Blind Leading [The Blind]

req’d by @direflames99

raw as hell

Sadly I have a Twitter now 😕

tumblr wouldnt exist for another two years

bush was still president

lost hadn’t aired its second season yet

youtube wasnt even a year old

the #1 song was kanye west - gold digger

ariana grande was 12

taylor swift wasn’t famous yet

Washington Post is paywalling the article but it looks like Taylor Farms — a consumer bagged salad brand that also supplies produce to grocers and fast food chains like Taco Bell, Walmart, McDonald's, Chipotle, Burger King, KFC, and Meijer —may be at least one of the sources of the current cyclosporiasis outbreak.

“Grace, I need your signature.”

Grace looked up from his work in his closet of an office. Stratt closed the door behind her.

“An autograph? I’m flattered.”

She pushed the work off his already disheveled desk and set a single paper on top. It kind of looked like his degree, it kind of looked like-

“A marriage license? Well, now I’m really flattered.”

“For legal reasons. Just sign.” Stratt muttered.

“Are you serious?”

Of course she was serious. She only was serious. But she seemed…uncomfortable? The feeling looked strange on her. Eyes dart between the paper and him. Arms crossed over her chest as if hugging herself. It was definitely a new look. They were in new territory.

“I’m not the marrying type.” said Grace. “And I think I forgot to propose.”

Stratt breathed in deeply. Steeling herself.

“Grace,” Her hands were fidgeting with the cuff of her sleeve. “What I’m doing here is illegal. I’ve broken alot of rules to give the crew a chance to save us. But once the mission begins…the world order will need to go back to how it was.”

Grace listened intently trying to make eye contact with her glassy gaze. He hadn’t thought to much about the legality of it all. After all, that was her job.

“I will be put on trial. I will be found guilty. I will serve the rest of my life behind bars. That is my cost.” Stratt continued, “You, the team, will all be fine. But-”

She pushed the license closer to Grace.

“Spouses don’t testify in court.”

Finally she looked at him. She wasn’t telling him to sign. If that was the case she probably would’ve just forged his signature. Hell, she probably has a whole team just for that purpose. She was asking him.

His choice. Just between the two of them.

“We don’t have to sleep together, right?”

Her eyes went big. “God Grace! No! Just sign the damn paper!” she huffed.

He smiled. And put his name under hers.

Husband and wife.

Well, more like “Most powerful person in the world” and “Some guy she kept around.” But still. Till death do they part.

“Profound and unified love for all of the mankind” doesn’t really work with Polytheism, because the Gods are not one solid unified entity without internal conflicts. Also, they’re not perfect, which is good because a perfect God cannot be a proper judge of imperfect mankind; a perfect God has no autonomy to make judgements and have a standing, because He makes no mistakes.

However, a multitude of imperfect Gods is a little more interesting to have around. Their judgement is simultaneously superior (only the God can decide on stopping to dislike you) and not morally charged (a God can dislike you for superficial reasons). You can live your entire life not being liked by some God, or being treated neutrally by some God, and it wouldn’t change the course of your life in the slightest, unless you purposefully seek out conflict.

While there’s no harm in saying “the Gods love you!”, it’s not entirely correct. They accept you, like They accept anything else that was born out of the same Cosmos. Whether They grow to love or dislike you is up to you and Them. Because, being imperfect, They are capable of change - and that should be calming to you.

Polytheistic Gods aren’t all love-preaching therapists. Sometimes They just don’t want company. Or don’t want closeness. Or don’t want any new worshippers. Or They’re moody. Some of Them just don’t want to deal with specific types of people, or with worshippers of some other Deities. When a Polytheistic God dislikes someone, it can be as simple as your vibes don’t match. It really doesn’t matter unless They tell you that the reason is in something else.