Beefing with random Jews excitedly posting their Hanukkah prep and celebration photos in their notes and replies does absolutely nothing to help raise awareness or show support for Palestine, but I've already scrolled by it substantially more than I expected. This is the EXACT kind of shit Israel is going to be counting on this holiday season to rally the idea that pro-Palestinian support = antisemitism (which they already do relentlessly anyway). Don't fucking do their job for them by actually being antisemitic. It was established forever ago that not only are people not their governments, period, but in an adjacent vein, Jews are not Israel. Let people have a happy Hanukkah without harassment, especially the ones who've already been fighting for the Palestinian cause this entire time.

birthday surprise ₊˚.

pairing : taehyun x reader genre : flufffff w a cute wrapping of crack <3 cw/tw : ty panics a lil bit + beomgyu is made to do labour /j + minor swearing + use of caps wc : 783 w (wrote this in one sitting a day before my bio prac hehe) notes : HO LEE SHIT i'm having exams still but ugh how could i not write a lil soemthing for tyun my lil boba eyed bee eff's birfhday 😍🫶 (posting this as soon as it's 00.00 on 5th by my timezone)

when you act super distant with taehyun around a week before his birthday, he’s confused. about your behavior, of course but also his own. he's not like this, he's the rational one, the one with the braincell so why is he overthinking this so much? you're probably just planning something for his special day, he knows that but.. he can't help but feel paranoid.. what if he’s just being conceited in thinking so? what if something's seriously wrong??

then just 3 days before the awaited day you call him up sounding all worried - saying there's an emergency and you have to leave asap and he's left reeling with shock. what do you mean an emergency?? is there a problem at work or at your uni? or worse, did something happen to someone in your family-? he can’t focus at all, practice, meetings with the manager, even his sleep is completely consumed by thoughts of you (though that’s.. not really new~)

and then it's finally the eve of the much, much awaited day. he really wasn't expecting anything, opting instead for an early night. his members were seemingly busy with a "project", which was highly suspicious and should’ve immediately raised alarm, is what he would say if you asked him later and you know, he would've caught onto it right then but busy schedules added to the constant worry about all the upcoming events and ofc you had dulled his senses considerably

but at 11.51 sharp, as if on cue, he hears his shrill ringtone from where it is kept next to his bed. it's beomgyu.

“taehyun, dude”, he says, “there's um,.. an issue. uh, yeah no it's a huge problem. we need everyone in the practice room like right now.” by now of course, taehyun did feel pretty sure of the fact that his members had something planned.. i mean “an issue at the practice room”? c'mon that was a classic, he'd literally used that same line on yeonjun's birthday last year. he’s about to let beomgyu know of this but then he hears their manager in the background.. shit okay, maybe there's actually something wrong? briefly affirming that he’ll be there, he haphazardly dresses and makes his way to the practice room...

...only to find the room dark, as he opens the door and walks in, extremely wary of his surroundings. making his way to the light switches he soon discovers emptiness. the room was completely empty. what the fuck.

he honestly felt so dazed, he couldn't help but just sit himself on the couch, somewhere between wondering if this was a dream and if not wondering why his members chose to inflict such weird pranks (?) upon him. he remains there for a good 45 ish minutes before he hears the unmistakable sound of footsteps and people, whispering in a way that was not quiet at all.

"shit why're the lights already on??" "oh yeah i called taehyun and told him to come down!!" "what. beomgyu we haven't set up anything. the cake is literally in my hands right now. you're literally holding the decorations??" "oh. huh." "gyu holy shit how could you not know????" "I SWEAR TO GOD." "guys shut up we can still salvage this if we just-"

and taehyun finds himself face to face with a shocked huening kai, an extremely guilty-looking beomgyu, you with so much disappointment adorning your face that one would think this was your surprise party being ruined and rather furious looking soobin and yeonjun.

i'm sure you can picture how the rest of the "surprise" party went. taehyun making some colorful, weirdly specific yet affectionate threats to everyone, you especially - having him worrying over nothing for a whole week, how could you?! he discovers that their manager had been persuaded by all of you to record a little audio clip you could play over call, just to make taehyun a little extra worried and a little less suspicious. well. at least, that definitely worked out huh?

but later when he has his arm around you as you cut the cake into delicate slices and beomgyu attempts to decorate the whole room single handedly, as was chosen to be his punishment, with the rest of his members, offering birthday wishes, sharing past anecdotes of various such mishaps (and it is undoubtable that there were a lot), laughing and playing about, he can't help but think maybe he prefers this more than he would a "perfect" surprise.

next year though, as he tells each of you multiple times, he'd rather it not be a surprise at all. with a smile that quite clearly said that it was very much not up for debate.

[check out my masterlist for more <3]

six - out

previous masterlist next

gp!myoui mina x fem!reader

warnings: cursing

word count: 1,732

a/n: GUYS IM SORRY, I MEANT TO POST THIS EARLIER BUT I LOST TRACK OF TIME PLS FORGIVE ME😞😞

the constant buzzing of your phone roused you from your slumber, you tried to ignore it but the buzzing hadn’t gone away like it usually would. with a huff you sat up and received the call without checking the caller. 

“what?!” you said annoyance clear in your tone.

“check twitter, right now!” camila’s stressed out voice exclaimed from the other end of the phone. 

“okay, okay, gosh what terrible thing happen-” you fell silent when the twitter app loaded on and displayed a linked article stating a question along with a picture. 

SIXTH HARMONY’S Y/N L/N HAS A DAUGHTER? 

the article went on to explain how an anonymous source had sent a picture of the ‘happy birthday isla’ banner that hung behind you, you were squatted on the floor with isla’s cheek squished into yours. seeing the picture you immediately recognized it as one that was definitely taken the day before. you could only curse yourself for letting that man help bring that package into your home and forgetting to close the door. apparently there had been paparazzi waiting outside of your house and took pictures of the decorations while your door was open. 

“y/n? you good?” camila's worried voice pulled you out of your regretful thoughts. 

“y-yeah, just shocked. the thought of this happening never even crossed my mind.” you said, still in disbelief that this could’ve happened. 

“look at the comments though, we can go along with them and lie.” hearing this, with curiosity you scrolled down to see the replies to the tweet. 

REPLIES: 

sixtharmony4ever: why can't you people just mind your own business omg, leave my girls alone!!!

camilasolostan: wtf??? was y/n a teen mom?! iloveyn: so what if she was, its her life not yours.

laurenmll: why are you idiots acting like she can't have nieces😭😭 user872349: are you stupid, she doesn't have any siblings💀💀 laurenmll: are you? you're acting like she cant have any cousins☠️ laursss: girl lets be real, thats 100% y/ns kid camziezz: literally, cuzns arent twins💀💀

sixthharmonizerrr: these paparazzis seriously need to get a life and let celebs live theirs.

twice4lifee: guys why does that baby look exactly like mina😰😰minaluvzme: IM SAYINN once4ever: NEW SHIP???

minariii: *image attached* cannot tell me they are not the same person, literally give that kid a haircut and its mina.

lovey/nnn: why does the baby look like that one girl from that kpop group?!

harmonizeronce: does mina have a secret brother? twcmina: she literally said in multiple interviews she was an only child. harmonizeronce: thats why i said secret smartass.

seeing people defending you brought a smile to your face, you loved your fans. though you couldn't help the anxiety creep up your spine, what if they found out about mina. rather than worrying for yourself, you worried for mina, it might break her career if it's found out that she has a kid. you knew that the kpop industry was much less forgiving when it came to things like this. feeling another buzz in your hand caused you to look at the incoming call from your manager larry. 

“mila, larry’s calling so i’ll hang up now okay?” hearing a ‘kay’ from camila you hung up and accepted the call from your manager. 

“deny having a kid, say it was your cousins or something and that you hang out with her kid alot. I honestly don't care what you say, just make sure no one knows that it's your kid.” he said as soon as you had accepted the call

“and if i don't want to?” 

“that’s not an option.” he stated. 

“I'm not going to deny my kid, can I just stay quiet? i won't ever deny that isla’s my daughter, i'm not and never will be ashamed of her. sure i had her young but i don't regret it at all.” you responded with finality in your voice. maybe this was a stupid decision, but one parent had already left isla and you refused to disown her by saying she wasn't yours.  

letting out a sigh, knowing nothing he said would change your decision, your manager let out a fine and hung up the call. you let yourself fall back into your bed and just laid there hands and legs sprawled out. hearing the creak of your door opening made you lift your head a bit to see isla standing there. she ran over to your bed, when she reached it she proceeded to lift one of her legs up trying to get onto the bed. you smiled down at how cute she looked, stopping her struggles, you sat up and pulled her onto the bed next to you. with her small hands she pushed you down onto your back and jumped onto you, cuddling her face into your neck. 

