#llewellyn publications

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Gnostica 38, Volume 5, Number 2, Llewellyn, 1976 (cover art by Lynette Arndt)

[samwisethewitch]

The Great Handfasting Project: Pagan Wedding Planning Books

In February, my partner and I will be celebrating our third anniversary. Like many people who have been dating for a while, we've decided to get married. Because we're both pagan, we've always known that we wanted a pagan wedding. But because neither of us is Wiccan (I'm a Heathen and he's a Roman pagan), we knew that our pagan ceremony probably wasn't going to look like a typical neopagan wedding. And, since we live in an area that doesn't have a lot of pagan resources, we knew we would be planning the ceremony and writing the ritual ourselves.

We are going to be having a true handfasting -- a Celtic-style marriage ritual that includes actually binding the couple's hands together with cord or ribbon. We're both Irish American, and we both incorporate Irish elements into our spiritual practices, even though we both have other stuff going on. We chose Lughnasadh (August 1st) as our wedding date because it's a traditional time for handfastings in Ireland, and we will be incorporating the binding of the hands. However, we're also planning for the ceremony to include lots of Norse and Roman elements. The cool thing about writing your own wedding ritual is you can include whatever religious or cultural elements are meaningful to you. (Provided you're not stealing from closed traditions you aren't a part of.)

Because I feel like struggling to plan a modern pagan wedding ceremony is a pretty common experience, I'm going to be sharing a lot of our research and planning process on this blog so you can learn from our experiences and (I'm sure) our mistakes. I'm calling this "The Great Handfasting Project."

Step one of wedding planning, as with so many things in revivalist spirituality, is research.

(I am aware that Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein have a book on handfasting. However, I personally do not feel comfortable reading or reviewing anything with Kaldera's name on it because he has been accused by multiple former followers of some truly horrific abuse and exploitation. Aside from any ideological issues (and I do have several), I don't think someone who openly uses religious rituals to act out rape and torture fantasies is the type of person I want to take wedding planning advice from.)

Modern Handfasting: A Complete Guide to the Magic of Pagan Weddings by Liz Williams

(2021, Llewellyn Publications)

This was the first book I read after my partner and I decided we wanted a handfasting. Overall I felt like it was a great guide to modern handfasting ceremonies, especially the logistical side of planning one. (Can a handfasting be legally binding in my country? How do I handle family members who aren't pagan? What kind of venue should I book for my handfasting? Etc., etc., etc...) At the same time, this book is definitely focused on handfastings and doesn't really talk about other types of pagan wedding ceremonies. The wedding planning advice is still good, but if you're not planning a handfasting for your ceremony, the sample rituals won't be as helpful.

Pros:

Very thorough advice on how to plan a non-traditional wedding. After reading this book, I had a good idea of all the logistical stuff I’d need to do for my own wedding.

Queer and trans inclusive! The author includes extra advice and information specifically for queer couples and couples in which one or more partner(s) is trans.

Polyamory affirming! While this book mainly focuses on ceremonies with two partners, the author does talk a little bit about poly handfastings and about historic precedents for polyamory in paganism.

I liked how the author included mentions of love and marriage deities from other religions, like Hinduism and Vodou, while also talking about the dangers of cultural appropriation and making it clear that readers should seek out a clergy in those religions if they want to form a relationship with those deities.

The book is mostly very well-researched and transparent about sources.

Includes anecdotes from people who have been handfasted and from celebrants who have performed handfastings, including non-pagans.

Includes information on the legal status of pagan marriages in many different countries.

Cons:

While the author frequently mentions other traditions, most of the rituals given in this book are very much Wiccan handfastings. There’s a lot of emphasis on Wiccan ritual elements like calling the quarters and tools like athames and chalices. As someone who is not Wiccan, a lot of this just wasn’t relevant to me.

There’s not much mention of other ritual formats pagan weddings can take — which is fair, since handfasting is in the title, but this book will be less helpful to someone planning a Hellenic or Kemetic wedding, for example.

While the research is mostly pretty good, the author will occasionally come out of left field with something really “out there” and provably false, like saying that Odin’s horse Sleipnir has nine legs. (He has eight.)

The flower, herb, and tree correspondences given in this book mostly feature European species. Less helpful if you’re outside of Europe and want to use native plants in your wedding.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Do I recommend it? Yes

Handfasting: A Pagan Guide to Commitment Rituals by Rev. Dr. Kendra Vaughan Hovey

(2007, Provenance Press; part of the Passages series)

Although the title just says "pagan," it's made explicitly clear in the first few pages that this book is about neopagan handfasting traditions. Except not really -- the author is clearly talking about Wicca exclusively (she talks about the God and Goddess a lot and quotes from the Wiccan Rede), but she keeps insisting that these are things all neopagans believe and do. (They aren't.)

Pros:

There’s some good advice for interfaith couples, like making an effort not to prioritize one religion over the other and talking about how you’d like any kids to be raised before you get there. I especially like that the author talked about the importance of respecting your partner’s beliefs and not pressuring them to participate in your rituals.

I like that the author encourages people to incorporate family traditions, cultural traditions, or even religious traditions from their childhood if they were not raised pagan. There’s a big emphasis on personalizing your ceremony.

I enjoyed the section on themed weddings.

I appreciated that this book had information on choosing an engagement or wedding ring stone based on its magical associations.

Cons:

The author encourages couples to pick the gods they call on in their wedding ceremony based on the outcome they want that god to bring to their union. This is a big no-no because it reduces the gods to just another list of correspondences rather than autonomous beings deserving of respect.

This book contains A LOT of pretty major misinformation, like listing Pachamama as an Aztec deity (she’s worshiped by indigenous peoples in the Andes, which is fully on a different continent than the Aztec empire) and calling the Irish goddess Aine a moon goddess (she’s a solar goddess).

So much cultural appropriation. So. Much.

The author uses a lot of gendered, biological-essentialist language and insists on the importance of invoking one god and one goddess in your handfasting ceremony. There’s also a lot of penis-in-vagina sexual imagery. If you are anything but a cishet person marrying another cishet person, this is going to feel kind of icky.

The author explicitly says that pagans need to be “model citizens” (her words) and have a responsibility to make their religion look good to outsiders. That didn’t sit right with me — I don’t think anyone should live their life based on how other people might perceive them, and I definitely don’t think my wedding needs to be an advertisement for the virtues of paganism.

The author is weirdly, aggressively, anti-divorce? Even in cases of abuse or cheating? This is a direct quote from the book: “If we want our marriage to work out, it can. All we have to do is really want it.” Yikes! This kind of advice coming from a well-known reverend and high priestess is the type of thing that leads people to stay in unhealthy or abusive relationships because they feel guilty for “giving up” on their marriage.

The author is also weirdly fixated on sex and, more specifically, sexual monogamy. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, because I get that most people who want to get married are monogamous. But open marriages do exist, and can be very healthy. Not only does this book ignore that, it gets downright preachy about the importance of sexual exclusivity.

Overall Rating: 1.5/5

Do I recommend it? No. This book is 40% bad advice, 40% misinformation, and 20% information that is delivered better in the Liz Williams book.

