#i love cat dad aventurine

[kindrehd]

cat dad

[aurae-rori]

Wanna ask if you have any headcannons for aventio modern au

( cause I am obsessed with modern aus)

hellyeah brother i'm here to serve the masses

hcs about ratio:

still a doctor still has 8 phds

knows about student debt and hates it with a burning passion

has a duck keychain that he puts on his keychain with all of his keys like the keys to his house

once crushed a soda can in his hands during his student years bcs he was that fucking mad about the homework questions not being stated in a clear manner (he just like me fr)

has several duck plushies in his bed and theyre all named after either greek philosophers or roman politicians

can speak latin fluently and mutters curse words and creative expressions in latin during the classes that he teaches because he is that pissed off

used to be a full time doctor, but decided to turn to teaching instead after some time

hyper-empathy due to childhood neglect (he just like me fr)

eyebags that he covers up with makeup, he still has those from his student years and cant fucking get them to leave no matter how many hours he sleeps for

enjoys occasionally a rum & coke

really likes lattes and london fogs

had a british accent once because he travelled to the uk and picked up on it, when he came back he was mortified

fucking loves ducks so much he has a camera roll dedicated to duck photos

he got to pet a duck once he was happy for the rest of the week thats how much he loves them

massive nerd & dork

undiagnosed autism with a side of gifted child trauma

really likes jazz and lofi it calms him down fast and makes him happy

wrings his hands when he's really happy

touch starved

makes really good soup

hopeless romantic

more mentally unstable than you think he is. he is actually suffering from burnout but doesnt want to let people around him down.

doing his best. sometimes on the weekends he just nestles into a cocoon of blankets and refuses to leave. texture....

cannot not wear socks he will die without them

cat magnet for some reason??? all neighbourhood cats are at his doorstep even when he and aven already have three. ig hes just cat dad now

aventurine hcs:

still has those glasses, his eyes are more sensitive to light too

really fucking likes fluffy stuff he loves the fluffy he loves the fluffy he-

big fan of sheep and peacocks

eternally terrified that ratio secretly hates him even when they start dating

bpd & adhd & probably autism (ALL BPD HAVERS FUCKING WIN WITH THIS ONE!!!!! I SEE YALL)

masks so often its insane

used to smoke and drink heavily, but has started to lay off ever since he met ratio

still an adrenaline junkie and still has his stupidly good good luck

really likes coffee too, coffee addict, has horrible eyebags, a shitty sleep schedule, and overworks himself half to death

cant fucking cook what the hell is a kitchen

very fond of stelle/caelus and sees them as his surrogate younger siblings. stelle taught him how to play video games and now he plays with them whenever his thoughts get really bitchy to him

horrible at relying on other people but is slowly unlearning that

can do a backflip (why? idk)

high pain tolerance

has a collection of sheep plushies that his friends bought for him

numby and him get along really well. he and topaz still have that sibling esque relationship.

i think he still works for the ipc in this au but its not as bad as it is in canon

starved of touch and does not really know what a healthy relationship is before ratio comes along

loves blankets he has like ten blankets on his bed at once idk why

once poured monster energy into coffee and then drank it. he suffered the consequences. even good luck can't save you from that

listens to generic pop (lie. he actually loves indie guitar)

MENTAL ILLNESS REP IN THIS MAN

accidentally big brothered some kids. help how does he deal with affection

buys stuff for stelle and caelus too. he buys them sheep plushies. they will defend said sheep plushies with their lives. they buy him racoon plushie in return. he does not cry.

his fingers shake so bad sometimes (PTSD goes hard)

motor skills can and will die on him occasionally

unhealthy coping mechanisms but hes getting better guys

he does relapse occasionally but hes putting in effort. finally got his ass to therapy thanks to ratio :)

second cat dad. he loves his cat children he will die for his cat children.

the cats like laying next to him as he eeps if ratio isnt there. they purr and help him with his nightmares.

(ily people w bpd you deserve this rep!!! enjoy :3)

them together hcs!!!!

ratio already had background information on bpd due to his psych degree beforehand but did more researching into it when he realized that aven had bpd because he wanted to support his partner as much as he could :)

ratio is big on physical touch but aven needed some time to get used to it and he was very big on it

aven really likes spoiling the absolute shit out of ratio and likes getting him gifts because sometimes he doesn't know how to word how much he appreciates ratio

aven likes to wash ratios hair for him and visa versa, non sexual intimacy always fucking wins

ratio still worries about aven and doesn't like him gambling all the time, aven makes an active effort to better himself for him even if it's really hard

at the start it was really fucking shitty between the two of them but eventually aven started to learn how to properly and safely communicate with ratio and ratio learned how to phrase his thoughts in a way that wouldn't trigger something, and although they both make mistakes they are doing their best for one another and generally have a good impact on one another's stages of healing (im not projecting im not projecting i-)

aven will hold ratio in his arms and tell him that he's good enough when the thoughts get really bad

they love cuddling, who's big spoon and small spoon switches regularly because they both like being held and holding the other

aven will stop by ratio after his classes and take him home when hes too tired

ratio shuts down sometimes and aven messes with his hair and just stays with him until he reboots

they kiss <33333333333

they cuddle so much they hold one another going to bed

ratio likes giving aven little headkisses and peppers his face with them

they are gay and in love and healthy actually

they were never toxic yaoi never will they be. they are healthy.

they get married <333

this is so much more than what you asked for probably but here you go.

[kotoku]

I really love your post, can I request Sunday and Aventurine with Diona reader?

For Aventurine, I think he will be your close customer in the casino (I don’t know if casino have bar but…meh;) )

For Sunday, I think he will tease you the most, pat head, scratch chin and treat you like a cat… dispite you hiss to stop. (in a tsundere way)

ꜱᴜɴᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀɪɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴅɪᴏɴᴀ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

pairings - sunday & diona! reader / aventurine & diona! reader

content - reader is gender-neutral/ diona! reader/ platonic relationships/ familial relationships/ angst and some fluff

warnings - SPOILERS FOR 2.1 / angst / some characters might be ooc

⋘ ʟᴏᴀᴅɪɴɢ... ⋙

prelude - You are a young bartender working at one of Penacony’s grandest casinos, a bustling place with customers from all corners of the universe. The skills you have when you’re on the other side of the counter are ones you both love and hate. Love, because you took pride in serving customers drinks that are known as the best throughout Penacony, and hate, because alcohol was something your father never ceased to get enough of… 

You built your reputation up from the ground, eventually getting employed as a bartender at the casino where you now work. Despite your age, your skills had convinced the higher-ups and thus you were plunged in front of the crowd of drunken customers, brewing and making concoctions that were outlandish and exotic. The cat ears and tail you had also drew some attention from customers who were enamored with how adorable you were, treating you like some kid (which you were).

After a roll of your eyes and a scolding, you always rolled up your sleeves and got to work. 

↻ Sunday was not a regular at the bar, but he would pop in here and there to check how business was doing

↻ When word had gotten around that a kid with cat ears and a tail had started working there, his interest got the best of him which led him to a seat at the counter

↻ The mahogany bar counter complimented the lavish environment, filling the atmosphere with a comforting warmth that lured a variety of customers in 

↻ When you had popped up to serve Sunday, he was intrigued at your professionalism and friendliness, finding it easy to engage in a conversation with you as you made him his drink

↺ Sunday rarely intended to get drunk, so he asked for something light and refreshing which you happily obliged to

↻ It didn’t take Sunday long to become somewhat of a regular there, the two of you got along quite well despite his ceaseless teasing 

↺ At first, he’d give you a light pat on the head and buy you things that cats normally like (it was an accident at first but after seeing your distaste for some of the things he got, he started getting them as a joke), then when the two of you were like siblings, he’d scratch under your chin, place a toy mice on the counter before he’d leave the bar, and use a laser to get your attention

↺ He’d chuckle at your fuming self that wiped even harder at a stain on a glass, but he’d know when to stop if it got too far

↻ You know how I mentioned that he’d get you things cats normally liked? Well you’d probably be happy with some of the stuff he got you, like the fish plushies or cat grass which you added to some of the dishes you made

↻ Eventually, Sunday would learn of your father’s alcoholism and how you swore to tear down the alcohol industry, comforting you when your eyes started to water at the thought of your dad

↺ Although Sunday could never understand your exact experiences, he’d do his best to provide you comfort and support whenever you felt down

↺ He wouldn’t meddle in your family’s business or issues, but he’d pray to Xipe for the best of you and your father

↻ Whenever you are upset, Sunday would like to help you come up with new concoctions as he finds the process interesting to watch (it serves as a distraction from whatever is bothering you as you are now focused on potential hits) 

↺ Admittedly, he’d find some of the ingredients you use disgusting, but it wouldn’t hurt to try something new now, would it? (Sunday is utterly surprise at the pleasant taste, feeding into your pride) 

↻ Sunday would support your work, promoting the place to new guests who wanted to try something that seemed like it could only be made in dreams

↻ If Sunday were to ever mistakenly get drunk, you’d happily (and worriedly) take him to Robin or someone he trusted 

-----

“Ugh, Sunday! You drank a little too much this time!” 

