you’ll gain a new sense of freedom. with the page of cups and six of swords present, this is likely how you approach your feelings & relationships, and how they’ve been impacted by your past. expect to shed some light on these patterns, and even overcome them entirely!*

these last two cards cement this message. if you go after what you want, you’re certain to meet success! it can be scary, and it might take a while, but keep trying! you can do this!!!

*for the time being, anyway. progress is not linear! sometimes it's 2 steps forwards to go 1 step back and that's ok!!!

(4 of wands reversed, page of cups, 6 of swords, 7 of cups reversed)

(pulled later: 6 of wands reversed, page of pentacles)

Ws all around my friends

[queerprayers]

1/2- Sorry if this is a weird ask. You're a person of sincere faith who doesn't judge and I'm desperate for outside opinions. I've recently learned that many modern tarot readers don't believe in divination or spirits, but rather that the images on the cards can help us think about things and bring out deeper ideas from our own subconscious. Zero future telling, only for self reflection. That sounds ok to me, and using the cards for visio divina has done really good things for my prayer life.

2/2- But still I worry- what if the more conservative types are right and all use of the cards is bad? What if it's displeasing to God? I beg and pray but I can't seem to find any peace or inner sense of guidance on the topic. Can you please pray for me, and share any wisdom you might have about this? Thank you so much.

Hello, beloved--I don't think this is weird at all! There's so much fearmongering among Christians about things being Satanic or pagan or whatever else, and it's important to not give into that panic while also taking our faith seriously.

None of the people I know who have been interested in tarot do it as a religious or really even spiritual practice--for most of them, it's been a fun thing, like getting your fortune read at a county fair, and it's not something to "believe in" so much as do and think about. I also know people who, as you said, find it useful for reflection, usually for finding new ways of looking at things. I'm not scared of tarot, and I don't think it's demonic.

Christian history is full of things like opening your Bible to a random page to see what God has in store for you or protecting yourself from evil spirits or saying a certain prayer so that a saint will do something for you. Everyone has these superstitious instincts, to find stories in chance, to not waste the few things that are in our control. I don't think there's inherent evil there--evil comes when we trust these things more than God, when we look in our own actions more than God's, when we think we can know the full story, when we try to pin God down. And I don't think superstition with Christian wrappings is any less superstitious, or any more truthful, to be honest.

A lot of people fearmongering about stuff like this are scared about where it might lead--that you'll end up somewhere chanting around a human sacrifice. And of course there are people who start with harmless religious experiences and end up in evil places--lots of Christians go to a potluck and end up believing in prosperity gospel and putting their kids in conversion therapy. But I don't hear you in danger of abandoning God or of harming anyone. And any religious practice can go too far, no matter how pure its roots. What you bring to the practice makes up most of whether you are reaching out toward God with it, and we can balance it with other traditions and other impulses.

In case someone's using the Bible to scare you: what the Bible tells us about fortune-telling/magic/communing with spirits is from a very specific Ancient Israelite perspective that I'm not qualified to unpack, but we don't find it an applicable worldview today. We have different ideas of how to live in community with other religions, and religious practices serve very different functions. We don't follow Ancient Israelite cultic practices--nor do modern Jewish people, for that matter. Christian practice has developed in the past two millennia in so many directions, and barely any of it would be recognizable to the Biblical authors. I obviously trust that God gave us these writings for a reason, and am not saying to ignore them--we can find useful ideas, but not a rule book.

The tarot deck most people know was created in 1909 by an occult secret society, who used symbols from Christianity and astrology. I think it's misguided to find truth in them as they exist, but neither do I think they're inherently evil--they're archetypes, stories. They're just human. I find occult secret societies generally more silly than demonic--although there is lots of racism/cultural appropriation in their histories. I respect those who avoid tarot based on its origins, just as I respect those who won't do yoga because it's a Hindu practice. But so many things come from non-Christian origins, and we cannot throw away the world if we want to live in community with it. (Yes, we are called to be set apart from the world as Christians, but also to love it--there is the line we must walk.)

There is real Biblical precedent for avoiding a practice associated with things outside of your faith--ancient Israelite religion was very concerned with these associations. Paul did not think meat that had originally been offered to pagan gods was sinful to eat, but basically advised people not to eat it because of how it would affect others or perhaps normalize idol worship. These are things we're continually navigating, and in any Christian community you're gonna have to be clear where your faith lies and probably answer some questions. I think it's a good thing that we're called to be purposeful, and to be aware how our actions affect others.

So my general advice would be to really think about it, to do it all purposefully, paying attention to how it affects your life, relationships, and practice, and whether it's bringing you to the life you know God wants from you (one of love). But this sounds like what you're already doing! I think you care more about this than most people I know, and you're coming to God genuinely--these are gifts.

Prayer is sensory, story-filled, interactive. It's a way of moving through the world. You say this has done good things for your prayer life, and I believe you. Contemplation is a major Christian prayer tradition. Anything can give us a new perspective, anything can shove us toward the truth. You're not causing harm, and neither are you abandoning your faith. There are other people navigating the same things as you--Contemplative Tarot is a book by a Catholic tarot practitioner, and it looks really interesting. I know people who have made their own tarot cards, and I wonder what that would look like with more intentional Christian symbolism/stories, even saints. Sometimes I pick a random prayer card to say--this is coincidence, and while it's not something I'm depending on, it does affect how my day goes.

Don't fall for anything or anyone that claims to know the ultimate truth, don't fall for the people who say that tarot has ancient Egyptian/kabbalah roots, don't fall for people who are just selling you things, don't believe anyone who tells you the truth is inside you if they aren't making clear that it's God that's living there, don't base your entire religious practice on something like this. But don't throw away a way of looking at things if God has led you through it. Don't put your life in the hands of cards, but move through your life with stories and new perspectives and contemplation. God's mercies are new every morning.

I don't know if I've given you peace--maybe just more questions. The good news is, you don't have to figure it all out now, and the bad news is you'll never figure it all out. Religious practice is a continuous dialogue and negotiation with the world. I have faith in you, and in the ways God is moving in your life. Bring Jesus with you, wherever you end up--he'll come regardless, of course, but see it happening. A man with a sword or a cup doesn't know your future, nor is he doing anything--but you know that. You're seeing more of the story, you're contemplating the wonders of God, you know the swords and cups that matter, and they are present with you, and seeing them everywhere is a gift.

Something my mother says before I start anything new, or go anywhere important--what she said when I went to the psych ward, and on the first days of school, and when I go to a protest--is "remember your baptism." I think my grandfather said it to her, too. I don't know whether you've been formally baptized, but remember your calling. Remember the beginning of your journey, and why you're still on it, and how you're being a representative of it. Remember your baptism, whatever that means to you. We have been marked with the cross of Christ forever.

<3 Johanna

[please-picturemeintheweeds]

what do you think The Prophecy / Long Story Short mash up means and what it means in the lyrics choices? (take your time answer when you can)

Once again, buckle up because I AM LOSING MY MIND AND IM TAKING YOU WITH ME, anon! 😘

This combination feels like her tying up the loose ends from long story short. If such a fated relationship ended in this way, like slowly sinking in quicksand, what is the point of it all? How do you recover from the end of the end of all the endings? You have an epiphany about who is in charge of your fate!! 

I haven’t actually taken the time to write out my interpretation of the prophecy yet, so I kinda have to do that first before getting into how long story short changes it, so I’m sorry this is so long. 

First verse: I was going full steam ahead, thinking that I had finally managed the impossible, but it escaped me once again. This could either be a relationship that burned bright and fast and left her scorched, or, my personal interpretation, it’s her furiously writing music and chasing inspiration, when it escapes her and she’s left pondering the act of creation. It was written (who did the writing? Ambiguous!!!), and I was cursed. Other people have talked about “I got cursed like Eve got bitten” but it is still a confusing to me!! Eve wasn’t bitten, she was tricked. Eve did the biting, an act of defiance or free will or being pressured by the devil or all of the above? So is the line sarcastic? Either way, as a result, she is cast out, a sinner. Which is not to say that it’s all bad… Eve eating the fruit undeniably changed the world, and in that act of defiance, Eve set in motion all of human history. She paces around the house thinking. She is not greater or lesser than herself- She just… is who she is. Never losing hope, and not above asking for help. 

Chorus: she is begging on her knees, for this curse to be lifted. It is still is ambiguous to me what the curse actually is. She wants someone who wants her company but she herself doesn’t even want her own company. Is she cursed to hate herself forever? Is she cursed to always be cast out from paradise? Is she cursed to never find love?

Verse 2: “cards on the table mine play out like fools in a fable” is suuuuch a good line!! She’s recontextualizing her struggles in the first verse, zooming way out. It feels like a callback to foolish one: “my cards are on the table… chances are i will talk myself to sleep again… foolish one stop checking your mailbox for confessions of love that ain’t never gonna come.” She’s played all her cards, she’s played honestly and it still ended up hurting her. Or, the cards are oracle deck/tarot cards which have been dealt and her fate is sealed. But her cards are unique- they play out like fools in a fable, maybe because she is the one fable-izing her life. I think this is what was sinking in: She’s spun her life stories into characters, she’s cast herself as a fool (who hasn’t), but for her, the folklore has been passed around for years, and it creates a nasty self fulfilling prophecy. She didn’t realize she was in quicksand until it was too late. Is the quicksand her writing music or managing to land in relationships that slowly kill her or both? I LOVE this next line because it’s a sleeping beauty reference, a story about the impossibility of outrunning your cursed fate!!! She, the princess, cast out from her home for something that wasn’t really even her fault (similar to Eve!), was always going to enact the prophecy- to prick her finger. To hurt herself. Her blood (her ink filled veins) is full of poison, and it’s dripping from the pinprick. This part fascinates me! Is her songwriting/her emotions the poison? She falls into a deep sleep and dreams of him, the perfect kiss. She asks again: who do I have to speak to? Is her life really only as deep as a fairy tale where she’s saved by a kiss? Can I speak to the manager pls???? 

Verse 3: “I sound like an infant feeling like the very last drops of an ink pen” is such a glorious way to describe crying/regressing from being so used up and burned out. What’s left to even write about? How did it end vibes. She is fucked up like a werewolf!!! Howling at the moon, transformed into a beast!!! She looks unstable, casting spells to try and control her life. There’s no lesser woman in this verse, greater is repeated twice. She’s lost her faith!!! She’s believed in herself against all odds and had hope for so long that she isn’t actually cursed, but she’s been turned to stone waiting for the prophecy to change. She’s been frozen solid. She can’t change she can’t move she can’t do anything, she is utterly powerless. Of course she will crumble if all she was made for was to be beautiful and wait to be loved! This is scary!!!! But for the first time we get a glimmer of agency: I sealed my fate! She then immediately objectifies herself- she’s a paperweight. It feels similar to how she describes herself as a poster in Tsmwel. She’s a collectible. She chose to be a singer and to sing about her life, but that choice has made it very difficult for her to find true love, yet people purchase her pain/words to collect dust on their vinyl shelves. I did this to myself, and maybe I shouldn’t have gone down this path, but it was my choice. So now she’s giving away the last of herself to hear that it’ll be alright- therapist, psychic, sleeping with an indie pop incel, fans screaming lyrics back to her so she feels less alone? 

BUT THEN!!!!! SHE GRABS THE REIGNS!!!! She breaks the first wall and addresses HERSELF explicitly!!! Who is she talking to?? HERSELF!!! “Listen up, you crying mess of my past self!!!! Don’t get lost in these petty things! All the people who chose to hurt you have already come face to face with karma!!! You will find someone who wants your company!!! Go with it!!! Follow comfort!! So what if you’ve been cast off the pedestal again? You’ve lived through worse! Long story short, it sucked!” She turns around with this mashup and embodies the fable-ization of her story again!!! She says okay fuck that, I’m gunna keep coping by writing my own narrative, because that is the most empowering thing a person can do! Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was pushed off a cliff (like Eve!) and I did the best with what I had and it didn’t serve me great in the end but I figured my shit out and got up! I SURVIVED! 

But the really clever part about the way she’s combined these two is that in the prophecy, she grapples with the string of fate in LSS and realizes…. She was still being thrown around by the ocean of fate in both the long term dying relationship and the following self-harm relationship situations… she was still putting her worth in how her partner/the world saw her. She says: “I want to change the prophecy, not by finding the perfect kiss, but by stepping into my power to write my own prophecy. I want to respect myself and choose to enjoy my own company. I want to enter relationships because they feel right and not because I’m falling off a cliff and need to grab whoever is offering me a hand. It might even be okay to fall off and hit rock bottom because even then, I still have myself. I can change my fate.” She decides to learn how to swim instead of grasping for a life raft someone else throws her. 

And then the cheeky self assuredness that is so important to LSS: long story short it was the wrong guy 🤷🏼‍♀️ long story short I SURVIVED!! Werewolf howling: complete ✅ Demons: exorcized ✅

[magicsunwheel]

Why You're F#cking Amazing

Pick-a-Card

How to play: pick one of the photos below using your intuition. You can close your eyes and meditate for a bit or just take a few grounding breaths while thinking of the topic. Feeling drawn to more than one is fine! You might have messages in more than one pile

Pile 1 (x) Pile 2 (x) Pile 3 (x)

My pile numbers always go from left to right, then down to the text row (if applicable)

Pile 1

Cards: The High Priestess, Five of Swords, Seven of Pentacles, The Moon Rx, Five of Rods, Ace of Pentacles

You are so intuitive! You're either very in touch with your divine feminine or are working your way there right now. Something about you is severe in the most beautiful way. You can take things seriously when they need to and the way you command a room with just your presence is unmatched. Maybe you're also a tarot reader or involved in spirituality/divination in some way. Maybe you really like Pick-a-Cards.

