WITCHING HOUR? SPOOKY.

“don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”

“be glad of your human heart. pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

“i love you. thorns and all.”

“we need hope, or else we cannot endure.”

“you look… better than before. and your hair is… clean.”

“do you ever stop being so serious and dull?”

“do you ever stop being a prick?”

“you could have demanded every single week of the year. every single week, and i would’ve said yes.”

“he also said that you liked being brushed, and if i’m clever i might train you with treats.”

“everything i love always has the tendency to be taken away from me.”

“i would have been gentle with you, though.”

“i’m tired and lonely, and you’re the only person i can talk to without putting myself at risk.”

“because i wouldn’t want to die alone. because i’d want someone to hold my hand until the end, and awhile after that. that’s something everyone deserves.” 

“i didn’t want you to fight alone. or die alone.”

“has anyone ever taken care of you?”

“i’m drawn to it, even when i know i shouldn’t be, even when i try not to be.”

“beneath all your pride and stubbornness, i could have sworn i detected something that felt differently. interesting.”

“my priority would be to help my family—and i would have picked whatever side could keep them safest. i hadn’t thought of it as a weakness until now.”

“before you start yelling…”

“killing us is easier in pants.”

“all those years, what i did for them… and they didn’t try to stop you from taking me.”

“we’re too powerful, and too bored with immortality, to be checked by anything else.”

“we had contests to see who could write the dirtiest limericks while i was living with my father’s war-band by the border. i don’t particularly enjoy losing, so i took it upon myself to become good at them.”

“do you lie awake at night to come up with all your witty replies for the following day?”

“you don’t hold on to power by being everyone’s friend.”

“if it grieves you, then i don’t think it’s absurd at all.”

Adaptable // Adventurous // Alert // Amiable // Appreciative // Articulate // Balanced // Calm // Caring // Charismatic // Charming // Clean // Clever  // Compassionate // Confident // Conscientious // Considerate // Courageous // Courteous // Creative // Curious // Dedicated // Disciplined // Earnest // Eloquent // EMPATHETIC // Energetic // Enthusiastic // Faithful // Flexible // Focused // Forgiving // Freethinking // Generous // Genuine // Hardworking //  Honorable // Humble // Incisive // Independent // Intelligent // Intuitive // Loyal // Methodical // Observant // Optimistic // Organized // PASSIONATE // Patient // Perceptive // Persuasive // Playful // PROTECTIVE // Rational // Realistic  // Reliable // Resourceful // Respectful // Responsible // Self-critical // Self-Sufficent // Sociable // Studious // Sympathetic // Tactful // Tolerant // Trusting // Understanding // WITTY

— // PRIMARY FOUR!

░ || ❝ EMPATHETIC ❞

while ambrose doesn’t always have experience with a certain situation and cannot fully comprehend the thoughts//process of another being, he is often very understanding of them and more than willing to lift as much of this as he possibly can – if only by listening. particularly when related to someone he cares for, ambrose tends to deeply feel and share in their emotions. he may not always show this outwardly, but when someone is hurting, he is rather distraught. even when it comes to those he does not know, he feels pain much more intensely than perhaps others might; which is to say he’s often very interested in figuring out what is wrong, and moreover, what he can do to help. 

░ || ❝ PASSIONATE ❞

in near everything he does, ambrose is painfully ardent about it. his emotions run deep, and he very much takes things straight to heart. having been, more or less, trapped through a large portion of his life, and above this, working with the dead, he truly values life and all the little things. from spellcasting, to relationships, to poetry, and beyond, he intertwines piece of his dark little soul into each. without freedom, he must overcompensate with absolute, all-consuming passion. this means he loves deeper, and loses harder.

░ || ❝ PROTECTIVE ❞

it is, for very obvious reasons, clear that ambrose does not have much in his life worth protecting – in another sense, this means everything in his life is worth protecting. he is willing to throw himself into the flickering fire to save anyone else from a burn, he would rather ache for a million years than have someone else suffer for even a moment. it is a positive trait, however, something much to his detriment, because it often means the last person he will protect is himself. 

░ || ❝ WITTY ❞

Adaptable // Adventurous // Alert // Amiable // Appreciative // Articulate // Balanced // Calm // Caring // Charismatic // Charming // Clean // Clever  // Compassionate // Confident // Conscientious // Considerate // Courageous // Courteous // Creative // Curious // Dedicated // Disciplined // Earnest // Eloquent // EMPATHETIC // Energetic // Enthusiastic // Faithful // Flexible // Focused // Forgiving // Freethinking // Generous // Genuine // Hardworking //  Honorable // Humble // Incisive // Independent // Intelligent // Intuitive // Loyal // Methodical // Observant // Optimistic // Organized // PASSIONATE // Patient // Perceptive // Persuasive // Playful // PROTECTIVE // Rational // Realistic  // Reliable // Resourceful // Respectful // Responsible // Self-critical // Self-Sufficent // Sociable // Studious // Sympathetic // Tactful // Tolerant // Trusting // Understanding // WITTY

— // PRIMARY FOUR!