“..Sorry… I didn’t realize this- *hic* drink would be so.. strong.” 

The scent of alcohol that wafted off Sunday made your ear twitch in annoyance, putting away the glass that you were previously cleaning. “Geez, I didn’t realize that you were such a lightweight.” You huffed, wiping the counter with a damp rag. Sunday gave a breathy chuckle, head leaning on his arms as he closed his eyes. 

Sunday didn’t seem like he was going to sober up anytime soon. 

Sighing, you grabbed the glass that you had put away and filled it with some water before sliding it over to him. You watched him blink open his eyes which stared at the water droplets that dribbled down the side. Slowly, he carefully brought the beverage up to his lips and took a sip, humming in satisfaction at the refreshing taste. 

“...Thank you,” Sunday muttered, slightly more awake than before. 

You nodded at him, starting to dial a phone number that you became familiar with. 

“I’m going to call Robin to come get you, okay?”

“Mmm.. okay.” 

-----

↻ Ooh boy… you would definitely not get along with Aventurine that easily…

↻ As soon as he walked into the bar you were working at you immediately felt a bad vibe coming from him, and you were right

↺ He was suspiciously friendly when he first started talking to you, your ears lowering in caution (your ears are a dead giveaway to how you are feeling so Aventurine caught on easily)

↻ Despite the initial suspicion and threat Aventurine posed in the beginning, he soon became one of your regulars at the bar, his order already memorized for when he came in

↻ Aventurine was surprised by how a young bartender such as yourself landed a job here, curious as to what your backstory was like (and the fact you had cat ears and a tail)

↺ Of course, it took time to build up to a more detailed answer from you, but when you told him he could understand your ambitions

↻ As the sibling-like relationship progressed between the two of you, the both of you were able to show a more vulnerable side to the other when the bar was close to closing and was devoid of customers

↺ You’d be wiping down a glass as he droned on about something, drunk out of his mind while you nodded along in understanding

↺ Aventurine took into consideration that you were still a kid, despite working in a bar part of a renowned casino, trying to avoid dumping his sad backstory onto you 

↻ You knew of the reputation Aventurine upheld, seeing him walk around as people scathed at his very existence (Whether it’s due to them losing a gamble or something else, you aren’t sure)

↺ Part of you understood other’s anger, but another part of you felt bad for Aventurine as you didn’t know how he was able to walk around with eyes glaring at you from every angle (He shrugged off your concern and said it was no big deal, but you saw the empty look in his eyes)

↻ Aventurine enjoys petting your head, finding the fur of your ears so soft and well-taken care of, he only pets you when it seems that you’re upset and need some sort of comfort 

↺ Because your ears and tail are a dead giveaway to your emotions, he’s able to pick up on them quickly

↻ When you tell Aventurine of your plans to make a new drink, he accompanies you and brings you potential ingredients you could use in your mixture (He’s perplexed and worried for his health when you add the most heinous stuff into a cup and call it a drink) (Surprisingly and fortunately, the drink tastes pretty good with a hint of bitterness, but he’s just thankful he didn’t get food poisoning)

↻ You’re very grateful to Aventurine when he gets you all sorts of ingredients from other planets, and when he tells you of his journeys, you always eagerly listen with your cat ears perked up when mixing a drink

 ↺ He shows you photos that he took while visiting the places he traveled to for business, the vast differences between each place filled you with child-like curiosity

↻ Aventurine, on certain days, can drink more than he can and ends up getting drunk, laying his head on the counter as he mumbles about all sorts of things (You gaze at him pitifully from behind the counter lol)

↺ When he’s too drunk to get back to his hotel room, you can either dial up someone he knows or have to take care of him until he’s sobered up enough (You can’t carry his ass up to his room lol)

-----

So far, it had been an ordinary day at the bar you worked at, constantly serving the rowdy and drunk customers who came in for different occasions. When the sun had finally started to dim and the streets were encased in a blanket of darkness, lamps turning on to light the darkened streets, you had started closing up the bar. There were only a handful of customers left, seated at the counter with half-empty glasses. Despite the calming atmosphere that surrounded the bar, you felt as if something was missing. 

That’s right, where was Aventurine? He had promised you he’d stop by tonight to get his usual order but he had not shown up at all. This made you feel a little upset, ears drooping down as you gazed at the bar’s door. When suddenly, the wide doors had been pulled out with that familiar bell chime which alerted that there was a customer. Ears perking back up in excitement, you happily made your way back to the front counter.

Yet.. it wasn’t Aventurine, but a person who had gray hair and wore an almost monotone attire. You had never seen this person before, so you curiously watched as they approached where you were after looking around confused. 

“Hello, are you.. _____?” They asked, taking a seat at the counter. You nodded in response. 

“That’s me! Is there something that you’d like to order? Here’s our menu that contains all the different kinds of drinks we serve!” You smiled, sliding a pamphlet over for them to view. 

…But they didn’t pick it up, yellow eyes flickering back up to meet yours. Your mood seemed to dampen, sensing a feeling of dread as your fur and skin prickled up. 

“Ah.. no, I’m not here for any drinks.” The person cleared their throat, seemingly trying to figure out what to say. “I’m just here to give you this.” 

An envelope that was adorned with a familiar stamp design of a chip was placed into your hands, carefully flipping it to look it over. When you looked back up to the person who delivered this to you, they were gone, the door never alerting you of their departure. So with an uneasy sigh, you opened the letter to view its contents, a sense of comfort filling you as you knew who this was from.

‘ Dear _____,

I wanted to take this final opportunity to say ‘goodbye’ as I won’t be visiting any time soon. I am sorry that I had to leave you on a cliffhanger, but with this letter, I hope you can forgive me, I do not have much time before the grand finale happens here in Penacony. 

Meeting you was a fortuitous encounter and I am glad we became friends, I rarely come across those these days. Thank you for the comfort and safe haven you have provided during my stay here, I am greatly indebted to you. I sincerely hope that you succeed in your ambitions and that despite any hardships you come across, you pull through with an impenetrable determination. 

As I don’t have a lot of time before my departure, I wanted to keep this letter brief and simple. I am not sure when I will be back, but I am hoping that this bar with your presence will serve as a safe harbor for me to return to. 

I bid my final adieu to you, my friend. 

Your dearest friend, Kakavasha ‘

When you had finished reading the letter, you had quickly raced outside to find whoever had delivered this letter to you. But as you ran up and down the streets of Golden Hour, you could find no one in sight, the only company being the occasional passing vehicle. 

With a sob, you plopped down on a bench, not bothering to care about your job at the moment. Where had he gone? What did he mean by ‘grand finale’? These questions endlessly swarmed your thoughts as you tried to wipe away the tears that continuously fell from your eyes. There was no doubt about it, that in some way Aventurine or Kakavasha had departed from this world. This realization had overwhelmed you with emotions of both anger and sadness, balling yourself up with your tail wrapping around you as you cried.