“when will i get to see mommy, i only see hew in pictuws.” isla said into your neck, she was very clearly distressed, and you could only think of the day before when she had questioned mina’s want to even see her. 

you honestly didn't even think mina wanted to see her, sure she sent gifts but you doubt she’d want to see isla. she always thought of the child as a burden, as something that you were supposed to care for. the thought brought a frown to your face, you wished for mina to see isla and acknowledge her as a daughter. 

chaos had ensued in the twice dorms, although mina only shared a dorm with nayeon, all the girls were currently at the dorms. as soon as they had seen the tweet they rushed over, hoping that it wasn't as they thought. 

“so what, you just left her alone with a kid?!” jeongyeon exclaimed, clearly upset at the mere idea. 

“uh- well it wasn't like that, i wanted to pursue my dream and she was holding me back. also i send them money and gifts and pay for the apartment, i’m fulfilling my role as a parent.” hearing this, all of the girls continued their attack, throwing objects at mina. she tried to dodge but there were too many coming and too fast. 

“god i knew you were a douche judging by the amount of girls you bring home, but this is just unbelievable.” momo said, followed by a shoe being thrown at mina’s head. 

“you guys are unbelievable, i'm your member, not her. plus, are you forgetting the part where i literally send gifts, money, and pay the bills?! also she didn't want me to follow my dream!” mina exclaimed, why couldn't they understand her side?

“yeah, and are you forgetting the part where you got her pregnant. whatever she says doesn't matter, as the person who got her pregnant you should have taken responsibility.” jihyo voiced out, clearly annoyed by her excuses.

“I do take responsibility! how many times do i need to say that i give them money, i spoil them incredibly!” mina cried out in exasperation, how many times did she have to say it for them to understand?

the yelling and throwing of things was stopped the moment the door to the dorm opened, their manager walking in. “mina, there better be a good explanation for this.” their manager said, glaring at mina. 

“uhm- there really isn't one, it’s exactly how it seems.” 

“how do you even know y/n?!” their manager exclaimed, not being able to wrap her mind around this situation.

“we uh- we were high school sweethearts, we dated throughout almost the entirety of highschool.”

“what?!” everyone exclaimed, not knowing that they were in that serious of a relationship. 

“wait, so do you know any other celebrities?” chaeyoung asked in disbelief, she had been a fan of the group's music for a while and couldn't believe mina knew them.

“uh- yeah, shawn mendes, he was my best friend since middle school and camila, but she was y/n’s best friend. and i mean camila never really liked me.” 

“you knew shawn mendes?!” chaeyoung exclaimed, being best friends with shawn mendes was insane to her. 

“yeah, i still talk to him from time to time too.” mina said, scratching the back of her head as she explained. 

“mina, i hope you know that we will be going to the US for the billboard women in music awards. and sixth harmony will for sure be there.” their manager said to mina.

“what!?” mina exclaimed, the thought that she might run into you again was now starting to eat away at her. she didn't want to see you, but at the same time she wanted so desperately to. 

“oh yeah, i was gonna tell you.” jihyo said, everyone surprised that mina didn't know. 

everyone had left by now, and it was only mina, nayeon, and the two beer bottles on the coffee table in front of them. mina usually didn't drink, her intolerance for alcoholic drinks being the reason, but after today she just needed a drink. 

“what do you think? do you agree with everyone else, you think i'm an asshole?” mina asked, not offended but wanting a genuine answer.

“I mean what you did was very assholey, but i mean it’s never too late to change you know? i mean i’ve lived with you for like how long? three, four years? and i mean i think i know you best, and i can say with confidence you’ve had at least a little character development.” nayeon said, taking a swig of her beer. 

“but what do i do? I feel like what me and y/n had is broken by now. I don't think she’d even want me to meet isla.” mina said, she would never dare say her true thoughts. and i mean, could you blame her? 

all she knew about this kid was that she was 3 years old and that it was hers. she didn't even know what isla looked like until she saw the picture on twitter. she felt terrible for even thinking it, but she didn't really care all that much for this kid. you on the other hand, she had known you for a long time, she loved you, she had a kid with you. she didn't regret pursuing her dream but she wished it didn’t include losing you. 

“just talk to her, when we meet her. try to just talk it all out.” 

taglist: @moon-ellie @lisas-earlobe @cocojy @second-daughter-of-clexa @runassimp@eliii1sblog @yvsvrn send an ask if you want to be added to the taglist!

OKAY, FROM THE TOP BECAUSE I HAVE THOUGHTS! (And yes, I know a lot of this is simply “because it adds to the gameplay”, but I will still adapt my headcanons accordingly, that’s why they’re headcanons.)

1. Finally, the holy grail, the door to Aesop Sharp’s chambers. 

2. This man is very... reduced in his decor. Minimalistic. There are no unnecessary embellishments aside from the odd picture here and there, but I honestly think those came with the room and weren’t things Aesop brought with him when he took up his post as teacher. Instead, you can find a myriad of potion ingredients, flasks, cauldrons and research notes, showing how dedicated he is to find a cure for his injury (and to mark his students’ exams probably). Everything he owns serves a specific purpose. He also seems to enjoy the odd drink here and there, if the non-descript bottles next to his armchair and footstool in front of the fire are anything to go by. If you like it dark, imagine those are potions against pain (but looking at the sizes of those bottles I honestly doubt it).

3. This is basically just an easter egg that I wanted to mention; if you Glacius the fireplace in his first room, you can crawl through and follow some stairs to a hidden room filled to the brim with concept art of the castle. Because of this, some people headcanon that Aesop is a great artist. While that is a cute thought and you do you, I disagree. Firstly, he’d keep his art in his room, easily accessible. He doesn’t shy away from other people’s opinions, he would have no need to hide his hobby. Secondly, a child already has to crawl through the fireplace, a grown up man with a stiff leg, probably has quite the hard time accomplishing the same. And don’t get me started on the winding stairs afterwards. It just doesn’t add up.

4. We always see him limping through the castle, but he does own a walking cane. I assume he’s either to proud to use it in front of students and staff members alike, or he only needs it if he’s walking for longer periods of time. Though, considering how many fricking STAIRS there are in Hogwarts and what a hassle it is to get to your own bed EVERY DAY, I’d say it’s pride. He might also have bad days where his leg might bother him more.

5. Not only is there a walking cane in his quarters, there’s also a wheelchair. Maybe he needed it while his injury was still fresh. Maybe St. Mungo’s provided him with it when he was released. Maybe it’s for the *really* bad days... or maybe it’s a reminder for him to hurry up with his research because he is living (and moving) on borrowed time.

6. Speaking of research, this note you can find in his room is interesting not only because of what’s written in it, but because of the state it’s in. It’s been folded and unfolded numerous times, there are stains, there are tears, you can literally imagine what this piece of paper might feel like. It’s impossible to get a papercut from this already softened material. This note has been handled, stuffed in pockets, examined and studied countless of times and it’s still around. Does that mean his research is stagnating? Are the ingredients difficult to come by? The signs of wear feel like a contrast to what’s written. 

7. Kinda cheating because you don’t find this note in his quarters, but in Professor Hecat’s. He hasn’t been an Auror for quite some time but he still feels responsible. He itches to do his old job, he told us that much. If not for his injury he’d be back in the field within the blink of an eye. He’s not afraid, he’s resourceful and tries to help in whatever ways he can. Also, he seems to have a great deal of respect for Hecat, probably because she was once an Unspeakable. Maybe they even met during his time as an Auror, who knows...

8. More cauldrons, more potion ingredients, more research notes, more seating possibilities. Seriously, his rooms are filled with chairs, settees and footrests, and I don’t think it’s because he has a lot of visitors. The only chair that really invites another person in is the second armchair in front of his smaller fireplace. The others are for him. To either put clothes on them because bending down is probably difficult with a stiff leg or to rest wherever he stands (remember the first potion lesson? He leaned against a frame, taking weight off his left leg, before immediately limping towards his desk to sit down). I imagine there are spikes of pain throughout the day and he needs to be able to sit as often as possible. 

9.  Unlike Professor Ronen, Sharp has no shaving kit in his room. Considering his uneven scruff, nobody should be surprised. He’s not one to care for appearances too much (despite wearing nice clothing but that’s just “what people do”. It’s the miminum but he won’t go out of his way, especially not if it wastes time or puts a strain on his leg), being clean and well-dressed have to be enough. He also seems to live out of his luggage, clothes are strewn about instead of lying neatly folded in the wardrobe.

10. The pièce de résistance, his bed. Simple, two pillows but only really made for one person. Interesting however, how he put some cloth over the portrait right above it. This only supports my theory that he did not choose what the walls are lined with and isn’t exactly happy about so many pairs of eyes watching him from every angle. Especially not while he’s in bed, doing Merlin knows what (like sleeping, get your mind out of the gutter. ...Jk, I’m already living in the sewers, let’s be real). 

So, what do we take from these pictures? 

Aesop Sharp is clearly single and we are absolutely ready to mingle. 

twst first years halloween headcanons<3

warnings: none!

