#Pier 1 Imports

[imitationcrabs]

Pier 1 imports red crab plush

[high-quality-tiktoks]

🪑🙄

[botanyshitposts]

i see your lithops and raise you Chungus: ephorbia obesa (the name alone should give you an idea of what we're dealing with here)

oh. oh my.

[pepsinister]

$15 for one song btw. In case you thought I was a casual Nilsenhead

[jovalencia]

time to head out🫡 ultimate goal of this estate sale is to get bowls bc sarah suitemate and I are down to two bowls total in this apartment bc we've broken so many. our bad.

[moonydustx]

AHSHEUWOHDOEHEJDOEJEHD----

LAW IS SO CUTE WHEN HE PROPOSEEEDDD LIKE PLEASEEE I WANT HIM😭😭😭😭

I wonder, does he do the wedding stuff? Like don't sleep with each other before your wedding stuff like that? Old sayings?? Does he even believe them at all?

A/N: Hello! First, thank you for the request ❤️ Sorry for the delay in responding, weekends end up being a busy time for me.

About our beautiful lovebirds: I believe maybe it would be a great mix. Some old sayings like don't see the bride in white I think they would follow (for me, Law would be willing to do whatever his s/o dreamed of for the wedding). Despite this, I also think they would create their own traditions based on what they see as important. I hope you like it!

*I also decided to name this series of requests about marriage, I love the fact that in the fanfic you can travel with the idea of ​​a super romantic Law. Soon I will be responding to another request received about the honeymoon/what they would do afterwards.

The proposal - the special day (part 2)

Part 1 - Part 3

You considered yourself an anxious person. Are you, or not?

Even though you were tired after helping to clean up the scattered pieces after dinner - Law had been told that it was a tradition in his country to break dishes after dinner to ensure good luck and then for the bride and groom to clean up - sleep didn't seem to reach you. You still didn't understand if the insomnia was the result of being in a different bed, in the Thousand Sunny, if it was the fact that you had eaten almost nothing even with the banquet or if it was because the big day started the next morning.

Dress, makeup, hair, flowers, Law. The last item on your little mental list ran in a loop in your mind. You were sleeping separately that night, but it was impossible for you to close your eyes.

You put on your shoes and threw the sheet over your body, trying to hide your pajamas. Ikkaku, Nami, Robin and Chopper piled into the room. The straw hats were two of the few friends you collected throughout your time at sea and you couldn't help but have them at your wedding and with that, the whole crew came along. Despite some of Law's grumbles - which you knew was just silly jealousy - you invited Kid, after all, you got along very well and of all the trouble you got into, many of them involved him. Unfortunately he couldn't make it, but he sent lots and lots of bottles of sake.

The pier where the Sunny was moored seemed calm and a few meters away was the Polar Tang. A little peek at how Law was doing wouldn't hurt, would it? It only took a few steps before a voice reached you.

"I don't think it's safe for a lady to be walking around here at night." Law's voice scared you, eliciting a small scream from you.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same, my little ghost." he pointed to the sheet around you. "I mean, they say it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

"And you believe that, sweetheart?" You sat on the edge of the dock, knocking on the wood and indicating that he should sit next to you.

"For you, I would believe." he sat up, taking your hand and letting his fingers tangle with yours. "And I have you, no amount of bad luck in the world would take that away from me."

"Can I ask you something?" he immediately nodded to your question. "I know I've always dreamed of this, weddings and parties and that kind of thing. What about you? You're not doing this just to please me, are you?"

"I think it's too late for this question." a shy smile appeared on his lips. "I never expected to meet anyone, have a relationship like the two of us have and then, it happened. From then on, seeing you make your dreams come true is like seeing my own come true."

Instead of using words, you just took his lips to you, small kisses along with "thank you" smiles and "I love you" vows were said. When he moved away from your lips, you saw him take off the coat he was wearing and place it over your shoulders.

"You're freezing but anyway, what were you doing here for yourself?"

"I couldn't sleep, I needed to see you, to know that all this was really happening." You leaned on his shoulder, feeling Law's scent invade your senses. It was discreet, but it was still your favorite scent. "And you?"

"I wanted to spy on my fiancée." He spoke directly, making you smile.

"And your groomsmen let you get away?"

"Shachi and Penguin got drunk before the third bottle and fell asleep. Bepo was even now rereading the speech."

"Poor Bepo, I hope we didn't give him too difficult a mission." you laughed, feeling Law laugh along with you. A rare moment, which usually happened when it was just the two of you. Before you could continue speaking, you heard your voice being called in the distance.

"We broke a thousand plates for nothing to keep the bad things away from the wedding and you two ran away to see each other before the ceremony!" Nami's voice echoed from Sunny. "You can come back here and Law, I think it's good to go back to your place too."

"I'm on my way." you shouted back and accepted the hand that Law extended to you to put you on your feet. Before you could try to return it, Law removed the sheet still hanging from your body and adjusted his coat, so that it covered you almost completely.