Romantic Guide to Handfasting: Rituals, Recipes, and More by Anna Franklin

(2016, Llewellyn Publications)

Again, this book is heavy on the Wiccan influences, but it's not quite as bad as the Kendra Vaughan Hovey book -- at least t his author acknowledges that not all pagans are Wiccans.

Pros:

Gay affirming! There’s even a section specifically about gay deities to invoke in your wedding.

There’s a nice section on the history of handfasting, and on the origins of other traditions that are common in modern pagan weddings, like jumping the broom.

I liked that there was a section on wedding clothing, including tips for choosing what to wear for your ceremony.

The section on magical botanicals included detailed instructions for blending your own incenses and oils, which is helpful for readers who aren’t experienced with making their own blends.

There’s a pretty lengthy section on brewing your own wine, mead, and/or beer for the wedding feast, and it actually inspired me and my partner to do this for our handfasting feast!

I like the chapter on handparting, and I like that it includes a sample handparting ritual.

Cons:

A lot of misinformation in the deities section. For example, I don’t think most Hellenic pagans would consider Aphrodite an “Earth Mother” goddess, and as a Heathen I can definitely say that this author fully made up a new myth about Freyja, then portrayed it as an Old Norse story.

Once again, cultural appropriation rears its ugly head.

Uses the word “transsexual” interchangeably with transgender. This is an outdated term that is considered offensive by some, and by 2016 allies definitely knew not to use it.

The sections on gay weddings are much shorter and less well-researched than the sections for straight weddings. This, combined with the outdated language, makes me wonder if the author originally wasn’t going to include any info for queer couples but was pressured to add it in by her publishers. It feels insincere.

Uses the g-slur to refer to Romani people. And then suggests a [g-slur] theme as a potential wedding theme. In a book written in 2016???

Overall Rating: 2/5

Do I recommend it? No. There's some useful info, but you can definitely find that info in other books that don't contain multiple slurs (!!!) and copious misinformation.

[ava-of-shenanigans]

Anyway, tune in next time on my lettuce fuelled mental breakdown when I explain that, no, the Latin translation of the Kahun fragment is wrong again, and Horus (probably*) did not bring Set back to his house with him and then explain why he was there to his mother by saying: “What shall I do? Set came to sodomize me."

*The thing about him explaining the situation that way is definitely wrong, he used a euphemism instead. The thing about Set going back to his house with him is unclear (there’s a big hole in that part of the papyrus, the plural pronoun that the latin translation seemed to assign to a verb was actually attached to a noun instead, there’s some other stuff going on in the original that might make it safer to assume he went alone or that might not, etc.)

[publicdomainbooksdevotee]

Literally the most Welsh name I've ever seen anywhere.

[devonellington]

Fri. Sept. 8, 2023: Catching Up on What Didn't Get Done This Week

image courtesy of Elias via pixabay.com Friday, September 8, 2023 Waning Moon Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde Sunny and Warm Did the heat finally break? Well, we had a storm and it’s a little better, but still too warm for my taste. Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT: Episode 66: What Niall Wants Niall shows up, making it clear to Lianna what he…

[greenwitchcrafts]

August 2023 witch guide

August 2023 witch guide

Full moon: August 1st in Aquarius

New Moon: August 16th

Blue moon: August 30th Aquarius into Pisces

Sabbats: Lughnasadh August 1st



August Sturgeon Moon

Also known as: Corn moon, harvest moon, ricing moon, barley moon, dog moon, fruit moon, grain moon, herb moon, red moon & wyrt moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Leo & Virgo

Animal spirts: Dryads

Deities: Diana, Ganesha, Hathor, Hecate, Mars, Nemesis, Thot & Vulcan

Animals: Dragon, lion, phoenix & sphinx

Birds: Crane, eagle & falcon

Trees: Alder cedar & hazel

Herbs/plants: Basil, bay, chamomile, fennel, orange, rosemary, rue & St. John's wort,

Flowers: Angelica, marigold, sunflower

Scents: Frankincense & heliotrope

Stones: Carnelian, cats/tiger's eye, fire agate, garnet, red jasper & red agate

Colors: Gold, orange, red & yellow

Energy: Authority, appreciation, courage, entertainment, finding your voice, friendship, gathering, harvesting energy, health, love, pleasures, power &vitality

Sturgeon moon gets it's name from the high numbers that are caught at the Great Lakes & Lake Champlain in North America during this time of year. The names come from a number of places including Native Americans, Colonial Americans & European sources.



Lughnasadh

Also known as: Lammas, August eve & Feast of bread

Season: Summer

Symbols: Scythes, corn, grain dollies & shafts of grain

Colors: Gold, green, yellow, red, orange, light brown & purple

Oils/incense: Aloe, apple, corn, eucalyptus, safflower, rose & sandalwood

Animals: Cattle & chickens

Stones: Aventurine, carnelian, citrine, peridot, sardonyx & yellow diamond

Foods: Apples, grains, barley cakes, wild berries, cider, honey, potatoes, rice, sun shaped cookies, blackberry, corn, nuts, breads, blueberry. berry pies & grapes

Herbs/Plants: Alfalfa, aloe, all grains, blackberry, corn, corn stalk, crab apple, fenugreek, frankincense, ginseng, goldenseal, grapes, myrtle, oak leaves, pear, rye, blackthorn &wheat

Flowers: Sunflower, cyclamen, heather, hollyhock & medowsweet

Goddesses: Aine, Alphito, Bracacia, Carmen, Ceres, Damina, Demeter, Freya, Grain goddesses, Ishtar, Kait, Kore, Mother Goddess, Sul, Sun Goddesses, Taillte, Zaramama, Ereshkigal & Ianna

Gods: Athar, Bes, Bran, Dagon, Ebisu, Dumuzi, Ghanan, Grain Gods, Howtu, Liber, Lono, Lugh, Neper, Odin, Sun Gods & Xochipilli

Issues, Intentions & Power:  Agriculture, changes, divination, endings, fertility, life, light, manifestation, power, purpose, strength, success & unity

Spellwork: Sun magick, rituals of thanks/offerings, bounty, abundance & fire magick

Activities:

Bake fresh bread

Weave wheat

Take walks along bodies of water

Craft a corn doll

Watch the sunrise

Eat outside with family/friends/coven members

Donate to your local foodbank

Prepare a feast with your garden harvest

Give thanks to the Earth

Decorate your altar with symbols of the season

Clean up a space in nature

Plant saved seeds

This cross-quarter fire festival is celebrated on August 1st or the first full moon of Leo & the seventh sabbat of the year. It represents the first harvest when the Earth's bounty is given for the abundance received.

Some believe this is the time where the God has weakened & is losing his strength as seen in the waning of the day's light. The Goddess is pregnant with the young God who will be born on Yule.

In some traditions, this day honors the Celt god Lugh, the god of craftsmanship; He is skilled in many things including wheel making, blacksmithing & fighting. Though there is some discrepancy as to why Lugh is honored on this day. Some tales say it's because he held a harvest faire in honor of his adoptive mother, Tailtiu.