(tis but just small silly hc’s. i may make some hc’s for the other years too im not sure yet😍😍)

♡ace♡

- will literally take candy from children. doesn’t matter how he has to, he will brisk right on by, snatching a handful from a child’s bag. using a magic trick to distract a big group of the to get more? he will. he has no shame.

- couldn’t care less about wearing an attractive costume, would wear something awful and stupid like a banana or like one of those inflatable dinosaur costumes. (he still thinks he looks so attractive in that costume too)

- actively steals parts of the other first years costumes and just waits menacingly for them to notice.

- will discreetly (sometimes.) judge other people’s costumes (even though he looks ridiculous).

- INSISTS they take group photos especially if they’re in awful costumes, and will post the worst photos of everyone off guard.

- he will also force everyone to watch horror movies afterwards, but only ones he’s seen so he can seem like everyone else is a scaredy cat when in reality, his first time watching them he almost peed himself.

♤deuce♤

- takes halloween seriously.

- absolutely loved being home for halloween and helping him mom decorate to liven up the holiday.

- he calls his mom on halloween from NCR and even sends her pictures of his costume, and later group photos.

- volunteers to hand candy out to kids, absolutely LOVES IT.

- doesn’t know what he wants to dress up as, but will take suggestions and loves group costumes.

- has to HIDE his candy because he doesn’t trust ace nor grim enough to just leave it lying around, it is quite literally under his bed within like 3 different boxes.

- hates the horror movies ace puts on, literally cannot stand them. almost punched ace in the leg MULTIPLE times when he was jumpscared but jack put a stop to that.

❆epel❆

- sometimes joins ace in snatching candy from kids, sometimes he smacks aces hand away and thinks he’s definitely stolen too much.

- definitely with deuce in enjoying group costumes, it makes him feel included, but definitely wants to dress cooler than sometime goofy

- almost brawls with adults who try and say they’re “too old” to be dressing up and getting candy

- LOVES trick or treating since he was one of the few kids in his hometown, he loves being able to go door to door with other people and seeing kids running around in costumes just beaming.

- so hyped about candied apples, gets everyone some but tells them he could could make some better ones in his hometown for them one day!

- tries to get everyone to trade candy because he doesn’t want some of the ones he got, but he doesn’t wanna give them away for nothing!

- def hides all his candy from vil, it’s hidden so well in a bag, in a bag, in a box, in his closet, with shoes on top and all.

☾jack☾

- sometimes gives off the “too cool” for halloween vibes, but absolutely loves it. he finds it so fun to dress up.

- used to help out around his house, making sure his siblings had their costumes on, taking them door to door just to see them smile.

- would dress in whatever people wanted him to, group costumes, solo ones, coordinated, he’s down! (his sister once tried to get him to wear a matching princess dress and he refused, but she did end up convincing him to wear a tiara with her)

- will carry everyone’s candy bags if they need be, also scolds ace every time he steals a child’s candy, taking it back n stealthily putting it back into the kids bag.

- (secretly adores the photos they take in costume and even posts some on magicam)

- at some point may also end up holding grim under his arm like a rag-doll when grim decides he doesn’t feel like going around anymore.

- he only keeps a little bit of the candy he gets, giving most of it to other first years, or ruggie later.

- he will give you some of his candy if he knows it’s your favorite and he doesn’t want it.

♞sebek♞

- definitely acts like he’s above dressing up for halloween. untilllll he overhears malleus discussing how excited he is for halloween, dressing up, all the festivities and suddenly sebek is over the wall for it.

- only goes out with the first years on halloween when lilia & malleus practically force him to.

- acts like he would rather be anywhere else doing anything else, but is actually having so much fun.

- thinks it’s odd parents just let their children run amuck.

- he brings back candy/treats for lilia, malleus, and silver that he’s sure they’re gonna enjoy. (considered bringing back trick candy that ace used on him for silver)

- the horror movies ace forces upon them, he lowkey cannot stand. he thinks the people are foolish because for WHAT REASON are they to walking around where they heard someone scream without any weapons??

(also @kasdan has some slay writings as well so you should check her out🥳)

Our Evergreen

summary: it's jack's first christmas with you as your fiance, and now he must put up with all of your christmas traditions

a/n: hi, it's literally been over a month (???) since i've posted, and like, just as long since i've even written, so pls go easy on me as you're reading this- i'm still finding my groove!! i am, however, very excited about it being the holiday season, so here's this. hope u enjoy :)

***

"Baby," Jack laughed, when you groaned upon seeing him still in nothing but his jeans and a wifebeater. "The trees aren't going anywhere."

"Okay, but the trees we want will go somewhere if you don't get dressed."

"I can't take you seriously when you look this cute." he pouted at you.

"I'm leaving you here." you threatened, tossing him the hoodie he picked out.

"Fine." he shrugged.

"Jack, do you even want to marry me?"

"Okay, baby, you're being a little dramatic." he scoffed, gesturing at the ring he slid onto your finger on the quiet coast of a tropical beach three months before. "Duh."

"How can you say you do if you don't even want to pick out Christmas trees with me- Jack!" you were cut short by a squeal when he stood up quickly and pulled you into his chest and kissed all over your face.

"Course I want to marry you, and of course I'll go pick out trees with you if you stop talkin' crazy." he mumbled against your ear and you couldn't help but smirk at how easy it was to make him get his act together.

"Then get dressed." you told him quietly, and he left a firm pat on your behind before grabbing the hoodie.

You squealed in excitement when Jack finally got a parking spot outside of the tree farm. He laughed when you threw your car door open and exhaled happily at the sight. In all five years that he'd been with you, he had never seen you so in the Christmas spirit. At Thanksgiving, you were hardly even done with your food before you were playing Christmas music.

He knew that you enjoyed the holiday, but he had never seen it in this capacity, and although it was a lot of work to keep up with, nothing made him happier than watching you fill your carts with Christmas decorations. You both had moved into your first house together and he was more than obliged to funding every single ornament and Christmas lights that he was procrastinating hanging up.

"Baby, I've never seen you with a real Christmas tree before. Where's all this energy coming from?"

"It's December! We have to get cracking, J." you explained, cuddling into his side as he threw his arm around you and kissed the top of your head.

"No," he laughed as you two walked into the farm, surrounded by massive trees that Jack cringed at the idea of putting on top of the Jeep. "I mean, I know you like Christmas, but usually it's... you know, minimal."

"I don't know, I'm just extra in the spirit this year." you shrugged, stopping short to look up at Jack. "Extra in love, too."

"These trees must be expensive." he smirked, and you rolled your eyes at him. "Love you, too, baby."

After you both made your way in, you ordered cups of hot chocolate and started to browse the tree farm.

"I haven't had a real tree in years." Jack said out loud, brushing a hand against a tree that still had snow packed on the inside as you took a sip of your drink.

"That's because you never bother to buy one." you raised an eyebrow, and Jack shook his head.

"I mean, yeah, but my parents gave up on it when me and Clay got older. Then we started buying those box trees." he said, standing in memory before laughing and grabbing your attention. "I remember one of the first years we came out to one, my cousin came along and they had Santa here, and he was scared as hell of him. We all got on his lap and he ran away and ended up running right into a tree."

"Jack!" you smacked his chest when he laughed loudly before joining him.

"I have to ask Clay if he remembers that. It was... damn, it was funny."

You both started on the paths, hardly looking at the trees or minding the other people there that side eyed your raucous laughter that was much louder than the speakers playing Christmas music.

"See, we never really had real trees. I don't know, maybe a couple of years, but I remember every year, putting up the star. I want to keep that tradition."

"What, putting up the star?" he grabbed your hand, taking in the scent of fresh pine mixed with your perfume.

"I want our babies to put it up." you said softly, and Jack squeezed your hand involuntarily.

It was almost impossible for the subject of kids to come up after you two had been so in love for so long, but you had never really discussed the ins and outs. You had giggled about what your baby might look like, about whether they'd be Jack's height or extra short, you had pointed out onesies, you had even shared your baby names, but the idea of having a baby to carry so many memories crowded your chests and created a fuzzy feeling.

"I-I mean, you know, that's still a while away, but-" you stammered, worried about creating too much of a shift in energy when you noticed Jack swallow hard.

"Is it?" he whispered, stopping in front of a short tree that didn't even look like it was meant to be there.

"Maybe not." you chuckled in realization, and Jack kissed your forehead.

"What else do you want? For our Christmases?"

"Well, I want us to come tree shopping every year, and hang stockings. And matching pajamas on Christmas."

"Yeah?" he raised his eyebrows and grinned at you, earning a smile back.

"Mmhmm." you nodded, growing excited at the pure image.

"And what about when they're all teenagers and just want money for Christmas?"

"Then I'll drag you out of bed and make you come tree shopping."

"Fuck them kids, huh?" he laughed out, and you giggled in return, nudging him out of your way before he pulled you into a hug.