"So, see you tomorrow?" He said, rolling the fabric in his hand and handing it to you.

"Yes, oh and of course, I'll be the one in white." You smiled, feeling his lips touch your forehead. "Hey!" you groaned as you watched him walk away without a real goodbye kiss.

"I'll kiss you again when you become Mrs. Trafalgar."

When you returned to Sunny, sleep came much easier than you expected, lulled by the comfort of the fabric around your body.

The day went by much faster than you expected. You spent a few hours in the shower, others getting ready and a few more rambling alone in your thoughts, anxious about what was going to happen.

With the long white dress already adorning your body and everyone already waiting for you, you and Ikkaku began to prepare the last details. For something borrowed, you "borrowed" flowers that stood ready to become medicine in Law's laboratory: chamomile, lavender, fennel, and jasmine flowers. For something old, you wore a small golden clip in your hair, one of the few things you still brought from your home island and the small stones that adorned the piece would serve for something blue.

"I believe everything is ready." You said in a sigh, feeling your hands sweat with nervousness.

"Sure you're not missing something?" Ikkaku asked, in mock distraction. "Something new perhaps?"

"The dress doesn't count? It's the first time I'm officially wearing it." you countered, seeing her deny it through a laugh.

"Close your eyes, please." As soon as you did, you felt Ikkaku put something around your neck. The cold touch of the jewel contrasted with your skin.

When you open your eyes, you can see a thin, golden chain hanging with a pendant with the Heart Pirates' jolly roger made in gold as well.

"The boys and I decided to do this. You can marry the captain, but that doesn't mean you'll stop being our best friend." your eyes immediately flooded with the statement, just as your arms wrapped around her in a strong hug. "Okay, okay, don't cry. Nami will kill us if we ruin her work and of course, the captain must be freaking out about the delay."

"You're not making this an easy task." you dried your tears with the small piece of paper she handed you.

"Good, now is the time." she walked towards the door and opened it wide enough for only her to get through. "Remember, 3 knocks on the door."

You nodded and took a deep breath, it was now or never and the second option would never be available to the two of you. The three knocks on the door felt like an eternity.

The doors to the deck opened and you could see the small space packed with your friends. The decoration was simple, flowers scattered all over the floor and some candles. You could have paid attention to the surprised faces of your fellow sailors, the huge skeleton playing the violin or how Sanji's eyes practically turned into two hearts. You could have paid attention to everything around you, if it weren't for the eyes that you loved so much and that crossed your path.

With each step you took towards the small - and improvised - altar with a huge sunset in the background, it was as if the brightness of the orange sun couldn't compare to the way Law looked at you. You had never seen him like that, so beautiful, so happy. You could bet that some of the emotional looks were more related to surprise at the expression of your soon-to-be husband than at your own entrance.

"Sorry I'm late." you whispered, standing in front of him.

"Worth every second." He took one of your hands, giving it a chaste kiss.

It could be hours, it could be just seconds, you would spend a lifetime under the way Law looked at you that almost night. The first moments of the speech were like distant words echoed amidst a blur of image from your flooded eyes, that was when a sniffle took your attention away.

"I'm sorry." Bepo asked, wiping away a tear and getting a few laughs. "I'm very happy that they chose me for this. Law was my only friend for a long time and of course, the person who brought me to this family. And you…" Bepo turned to you, laughing. "I think that since I convinced him to let you join the pack, we've been chasing too much trouble. I mean, these are two of the most special people in the world to me who have decided to stay together. And before I conclude, I need you to say your vows."

"But the votes…" Law began, being interrupted by the polar bear. By agreement, you would keep the vows just for the two of you.

"Promise that even if you get married, you two will continue to be our friends and our companions at sea. You, my dear captain and you, my dear friend, will not forget the Heart Pirates."

"We promise." you both said in unison and your laughter came out loud when you saw Bepo's cute face practically light up at the answer.

"We would never leave you big guy." you quickly let go of Law to hug him.

"We still have a lot of sea to explore." Law placed a hand on Bepo's shoulder, who broke away from you and hugged him. "Okay, Bepo… Ok, now the focus is different."

"Ah yes, of course…" he adjusted his clothes and waited for you to adjust your dress. "About the trust you two placed in me to celebrate this moment, about the presence of all our friends and of course, the sea that brought us together. I declare you husband and wife."

The "you can kiss the bride" became a distant sound as soon as you felt Law pull you by the waist. His lips captured yours with tenderness and delicacy and yet, his hands said something different, holding you firmly against his body. His lips moved away from yours and placed another chaste kiss on your forehead. Applause and whistles filled the small deck, as well as some tears too - Bepo, Shachi and Penguin were responsible for most of them.

"Now…" you began, gaining everyone's attention. "I invite you all to go to Sunny, where Luffy has kindly proposed a banquet for us to celebrate."