Sources;

Farmersalmanac .com

Boston Public Library- The Origins & Practices of Lammas/Lughnasadh by Dhruti Bhagat

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

[astro-vogue]

© Numerologica 2024 all rights reserved, this article is protected by copyright norms, do not copy, repost, rewrite in any way or you'll be sued for copyright infringement.

PLANETS: part I - The Personal/Inner Planets [Sun-Mars]

PLANETS: part II - The Social Planets [Saturn & Jupiter]

● In astrology, there are 10 celestial bodies commonly considered "planets": Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto

● Planets act like the roles a character [see the 12 zodiac signs] interpret in a movie, and each of them represents specific characteristics, that will eventually adapt to the zodiac sign they occupy

⎯ The Sun & Moon are called "LUMINARIES", as they're the brightest ones, they define the fundamental traits of a chart/personality and all the chart moves around them.

● Planets are divided in 3 categories: PERSONAL, SOCIAL & GENERATIONAL

⎯ Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, & Mars are called PERSONAL/INNER PLANETS and they are the most important in a chart as they are the fastest moving ones in the sky and can change more rapidly than Generational/Outer ones. They are the roots of one's personality, the core of each individual.

⎯ Saturn & Jupiter are the SOCIAL PLANETS as their orbit is neither slow or fast and are intermediaries between personal and generational, they represent both individual and social themes, such as morals, values ethics and ideals, as well as society structure and boundaries.

⎯ Uranus, Neptune & Pluto are the GENERATIONAL/OUTER/SPIRITUAL PLANETS and can be considered as secondary to the Personal Planets due to being way slower and can take years to change from sign to sign, indicating characteristics of entire generations/that apply on a larger scale.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The following descriptions about planets are based on some books I've read, written by professional and experienced astrologers:

(¹) "Neptune: Whispers from Eternity" - Jeffrey Wolf Green

(²) "The Astrological Neptune and the Quest for Redemption" - Liz Greene

(³) "The Book of Neptune" - Steven Forrest

(⁴) "Neptune, The 12th House and Pisces" - Maurice Fernandez

(⁵) "The Outer Planets and their Cycles" - Liz Greene

(⁶) "How to Personalize the Outer Planets - Llewellyn Publications

(⁷) "Uranus" - Jeffrey Wolf Green

(⁸) "Uranus: The Constant Change" - Eric Meyers

(⁹) "Ancient Astrology" - Demetra George

(¹⁰) "Hellenistic Astrology" - Chris Brennan

(¹¹) "Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul" - Jeffrey Wolf Green

(¹²) "The Contemporary Astrologer's Handbook" - Sue Tompkins

(¹³) "The Book of Pluto" - Steven Forrest

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

♅ URANUS (is the higher octave of Mercury) - new ideas, invention, innovation, technology and devices, instability, revolution, discoveries, progress, genius, abrupt and sudden things, electricity and everything connected to it, fanatic, rebel, non conformist, unpredictable, challenging, freedom, revolts, anarchy, challenging authority, ups and downs, breaks, restlessness, independence, deviation, deviancy, being different, unconventional, lightnings, fast energy, scatterbrained, mutations, changes, weird (or what's seen as such), ground shaker, shocking, to some extent science, futuristic, modernists, virtual world, unresponsible, cold, logic, "the mad scientist", chaos, activism

♆ NEPTUNE (is the higher octave of Venus) - dream, creation, illusion, inspiration, lies, delusion, the sea, idealism, fantasy, heightened spirituality, romanticism that results into mysticism, all forms of art (music, writing, theatre, dance, cinema, painting...) - along with Venus -, sensitivity, confusion, formless things, being lost, self-sacrifice, charitable nature, lack of boundaries, compassion beyond limits, saviour and victim complex, addiction, transcendence, escapism, the media (along with Mercury & Uranus), advertising, sense of longing, sacrifice, drugs, toxic substances, poison, resignation, helplessness, nebulous/ethereal/surreal.

♇ PLUTO (is the higher octave of Mars) - wounds, the extremes, trauma, the unconscious, the shadows, ambition, the shadow self, power & powerlessness, hunger for control, the forbidden fruit, depth, the occult, penetrative (eyes, mind...), investigative, paranoia, seeing beyond the surface, ruthlessness, survival instincts, living in survival mode, suppression &/or elimination, death and rebirth [not physically intended], taboos, sex, sexual instincts, prohibition, abuse, shame, aggression, all consuming, obsessive, lasting, the perpetrator, mental illness connected to paranoid states/obsession [along with Mercury and Neptune], wealth and bankruptcy

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

MASTERLIST

© Numerologica 2024 all rights reserved, this article is protected by copyright norms, do not copy, repost, rewrite in any way or you'll be sued for copyright infringement.

[reonnex]

Wesper Fanfic wip

This is a wip of a wesper fic I had been writing! I know I should be updating my own fic but I was kinda stuck on the next chapter and decided to write something else for a break as that has been the only thing I've been working on since middle of April :)

Note that this is not edited at all and only one small section of it! (Minor cw for mentions of the tonics Jan Van Eck gave wylan and his not so great parenting skills)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jesper laughed after a joke Wylan had made, setting the bottle of vodka down on the table infront of them as the night continued on.

Jesper and Wylan had just finished a report on the lastest stocks and had been able to sell some new business that they had been stressing about the past few weeks, which they had to celebrate the fact.

Marya was staying away a few days visting Plumje and Alys who Marya viewed as family as well. She didn't see her as a daughter but did family even need a label?

Wylan had been worried about how Marya and Alys would get along, but he had nothing to worry about! Sure there was a little tension at first. Marya being Van Ecks first wife he tried to kill and Alys having to deal with Van Eck now in Hellgate. But after just a few hours the two became inseparable. Gossping and grinning like friends who kne each other for years.

So naturally, Jesper and Wylan had the night to themselves.

Like school boys breaking into their parents wine collection, Wylan had grabbed a few bottles from the wine celler a laughing giggling mess as he handed one to Jesper.

About only thirty minutes in to the night, Wylans cheeks were bright red now with a lopsided smile and his eyes seemed a bit unfosued.

"Im just saying-" Wylan giggled as the drink sloshed in his hand. "Think about it! Talking is just so interesting! Me just moving my mouth is sending vibrations through the air- Soundwaves- like how does thay even work? How can my body store information in my brain and I can transfer that data out by vibrations so perfect that they form sounds? Or words? For that matter why cant an instrument make words? Why can't an instrument talk to us!" He asked with full seriousness.

"Saints Wy you're such a lightweight." Jesper had laughed shaking his head. "You haven't even had a full bottle yet."

"Psh- I've drunk before! Drank...? I am drunk but I have drank plenty of times."

Jesper laughed out again. He could feel the tug of the acholol on him as well, and was definitely starting to feel drunk right now.

But definitely not as drunk as Wylan.

"You went to mercher parties growing up. How are you this drunk over not even one bottle?"

