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demi-shoggoth · 2 years

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2022 Reading Log pt. 16

76. Nine Nasty Words by John McWhorter. This was picked up based on the author—McWhorter wrote Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, which is a very good overview of the development of English from the pieces and parts of other languages. The subject is profanity in English, covering some of the most common words, tracing their origins and uses, and highlighting how they shift and become abstracted over time. Fuck is the most famous of these, which is notoriously capable of being verb, noun, adjective and interjection all at once, but other swear words have achieved similar flexibility. The book also discusses slurs, which as the author points out are seen as much more obscene and offensive these days than former heavy hitters like damn and shit. My personal favorite bits include how “cocksucker” was replaced with “asshole” as a term of abuse, the unwritten rules for using profanity as an infix (e.g. why it’s “abso-fucking-lutely” and not “ab-fucking-solutely”), and the real, honest-to-god historical Englishman named Simon Fuckbutter.

77. Atoms and Ashes by Serhiii Ploky. The topic of this book is nuclear disasters, four of which I was familiar with, two of which I had never heard of. In order, the ones I’d heard of were Castle Bravo (in which miscalculated explosive power and not enough regard for the weather led to hundreds of people coated in radioactive ash), Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. I was unaware previously of were the Kyshtym disaster, in which a storage tank in a plutonium manufacturing plant in the Ural Mountains exploded, and the fire of the Windscale power plant in England. The book is gripping, with a good amount of detail both technical and personal, but not so much that the reader gets lost in the weeds. My one complaint is that, although it discusses the movie The China Syndrome, the book doesn’t actually talk about what that title refers to (a nuclear meltdown sinking into the Earth’s crust) until it’s referred to the fear of it happening multiple times. But that’s a minor quibble.

78. The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi by Keith Seifert. There has been a huge bloom of books about fungi written for general audiences in the last couple of years. This is the best of them, partially because it focuses on symbioses between fungi and other organisms and because it doesn’t turn into a sermon about the wonders of psychedelics halfway through (I’m looking at you, Merlin Sheldrake). This book does a very good job of discussing how symbiosis exists on a continuum, and how the relationship between two organisms may go from mutualistic to commensal to parasitic over time, based on environmental conditions and other organisms influencing the interaction. It also has a glossary of scientific names in the back organized by phylogenetic groups, which the phylogeneticist in me greatly appreciated.

79. Advanced Fighting Fantasy: Beyond the Pit, edited by Andrew Wright. The second Fighting Fantasy related monster book never existed for the original Fighting Fantasy game, but is a compilation of monsters from Fighting Fantasy titles that either didn’t make it into Out of the Pit or were published afterwards. I’d say that this is an improvement over the first volume in every way. There’s less racism, less instant-kill monsters, and each monster is identified with its original author, source and illustrator. Which is how I learned that John Sibbick, who did the art for 1985’s Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and is one of the most influential (read, ripped off) paleoartists of the late 20th century, did some illustrations for Fighting Fantasy!

80. Magic in the Middle Ages, Third Edition by Richard Kieckhefer. This is a very good book about the title topic; highly recommended for people who are interested in the topic specifically or in the occult in general. It divides magic up based on how people of the time tended to frame it, as “natural” magic (relying on inherent, God-given properties of stones, herbs, words, etc.) and “demonic” magic (self-explanatory). Which leads to some issues because not all practitioners divided things up that rigidly, as this edition discusses newly for the first time. Apparently, the earlier editions did not discuss things like angel summoning magic. The reproductions are of interesting material, but are a little difficult to parse, because they are in black and white in relatively low resolution. Having a glossy figures section in the middle would make this book look better, but again, a minor complaint for the quality of the book as a whole.

#reading log #magic #medieval europe #monster book #atomic era #fungi #mycology #etymology #linguistics

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samwisethewitch · 3 years

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What does it mean to be pagan? (Paganism 101 Ch. 1)

That’s right, y’all! With Baby Witch Bootcamp officially wrapped, it’s time to jump into our next long term series! I put out a poll on Patreon, and my patrons voted for Paganism 101 as our next series. While not all witches are pagan and not all pagans are witches, there is a lot of overlap between the two groups. Both witchcraft and paganism offer practitioners a sense of freedom, a deeper connection to the world around them, and a greater awareness of their personal power.