"Finally, food!" you only saw Luffy throw himself from one ship to another, being followed by Sanji who was already desperate with all the embezzlement he would cause at dinner.

"We'll be waiting for you." Nami walked out arm in arm with Robin.

"I think we should all go. The bride and groom deserve some time." Robin suggested.

Little by little, the deck emptied. In the end, there were only you, Law, some petals on the ground and the end of the sunset.

"I…" Law's voice started to say, but soon stopped. You were standing, leaning on the edge of Polar Tang, enjoying the few minutes of sun that remained that day. "I think this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Don't overdo it, my husband." you said in a provocative tone and a laugh escaped your lips when you saw Law close his eyes and appreciate something that seemed to be invisible to you.

"I don't think I heard you right." your arms circled the back of his head, placing a chaste kiss on the tip of Law's chin.

"My darling, amazing, strong, beautiful husband. I'm happy that you are now officially mine."

"That's where you're wrong, Mrs. Trafalgar. I always have been and always will be yours." He held you in his arms again and contrary to what he had done in the ceremony, he took your lips without any hesitation.

One of his hands, which were firmly attached to your waist, began to cup your face in counterpoint, as if it were the most precious treasure he had found.

"Till death do Us part?"

"Not even that will be able to separate us." He took your lips again and you tangled your fingers in the dark strands of his hair.

"I love your hat, but you look so beautiful like this."

"It doesn't compare to you." He moved away enough so he could spin you around, analyzing every inch of your body. "The most beautiful girl in the entire Grand Line. My beautiful wife."

[echobx]

figure you out part 1 - jj maybank x fem!reader

summary: y/n hasn't seen her friends in quite some time and decides that it's time to pay them a visit, but her best friend JJ Maybank isn't very fond of her

warnings: hurt/comfort, verbal fighting, JJ being a bit of an asshole

word count: 4.3k

author's note: it's very much more hurt than comfort ig. I know I fucked up the southern drawl thing that JJ got going on, but I'm not very knowledgeable in that so don't focus on it too much.

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y/n hadn't been that attentive of her friends lately. She had a lot on her plate ever since switching schools, from Kildare High to KCD, and moving out of her family home and into the condo her boyfriend had provided for her after her parents had to move away for work. She hadn't minded it much. She had always been more on her own, had always known how to take care of herself. Growing up on the Southside hadn't been easy, but it had taught her a lot about life, especially to appreciate it when good opportunities were at hand.  So she said yes to the car Travis had gifted her on her 18th birthday. She had said yes to moving into the penthouse apartment with him, although he technically still lived with his parents to keep up the facade. His parents were old school, so she had said yes when he had proposed to her. "It's a good match. You will be taken care of, sweetie," her parents had told her. y/n knew it was the right choice, the smart choice. She would go to college, and then they would get married after. He would take over his parents' company, and she would play the trophy wife, raise the children and look pretty. It wasn't a bad future for someone who came from nothing. 

The only cons to the big plan were her friends. Well, if they would still call her, that was to be questioned. She had only seen them a few times at parties in the last eight months, but she had come to the conclusion that now, as the end of the school year was right around the corner, she should finally pay them a visit again. y/n missed her friends dearly. She missed hanging out, drinking beers and smoking. She missed surfing and falling asleep in the hammocks at the Château afterward.  Before y/n had switched schools, her friends had held a long discussion over the issue. The fear that she would forget them and never look back was great, especially after they had all experienced a similar situation when Kiara had had her "Kook year" like they used to call it. But it hadn't mattered what the Crew had to say, the decision had already been made. Her future was more important, getting off the island had been the only goal for her ever since her first day of High School. She had become valedictorian for this one reason and nothing else.  But the worst part had been that they had all been right about her, about the changes. 

When y/n looked in the mirror that evening, she could barely see her old self anymore. The washed out shirts and cut off jeans she had always worn had been replaced by pretty sundresses and blouses and other fancy Kook clothes. She looked like a Kook, she lived like a Kook, and anyone who didn't know her from childhood on might think she had always been like this.  She had tried to pick something that wasn't too on the nose. A white loose blouse and light blue jeans shorts. Her hair hung over her shoulders in fine beach waves, and for shoes she wore her usual gray low Chuck's.  The whole drive over to the Cut, she was plagued by fears. 'What if they hate me? What if they say I betrayed them?' were just two of the many questions that pondered her mind. 

She parked her car at the Chat. The old, wooden house still looked the same as it had the first time she had laid her eyes on it. It sat rather idyllic at the sound, and the afternoon sun was painting everything in a golden glow.  The HMS Pogue was towed to the pier and the Twinkie parked in her usual spot. y/n thought back to the many adventures she had gone on with her best friends, especially John B and JJ.  "Hey there, old girl," she mumbled and let her hands run over the metal of the little, orange bus.  "She's not that old, you know," John B laughed from behind her, and she snapped around just in time to be embraced in a hug.  "Where were you? Fucking missed you, sharky," he sighed while holding her in his arms.  "Missed you too, bird," y/n laughed, and they broke out of the hug.  "y/n!" Kiara screamed and slammed her surfboard into Pope, who walked next to her, just for her to run into y/n's arms. 