░ || ❝ EMPATHETIC ❞

while ambrose doesn’t always have experience with a certain situation and cannot fully comprehend the thoughts//process of another being, he is often very understanding of them and more than willing to lift as much of this as he possibly can – if only by listening. particularly when related to someone he cares for, ambrose tends to deeply feel and share in their emotions. he may not always show this outwardly, but when someone is hurting, he is rather distraught. even when it comes to those he does not know, he feels pain much more intensely than perhaps others might; which is to say he’s often very interested in figuring out what is wrong, and moreover, what he can do to help. 

░ || ❝ PASSIONATE ❞

in near everything he does, ambrose is painfully ardent about it. his emotions run deep, and he very much takes things straight to heart. having been, more or less, trapped through a large portion of his life, and above this, working with the dead, he truly values life and all the little things. from spellcasting, to relationships, to poetry, and beyond, he intertwines piece of his dark little soul into each. without freedom, he must overcompensate with absolute, all-consuming passion. this means he loves deeper, and loses harder.

░ || ❝ PROTECTIVE ❞

it is, for very obvious reasons, clear that ambrose does not have much in his life worth protecting – in another sense, this means everything in his life is worth protecting. he is willing to throw himself into the flickering fire to save anyone else from a burn, he would rather ache for a million years than have someone else suffer for even a moment. it is a positive trait, however, something much to his detriment, because it often means the last person he will protect is himself. 

░ || ❝ WITTY ❞

in general, ambrose is very loose and free with his orientation. sexuality is an extension of his being and it doesn’t weigh heavily on his personality, or day to day existence. it’s not something he thinks about often ( anymore ) and believes that it simply is, whether or not there’s a name placed to it. it isn’t something that defines him, or he really cares to define. he enjoys the company of who he enjoys the company of, and otherwise it doesn’t particularly matter. 

░ || ❝ PANSEXUAL ❞

pansexual, being that he is sexually attracted to: men, woman, and those on the non-binary spectrum, is undoubtedly the label that fits him most appropriately. visually, he is attracted to most people, and most bodies, and tends to find something interesting in anyone. ambrose isn’t particularly shallow, he’s evolved far past the ideal that one certain type of person is attractive, while others are not. people are beautiful, bodies are beautiful. with that said, he does have a somewhat soft visual preference for masculinity – as in, if he were to actively seek out pornography for instance, it would likely be homoerotica.  he does not think any gender/identity is lesser than any other, he simply leans toward men. 

░ || ❝ PANROMANTIC ❞

ambrose enjoys smelling good. it’s something he finds attractive in others, he’s very drawn in by people’s individual scents, and thinks that it’s just as alluring for him to leave an impression. the kind that, when you smell one of his key notes, it instantly makes you think of him. he’s very particular about personal health and cleanliness and bathes, at minimum, once daily. he’s also prone to take quick showers, if he works in the basement that day. 

note that none of these smells would be overpowering in any way, just enough to notice and enjoy.

ambrose has a large collection of essential oils, many of which he cultivates and distills himself.beyond those listed, he absolutely uses a plethora of other scents for other reasons, but in general these would be his primary mixture for himself. 

░ || ❝ LEMON ❞

LEMON for vitality, and energy; also to help neutralize the scent of the dead. if he should work in the morgue, and shower afterward, he will cut a fresh lemon and run it across his body as well as through his hair. this is a ritual he picked up many years ago while attempting to hide the lingering smell that working with corpses tends to leave. it completely negates the meaty smell. after so many years, ambrose has come to ignore the stench, but knows that it attaches to him, and prefers to be left smelling alive. 

░ || ❝ SANDALWOOD ❞

SANDALWOOD for health, alertness, and purification. specifically east indian sandalwood, which he has a constant supply of. ambrose uses this for many things, one of which being burning with sage to purify his nesting place. secondarily to this, he uses a few drops into a spraying bottle that he spritzes his hair with after every wash. the mixture also includes aloe vera, bamboo and argan oil. it leaves no texture or hold. 

░ || ❝ POMEGRANATE // VANILLA // CINNAMON // OAK // HELIOTROPE ❞

POMEGRANATE for luck; a few drops of this leave his fingers stained while popping the flesh off the seeds because he cannot help but eat a handful while making the concoction, but it’s well worth the stain.  VANILLA for allure; he tends to aim for a bit of a spicier vanilla, less so the mallow-y sweet scent of it, but the raw bean, crushed and distilled. CINNAMON for passion and pleasure; cinnamon was revered sacred to dionysus and it ads a hint of fire to the mixture. OAK for protection; to ward off harm, and add an earthy undertone. HELIOTROPE for clarify & divination; this cherry-sweet herb helps to give focus when his own is waivering. this mixture is made by him, with a mixture of grown and collected herbs/spices, distilled in house with alcohol, and bottled in a classic perfume spritzer. he doesn’t douse himself in this, but the smell lingers gently.