I identify both as a witch and as a pagan, and I get a lot of questions about paganism. In this series, we’ll go through the basics: what it means to be pagan, the difference between a neopagan and a reconstructionist, and the role of magic in different pagan traditions. We’ll also talk about some of the most popular modern pagan traditions and how to find the right tradition for you.

Let’s start off by answering the question, “What does pagan actually mean?”

Defining “Pagan”

It’s important to remember that “pagan” is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of different faiths. Someone who practices Wicca, for example, will have very different beliefs from someone who practices Hellenismos. These different faiths are linked by a shared history, rather than by shared beliefs or practices.

The word “pagan” comes from the Latin “paganus,” which literally means “area outside of a city” or, to phrase it slightly differently, “countryside.” This adjective was used to describe people and things that were rustic or rural and, over time, came to also have the connotation of being uneducated. Originally, the word had no religious association, and was even used to refer to non-combatants by the Roman military.

From this definition, we can gain some insight into what makes a religion or practice pagan. Pagans feel a kinship with the wild or rural places of the world, and are comfortable waking “off the beaten path.”

But how did “paganus” come to refer to a type of religion, anyway?

To understand the religious meaning of “paganus,” it’s necessary to understand a little bit about the religion of Ancient Rome. Rome (the city) was built inside a pomerium, a sacred boundary that formed a spiritual border around the city and its people. Paganus folks were those who lived outside the pomerium and, as such, may not have been strict adherents of the state religion — they certainly wouldn’t have been able to travel into the city for every major festival. They may have gotten a bit more creative with their worship of the gods. However, as previously stated, the word paganus did not have an explicitly religious meaning in ancient times.

The use of paganus as a religious label began after the legalization of Christianity by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 C.E. Christianity would not be adopted as the official state religion until 380 C.E., but Constantine’s conversion and decriminalization of Christian worship paved the way for Rome’s transformation into a Christian state. It was around this time, as Christianity was quickly growing in urban areas, that early Roman Christians began using the word “paganus” to refer to those who still practiced polytheism. Rather than referring to those outside the city’s boundary or to untrained civilians, the label now referred to those outside the Church, those who were not “soldiers of Christ.”

As Christianity spread in popularity throughout the Mediterranean, Europe, and Northern Africa, the pagan label was applied to all non-Christians in those areas. The word “pagan” became a derogatory label, implying an inferior and backwards religion.

So, really, the thing that makes a religion pagan is a historical conflict with Christianity. Pagan religions are those that were suppressed or completely destroyed after Christianity became the dominant faith in the region.

This is why Norse Paganism and Kemetic (Egyptian) polytheism, which are very different, are both considered “pagan” while Shinto, a Japanese religion that shares a lot of common features with many pagan faiths, is not. Because Christianity never achieved total dominance in Japan, Shinto was never pushed aside to make room for Jesus.

In the 20th century, people who felt drawn to these old religions started to reclaim the pagan label. Like many other reclaimed slurs, “pagan” became a positive label for a community united by their shared history.

What do all pagans have in common?

This is a tough question to answer because, as stated above, paganism is a historical definition, not one shaped by belief or practice. However, there are some things most pagans have in common. Here are a few of them, although these concepts may take different forms in different traditions.

Paganism…

… is (usually) polytheistic. Most pagans do not subscribe to monotheism, the belief in a single, all-powerful divine being. Some pagans are polytheists, meaning they believe in multiple divine beings with varying levels of power. Hellenic pagans, Norse pagans, and Celtic pagans are typically polytheists. Still others are monists, meaning they believe in a single divine source that manifests itself as multiple gods. Wiccans and other neopagans are typically monists. Many pagans fall somewhere in-between strict polytheism and strict monism. We’ll talk more about polytheism in a future post, but for now just know that the idea of a single, supreme creator is not compatible with most forms of paganism.

… is based in reciprocity. This is a concept that may seem odd to those who grew up around Abrahamic religions: the idea of engaging the gods in a mutually beneficial partnership, rather than one-sided worship. When we connect with the gods, we receive spiritual, emotional, and physical blessings. The gods also benefit, as they are strengthened by our prayers and offerings. (I like to think they also enjoy the company. It has to be lonely, having your body of worshipers supplanted by an anarchist carpenter from Palestine.) The concept of reciprocity is why most pagans make physical offerings to their gods.