After a warm welcome from all of them, they were sitting on the porch, sharing beers and being happy about the reconnection.  "I know I should have come by sooner, but school is a lot and then my parents moved away. It was so much, and I promised myself to focus on my future. I'm so sorry, guys." y/n apologized for possibly the millionth time since she got there.  "We would never judge you for that," Pope assured her, and she gave him a thankful smile.  "We do judge you though for not texting once, and rather fucking some Kook than coming by to surf or something," JJ sneered as he walked onto the porch.  "Jay," y/n hushed as she looked at him. He was hurt, and he was actively fueling his pain over seeing her again into his rage.  "No, I get it. You're a Kook now. The car, the fancy clothes, living Northside. You've got it all, don't you," he hissed at her.  "It's not that simple," she tried to reason with him, but he didn't even attempt to calm down.  "It's very fucking simple, actually. You're a Kook now. No Kook is a friend of mine. You can go." JJ pointed towards the door, expecting her to get up and leave immediately, but she didn't. "JJ, that's enough," Sarah admonished him.  "She left us, so don't expect me to be so stupid to let her back in just because she is bored or whatever and decided to pay us a visit," JJ yelled, and it was the last thing y/n had needed to break. She had expected him to act this way, he had always been hot-headed, but this was worse than what she had prepared herself for.  She stood up and walked away. "I'm sorry. I should have asked before coming by," she mumbled before leaving towards her car.  "And there she runs again. You don't have to come back again, cheater," JJ called after her as she got in her car and drove away. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you," Kiara screamed at JJ and pushed him so that he stumbled backwards a few steps. "She wanted to come back, and you pushed her away because you can't fathom that life isn't just black and white. Get your head out of the gutter, JJ, she's not the same girl she was when we met her."  "And that's exactly the issue!" He spat out and turned towards John B. "Whatever that was, that's not the same girl we grew up with. She's not our friend anymore!" "Leave! I will not have you call her names and all that crap you are trying to pull right now. Go, and don't come back unless you apologize to her. She had a tough year, and you're just making it worse with your selfish bullshit. Because to me, she is still the girl who kept running into this very door frame because she has shit coordination skills. Maybe you can't see that, but it's true. People don't change that much, not at their core. Leave!" John B stared his best friend down until he angrily ripped the porch door open and left. 

Meanwhile, y/n cried the whole way home. She had wanted to spend the weekend reconnecting with her friends, and not just because her boyfriend and his family were out of town. No, she had wanted to do so for a long time, but she had never gotten the opportunity to. But now this was also ruined. Her best friend had ruined it. At least she had still thought of JJ as her best friend before he had screamed at her. 

JJ Maybank had been y/n's best friend since third grade. John B and JJ had saved her from a bully at recess, and since then the three had been inseparable. They had spent every free minute with each other. Had consoled one another after a heartbreak or after a fight.  JJ had been her first kiss because they had decided to not take any chances with someone who would turn out to be an asshole, at least that had been the reasoning she had used to convince JJ. What she had never known was that Jay had always had a crush on her, just a tiny one, but he was still sure that she was his first love.  He had of course never told her about that, or the fact that his heart broke a bit when she had called him crying after losing her virginity to some guy who had only pretended to like her. He had never mentioned that he had beaten the guy up the day after to teach him a lesson. He had never told her how much she meant to him, not even when it might have been the only thing that could've held her back from switching schools. 

But then again, y/n had never been that truthful either. She hadn't told him that she had always compared every single guy to him, and that none of them ever came close to how he made her feel. That he had always been her safe haven, the only one she trusted blindly, the only one who had never judged her.  Yet he had been the only one to do exactly that as soon as she had come back to her old life. And she hated him for it. They had promised each other to never hurt the other too deeply, but he had done exactly that.  She knew his mannerisms. Knew how he tended to push everyone away, the more damage the better, but she had never thought to be on the receiving end of his rage. The betrayal over the broken promise hurt just as much as the words he had thrown at her that night. 

y/n cried herself to sleep in the empty apartment that had never truly felt like home because nothing in it was like she had wanted it to be. It was white and clean and fancy. Stone and metal where she preferred wood and old shipped away tile because someone had once thrown a plate out of rage.  She missed her actual home, but no matter how much she would have worked, she couldn't afford to rent out the whole house on her small waiter salary. Besides, now that she was engaged and ready to leave for college, she didn’t need the job anymore. She had actually been advised to not keep on working. "It doesn't look good for the family," her boyfriend's parents had persuaded her and as the dutiful girl she was, she followed the orders of her future in-laws. 

