un: blackbirdtarot | video

[drewthetower]

WHO: August and anyone else
WHERE: Network, maybe his place
WHEN: end of January
WHAT: why are y'all like this
WARNINGS: swearing!

[The video opens up on a very chaotic sewing room, with a dressform that's half-covered in a project, a raven-that's-not-a-raven perched on a perch above the dressform, and one very frazzled August, hair in the messiest bun and glasses a little skewed.]

Okay, just. Okay. Since we are apparently getting more and more people from not here and y'all are showing up in the worst actual stuff--hi. August Villareal, "blackbirdtarot" on literally every form of social media, I give tarot readings and take clothing commissions when I'm not dying in college. If you happen to be a bird-nut, my aunts run Crowley Sanctuary for Birds, we're always popping up places for this bird or that bird or getting this grant or the fucking goose incident.

[Goddammit Lucy. Goddammit Goosetavo.]

Anyway. If you are from Not Here and have found yourself now here, hit me up and I'll make you three outfits, or help you get three outfits if you want jeans. Free of charge. I've made some wild shit doing this, so unless you want me to make you fucking armor, I can probably figure out how to make damn near anything.

[Gods.]

Everyone else--you gotta pay, and everyone's gotta pay if you want tarot readings, my hourly rates are listed on every profile I have. [His phone goes off. August checks it, and then sighs.] Also, I've been told on no uncertain terms that everyone who can use this app is apparently invited to my place next month, because my aunts are coming over and they never met a group of people they didn't want to feed and they have no chill. It'll probably turn into a potluck, gods...

[He goes to turn this off before pausing.]

Oh, if anyone speaks French or Spanish and needs help, hit me up. I'm still learning Greek, but I guess I can help with that too.

Comments

[drewthetower]

I was not kidding when I said I had stuff here that'd fit you.

[Just saying.

To answer the last question, August just pulls out his deck and unwraps it from its cloth cover. It's a very pretty bird-themed deck, and clearly very well used. He pulls out the reversed Hermit to show to Bruno, not even paying attention.]

And what, did she show up here too?

[wedonttalkabout]

Guess you weren't. Still, good of you to reach out.

[Bruno is just gonna stare at that card. He doesn't know what it means- his way of seeing the future was a lot more...direct after all. But that image is more than a little on the nose.]

She is. Her name's Mirabel. ...What does that card mean?

[drewthetower]

I'll get a hold of her, then. I never mind people helping, so long as they're good.

[August glances at the card.]

Reversed Hermit. It can mean a few things, but generally speaking when it's upside-down like this it means you maybe need to stop being a literal hermit and go socialize. Stop hiding from people, pay attention to those around you and let them in, stuff like that.

[wedonttalkabout]

Oh, she's good! She makes all her own clothes- and things for the family!

[Bruno pulls one hell of a face at that. Like that face that cats make when they smell something weird. It's that face.]

Iiiii'm a little out of practise with that. I've been living alone for a decade.

[drewthetower]

[A beat. And then August shrugs.]

Apparently the cards are telling you it's time to stop that. Or at least try to.

[wedonttalkabout]

Well, that's rude.

[Is it, Bruno? Is it really? ]

I mean...I guess, yeah. I should be...working on the people thing. It's just that not-people is easier.

[drewthetower]

My cards are usually rude.

[Or so he's been told.]

And trust me, I know the feeling. People are assholes, buuut we're people. We kinda can't avoid them.

[wedonttalkabout]

...But I guess it's accurate?

[Even if it's rude.]

I don't know, I managed to avoid them for a whole decade. [Just normal things that normal people do.] Buuut probably less so now Mirabel is here.

[drewthetower]

What, where you in a monastery or a hermit or something?

[wedonttalkabout]

Closer to the second than the first. I lived in the walls of our house. For... reasons. Complicated reasons.

[drewthetower]

[. . .

Nope. Not judging. Much concern, though.]

I'll take your word for it. [A beat.] You okay, dude?

[wedonttalkabout]

[Very well placed concern, honestly.]

Back home? Yeah, mostly. Not in the walls anymore so, y'know, that's an improvement. Less so here- still trying to deal with the whole being kidnapped thing.

[drewthetower]

Yeah, can't blame you. Seriously though, if you or your niece need anything, lemme know.

[wedonttalkabout]

Gracias, I really appreciate it. We're definitely fish out of water in a place like this.