You found solace in Jack's hoodie, loving the way he warmed you more than the hot chocolate was.

Your smile became more solemn when you looked up at Jack whose blue eyes lit up when they looked over your features. You shook your head as your heart swelled.

"What about you?"

"I don't know, I want them to love Christmas and being a family. I want them to, just, have all these beautiful memories. I don't care what kind of tree or it is or what we're wearing, but I want them to feel like this. I want them to feel like this kind of happiness." he whispered, trailing a thumb across your cheek.

"I can't believe I get to marry you." you laughed, pushing your face into his chest and shaking your head.

"Yeah, imagine how I feel. I can't believe I even get to know you."

When you looked back at him, he was ducking his head to kiss you. There was only a nip in the air, but it felt like it might've been a blizzard surrounding you when you felt that sharp warmth take over your body. You clutched your cup, and wrapped your free hand against the back of his curly hair, and sighed happily. He pulled away for a moment to take a breath and to murmur his admiration before going back in.

This time the kiss was a little less chaste, and earned a squeal from you when he worked his tongue into your mouth, bending over your body slightly as if he couldn't get enough of you. You wouldn't have even gotten a chance to stop him had it not been for high pitched giggled from behind you.

You both pulled away quickly, remaining intertwined as you looked around, expecting to see a little boy and girl, until you found an elderly couple in matching flannels with pink cheeks as they looked upon you. You gasped and tried to pull away before you could further your embarrassment.

"Can't keep my hands off her." Jack swallowed, and you pursed your lips in embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright, I know how it is. It gets a little harder once you're fifty years in, don't it, honey?" the man winked at his wife, who only laughed.

You smiled at the interaction before shuffling closer to Jack who seemed absolutely entertained.

"I promise we aren't a couple of freaks," the woman began, before smiling. "We just noticed you two, and had to ask if this is your first Christmas together?"

"Well, not really." you spoke, a smile breaking across your face. "We've been together for five years, but we just got engaged, so it's our first Christmas doing everything together."

"Wow. You both should hold on to each other. You're a beautiful couple."

"I lucked out." Jack curled his arm around your waist.

"So did I." you smiled and looked upon the couple, their wrinkled eyes showing a lifetime of unconditional love.

"Well, it was nice to meet you both. We wish you all the best." the elderly man, rubbed his wife's arm before nodding towards you and Jack, earning a response from you.

"It was nice meeting you, too. Thank you."

Before you could continue walking, Jack kissed you once more and stopped you short. "We can't keep making out."

"That's not what I'm talking about." he rolled his eyes at you, and you pursed your lips. "I'm talking about this tree. We should take it home and plant it. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I think it's a good sign."

You stood next to Jack, and looked at it. It was small, but obviously evergreen, dwarfed by trees that had been fertilized by years and ready to be picked and loaded onto the back of trucks and the tops of minivans. It was the kind of tree that nobody would pick because it wasn't as big and green as the others, but still it stayed on its own, and would grow just as big as bright as the others.

"I think it's a great sign." you smiled, picking it up and laughing at how light it was.

"Do you want to get a bigger one?" Jack asked, taking the long forgotten hot chocolate from your hand as you cradled the pot.

"This one is good for this year, I think."

Life in China Observations #4

It's been a while since I last did this, so let's go again!

Identity is complicated The question "where are you from" can be just as complicated as it is simple. For many people, their country of birth is where they're from, which is usually the case here. However, if you happen to be born in country A to parents from cultures B and C, immigrated and became a citizen of country D and now attend university in country E and are now on an exchange program in China, the question "where are you from" is not that easily answered. From what some of my friends told me, where you're from is actually the place where your dad was born in even though you may have been born in a different city which is a pretty interesting concept known as the "ancestral home" - 祖籍 (zǔjí) or 籍贯 (jígùan).

You have to make the first step I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but people are constantly doing something and unless you specifically and intentionally reach out and work on your friendship, you may end up drifting apart. Maybe this is a specific thing, but back home I could go a few weeks without really reaching out to my friends and then someone would suggest grabbing lunch together and it would be like no time had passed at all since we last saw each other. Here? Quite different.

Beauty and pop trends There are all sorts of weird and wonderful trends that you can come across in China. From using bread as a study tactic to decorating your workplace with banana plants, I feel like the more I assimilate here, the bigger the reverse culture shock will be when I go back home, and not just for me. dr.candiselin covers some of these trends on Instagram (not a promo post!), and I recommend checking out her content, it's quite brilliant.

Taobao You can buy anything on taobao. Literally. I saw someone selling a house there. I was previously a little shocked to see animals such as cats and bunnies being sold, but after seeing houses and cars being sold I honestly don't know what else is there to surprise me with.

Prepare in advance (foodwise) for the lunar new year During those 8-12ish days during the holdiays a lot of stores were closed. The convenience store outside my campus was open thank God, because otherwise I would have been living on instant porridge and instant soup which was my main food source 2 weeks prior due to being ill and there is only so much instant oatmeal that you can eat before slightly losing it.

Being ill is a nightmare And I mean the mandatory-bed-rest-no-going-out-for-at-least-5-days ill kind. You need to go to the hospital or a clinic to get a note to give to your school otherwise the day's you're absent will be counted, and once they reach a specific percentage you won't be allowed to take the exam (which can seriously mess with your grades, even more if you're there as an exchange student).

The weather can change at the blink of an eye I remember back in December the weather was in the negative digits and then suddenly the next day it was around 20 celcius?? The very next day it went to 3-4, and even now in March it's very all over the place. The weather forecast is not that useful because I'll leave the dorms wearing my coat in the morning only to return carrying my coat, jumper, long-sleeved shirt and wearing only my t-shirt.

More affordable beauty products I saw some products go for around $80 online?? And here on Taobao they cost under $10? I'm assuming it's the shipping costs that drive up the price so drastically, and now I'm pondering whether it would be cheaper to order online or to travel to China every couple of years just to stock up on beauty products.

Worshipping With Limited Space/Materials/Time/Etc.

One of my close friends has been asking me how to worship deities with limited space/privacy/materials/etc, so here it is. A guide on worshipping without space.

See @catnip-reed for my religious blog if you want.

Altars

There are many ways to have a small/discreet altar. Some people (including me) even make them online.

Travel Altars: a small altar (usually in a small box or tin can) made for traveling; usually includes a tealight candle, crystals, herbs, coins, and photos.

Discreet Altars: a collection of objects that doesn’t look like an altar but functions as one; usually includes decorations, colors, etc. that don’t directly point to it being an altar but still hold symbols of the deity (i.e. coquette decor for Aphrodite, cat-focused decor for Bastet, etc.)

Candles: literally just a candle; used to focus energy, sometimes contains herbs or crystals inside

Shoebox Altars: a shoebox filled with permanent offerings, statues or photos, candles, and other things commonly placed on an altar; usually stored away until needed

A Binder: a binder filled with art, poems, prayers, information, etc; can also be a notebook or deity journal (see my post about deity journals here)

Bags: bags or satchels of things related to the deity (i.e. coins, herbs, photos, etc.); can be emptied to set up a temporary altar or held when praying/offering/etc.

Books: a collection of books devoted to them; can be books related to their domains or books that remind you of them; used as an offering (reading) or communication (annotation)

Temporary Altars: altars that can be set up and taken down with ease; most commonly includes a small offering plate, a small cup, and sometimes candles, statues, or photos

Photos: a photo collage online or physical containing photos of the Gods and/or their domains; my favorite way to display these is as phone/computer backgrounds or on bulletin boards (similar to a vision board)

Pinterest: pinterest boards; a collage of pins of the Gods, their domains, and things that remind you of them

Tumblr: tumblr sideblogs; reblogging or posting things like quotes, photos, ideas, etc. that remind you of them

All in all, altars really are just a way for you to focus on your deity. In some religions, altars are a designated space for offerings. Depending on how you view them, you can make anything into an altar.

Divination

Some people like to use communication methods like tarot, runes, etc. to talk with their deities. For those who can’t openly own/use them or can’t afford them, here are some alternatives.

Lenormand Cards Website

Labyrinthos Tarot App

The Fool’s Dog Tarot App

Golden Thread Tarot App

The Classic 1910 Tarot App

A List of Oracle Card Apps

Cartomancy: using playing cards to divine

Astragalomancy: using dice to divine

Coins: flipping a coin to get a yes/no answer; there are other coin divination methods but many are closed

Bibliomancy: using books to divine; either a book falls on a specific page and you choose a random sentence or you choose a book, flip to a random page, and find a random sentence

Aeromancy: using weather to divine

Pyromancy: using flames from a candle/bonfire/etc. to divine

Capnomancy: using smoke to divine

Offerings

Offerings! One of my favorite things about my worship. Offerings are basically bribes so that your deities like you more /s. But seriously, offerings bring you closer to your deity.