Something beautiful about you is that you never give up on a fight, especially when you know the end is worth it. Your ambition is strong and you will fight for what you love and what you want. You are not weak-willed by any means.

This also makes you so unique! You work so hard and put so much labor into your love even if you know it will take a long time to come to fruition. The times that you feel discouraged by a lack of results are few and far between. If for some reason you do find yourself wistfully hoping for faster results or an easier path, you can easily remind yourself of why you started in the first place.

You might have moments where you think of yourself as sneaky or like you're hiding a part of yourself from others, like your true self would be too much for them. I'm here to tell you that your intensity is exactly what make you such a beautiful person! You thrive in competition and in adversity. It gives you a chance to show off your quick thinking and survival skills. Others look at you with envy of how you can make an opportunity out of seemingly nothing!

If you need help improving your self-love, Spirit says to stop comparing yourself to others! You are amazing and beautiful and unique all on your own! Throwing yourself into the fray to compete against others who are nothing like you will only fim your inner shine. And you really do shine! When I asked for a card about why you are beautiful, nearly half the damn deck flew out!

Sprit loves you and I love you so please take care of yourself and keep making those amazing opportunities to improve your physical surroundings. (I feel like you have a very clean room/home)

Pile 2

Cards: Nine of Rods, the World, King of Cups, Three of Rods, Ace of Rods, Two of Cups

Ahh the Loona pile!

Similar to Pile 1, but much more fiery! You are resilient! Taking time to collect yourself before pushing forward with a renewed sense of energy and purpose is such an amazing and useful trait. You maybe aren't as commanding of a presence but you have such an inner strength that no one can deny.

You got the World for the reason why you're beautiful! Maybe it's related to physically being very beautiful and possibly exotic-looking. You might have very specific features associated with a certain area of the world that stand out where you live. You also have such a wonderful understanding of the world and where it's currently at. Things can seem negative or like hope is lost but you still seek out the beauty and share it with others. You see opportunity where others do not and feel a sense of peace and connectedness with all of humanity. Wow!

Your uniqueness shines in your emotionality and compassion. You might be a natural born leader who makes sure to understand all under your rule. You lead with kindness and, most importantly, by example. You don't have any desire to use you position for ill-gotten gains. Power to you does not corrupt, it solely provides a tool for you to do good in the world and really make a difference in the lives of others, whether it's on a large or small scale. You are probably the kind of person who makes sure to give money to those who need it when you pass a begging mother and her children, or buying a homeless man a bottle of water on a hot day.

Your card for why you think you are not perfect actually came out quite positive. Maybe you don't have a very low self esteem, but I can see a few possible scenarios here. You might be constantly planning in your head, waiting and watching for the next move to take but never actually getting to the action part. Maybe you're planning for your future and have so much planned out that you're excited for, but haven't made the practical plans on how to actually get there. This could make you feel bad about yourself especially on days where you're reminded of others moving ahead in their lives while you're still planning. Visualisation is very important in manifesting your desired reality! If you are moving slower than others around you, remember that it is okay to not be where "everyone else" is. Life is not a race or a competition. Taking your time to get to where you need to be when you need to be there reminds me of the story of the tortoise and the hare. Quick does not necessarily mean better.

You can improve your self-love by creating! Using your creativity and passion to make something! Create art, whether it's physical/digital art, music, writing, inventing, anything that uses those creative muscles of yours. It doesn't have to be good! Just creating something will help burn up that excess energy you have that's trying to rush you somewhere. Self-expression this way can be a wonderful hobby even if you don't consider yourself as a creative person.

Your kindness really shines through. You care so deeply about the people around you and your spiritual team cares just as deeply about you. You are loved and watched over and protected by Spirit. Others around you also see your sparkle and appreciate and admire you, even if they don't show it. Know you are beautiful and amazing and bringing a light into this world that needs to be here.

Pile 3

Cards: Six of Rods, the Hierophant, Four of Rods, Six of Cups, Ten of Swords, the Hermit Rx

Damn, who are y'all!? You've got some mighty power and pull in this world. Maybe you're a public figure or have some kind of platform, like a social media with many followers. You could also be well-recognized within your field of study/work. Whoever you are, people see you and look up to you. They celebrate you and how amazing you are! Spirit loves this about you and you really shine in the spotlight. Your achievements deserve all this pomp and celebration!

You are naturally authoritative. People listen when you speak and take your words to heart. You might also be a religious person or someone who enjoys organization and the comfort of hierarchy. People will willingly follow you wherever you lead them because they trust you with all their hearts. "A merciful ruler" (lol) You hold your position with grace and dignity befitting a king or queen.

You are unique in ways the public recognizes, but we knew that already! You might be someone who likes to entertain and you throw the greatest parties and get-togethers. Maybe you've planned a wedding and everyone had such an amazing time! You know how to relax and have fun when the time for celebrating arrives. You can out down your guard and bit and let loose. Not many people with such responsibility can let go of the reigns like that, but you don't seem to hold on to control too tightly.

Your past might be a source of anxiety for you. Maybe you're worried that what you've done when you were younger will catch up to you and ruin what you've got going on now, but it's important to remember that the past is the past. It cannot be undone or wished away. Taking time to accept what happened and recognizing that you've moved on to bigger and better things is important here. Whatever happened, take time to heal your childhood wounds and forgive past actions.

Ending this cycle will bring much more self-love to your life. Old habits and patterns being out to rest is the way forward. It might be a painful ending and something you don't necessarily look forward to, but it is something that needs to happen to clear out old energy and welcome in everything new. You can't expect to move on if you're still repeating old actions or ways of thinking. It's time to set these things to rest and evolve. Leave behind what no longer serves you.

Your understanding of yourself knows no bounds. You've taken the time to inquisit yourself and learn all of the shadows that lie there. Self-reflection might be a favored pastime for you. Through this knowledge of yourself you are able to see truths that many struggle to see all their lives. Your light can cut through the fog if bullshit and see the true source of something. Use this knowledge of yourself to become the best version of yourself that you can be! I know you're already on your way there and it's amazing to see! Spirit is so proud of you and loves you so much!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I never tire of your brain rots and thirsting please expand on that dorm leader Jade and Rook thing going on

... ANoNs eNABLiNG ME aND MY RoT 😳

OKAY I’M KIND OF TOO TIRED and busy with Twisted Tarot TO WRITE A LONG ASS FIC OF DORM LEADER JADE AU NOW BUT I GOT THIS REALLY STRONG CONCEPT iN MIND AND I’LL WORD VOMIT MY ROT OUT AnYWAY 😭

I hope I get more free time so I can actually write this out as a proper fic though........................... There’s just so many fun and sadistic things you could do with the concept of dorm leader Jade OTL <— this, by the way, is the position I assume when J word needs a convenient footstool

[Referencing this post!]

Imagine like... Jade is brewing some kind of underhanded scheme to steal the seat of dorm leader from Azul (because just challenging him to a fight for the seat would be boring) 😳 and you just so happen to catch Jade being suspicious as hell... Like you’re walking by his room and you hear humming/singing, so out of curiosity, you peek in and OTL IT’S THE VANESSA/HUMAN URSULA SCENE IN THE LITTLE MERMAID so I guess that would make you/us Scuttle

Jade is casually dressing for the day, but it’s like??? He somehow swiped a set of Octavinelle dorm leader clothes in his size (plus the magical staff/cane thing) and he’s trying it on in front of a vanity, all while singing/gloating... “Oh, what a lovely dorm leader I’ll make. My dear, I’ll look divine. Things are working out according to my ultimate design—”

“Soon, I’ll have that little merman and Octavinelle will be mine 🎵” as he bcksvajscshsjskebiwdbs steps onto the vanity, crushing some bottles of eel slime-based skincare under his foot... znshsvaieveienkdebkwdbkenwwm AnD HE jUST LAUghS A STUpid SEXY hOT LAUGH AS HE GAZes iNTO his reFLDctiON IN THD miRRObR???????

But UH-OH, you fucked up hard and accidentally make eye contact with J word through the mirror, and he’s instantly on you. Try as you might to scramble away, you just end up losing balance and ending up on your butt or on your back as Jade leers down with a scary smile, drowning you in the eclipse that is his shadow. djsbsjsvsusbwkeks USinG ThE DORM LEadER STAFF CAnE THING TO FORCE YOU tO MAkE EYE CONTACT WITH HIm........... LIKE GUIDinG YOUR CHiN UP WITH THE END OF Yhe cAnE............................

“Now what have we here? An uninvited guest? A Peeping Tom? Tsk, tsk. How naughty of you,” he tuts, feigning ignorance (he clearly caught you red-handed). “Fufufu. I cannot have you running amok and spilling my secrets to the entire school. I’m afraid that you, my dear, will have to be permanently silenced. Yes, I do believe a good night’s sleep with the fish will do you some good.”

ALSO ALSO ALSO 😳 Think of how hot the dynamic of the “servant” becoming the “master” is... Jade’s no longer the one being bossed around, he IS the one bossing people around......................... AnD HE’S A RAT BAstARD, yOU JUST KNOW hE’LL ABUSE THSt poWER FoR his oWN SiCK AMUSEMENT, An D YOU Won’Y Fven ReALiZE WHRN HE HAS bECAUSE He’S TOO SmArT OTL

As vice dorm leader, Jade never really had problems “getting back” at Azul in minor ways like teasing him or purposefully not helping when he is meant to, but with the powers invested in the title of dorm leader, Jade can really get the green light to be more of an asshole out in the open 😂 HE SPILLS A DRINK OR DROPS A PLATE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU AND TELLS YOU TO CLEAN IT UP AS IF HE DIDN’T JUST MAKE THAT MESS HIMSELF A SECOND AGO??? AND THEN HE WATCHES YOU CLEAN IT UP WITH A PLEASANT SMILE AnD YOU KNOW HE’A RELiSHING IN PETTY SHIT LIKE THIS BUT YOU CAN’T HUST DECK HIM IN THE FACE BECAUSE HE’S DOrM LEADER

“Beg on your hands and knees,” he tells you with a smirk, “and I might consider granting you a moment of respite.”

YOU JUST END UP BEING HIS TOY OR PLAYTHING TO ORDER AROUND AnD IT’s JUST. HNNNncFfHHHHHHHHHH GOD I HATE J WORD SO MUCH whY iS HE LIJW THIS I HATE HI S Dtupid hOT FACE AnD HIS SrUPux iF Jo nT sLImiNESS NaD HIS fuCKING Vo I CE An D hOW my SNaiTY gOES doWN Ghe TOuLEt Whe N HE

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*

[Please stand by; we are currently experiencing technical difficulties. We’ll be right back after a brief commercial break!]

Anyway! As for dorm leader Jade and dorm leader Rook dynamics 😊 xhakbsjsjshiavdkekw As I said in my original post (referenced at the start of this one), I think it’d be extremely passive aggressive. They can definitely be cordial and cooperative if they want to be, but when they disagree, it gets BAD. Lots of back-handed compliments from both sides in an effort to provoke the other, to try and make the other absolutely LOSE THEIR SHIT (think of how Rook tried to get Malleus angry enough to lash out by calling him a “monster”; similar to that).

They’re both smiley characters on the surface, but they’ve also both got their own hidden agendas, which would make every encounter dangerous in the same way that a poison might be. Silent and not very flashy, but very much able to deal damage, maybe even kill. WhAT I’ M SAyInG IS I WAnT TJEM TO TEAR EACH o. THER INTO PIEcES, THAT WOULD BE HOT 😤

[a-room-of-my-own]

Do you believe in reincarnation? Or that people can be connected across countries and sense each other at times, like when they're going through pain or intense emotions? My grandma and my mom were very into spiritism and kinda nature witch stuff, like my grandma spent half her life throwing curses on her neighbours (which weirdly came true), and when I was a kid my mom was always talking about her spirit guide, very into readings with cards, she was also friends with a psychic and they'd do seances and one time after that my mom said she was someone else but right after she was diagnosed with bipolar and commited to a hospital because she was spiraling. She's good now, and has been for years, but she still believes in all that stuff and etc. I've always kinda been a sceptic because to me that was all just a part of my mom's illness, but lately I've been having these intense instincts or feelings I guess, that someone is waiting for me. And dreams, and sometimes in that half awake time in bed I sense them but I know they're far away and also that we've met before and will meet again and sometimes there's like an intense emotional response that I can't explain. I learned how to read tarot as a kid and I do have a deck that was gifted to me when I was 15, but I almost never do readings for myself, I did a couple for friends for fun through the years, people find out you have a deck and they always beg for a reading but then get kinda freaked out when things are accurate, but I digress. I took out my deck a few weeks ago (after not touching it for two years, I think?) because this has been weighing a bit on my mind and was mindlessly shuffling the cards and at the time I was thinking "what is this, who is this person" and a card literally popped out of my hands and it was the Lovers card. So. I know I'm not crazy (it's always been my one big fear, because of my mom), I've been in therapy forever and also had psych evals and everyone is always like remarkable how not crazy you are since you grew up with a "crazy" mom. This is getting so long, I'm sorry, I guess I just want to ask your opinion, as someone who seems to be attuned to this kind of stuff, I guess. I'm not so much freaked out as more like weary and kinda like "oh no, is this thing I spent my life denying actually real or something".