░ || ❝ YARROW // GINSENG // MUGWORT // HYSSOP ❞

should you find yourself on the wrong end of a curse or a hex, perform this spell, ideally on a cloudless moonlit night, for clarity. it’s a fairly rudimentary spell, easily performed by just about any witch as long as your intentions are clear and your focus is set. 

this box/jar must be buried, preferably somewhere with low foot traffic and if possible in the woods.

☽ || ❝ INGREDIENTS ❞

MIRROR. this mirror will be, ideally, a small, handheld mirror that will break cleanly, rather than shatter.  JAR OR BOX. a jar is undoubtedly more secure, but a wooden lockbox is appropriate all the same.  DRIED THISTLE. dried thistle, to protect yourself.  MORNING GLORY. to bind the curse to the jar, and byway, back to the source. SELENITE CRYSTAL. a small piece of this crystal will aid in focusing the moonlight, amplify the protection onto you and the curse onto the source. BLACK FEATHER. this feather must be black by nature, not by human, meaning it must come from a bird that is obsidian, not a feather of other colour that has been dyed. the feather is to both strengthen the protection to you, and help to carry the curse to the source. BLACK INK. to bind the jar/box. TREE DIRT. ideally this dirt will be collected from under an old oak tree, but if there’s not one available to you, any dirt will suffice. this is to promote concentration while casting, and improve the strength of the spell. 

☽ || ❝ SPELL WORK ❞

001. gather your ingredients, and find a clearing where the moon can meet the mirror when you need it. when you’re ready, focused, and prepared, sit on the ground and open your jar: ensure the moonlight kisses every corner of it, flooding it entirely. 

002. begin to place the ingredients into the jar, one by one, ensuring to centre on your intent with each: chanting aloud can help to focus your thoughts, but this is not necessary. with each item you place in the jar, make sure that your thoughts are clear with the items property and reason. as in, with the thistle: to protect yourself from what you’ve been cursed with. “with this thistle, i protect myself.” “with this morning glory, i bind this spell to this vessel.” etc. once you’ve placed the thistle, morning glory, crystal, and feather into the jar, set it aside momentarily; preferably somewhere that the moonlight is still drowning the contents. 

003. take the mirror and look clear into it, concentrate deeply to remove the curse from yourself and bind it to the mirror. in binding it to the mirror, you can, if you so choose, complete the next step and then skip to step six if you prefer simply to remove the curse from yourself. if you wish for the curse to flutter back to the sender, you must perform step five as well.  

chanting aloud can increase your focus, but it’s not necessary. 

as follows:  

004.  continuing to hold the mirror, gazing deep into yourself, speak these words six times:                            curse blind to me. curse bind to thee.

005.  to return this curse to where it originated, speak these words eight times:

                          as the mirror breaks, this curse it takes,                           i am protected,   your curse is reflected.

once you’ve spoken the words, you will lay the mirror down face up and break it with a rock. the idea is not to smash it, but to break it into medium pieces that can easily be collected. if you’re concerned about the clean break, you can lay a piece of fabric beneath the mirror so if it should shatter, it can easily be scooped up and dumped into the jar. if it does not shatter, simply ( carefully ) collect the shards and set them into your vessel.

as previously discussed, romantic relationships, particularly serious ones, are somewhat difficult for ambrose. in general, it’s considerably easier for him to be in a somewhat loose/open relationships. this isn’t to say he couldn’t be in a dedicated relationship, but he hasn’t been in many, and the one’s he’s been in haven’t worked out terribly well. in addition, being the way he’s been raised, the world he lives in and what he knows to be true, romantic relationships are kind of hard to understand, in some regard. the way he see’s a happy couple in a movie just isn’t something he can ever see for himself, because it would be “impossible” to live that sort of life. 

on the flipside, he’s a hopeless romantic who would write poems, stay up listening to his lover breathe, and pull them close just to feel their heartbeat. he’s a bit of a paradox when it comes to romance. he crushes very quickly, adores very hard, and forbid he falls in love because he’s terrified it will ruin him.

░ || ❝ OPEN RELATIONSHIPS ❞

ambrose doesn’t consider himself to be a monogomous person, as most witches don’t, they’ve kind of evolved past that belief. it would be rough for him to try and hold down more than one romantic relationship, but sexually it’s no big deal. ambrose is not under the thought that sex equals love, nor does love equal sex, so having one without the other isn’t bothersome to him. 

being in a strict monogamous relationship might prove to be… improbable. but not impossible, as he’s the type that would do just about anything for the person he loves and if that meant settling down, he would. the secondary option would be a romantic relationship with one singular being, but still being sexually active with multiples – this would of course be regulated, he wouldn’t just sleep around behind their back. it would be a fair and agreeable system.