Water: a simple cup of water; can be drank or left out for them

Food: either portions of your meal or food made for them; can be eaten or left out for them

Other Drinks: cups of other drinks; can be drank or left out for them; most commonly milk, alcohol, coffee, or tea

Candles & Incense: candles or incense devoted to them; can be lit or just kept in honor of them

Flowers: bouquets or single flowers; can be bought from stores or found outside (i.e. dandelions)

Honey: doesn’t have to be ethically sourced; can be added to teas and other drinks

Art: your own art or the art of others; includes music, playlists, digital art, poetry, drawings, paintings, instruments, etc.

Coins: many deities enjoy coins as offerings; can be offered to wealth/luck deities or can be offered to a deity because of the image (i.e. a coin with a sun on it can be offered to Apollon)

Devotional Acts

The only thing I love more than offerings. Also used to get closer to deities. Offerings of actions instead of physical things.

Donating: donating to organizations related to your deity (i.e. health organizations for Apollon)

Volunteering: volunteering at places related to your deity (i.e. dog shelters for Ares)

Practicing Good Hygiene: showering, washing your face, brushing your teeth and/or hair, etc.

Self-Care: ritual baths, face masks, relaxing, doing a hobby, etc; anything that makes you happy can be dedicated to a deity

Going Outside: taking a walk or sitting outside; some people make outside altars for some nature deities

Sunbathing/Cloudwatching/Starwatching: sunbathing for deities associated with the sun, cloudwatching for deities associated with the sky/weather, and starwatching for deities associated with the night/stars/planets; if the deity does not have a domain in one of these do whichever makes you happy

Cleaning: keeping your space and any altar/religious space you have clean and free of dust

Research: learning new things about your deity

Browsing Social Media: browsing a tag/account/etc. dedicated to your deity

Sharing: telling people about your deity

Learning Language: learning the language of your pantheon (i.e. greek for hellenism, italian for roman polytheism, etc.)

Conclusion

You do not need big, elaborate altars to worship. You do not need scheduled offerings, or even any offerings at all. You do not need to use tarot or runes to communicate with your deities. The only requirements for worshipping a deity is wanting to worship them and stating that you are worshipping them. To build from there, you begin building a relationship with them. Offerings and altars may help you do that, but they are not required. The Gods will understand if you do not have the space/time/materials/etc. to worship them how you would like or how others do. The Gods will understand if you do not want an elaborate practice. They will understand.

Thank you so much @callivich for taking the time and effort for coming up with these questions, and thank you @such-a-barbarian for tagging me also!

This got long lol

What’s a fic you’ve read more than once? 

one of my favorite generas of fic is shameless Mickey worship and for that I aways come back to from head to toe and the many things Mickey Milkovich has been called, Unforgiving Touches and the Feeling of Their Bruises. 

also, in no particular order You’re Tough To Love When You Don’t Love Yourself, the broad shouldered beasts series, sincerity is scary.

for something a little smutty go back to sleep has always been a favorite of mine

and as always, my favorite fic of all time Boy In The Box

What’s a gifset you always have to reblog? 

i love that gif set of Ian sniffin’ on his husband, also I think there’s one thats a compilation of Mickey’s best smiles through the series, gorgeous.

this beautifully edited (?) gifset I stg this is better quality than the actual show idk how they did that

this gorgeous art/gifset is awesome also!

this one is very important to me but man it hurts

another heartbreaker

everyone say thank you gif makers!!!!

What’s a fanart you love looking at?

I literally just saw this one for the first time, it immediately went to the top of my list!!

Its so beautifully done and captures the tone of the original piece so well while also transforming it into a unique moment and commentary on intimacy in their own relationship, ugh, gorgeous 

What’s a headcanon you can’t stop thinking about?

creative mickey! the best thing season 10 gave us was mickey and his notebook. i just know when Ian sees that thing come out post canon a part of him locks up in genuine fear

i don’t really think he gets into art persay, but just being a creative thinker, figuring out how to run their business, decorating their apartment, building ian a garden on their balcony when he gets put on the waitlist for the community garden

What’s an idea you’d love to create if you had the time/inspiration?

so I had this idea very vaguely floating around in my head for a while, but it wasn’t even remotely formed, let alone developed and then suddenly last weekend the plot just came to me in that beautiful and cruel way inspiration comes and goes, but it will take forever to write because I want the pace to feel very slow and syrupy and a little dream (or nightmare) like.

i dont want to give away the plot but its very southern gothic, slight true crime elements, cults, slight age difference (younger Mickey)… anyways if anyone from the rural south wants to be on call to explain geography and culture to me, hit me up 

i also have an idea for a dirty filthy, nasty smut fic but i would have to post it anonymously i wouldnt be able to look anyone in the (virtual) eyes

What’s something you’ve discovered since entering this fandom? A new trope you love? A different analysis of the show? Something else?

in all seriousness, analyzing Shameless as a show overall is so interesting, understanding each of the characters as case studies in different particular expressions of being raised in poverty, which is what makes it twice as upsetting when someone is like, ‘why would this character do this, thats so stupid’ and the answer is that statically speaking that character was actually very likely to do that because of the circumstances they were born into and the way they’ve been affected by that throughout their life, but okay. I also noticed that a lot of people on here are not from America and I always wonder what their take on the social/political reading of the show, if it feels familiar at all etc.. 

i also remember the first time someone commented under my fic to be like, ‘why are you giving Mickey a pass Ian did this’, and someone else commented underneath that ‘oh well Mickey did that so he’s a bad person etc.’ and it was just so upsetting to me, I dont see a lot of that on my dash but I just personally believe that if you are judging teenagers/young adults who are in the middle of their first major mental health crisis or who have suffered unimaginable abuse and neglect their entire life, you need to recalibrate your empathy levels 

What’s your favourite season? And has this changed after multiple rewatches of the show?

I love love early seasons (1-3) there is just something so nostalgic about it and as a show that’s when the writing was at its most creative and interestingly paced

also who doesn’t love baby gallavich?

What line/dialogue/description from something else (a poem, a book, a tv show, a movie, or something else) do you feel describes Ian and Mickey’s relationship? 

Ugh Im so sorry I am going to have to add all the lyrics to In Your Love by Tyler Childers, the inspiration for my first fic title because it is the most perfect song to encapsulate the passion between them and the work and sacrifices they put up for each other

What’s a plot hole you wish had been answered or resolved?

where is mandy? where the fuck is my girl?

also the fact that kevin had a son with v’s mom and just, has no interest in a relationship with him? like that made the story easier for sure but it doesn’t make sense with his character

What scene or moment do you feel isn’t discussed enough?

guys, there is not a scene in this show that we have not done to death already (affectionate)

and you know what? we’ll do it again!

but just for the sake of it, the “would you take care of me if i was paralyzed” scene, you can see that Mickey is almost idk, hesitant? but that’s because he’s really picturing it and that his yes is genuine and thought out, and ian’s face of wonder when he realizes that he has someone who loves him unconditionally and forever? earth shattering

What do you think is next for Ian and Mickey post-finale?

listen, i think the laws of television writers being assholes would dictate that they would give a break up (and maybe reconciliation) arc which is my least favorite television trope

but irl? (u know what i mean) i think they do have some hard, stressful times both out of their relationships and in it and realize pretty quickly that they have to work as a team and lean on each other and it only makes them closer

i also think that they simply refuse to sleep without each other, like one night when Ian gets stuck at the gallagher house taking care of sick franny mickey will drive over and sleep in the twin bed with him or if mickey gets wasted on a night out with sandy and debbie and his battery runs out he’ll stumble his ass home instead of going with one of them when they offer even if it takes forever

and ian grows his hair and stubble out to look like it does in the most recent photos (fluffy mullet) and mickey adores it he can’t keep his hands off his husbands head it’s a sensory dream

Thanks again for tagging me!

i’ll tag @stocious @mybrainismelted @sirrudo @solitarycreaturesthey @juliakayyy @jrooc @jezzibelle89 @i-think-you-mean-reduction @iansw0rld

HELLO LADIES, LORDS, AND NON-BINARY ROYALTY!

I’m Coming out of my hole of just occasionally reblogs to give y’all a quality post, because if you’re reading this, you deserve it.

I believe you’ve heard enough of me, so let’s get into it!

Some (Random and Useless) Facts about my KNY Hashira god! AU

Note: there’s only one fact per god, and maybe, just maybe, some about the shrine keepers and other entities-

Tengen doesn’t have a favorite number, and if he does, it’s always shifting. You could ask him any time, any day, and one day it might be 4, the next? 404,236. He thinks it’s flashy.

Giyuu often saves drowning people. He never thinks much of it, thinks it’s an “act of service and protection”, and he doesn’t like to see sufferers. That plays into it much more than he knows.

Sanemi likes to summon things to fight. There’s been occasions where other gods have walked into his domain to see a wind monster running rampant, and Sanemi beating the everloving hell out of it.