Well first of all, I'm sorry you went through this with your mom. BPD can be a pretty severe condition, and it must have been very hard to see her spiralling.

Now, for you, the important thing is to remain emotionally balanced and happy, but also, firmly grounded into reality. I talk about that here, because I think it makes for funny stories, but it's a infinitesimal part of my life. I also always balance what I see / feel with the conviction that I could also be wrong. I really believe the proper attitude is basically agnosticism : maybe it's real, and I'm ready to accept that it is, maybe not, and I'm also ready to accept that it isn't.

The second important thing is also that if you're into tarot for example or any other form of oracle, always balance out what you see in the cards with the same healthy dose of agnosticism : maybe the cards predict something, maybe it's just a card deck and that's my imagination making the connections.

And now for belief. You believe in soul mates and reincarnation? It's great if it makes you feel good and your life a little bit enchanted. But it will be a problem if it stops you from living your life in the here and now.

Now, since you're still in therapy and probably processing what happened to you with your mother, I think the best thing you can do for your own well-being is to only take what brings positivity into your life, while always keeping yourself grounded in the rational part of life. You can day dream, paint, write stories, there is a million way to bring magic into your life without compromising your balance.

[lunarliza]

JJ Maybank Must Die | Chapter 5: Hair Dyes

fuckboy!JJ x Reader

series masterlist | prev. chapter | chapter one

JJ Maybank is the island’s most infamous fuckboy- not that you ever cared. But when a group of tourist girls come to your surf shop crying to you about him, you agree to help them plot revenge. Sabotage is all fun and games, until you find that the playboy you were sworn to ruin happens to be falling head over heels for you.

Yes, this is based on John Tucker Must Die lol

note: sexual-like content ahead. also pls keep in mind that this is just a playful haha funny story, this stuff isn’t meant to be taken seriously at all 

“So are you a virgin?” 

You scowled at the phone perched on your nightstand. 

“No,” you lied, continuing to paint your big toe. 

Oddly enough, after the whole nature-calling theatre debacle, JJ not only apologized profusely when the movie ended, but he actually pursued you even harder the week following. The universe really did work in mysterious ways.

He quadruple texted you during the day, sent you funny pictures of him lallygagging around the town with The Pogues, and called you every night until you both fell asleep. 

At first you found it clingy as hell, but seeing JJ in the girl-filter or watching videos of him pranking John B sleeping had you entertained enough to actually respond. 

Tonight’s phone topic was 21 Questions, and like the fuck boy he was, ‘what’s your favorite color’ turned dirty in a matter of minutes. 

“What’s your body count?” you asked, actually curious about what that figure might be. 

“Hm,” you could hear him smacking his lips, “To be honest, I don’t really know.”  

“Are you serious?” 

“Well,” he spluttered through the line, “I stopped keeping count after like 30. If I had to give a range it’d probably be from 50 to 70.” 

Your nose crinkled. “Charming.” 

Just then, you heard your mom’s voice echo from the front door, “Y/n! Package came in for you!” 

“One sec,” you told the blondie on the phone and waddled down the hall on your heels, careful of your wet toes. 

Ripping open the box, you gasped at the rows of assorted lacy thongs Annalise ordered yesterday to be sent to your house. You forgot rich people could afford express shipping. 

“Everything good?” JJ questioned through the line. 

“Yeah, uh, just a little shocked at how big the, uh, water bottle I ordered is.”

Your hand clawed through the stash, feeling how nice the silk and lace felt. No surprise, it was also a very expensive brand. You considered keeping a few for yourself. 

“Hm, interesting,” JJ responded, “Anyways, continuing our game, do you have any kinks, like in bed?” 

You held up a red g-string, inspecting the tiny bows lining the crotch area. “Yeah, I have a few.” 

------------------------------- On your next day off, JJ invited you to go fishing with him and his friends. He picked you up early to grab some equipment from the store. Afterwards, you both sprawled on his bed, waiting for the others to arrive. 

“Hey JJ?” you asked, hand tangled in his gold locks while he played some game on his phone. 

“Hm?” 

“So do you remember the other night when we talked about our kinks?” you asked as seductively as your inexperienced self could. 

He immediately halted his game, a sly smirk danced its way across his lips. “Yeah...” 

“Well,” you bit your lip, “I do have this one that just really turns me on.” 

“I’m listening,” he piped, running a hand up and down your thigh. 

You put on your best amateur sex-minx face, blinking up at him. “It’s a little weird though.” 

He shifted positions so he laid between your thighs, kissing up your exposed stomach from your crop-top. “I don’t care. If it gets you wet baby, I’m all for it.” 

“Okay then... I actually have a present for you.” 

Sliding out from under him, you scrambled through your bag and pulled out the red g-string. JJ whistled from his bed in response, leaning back on his arms at the edge.

“That’s sexy as fuck,” he dragged you closer by the back of your thighs, “Try it on for me real quick, before the rest of the Pogues get here.” 

“Oh no no no,” you hung the underwear out to him, “It’s for you.” 

JJ’s mouth went agape, his eyes nearly exploding. “What the fuck y/n?! Are you kidding me?” 

You pouted and sulked away with a huff. “I knew it! I knew you’d make fun of me! I thought I could trust you JJ!” You covered your face and wailed like a child who couldn’t get her way. If this wasn’t your Oscar-winning moment you didn’t know what was. 

“Hey, hey, hey, wait,” JJ cooed, stroking his hand up your shoulders behind you. “I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t making fun of you, I was just a little shocked that’s all.” 

“But you think it’s weird!” you cried out, refusing to meet his eyes. 

“Well,” he scratched the back of his head, “I mean... you really want me to wear it?” 

You sniffled and nodded. 

“And this turns you on?” 

You nodded again, facing him. “I just, I think it’s so sexy when a man can embrace his sexuality like this you know?” 

“I guess... do you just want me to try it on?” 

“That’d be nice,” you rubbed the side of your arm, “Maybe you could even wear it today when we go out? It’ll be under your shorts so no one will see.” 

“Are you kidding me? N-” 

Your puppy-dog eyes stopped him dead in his tracks, threatening to burst into tears again. Boy, was this guy putty in your hands. 

He sighed, swiping the underwear from your hand. “Fine, but we do not mention this to any of my friends, got it?” 

You quickly shook your head with an excited smile, knowing damn well the thong was high-cut.

Minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, giving you a little show of his new undergarments. You had to admit, under all those baggy shorts laid a nice pair of perky buns. The sight of him trying to body roll on the floor made you fall back cackling at his Magic Mike attempts. 

Annalise definitely should’ve ordered a size up because his rising bulge was stretching out the lace that was clinging on for dear life. You had to shield your beet-red face. 

The ring of the doorbell sent JJ scurrying to find his pants while you walked to the front to answer it. In came his friends- John B, Kiara, and Pope- who you greeted just as the blonde sauntered out of his room as if nothing was fishy was going on. 

“So, who’s ready to hit the water?” John B asked as the guys gathered up the fishing equipment. 

You followed the herd out to the docks where the famous HMS Pogue sat. JJ walked a little ahead of you and Kiara, casually picking at the wedgie through his shorts. Kiara scrunched her nose in disgust while you snorted and had to bite your lip from bursting out laughing.

Riding along the marsh, you chatted with Kiara on the back deck while the boys casted the net at the front. She raved all about the new tarot deck she bought and even practiced some palm readings on you. You didn’t know her very well, seeing as she attended the Kook school, but you were glad she was easy to get along with. 

“So what’s the deal with you and JJ?” she asked out of nowhere. From the corner of your eye, you could see Pope do a discreet double-take at her question.

“Um, I’m not really sure,” you answered, “We’re just hanging out, I guess.” 

“Well, you’re the first girl he’s ever brought to hang out with us,” she revealed, “Or even really hung out with in general, for that matter.” 

A sharp gasp from the boys snapped you both out of your conversation. There, at the tip of the boat, was JJ bending over the net with the prominent lacy bows of his g-string exhibited for the world to see. 

John B and Pope doubled over cackling like a pack of hyenas. “JJ what the actual fuck!” 

The blonde whipped upright instantly once he caught on, hand flying to cover his backside. His entire face went the brightest shade of red. “Shut the fuck up! Or I’ll kill you both!” 

Pope fell to the wooden floor of the deck, trying to regain his breath from the laughter as John B doubled over on top of him. 

“Stop it you guys!” Kiara scolded at the boys who were practically in tears. She had to hold back a few giggles herself. “If JJ wants to wear that then let him! I think it’s,” she accidentally snorted, “I think it’s cool!” 

JJ fastened his shorts and began play-fighting the hyenas. Meanwhile you filled your girls chat in on the hilarious scene, trying to muffle your own snickering. 

-----------------------------

“You want to be a what when you grow up?” 

“A hairstylist,” you repeated through the phone. You hoped the pitch change in your voice wasn’t too much to give yourself away. Nevermind the fact that you knew nothing about hair as yours was always wet from surfing. 

“Uh okay,” JJ responded, “That was kinda unexpected but you do you I guess.”  

You slouched on the old-fashioned armchair in Annalise’s condo while your friends gathered around to listen in on yours and JJ’s call. A fit of snickers and shushes flew through the room as they tried to suppress their noise. 

“Yeah, I’ve been wanting to practice on people for a while now. I need to have experience to get into this beauty school I’ve been looking at,” you went on, “Do you think I could try something on you tomorrow?” 

You heard him scratch through the line. “Uh, why me? You don’t have any other friends that you could do it on?” 

“Because JJ! You’re like the only blonde I know. And I really want to perfect my bleaching skills. C’mon please! It’ll only be like a shade lighter. You’ll hardly even notice,” you promised in your well-rehearsed begging voice. 

“I’m not sure about this one, Y/n. It seems a little risky. Pope and John B are still ragging me for the underwear.” 

“Hmph,” you took the phone and held it closer to you, “Come onnnn JJ! I swear it’ll be fine. Please just do me this teensy little thing. I might even return the favor.” Your voice sang at the last bit.

He hiked in a long breath. “F-Fine. Just promise me it won’t be noticeable!” 

“Promise!” you cheered as the quad around you erupted in their silent happy dances. “Okay I’m going to go now, see you tomorrow before Sarah’s birthday Loverboy!” You sent him air kisses through the phone and hung up. 

“Men are so easy!” Sophia drawled, taking a huge bite of her ice cream pint. 

“You’re getting so good at this y/n!” Arabella pretend to wipe away tears, “I’m such a proud mama!” 

Maia whisked into her room and popped out seconds later, handing you a bottle of squeeze hair dye. “Here it is. Use it wisely young grasshopper.” 

------------------------------

You showed up to JJ’s house the next day. Thankfully, his dad was out a work so you had the entire house to yourself. Lord knows you needed it with the mild trauma you were about to put this boy through. 

You had JJ sit in the bathroom, away from the mirror with his head leaned back and eyes closed. Clumsily, you applied the dye like the Youtube video you watched the night before. Needless to say, you were getting it everywhere- on your clothes, JJ’s clothes, the counters. 

It was a disaster. But you played it cool, reminding JJ to keep his eyes shut or the dye will burn them. After wrapping his head in foil sheets and waiting 20 minutes, you bent him over the shower and washed everything out. 

Drying his still covered hair in the towel, you yanked it off him as he turned to the mirror and let out a deafening, ear-splitting shriek. 

“WHAT THE FUCK! OH MY GOD!” 

JJ looked like he was about to cry, horror-stricken, at his bright new bubblegum pink hair. 

“What the fuck is this?! What am I going to do?!” he paced back and forth in the clustered bathroom, “Sarah’s surprise party is tonight! John B’s gonna kill me if I don’t go! People can’t see me like this!” 

You bit your finger, glancing off to the side. “It was a mistake! I’m so sorry! It was supposed to be ash blonde but I might’ve gotten strawberry blonde instead.” 

JJ grabbed your shoulders, desperation drowning his eyes. “You have to fix this right now y/n! We have to be at the beach in an hour!” 

“You can’t bleach it again right now,” you protested, “You’ll fry your hair and then it’ll look like a bird’s nest!” 

“Then what are we going to do?! I can’t go outside like this!” 

---------------------------------

“Chug! Chug! Chug!” 

Throwing your head back, you finished the remains of the beer and tossed the cup into a nearby bin. The small crowd yelped as you threw your hands up. 

JJ crept up behind you and lifted you in the air, spinning you around. “Fuck yeah y/n!” 

You patted on the backwards cap on his head and he let you back down, pecking your cheek. 

Minutes before you guys arrived, he was able to rummage through is drawers for a hat big enough to stuff his Strawberry Shortcake hair into. Some specks still peeked out underneath, but, in the dark, you couldn’t really tell the island’s golden boy was now a pink poodle. 

The birthday girl, Sarah Cameron, skipped over to the group around you and thanked everyone for coming. She had her fingers linked with her new boo and party organizer, John B, as she hugged all her friends. 

You met her briefly after the big ‘surprise’ chant when she first arrived. When she referred to you as ‘JJ’s girl’ in front of everyone, you blushed and ignored her comment even though her and basically all the girls there were wondering the same thing. 

If only they knew. 

In your peripheral, you spotted your sabotage squad casually stroll into the beach and blend in with the pack of dancing kids. It was time to initiate Plan D. 

As the party progressed, you clung onto JJ side due to the fact that you hardly knew anyone there. You sat in his lap during a few drinking games and he even held you up while you did a keg stand. 