Reciprocity also extends to our relationships with other people. Most pagan religions have a code of ethics that includes values like hospitality, kindness, and/or fairness with others. Depending on the pagan, reciprocity may even extend to the dead! Many (but not all) pagans practice ancestor worship, the act of honoring and venerating the beloved dead.

Reciprocity may even extend to the world at large. Some (but not all) pagans are animists, which means they believe that every animal, plant, and stone contains its own spirit. Animist pagans strive to live in harmony with the spirits of the world around them, and may make offerings to these spirits as a sign of friendship.

… embraces the Divine Feminine. Paganism acknowledges and venerates both masculine and feminine expressions of divinity. Polytheist pagans worship both gods and goddesses, while monist pagans see the divine Source as encompassing all genders. In either case, the end result is the same: pagans acknowledge that, sometimes, God is a woman. (Cue the Ariana Grande song.)

Paganism also acknowledges gender expressions outside the masculine/feminine binary. Many pagan deities, like Loki (in Norse paganism), Atum (in Kemetic paganism), and Aphroditus (a masculine aspect of the Greek Aphordite) exist somewhere in the grey area between man and woman.

… is compatible with a mystic mindset. Remember how I said there’s a lot of overlap between witchcraft and paganism? Part of the reason for that is because paganism is highly compatible with magic and other mystical practices. Most pagans believe that humans have, or can attain, some level of divine power. It makes sense that this power would manifest as magic, or as other spiritual abilities. Many of the ancient cultures modern paganism draws inspiration from practiced magic in some form, so it follows that modern pagans would as well.

… draws inspiration from the ancient stories. As we discussed, “pagan” originally referred to the religious groups that were pushed out by Christian hegemony. As a result, every modern pagan is a little bit of a historian. Because paganism was pushed underground, it takes a little digging to find myths, rituals, and prayers that can be used or adapted for modern practice.

Many pagans worship historic deities that you’ve probably read about at some point. Visit any pagan pride event, and you’ll probably find worshipers of Zeus, Venus, Thor, and Isis, just to name a few. Studying and interpreting ancient mythology and archaeological evidence is a big part of modern paganism.

… is a religion with homework. If you’ve read this far, you may be beginning to realize that being pagan is a lot of work. It’s fun, spiritually fulfilling, and very rewarding work, but work all the same. Because very few modern pagans have access to temples, priests and priestesses, or an in-person community that shares their beliefs, they end up having to teach themselves, do their own research, and guide their own practice.

This is incredibly empowering, as it means you are your own religious authority. It does, however, mean that you will occasionally have to open a book or slog through a dense academic article about the most recent archaeological find related to your favorite deity. Thankfully, there’s a growing number of accessible, beginner-friendly books, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels to help you in your research.

… embodies a deep respect for the natural world. While not all pagans are animists, most pagans do feel some sort of reverence for the forces of nature. Many pagan deities are associated with natural forces or use the natural world to communicate with their followers. Because of this, not only do pagans respect and love nature, but they’re constantly watching it for signs and messages. (Are you really friends with a pagan if they haven’t called you crying because they found a crow feather on the ground or saw a woodpecker in their backyard?)

Some pagan groups, especially neopagan religions like Wicca, have been classified as Earth-centered religions. Personally, I dislike this term. While it is true that many pagans feel a deep spiritual connection to the Earth and may even venerate local nature spirits, to say that these religions are “Earth-centered” feels like an oversimplification. Wiccans, for example, don’t actually worship nature — they worship the God and Goddess, who they see reflected in the natural world.

… is driven by individual spiritual practice. As mentioned above, very few pagans have access to an in-person community. Because of this, modern paganism largely consists of individual practices. Even pagans who do belong to a community still typically worship on their own sometimes. These personal practices may involve prayer, offerings to the gods, meditation, divination, astral travel, performing religious rituals, or countless other practices. Many pagans have personal altars in their homes, where they worship alone or with their family.

… is a celebration of daily life. One thing I love about paganism is how it makes every aspect of my life feel sacred. Many religions emphasize the spiritual aspects of life while deemphasizing, or even demonizing, the physical or mundane aspects. This can lead to practitioners feeling like they are spiritual beings trapped in a physical body, or like their physical needs and desires are something to escape.