Shinobu literally cringes when people don’t take her medical advice seriously. It’s downright horrible to look at for her, and finds herself ready to lose it when they come back to her shrine saying “My lovely goddess, it has failed me, the knowledge you have bestowed upon my shoulders.”

Rengoku (tengen, muichiro, and giyuu alike), prefer being talked to casually, instead of fancy words. It seems more welcoming, and a simple “good morning! How are you?” Is always better than a “how have you been faring on this fine date, my lord?”

Mitsuri has tried to play matchmaker with some other gods between themselves, and has also tried to get some of the shrine keepers together, it doesn’t end like she planned-

Gyomei puts divine blessings on stray cats to keep them out of harm’s way, it honestly works really well. Tanjiro watched a boulder fall only 1/8 an inch from a cat, leaving it shocked but unharmed.

When it comes to Obanai, when people (or gods *cough*Giyuu*cough*) Piss him off, he uses a trademark insult: “If you sssay one more thing, I will kill you with my snakes and watch you die.” It’s super effective!

Muichiro forgets a ton of things, but in his domain there’s a special mist that makes you forget things slowly, until you leave. It confuses everyone when they forget what the mist does, though they know they’ve been there before.

Tanjiro has a scar over his right eye, though it doesn’t affect him at all. “Just like a decorative object.” He says. Apparently he got it from an accident as a kid.

Nezuko likes to be in the flower garden of the shrines, and will pick flowers for the shrines, to put down.

A/N: HOLY FUCK, WHY DID THIS TAKE SO LONG!? TY @zofi-persson FOR GIVING ME THE MOTIVATION TO FINISH THIS, UR AMAZING!!! (´,,•ω•,,) Chapters may not be as frequent, I’m so sorry!

See ya,

-Roman!

Was going through my posts and I saw that one post you did about like, Joe, (corrupted) Cub, and e!false being a Spontaneous Villain Trio. Do you have any further thoughts on it? I want to spin this idea around in my head but I'm not quite sure what you had ideas for (if any beyond just that idea)

so in my head what happens is... so it starts out relatively close to canon in that joe leaves hermitopia, only we're taking this slightly more seriously. so he packs up and leaves and regrets it once he realizes he Really Has Nowhere To Go but he's banned by the time he considers going back, a thing that he has some amount of resentment for. (oh boy, i'm sure that won't come back to bite anyone later!) he hands out his resume to a bunch of people and false accepts the resume, and pays him with a place to live.

unlike in canon we're assuming, however, that everyone is in empires much longer and the timeframes here are much longer, and that way everyone has more time to like. bond. and spiral.

anyway so unlike in canon e!false decides she likes what joe has done for her and hires him somewhat more full-time. his job is to try and note down what happens when she doesn't remember and any information about the other false who is spying on her. once joe and e!false work out that h!false is a different person entirely and e!false realizes she's one of the hermits, joe is told to spy on the hermits in general - although he's still banned so he has some trouble doing this.

due to combination "e!false is kind of a wet cat and joe feels bad", "e!false can trust joe more than some people because she's both paying him and he has literally nowhere else to go so betraying her would end very badly for him", and "neither of them really have other people at the moment" the two of them end up bonding very closely. which means that once joe starts to work out the Murders e!false is doing he just kind of... rationalizes them. also once people start to realize the joke of the banning thing has maybe gone too far (like scar or probably cleo idk depends on what i'm feeling when i write this) joe is Not Enthusiastic At All and decides that no, screw those guys, he's actually a citizen of cogsmede. they didn't ban him in cogsmede. he even got to decorate his own apartment.

(and like, joe. the murders. probably even including joe's own periodic murder. but remember our timeframes are longer here.)

anyway so joe is spying on the hermits and now ACTUALLY the traitor he was accused of being and e!false is doing e!false things, right, but how does cub come into this? well he comes into it by getting possessed, obviously, but also by the fact that he runs into joe, attempting to clean up all the sculk catalysts, and has also been kicked out for reason of "he keeps on trying to possess everyone and that's a problem". he and joe and also e!false as a result of "joe hangs around e!false a LOT in this au" all start running into each other more often and joe notices cub like... isn't doing great.

he also notices the start of the build-up of hermitopia's more... terrifying elements... and e!false's nervousness, and the fact that even the other emperors are strangely disconnected from e!false, like she doesn't have any allies. and cub doesn't have any allies either. and since joe is pretty good friends with cub and honestly got over the whole trash can thing basically immediately the reason he holds so much of a grudge is "kicked out in a strange world for being discontent", and joe does miss the other hermits, and also because e!false could USE someone who is as clearly scary to other people as cub is, they strike up a deal with each other. cub can hang around as long as he doesn't start sculking up specifically the places in cogsmede that joe has cleared out and is willing to defend them, and joe and false will defend him back.

which means cub starts working on joe and false who ALREADY AREN'T DOING GREAT to get them on-board with his sculk nonsense and it mostly doesn't work but they DO get pretty apathetic towards it happening to literally any of them that are not specifically them, right, which to most other people, given that they're also directly harboring cub, is basically the same as doing it themselves.

and THAT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS THAT AU HAS GOTTEN IN MY HEAD i got stuck on "i need to have a better idea of what the false things the falses are doing are" in order to properly flesh out the false side of this au but like. that's the concept in my head.

...this got really long.

i hope you like it!

*cracks knuckles* I literally did crack my knuckles right before I started to type this. I can literally ramble about my garden and gardening in general, you have just opened up a giant post. The thing I am most excited about this year is strawberries, very excited they are a new addition this year and I pre-ordered some red and some white ones. They spread via runners so within a year or so I will have a nice huge patch of them. Strawberries are both the cheapest and easiest berry to grow, though not technically a berry. Another new addition is peanuts! I wanted something with a long storage capability as well as something high in protein, while also not being too difficult to grow, peanuts fit the bill. I am also going to try sweet potatoes in a larger quantity this year, last year I just had one to plant that had been donated by the food pantry and I just could not produce much with it and it was also crowded with normal potatoes. I am still growing potatoes this year, I saved some potatoes from my fall harvest and they are going to be good to plant towards the later half of March. I am excited to replant my purple viking variety but I also got my hands on the all mighty kennebec. Perfect ratio of starch to make a good soup potato or a good fryer, also high yields!! I also plant to grow carrots, cosmic purple and lunar white. Radishes are going to make a return but I am adding a yellow variety instead of just de 18 jours radish. Everyone who knows me knows I will be attempting corn again, we had such a good result last year and it gave us a lot of food, I would like to triple production to donate excess to the senior center. I am growing moonshine, glass gem, and of course the ever amazing and personally endorsed damaun ks super sweet corn. I had so much success with tomatoes that I am branching into new varieties. Yellow, purple, orange, everything but red really. Going to go with some micro dwarf varieties like orange hat and patio choice yellow, the regular sized plant cherries I will be growing include yellow pear and bosque blue bumblebee, regular size slicers will be sart roloise, and kentucky beefsteak. Last year I grew many many many extra tomatoes and donated them by the bucketful to the senior center, family, and neighbors. And I was only growing a couple varieties last year. Pumpkins will be planted again, moranga, Rouge Vif D' Etampes, and of course the flat white boer pumpkin. I grew a crap ton of the white boers last year and they were a wonderful food source and the extras I gifted to people for decorations. I would like to try burdock root if possible. I have plans to grow a bibb lettuce mix, little gem lettuce, and merlot. For cabbage I am just trying one variety, a faster growing one good for early in the year so I can start gardening sooner, red acre cabbage. I failed with beets last year but now armed with more experience I hope to tackle the mammoth red mangel beet, it can literally grow to sizes larger than a toddler. If I can grow these I will be able to feed many many people beyond just me and the elderly lady I care for. Seriously though, google them, they are H U G E. I also want to grow some much smaller albino beets. For squash, other than pumpkins, I am growing yellow crookneck, candy roaster, honeynut, lemon squash, and golden zucchini. Hopefully I can fend off SQUASH VINE BORER. I would have had a lot more success with squash last year had it not been for SQUASH VINE BORER. In my gardening, I have many powerful enemies. The squash bugs that resemble stink bugs, and have the same stink power, the swarming Japanese Beetle, cucumber beetles, tomato.... horn... worms... the ceaseless devourer, but only one is my arch-nemesis and that one is SQUASH. VINE. BORER. And, my absolute favorite veggie, the sturdy and vigorous veggie that never lets me down, the cucumber. Varieties this year include poona kheera, dragon's egg, and pick-a-bushel. With this wonderful variety I shall grow many pounds of cucumbers, especially the high yielding pick-a-bushel. I hope to donate many of these. Now, for flowers, we don't have too many, but we do have a few. They are essential in attracting and supporting local pollinator populations but also in feeding birds. I am growing a few different types of sunflowers, the birds and pollinators go nuts for them. Chocolate cherry, russian mammoth, short stuff, and double sunking. If you are a novice gardener I cannot recommend sunflowers enough they can take some serious neglect and bad weather, droughts, storms, heat. They are so great, the senior center took some cut blooms for decoration and I still had enough for the birds and enough to save many seeds. I am also growing marigolds again and nasturtiums, which are also edible. I also was gifted some celosia seeds to try. For green beans I am growing two bush varieties, cantare and jade II green beans, they have excellent rust resistance which was a big issue for me last year. For onions I am only really going to try one variety and that is borettana, it grows fast and somewhat small, good for a beginner. Sadly I cannot actually grow any root vegetables in my clay soil, so all the potatoes/tubers/peanuts/carrots/radishes/beets cannot actually be cultivated here. The clay soil is hard and compacted and I dont have compost and soil to soften it up. I wanted to grow them in tubs, and I have a friend helping me get some to grow in, but I still have to raise over 100 dollars to get enough soil and mulch to fill them all. I also still have to get the cabbage, onion, some of the corn, some of the sunflower, and some of the tomato seeds. I do have two tubs filled so I can at least plant several potatoes. I am going to grow as much as possible and exhaust myself in the garden because I have a lot of people that get food from me and I cannot let them down. Anyway I hope that answers your question, may have over answered, lol. I hope you have a nice day too.