You were both dancing tipsy for a bit near the bonfire. His hands roamed your body while you pressed your ass to his crotch. You giggled when he bent over and kissed up your neck. 

“It’s getting kind of crowded now,” you mentioned at the growing swarm of people. Word probably got out about the party which definitely drew the hordes of tourists that were arriving by the dozen. JJ hummed against your skin. 

“We could get out of here for a bit,” you suggested, “Maybe go for a little dip in the water?” 

You felt his ears perk. He eyed you questioningly while you sauntered away from him and the throng of people, motioning for him to follow.

And he did. Just like a lost puppy. 

Both of you moved to a secluded section of the beach. The waves were calmer, and the music from the party muffled against the sound of the water crashing. 

“What is your cute little ass up to now,” JJ teased as you peeled off your top to set on a rock, revealing a sexy push-up black bikini. Again, one of Maia’s. 

“Come on! Let’s swim for a bit,” you coaxed, slipping out of your shorts. He grinned when you backed towards the water.

Here goes nothing. 

Sultrily, you undid the back string of your bathing suit and flung it onto the sand. JJ’s lips parted slightly. You swore his spirit left his body for a moment. 

You bit your lip. Still locking eye contact, you discarded your bottoms next. 

Twirling your nude body around, ass in full view, you cocked your head back at the awestruck teenage boy. “What? Cat’s got your tongue? Are you gonna come in or just stand there?” 

You’d never seen anyone undress at the speed JJ did, sans hat and everything. “Oh my God!” you squealed at the sight of him stepping out of the pink thong you gave him, “I can’t believe you wear those still!” 

He darted towards you and the ocean, the smile on his face stretched all the way to his sculpted cheek bones. “Hey, you like them and they make my ass look good. It’s a win-win for everyone!”

You also couldn’t help but notice his, uh, junk that was swinging while he ran with you. One peep at it and everything clicked in your head as to why women were obsessed with him. It was a very pleasing sight. 

Knees deep in the water, his hands drew up your sides. He ogled at your bare body, radiated by nothing but the moon, and you shifted a bit to make sure his back was fully facing the shore. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he rasped, resting his hands just atop the swell of your butt. “Fuck,” he purred, “C’mere.” 

Bending down, he crashed his lips onto yours, stroking up and down your backside. With one eye open, you peeked towards the rocks where two dark shadows hunched over and scurried away swiftly. 

Turning your attention back to the kiss, you briskly pulled away and splashed him before he could react. 

“Oh you wanna play huh?” he taunted and lunged at you while you playfully shrieked. 

You giggled as he picked you up, hand under your neck and knees, spinning you around a few times before dropping you at a slightly deeper end. You floated back up and splashed at him again with all your might. 

JJ swam towards you and wrapped your legs around his waist under the water, only your heads above the water at this point. “You’re so fun,” he gushed, kissing you again, a little more forcefully this time. 

You two stayed that way for a bit until you heard the kids from the party faintly singing ‘Happy Birthday’. 

“Fuck!” you shouted before scrambling out the water with JJ on your trail. You were able to pick up your bikini from the sand and pull it on. But once you got back to the rock, the only thing left was a single pink thong. 

“Where the fuck did our clothes go?!” JJ hollered, outraged. 

“Oh my God!” you joined, “Maybe some raccoons took them!” 

Not even bothering with your preposterous presumption, he held his hands up to his head in stress. “What the fuck am I gonna do? I have to go back through the party to even get to the car! And I have fucking pink hair!” 

“Uhh, maybe you could swim through the water past them? I could meet you on the other side with a towel.” 

“Okay okay! Just hurry!” he urged, hurrying back into the water in just the skimpy underwear. 

You jogged back to the party that died down by quite a bit. Only close friends remained. 

“Where’s JJ?” Pope asked as you surveyed the area, “He missed the whole cake. We were looking for a lighter for ages.” 

You merely shrugged. “Not sure, maybe he left for a bit?” 

Pope glanced around, confused until a voice- Sophia’s voice- shrieked from the sides. “Oh my gosh is that JJ?!”

A few gasps emitted from the crowd as Arabella and Annalise shone their flashlights at the bubblegum head perched on top of the water. 

“JJ what the fuck are you doing?!” John B yelled, “And why the fuck is your hair pink?!”

JJ looked as if he’d seen a ghost. He laughed sheepishly, “Yeah about that I-” 

Before he could finish, the tide pulled out to reveal the fuchsia g-string on his hips. John B face palmed himself and shielded Sarah’s eyes from the indecent scene. 

The party exploded in laughter, Pope and Kiara fell to their knees on the sand, joining the mass.

Middle fingers in the air, JJ dashed through the roaring flock and to the car. “Fuck you all! But happy birthday Sarah!” 

---------------------------------

note: hehehehhe. okay i had fun writing dis. pls msg me to be tagged!! 

chapter six

tags: @obxlife​​ @rudyypankow​​ @yeehaw87​​ @ilymarkchan​​ @jellyfishbeansontoast​​ @tangledinsparkles​​ @toloveortobeinlove​​ @pixelated-pogues​​ @normatural​​ @teamnick​​ @drizzlethatfalls​​ @hazelgirl355​ @wicked-laugh​ @jjmaybankswife​ @ponyboys-sunsets​ @5am-cigarette​ @everydayimfangirling​ @angvelics​ @poguecollins​ @xealia​ @floridabornandraised​ @girlsru1eboysdroo1​ @booksandshish​ @apoguecalledjj​ @bananasfromtarget​ @lulbabes @arthiriticcricket​ @lasnaro​ @aaleksmorozova​ @himarisolace​ @obxmxybxnk​ @lopineapples​ @x-lulu​ @danicarosaline​ @llvinlavidaloca​ @toofarawaytobreathe​ @llvinlavidaloca​ @danicarosaline​ @ilovejjmaybank​ @socialwriter​ @searchinfornarnia159​ @1-800-jjslut​ @jolomez​ @lopineapples​

[flowesona]

The Devil - Yandere! Taehyung x reader

The Tarot Series

Warning: Explicit / Sexual content, Alcohol use, Allusions to non-con

The drowning beat of the club, the flashing colourful lights, the indecent displays. All of it was doing (Y/N)’s head in, as she counted down the minutes until her shift was over. 

She wasn’t proud to be working in a strip club. But the pay was good, and she’d gotten used to seeing scantily clad people. Most of the time she kept her back turned anyway, and never had to interact with the patrons beyond serving a few drinks.

Once 3 AM struck, she was finally free to start closing the bar. Wiping down the surfaces, checking the fridge temperatures, mopping the floor. 

She didn’t even notice someone standing by, watching, until she turned to leave only to bump into his chest.

“Oh! I’m so sorry sir, I didn’t see you there.” (Y/N) spluttered, her face crimson. She was used to people lingering about, but this man was another level of stunning. Glossy black hair, golden skin and decked in high end brands to complete his luxurious appearance. 

“That’s fine… (Y/N).” He replied, leering at her name badge. “You’re clocking out for the night correct?”

“I’m sorry sir, I don’t think that’s any of your business. If you’re looking for a stripper to fuck, they’ll be in their dressing rooms.” She said, brushing past him. He tried to follow her, only to have the staff door slammed abruptly in his face. A sickening crack resounded, his nose now dribbling crimson blood and a fire lit within.

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

“(Y/N)? Can we talk?” As soon as she had hung up her coat in the staff room at the start of her shift, Jin was waiting for her, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Is something wrong?”

“No… well… come to my office, sweetheart. There’s some business we need to sort out.” He said with a grim expression. (Y/N) bit her tongue, wondering what she could possibly be in trouble for. She never took money from the register, or turned up late. What reason did Jin, a relatively pleasant person for the profession he was in, have to fire her?

That reason was sat in one of the leather chairs of the office, a bandage around his nose and dressed in a far too expensive jacket.

“(Y/N), this is Kim Taehyung. I’ve been told you slammed one of our doors in his face, and now his nose is severely injured as a result of this.” (Y/N)’s stomach dropped as she recognised him, realised just what she’d done. Rejecting a rich man then accidentally injuring him would be sure to have steep consequences. 

“He wanted to talk with you about compensation.” Jin gave her a gentle push towards the other chair, giving a light pat on the shoulder at the same time before leaving the room.

“(Y/N).” Hearing that deep voice again sent a shiver down her spine, as she was forced to make eye contact with the handsome patron.

“I’m really sorry about what I did! But please, I don’t have that much money, I could probably only cover half of your medical bill if it needs to get fixed.” She was ready to get on her knees and beg the man if necessary. He had all the power over her. To take her job away, to sue her for every penny she owned.

“That’s not what I’m asking for, love.” Taehyung breathed, beckoning for her to take the seat. She said as he indicated, resisting the urge to cry.

“(Y/N), when I approached you the other night, I was only going to ask if I could buy you a drink.” He looked earnest enough, resting his elbows on his knees. But (Y/N) could sense there was something different about him. He just reeked of greed, and she felt that he would suck her dry if given the chance.

“Sir, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to do that with a customer. I’m a bartender, not a hostess.” The words got lost in her throat. Taehyung blinked.

“I’m an old friend of Jin, he wouldn’t mind. Even so, I would like to take you to a different bar. One that I own.” His gaze was intense as he spoke. “Or, you could pay for the plastic surgery I’ve gotten on my nose to repair the damage you did. But I don’t suppose you’d be working here if you had five grand to spare, would you?”

‘Bastard.’

 No doubt, Kim Taehyung was a demon with the power to match. As (Y/N) dumbly nodded her head, letting him launch into arranging a time, she couldn’t help but wonder if she could do anything at all.

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

Taehyung’s bar was much more sophisticated than (Y/N)’s workplace, with dim orange lights and soft music from a band on the stage to create a sensual mood. Of course, there were still plenty of people getting way too close for comfort, and in a moment of delirium (Y/N) reached out to take Taehyung’s hand as he led her to a table near the back.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go to draw out a seat for her.

“What do you drink (Y/N)? Wine? A cocktail, perhaps?” 

“A margarita would be lovely, thank you.” She replied curtly. How she wished the night would be over, and for the time being as she could do to remedy her sorrows was drink something strong enough to get her buzzed. Taehyung nodded before striding away, although his presence lingered behind. The ambience of the bar screamed his name, as if it itself was trying to lure her in as he did, to hypnotise her into doing his will and make her pay if she did not.

Taehyung pulled one of the bar staff aside to give his order, asking them to double the tequila, before pushing past into the back room to find the heating and kicking it up a few notches.

As soon as their drinks were ready he picked them up and made his way back to (Y/N), only to see someone standing next to her. Some semi-decent looking man was trying to make conversation with her. Even if this man was clearly rich and charming, he didn’t have an inch of the leverage Taehyung possessed over (Y/N). Nor a fraction of the obsession that Taehyung had.

(Y/N) was so caught up in her conversation , she didn’t even notice his return until the beautifully garnished cocktail was placed in front of her.

“I hope that I haven't been gone too long that you had to seek another man’s company.” Taehyung glowered at the patron, silently telling him to scram. Forget the business, forget the reputation. (Y/N)’s company was not something he would let anyone else take from him.

(Y/N) flushed pink with embarrassment, at the notion that she was some attention seeking village bicycle. Meanwhile, Taehyung simply seated himself opposite her, a glass of whiskey in hand.

“Why… did you want to take me out for a drink so badly?” (Y/N) quiered cautiously, taking a sip of her margarita and noting the taste was stronger than anything she’d ever had before. 

“Well, I want to get to know you, (Y/N). You’re beautiful, and I am very interested in your company.” Taehyung replied smoothly, eyes trained on her. 

“So much so that you had to blackmail me into coming out with you?” (Y/N) quirked an eyebrow. The alcohol instantly relaxed her, perhaps too much. If she’d had time to think, she wouldn’t have dared question the man who would easily ruin her life.

“Touché. But you wanted to keep things professional, correct? Then this is just a business transaction.” 

It was one hell of a business meeting, that was for sure. Over several secretly doubled margaritas she learnt he’d known Jin for a number of years, right when he opened his first cabaret. He even admitted to having seen (Y/N) a few times, but only decided to approach her that night since he’d done a line and felt more powerful than any other person in the city.

“But why me? The hookers must be falling over each other to get a rich man like you?” (Y/N)’s words had an adorable slur to them, and she’d advanced to taking the seat next to him rather than opposite him. 

“I’ve never seen a woman more perfect for me. And I just know that you can’t resist me.” His hand reached across to stroke her thigh. Her skin felt like it was on fire, the only thing cooling her being the rings that adorned his fingers.

(YN) leaned into his touch. Whether it was the lighting, the alcohol or the interest he was showing in her, she saw him as the most attractive guy on earth.

“I think we’ve overstayed our welcome. If you’re interested, I’ve got plenty of drinks at my place. Or we can do something else.” At her cautious nod ho stood up, taking her hand in his impatiently. He’d been wearing her down all evening, and it was satisfying to see it work. There was less separating (Y/N) and her coworkers than she liked to think. 

In fact, it was hard to hold back from fucking her in the back of his car en route to his penthouse, as she was eager. But he had a way to make the payoff much sweeter than just a few minutes of pleasure.

“I’m going fuck you senseless, love.” Taehyung breathed as he pushed her down onto the bed. (Y/N) moaned at their contact, trying to grasp at his cool skin to comfort her own.