Yet through the tears and grief you felt in the moment, you felt an unrelenting drive to do your best at the bar. You will wait for your friend to come back and when he does, he’ll have a lot of explaining to do. 

-----

⋘ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ! ⋙

[thatoneneuvichiliauthor]

Aventurine who's never tried homemade sweets and desserts before. Scratch that, he's never tried homemade food ever since he started working at the IPC.

And then Ratio comes in, bringing him a warm breakfast in bed. Fluffy pancakes topped with heart-shaped pieces of butter and maple syrup, a soft-boiled egg, and a mug of coffee.

As soon as he takes that first bite, Aventurine feels like he's wrapped in a warm blanket of love. His eyes start to water and his lips began to quiver which concerns Ratio.

The little cat cakes, who were eating their breakfast, start nuzzling into their blonde dad's side in an attempt to comfort him.

After wiping his eyes, Aventurine picks up the kitty cakes and wraps an arm around Ratio before thanking them for being his family.

I'm melting, this is so adorably soft 😭❤️ I love it when Aventurine is spoiled and gets to share domestic moments with Ratio and their cat cakes children

[theoldoor]

Canon height difference vashrir save me canon height difference vashrir + post-talia AAWWWHHHGFDFHO

FUUUCKKK I HATE THE OC X CANON BRAINROT CUZ ITS LOWK EMBARRASSSIIIINNGGG

Ok but im not stingy, fenrir is not only to aventurine hes the ip3 little lapdog guy

With topaz he’s the guy who randomly shows up and became the dad (platonically) to the single mom (topaz) and the kid (numby) loves him like a real dad

With Aventurin- ill shut up (theyre each other everything’s at this point, enemies, allies, comrades, family, etc… and they have went through so much they are trauma bonded together like ionic bonds bro i am so giddied up about them. The love for one another that comes so naturally that they doesnt even realize theyre loving the other person, the subconscious worry and care for the other person despite everything and the CHARACTER X CHARACTER’S FOIL TROPE ALWAYS GETS MY ASSSSS THEY WULD LOVE ANYONE, EVEN THE TOTAL OPPOSITES OF THEM, ALL EXCETO THESEMVESLC. Wanting to know each other unapologetically, willingly and no ulterior motives, knowing for the sake of understanding thelakthe iulkdfhasdf. They have their own toxic traits in their dynamic but thats why they work because you cant use a saint to catch a sinner. Bro attachment dude who is desperate for attention and will do anything to get it x avoidant mfer who wants no one to stick with him because he’s afraid to ruin them bro i can aldsfhasohaDAAAAAA. The bickering tempered cat to soft kitty pipe line the trope of when theyre planning of ways to get rid of the other character while the other character thinks of how their future would be like turning into them living in the same space in a future none of them predicted. The trope of one having light in their eyes x no light in their eyes to gave up the light in their eyes for the others light in their eyes forhaeh. Care him like breathing x thinsk he cant be cared for good fucking lord save me. Notices when he’s not around x wish he was special. When auf wiedersehen sweetheart. When fenrir doesnt want to leave so aventurine has to force him to leave whe- saving someone who doesnt want to be saved when a character turn cruel because theyve lost everything x person who refuse to let them hate them when bickering in the beginning but at the end sacrifice for each other when “i dont care for myself” x “ill do it” when when “i wont wait forever” x “what if i did” when not being the strongest but still desperately tries to save the other person when they take care of the same kid togehter when it started out as one couldnt even care less x another desperate for them to even glance at them turns into two people who can’t bear the thought of another person in harm whehtehwehwehwhwhennn-)

Dr Ratio is funny cuz Fenrir is his wet dog pathetic student who can’t read and write but also got a doctorate in like 2 months and now Fenrir is also teaching with Dr Ratio but he’s teaching linguistic and literature. The strict teacher who is strict bc he cares x the chillax teacher who will get scary if he needs to. FFUUUUUCCCK PROFESSOR X PROFESSOR RIVAL AND THEY COMPARE THEIR STUDENTS GRADES TYPE SHIITTT IIMMM AFDLSFJHKAAAUAUHH.

Also post talia fenrir lol

He got a doctorate pretty fast and was invited to join the Riddlers, he considered it but decided not to because Dr Ratio told him so- but he does work with them in the dark. Fenrir would become a professor and although not invited to the Intelligentsia Guild yet, he’s bickering Dr Ratio to.

Since he’s out of Talia, he often hangs around Aventurine’s office and sometimes tag along back to his apartment too to do all the house chores and make dinner so Aventurine can rest. Housewife basically, malewife…. Fenrir….

[rinneverse]

breaks down door :3 🥳🥳

OAK !!!! hi pookems i’m jus popping in 2 say hello n i hope ur doing well !!! ++ r u excited for aventurine he’s almost here gugs im gonna celebrate 🤰🤰!!!!!

also pookems.. i’ve been thinking, so yk how we were talking abt a few hsr papas earlier on the weeks prior.. well there’s a new ADDITION!! it’s GEPARD ! (and we all cheered) he’s lit a girl dad.. i bet u he is

HEELLOOO ryse it’s always such a pleasure seeing u pop up in my inbox !! i’m so excited for aven i am SO ready. clutching my wishes to my chest and waiting for him eagerly :3 i feel like a little cat waiting at the door for her owner hehe

OUGH papa geppie :,,) actually such a protective girl dad, i think. treats her with so much care n’ really sets the standard for any of her future lovers. your little daughter gets to witness the love geppie holds for you, the way he worships the ground you walk upon, makes sure you never have to lift a finger when he’s around :(( he’s rlly the sweetest ever

[baeshijima]

pls i am so not ready for the soulmate and actor au blade fics... with your writing i am just preparing myself for the emotions they will put me through 😔

on that note though, how many wips do you have if you don't mind me asking? there's always a new or recurring draft you talk about and honestly it makes me excited wondering what fic you will publish next!

nonnie when i tell u i am not ready to write those two fics when ive already cried over them.... sighs....

and ofc !! i guess this could be like a mini wip update of mine for ppl to see 😭

genshin wips:

hidden blessing - albedo

[unnamed drunk reader fic] - alhaitham

to you, who holds the stars - university + coffee shop!au alhaitham

look at you go, mr. loverman - ayato

my unfunny superior wants to be... funny? - cyno

[unnamed] - royalty!au dainsleif (heir!reader x royal captain!dainsleif)

a melusine's guide to love - neuvillette

how to prevent your crush assistant from leaving - neuvillette

life as the iudex's assistant - neuvillette

monsieur neuvillette has an... apprentice?! - neuvillette

immortalis - reincarnation!au zhongli (reader is reincarnated)

i accidentally stole the heroine's role and now the male leads won't leave me alone! - transmigration + royal fantasy!au various

even gods work overtime? - god/mythology + fantasy!au various series

[unnamed] - secret relationship!au various

lips of honey - various

ring the love love bell !! - love alarm!au various

waking up beside them - various

welcome, otherworldly customer - fantasy!au various (reader is a patissier & the men are non-human/out-of-this-world/immortal beings)

what it means to become human - detroit: become human!au various

hsr wips:

a knight's oath - royalty!au argenti (heir!reader x (personal)knight!argenti)

[unnamed] - aventurine hurt/comfort

[unnamed] - husband!aventurine

one in a million - modern + actor!au blade (exes-to-lovers)

as fate would have it - soulmate!au blade

[unnamed] - god!au blade (god!reader x fallen/banished god!blade)

[unnamed cat dad bass player blade fic] - university!au blade

the weight of a sinner - pre-canon timeline!dan heng

wounded pride - dr. ratio

[unnamed] - dr. ratio

of reunions and bittersweet heartache - high-cloud quintet reunion; takes place in jingliu story quest; can be a sequel to [of lattes and dozing generals]

roll the cameras! - modern + celebrity!au various

"who did this to you?" - various hurt/comfort

hsr men in a zombie apocalypse - various

other:

forever yours, never mine - royalty + soulmate!au ushijima wakatoshi (knight!reader x heir!wakatoshi)

end of summer - itoshi sae

crush culture - itoshi sae

series:

love is war - spyxfamily!au alhaitham (tumblr)