I've had a story in my drafts for a really long time.

I have so many things to do for university, projects, exams and so on, and I don't have time to do anything else, but once the session has ended, I'll surely complete it! Do you remember this post?

The story I have is going to be the full plot of this concept! I have the first part ready, here's a snippet!

Link and Zelda had just found some ruins under the castle. Zelda suggested to investigate, as always. She really loved doing researches, being a scholar, and now that she was a teacher too, for all those kids, she was really, and seriously, happy. He often found himself thinking about their own possible future kids, but didn't tell her, they had just gotten together. When she asked him if they could share the house, he couldn't and of course wouldn't ever want to say no. Maybe it was a bit small for them, Zela needed a study room for all her stuff, and he surely needed more space for his weapons and shields. He should find a better one. Maybe he could ask Hudson and Rhodson. He had to have a trip to Tarrey once this research under the castle was finished! The walls were covered in murals, depicting various eras. People descending from the sky, people during what looked like a ceremony, a mural depicting a festivity and tiny beings, the first appearance of Ganondorf, the era of the shadows, and the era of the huge war. Where the walls didn't have murals, statues almost as tall as the ceiling decorated the rooms and corridors. They depicted a man with mustaches and a long tunic, and a woman with a dress and tattoos. They also found one different statue, too damaged to be recognizable, but it surely wasn't that man or that woman. Both Link and Zelda guessed it must have been destroyed on purpose by their ancestors. Maybe, it was the menace of their time, like Calamity Ganon for them.

A set of stairs and a really narrow corridor made them go even further down. They found themselves on a balcony thing in a room with a huge green light the shape of a hand, gripped in what looked like a really old dead body, skin and bones, but with long hair. Zelda wanted to take some photos, get a sample of hair from the body maybe to know how old it really was, and mostly she wanted to know if the hand was pure light magic or maybe it was physical too. Link told her it was dangerous, she didn't listen. He, while reaching for her, shouted the phrase again. "I SENSE DANGER! DON'T GO!" It was too late. The dead body was somehow revived, the light hand disappeared and... she was falling. He hadn't saved her, he had jumped off to the void in which his princess, scholar, other half, fell, and the hand appeared right behind him and brought him back to the surface. The Master Sword was broken, and he had lost an arm in the process thanks to what looked like an enhanced malice Zelda had called "gloom". Link woke up and found himself in what looked like a temple. It was just a room, a huge round room with tall walls. There was a pedestal there, that looked pretty much like the one for the Master Sword, but older. Though, there was nothing there, other than some torches around the pedestal. Feeling lost, he impulsively tried to wield the broken sword, but as soon as he looked at himself for the first time, he noticed he had only his underwear on, and his right arm was gone. Instead, he had what looked like a prosthesis, but filled with the same light magic of the hand. He tried to move it and it worked. It looked like an old sheikah tech but it wasn't even a bit rusty, and he could sense it was made to contain more power than what it actually had. What was that? Who did that? Who saved him and literally replaced his injured and hopeless arm with an old but new sheikah tech?

Suddenly, a voice sounding like an old man got his attention. He had seen spirits before, but this... he couldn't see anyone. The voice presented itself as Rauru, and Link knew he had read about someone named Rauru somewhere... right! Zelda said he was the first king of Hyrule! Rauru informed Link that place was once adored and praised by every population. There, the first hero, chosen by the goddess Hylia, had wielded the Goddess Sword for the first time, and forged her into the Master Sword, the sword that banishes evil. During the eras, the original temple, as well as another huge one, the Sealed Temple, got buried and later the temple of Time was built over them. Now, Link was in the Depths, under the Great Plateau. Rauru invited him to go out and look at the magnificence of the temple. A huge statue of the goddess, that, while not having any power source, emanated a celestial light, enough to see the building perfectly, and even clear a portion of ground around it. The Sealed Temple was in front of it, the light of the goddess temple illuminated it too. There was grass, there were flowers around both the temples, but where the light didn't reach, there were only cold stones and dirt. All around, in the distance, he could see gloom encrusted to tall stone and dirt walls that seemed to reach the top, the "ceiling". And probably monsters, but he wasn't in shape to fight. He wasn't still acquainted with the hand, and arm of course, and his only weapon was the decayed sword. As Link could see, there was no exit from there. The entrances to the depths, as he had had time to see before the research, were huge chasms covered in gloom, too high to be reached by anyone, and even if he did manage to reach them, the gloom would have killed him in few seconds. One of the chasms was about in the centre of the enclosed area.

Right there, standing on the floor, was a strange-looking smaller statue. This one, unlike the temples, was rusty and some pieces were clearly missing. The bottom of the statue looked kind of like a stand for something, but the subject was missing, and Rauru instructed Link to go find a stone bird. After finding the stone bird, he had to put it back on the stand. Link couldn't do anything but accept. The bird statue was restored, but still old and without any sign of power. Rauru's voice instructed him to find 3 stone tablets. they were once used by the very first hero to create beams of light, capable of breaking the cloud barrier and activate the statues. Now, their power had surely faded out, but maybe the power of the 3 of them combined could at least make him go back to the surface. Link finally had to fight some monsters with the broken sword and with what he could find around the area. It felt like the beginning of his first adventure, like if he was still unexperienced, goofy, and so damn tired. He had to do it. It was an enclosed space, but big enough to host one huge Goddes Statue Temple and the Sealed Temple, and a vast space around. Some enemies had decayed but still functional weapons, he stole them. The 3 tablets were found in different spots. When he found them all, Rauru told him to go put them in the Goddess Temple. A stone panel with a missing rectangular piece emerged from the ground. The tablets were put together and they fitted. Outside, a blue light beam had appeared right in the middle of the chasm, bathing the bird statue with holy light, it was now as good as new and ready to be used. A treasure chest appeared there, with his paraglider, sewed and taped with white and sky blue pieces of cloth and sewing threads. That style was surely from another culture.

Link couldn't imagine the power of that light beam was still strong enough to launch him right to the sky. With the help of his paraglider, he landed safely on a floating island. There, he saw the source of Rauru's voice. The first king's ghost was exactly like one of the statues he and Zelda had seen under the castle. The white mustache, the long orange vest, the wise face. He was now standing before him. He could see a huge palace on another island. Somehow, he knew he had to go there. Rauru nodded. That palace was once the home of a sky tribe that refused to go to the surface when Hylia told them to, and now it was a temple, to remember those who gave their life to protect the land and what's good, from the depths to the sky. Link had to go there, in that temple as old as the kingdom itself. Someone was waiting for him in there. Though, the sky islands weren't reachable with a simple jump, he had to build devices. Rauru informed him that the construct hand was in fact able to hold more power, and increase its abilities. It wasn't just a hand. The sheikah, with the help of the Hylians and some familiar robots, the scrappers or, as they renamed them, the constructs, had built devices infused with Hylia's holy power. They had no equals, because Hylia herself had given them her power time ago, in her mortal form. Only the sages could restore his new hand, as Hylia had transferred each facet of her powers to them, chosen by herself and the 3 goddesses. Rauru told Link he could restore one power, being the original sage of light, and moreover, her son.

Eek more questions hehe I really like this new set

Really curious for #1, #7, #8, #10, #13, #21, #24, #28, #34, and #35!!