“Patience, love.” He chuckled as he removed his tie, before looping it around her wrists. (Y/N) was desperate, whining on the verge of begging for him to fuck her, but Taehyung wanted to keep her waiting, to taunt her as she had done to him by refusing him in the first place. But with the right mood and good looks, Taehyung had no trouble peeling off (Y/N)’s clothes, as he gave her a night she would never forget. Certainly, the hidden camera in his wall was his insurance to make sure she wouldn’t forget.

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

(Y/N) was terrified to return to work. To have her impulsive night of pleasure backfire as Taehyung would tell Jin about what happened without hesitation, and she would lose her job. All for that demon’s sadistic pleasure, she guessed. 

Taehyung was revelling in the glory of sleeping with (Y/N). Indeed, he’d been blowing up her phone for days on end after acquiring her number. How he’d obtained it was ambiguous, but what was clear was that he wasn’t prepared to let things go as easily as she’d hoped. 

But when she finally had to go back to work with no more sick days available, she found Taehyung’s plan to be of a different design than having her thrown to the streets.

Her first evening back at work wasn’t too bad to begin with. The club was packed with regulars, what with it being Friday night. (Y/N) didn’t have time to be scared of seeing Taehyung with the amount of people waiting to be served. 

Finally, as people drifted away from the bar, (Y/N) could breathe. But only for a second before it was snatched away. As (Y/N) poured herself a soda, so she could finally relax, she heard the sound of moaning coming from the speakers. At first she thought nothing of it, until she heard the corresponding male voice. 

“You’re a fucking whore for me, aren’t you (Y/N)?”

(Y/N)’s head perked up, her eyes darting towards the large television that usually played sensual music videos to go with the performances, or the occasional softcore porn to get people provoked. But, over the tops of the heads of people crowded around it, she could see the video that was playing. 

Her and Taehyung. Naked. Having sex.

“Is that…?” (Y/N) couldn’t bear to face any of the judgement, dashing out from the bar to the staff area. She tried to wipe away her tears, as she knocked on Jin’s door. 

The door was opened, and the devil was there himself. Kim Taehyung, looking more smug than before.

“Here’s the woman of the hour. Our video was quite a hit, love.”

“Let me talk to Jin.” (Y/N) hissed, her face red.

“Is he on your bucket list too?” Taehyung taunted. “Everyone here knows what a whore you are now, after all.”

“Leave me alone. This is all… you’re a monster, Kim Taehyung.”

“I know, love.” He purred, his hands circling her waist. “But who else do you have? I’ve dragged you down to my level, and here shall you stay.”

(Y/N) shivered as his teeth grazed the shell of her ear, his breath hot on her skin.

“Next time, don’t make a deal with the Devil, love, if you don’t want to get burned.”

[orlaogden]

The High Priestess The Hierophant The Hermit Death The Sun The World

And Asia wants to know so badlyyy The Star

Thank you for asking 💗🌷

That's going to be a long one, so I'm hiding the answers bc who cares, lol.

The High Priestess ▸ How do you improve your intuition?

It's a very good question, and not the easiest one! I wouldn't mind some tips too.

However, I can definetely say that intuition doesn't like overthinking, so calming the mind and meditating probably would be gread (I'm not good at this). Plus studying\reading tarot is great for that purpose too (and some following practices like the card of the day).

The Hierophant ▸ What’s something about your culture or tradition that you’re proud of?

*nervous laughter*

That's a tricky one considering current highly depressing situation. After some thought process I decided on the following:

Dacha culture. I bet nobody expected that one. Like every summer you go to your lil shabby house in the village, spend a lot of time in the nature, grow your own veggies, swim in the river... I fucking hated gardening when I was a kid but I've learnt to be proud of the result of hard work and learnt to respect mother earth. It's not at all cotagecore pretty, but quite beautiful in nature. Well, and nature itself is magnifisent. Those summer thunderstorms were thrilling. Gosh, I want my dacha back (we sold it).

P. S. Also dachas are great for surviving during crises.

And the second one. I've came to the conclusion that the thing tying me to my country the most is the language. Of course I can write/speak in broken English and learn other languages, but I'll never be as fluent and eloquent as in Russian. I just love my language. I love how I can express my thoughts on this language. I'm proud of it, its richness and literary history.

Thinking abt feelings sometimes easier in English.

Lets add something pompous, this question is begging for it.

As Turgenev put:

In days of doubt, in days of sad brooding­ on my country’s fate, thou alone art my ­rod and my staff — oh great, mighty, true­ and free Russian tongue! But for thee, h­ow not to fall into despair, seeing all t­hat happens at home? Yet who can think th­at such a language is not given to the grea­t people?

I wish it was more free btw.

Bonus:

Aaand I'm proud of Baba Yaga, I see she became quite popular here, he-he.

The Hermit ▸ Do you like being alone?

I prefer being alone in the company of myself to being alone in the "crowd" (if it makes sense). So, yes I do, and I love this card.

Death ▸ What experience has changed you for the better?

Experience of being tought by some really cool people. At least I think they were\are cool.

The Sun ▸ What makes you feel like a kid again?

Moments when I want to curl up in a ball and cry my heart out. #totaleclipseofthesun

Ice cream.

Playing Genshin.

The World ▸ What are your goals?

For the last 3 years all my major goals have been repitedly jeopardized by outer circumstances (as it was for many other people), so now I'm trying to be very cautious about any plans and goals.

But lets say: finish working on the reading diary for the philologists, find a good job, write a book.

Bonus question for dear Asia:

The Star ▸ How do you take care of yourself?

Learning Italian as a form of self-care:

Sometimes it gets too philosophical (and not so therapeutic):

3 my main therapists: music, fanfiction and tarot (actually I have 2 decks :Р). Besides that, it's always nice to go for a walk, drink tea, read\watch something good, do exercises for the eyes (I wish I did it more often), write to give an outlet for piled up emotions.

[sungoingdown]

THE FOOL :   A LOOK AT HIS EMOTIONS .

When writing the song, Paul McCartney said that he happened upon the idea via seeing an old man on a walk up a tall hill with his dog, Martha. This old man was quite nice, but kept pestering Paul with life advice that he didn’t quite want nor accept at the time. He kept trying to push the man away and when he finally did, he felt some guilt. He wanted to look back to him to apologize for his anger, and tell him goodbye. But by that point, the wise old man had somehow vanished from the hill entirely.

It’s both this story and the music videos from Paul’s trip to France that I take his personality from. Those and the song of course! And what beautiful stories they are.

Let’s take a deeper look on what it means to be the fool and who he is.

Paul expressed that he wanted the music video to be based off the Tarot card of “The Fool.” I know my way around the tarot, and most of the time, the card means two things, depending on which way it fell out of the deck: manifestations, and carelessness.

When right-side up, the card indicates that you have the power to do whatever you want. You should be foolish because you have what it takes to get what you want. Usually people will see this card when they’re going through tough times and need a better outcome. They’re typically "lost,” too, and are just unaware of what to do. Upon seeing The Fool upright, it means that they have the power to get out of this situation they’re in by working towards whatever they wish to achieve.

This demonstrates the fool rather well, as seeing him means that your life is in a terrible rut. I’ve compared fool’s character more to the tower card, as seeing him is a double-edged sword like the tower is. But make no mistake, his personality surely fits the meanings of the fool as a card. Albeit his presence means that you have the power to be in a positive atmosphere. You just have to work for it, as the card indicates as well. He’s just there to help you get back to your feet, and in doing so, showing you what it means to have life behind your back. Living life to its fullest is getting up and doing what you can to succeed. Self-care is just a step of the way to that, which is what the fool wants to do to help you on your feet.

When flipped however, The Fool means that you’ve been acting careless. This is another perfect example of the fool’s character. He does want to help you, and he does care about you and getting you back to your feet, but he doesn’t quite care what you’re going through at the point in time. It doesn’t matter if it was only yesterday that you lost your whole family. He’ll still show up and be as happy, quirky, and obnoxious as ever! How careless. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the middle of the most important test of your life. He will enter the room and shout your name until you look at him, as he prods you outside to the halls.

People typically see The Fool flipped when they’re swallowing themselves in material things, addictions, or throwing morale out left and right. You’ll usually never see this card alone, as when flipped it’s typically connected to another card. As you can be careless, but you have to do something carelessly.

It’s this careless attitude that pushes people away from him.

“ And nobody seems to like him / They can tell what he wants to do / And he never shows his feelings “

The Fool enjoys bringing manifestations into people’s lives in an extremely careless way. In doing so, he comes in at people’s worst times, usually during mental breakdowns, stressful situations, important life decisions or moments, just to remind them that they are important, they have power, and that they can make their lives happy. In return, people typically get irritated as “life” makes them upset. “Life is shit,” they’ll say, as they presume that he’s shoving happy advice down their throats. They aren’t wrong, but they push him away and make him feel ridiculous for it.

Realistically, anyone could enjoy his presence. In general, people know that those who take life as is and refuse to stress have happier, longer lives. But it is the sheer fact that he’s such a “fool,” that makes him so different. The fact that he shows up as an inconvenience is what makes it so much more annoying, irritating, and difficult. But that’s his whole motif. The fool is the foolish one, for he’s digging the garden in your head and giving you the water for the flowers that grow years later.

His whole symbol is to remain as a memory in your mind. A shadow that disappears when you look back.

“ He never listens to them / He knows that they're the fool ”

Those freshly tilled never really see the seeds he plants. And as such, the fool understands that shoving a hoe into someone’s morale would cause issues. So, despite all the rage and annoyance, he never takes what they say as truth. They’re just tired, they’re just exhausted, and begging for a change. After all, he’s seen people change from evil bastards to nurturing mothers. Love is what they need, and their attitudes are foolish because they think they know, they really do, when they truly have no idea.

But still, it hurts. 

As stated before in a lyric, the fool never shows his feelings. Humans and mortals are known for coming with knives, sharp tongues, and deep claws. Their eyes are their logic after all, and as such, they react with malice whenever their worlds or environments are changed, bothered, or met with onslaught. Though it’s started to lose the harsh touch, the scar stings every time it’s lashed.

The name especially. 

He doesn’t like being called it in the slightest. It’s almost retaliation, in my eyes. He isn’t the fool, they’re the fool for refusing to listen! For refusing to understand!

And it makes him so irritated. Some people just don’t understand change. They don’t understand the light he’s trying to share. Capricious almost, the fool’s emotions can shift depending on how stubborn his current mortal at hand may be. Energies are known to change on a dime, especially when the world around them changes. They are easily influenced by the emotions of man and supernatural -- and thusly, the fool reacts as such.

But, he’ll never show that. If one is empathetically inclined, or perhaps can read energies, they would be able to tell his emotions and shifting emotions extremely easily, but most don’t and as such, most will never know what he’s really thinking. After all, he was made by the universe to help people. And when assistance is needed, you toss everything to the wind, including yourself. The Fool hasn’t shared what he’s felt for hundreds upon hundreds of years; he’s never had anyone to do that with. But he doesn’t believe he needs to. And if given the chance, he’d be frozen and horrified.

The other is who is important. His emotions mean nothing to him. He can easily cast them aside, as he’s done so time and time again. And usually within a few decades when the mortal finally learns their lesson and the memories of him are brought back again, he gets his benevolent karma and feels a warm energy engulf him. That fulfills those emotions -- makes them all worth it. Yet they’re still there, and still festering. This is perhaps the one thing he prefers of the supernatural: they never saw him as a foolish energy. They saw him as necessary.

“ But the fool on the hill / Sees the sun going down / And the eyes in his head / See the world spinning round ”

Though I use the chorus as a means to describe his primordial immortality, it’s also a huge part of his character as well. Despite how pained he feels, and how the sting still burns, he always uses his own grounding techniques as a go to. It doesn’t do much and partly, The Fool’s in denial about his need for release. After all, his release comes from watching the sun, from reading people’s successes and listening to their celebrations. The passion of others is a huge joy to him, and it helps him relieve all that stress. But it’s all just temporary.

Skipping around the hills, resting under trees, dancing on rocks, watching the trees rustle -- it’s all good fun and it makes him feel great! But it never takes things away completely. And it never will, as he can never die.

Interestingly though, there is still one thing: seeing people makes him excited.

“ Day after day, alone on a hill / The man with the foolish grin “

Another reason I see him as a primordial being: he is horrendously lonely. So, seeing someone brings him great joy. It’s time to make another friend! To socialize and make someone happy, excited, and better! And if they don’t need him, it’s just a great time to relax and spice life up a bit!

Keep in mind how the fool, when alone, is hardly ever seen with excitement:

Before he notices you:

After he notices you:

Notice the smallest difference in the eyes and the smile? Yeah. He’s excited to see you.

But then notice how, when alone, he never has the brightest look on his face:

Frowning here, despite watching the sunrise. Lost in the bliss of life, but still a desolate look on his face? Definitely sounds like denial to me.

Watching the sun but still no smile? Hmm.

Seems that the fool enjoys the presence of others, no matter how much they irritate him if they don’t listen to him. Why? 

Because he wasn’t meant for mortality; the physical body wasn’t supposed to intermingle with energy, but he still feels like he belongs here. So, the fool will continue to live in denial of himself. He believes that what he teaches others can genuinely help him. 

But he really needs is a friend. But that too, is quite hard to find, as mortals must always die.

[alpaca-writes]

Mystics Chapter 2.

When Arch becomes hired on at Mystics by strange shopkeeper Lyrem, everything seems to be going well- almost too well. In fact, Arch's life nearly becomes perfection. Soon enough however, Arch realizes that perhaps not everything is as great as it seems....