[unnamed] - hsr various

when all goes wrong, fake it - transmigration oc various x reader (quotev)

traversing realities - reverse(ish) transmigration + fantasy/dungeon!au oc various x reader (quotev)

aeternus - transmigration genshin various (on quotev & ao3 ; on hold)

forces of attraction - jjk various (quotev & ao3 ; on hold)

[crossover-enthusiast]

hear me out... spooky month steven universe au

(spoilers for steven universe ahead)

skid is a half - gem half human who's father (skid's dad obv) gave up his physical form to create, lila the human who fell in love with skid's dad.

like steven universe, skid's dad is a diamond in disguise. i'm still deciding what gem he would be but i picture he wasn't defective but instead took a second form to blend in amongst humans and to spy on the gems of his court.

firstly, ALL cult members are gems, homeworld taking the place of the cult's status in the spooky month story. however some members are disguised as humans such as ignacio and father gregor.

however, MOST of the main cast are humans. Most humans taking simaler role to their canon spooky month selves. Though Kevin specifically takes Lars' role because thats just far to perfect.

HOWEVER SOME of the humans are instead gems for the sole reason of their being more recognizable gem characters, such as Streber, Hanna (she's here too eheh) and various others i'm still deciding on.

As for the gem characters? HERES the list of what type of gem each of them are

idk what skid's dad would be disguised as or what his diamond type would be, but he'd be some sort of red and/or blue/teal gem- possibly a cats eye to fit the eyes motif?

I'm thinking of making either Streber or Bob a Bloodstone, Bob cuz blood and streber cuz blood and the teal/green and red color pallete. still deciding on which one tho.

idk what ignacio would be

and Hanna is a defective Lemon Quartz!

OOOOOOO

I was actually a huge SU fan a few years back so this is just perfect to me hehe

Teal Diamond sounds good for Skid's dad -- maybe a Cat's Eye? Aventurine or Emerald could also work

Bloodstone fits better for Streber bc colors. Maybe Bob could be a red tourmaline?

Hauntiest house gang could work as a swap for the Cool Kids

Also if Frank is a Gem he has to be a Topaz, it's just perfect. Maybe he uses shapeshifting to capture kids instead of fusion

[glitterguts13]

In genshin and hsr who are your favorites? It can be a category or fave from each body type/gender/element whatever and to balance it out, do you have any hsr/genshin characters you don't vibe with doesn't have to be outright hate but just not your fave either be story/design/personality or any reason really

How about I once again ramble on far too long and just rank all the characters from each series? (I love to yap, I'm the worst yapper) Only doing HSR right now but I'll do Genshin another day!

HSR (going by Element)

Fire

Himeko

5/10

I love her dearly, and I think her design is stunning. The only reason I give her such a neutral rating is because the story hasn't really let me connect with her yet. She still feels like a stranger despite being with us the longest, and I really want more content focused on her, her past and other Trailblazers she's known.

Topaz

4/10

Design wise, I love her. I love Numby, and I think she was the perfect way to introduce us to the higher ups of the IPC. I just don't really care much for her character. I don't connect with her, but I don't dislike her either. I want to see her and Aventurine interact more in the future, I need to know if they're friends or they hate each other's guts.

Asta

1/10

I don't like her design and I find her terribly boring. Honestly if she hadn't been the first character I E6'd I'd forget she was even in the game.

Gallagher

8/10

Real talk, I did not and still do not understand WTF this man was doing or what he was talking about. I love him dearly tho because goddamn it Hoyo we need more old men. Design wise, he's a little plain but that just works in his favorite. Also I still crack jokes about the "I'm Thirteen." line.

Guinaifen

5/10

Great design, her ult is one of my favorites. I loved her in the HouHou event and I really want to see more of her in the future. She's cute and charming.

Hook

2/10

I don't like her design and I don't really care about her as a character. Her relationship with her dad is very sweet tho.

Ice

Gepard

7/10

Biased because baby boy carried my ass from the start up until Aventurine knocked him off my main team. E3 with his signature Lightcone, the gatcha gods have pushed us together. Design wise I think he's rather dull, but he's a wonderful brother and I just want to squish his cheeks and tell him he's doing a good job.

Jingliu

4/10

One of the best designs in the game, but I feel like so much of her story was ignored in place of Blade and Dan Heng. I want more of her, I want to see her what she was like before everything went down. Give me more Jingliu lore Hoyo.

Ruan Mei

1/10

Ok, I know this is petty, and I'm sorry. I would have given her a 9/10 before I did the cat cake quest, but after seeing how she treated those precious babies (I am a massive cat person) I was just so upset. I know that's dumb, and I do enjoy that Hoyo gave us a genuinely morally gray character. I just love cats too much-

Yanqing

5/10

I have no feelings either way about him. Design is meh, story was meh. I'm open to changing my opinion in the future if we see more of him.

Herta

5/10

I love that they made her doll body look like a doll (looking at Wanderer Hoyo) but I don't care about her either way. She's middle ground.

March 7th

7/10

Sweet baby girl, I will protect you with my life. A ray of sunshine in this dark world, I'm very excited about her new alt. Side note, do you ever just have a headcanon about a character that's so strong you forget it isn't canon? For me I've been headcanoning March as a trans woman for so long I genuinely forget she's not.

Misha

7/10

Sweet baby boy I am still not over what happened to you. Adorable design, heartbreaking story. You'll never be forgotten.

Pela

8/10

I love her so dearly, I think her design is perfection. Her VA brought me to tears during her story while crying for her mother. Absolutely gut wrenching, I will defend her with my life.

Imaginary

Aventurine

10/10

I cried like a fucking bitch playing his story. I hated his guts when we first meet him at the hotel and the way I turned around was whiplash. He's wonderful and perfect and I hope to God he gets to know some form of genuine freedom one day. However this is Hoyo and I know better.

Dan Heng: Imbibitor Lunae

8/10

Easily one of my favorite designs. Slutty ass little waist I just wanna grab- anyway I think he's neat.

Dr Ratio

7/10

I don't care for his design but goddamnit if he doesn't make me cackle. I know he isn't meant to be funny but his deadpan line delivery kills me, and his interactions with Aventurine were some of the best.

Loucha

??/10

HEY HOYO WHERE DID HE GO?? TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MAN FOR FUCKS SAKE IM SO LOST

Welt

10/10

The love I have for this old man is unhealthy and should be studied. Man made me read Impact Lore I'm down so bad and you know what else HES STILL NOT HOME JUST COME HOME IM TIRED OF LOSING TO GEPARD

Yukong

7/10

Doomed lesbians. Give her her wife back Hoyo, and don't you DARE TOUCH HER DAUGHTER

Lightning

Archeron

5/10

Great design, absolutely peak. I just don't connect with her, nothing to say either way.

Bailu

8/10

My sweet daughter, I will protect her at all costs.

Jing Yuan

9/10

I am not immune to Daddy Jing Yuan. Great design, great character and I want to see him interact with Jingliu more. Give me angst, give me feeling.

Kafka

10/10

I only picked up HSR because of her, and I still don't have her. This feels like a personal attack. Sexy as fuck, step on me, Jesus christ she is everything.

Arlan

1/10

I have no real reason I just do not like him. Design or character wise, I find him boring and uninteresting.

Serval

8/10

Hot big gay sister. She's beautiful, she's talented and she's another one on the list with a dead girlfriend. Would give my kidney just to hold her hand.

Tingyun

6/10

WHY DID THEY DO THAT TO HER????

Physical

Boothill

10/10

I would do disgusting things for this man. Might be the only character story that made me cry while reading and not playing. I'm both thrilled and terrified to see how his interactions with Aventurine go in the future. Give me more slutty, sad cyborg.

Robin

7/10

Beautiful design and she made my heartache. She loved her brother so much, but they'll never be able to recover the bond they used to have...teared up when she caught Sunday while he fell.