On the other side of the island, JJ was driving around on his bike, trying to let go of his rage, but nothing seemed to work. Seeing her had caused him distress. Seeing her had brought back all the feelings that he had pushed down so far that he had forgotten they existed.  The first time he had seen her in the arms of the Kook, he had wanted to rip the guy's head off. He didn't deserve her, JJ was sure of that. But in JJ's eyes no one was truly worthy of her.  He had hoped that she was miserable with him, that once she came back she was crawling, begging for forgiveness, begging to be taken back. But that hadn't been the case. She had proudly presented her new Kook life as if it was the best thing to ever happen to her.  JJ had looked at her, and the y/n he had seen had looked nothing like the one he had fallen in love with years prior. He was ashamed of ever thinking that she might not turn into one of them.  His rage drove him back to his old home, a place that wasn't his home anymore, it hadn't been in a long time.  He had nowhere to go, John B had kicked him out with good reason and none of his friends would help him out, he was sure of that. So the young man drove on and on until he found himself at her old house. It stood empty, no one had wanted to rent it at the high price the owners were asking for. When JJ had heard about y/n's parents leaving, he had assumed her to go with them. And when she had stayed, he had thought she would be allowed to keep living in their house, but even that had not been the case.  Instead, she had moved in with her boyfriend, one of the most annoying Kooks he had ever met. JJ thought it was all a trick, gifting her a car, offering a place to live for free, helping her get into her dream college. The only thing he was sure she had achieved on her own was the scholarship, but now that he thought of it, it all seemed too perfect to not have been meddled with. 

JJ snuck into her old bedroom, the same color on the walls as it had the last time he was there. The old mattress lying on the bed frame he had helped fix many times. The closet they had hidden in the first night JJ had run from home, the closet she had kissed him in for the first time.  He laid down on the bed, like he had done so many times before, just that he was alone now. No one there to help him soothe the pain that he had been holding back ever since she had reappeared in his life. Or was it really a reappearance if you had always looked after her from afar? If you had made sure that nothing bad happened to her? He wasn't quite sure of it, but seeing her smile while talking about her new, pretty and fancy life had hurt him deeply. And pushing her away and hurting her had just done even more damage to himself than he had anticipated at the moment. John B was right, he needed to apologize. And it needed to be a damn good apology at that.

y/n decided to sleep in after that very emotionally turbulent night. Her mind hadn't stopped racing, though. She wanted to go back, to make things right, although it wasn't even her doing. She had tried to reconcile, had tried to get back together with the people she loved most, but he had denied her. 'No, if anything he has to apologize. I won't let him treat me like that, especially him,' she thought while making some breakfast. But her thoughts had occupied her so much that she had burnt her eggs to black goo, and she didn't even have any left to make new ones. So she decided to skip breakfast and go back to bed, turning on the TV in the bedroom. She tried to focus on the movie that was playing in front of her, but she really couldn't. 'Ten things I hate about you?' she thought. "I could give you millions of reasons why I hate him right now," she spoke up without noticing, but then she remembered that she didn't have to stay quiet. She was completely alone, no one to judge her thoughts.  y/n paused the movie and sat up. "I hate that you hurt me. I hate that you think you are better than me just because I had to make decisions that will impact the rest of my life. I hate that you never called, either. I hate that you blame me for everything. I hate you so much, JJ Maybank!" She screamed the last part so loud that she would have nearly overhead the knock on her front door.  It was already noon, and she was still dressed in her sleeping shirt. It was an old one she had once stolen from JJ, a weird coincidence really. 

"Who is there?" y/n asked before deciding whether she should open the door.  "It's me, JJ, please let me in," he begged, but she was reluctant.  "Are you gonna yell at me again?" she asked while unlocking the door.  "No. I came to apologize," he said, and she opened the door for him to walk in. Closing and locking it again as soon as he was inside.  "Better to be safe than sorry," she explained after he gave her a weird look because of her actions.  "Nice place," JJ mumbled while looking around. "That's marble, isn't it?" he asked as his long fingers ran over the kitchen island. His usual shirt and shorts combo was the same as the night before, and y/n immediately knew that John B had taken her side in the whole dilemma. He had kicked him out, and that was the only reason JJ was now standing in her home.  "Yes, it is," y/n answered while crossing her arms in front of her chest.  "Open room concept," he turned around and looked at everything. "I bet the bedroom is back there, just like the bathroom," JJ said while walking into the direction he had just pointed at.  "What are you doing?" y/n asked as she followed him around. She was well aware of the game he was playing. He was trying to find just enough clues to piece her life together; her life without him in it.  "A bathtub and a shower, that's what I call Kooky, cupcake," he noted and winked at her before turning away from the bathroom and towards the bedroom that was lying opposite of it. "That's a good movie." JJ nodded while looking at the TV screen. He jumped on the bed and tested the mattress, pressing himself into the sheets and sighing before getting back up. 