Paganism allows practitioners to fully enjoy being physical and spiritual beings. Pagans reach for the heights of spiritual awareness, while also enjoying earthly delights — recognizing that neither is inherently more worthy than the other and that both are needed for a balanced life.

… is only one of many paths to Truth. Most pagan groups do not claim to be the only valid religious path, and in fact several openly acknowledge the validity of other religions. This is why you rarely see pagans trying to convert other people to paganism — it’s openly acknowledged that paganism isn’t for everyone, and that those who are truly meant to practice the old ways will find them.

~~~

Hopefully, this post has given us a good working definition of “paganism.” From here, we’ll explore some of these individual concepts in more depth and discuss specific religions within the pagan umbrella. Until then, blessed be.

Resources:

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

A Witches’ Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar

The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler

A Practical Guide to Irish Spirituality by Lora O’Brien

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musashi · 5 years

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This is stupid and i made this post almost word for word before, but I really want to write a Pokemon semi-historical au where Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirou were real people in the Pokemon universe as well, two world renowned trainers who still had their historical duel but did so as trainers and not as swordsmen, and obv Musashi won and rather than it ending in Kojirou's death it ended in him fading into obscurity, but

All this setup to say I want to write a pseudo soulmate au where Team Rocket are intentionally named after them. Like, Miyamoto names Musashi half as a joke cause lmao but also because this baby is born and on day one Miya can see the fire behind her eyes and the way her spirit burns. And all the other girls make fun of Musashi for being poor and average looking and worst of all having a boy's name and she spits at them that she's named after one of the greatest legends in the history of pokemon, and you just wait because she's going to do the name Justice

Kojirou's parents know their only son is destined for greatness and to carry on their legacy. He asks them why they named him 'second son' when he's their first and an only child, but they just wave him off and tell him he's named for another great sasaki in a long line. He wants to remind them Sasaki lost the duel, but bites his tongue cause he doesn't particularly fancy being slapped today.

He meets Musashi at poketech long before he knows her name, all the other girls call her Miyamoto anyways, her first name feeling more like an incantation of a curse than anything. It's a common last name, he doesn't take note until much later when he sneaks out of his dorm and finds her wandering the same rose garden, and they both scream at the other what are you doing here this is my secret place to quietly monologue to myself at sunset.

He doesn't know how to tell her he's been drawn to her since he first saw her--she looks like home in a way that doesn't make him as sick as the one he left behind. Her eyes are like someone else's, but warm and inviting rather than so icy and barren. There's a face in the back of his mind, one he's blocked out, but he's sure it's hers too. She standing in blood-red roses with her back to the sun and it paints a halo around her that makes him squint. She’s ablaze.

They fall into starlight, tearing through campus high on giggles and sugar, raiding the cafeteria when the lights go down and stealing liquor from the older kids up the hill. Kojirou turns white as a sheet at half her suggestions, but her rebellious heart and lilting singsong plants a fire all its own within him, catching and contagious. They fall into a drunken pile in the roses where they met and its only then Kojirou realizes they haven’t actually, and he drunkenly blurts out the question. It’s not love at first sight, but he feels it could be love at second. He doesn’t want to be one of those people who spits miyamoto like it’s a slur, this force of nature has another he’s sure he can sing like a prayer.

and she tells him--and he laughs, and he laughs, and he laughs, until she yells at him for laughing and starts spewing the script--who cares if it’s a boys name? hey, i’m no boy! i’m stronger, i’m tougher, i’m far more beautiful! my mom named me after a legend because she knew i was one myself, and--

and he wipes tears from his eyes as he’s choking out his own name, one that up until now felt more like a joke than anything. he knows now it was never about greatness, about his birthright, about anyone who came before him. it was always for the sole purpose of knowing he belonged with her.

“I’m Kojirou,” he manages. “Sasaki.”

she’s doe-eyed for a moment before melting right alongside him, too tickled to be belligerent or angry or defensive. she throws her head back and cackles drunkenly like a mightyena, wrapping her arms around him and repeating it back to him-- “Kojirou! Kojirou, this is so fucking stupid! Oh my god!”