Argenti

8/10

I just think he's neat.

Clara

9/10

THATS MY DAUGHTER, THAT IS MY BABY. I WILL COMMIT CRIMES TO SEE HER SAFE AND HAPPY AND ALSO PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR ROBOT FATHERS NUMBER HES REALLY HOT-

Hanya

5/10

Stunning design, but I have nothing else to say about her, good or bad.

Luka

-1/10

He might be the only character I actively hate. I don't like his design and I don't like him. I'm sorry to Luka stans, I do not stand with you.

Natasha

5/10

Again, neutral on all account.

Sushang

2/10

Forgot all about her until just now.

Quantum

I give them all a 5/10

I feel 100% neutral on all of them. Sparkle gets a 2/10 tho because holy shit you didn't have to say *that* to Aventurine.

Black Swan

8/10

Everything about her design is perfection and she was just a delight to follow in game. I love her, I want to see more of her.

Blade

4/10

3 of the 4 points is just because of Dan Hang. I don't like Blade at all, unpopular opinion I know.

Bronya

5/10

Again, totally neutral. Love her earrings tho.

HuoHuo

9/10

Baby, angel, sweetest creature alive. I will do anything to make her feel safe and I will personal pick a fight with Mr. Tail for upsetting her. Also FUCK her parents, how dare they do that to their daughter.

Dan Heng

6/10

Hes neat, but I don't really care either way. Did love him with Boothill tho, that was unnecessarily funny.

Sampo

8/10

STINKY TRASH MAN FUNNY I want to hurt him.

[abyssmal-skies]

🍵 for the ask game!!

power finally came back soo

🍵 - do you have any pets with your f/o? if not, what kind would you like to adopt? how do they act around animals?

i have to make this simple and split it between hsr and genshin aaaa

Genshin: yes we do, i have my snake and some of them have their own pets too.

Ayaka: she used to be scared of Azael, but after a while she warmed up to my pet and makes sure there's a nice pillow for her to rest on and sunbathe

Diluc: he has a pet hawk, and was hesitant to let them interact, after all they are both predator animals, but they get along quite well.

Al Haitham: he acts like one of those dads who don't want a cat but end up loving it more than they love you, it helps that he was there i found Azael.

Neuvillette: he finds Azael very cute and makes sure to have a space for her to sunbathe in his office

Dainsleif: he is very indifferent to Azael, and would prefer not to have any pets :((

Star rail: for some no, but others yes

Sunday: let's be honest, we'd both be too busy to care for a pet, like maybe a cat or a small bird would be good

Aventurine: we have the cat cakes i think that's enough tbh

Ratio: one (1) cat and it would be named Aristotle or something, very pampered with heavily nutritious diets, Veritas would have a dedicated chart on what kinds of food and when to feed the cat

Argenti: he goes off too much :((( so no pets, but he is a plant dad

[rocketfm]

2021 GIFT EXCHANGE.

Morning, Roswellians! Thank you so much for participating in the 2021 gift exchange. We had a great turnout, and we hope everybody enjoys the gifts they were given. The lists of muses and their partners will be revealed on the 26th: all gifts are under the cut!

FROM THE MOD SQUAD: whatever you celebrate, whether you participated in the gift exchange or not, whether you are a new member or you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you for making Roswell so special. We have been re-opened six months now and can’t wait to see what the future will bring. We couldn’t do it without you all! Have a lovely holiday period wherever you are in the world. 

TO ELLE ROGERS:

TO ADAM DAWSON:

A plane white envelope, no markings in particular except its addressed to Adam Dawson. Opening it up reveals a generic Christmas card that could be found at any gas station, but the card contains a $30 gift card to a stall in Hatch foodcourt, more accurately a chicken wing stall. There is no message inside the gift card being meaning more than words.  

TO CYRUS PHOENIX:

Because everyone needs a toy on Christmas, especially an old 90's one! I figure the book's something you'd appreciate. - From Santa. Gift icludes: - 1000 Record Covers book & a Tamagotchi. 

TO ALEV ÖZBERK:

Secret Santa has gotten a five pack of anti-slip socks, attached is a note: "Trust me, they'll change your life."

TO JUNIPER GREEN:

For Juni, because every new mom deserves some time to relax. Happy Holidays! -From Santa x

Basket includes:

Truffles, camomile tea, scented candle, a couple of bath bombs, face mask, sleep spray, coupon for a massage at Solar Flare Beauty Salon to be claimed within the next six months.

TO NAO CHIBA:

TO CALLA HENDERSON:

you might be stuck in roswell for now but you’ll be back exploring the world once again.

TO ADRIENNE GANO

no additional message or card, just the perfume in a little gift bag.

TO WYATT MOORE: 

surprisingly delicately wrapped with a small note attached that reads, "It's one of my favorites, and I didn't see it on your shelf. - signed, King of the Naughty List"

TO SEBASTIAN ORTIZ:

all i can say to this is: it’ll make sense when the partners are revealed. 

TO ENDER BAPTISTA:

with a note that says: you deserve a little pampering in your life, after all. - signed, sugarplum fairy.

TO SIMBA GANO:

two custom made candles, one's amber musk based scent and the other's spices and leather based scent.

TO GRACIA GALLARDO:

the gift includes a book of new york illustrations, a cancer zodiac keychain and a ‘good luck’ crystals kit, featuring aventurine, tiger’s eye, citrine & new jade. there is a message that reads - “for luck on your travels, because you’re going to make it one day. signed, your spooky santa.”

TO JAY SEONG: 

the piece of art is accompanied by a bottle of gin and a note that reads, "a certain small blonde birdy gave me the idea for this one, so you can thank her." with no signature to be found.

TO SPARROW MOORE:

so you can enjoy your melancholy in the comfort of your home instead.

TO ZEFERINO AYALA:

FOR WINTER CARVER:

a “saturday night basket” which involves a bottle of tequila and a box of condoms placed nicely in a wicker basket with tissue paper 

TO ELIJAH PARKER: 

a book of dad jokes, and a small wireless touch speaker.

TO GUNNER DUNN:

call this your work survival kit - a football stress ball for the moments where technical difficulties get too much, a toy car for some relaxation and, if it gets too much, whiskey to drown your sorrows. the best of the best, for a liquor connoisseur. 

FOR WESTON DAVIS:

Secret Santa has gotten a small booklet called Ikigai. Several passages have been underlined, especially about how to seek fulfilment.

TO MEI LIU: 

a large hand-loomed cotton blanket!

TO LEONARDO AMORETTO:

old possum's book of practical cats by t.s. eliot, pen and disappearing ink, some cute enamel pins.

FOR JADEN LAPOINTE:

Secret Santa has gotten him a large double layered box of individually wrapped Mithai, a sweet dessert made in parts of India and Pakistan. Every piece of Mithai looks different and they're clearly hand-made.

FOR SOPHIE HART:

a loaf of homemade sourdough bread and an apron that says “Sophie’s Jams” on the chest part

FOR TOMÁS ROJAS: 

with an additional card, written messily: “merry xmasssss !!! i had a lot of fun picking out this present for u. hope u love it as much as i do mwah <3”

TO AVA GARCIA:

along with a note that reads: i'm not great at gifts but this one looked like it went with your wardrobe, so... merry christmas? - unsigned

TO ROSE ANONG:

For Rose, I heard you're big into pink, so I hope you enjoy these festive pink treats! -Love your Secret Santa xxx

Gift includes: A pink reindeer stuffed animal, a selection of pink retro candy from the UK, pink & gold reindeer hair clip.

TO EMILIA HERRERA:

a handmade talavera (mexican pottery) tequila shot glass set, with tray + salt shaker!

TO SKYE HENDERSON:

TO SURAJ DAS:

i don't really know you but i figured this would be a good gift for an aspiring filmmaker.

FOR FLETCHER LIU:

with an additional card, written: “saw you working out at the gym a couple of times and thought this would be funny. hopefully you haven’t gotten yourself an ugly sweater to wear yet!”