Directory: [chapter one]

CW: bullying, deadname use (though never revealed), memory problems

-----

CHAPTER TWO: THE OLD WORLD

Earlier that day,

Their name rang down like an emergency alarm bell in their ears, breaking them from a state full of dreams that they wouldn’t remember by the time their feet had touched the floor. Despite the name not belonging to them any longer, Arch would still be forced to hear it until they could find their own place, their own life, their own bed -without their mother screaming down to them both figuratively and literally.

There it was, the damned name again, screaming down from the top of the stairs, and then the tired list of consequences for being lazy came down with it. You'll be late for the bus, you'll be failing class, you'll be working at McDonalds- which wasn’t fair- Arch knew of several kids in their grade making decent money through working at the one on the corner of twenty-sixth avenue and Carmichael Drive.

“Up! I’m up”-

“You have ten minutes, little lady!”

Arch shook off the comment as they found the shirt that they had worn the day previous laying on the carpet by their dresser. They tugged it on, and added some pants to perfect the outfit. Ruffling short bangs and tufting out the sides more evenly, Arch began to look almost like they had a full night of sleep. They hadn’t. Not with the carelessly loud insomniac who lived above them. Not with the dread of existence in this world to keep them up at night either.

Their mother was never a friendly stranger when it came to change, and after a year of begging her to stop buying dresses and skirts for them, their relationship came to an impasse. It was only a month ago that Arch was accused of heinous things like “being ungrateful for the body their Lord gave them”, and acting treacherously like a boy. At that point, Arch locked themselves in the bathroom with a pair of scissors, and didn't emerge until they had chopped their dark hair off just above the ears- leaving their mother crying on the main floor's hallway and praying to the Virgin Mary to save her daughter from the devil's grip.

Arch gave up going to mass after that too.

The truth was, that Arch was never once ashamed of their body or the way it was made- but they did have a keen sense on how they wanted to act, and apparently, it was too masculine for their mother’s comfort level. They weren’t created to be a boy or a girl, but maybe something slightly in between. The parts of their body didn’t matter nearly as much as who they defined themselves as- and as it was contemplated endlessly during sleepless nights, it was decided, by them and them alone that they were Arch.

In the morning rush up the stairs, Arch nearly stepped on the cat, instead of over it. Maleficent decided the near miss was an invitation to play, and dug her pin sharp claws into the denim at the top of their ankle. Arch kicked her off, unceremoniously and pulled their backpack over one shoulder. They were moving too fast to care whether the little beast had drawn blood this time. Skipping breakfast and any goodbyes, Arch was out the door just in time to watch their bus pass them across the street with the students inside, making obscene gestures with their fingers and tongues at them as it drove away.

Arch should have stayed in bed.

“Shit.” They sighed, taking the opportunity to walk through downtown. At the very least they could start looking for a job, a way out of the hellhole their mother called a home. And by the time they graduated, they would be out. They would be free. They would find this job, even if it took all freaking day.

Presently,

“That’s not what it says on your email or on your resume,” Lyrem noted casually, making a quick scrawl in the margins. “I’ll make certain that your name is respected here, but for governmental and tax purposes, I can’t use Arch until you’ve changed it properly.”

“That’s fine,” They responded. “I thought my chances on getting hired might have been better if I used my real name.”

Lyrem regarded them carefully over the cash desk.

“Arch is your real name. I’ll be looking forward to the day that it is recognized as such,” he advised sagely, “besides, it’s not like I haven’t changed mine a hundred times over. I know it can be a pain.”

Arch looked at them skeptically and stepped back.

“Dude, come on, are you fleeing the IRS? Involved with human trafficking”- Arch shook their head.

Lyrem couldn’t have been younger than fifty years of age, and it was very rare to find a man of that time so accepting of these modern values. He briefly glanced up from the generally unimpressive resume and smiled, almost robotically.

“I was only joking.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Arch inquired, “Your shop has been on this street for as long as I can remember; why do you need someone now? Why did the last part-timer leave?”

Lyrem placed the paper down. It was a fair question, reasonable for anyone to ask if they were being hired on so soon.

“I ran this shop with my wife for many years,” he answered honestly. “But… she is gone now…”

Arch raised their eyebrows, a look of sympathy crossing over their face until Lyrem finished their sentence.

“- Drained my savings account without my knowledge and ran off to Cuba with some ugly bastard named Phillip.”

Oh.

“I just hope she can still find happiness.” Lyrem finished, trailing off.

Oh.

“Sorry I asked.”

Lyrem shrugged.

“You’d have found out eventually, I’m sure. I may rant to you from time to time, I hope that is not an issue.”

“No, never. I love a good rant.” Arch grinned slightly sideways.

“Dress code: simply look presentable, is all I ask- don’t smell like patchouli, I suppose, is another thing, and you can play music in the store as long as it’s tasteful. There’s a record player in the corner.”

Arch had gazed around, there was indeed, a record player in the corner, but an old one- one they had assumed was merely for display use only. The entire shop was set up like something out of a seventies television series. The shag rug in the corner held a couple deep orange velour wingback chairs with the record player nestled between them by the window. Did people just sit in here to hang out?

The hanging chandelier over the desk was stained with a foggy yellow glass, and the shelves of tarot decks and mystical books were perfectly arranged alphabetically by subject, then by author. Lyrem continued as Arch took in the layout of the store.

“There is some Holst, Tchaikovsky, John Denver, Earth, Wind, and Fire and even some Segovia”-

“Mm. What’s Segovia?” Arch asked, turning back to him.

Lyrem’s face fell into utter disappointment. “You heard it yesterday, at the coffee shop.”

Arch didn’t expect such an offended response but then their face twisted in confusion.

“The coffee place was playing City and Colour,” Arch responded, recounting their chance meeting with total clarity. “Everyone knows City and Colour.”

Lyrem suddenly looked quite shaky. Arch moved around the side of the counter as he paled. Unsure what to do, they helped Lyrem into the stool in nestled behind the register in the corner.

“Do you need some water or something? Medication?”

“No!” Lyrem stood upright, pushing Arch away as they crowded him. “No, I’m fine!”

With a raised eyebrow, Arch backed off, suddenly rethinking the opportunity here.

“Apologies, Arch.” Lyrem grounded himself. “I didn’t mean to get so worked up over that.”

Arch looked at him sideways, and changed the subject-

“It happens… Teach me how to use the till?”

Lyrem nodded, attempting to brush off the odd discovery as simply an accident of the aging mind.

The evening shift progressed without further flaw, and after a tour of the store and several small sales later, Arch was taught to close out the till, and to close the store. It was shortly after eight when they both stood outside, and Lyrem handed over a set of silver keys to them.

“There you are. Now, I will put together a proper schedule that will fit around your school hours and have it to you tomorrow when you come in.”

Arch nodded. “Four o’clock?”

“Precisely.”

Arch turned to the left, heading home to the condo toward the southeast. They turned, a thank you, was on the verge of leaving their lips when they realized that Lyrem had left already, and was no where to be seen. The sun was just dipping below the horizon as Arch returned to the street, assuming their employer turned down the alley already to retrieve their vehicle. Arch walked the way home with contented steps, feeling proud- unstoppable, even.

[19mrs-barnes17]

Alike

Summary: You are a witch, but the Winchester don’t know just yet.

Part: 1/1

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: angst-ish

Word count: 2,452

A/N: Just a lil something I wrote because I had time. Enjoy!

~

“Do you know what time it is?” The dark sky barely lit with a splattering of stars was hardly any help in illuminating your brand new stalker friend. The figure was a man but you knew better than that, he was more than a man and you had a feeling he was more than a stranger. He had been following for at least 3 blocks, through alleyways and across streets. You glanced at your phone and paused, glaring the man down with a rather tired expression. “It’s three in the morning. So if you’re going to attack you better hop to it.”

The figure freezes in place, almost as if they aren’t believing what they see and are waiting for the illusion to fade. However, the longer you stood tapping your boot on the pavement the more keen he seemed in resuming his previous activity. The moment he started to gain speed his hand extended, face momentarily illuminating beneath a streetlight. Your heart dropped into your stomach. 

“Damian?” He sped up a little but not enough to make a difference, he was nearly upon you when the shot rang out. It’s echo hauntingly familiar to your ears. You had feared the sound throughout your childhood, always waiting for the day they came for you. The racing of your heart and the dropping of his body stunned you into silence, eyes staring in shock. It didn’t surprise you to see it, but it did surprise you that it was your ex who had bitten the bullet. He was a pompous ass, but still… Something about seeing someone you used to care about drop dead messes with your mind. Especially when you were terrified you were next.

“Hey, you alright?” Through all the chaos inside your skull you hadn’t paid much attention to the man standing beside you, hand reaching out gingerly. Your eyes met a pair that held a mixture of color swimming in an ocean of green. They seemed to change depending on how he stood and the way the lighting hit, it was a tad distracting. He wasn’t aiming his gun at you but you still didn’t trust yourself to speak just yet, only allowing a single nod. 

“Well he’s down, she okay over there Sammy?” While the man next to you had ever changing glimmers in his green eyes, you were fairly certain you preferred this man’s. An indescribable deep green, one that surpassed a forest and the typical candy apple green, they were one of a kind. And he seemed to know it, his smirk appearing as he studied your gaze.

“She has a voice and a mind of her own.” He held up his hands and apologized before extending a hand and introducing himself. Dean Winchester. He called the man next to you Sammy… Oh, you were majorly fucked if they even began to suspect you for a minute. The Winchesters? Damn you Damian! You were a shit boyfriend and you’re shit at hiding from hunters. Now you’re terrible taste in men was coming to bite you in the ass. Real fantastic. He’s at least dead, you however still have to deal with the hunters before you.

“You got a name?” You eyed him with a flicker of curiosity running through your veins, debating if the truth would kill you. A shrug and an introduction later it turned out it didn’t. They hadn’t recognized your family name, so they weren’t familiar with the witch families. That was good.

“Well, um, thanks I guess? Asshole cheated and blamed me, and the whole time he was a…?” You trialed off feigning ignorance, if you were going to get out of this alive you needed a cover quick. Since you were hardly shaken up, the sight of something you had dealt with all your life, a hunter seemed the best one. 

“Witch. You a hunter?” And so you played along, answering their every question and thanking the stars that you hadn’t brought anything but your Tarot deck with you. Why do you have it? If anything you could tell them the truth, you grew interested in Tarot and its guiding capability when you were young. Why had they never met you or heard about you? You kept a low profile and typically worked alone. What got you in? You sort of grew up with the supernatural as a part of your life. None of it was a lie, but it wasn’t a direct answer either.

Thus began how your lie wove itself into a truth, how you had begun to hunt and especially with the two boys. Never would you admit to your family what you were up to, but they were either in a different country or dead so you didn’t exactly have anyone checking up on you. Your life was fairly like a solo adventure, off in the world by yourself. In any case, you never dealt with witch cases. If they recognized you it was game over. The little family you had would ostracize you, even if you were killing witches who were murderers. Your family didn’t interfere in the lives of innocent people, they stuck with their own kind and were peaceful. But that did not mean that they were fond of hunters, or that they would accept that you had become one. None of them would understand, they would say you chose the side of the enemy. That you chose the people who killed your parents, almost you and your older brother as well. 

You knew it was reckless mingling with hunters, especially the Winchester brothers who were infamous in the witch community. Hunters tended to shoot first and ask questions later, even the boys would do so. It didn’t matter how close you were to them, how much you cared nor how much they did. As soon as the veil was removed you feared they would not hesitate to drop you and put a bullet in your skull. So you kept it inside, hid it deep away and never even gave a reason to doubt. When you moved into the bunker you moved your ingredients and charms, all your witchcraft items so to speak, into a storage unit. You had taken a day to pack but in reality it only took an hour or so to get all your necessities together, the rest was spent hiding your true self away behind a steel door and a combination lock. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Dean sat on your bed holding your journal, fingers running across the pages solemnly and your mind immediately prepared for you to make a run for it. Fear crept into your heart, the aching of the betrayal on his face too much to handle. Your petrified eyes finally looked him in the eye and his gaze softened a little. The truth never should have made it onto those pages, but you had thought they respected your privacy enough to never look. It should have been under lock and key. “Why did you lie? Why keep up this charade?”

“None of it was a charade. I never actually said I was a hunter, just answered your questions vaguely enough with the truth so you wouldn’t kill me. What was I supposed to do Dean? Tell you I was a witch and watch as you shoot me? Feel the life drain from my body just as it did from my mother? From my father? Half my family has been slaughtered by hunters so please forgive me for not wanting to join them.”  

“You’re a witch. They were witches. Hunters find witches when they make themselves known, usually by killing someone. So I’m sure-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence because they almost killed a 7 year old girl that night. Her brother was only 10 years old and yet they seemed perfectly keen on murdering them in their beds where they slept soundly, still in the belief that their parents were alive. My family doesn’t interact with the outside world apart from normal things like grocery shopping. My mom had a gardening club for fuck’s sake. The only people they had a problem with were hunters who would shoot first, leaving their children parentless. But their solution was peace.”

“I-”

“You have a right to be pissed at me for not telling you something important about me. It could attract trouble, but you have no right to go after my family as if yours is a picture perfect example. You don’t know if you’ve orphaned children, so don’t come to the difference of a pair of murderers. I’ll pack my things if you’ll give me the chance of a head start.” Off you went to pack your life away again, a lump in your throat and a tightening in your chest.