he’s sure then--either musashi’s his soulmate, or the single force of nature in this universe that will end him some day. either way, he thinks. what bliss.

#wordy wendy #wendy rambles #rocketshipping #at what point does me writing historical au RPF become unethical

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sunshinevanfleet · 5 years

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summer ‘78

c h a p t e r t w o - the after party

[disclaimer: none of the images in the banner/any graphics belong to me, all credits go to the respective owners; all i’ve done is edit the images. please excuse me in advance for any historical inaccuracies/discrepancies, i was not alive in the 1970′s. i’m doing my best to research, but i’m not checking every minuscule detail. all events and characters in this series are fictional, or used in a fictional manner.]

a/n: i know things are going a little slow at the moment, but the action will pick up later! i’m also planning to have longer chapters as the series goes on. hope you loves enjoy!

word count: 2.5k

summary: y/n runs into a familiar face at the gvf afterparty.

warnings: swearing

Saturday night came faster than you expected. Your shift had been dead, presumably because the whole town had run off to the Greta concert, while you were stuck working. The day before, you begged your father for hours to let you off for one night. Hours of groveling later, you still ended up bored in the shop, selling absolutely no records. In fact, the only thing you sold all day was a single magazine to some little boy who’d come in at about five.

Closing at nine couldn't come fast enough, and your head was pounding by the time you finally got home. Heather said that she and Jackie would meet you behind the concert venue at 11, so you had a couple hours to get ready and nurse your headache before you went to the party.

You downed a couple of painkillers when you got home, then made a dash for the shower. The steaming hot water soothed your muscles, and you hummed along to the thrum of your brother’s music playing on the other side of the wall. Once out, you raked a brush through your tangled hair and then wrapped a towel around yourself.

Staring into your closet, you couldn’t decide what to wear. You eyed your favorite pair of bell-bottoms, but decided you would probably get too hot. With a huff, you flopped onto your bed and eyed the ceiling. Why were you even going to this party? You really didn’t mind staying in…

As if on cue, the phone on your nightstand starting ringing off the hook. You jumped, then rolled over and grabbed it off the receiver, twisting the cord around your finger as you brought it to your ear.

“Hello?”

“Y/N!” Heather’s voice was high and excited on the other end. You could practically see her disheveled appearance, all smeared makeup and dark hair in sweaty tangles. The energy of the concert carried through in her voice. “When are you coming?”

You glanced at your clock. It was 10:37.

“I don’t know. I can’t find anything to wear,” you sighed in frustration.

“Just put something on!” came Jackie’s voice. “You’ll probably take it off by the end of the night, anyway!”

You wrinkled your nose at her suggestion. “Absolutely not.”

“Wear something sexy!” shouted Heather, her voice muffled from being away from the receiver. You grumbled under your breath; how were you going to deal with your drunk friends coupled with your headache all night?

“Okay. I’ll be there in a few.”

You hung up and stared at your closet. It looked barren, like all of your decent clothes had gotten up and walked away. It felt like the universe was telling you to stay home, but you had no choice but to go and make sure your friends didn’t get into any trouble.

Finally, you settled on a simple t-shirt and jean shorts. You weren’t trying to impress anyone, anyway. You fluffed your hair, tucked a bit of money and your house key into your back pocket, then slipped downstairs and out of the house without making a sound.

You squinted in the darkness as you approached the back alley of the venue. You spotted your friends instantly—Jackie’s electric blonde hair was hard to miss anywhere, glowing white in the dark. You saw Heather, leaned over a guardrail batting her eyelashes at a security guard. Pushing through the other people crowded outside, you joined both of them.

“I’m sorry, but the name Heather Navarro is not on this list,” the security guard was saying. You blinked curiously, catching sight of Heather’s exasperated expression. The defeat on her face told you that she wasn’t used to security guards doing their jobs correctly.

“What about Jackie Mitchell?” Jackie asked.

The guard shook his head. “Sorry ladies.” He shrugged at both of them, then glanced at you. “What’s your name?”

You blinked. “Uhh, Y/N Y/L/N. I doubt I’m on there either.”

The guard flipped through his list, then glanced back up at you. “You said Y/N Y/L/N?”

“Yeah.”

The guard scribbled on the list, then nodded. “You’re right here. Says you’re VIP. Come on in.” He flicked open the little metal gate, then stepped out of the way.