TO EMMETT LAVOIE: 

the manga and the movie wrapped up in a little bow with a note that simply says: i know you like anime and the title was ridiculous so i had to give it to you. - signed, mrs claus

TO MIA SEONG:

an at-home spa day kit.

[celestialvoid-fanfiction]

Meeting the Family

Stiles and Derek have been dating for a while now and it’s time to take the next step: meeting the family.

 For @robinmadestilesdoit, who requested a Alive!Hale Family AU where Stiles is introduced to Derek’s family as his boyfriend, but he already knows about werewolves and doesn’t mind. A little bit of fluff and angst.

Thank you for the 2000 followers!

 Stiles couldn’t help but fidget. His mouth was dry and his hands were shaking as he toyed with the hem of his shirt.

“Hey,” Derek whispered, taking one of Stiles’ hands in his. “It’ll be okay.”

Stiles swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, not trusting his voice enough to talk. He offered Derek a weak smile, letting the man pull him close and press a kiss to his temple.

Derek pulled him close, looking lovingly into Stiles’ eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just nervous,” Stiles said dismissively.

“I know you’re nervous, but there’s something else,” Derek pointed out. “What is it?”

“You and I both know that I’m… an acquired taste,” Stiles said quietly. “And one that not many people like.”

“They’re going to love you,” Derek reassured him.

“But what if they don’t?” Stiles asked. “What if this goes so horribly wrong that they refuse to let you ever see me again?”

Derek couldn’t help but smile. He craned his neck and brought his lips to Stiles’, kissing him softly.

“If it came down to it, I would choose you over my family without a heartbeat’s hesitation,” Derek whispered. “But it won’t come to that.”

“How can you be so sure of that?” Stiles asked.

Derek slid his hand into Stiles’ lacking their fingers together. “Because I love you.”

They made their way across the front yard and up to the front doors of the intimidating manor. Derek bounded up the steps and onto the porch, pulling Stiles along behind him. He reached for the knocker and tapped it against the brass plate before stepping back to Stiles’ side.

Stiles felt his heart slam against his ribs.

Derek seemed to notice his discomfort, kissing the top of Stiles’ head as he whispered, “It’s going to be fine.”

The large door rattled as it opened.

Stiles looked at the young woman standing in the doorway. She wore simple black dress with a beaded black belt coiled around her waist. Her long brown hair billowed around her shoulders in waves. Her bright aventurine eyes lit up as she looked at them, and for a second Stiles could see the resemblance.

“Hi,” she said excitedly, her face lit up by a radiant smile.

“Hey, Laura,” Derek greeted.

She pushed the door open and held her arms out for her brother.

Derek gave Stiles’ hand a squeeze before letting go and hugging his big sister.

“Come in, come in,” she said when she released Derek from the hug. She waved them inside and shut the door.

Stiles stood in the foyer, feeling more nervous than ever. Before them, a large staircase stretched up to the second storey of the manor, the landing looming over them. What was even more intimidating was the man who lingered at the top of the staircase, staring down at Stiles. His thinning brown hair was sleeked back, his bright blue eyes fierce as he glared at the young man.

Stiles felt a shudder run down his spine. He swallowed hard, dragging his gaze away from the man and back to Derek.

“Where’s Cora?” Derek asked, shrugging off his leather jacket and hanging it up by the door.

“She’s upstairs,” Laura answered. “She’s… not well.”

Stiles turned to see a glint of colour in Laura’s eyes, the golden glow quickly fading back to the natural colour.

Derek nodded, understand the unspoken connotations.

“You must be Stiles,” Laura said, smiling at the young man. “It’s so nice to meet you. Derek’s told us so much about you.”

“Only good things, I promise,” Derek interjected.

Stiles smiled, unsure of what to say. He opened his mouth to say something, but stammered over his words, feeling the presence of piercing eyes from the landing. Stiles glanced over his shoulder again, finding the man still staring at him.

“Peter,” a quiet voice said warningly, the soft voice trailing out from one of the rooms upstairs. A woman came out of what looked to be a study.

Stiles let out a small sigh of relief as the man turned to look at her.

Her brown hair came down to her shoulders, highlighted by streaks of grey. She made her way down the stairs and over to their side.

“Please, pay no attention to him,” the woman said softly. “He tends to be a little overprotective, especially of his nieces and nephew.”

The woman turned her attention to Derek for a moment, kissing him on his cheek and giving him a shirt lecture about shaving. Derek brushed her hand away, muttering something about how he liked his beard.

Stiles glanced up at the landing again, but Peter was gone.

The woman turned her attention back to Stiles.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Stiles,” she said, pulling the young man into a warm hug.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs Hale,” Stiles replied timidly.

“Call me Talia, please,” she corrected softly. “Are you boys hungry?”

“Yeah,” Derek admitted, reaching out and taking Stiles’ hand again.

“Come on,” Laura said, leading the way into the dining room.

Derek pulled a seat out for Stiles, sitting down next to him.

Laura told her mother to sit down and disappeared into the kitchen. Talia sat down across the table from Derek, talking quietly to him about his job and the new apartment. A moment later, Peter appeared in the doorway of the dining room. He looked Stiles up and down before turning and flowing his niece into the kitchen.

Stiles felt his chest tighten.

Peter appeared again, carrying a couple of glasses in his hand. He set a glass in front of Derek and another in front of Stiles.

“Thank you,” Stiles said quietly.

Peter game him a stern nod before fetching a drink for himself and Talia. He sat down at the far end of the table, slouching back in his seat and sipping at a glass of whiskey.

Talia emerged with a few plates of finger food and appetisers balanced on her arms, setting them down on the table. She sat down to her mother’s side.

“Derek’s told us so much about you but there’s still so much we want to know,” Laura said, her voice sweet and inviting.

“Ask away,” Stiles insisted.

“Are you a cat person or a dog person?” Laura asked.

“Dog person,” Stiles answered. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Derek fighting a smile.

“Derek says you work as a consultant for the police, is that right?” Talia asked.

“Yeah,” Stiles said, feeling himself relax slightly. “My father’s the sheriff-”

“So you got the job easy?” Peter asked from the other end of the table.

“No, my dad was adamant that I not join the police,” Stiles answered. “He didn’t like the thought of me putting myself in danger. So I offered to consult on cases while I train for the FBI program.”

“You got a gun?” Peter asked.

“No,” Stiles answered.

“Ever fired a gun?”

“Peter,” Derek said warningly, his voice a deep growl.

“No,” Stiles replied. “I haven’t.”

“You like hunting?” Peter asked.

“Peter,” Talia growled, glaring at her brother.

Peter ignored her. “Derek’s last girlfriend was a hunter.”

“I know about Kate,” Stiles said bluntly. “I know what she did to Derek. It makes me sick to think that anyone could do what she did. And I don’t know if you’re trying to scare me away or if you’re implying that I would do what she did, but I would never hurt Derek.”

Everything fell silent for a second. Stiles felt tears well in his eyes as his chest tightened. He balled his hands into fists to try and stop them from shaking. He swallowed hard, his voice quiet as he excused himself from the table and ran out into the front yard.

The cool air washed over him, but he couldn’t breathe. His lungs felt like they were on fire, his throat closing over as he gasped for air. Tears trailed down his cheeks, his lips quivering as he collapsed on the stairs of the front porch. He slouched against the pillar of the railing, curling up on himself.

He felt a warm presence by his side, strong hands pulling him close and gently rubbing circles between his shoulder blades.

“Breathe out as much as you can,” Derek instructed. “Then take one deep breath in.”

Stiles shook his head. Tears thumped against the ground. He watched them fall, leaving darkened pools as they stole the warmth from his cheeks. He shivered as a cold sweat rolled over him, seeping into every pore of his skin and chilling him to the core.

“C-Can’t,” he stuttered. His voice caught in the back of his throat.

Derek gently shushed him, holding him close. “Breathe,” he urged, his voice a soft whisper.

Stiles sucked in a breath and held it. Bursts of colour filled his vision and his lungs ached for air. Finally, he let go, breathing in again. Slowly his heartbeat began to settle.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a short while. “I screwed this all up. I should just go home.”