Because the ones they served at those parties are weak!" Wylan snorted. "They're like- sparkling water. And for your information Jesper Llewellyn Fahey." He teased. "I was too young to drink anything there before my father stopped taking me out in public. " He chuckled, as a unsettling feeling crept into Jesper at that comment. "The barrel though. Now this is drunk material." He held the glass up to the sky. "If this was given out to Merchers then...they would pass out. No one would be able to hold their liqueur. Maybe Kaz should replace them all next time if he wants to know secrets so badly."

Jesper laughed and shook his head again as he drank from his own glass, amused by Wylans rant.

"I used to hate drinking." He said after a moment.

"Im shocked." Jesper replied, gesturing to the now empty bottle sitting on the table infront of them.

Wylan shoved him playfully, resulting in Jesper snickering.

"Im serious!" He slurred out. "Did you know that acholol orginally was made up from rice, honey, and hawthron fruit?"

"I did not." Jesper smiled.

"Yeah! Though it could of just been grapes but it was found in residue clay pots in Shu-Han like- thousands upon thousands of years ago."

Jesper could listen to Wylan ramble for hours.

"Well technically acholol is just the name of a whole rang of molecules that are formed when oxygen and hydrogen atoms bind with an atom of carbon." Wylan explained as he drank more from his glass, frowning when nothing came out before looking back to Jesper. "But in alcoholic drinks, acholol is just the specific small molecule, ethanol." He replied.

"The ethanol....ethanol..." he snapped his fingers as if trying to find the word before finally continuing on. "Taste reminded me of my medication."

What?

"Medication?" Jesper frowned. This was not the direction he expected this coveration to go.

"Yeah!" Wylan smiled out. "Couldn't stand the smell of it for like the longest time. I would get nauseous and worry the doctor my father hired would give me more." Wylan said with such little care.

"Slow down what medicine?" Jesper asked, moving to place his drink down before leaning back on the couch, looking at Wylan worriedly.

"You know! The medication to cure me. To...to try to fix my brain to get me to read? I told you about it didnt I?"

No. No Wylan didn't.

[verfound]

FIC: "Of (Not) Telling the Parents" (MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Lukanette Month 2024)

@lovebugs-and-snakecharmers is doing a Lukanette Month for September 2024, and we all just kinda tossed some prompts in the disco to compile a list?  We ended up with 71 prompts, so I decided I’d roll some dice to pick a prompt, do a twenty minute (ish, bc we all know sometimes they run away from me) sprint, and try to get some short fics out this month?

Direct continuation of Of Lost Luggage, Shirts, and Other Things. Quick & Rierse know what they did. 😂🖤

Read on Ao3

Prompt 63: Stage Fright

Luka wasn’t used to having this problem.

He was a professional rock star.

Like…still starting out on his solo career, sure – he had a handful of EPs under his belt, and he was working on his first full-length album.  He had opened for Jagged friggin’ Stone – had played in Jay’s own band! – before sold out arenas across the globe.  He’d been on TV – he’d been on Saturday Night Live!

And every time he took the stage it was…effortless.  Making music had always felt like breathing to him.  Playing was second nature.  There was nowhere that felt more like home than behind his guitar.

…well.

Maybe one place.

Marinette’s arms were starting to feel more and more like home with every passing day.

…which was probably what had led to the current problem.

Standing outside her parents’ bakery.

Marinette tucked against his side, her arms wrapped securely around his middle.

And scared absolutely shitless to go inside.

“…I can’t do this,” he said, shaking his head.  “We should come back tomorrow.  Darning, I am not rested enough for this.  I am not caffeinated enough for this.”

“Well, that’s why we’re here, isn’t it?” she giggled, looking up at him.  “Breakfast.  Decent coffee.  Exciting news.”

“We can come back tomorrow,” he insisted, squeezing her hand.  “Or the day after.  Technically, there is no news yet.”

“Bullshit,” she said, tugging him down for a kiss.  “There’s news.”

“I haven’t technically asked yet,” he insisted.

“There is news, Luka Llewellyn Couffaine,” she huffed, kissing him again.  “You aren’t taking this one back.”

“I can’t take back something I didn’t –” he tried again, but she just pulled him into another kiss that…honestly?  Left him a little dizzy.  It probably wasn’t safe for public display, either – even in Paris.  Especially in front of –

“SABINE!!!!  SHE SAID YES!!!!”

…shiiiiiiiiit!

The next thing Luka knew, Marinette’s mouth had been jerked away from his own as Tom hoisted them both up in a bear hug.  The world started spinning around him, and he groaned as he ducked his face against Tom’s shoulder in an attempt to calm his flipping stomach.  That probably wasn’t the best idea, because Tom was still whooping and hollering and was entirely too exuberant for the way his head was pounding.

“I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” Tom whooped.  “See, Luka?  What did I tell you, son?  There was no possible way she’d ever say no – she’d be crazy to!”

He clapped a hand on his back, and Luka hadn’t even realized he’d put them back down until his knees buckled under him and he went tilting towards Marinette.

“Luka!” she cried, rushing forward to catch him.  He groaned as he slumped against her, and she laughed breathlessly – maybe a bit manically – as she rubbed his back.  “He’s had a long couple of days – maybe…go easy on him?”

“Isn’t that what I should be telling you, mon choux?” Tom asked with a wink that had Marinette shrieking at him as her face lit up with a fiery blush.  “Oh, relax – I’m not that ignorant to what young people in love get up to!  Especially young people in love who are about to be married!”  He leaned in even closer, and Luka wasn’t looking but he was pretty sure Tom winked at them.  Winking would be a very Tom thing to do, especially when he followed it up with: “Besides, where else are my grandbabies supposed to come from?”

“…kill me now,” Luka groaned, his voice just low enough that he hoped only Marinette heard him.  She smiled and patted his back, and he almost smiled when she kissed his shoulder.

Until Tom laughed, grabbed his other shoulder, and pulled him back into a half-hug.

“Now, now, Luka, none of that,” he chided gently.  “This is good!  We need to celebrate!  Have you two thought about any details yet?  Themes, colors, your cake, a date…?”

“Tom, please,” Sabine chided as she followed a customer out the door.  She waved goodbye to the woman, who was giving her a knowing smile, and turned back to her husband.  “He just got in today – within the last hour, from the looks of it.  Let the poor boy find his footing first.”

“Oh, pah – he’s fine!” Tom said, shaking him.  He turned to Marinette with a grin.  “Well, mon choux?  Let’s see it!  I’ve been waiting years for this!”

“Papa…” Marinette sighed.  Luka looked up just in time to notice Sabine’s eyes had looked to Marinette’s obviously, painfully bare fingers.

“Marinette, sweetheart?” she asked.  Marinette looked up, her eyes widening when she saw Sabine’s pointed look.  “Is…there something you maybe don’t need to tell us?”

“What?  No,” Marinette said, quickly tucking her hands into her pockets.  “We’re engaged.”

“We are not,” Luka groaned, dropping his face in his hands.  “We can’t be engaged until I ask you, and I’m not asking you until…just tell them, darning.  This day can’t get any worse.”