You stared at him in disbelief. You were VIP? “What? It must be—”

“It must be really decent in there,” Jackie cut you off. “Are we allowed to come in with her?”

The guard eyed you, “Do you know these girls?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “They’re with me.” You offered a half-hearted smile, and sighed in relief as the three of you walked past the guard and headed for the back door of the venue.

“I can’t believe it! I never thought someone would have the same name as you,” laughed Heather. ��That’s kinda freaky.”

“Kinda? That’s really freaky,” replied Jackie.

“Yeah,” you agreed, leading the way down a dim hallway toward a room where you could hear music thumping steadily. Already, you noticed the pungent smell of weed, and the odor of dozens of people drinking alcohol. You were searching for the bathroom, while Heather and Jackie were gushing about being able to get in so easily.

“Can we stop at the bathroom?” you asked, your hand stopping against the bathroom door knob.

“Can’t we just meet back up when you’re done?” Heather asked innocently.

You huffed, brushing your hair behind your ear. You glanced from the pleading face of Jackie to the clueless face of Heather, then you conceded. “Fine, but if you guys ditch me…”

“We would never,” Heather breathed, slinging her arms around you and planting a kiss on your cheek.

“Come find us when you’re done,” Jackie gave you a quick hug, then they were off.

You were hoping to find silence in the bathroom; your head was pounding furiously. It felt like your skull was shrinking with every sound, but you were unlucky enough to find out that the bathroom was just as busy as the party down the hall.

Girls crowded in the mirror, layering on lipstick and fluffing their hair carefully. Others were sat on the counter, smoking while gesticulating animatedly. You could see bare legs beneath the stall doors, hear heels clacking against the floor, and smell cigarettes mixed with floral perfumes. All of this worsened your headache, and your skull was screaming at you by the time you finally got into a stall to do your business.

Once finished, you trudged down the hall and into the party to find your friends.

The foggy haze of smoke clouded your vision as you waded through the mess of people in the room, searching for either Heather or Jackie in the crowd. Knowing the two of them, you probably wouldn’t see them for a couple of hours. They’d be off smoking pot, or hitting on the band, or taking body shots.

Sighing, you pushed past a couple of drunken people and found a lonely couch in the corner, occupied by no one. Relief flooded your senses instantly, and you took a seat while you played with the hem of your shirt and cradled your head in your hand, closing your eyes. The last thing you wanted to look like was a total loser at this after party, but your head was killing you. Tuning out the buzz around you, you took a deep breath and massaged your temples. If you just let yourself relax, you’d feel better. You would be fine, find your friends, and have a good time. Or at least, that’s what you were telling yourself.

As you nursed your aching skull, you didn’t even notice the palpable silence that had fallen over the room. Even the drunks had stopped their slurred blabbering, and you glanced up to see Jackie running at you, her shocking blonde hair mussed and her eyes an irritated shade of red. Her face was bright and open, her mouth wide in an expression of disbelief as she grabbed your hands and sat on the couch next to you.

“They’re here!” she hissed, her voice cutting through the thick layer of silence that had fallen over the room like a blanket. She grabbed your chin, directing your face to the other side of the room, where you could see the crowd shifting slightly.

The first one to catch your eye was the lead singer; you could recognize that from his very demeanor—that smile and his tufts of curly hair coupled with the way he gathered the attention of everyone. The room felt his energy instantly, like a spark that ignited the very souls of everyone in his vicinity. You felt short of breath as you stared at him, even the glimmering of his sequined shirt in the royal blue light of the room not enough to pull your eyes away from his face. At first, you had questioned Jackie and Heather’s obsession over the band, but already you could feel their hypnotizing vibe, just from one look.

He looked vaguely familiar, like you’d seen him in a dream. Something like deja vu.

“Who’s he?” you asked, quirking an eyebrow as you glanced at Jackie. She was as enamored by him as everyone else in the room, and you couldn’t blame her. He was mesmerizing.

Jackie’s voice fell to a whisper, “That’s Josh.”

She said nothing else as Josh blended into the rest of the crowd, effectively disappearing in the ghostly light of the room. Plumes of smoke clouded your vision slightly, but you waved your hand in search of the rest of the band. You could see a bit of a crowd forming by the door, probably waiting for the rest of the band to show up.