“You did nothing wrong,” Derek reassured him. “Peter can be a real dick sometimes.”

“He’s just trying to protect you,” Stiles replied. “He doesn’t want you to get hurt again.”

“And I’m not going to, because you’re not Kate and he needs to learn that.”

Stiles glanced over his shoulder at the window of the dining room. He could hear the muffled voice of Derek’s mother scolding Peter.

“I didn’t mean to start a fight,” he muttered.

“It’s not your fault,” Derek said softly.

Stiles opened his mouth to argue when the front door rattled open. A slender girl stepped out onto the porch, dressed in shorts and a dull grey Henley. He straight brown hair fell past her shoulders and she hugged herself as she stepped outside.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Derek said. “We’re alright.”

“I heard the shouting,” she explained.

“Peter was-”

“Being Peter?” Cora finished.

Derek nodded. “How are you feeling?”

She hesitantly came to sit next to them. “Better. Kind of hungry actually.”

“Why don’t we head back inside,” Derek proposed. He rose to his feet, holding his hand out to help Stiles to his feet.

The three of them made their way back inside. The argument in the dining room died away as they came back inside.

“Stiles, could you give me a hand in the kitchen?” Laura asked.

“Sure, no problem.” He started towards the kitchen but paused. He turned to look at Peter, the man’s face twisted in a childishly stubborn pout. “And – for the record – I hate hunting. I think wolves ought to be protected.”

Peter’s eyes widened with surprise.

Derek couldn’t help but smile with pride.

Stiles smirked and followed Laura into the kitchen.

 [AO3] - [Ko-fi]

[nessathawitch]