“Luka, stop it right now,” she huffed.  She stepped over to him and pulled him into a hug, thwacking the back of his head before bringing it down to her shoulder.  “Dummy.  I don’t want to wait for a stupid ring – yes, you dummy, it is just a stupid ring,” she bit when he tried to argue, because it wasn’t.  It was her nonna’s ring that she’d been in love with since she was a little girl, and using it as her engagement ring was supposed to be this big, stupid, romantic gesture that she was going to love, and he’d gone and lost the damn thing like the damn idiot he was.  Why would she want to marry him after he lost her nonna’s ring?  “I want to be engaged to you now.  I want to be married to you now.  Stop making such a big deal out of this – it’s just the jetlag talking.”

“It is not,” he insisted, but then he shook his head and pulled away, blinking at her.  “…you still want to marry me?”

“Yes, you idiot,” she laughed.  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since the airport!”

“But I lost the ring,” he insisted.

“You what?!” Tom yelped, and he winced as he glanced back at him.  He leaned closer to Marinette, whispering probably not quiet enough as he kept his eyes on her father.

“…don’t tell Tom,” he said.  “Marinette.  He’s going to kill me.”

“Oh, son, I’m not…” Tom sighed, his expression crumpling, but Marinette was already turning Luka’s face back towards her for another kiss.

“You didn’t lose the ring, Luka,” she said.  “The airline did.  You just…made a rookie mistake.”  She looked around him as he slumped against her, smiling sadly at her parents.  “He left it in his suitcase.  And the airline put it on the wrong plane – we’ll have it back in a few days.  He’s just…it’s been a rough couple days, and he’s too tired to be sensible about it.  Or to accept that I’m saying yes with or without a stupid ring.”

“He was really excited about…” Tom started, but he shook his head and chuckled.  “It’s all right, son.  These things happen.  Next time you’ll know to keep the important stuff in your carryon.”

“Ask him about the time he lost his lucky rolling pin sometime, dear,” Sabine said, reaching over to rub a hand along his back.  “It took us a month to get it back, all because he was afraid security would consider him a terrorist.  He was inconsolable.”

“All right, all right – don’t get me started on questionable packing choices, sweetheart,” Tom said, smiling fondly at his wife, “or I’ll tell them how your brother got us hung up in security for three hours for smuggling contraband into the country.”

“Oh, he’s already done that,” Marinette teased.  If he was more awake, he would probably beg her to not spill his secrets like that.  Especially the embarrassing ones.  Especially to her parents he needed them to keep liking him…  “He loves his Lucky Charms.”

And he might have laughed, if he didn’t feel like they were all ganging up on him.

“Why do I feel like I’m losing here?” he asked, sighing as he pressed his forehead against her neck.  She was too comfortable – he was going to fall asleep where he was standing, if he wasn’t careful.

“You’re not losing,” she said softly, her fingers running through his hair.  “You get to marry me.  How is that losing?”

“…I can’t marry you yet, though,” he sighed.  “Stupid Crusher.  Stupid Fang.  Stupid airline.  Stupid me.”

“I should get him home,” she sighed.  “I thought coffee might help, but I think sleep will work better.”

“Of course, dear,” Sabine said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.  “Get him home.  We’ll celebrate later – because we are celebrating, yes?”

“Yes,” Marinette said, nodding firmly.  “It wasn’t how he wanted to…ok, fine, technically he didn’t ask, but you can’t tell someone you have a ring waiting for them and then…yes, we’re celebrating.”

Tom laughed and scooped them all up in one last hug, and Luka groaned as he lost his balance again.  It was all right, though: Marinette was still holding him, and Tom was holding all of them, and Tom would never drop them on their asses like that.  He was pretty cool like that.

“Of course we are,” Tom said, and Luka groaned as he ruffled his hair a bit too enthusiastically.  “You two are getting married!”

Luka glanced up at Marinette as those words sunk in, and a stupid smile filled his face as he saw the grin on hers.

Suddenly, he wasn’t so afraid anymore.  They were going to get married.

And that…that was pretty damn cool.

[albaillustration]

A most excellent day to share the LOVE card from the upcoming oracle deck I created with Deborah Blake, the Everyday Witch's Familiars Oracle. The Lovebirds!

Less than 3 months until publication from Llewellyn Worldwide!

[wizardsaur]

ok most of the stuff on that list you reblogged i understand why its bad but whats wrong with lewellyn publishing? /gen ready to drop i just wanna know lol

Take Llewellyn publications with a margarita glass rim amount of salt. They're full of cultural appropriation, misinformation, and often aimed at ONLY cisgender women - just to name a few issues...

Having said that, I also PERSONALLY endorse reading and gathering information from many sources. So while you may very well read a Llewellyn published book that claims the Burning Times were real, I would also hope you're brushed up on actual witch hunt history enough to know that most (if not all) people killed in those times weren't actually witches at all.

History books are your friend, as are chemistry, cookbooks, herbal medicine FROM REPUTABLE SOURCES, geology... math, science, art...

Besides. A lot of witch books are just regurgitated correspondences at this point, and don't offer anything new of value to the magical scene. You're better off fucking around, finding out, and taking notes yourself.

[edupunkn00b]

Roomies, Chapter 1: My Best Friend's Brother

Mash-up of edited public domain photos.

My Best Friend's Brother - Next - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

WC: 3098 - Rated: T - CW: references of parental homophobia Written for @intrualityweek 2024

Patton and Roman have known each other forever. They were each other’s best friend, favorite neighbor, closest classmates all through school. They were even each other’s first crush. Roman’s crush had faded with time. Patton’s had not. Oh, yeah, and Roman’s weird twin brother Remus was there, too. Now Roman and Patton are all set to be roommates their freshman year of college and everything’s going to be great. Right?

Faded with sun and age, the little green You Are Here flag was hard to find but when it finally popped out on the giant campus map, Patton grinned. He was on the right path. One more left turn and then up the trail between the fountain and a big field and he'd be at his new home for the next year. Nodding, he took one more deep breath and hitched up on the thinning straps of his duffel bag and marched on.

He'd made it.

The line outside the Resident Advisor office spilled out down the stairs of Carrefour Hall. Patton—and the rhythmic chu-chunk of his cracked suitcase wheels—slowed as he approached it. He hesitated, eyeing the line of students waiting for their dorm room keycodes as his backpack and duffle bag straps dug into his shoulders.

With a little grin, Patton shook his head and bypassed the line, walking right through the side door. Patting his pocket, he didn’t need to take out the dorm assignment letter he’d had memorized since June of their senior year. 

Carrefour Hall, Room 604 Dormmate: Reyes, Roman

After a much shorter wait for the elevator, Patton squeezed inside with his bags, bouncing on his toes as the elevator emptied a bit more at each floor until it was just him and a bored-looking RA-a senior, maybe?-when the elevator doors stuttered open on the sixth floor.

Patton spilled out, barely noticing his bag bonk the backs of his own heels. Eyes on the door labels, all the troubles of the day, all the troubles of the entire flippin’ summer melted away. A heady mix of relief and excitement and nervousness propelled him forward until he practically skipped down the hall.

600… 601… 602… 603…

“Ready for college, Roomie?” Patton laughed after tapping quietly on the open door of room 604. “Or would it be Rome-y? ‘Cause we’re Rome-mates?” He danced his shoulders back and forth, smile only faltering when Roman turned around with his forehead crinkled in confusion. Behind him were the dorm’s standard twin-sized frames, shoved together and made up to form one full-size bed.