Still, you could feel the electricity in the room; the excitement felt by friends, roadies, groupies, and randoms alike. The hairs on the back of your neck stood erect in anticipation—if Josh could have this effect on you, how would it feel to see the entire band? You wished desperately that you would’ve been able to see them in concert. Even for one song.

“God, I can’t believe we’re here,” whispered Jackie. You met her dreamy-eyed gaze, her brown eyes looking hazier than they had a couple minutes ago. The atmosphere of the room had even become intoxicating enough to drown out your headache.

Another moment passed, and in came the rest of the band. Jackie filled you in quickly. The first in the succession was Sam, the bassist of the band. He was stunning, glowing in an almost ethereal manner as the blue light haloed around him. He crossed the room gracefully, moving out of the way for the next member of the band.

He was Danny, all sweet smiles and dark curly hair. He greeted everyone with the warmth of a close friend, offering hugs and small-talk to everyone that turned to him. He brought a certain warmth to the room, something that made you feel like you were in a familiar place. He felt like an old friend, even from across the room.

You pulled your eyes away from the doorway for a split second to say something to Jackie, and when you looked back you had to do a double take. You recognized the fourth member from work the other day—Jake!

You couldn’t believe it; your eyes bulged out of your head as you stared at him. No wonder he was in town, he was on tour with his band! You could’ve laughed at yourself. He did say he had a pretty awesome job, and you hadn’t believed it at the time.

“Earth to Y/N?” Jackie waved her hand in front of your face, trying to catch your attention.

You glanced at her, “What?”

“That’s Jake. He’s the guitarist.”

“I know who he is.”

“What? How?”

You shook your head, still in disbelief. “He came into the shop the other day.”

Jackie’s jaw dropped. “Oh my god! No wonder your name was on the list!”

Your eyebrows pulled together. “What? How could he know my full name?”

“Are you joking?” Jackie stared at you as if you’d just grown wings. “The shop is literally called Y/L/N’s.”

A shocked laugh fell from your lips as you realized she was right. But what was the chance that Jake had even remembered you, much less decided to make you one of his VIP guests? It was one in a million, if that.

“I’m sure it was just a coincidence,” you waved it off, your face brightening as you caught sight of Heather approaching. She fell onto the couch, on Jackie’s other side with a wide smile and glassy eyes.

“Did you see them? Amazing…” she relaxed into the cushions, crossing her legs as she lit a cigarette and stared out into the crowd. She was blissed out, her eyes empty, eyeliner smudged softly around her eyes, and her mouth slightly ajar as she sat there. She was hauntingly beautiful, and you knew how she could get her way so easily.

Jackie turned to speak to Heather, but she was cut off by the sound of a voice familiar to you. “Y/N!”

Your head turned so quickly that you thought you’d get whiplash as you caught sight of Jake approaching. You practically jumped out of your seat, your face heating up as Jake opened his arms for a hug, like you two were a couple of old friends. His embrace was warm, and he grinned brightly at you as he pulled away.

“I was hoping to see you here.”

“Really?” you wondered, unable to stop the smile that came to your lips.

“Yeah,” Jake laughed sheepishly. “I had you on the list just in case. Told you my job was decent.”

You began to reply, but Heather felt the need to interrupt. “How do you two know each other?” She blinked at the two of you, looking suspicious.

“We met—”

“A few years ago,” Jake cut you off, winking discreetly at you as Heather glared daggers at you. You gaped at him for a second, and he looked amused.

You rolled your eyes, then turned to Heather with a sweet smile. “Yeah,” you said casually. “Never knew you were in a band, though,” you said sharply, watching the amusement dance in Jake’s eyes.

“Wasn’t that important at the time.” He shrugged. “Why don’t you introduce your friends, Y/N?” His tone was facetious, and you forced a false smile at him.

“This is Heather,” she offered her hand, but Jake pulled her into a hug. “And Jackie.” He shook Jackie’s hand, then watched as Jackie scrutinized you.

“I thought you two just met the other day,” she frowned.

“We did,” you caved, giggling at the look on Heather’s face. “Jake was pulling Heather’s leg.” You threw an arm around Heather’s shoulders, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Love you, H.”

She wrinkled her nose at you, and took a long drag of her cigarette as she pouted.

“Now, where’s the rest of your band, Jake?”

tags: @mr-stank-i-dont-feel-so-dank @gretavanfic @chocolatealmondmilkshake @mountainofthesunn

#svfs78 #queue are my special #greta van fleet imagine #greta van fleet fic #gvf imagine #gvf fic #sam kiszka imagine #jake kiszka imagine #josh kiszka imagine #danny wagner imagine #my writing

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