Today we will be going over the Sabbat, Mabon. Mabon also goes by other names, such as, Autumnal Equinox, Me’an Fo’mhair, Alban Elfed, Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Grape Harvest, Feast of Avalon, and Cornucopia. Mabon is celebrated this year, on September 21st. Mabon is celebrated on the Autumn Equinox. Day and night are now equal again, but the days will become shorter, and the nights will become longer. Mabon is the Second Harvest. On this day, we can work on spells that bring balance in our lives, and in ourselves. Mabon is a time of reflection, remembrance, and preparation for the dark half of the year. Many people still grow their own food, so this is a time where we harvest and store our food for the long winter that is coming. Mabon can be compared to Thanksgiving, although not all Pagans celebrate Thanksgiving due to the history behind it, but that is a different story, for a different time. Around this time, we should give thanks for our loved ones and good fortune in our lives. Here are some associations: Herbs: Sage (garden, purple, white - just remember that white sage is becoming endangered), Rue, Yarrow, Rosemary, Mistletoe, Saffron, Chamomile, Passionflower, and Rose Hips. Colors: Orange, Gold, Yellow, Brown, Deep Greens, Red, Maroon, Purple Flowers: Marigold, Rose, Honeysuckle, Red Poppies Scents: Frankincense, Rose, Apple, Sage, Chamomile, Myrrh, Pine, Patchouli, Jasmine, Clove, Cinnamon Crystals: Clear Quartz, Amber, Peridot, Diamond, Gold, Citrine, Yellow Topaz, Cat’s Eye, Aventurine, Carnelian, Yellow Agates Trees: Hazel, Pine, Oak Animals: Dogs, Wolves, Stag, Blackbird, Owl, Eagle, Salmon, Goat, Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaur. Deities: Modron, Bona Dea, Land Mother, Triple Goddess Aspect, Persephone, Demeter, Ceres, Morgan, Snake Woman, Epona, Pamona, The Muses, Mabon, Sky Father, The Green Man, The Wicker Man, The Corn Mn, Thoth, Hermes, Hotei, Thor, Dionysus, Bacchus Food: Grapes, Apples, Grains, Vegetables, Squash, Pumpkin, Corn, Gourds, Nuts, Bread, Roots, Dried Fruit Symbols and Decorations: Baskets, Grape Vines, Oak Leaves, Pinecones, Acorns, Oak Sprigs, Wreaths, Cornucopia, Horns of Plenty, Burial Cairns, Seeds, Apples, Any Food Listed Above Mabon is a good time to do spells regarding: Charity, Thanksgiving, Compassion, Family, Remembrance, Harmony, Balance and Peace. Here are some examples of Activities and Spells that you can do around this time. You can tailor them to your needs, or what you have available, or you can use what is listed. Make do with what you have, don’t go out and buy stuff if you don’t need it. You will be surprised what you can find in your cabinets. Just remember, anything can be substituted. -Decorate Your Altar! - This should be fairly simple as you can go outside and gather acorns, pinecones, leaves, pretty much anything that you can find outside right about now. Also, if you are on a budget, you can take a trip to the dollar store, or the thrift store, and you can find many things there as well! I know I did!! Add to your altar, or make a new one, with things that resonate with you. There is no right or wrong way to do this. It is what you find in your heart. - Things To Take To Celebrations: Pagan or Not - If you are looking to do something decorations wise, I would advise to head to the dollar store, Michaels, or a craft store. I went to Wal-Mart and the dollar store and got some great things to make! I found stick wreaths, leaves, flowers, signs, plastic pumpkins and gourds, hay bales, and many other things that I am using. One thing I have already made is a Harvest Bowl for my Altar. It can be used as a centerpiece pretty much anywhere. I bought a clear plastic bowl, plastic gourds and pumpkins, loose leaves, apple cinnamon potpourri, hay bales, and little scarecrows on a stick. I just arranged everything nicely in the bowl and set in on my altar. I will be working on the wreaths, and autumn crowns soon. I have all of the stuff for it but I am awaiting for my daughter to get home from her dad’s house. You could also make food from any of the above correspondences and bring that along. Just to be on the safe side, I would inquire if anyone has allergies to anything. Another thing you can do is gather supplies that you could make an Autumn collage out of and bring the supplies with you so you can do some arts and crafts with anyone interested, child or adult alike. - Make a prayer flag! - You can gather a piece of string and some fabric or cloth. Prayers and requests are written on the prayer flags and hung outside for them to be carried away by the Gods and Goddesses. When you are done constructing, you can hang the flag outside. - Apple Candle Holders - All you need is a Tea Light Candle and Apples. The candle holders will be good for about 3 to 4 days. Test each apple to make sure that the apple stands correctly. Hold the tealight on top of the apple and make a score line to show how big of a hole you will need and use a spoon to hollow out the apple. Then set the candle inside the apple and ta-da! You have a candle holder. You can use these to decorate your altar, or you can put some on a plate with other decorations - that are fire safe - and use it as a centerpiece. - Blessing Salt - You will need, Fresh Kitchen Basil, Fresh Holy Basil, Fresh Rosemary, and Coarse Salt, a kitchen knife, and a cutting board. You will need approximately about 1 cup of herbs, all together, and 3 cups of salt. Place salt on the cutting board with some herbs and start to incorporate the herbs with the salt by cutting them. Continue to add salt until desired texture. When you are done, if you used fresh herbs, you will need to let it sit out for 1 to 2 days until the herbs have properly dried. Cover with a paper towel. The shelf life is about 3 to 4 months. You can use the blessing salt for: Place at every threshold in the house for inviting in positive energy. Blessing the people entering your home. You can even use it on food! -Create a list of things that you are thankful for and read it everyday. - Honor the darkness. Keep in mind, “Without Darkness, There Is No Light”. Call upon the Gods and Goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings at this time of year. - Raise some energy - A great way to do this is at a gathering, you can create a drum or music circle. You can also raise energy by chanting or dancing, or a combination of all three! - Fall Cleaning! - You have all heard of Spring Cleaning. Why not do some fall cleaning! You could be spending a lot of time indoors especially with all the holidays coming up. You should physically and spiritually cleanse your house. You can spiritually cleanse your house with sage, sweetgrass, or a spiritually cleansing spray. - DIY Spiritual Cleansing Spray - Simplified - Gather a dark glass or metal spray bottle - 2 4 oz, distilled water, sea salt, a tablespoon of witch hazel, or vodka (to preserve the spray), Tablespoon of sea salt, 1 Tablespoon of dried rosemary or 5-7 drops of essential oil, 1 Tablespoon of dried sage leaf, pinch of dried basil, and 3 cloves. -Steep all ingredients in the warm, distilled or purified water for 20 minutes. Stir.- Line a sieve with a piece of cheesecloth or a paper towel and place it over a bowl. Pour the mixture through to strain and let it drain into the bowl. - Pour into the spray bottles and place the lids on them. Label them. - If you like, place several crystals around the bottles for a few hours so that the spray becomes charged with the added energy of the crystals. - Shake well before using each time. Dark Mother – Mabon Honey Wheat Bread added by Linda Rupp At Mabon, we celebrate the goddess in her aspect as the crone, the wise old woman. This honey wheat blend is a delicious way to celebrate the end of the harvest. Serve warm with herbed oils for dipping, or with a big scoop of Apple Butter. Makes 2 loaves Cook time: 30 Min Prep time: 1 Hour Serves: 8 Ingredients 2 c warm water 1 Tbsp active dry yeast 1/3 c honey 3 c whole wheat flour 1 tsp salt 1/4 c vegetable oil 2 Tbsp butter 4 c all -purpose flour Directions 1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add honey and mix well. Stir in the whole wheat flour, salt, vegetable oil, and butter and mix until a stiff dough has formed. Gradually work the all-purpose flour into the mix, one cup at a time. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop, and knead for about fifteen minutes. When it reaches the point where it's sort of elastic, shape it into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover with a warm, damp cloth, and allow to sit and rise until it's doubled in size -- usually about 45 minutes. 2. Punch the dough down and cut in half, so you can make two loaves of bread. Place each half in a greased loaf pan, and allow to rise. Once the dough has risen an inch or two above the top of the loaf pan, pop them in the oven. Bake at 375 for half an hour, or until golden brown at the top. When you remove the loaves from the oven, allow to cool for about fifteen minutes before removing from the pan. If you like, brush some melted butter over the top of the hot loaves, to add a pretty golden glaze to them. 3. Note - If you're doing this in a bread machine, remember, the recipes makes two loaves. Halve everything if you're allowing the machine to do the mixing. If you hand mix it, you can still drop the single-loaf balls of dough into the machine to bake. Butternut Squash Soup INGREDIENTS 1 large butternut squash Butter (I use half a stick, but use as much or as little as you like) 1 onion 2 -3 cloves garlic, minced (I like to use a lot of garlic, but go with your own taste preference) 2 C vegetable broth 1 C applesauce 1 C water 1 C heavy cream Fresh rosemary Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS First, roast your squash. Preheat your oven to 375, and cut the squash longways down the middle. Scoop out the seeds and strings, so that all that’s left is the meat. See the little hollows where you scooped the seeds out of each half? Put the butter in there. Alternately, you can melt the butter and brush it all over the inside of the squash – either method works just fine. Put the two halves, cut side up, in a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes. While your squash is in the oven roasting away, you can go ahead and start the rest of your soup. If you want to use a pot on the stove, set it on low, or do like I do and use a crockpot on the lowest setting. Dice the onion into small pieces, and put them in the pot with the garlic, vegetable broth, applesauce and heavy cream. Cover the pot with a lid while it simmers. Once your squash is done, let it cool for a few minutes, and then scoop the meat out of the center – it should be nice and tender by now. Place the squash meat into your blender or chopper and puree it so it’s smooth and creamy – depending on how big your blender is, and how big your squash is, you may need to do this in batches. It’s fine to do it that way. After you’ve pureed the squash, add it into the soup pot and stir gently to get it all blended together. How long you leave your soup simmering is entirely up to you – if you’re doing it on the stovetop, be sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn. If you do it in the crockpot, I like to let mine go about four hours. About half an hour before you plan to serve it, chop up some fresh rosemary and stir it in, as well as adding as much salt and pepper as you like. I typically use a tablespoon of salt, because it really brings out the flavor of the squash when you season it well, but do whatever your palate prefers. Likewise, with the pepper, I typically add about a teaspoon. If you like, garnish with a small dollop of sour cream and some chopped green onions. Serve this at your Mabon celebration with a big chunk of crusty bread, your favorite veggie dish, or anything else you can think of! Note: An alternate method is something you can try if you’ve got an immersion blender – instead of pureeing the squash before adding it to the soup, add it in directly, and then use the immersion blender to puree it in the soup pot. Try it and see which way works best for you! - Gratitude Ritual by Patti Wigington Updated August 31, 2016 For many Pagans, autumn is a time of giving thanks. Although this is the most obvious around the Mabon holiday, if you live in the United States, most of your friends and family will be giving thanks in November. If you'd like to tie in to that a little, but with a Pagan flair, you might want to consider doing a short gratitude ritual as a way of expressing your own thankfulness. Before you begin, decorate your altar with symbols of the season. You may want to choose items that represent abundance, such as: You'll want to have a candle on your altar. Gold or green is preferable, but you can use another color if it signifies abundance to you. Also, make a batch of Gratitude Oil ahead of time to use in the ritual. Baskets of fruit, such as apples or grapes Cornucopias An abundance mandala Colors associated with abundance, such as gold and green Symbols of things you're thankful for, such as your health or your career Photos of your family and friends who mean a lot to you If your tradition calls for you to cast a circle, go ahead and do so. As you begin, take a moment to reflect on the abundance in your life. When we say abundance, it doesn't necessarily mean material or financial gain -- you may be abundant if you have friends who love you, a satisfying family life, or a rewarding career. Think about that things you have for which you are most grateful. These are the things you will be focusing on in this rite. As you're thinking about these things, anoint the candle with the Gratitude Oil, and then light it on your altar table or workspace. If you have a particular deity in your tradition who is associated with thankfulness, you may wish to call out to this god or goddess and invite them into your circle. If not, that's okay too -- you can express your gratitude to the universe itself. Beginning at one corner of the table, begin saying the things you are thankful for, and why. It might go something like this: I am thankful for my health, because it allows me to feel well. I am thankful for my children, for keeping me young. I am thankful for my career, because each day I get paid to do what I love. I am thankful for my job, because I am able to feed my family. I am thankful for my garden, because it provides me fresh herbs. I am thankful for my coven sisters, because they make me feel spiritually complete… and so forth, until you have expressed your thankfulness for everything in your life. If you're doing this ritual with a group, each person should anoint a candle of their own, and call out their own things that they are thankful for. Take a few more minutes to meditate on the candle flame, and to focus on the notion of abundance. While you're thinking about things you are grateful for, you might also wish to consider the people in your life that are grateful towards you, for the things you have done. Recognize that gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving, and that counting one's blessings is an important thing to do, because it reminds us of how truly fortunate we are. Note: It's important to realize that one of the things about being thankful is that we should let people who have made us happy know they've done so. If there's someone specific you wish to thank for their words or actions, you should take the time to tell them so directly, instead of (or in addition to) merely doing a ritual that they'll never know about. Send a note, make a phone call, or tell them in person how much you appreciate what they've done for you. - Cooking and Magick - Anything you cook, magick can be incorporated into! You can use corresponding herbs and stir in your intentions. - Collect Fallen Leaves - Another good activity is to collect the fallen leaves off trees and write wishes in black ink, or you can use sigils. During Mabon, you burn the leaves to release the energy of your wish. If you cannot burn the leaves, bury them in the earth. *Quite a bit of the magick for Mabon is based on cooking. There are plenty of other ways to celebrate if you do not like cooking or you are not able to do it* I'd like to hear some of your suggestions as well on how you practice! I used many resources for this article. I used books, webpages, Tumblr, and best of all, I also quoted some of these from Witch Way Magazine. Witch Way Magazine is one of my favorite Witchy Magazines as well as the people who contribute. I can definitely say that they treat everyone with respect and like they are family. One of my best Witchy references! (This was supposed to post Tuesday, the correspondences)