"Travis," he hissed. "He's a real charmer, isn't he," JJ mocked as he walked back over to her, looking into her eyes, but she didn't let him get to her. He didn't deserve to see her falter even a tiny bit.  "You know, I always thought you'd end up with someone who's less of an asshole, actually," he whispered before brushing a strand of hair out of her face.  "I always thought apologies didn't include mocking the recipient or someone who is close to the recipient," she hissed back at him, and he laughed.  "Fuck that, I'm not gonna pretend to like him. I should've at least broken his nose the first time he even looked at you." JJ moved past her and back into the living room.  "Two flat screens? You really are a Kook. Disappointing," he sighed, not even turning around to look at her. He was aware of the fact that he kept on hurting her, but that was part of his plan. Make her see what she actually needs instead of what everyone tells her to want.  His eyes fell on the balcony doors that were covered by big, heavy gray curtains. "Don't," y/n called out as he opened the curtains and then the doors.  "I bet he never even cared to ask, because if he did, he wouldn't have given you the fucking penthouse," he sneered before turning around while staying in between the opened folding doors. "You never told him, did you? How long has it been? Half a year since you got together, and he never even considered asking?"  "I don't like to make a fuss, you know that," she replied with her eyes closed. Even just looking out of the window at this height made her feel sick. "Can you close it again please," she begged and as soon as she heard the curtains close she opened her eyes again. 

"I don't like when you lie to me," JJ whispered after stepping closer again.  "You came to apologize," she reminded him.  "Answer me one question, and I will apologize and leave. You will never have to see me again if you don't want to, but you can't lie to me. You promised to never lie, remember?" He stared into her eyes and she in his. The bright blue that she loved so much, that reminded her of the sky, the sea. It reminded her of freedom and, most of all, of love.  "What do you want to know?" she asked, although she knew it was a bad idea to play his games. Even though they hadn't properly talked in so long, she still knew him best. Other than her, JJ hadn't changed a single bit since she had left. He leaned in closer before leaning to the side and whispering in her ear. "Has he ever made you cum?"  She gasped, not only because his words had shocked her, but because the warmth of his breath against her neck, the closeness of him to her, was completely overwhelming.  He moved away again to fully look at her, his pupils dilated and a smirk on his lips. 

"Why do you want to know that?" she pressed out while trying to not let her desire take control of her body and mind. y/n had always wondered what it would be like to have it all, to fully be his. She had always thought that JJ was the one. That he would be her first in everything, not just the first kiss, but y/n had been wrong. JJ had told her that there could never be anything between them, the rules made sure of that.  "I'm interested, that's all. He doesn't seem like the guy to know his way around a woman." He let his eyes wander over her. Well aware of the fact that the shirt she was wearing had once belonged to him. Maybe it was a sign, he wanted it to be one.  "We haven't-" y/n started to speak, but JJ just interrupted her.  "You're joking right? You have to be joking. Is something wrong with him? How can he wake up and fall asleep next to you every day and not want to fuck you?" He laughed hysterically because in his eyes it was impossible to not cherish her like she deserved it.  "He thinks I'm a virgin. I didn't tell him. And he doesn't sleep here every night," she tried to defend her boyfriend, but there was truly no reason for it other than to spite JJ.  "I see, he's not only boring as fuck but also the dumbest Kook in town," he laughed.  "We agreed to wait until-" She wanted to yell at him, but the words got stuck in her throat. No one knew that they were engaged, no one was supposed to know until the engagement party that was planned to happen a week after graduation.  "You're joking? Nuh-uh, you seriously have to be crazy to do that. You're gonna marry a guy who hasn't even seen you naked? Seen you in your most precious moment?" JJ shook his head in disbelief.  "His parents are very old school. It's a good match. A good and stable future," she argued with him.  "Good and stable can fuck off. You don't even love the guy!" JJ yelled and ran his hands through his hair as he paced the room. He couldn't believe that she was actually planning to destroy her life like that.  "You don't know who I love," y/n whispered. 

"You are so smart, so fucking beautiful and smart, and you want to throw all of that out of the window for the possibility to play housewife for some asshole that will only end up playing golf and fucking girls half his age?" JJ was disappointed in her. He had always thought that they would actually pursue the dreams they had pictured for their lives when they were kids. He had always wanted to run his own charter, or have his own garage, to do something he was good at. And from what it was looking like, he would get to have a similar enough life to what he had dreamed. It wouldn't be his own business, but at least he knew the guy that owned it, and if he did well enough he would maybe get to take over one day.  But y/n? y/n had always dreamed big, and he had never made fun of her for it because he knew she would be able to make it, to achieve anything she set her mind to. "You wanted to do law, remember? You told me you would one day be the youngest supreme court justice ever. That was the big dream, not some sad housewife who hates her life. Please, you can't really mean this, y/n." He was desperate because if she actually had decided to turn her back on the big dream, then there was no turning back. In his eyes, she would be lost if she didn't even consider not going with the plan Travis' parents had laid out for her.  "I know, Jay, but things change. I can't afford to study law." She was close to tears, but she didn't want to break down in front of him.  "I don't believe you. You can't throw it all away, not for someone who you don't even love." He was adamant about it. There was no way in hell or heaven that she was actually in love with the Kook.  "That doesn't matter," she muttered while looking at her feet. His fingers hooked under her chin as he tipped her head back up.  "It matters so much, darling. I won't let you make that mistake, not without giving you an outlook on what could be instead," he hushed before searching her eyes for just a short second. Then he leaned in and kissed her.

◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹◃▹

please don't copy and/or post my work onto other platforms! ~e©ho

pt.2

[wutheringskies]

that utterly disgusting post comparing Wei Wuxian not giving up Wen (dogs) and Jiang Cheng giving up his 3 dogs, and how, he's always been in the position of "giving."

NO.

All the people saying in the tags they are "true brothers," absolutely not. To fulfil your status quo siblings, tsundere character and ship, you completely dismiss the entire story.

1. Jiang Cheng has no dog loving tendencies.

2. The scene of giving his dogs up presents an important theme.

Jiang Fengmian tries to get Wei Ying adjusted to the dogs, but he absolutely cannot, so they are made to leave; Jiang Cheng as a child is understandably upset about losing his dogs. To add on, his dad lifts Wei Ying up and Jiang Cheng kicks Wei Wuxian out, scares him with dogs, but feels like he would get into trouble, so he tells his sister, tries to find him, gets injured, and Wei Wuxian promises he won't tell anyone that JC kicked him out; and then, the dogs are gone, but now Jiang Cheng has his favourite subordinate.

What strikes me is that Jiang Cheng, even as a child, holds no true empathy.

- Wei Wuxian has no control over what he absolutely cannot stand; whether it be dogs or injustice. It's integral to his character.

- Wei Wuxian has no control over who lifts him up, loves him, or praises him. None of these actions are meant to be targeted at Jiang Cheng. Yet throughout the plot we see JC losing his mind when someone approaches WWX with positive intentions or says good things about him.

- JC kicked WWX out and scared him with his worst fear; this is the parallel you are meant to be drawing; just like Jiang Cheng threw him out then, Jiang Cheng threw him out now (leaving the Wens to die is not an option.)

- Jiang Cheng worries that he would be admonished by his father which is why he goes to find WWX, but gets injured in the way.

such a pathetic character honestly. the reason he is still alive is because of the former - he fears authority. Killing demonic cultivators? But let Xue Yang go! Why? He's protected by the Jins. Don't fight LWJ because he's powerful.

and the finding WWX, trying to help WWX once but getting injured... lack of capability.

- WWX promising not to tell anyone; and that's it. that's the basis of their relationship. it's one sided as hell. they're not brothers. it's basically abuse. if you've read the book, you would know.

"from Jiang Cheng's perspective" Jiang Cheng doesn't matter! He will always be beneath Wei Wuxian; his whole purpose is to be a red warning sign; Wei Wuxian can kill 50 of Jiang Chengs for all I know; there is no need to dive deeper with your biased, limited knowledge of Jiang Cheng.

- They are not brothers. They are martial brothers. Raised in the same sect and practicing the same cultivation style.

- There's a clear distinction of subordinate vs superior; master vs slave; owner and his killing dog. The point of conflict arises when the dog acts without his master's commands to save common people. It doesn't stem from misunderstanding or any such thing like that - it's out there. Wei Wuxian knows their moral ideologies don't align. He had hoped Jiang Cheng, if not take the Wens into Yunmeng, would at least, let him be. But when the matter is of "Kill them, or I will not stand by you."

Wei Wuxian leaves the sect; it is NOT Jiang Cheng's sacrifice. It is not hurting Jiang Cheng. The most hurt it causes is to Wei Wuxian; who ultimately had to make the choice.

Jiang Cheng is hurt? Oh, is it because Wei Wuxian chose the moral high-ground over playing his lapdog? Jiang Cheng must be furious.

Also, "Jiang Cheng has given and given" - NO.

- Wei Wuxian comes to Lotus Pier and hangs out with friendless, bitter, unloved child Jiang Cheng, matches his competitiveness head on head, coaxes him to talk to people, etc. Accepts all the endlessly bitter taunts and throws out a few in return. Surpasses him in abilities, practices together. They're boys.

- Does all his bidding and requests in Cloud Recessses to do this or that. Jiang Cheng does carry him, when they are 15.

- In Xuanwu Cave, Jiang Cheng also attacked the Wens after Wei Wuxian got burnt; Wei Wuxian was the reason he was able to live. He did travel and ask for aid. But Wei Wuxian also did allow himself to become a bait and usher people out stuck in a cave with a 400 year old monster... what's not clicking?