Sitting on the edge of that bed, folding one of Roman’s old tee shirts was a guy from their old high school. Floppy dark hair, longer than Patton remembered, and square black glasses. Was Landon his name?

“Pat!” Patton melted into Roman's arms when he pulled him into one of his patented—ha, Pattoned—crushing hugs. “It’s so good to see you! But…”  Roman pulled back, shaking his head and shooting a confused look at the other guy. “What—what are you doing here, Pat? I don’t…”

“Whaddya mean?” Patton tried to laugh but his throat had grown tight and it came out a little broken sounding. But Roman and the other guy—Llewellyn?—were too busy looking at each other to notice. “We’re… we’re rooming together, Ro.”

Roman’s eyes widened when he finally seemed to register Patton’s bags.

“The Housing Office didn’t call you?” Roman asked. “I—I texted you but when you never replied, I…” He looked down at his bare feet and the other guy stood and moved next to him. “I thought maybe you were just, y’know… a little mad and needed some space.”

Mad? Patton forced his smile to stay bright.

“New number, who ‘dis,” Patton said, waggling an older gen iPhone. The late afternoon sun glinted against the cracks in the screen. “Just got it yesterday. Um… can you put your number in…” Roman nodded and tapped at the device. “Sorry, all my contacts were on the old sim card.”

“No sorries needed, Pat! I’d be lost without my phone. I…” He nodded when his own phone buzzed with the message he sent and passed Patton back the device.

Patton couldn’t not chuckle when he read the contact name Roman had created, Really Obviously Muscular And Nice 👑.

“But, I don’t understand…” He looked up at Roman as he slid his phone back in his pocket. “Why would I be mad at you?”

“I… I, well, my parents got the Housing Office to switch our rooms. They said they'd call you," he said, shaking his head. The other guy raised his eyebrows at him and Roman shook himself, presenting him with a bowed head. "Um, do you remember Logan?”

The man with big square glasses nodded and offered his hand. “Logan Sanders… We had Bio together sophomore year.”

“Patton Hart,” he nodded, shaking his hand and ignoring the sinking feeling in his belly. “I—I remember. You talked back to Mr. Saxby when he said Watson and Crick discovered the double helix.”

Logan dropped his hand and glanced at Roman before staring down at the floor, jaw clenched.

“You were right! He was a teacher—he shouldn't've ignore Rosalind Franklin!” Patton added quickly, turning his head to smile at him. “You got in trouble for that, didn’t you?”

He rubbed his arm and nodded once. “And I’d do it again.”

Roman curled a muscular arm over Logan shoulders and grinned proudly. “Logan tutored me in summer school so I could start this semester without having to make anything up and, well…” Uncharacteristically quiet, Roman looked to Logan, a question in his eyes.

Logan cleared his throat, eyes glossy. “We started dating and…” He let out a slow breath and nodded again. “And my parents didn’t like that and, well…” The sinking sensation turned into a cold rock in the pit of Patton’s stomach. “They… they threw me out.”

Nodding, Patton shifted the pack still slung on his shoulder. Pins and needles, like after you foot fell asleep, crawled down Patton's limbs and he reminded himself to breathe. “Oh, Logan, I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.”

“Exactly,” Roman said, pulling Logan a little closer. “Logan’s been staying at my house since that all happened. My parents have kinda taken him in."

“Your family has been more than generous,” Logan murmured, eyes on his feet. “And very gracious.”

“Hey, after surviving eighteen years of Remus running around the house, you’re nothing.”

Patton swallowed. The last time he’d seen Remus had been right after graduation. He’d run up to him and Ro and unzipped his gown to reveal his brand new tattoo—and that he’d been wearing Speedos and nothing else underneath during the ceremony. He looked carefully at Logan. “Has he been… okay with you?” 

Remus had never directly bothered him—Patton had no doubt Roman would’ve put a stop to it in a heartbeat if he’d so much as said one mean word. But as early as second grade, Remus had been suspended three times for fighting. He was tough and fought dirty, brutal enough to make even Patton’s biggest bullies cry. 

Patton was still grateful Roman really never left them alone together.

Logan tilted his head, brow furrowed. “He’s been Remus but, yes… Once I informed him I did not find his references to ‘Little Orphan Annie’ as humorous as he did, we’ve been getting along acceptably well.”

“You know if that ever changes,” Roman began in a soft voice, lips close to Logan’s ear. Patton looked away and tried harder not to listen. The room was just so small.

“If that ever changes, you’ll be the first to know,” Logan replied just as quietly. “Remus will need you to drive him to the emergency room.”

Roman chuckled, low and quiet and rich. Not at all like his best friend’s typical laugh. Patton risked a glance up.

Roman was smiling down at Logan, eyes bright and cheeks a gentle pink even through his summer tan. He absolutely glowed. Suddenly seeming to remember Patton’s presence, Roman faced him, fingers still laced together with Logan’s. They’d painted their nails matching colors, every other nail Roman’s favorite red and a deep blue that matched Logan’s shirt.

“Right, I was explaining.” Roman’s voice dragged his attention away from their interlocked hands and Patton nodded. “Logan’s parents withdrew the dorm deposit they’d paid and he lost his room. I convinced my parents to switch me to a “single” so he’d have a place to live this year.” 

Patton looked around the room. They’d already moved the dorm-issue twin beds side-by-side, with a big red quilt stretched over them. Two dressers were tucked into the corner by one closet, leaving just enough space to set the desks face-to-face on the other side of the room. Patton imagined them studying together, holding hands over the desk, stealing little glances between readings. Quizzing each other like he and Roman used to when he’d study at his place after school.

Roman suddenly stepped closer and Patton looked up at him, pushing on another smile. “Have no fear, my dear Pattington Bear.” He booped Patton’s nose and, for a moment, everything was as it should be. “The Housing Office assigned you a room in the new dorms. It’s over by the Art Building. We saw them—they’re really nice and…”

“You probably want to get settled in,” Logan added, taking out a folded slip of paper from his pocket. “Dormitory orientations start in an hour, then dinner, and an evening program on ‘Health and Safety.’”

“Ha,” Patton forced a laugh, craning his neck to peek at the printout. His eyes widened when he saw the number of activities and information sessions they’d be expected to attend over the next few days. The list was a lot longer than the one he’d seen at the start of summer. “Sounds like camp!” 

“I sincerely hope your summer camp did not distribute prophylactics on the first night,” Logan frowned and put away the list. “Well,” he looked up at Roman  who winked back, blushing. “We have a bit more to tackle before Orientation.”

“Right,” Patton nodded. “Of course. Maybe we can meet up for dinner at the dining hall?” he asked, hoping neither caught his stomach grumble.