These were really good questions hehe

-💫

What inspired you to start writing fanfiction?

it was i think my 3rd month of being a stay? and I really loved reading ff on here even tho I had no idea how this app worked LMAO I've already told her but @rachalixie's hurt/comfort drabbles were my fav thing to read, she was one the first ppl I followed on here, and so, tmi, I was feeling so anxious and I wrote a channie helping u through an anxiety attack drabble (that I never posted AJSNJSB) and I was like hold on! this is fun! i can write what I want??? and post it for people to read...... like I was already writing some poems for a couple of years now but they were just for me yk, so i got super ambitious and i posted a long ass OT8 saying ily for the first time as my first fic akssjnjb i was so nervous like actually shaking and refreshing the notif bar every two seconds, i still rem the very first two comments i got, i think that's when it hit me that people actually READ stuff I wrote.

short answer, i've always loved writing and then stayblr -mainly anny inspired me to start writing too hehe

10. What's your favorite part about the fic writing process?

wahhhh probably coming up with lines i'm proud of?? i also loveee weaving parallels into my fics and for everything to come full circle, I love the symbolic aspects of fic writing in a way, thinking of mundane things and giving them an important significance for the characters!!! someone commented underneath Orange that they cannot believe they're crying over oranges and that rlly made me giggle!! that's the point HEHEH

13. What's the most challenging aspect of writing fanfiction for you?

for me it's descriptions ;;;; especially when it comes to sceneries or clothes or omg PLACES like decor and all,, I can't envision these things in my mind so I always worry I'm not describing them well in my fics,,, also the little transition scenes where nothing MAJOR happens but that are still pivotal to the right flow of the story ;;; yeah these mess with my head the most

21. Have you ever used fanfiction as a way to explore your own emotions or personal experiences?

hiii heyyy ofc i did ZJKNJD i think a lot of authors will relate but art cannot be completely separate from the artist, every work u read of mine has a little (or big) piece of me in it, that's why it's so vulnerable for writers to share their works on this scary place because u are perceived and judged for them and u hope that someone will find solace in ur struggles or relate to ur worries,,, and this is really helping me mend back my rp with love!!!

24. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing fanfiction?

JUST DO IT!!!! seriously go for it, you'll 100% cringe at ur earlier works later on but u will also improve and learn and discover things about urself that u would've never known otherwise!!! be self-indulgent and write things for urself and there will be always someone who will appreciate them

34. Are there any fic writing tips or tricks you've learned along the way that you'd like to share?

im trying to think of smtg i never mentioned before mmmm.... oh I think that trying to include bits and quirks of the member u are writing about is always so fun and makes the story more enjoyable for the reader!! ofc we don't know what these idols are like irl BUT there are some aspects of their personalities that we know of (like their interests or small habits) and it's always fun to incorporate into ur story, also helps with the characterization hehe

35. What do you enjoy most about being a fic writer?

THE FEEDBACK!!!!!!!!! nothing beats the feedback for me it's literally what makes the entire thinking, writing and editing process worth it!! the feedback is what keeps me going and fuels my motivation, it is so so important for writers I can't stress this enough,,, I'm so so grateful and lucky to have such sweet readers who leave me the most THOUGHTFUL feedback, like with just one rb u could erase SEAS OF DOUBTS in the writer's mind. i always say this but the only way for me to know if my fic is good is by reading u guys' opinions,,, so yeah the feedback is my fuel ;;;;

7. How do you handle writer's block or moments of creative stagnation? 8. Do you have any rituals or habits that help you get into the zone? 28. What's the most ambitious or challenging fic you've ever written

i answered these here and here <33

(Hi! I come from a place of genuine talk, only if you're up for it!) From the perspective of a Asian(EA+SEA)-American Immigrant.

It is definitely a *very* contextual and nuanced thing. I'm on the fence about outright calling it a micro-aggression.

In a [very specific context], I do generally agree that it is... iffy at best. By "not trying to be cute"-- I'm assuming (please correct me if need be/genuine) you mean someone who hasn't expressed an "okay" to call them cute and isn't doing something for the purpose of being cute. Just checking because to me, it's very broad, and i just want to be sure I'm understanding.

And also depending on the history of how the person uses that word with others. Is it only Asian women they call "cute" in mundane contexts? Hopefully this makes sense.

Because I do understand where you are coming from, especially with the broader topic of infantilization of Asian people. It's something that manifested into events I unfortunately have personal experiences with. It's no

And to add (it's the EA/SEA Asian-American again)

I generally have a difficult relationship with the whole "cuteness thing." And "trying to be cute" vs. "not trying to be cute" is just a very confusing phrase for me because I don't often remember the times I've made the conscious effort to be or not to be cute until recently. And how others are to tell if I'm trying or not. So sorry. English and constructing concise words is not my strong suit, and I really hope I don't come off as rude! I genuinely wanna hear your thoughts.

You're not coming off as rude at all! And yeah this is a very nuanced conversation. I'm mostly coming from the perspective of a 2nd/3rd generation immigrant, whose watched a lot of my friend's hardwork get brushed off/devalued because they're Asian women, and are thus infantilized due to that.

I feel like the context of my post would probably make it more clear; I was watching an Asian American youtuber whose talked about not being taken seriously due to her being an Asian woman, and generally having her accomplishments and personality devalued because of it. -

- The thing is I scrolled down to her comment section and the top comment was "OMG THIS GIRL IS SO CUTE !!." When she was a.) a grown-ass woman, and b.) decorating her apartment (nature theme, nothing that would warrant "cute"). So it immediately set-off alarm-bells in my head to other times where my friends would be called "cute" for literally just existing. (Not including myself here cause it's happened to me personally very few times, since I've been butch my whole life.)

Also I didn't specify this because I didn't think it would be important, but I mean "cute" like "adorable." Not "cute" like "pretty."

With the "trying to be cute" thing, I meant in a way where a person is purposefully embracing childish/young aesthetics and behaviors to be cute. Or like, embracing cute culture if that makes sense? I bring it up because I've seen a lot of EA female content creators online being labeled "cute" even if they're doing the exact same thing as they're non-EA peers, who are almost never described that way.

That's just my relationship with the word though, where I've seen it been used enough times in an objectifying way where I consider it a micro-aggression, in some contexts. To me, it's just a good idea to stay away from using "cute" if you can use any other positive adjective.

I think what I'm trying to say is that it's people focusing on the appearance/stereotypes of Asian women rather than their actual identity or personality; ie objectification/orientalism.

I've grown up in a culture that has a long history of objectifying, westernizing, and commercializing Asian cultures into this fictional monolith; where removing Asian women of their agency is a huge part of that. So "cute" as a compliment, and as a label holds a lot of weight for me.

I'm happy to clarify anything else btw, hope this makes sense lol

Spell Jar Basics

For absolute beginners, here's what you need to know about spell jars and how to make them. It's a very easy process, and I'll also throw in a few tricks of the trade I learned myself when I first started making them seriously.

What You Use

The Jar: The jar itself can be any kind of jar, although the best option would be anything glass with a lid. Recycled sauce jars? Good. Fancy Michael's jars? Okay. Thrifted jars? Sure. Using the jar is fairly simple. All you need to do is cleanse it and you're good to go.

The Fillings: Research. Herbs, spices, crystal, or even other things like dirt, thread and twine, crystals, or really just about anything else. HOWEVER, there is one vital rule that I personally follow. No. Water. Based. Anything. Only oil, if you have any to go in. The reason I say this is because water + stuff + enclosed space = molding and other nasty things, and you don't want a corrupted spell jar.

The Intention: Setting intentions is simple enough, it's just focusing on what you want this spell jar to be and making sure you keep it in mind from start to finish.

The Wax: The wax can be any kind. As long as the jar is sealed, that is what matters. Only have a large candle? Let it burn for a while, blow it out, dip the capped spell jar lid into it and let it cool a bit before removing it from over the wax. No dripping on carpet, that's no fun. White candles can be used for any jar, but if you have colored ones, look up the meanings of each color and correspond it with your intentions. You can also use those wax seal melts, with the fun little spoon and the wax beads.

And here are some of the tricks I've learned for them.

The Jar: It doesn't even need to be a jar. It can be a bottle with a lid. Sometimes you'll find those decorative jars in thrift shops that used to be those weird rich people's olive and onion kitchen decorations. I have many of those that I got for like, fifty cents each.

The Filling: Literally just go to Walmart and get their Great Value herbs and spices. It doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to be real. Affordable crystal beads can be founds at Nbead.com for weight-based shipping. Don't forget things like fruit, peels, teas, and vegetables also have a place in spell jars AS LONG AS ITS DRY.

The Intention: Setting your intention is a simple concept, but those with wandering minds or daydreaming tendencies (say hello to my ADHD) might find it hard. Think hard about what you want this spell jar to be about, or even repeat it to yourself like a mantra. I'll even write it on a bay leaf or a piece of paper and add it into the jar. Just in case.

The Wax: When it comes to jars, I find a lot of old canning jars and sauce jars. However, it can take a LOT of wax to cover the lids, right? So for this, I focus my candle around the edge of the lid, letting it drip down the side and seal it that way. You can also use melted wax from wax warmers over your spell jars, but I'd recommend waiting until the scent is over with, as some may have a magical meaning to them.

If any of you found this helpful, let me know and I might do a few other posts like this in the future focusing on other aspects of the craft. As always, blessed be, and have a good day <3

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