"I thought…" Dean cleared his throat as he watched you stuff the duffle bag you had found. “I thought that you were one of us.”

Your body froze, the clothing in your hands dropping into the bag as a sigh passed through you. When you regained control you tilted your head to look at the man in the doorway, the one that it hurt the most to disappoint. The one you had grown closest to, despite all your common traits with Sam. You were infatuated with Dean Winchester but that was always a distant dream, but it hurt nonetheless to see it crumble. 

“I know it's the cliché sentence to say but I am still me, I swear I am. The only difference is now I can be more detailed when I talk about my family. What’s left of them anyway…” His gaze softened, he knew too well the feeling. “So I know witchcraft, there it is. It’s not something I chose just like hunting wasn’t something you chose. We’re more alike than you may realize, but I get it. You’re the hunter and I’m the monster. At least... give me a head start.”

His brow knitted, almost like he forgot that this meant he had to hunt you. Dean took a few steps forward until he was at the base of your bed and took a seat. He sighed softly before grabbing the bag and dumping it back onto the bed, the action left you stunned and utterly baffled. 

“I won’t do it.” You arched a brow as he grabbed the bag and tossed it out the door in one fell swoop. The action begged the question of why, and he simply gazed into your eyes fervently.

“Do what? Give me a head start?” He shook his head but before you could protest he began to fold your clothing and set it back in drawers, the wrong ones but that wasn’t important. “What are you doing?” He simply gestured for you to give him a minute, so there you stood watching as he put all your things back where they belonged. Or close enough anyway. 

“I should be livid. You kept something huge from us, how were we to know you weren’t evil if you were keeping secrets. I know we unknowingly guided your fib but you could have clarified before moving in here. And yet…” He turned to you with his hands held out, you were too wary to hold them, scared he was tricking you. Dean gently grabbed your hands in his, thumb caressing the back of your hand. “Hell, I don’t know if I could ever bring myself to kill you. Even if you did turn on us.”

“I would never. You two are the closest I’ve come to family in a long time.” Dean smiles softly, pain lingering in his eyes. “I never meant to get into this mess. Honestly, I thought I’d die before I turned 18 and when I met you two I was terrified that long held fear would come true. I never expected to care about either of you.”

There was a long pause of silence, you tried to decipher his meaning behind keeping you in the bunker and he seemed to be searching for the answer as well. Dean’s gaze stayed on yours, neither of you moving until it became too much for you to stare into those eyes. A question was eating away at you and you couldn’t help but ask it.

“Why let me stay, why not let some hunter stumble upon me and take care of the problem for you?” Dean visibly tensed, his eyes darkening a bit at the idea.

“Because I love you, damn it.” Your jaw dropped, brows raised as shock overtook your expression. “I know I’m supposed to want to kill you, but instead I want to protect you. I would fight another hunter to keep you safe and that goes against everything my dad taught me. Hell it goes against everything I know. But I’d rather have you in my life than risk losing you so I can keep to my principles.”

“Even though I’m…” He nodded, a hand caressing your cheek. “You know you sound like Mr. Darcy right now.”

“What now?”

“Against your better judgement you care. It’s very Pride & Prejudice.” Dean’s expression was perplexed to say the least.

“Is… that a good thing?”

“For the scene? No, it was rather offensive. But I know what you meant.” You took a step back and looked him dead in the eye, losing your jesting mood. “Are you sure? My family has no idea I hunt, and I have no issue with that but you won’t be able to keep this a secret from other hunters forever.” 

“Screw whoever says we can’t be the exception.”

“If we can change our minds maybe over time some others might see things differently. I used to think hunters were all just murderers and you thought the same of witches.” Dean nodded in agreement, it was true, both of you had despised one another’s people. 

“And yet, I don’t want to think what I’d be like without you. My life is infinitely better when you are in it, witch or not.” 

“If someone had told me I would end up with a hunter one day, I probably would have called them crazy. You aren’t what I expected a hunter to be like, you’re much more... compassionate.” He has a dopey grin on his face as he holds you close in his arms. “Don’t let that go to your head Winchester.”

“I’ll try not to.” Dean swept you into his arms, carrying you over to your bed before placing you down.

“So that’s why you folded my laundry. Very sneaky Winchester.” He smirked before leaning into a kiss, hands beginning to roam.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

~

Tags: @qtmeryr​ @broken-hearted-barnes​ @asphalt-cocktail​ @gstran18​ @cantnkrusshedevil​

[lihikainanea]

Vibe of the Week 30/08

Full moon this week kids, on the 2nd. Harvest Moon, so one full of abundance and of reaping the benefits of our labours for the past few months.

Last week we talked about fighting smarter, about finding new ways. Last week we had a lot of the universe on our side, and I interpreted it as like...that’s such a plus for us, man. We have power with all those Majors on our side.

Let me be the first to say that I think it was actually probably the universe fortifying our resilience, because I don’t know about any of you, but I got pummelled last week. Got the absolute shit kicked out of me. By the time Friday rolled around I was defeated, crawling on all fours, begging for mercy.

In any case, the Oracle this week is the Nocturna one and the Tarot is the Anima Mundi deck, both by Megan Wyreweden.

The Oracle card of the week is Lavender.

The affirmation: Rest is as important as the fight.  We cannot live in a state of being constantly ready for battle, we need rest, we need to clam our minds in order to be stronger.

Words to meditate on: Rest, calm, serenity, peace of mind.

Oh, cool. So the universe kicked our asses last week, and this week it’s all relaaaaaaaaax bro :-)))))). Jesus. Alright, let’s see what the actual Tarot has, but the overall energy of the Oracle seems to denote that we know we need to rest. But that we feel guilty for doing so--because it’s about the hustle, you know? It’s always about the hustle. Keep moving forward, adapt or die, fight or die. This reminds us that going full throttle on everything ends in only one way: burnt out, and nowhere near our goal, and consequently sidelined for a much longer period.

So basically, the universe took us for all 10 rounds last week and wouldn’t let us tap out, but now--the kind soul it is--it’s handing us an ice pack.

Gee, thanks.

The spread:

1) Two of Wands

2) Seven of Cups

3) Knight of Pentacles (reversed)

4) Page of Wands

5) Seven of Pentacles

Overarching energy: King of Pentacles

Ah, the warning of the Oracle presenting itself in the spread. Interesting. Basically, kids--we’re teetering on a fucking total burnout. Anybody been feeling that way lately? Yeah well, it’s not just in your head. You’re gunnin’er full throttle and you’re not stopping, and you need to stop.

The overarching energy of the King of Pentacles reminds us that stability is key here, building a solid foundation, and that the end is near--so now is not the time to go all fucking apeshit about anything. Steady pace, you’re on the verge of completing whatever incredibly taxing task you have on hand, and if you stay reasonable about it then it will bing balance, financial stability. The King of Pentacles--he’s the sugar daddy, you know? He’s rich and he’s stable. A source of clam, a source of confidence. He’s BFF!Bill in tarot card form. This energy is within our grasp, and we need to embody it in order to launch ourselves over this last little hill before we can relax.

There’s...there’s movement in this spread. We have two Wands cards, and the two here is picking us up by our bootstraps. Maybe a spark of an idea hit you lately, and you’re not sure if it’s the right path. It seems like a lot of work. We’re tired. People are tired. We don’t know if we’ll be met with ridicule and heartache if we pursue this.The Two of Wands can represent a choice--and usually, a good one--but the two following cards are giving me pause.

Now is not the time. This idea sparking you, this thing that is nagging at you to get going--keep that passion, but this thing has to wait. Now is not the time.

The Seven of Cups is the indecisive motherfucker that we all have in our lives. For most people, I am that indecisive motherfucker that they have in their lives. I will spend all week talking about one specific dish at a restaurant that I have a craving for, a dish that I NEED, I will rope people in to coming with me--and then I will totally order something else. I’m that asshole.

Look, the Seven of Cups is like...you’re on acid, man, and there are just so many bright lights in front of you. There’s a lot of excitement, but you can’t narrow down the focus on anything. And this new thing or this new idea that has you excited--it’s real, yes it’s real, but it’s just a little stronger right now and you’re giving it a little more credit than it should get because you’re...bored. I’m sorry. I know this sounds harsh. But you’re bored in the way that the entire human population is bored right now--we are restless. We are stuck in the same cycle. The Knight of Pentacles is a card of meticulousness, steadfastness--in reverse it is mildly chaotic, it is restlessness, it is feeling stuck in that routine. And when you’re stuck in a routine, you tend to want to throw yourself at whatever spark you see because it’s EXCITING. What you feel is real, and maybe this is indeed for you--but with your heart kind of a mess, and coming from a place of boredom or despair, this is not the right way to go about it.

The Page of Wands tells us to wait--we know how to feel passion, how to feel truly excited about something--and that’s coming. It’s on its way. The Page of Wands is the ever-eager student, the one bristling with curiosity and unbridled enthusiasm--wait until you start to embody this energy, this true curiosity--and then you can pursue. The Seven of Pentacles reiterates this thought--slow growth, patience, investment. Perseverance.

Slow and steady wins the race. Reel your heart and your mind in, and wait. Now is time to rest. Hold onto the spark that you feel, but wait until you’re in a better mindset to grab it by the balls and call it daddy. It will still be there when you are ready, but in a form that is MUCH easier for you to receive.

Not everything that appears in front of us is ours. Sometimes we need to let it pass us by, we need to grow and evolve and cultivate our own spirit and will, and then when we open our eyes--what is truly meant for us will be there, ready to be seized.

TL;DR: calm the fuck down, now is not the time to do the thing. Just fuckING RELAX. 

[la-bruja-de-la-literatura]

Confessions of a Budget Witch

Originally posted by me, in the "Witches & Pagans" Amino.

Let's get this out of the way right now: Being a witch on a tight budget sucks.

Being on a tight budget in general sucks, but this entry is focusing on witches on budgets, and the shadowy, consumerist side of witchcraft and paganism circles. So hold on to your brooms, brujxs, this is going to be a log post.

The Aesthetic/ Instagram Witch

Before anybody throws stones, I have an Instagram account (with this same name). I'm not against the witch aesthetic.

In fact, I think it's great that so many people are passionate enough about art to create these wonderful images. I adore those photos with rose quartz crystal balls and points next to delicate himalayan salt lamps and towering pastel pink candles, and the magnificent bundles of dried roses and lavendar.

Would I want all of those? Goddess, no. Cleaning up all the pouring wax alone would drive me insane, and thinking of all the vacuuming involved with all the dried herbs littering the floor makes me want to take a nap.

And yet, when I close my eyes, I think of some of those images of tall candles littering an altar, of a big crystal ball and tall crystal points. I think of creating big, elaborate crystal grids. I think of a nice stone mortal and pestle I've been wanting to buy for years.

Reality, however, has to hit sometime, and for me it's always when I check my bank account and remember that I barely pay rent with my current salary on most months. I constantly need help with groceries, medical and cellphone expenses. It's gotten better, but I still am not completely financially independent.

That said, I'm fortunate enough to still have some money to buy the things I enjoy, mostly crystals, candles and readings these days. I desperately want to support other witches/spiritual healers, so I carefully look over my finances and put aside some cash for them.

Does this mean I am any less frustrated? No.

In fact, a lot of my anger bubbles up when I read a new spell or witch book with a list of ingredients, always with the note saying like "you can always substitute ingredients, but it won't have the same effect". Which begs the question of why I bother looking up spells in the first place when I usually only have kitchen herbs and my 10-15 crystals (which is quite a lot of pretty rocks as it is). I feel like all these resources ask for the few things I do not have.

Now, I won't say that all sources are like this.

Websites and YouTube channels on minimalistic witchcraft are mostly free, and books like "Light Magic for Dark Times" by Lisa Marie Basille and "Holistic Energy Magic" by Tess Whitehurst, for example, have little to no need to buy a list if ingredients. However, these tend to be the minority in the witchcraft community.

Is that the budget witches fault? Absolutely not. We all have bills to pay and real-world responsibilities. The fact that we still fit this stuff into our lives just shows how much the Craft means to us. Which beings me to my next point...

Finding Affordable and Functional Tools

Western Witchcraft tends to rely heavily on materials and tools to gain results. While many witches guarentee that you "only need yourself" to do magick, the reality is that magick without tools is incredibly difficult and almost impossible for baby witches.

The good news is that stores (in the US, at least) like Five Below and Dollar General are selling some basic stuff like candles, essential oils, crystals and incense at low prices. That said, aside from the candles, glass jars, wooden boxes and incense holders, many of those tools are low-quality. Most of the essential oils I've found at these stores, for example, are perfumed and not real plant-based oils. Tarot decks from places like Wish are usually cheap bootleg imitations that are also low-quality (and also don't support the creators). Another disadvantage is that we aren't supporting the metaphysical community when you buy from these places, which is something I find frustrating. Lastly, I've also noticed that cheap crystals are not not mined ethically, and that is another thing that I personally try to avoid buying cheap if I can.

Now, some common stores, such as pharmacies and grocery stores, are still quite useful to the budget witch. Pharmacies tend to have plant-based and cruelty-free essential oils and diffusers for good prices. Just make sure to research what can harm pets if you have them. Tea tree oil is very toxic to dogs, for example, but lavendar is not. However, lavendar is harmful to cats. Make sure to know what you're using if your pets are around you. Grocery stores are also great places to get cheap dried herbs.