“Well, um…” Roman drew Logan a little closer. “Lo and I were going to drive into town for dinner together and…”

“Oh! Oh, yes, right… Celebrate with a date.” The yawning pit in his stomach turned into an a ball of ice. “Of course,” he said again. “Let me, um, let me get out of your hair, then and, uh…”

“Here, Pat, I’ll help you.” He lifted Logan’s hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss against each knuckle before releasing his grip and following Patton into the hall. “Jeez, Pat!” Roman exclaimed, eyes widening when he took in Patton’s overstuffed duffel bag, another backpack, and his beat up old wheelie suitcase in the hall. “Did you bring enough?”

“Oh, you know me,” he laughed, his voice strained as he tightened the straps on the larger backpack pulling down his shoulders. “It’s just a little of everything.” Roman hefted the duffel bag, his hand scraping over a crumpled tagboard label.

“Ha! Speaking of camp, I think you left your bunk tags on from last summer,” he laughed, turning it over and reading the bunk information. His eyes widened. “I can’t believe you went back!”

“You went to summer camp before college?” Logan asked, adjusting his glasses and peering at him through narrowed eyes from the doorway.

Patton shrugged, a flush crawling up the back of his neck. “Yeah, I was a counselor. Good money for a summer’s worth of work and no expenses… You’re living where you work, so…”

“Ah, Pat, I figured you’d take the summer off!” Roman clapped his shoulder then helped him hook his other backpack over the handle of the wheelie bag. “You worked your ass off to get a full ride here. Your parents were so proud at graduation, I bet they’d send you anything you’d need.”

“Mm-hm,” Patton nodded and didn’t look away fast enough to miss the stiff look Logan gave him. 

“Oh, mi amor,” Roman murmured, stepping back into their room and cupping his boyfriend’s cheek. Patton ducked his head and tilted back the suitcase to drag it back to the elevators, making just enough noise to cover their whispers. “I’ll be back before you know it, love,” he promised in his regular voice before stepping back into the hall with Patton.

“You know, Ro… I’m being selfish,” he said quietly to Roman when he joined him with the duffel bag. “You should stay here and help Logan get settled. I just need to head down to the RA’s office and get my new room and keycode.” Patton smiled brightly up at his oldest friend.

“Are—” Roman’s hand twitched on the duffel strap, already shifting his weight to set it down. “Are you sure?”

Patton looked up at him. Hope had brightened his already brilliant green eyes, and his usual crooked smile now bloomed over his face. “Yeah, Ro, of course I’m sure. I got it all here, didn’t I?” He nodded and looped the duffel bag over one shoulder.  “Besides, you know me…” He grinned brightly and mimed flexing his muscles. “I’m stronger than I look. Logan needs you,” he murmured.

“Pat, you’re the best friend a guy could ask for!” Roman pulled him into a long hug. Breath caught in his throat, Patton squeezed back, the familiar scent of strawberry shampoo and a new floral cologne pleasantly tickled his nose. “I’m not just saying that, either,” Roman murmured, bent over his head. “Thank you for being so understanding. Logan doesn’t have anyone right now. His whole family disowned him when he came out. They wouldn’t even let him take his computer or his clothes or anything.”

Burning eyes squeezed shut, Patton nodded silently against his shoulder, throat too tight to even try to speak. The weight of everything he carried in his backpack cut into his shoulders and he hugged Roman a little tighter. 

“He just really needs me right now,” Roman whispered. “I’m the one who encouraged him to come out. It wouldn’t be right to just abandon him now.”

“Of course,” Patton managed when Roman pulled back and smiled down at him. 

“You’re a good friend, Pat. The best.” He gave his shoulders one more squeeze before turning back to his room with a little wave. Just before he closed the door, he poked his head back into the hallway. “Hey, we should meet up at the dining hall… uh, maybe sometime tomorrow? Or maybe Monday?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, Ro, that sounds great! You have my new number!” He called just as the door closed. Alone again, Patton pushed up the corners of his mouth until it felt something like a smile and walked back down the hall toward the elevators.

~

The line for the RA’s office wrapped around the hallway. He watched the time tick down on his phone, the wait stretching even as his battery slowly died. Still, he cheered when he reached the head of the line and grinned at the harried volunteer flipping through a clipboard of dog eared papers.

“A313,” she said and handed him his new door code in a tiny envelope.

“Does it say who my roommate will be?” Patton bit his lip. He and Roman had spent the last four months of school planning on rooming together, sketching plans and making up stories about who else they might meet in the dorms. Patton hadn’t even considered not sharing a room with him. The thought of living with a total stranger sent a cold child down his spine.

The volunteer scanned the sheet but shrugged. “Sorry, doesn’t say on my copy, just that he’s a senior. It would’ve been on the copy mailed to your permanent address.”

Nodding, Patton caught his bag as it began to slip off his shoulder. She smiled, briefly, and glanced up at the line behind him. “Here—” she said, plucking a parking sticker from a thick envelope. “You’ll need to switch out your pass when you move your car to the other lot.”

“Yeah,” Patton nodded again and tucked the decal into his pocket along with the old one. Don’t need a pass if you don’t have a car. He gathered up his bags. “Um, thank you!” he added, remembering to smile. The volunteer had already moved on to the student waiting behind him, crumpled check in-hand.

The Art Dorm was on the opposite side of the quad, tucked into a corner behind Greek Row. A raucous party had already started at the largest fraternity house and Patton hitched his bag a little higher. He’d dodged a bullet there, at least.

He skittered around a pocket of laughing students making their way back across the quad toward the dining hall, then another as he waited for the elevator. One of them shoved a thick Orientation folder into the recycling bin. He waited until they’d passed and fished it out again. He'd missed the session, but at least he could catch up with the handouts. And if he hurried, he could still make the tail end of dinner and figure out what else he'd missed later. Who knew, maybe his new roomie would be nice and they could get to know each other a little before bed.

The elevator doors opened and Green Day played at too a high a volume poured into the tiny elevator. Patton dragged his bags out and into the hall. The music came from the only open door on the floor, about half-way down from the elevator. He re-read his dorm assignment and checked each door. His footsteps slowed with each tread, his bags growing steadily heavier.

301, 303, 305…

Patton stopped just outside room 313. A mostly empty suitcase sat open on the bed nearest the hallway and a stack of clothes still on hangers were draped haphazardly over the back of a chair. Teetering stacks of books and art supplies covered one desk and music—now Queen—blared from a flashing bluetooth speaker by the window.

In the other corner of the room, a very tall and very familiar guy with neon green hair and a cropped tank top was inside. Back to the door, he danced as he shoved an armful of clothes into a dresser drawer. A shiny tattoo, still red around the edges, covered his left shoulder and the safety pins adorning his ripped jeans swayed with his movements. 

Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe… Patton held his breath and knocked. Loudly. 

He spun around, tapping his wrist, and the music cut out. A too-broad grin slashed across his face, topped with a thick mustache. Green eyes two shades darker than Roman’s stared back at him, wide and wild. Remus dropped his clothes and opened his arms wide.

“Roomie!”

[sassafrasmoonshine]

Anna-Marie Furguson (British/English, b. 1966) • Illustraion to the Llewellyn Tarot Companion • Watercolor • Llewellyn Publications • 2006

[xavierllewellyn]

Another Day, Another Ludicrous Universe

Jenny Everywhere, not for the first time, sat in the Infinite, watching an incredible amount of bullshit unfold in some random universe. Such a hobby was particularly gratifying, as there was always something interesting going on, somewhere; you just had to know how to look.

Today she watched one universe's Earth get obliterated by a stray gamma-ray burst, as if the universe itself wanted to quash the events unfolding in one unassuming location: a writer, Xavier Llewellyn, wanted revenge on man made of noodles from another universe, all because in Xavier's universe, they had not been asked to write a story about Noodle Man.

Pathetic behaviour, frankly. But extremely amusing. But, as she watched that Earth's surface churn with lava and fire and the final suggestions of life collapsed into the destruction, she saw something. A faint little... no.

It couldn't be.

There was a single noodle, modestly floating in the oceans of fire.

The character of Jenny Everywhere is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Everywhere, that others might use this property as they wish. All rights reversed.

This flash fiction is a coda to The Non-Canonical, Unlicensed and Non-Valid Sequel to Arcbeatle Press’(s) April Fool's Anthology “The Noodle Incident”, 2024: 2 Noodle, 2 Furious 2, The Electric Boogaloo, feat. the Piscons, Jenny Everywhere and the People’ Republic of China. Hope you enjoy!

[prairiefirewitch]

While I’m forcing you to buy books, I have two others that I use a lot that may be helpful if you’re into the ancient Greeks. Both are from Prof. Sarah Iles Johnston and both get a thorough workout over here. Hekate Soteira is very specific to Hekate in the Chaldean Oracles, which is a little late for my interest in Hekate, but it’s thorough and illuminating if you want to see how Hekate morphs through time. It’s a hard read, but it should be on your bookshelf if you’re interested in Hekate at all. If you’re new to Hekate, you might be shocked at how little early Hekate resembles later Hekate.

Johnston’s Restless Dead is essential for witchcraft practitioners who give a shit about why witchcraft is the way that it is, which is the most asked question in my own practice: Why do we do it like this and also what’s the foundation of witchcraft? This title is an easier read in my opinion and completely fascinating. This book contains the basis for your practice if you follow any European tradition. And that’s not to say that there aren’t other influences, but this is the meat and potatoes of it.

Now I’m going to do something I rarely do but really want to do all the time because if you’re serious about whatever your practice is, there’s a lot of tripe from shitty publishers that’s designed to turn a quick buck and preys on new witches that don’t have access to better sources. I’m going to tell you the name of a book that you should not buy if you’re looking for the foundations of your Greek practice because book dollars are precious. Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods by Jason Mankey and Astrea Taylor. It’s presented as sort of a beginners guide to Greek witchcraft but this ain’t it babes, no offense to the authors. It’s a Llewellyn publication which ought to be enough to give pause before buying. This is Greek witchcraft dumbed down to be palatable to a wider audience and it’s a mess. The sources are incomplete, which is the first thing we ought to be looking at when we accept an author’s take on witchcraft. Also neither author appears to be deeply involved in specifically Greek religion, and that’s a big red flag for me. If would want more Greek titles, I can recommend things. If you have titles to share, please do. Always looking for a great book.

[thuganomxcs]

SHIPPING INFO // ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR MUSES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW SHIPPING WORKS ON YOUR BLOG.

WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER(S)?

If we're speaking in the canon sense like in his universe I really do like the idea of yusuke x botan because I like the aspects of him with death...not to mention he's a devil now too soo. I still love Yusuke x Keiko tho just so the peeps know there's no hatred for our girl.

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?

Anything like a muse being a fucking minor and the other almost hitting their 40's. There's ONE particular verse that does this shit but this ain't about them. As long as you don't ship your literal grown man/woman with a literal definition of a child then I wouldn't have to be disturbed.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NSFT?

The minute a hand touches a boob or the clothes begin to fly off I'm guessing it's considered NSFW.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?

LOL I'd say I am..but people have known to just show up, write with me and in a day of our muses vibing we're already shipping them. I MEAN if I have to be selective I'd say..as long as she's a woman XD

WHO ARE OTHER CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH?

Where do I even begin?? First of all I gotta go with the one that started this and that's @belovedblossoms Hiyori. She was the first person I've ever shipped Yusuke with and that relationship has started from not so disney friendly beginnings but entertaining as shit. Then there's @lady-llewellyn El who just ruins the guy, I swear in this ship Yusuke is the innocent one in the relationship no cap. We got @itmeanspeace Shiloh, this one started off just plain physical until she became attached, lol look at me talk as if Yusuke didn't catch feelings too..probably first since he's still kinda technically a human. Give it up for @swordsxandxsakuras Nezuko, the first one to actually go the full nine yards with him to dating all the way down to married with kids. Then there's my homie @fatexbound Chie I wouldn't CALL it a relationship yet but they're definitely in that phase in getting to know one another. You know I gotta put my home girl @adversitybloomed Mulan, who's probably seen everything there is to who Yusuke is as a character, she's been with him as a pervert all the way to him being nice and doing stuff for people. She's also helped him with his family life might have bribed him to go to college but in the end Yusuke proposed to her and it's actually the first REAL proposal I've written as him. I also can't use the term ship without mentioning @bravesung old OC Alyssa, she was definitely a special one who refused to buy into what people said about him, and after discovering he was supernatural (to a degree) just like her it got them to bonding. She's probably believed in him more than he did in himself when it came down to school because she NEVER let him quit HELL she brought his ass TO school whilst he was still sleeping in bed, picture that in your minds if you will. I got good ships and there's even this unhealthy one right here with my girl @acoldsovereign Maiz, tons of ships starts with curiosity, cute moments and even love at first sight and this one is just violence, one devil often tries to get the other devil to dig into those natural urges and forsake his human heart (that literally isn't even working anymore) and just behave like a demon, there's also acts of public terrorism but he'd punch her right..and she'd kick him wrong, it's a tug and pull with 'em. Bruh this segment is getting long since belovedblossom also has other muses that are shipped with Yusuke too and i have a feelin we'd be here ALL day and I've still got a few to talk about. Just know I love all y'alls muses.

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?

Nah, I mean if we write and there's a connection then I'd say let 'em go for it. EVEN IF you came to me writing Keiko and you're worried about shipping with me cause you'd think it's forced and i'm obligated to because of the canon then don't. It'd still be cool in my book.

ARE YOU SHIP-OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?

I'm not ship obsessed but I would say it's a fun thing to have cause when you're talkin' to your homies and the muses come u you can talk about the ship, or how a song reminds you of them. Shipping whether it's romantically, platonically or familial, they bring us together as writers and we because better pals cause of it. Cause there's always something to talk about when we wanna forget about that bill we can't pay.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?

Let me tell you something about my fandom on tumblr: It hardly exists XDD there's really only a handful of us.

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?

Simple, we write. If there's chemistry between the muses well then your muse has got themselves a partner. He's by no means an easy person to love but once you've got him you've got someone that'll be there for your muse indefinitely. And if ya wanna discuss the possibility then my DMs are always open..even if i'm terribly slow with 'em.

tagged: @vartouhix

tagging: Y'all gonna have to steal this one homies. Tag me when ya do cause imma read it.