Law of Attraction and The Root Chakra

If you've been reading my post, you'll have noticed that I do not like the Law of Attraction. So we are all clear, I am not against having goals, or following your dreams or passions. I am against the way this system makes the practitioner feel responsible for factors out of their control. (There is a Tumblr post that also explains how the ideology of LOA falls withing the B.I.T.E. model, which is used to identify cult ideology. I'll link it here soon).

I have also become incredibly wary of using chakras, as the popularized system that most witches use today were made-up by a white author.

What bothers me more than any of the aforementioned things is when other practitioners state that those of us in a difficult financial situation are either not working with our root chakras (which focuses on finantial stability, and livliehood) or just aren't using the Law of Attraction well enough. Blaming these kinds of difficulties on budget witches is not only shameful, but it's also usually a marketing tactic used by certain folks to make those of us desperate for money to want to buy their services to "learn how to get rich" or at least financially stable enough to thrive.

If you are interested in using the Western chakras, there are cost-effective ways to work on them, such as using meditation. Again, YouTube is a rich resource for hundreds of free and effective guided meditations on anything from chakras to spirit guides.

Also, let's not forget our good old friend, Practicality. When you get an infection, for example, your priority should the doctor/medical professional first before witchcraft, unless you have a herbal specialist that can create a safe and effective holistic medication (and this person should be, again, a professional). In the same vein, if your are going through a financial rough spot, buying a bunch of root chakra candles or crystals in the hope that your situation will improve is contradictory to what you need to do: save that money. Maybe get one or two inespensive things if you can. If not, use the free resources on hand.

Don't Allow This to Discourage You

As much as many of us claim not to need tools (and I applaud you if you manage with so little, willingly or not), the truth is that most of us like to have things on hand, and I am no exception. Books, candles, crystals, decks and herbs are what I spend my money on. I am aware that there is a materialistic aspect to the way I choose to work. I even have a cauldron and a professionally made wand, despite not being Wiccan and using both for only special occasions. Heck, right now the cauldron is just housing a bled of herbs to cleanse anything I put in it.

That's my choice. I save for some months and then buy little by little. But there are other ways to be an effective budget witch and thrive.

For example, many witches on this site have pointed out that you can make your own tools, such as wands or altar decorations, out of sticks and rocks. Some folks prefer finding their own tools. Just be careful not to pick up anything poisonous, or disturb the nest of any animals that may be around. Also, do NOT eat anything off the ground unless you are 100% sure what it is and that it has been grown in clean soil. Go to the supermarket for edible herbs if you can't find a local market or herb shop. A quick online search will help with that, and you'll be acquainted with your environment.

Tea is also another wonderful resource for the budget witch. It is easy to find, usually under $5 a box (in the USA) and good for you. Again, it's still wise to be careful when trying new herbs, but I find most tea companies will stick to fruits amd common herbs like chamomile and peppermint, to name a few. Honey pairs well with tea, great for magick, and also very accessible. You can also open tea bags for a spell, or invest in loose herb mixes and a strainer. Try buying a teapot if possible. If not, boil your water in a pot over the stove, microwaved tea isn't as good. Trust me.

Tips & Tricks

🖤Crystals are just as effective if they are small or pocket-sized, and usually a lot cheaper that way. There is the bonus perk of being able to carry them with you on the go in your bag or pockets.

🖤Use non-magickal sources as well a magickal ones to identify herbs and crystals so you can be sure they won't harm you. Crystals can also be toxic.

🖤Some people (myself included) believe normal rocks to be just as powerful as crystals. You can even try painting them the color you want to manifest, or you can put sigils on them.

🖤There are free digital tarot apps that are great for readings and having a deck with you wherever you go. The Labyrinthos and Kawaii Tarot apps are the ones I currently use.

🖤Plastic flowers and fruit can be cost-effective decor for your altar, and maybe even an offering or representation of your deity(ies) if you have any.

🖤Epsom salts are relatively cheap, and adding your own essential oils to them in a tub or foot bath is a great spa day remedy and good for metaphysical and physical cleansing. Just make sure they are real essential oils, and look up the correct dosage.

🖤White vinegar is also affordable, and efficient glass, counter-top and carpet cleaner. It also has protective properties along with salt, and it's great for cleaning your altar, if you can stand the smell.

Some Resources:

My Go-To Etsy Stores for Ethical and Affordable Crystal Buying: (I am not a sponsor for these stores, nor am I being paid to advertise them).

The Spiritnectar

Moonrise Crystal

Ethically-Sourced & Affordable Crystals. My order came with a tea bag as well!

Crystal LionGems

Budget Witch Videos:

The Witch of Wonderlust on Low-Budget Witchcraft

Magickians Budget Witch Guide

Cheap Places to Get Books that Aren't Amazon:

Thriftbooks

BookOutlet

Or rent books at your local library! You can also make requests if they don't have what you're looking for.

That's all for now, brujxs. Please tell me your thoughts, and how you handle being a budget witch. Stay safe, witchy and freaky. 💜

[dragonfatewriting]

The sun that shines so dark (chapter 2)

warning:

blood

threats of death

dark rituals

@black-sun-au

Teety woo giggled and snickered to himself as he watched the dumb troll run out of the forest like it was on fire. He hadn’t expected it to find the heads his master had hidden, he didn’t think someone could be so dumb to stick their head in a bush that smells like death. It had been quite entertaining to watch though and Teety Woo decided to head back to his master, he hoped he would be amused as well.

Teety Woo quietly slinked through the forest, barely making a sound. All the animals avoided the creep, they could see the madness in his dark red eyes and the smell of blood that lingered on his fur. Teety Woo continued to giggle to himself, he laughed about the troll, and the foolish creatures in the forest, they were all so dumb not like his wise master.

Teety Woo made it back to the campsite of his master, a young Mumrik dressed in a green smock, green pointed hat, and a yellow scarf. His eyes were hidden under the large hat and he was shuffling a deck of tarot cards.

The wind and rain had died down for now and the Mumrik decided to continue his ritual. He knew a violent storm was on the way and had only set up his tent, forgoing a fire. The trees and wind had told him about the storm and how bad it was going to be a great time for a dark ritual, if you didn’t get caught in it.

Nobody ever listened to the trees, rocks, or plants anymore. Most creatures have lost the gift. Consumed by their own pettiness and obsessions. Mumriks are one of the only creatures left that can still hear nature’s voice, the only ones who remember and listen. Snufkin wasn’t raised by a Mumrik, having been found in a box, but nature still whispered to him and it was nature that had raised him.

Nature knew no good or evil, simply freedom and the will to live the way it wants to regardless of other creatures. Snufkin had seen nature at its most helpful, giving homes and food to many creatures. He had also seen it at its most cruel when it punished those so arrogant to believe that nature could be controlled.

It was when nature was at its most cruel that Snufkin saw the true beauty of it. A beauty that Snufkin brought with him everywhere he went, like an infection it stained villages and valleys in bright reds and yellows. Mumriks being the closest creatures to nature knew no good or evil, merely freedom and mischief.

Snufkin finished shuffling the tarot cards and placed them on the ground where he had a small cloth set up. Snufkin placed one hand on the deck and closed his eyes, he called out to the spirits his guides to show him his near future. An eerie wind suddenly blew around Snufkin, it whispered to him, not once disturbing his cards. The blood he spilled and the creatures he had returned to nature had been accepted, the spirits were watching and were pleased.

This was a ritual Snufkin performed when he traveled to a new place. He would offer the spirits payment in blood and they would in turn guide and protect him. Killing wasn’t something the Mumrik batted an eye at, indeed he even took sadistic pleasure in it.

Unraveling a creature, seeing how they tick and using their possessions and obsessions against them, it was something that even Snufkin could fail to describe. Teety Woo watched him silently, he didn’t dare interrupt his master, he had done that once before and paid for it in blood

The wind died down and Snufkin opened his eyes, he fanned the cards out and picked three at random. The three cards were facedown in front of him, Snufkin turned the first one over, using his left hand, this card was to represent his past.

The card was the ten of swords in the upright position, this card was not surprising at all, considering his past and the actions he had taken, this card was the one he probably pulled the most.

The second card was his present, Snufkin turned it over to reveal the hermit in an upright position. This card was also very common for Snufkin. Snufkin chose to be alone, he liked being alone but he was not lonely. Introspection had given him wisdom that many creatures envied and he would never give that up.

The third and last card however was the truly head scratching one, this one indicated his future and he had pulled the lovers card in the upright position. This was..odd. Snufkin frowned while looking at the card. The lovers card usually meant relationships and finding a partner, two things Snufkin avoided at all cost.

Snufkin’s frown deepened and he briefly wondered if he messed up the ritual or the spirits were playing a trick on him. But ever since Snufkin started these rituals his predictions always held to some sort of truth. Snufkin hasn’t always interpreted them correctly but he wouldn’t just pull a false card in the wrong position. How else was he supposed to interpret the lover card other than a relationship though?

Snufkin eventually just shook his head and placed the cards back into the tarot deck. He was still confused but it wouldn’t help to overthink it either, he decided he would leave it up to his guides and deal with it when it comes up.

The wind and thunder returned as if sensing the completion of the reading, Teety Woo cautiously slinked closer to Snufkin. He had seen his master perform several readings and he was almost always satisfied with them but this one, this one had caused such a strange reaction. Teety Woo wondered what Snufkin had seen but chose not to ask, traveling with Snufkin he had learned there was a time and place for questions and talking.

Snufkin glanced at Teety Woo and gave a small nod, this was the signal that Teety Woo could talk. Snufkin was a peculiar sort of person, he preferred not to even know the name of the location they were staying at. If he were to recount his tales, he could speak of mountains and fields but could not tell you what they were called. Teety Woo never bothered to tell him either, instead Teety Woo would spy on others, park keepers and anyone that Snufkin would like to mess with.

They were usually fillyjonks and hemulens that were in some way destroying or tainting nature. Other times they were creatures used in dark sacrifice, this time however Teety Woo spoke of another creature. This one pure white, round, curious, and in Teety Woo’s opinion rather stupid. Snufkin listened, he was good at listening, the story amused Snufkin and he made a note of the creature. Snufkin wouldn’t seek it out but if he was so easy to scare then he might be fun if Snufkin were to run into him.

Teety Woo had another laugh at the dumb, white thing before moving on to the usual. A fillyjonk who had a garden with some miserable children, a park keeper whom Snufkin would surely visit, and a police station that was small and miserable. Snufkin nodded, he would have his fun in this valley before moving on.

“Are you quite done Teety Woo?” Snufkin asked, his voice both deep and light. A voice that was easily carried on the wind but held such weight to be heard.

“Yes, this valley is so wonderfully cheerful but I have heard their lies, seen their obsessions and greed. This one that we have captured, the small smell one for instance is quite pitiful, wouldn’t you say master?”

Snufkin looked at the creature Teety Woo was referring to. To call this creature a thing would be accurate but would also not give the full picture. It had coarse, greasy, black fur, at least Snufkin assumed it was fur, all over its body. The thing had clearly never washed a day in its life and smelled like garbage that had sat out in the sun too long.

Snufkin had found the thing rifling through his supplies when he had left to get sacrifices, the thing tried to run but that was another thing Mumriks were good at catching prey. Snufkin had half a mind to drown the disgusting thing, he had bound and gagged. Its struggling was beginning to annoy him.

Instead Snufkin pulled out a knife, it was a simply looking knife with a golden handle, it still had the blood of the creatures he killed earlier on it. The thing watched the knife with poorly concealed horror and Snufkin took great pleasure in that fear. He knew a few knife tricks and flipped the knife around as he talked to Teety Woo.

“What should we do with our uninvited guest?”

“Perhaps we should stab him and use his blood as a sacrifice?” The deranged Teety Woo suggested. He hated this strange stinky thief and would love to watch him die.

“No, I think the spirits would curse us if we used his blood, perhaps we should hang him and leave him to rot?”

The thing was trembling now and looked to be on the verge of crying, Snufkin had no doubt it would be begging for it’s life if he hadn’t gagged it. It filled Snufkin with anticipation, he loved watching things struggle before they die. It was a reminder that life was fleeting and should be cherished.

“Wonderful thinking master. Let him return to the dirt where he belongs.”

Snufkin stopped twirling his knife, got up and slowly began to walk to the creature, watching the fear in its eyes. Snufkin raised his knife, the wind picked up blowing harshly, the thing closed its eyes and a knife flashed as a boom of thunder rang out across the valley.

Author’s note:

Fun fact this was suppose to be part of a longer chapter. Basically this is only a piece of what I have written up and as I was going back over it, I realized something. If I included the next bit it would have been very jarring. Like the next chapter begins with Moominmama making soup. So I decided to split this. Sorry if this part is lacking because of that. I realize I kept people waiting for over a week and again I apologize.

Still I hope you like and I will have the next part up soon.

Now another quick thing, this chapter uses a headcannon that both me and the fandom kinda had. The being Mumriks or rather Snufkin and the Joxter are creatures close or directly connected to nature. This is not exactly a new line of thought and I am not the first to use it certainly. There are many fics with Snufkin being a spring deity in some form.

I decided to go with this because not only is it a cool idea but I also wanted it to help explain Snufkin a little. I don't go into full details here but I got plans on how to use this aspect of Snufkin. I also hope I wrote Snufkin well in this chapter and kept most of the traits he has in the black sun au.

Also if your wondering why Snufkin is described as having green clothes instead of black like the au, don't worry I hope to address that later.

Anyway thanks for reading. This part was a bit of a struggle for me and I can only hope it came out well. Any feed back is much appreciated.