- and after the fall of lotus pier he strangles Wei Wuxian and hits him, gets done with life, thinks "I'll die heroically" and also sort of out of guilt and remnant care for Wei Wuxian, but instead loses his core.

And then?

Then what? That is it. That's really it for their relationship being giving on Jiang Cheng's side. It died when Lotus Pier did. Yet:

- Wei Wuxian knowingly, consciously gave up his core for the guy who strangled him twice in the past 50 hours or so.

- Without even a core, fought in the war alongside the Jiangs, earned a lot of report; the sunshot campaign is a small arc text wise in the book, yet there are at least three mentions of Wei Wuxian being the reason behind why the Jiangs are extremely powerful.

- Even afterwards acts on JC's orders in the Phoenix Mountain Hunt.

- Keeps protecting Jiang Cheng's name by ensuring it's not about Jiang Cheng or "don't bring him into this."

- Doesn't even attack the Jiangs in nightless city

- JC can enter the barriers still

- even back to life he just wants to get away and not harm him, unlike JC

so basically, fuck Jiang Cheng and more specifically please touch grass. it's one thing to like a character. it's another to dehumanize a bunch of people rescued from labour camp prison where they were dealing with xianxia level of abuse as dogs and justify a powerful clan leader not helping them, especially when he owes them, to show how he once lost his dogs.

Like that is vile.

[rogueddie]

Mermaid / Siren Steddie Fics

Important: READ THE TAGS! Also, leave a comment and kudos! These fics are amazing and I love them and I hope y'all do too 🐬

Shrike, My Lovely Shrike

Curse_of_Cain

Five times Eddie meets a siren in the water, and one time where he wakes up with one in his bed.

Words : 12,213 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

Down by the Water

Pluttskutt

A powerful storm with mighty waves brought up trash from the fathoms below. It's the most powerful one they had in decades and locals have been warned not to go to the wrecked pier and beach until they can be certain it's safe. Eddie, however, has never been one to listen and takes his usual morning stroll along the beach, trash bag in hand to clean up what he can.

But when he pulls at a fishing line, it appears the storm brought up more than trash from the mysterious fathoms below.

Words : 2,514 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

Siren Song and Captain Cry

rocknrollrebelwalnut

Up close the Captain has even more golden dottings of freckles and moles across his skin, with two large ones across his cheek, and another two on his neck. Only the gash across his cheek breaks them up, still weeping across his skin. His eyelashes stretch and curl, casting shadows across the rich hazel that stares right back at the Siren, his lips parted in a gentle smile.

"It's you," The Captain manages in a whisper, weakly reaching to push a lock of hair behind the Siren's flicking ears, the Siren still holding himself above the Captain. The man's smile grows wider as he notices the faint red across the Siren's cheeks, a breathy laugh ghosting the Siren's face before the Captain's eyelids grow heavy once again.

Words : 7,051 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Not Rated

AO3 : x

tired of all this candy on the dry land

margosfairyeye (Skittery)

Eddie sees a mermaid--sorry, merman--in one of the tanks at the aquarium and can't stop staring. Steve wants to know who the stalker guy watching him every day at work is.

Words : 5,203 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

sweet siren of the lake

john1513

Eddie rescues a strange man from the Russians after discovering him unexpectedly while trapped an attempting to escape. However, there is more to this boy than meets the eye.

Words : 3,231 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

Night Swim

Mocha_dragonart

Now, the last thing Steve had expected when he had gone to lovers late to swim was a large creature to brush by his leg. It was a freshwater lake in the middle of Indiana for fucks sake.

Words : 1,513 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

I. antrostomus

buttered_toasty

Eddie doesn’t see shiny things often down here. He’s tuned to the strobe of bioluminescence and the twinkle of stars, but anything outside of cold silvers, blues, and greens is strange and eye-catching in its rarity.

Shiny things make Eddie stupid.

Words : 4,848 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : General Audiences

AO3 : x

[pastelcheckereddreams]

我做梦都想回去... Even in my dreams, I want to go back… The Untamed locations: Lotus Pier 莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù

It’s finally here! The third installment in my ongoing Chén Qíng Lìng drafting saga, Lotus Pier! As the residence of the Yúnmèng Jiāng Sect, Lotus Pier (莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù) is arguably one of the most important locations in the narrative of Mó Dào Zǔ Shī. Built among sprawling lotus ponds in the lazy shallows of a vast, meandering river, Lotus Pier shapes the halcyon days of the Jiāng siblings’ youth. It is a warm and lively place, its people welcoming and carefree. 

The complete diagram:

(Full set details/meta below.)

Part 1: The Jingshi Part 2: The Hanshi

Prints now available at ✨ INPRNT! ✨ You can also support me on Ko-fi ☕

Honestly, the few gifs I have used do not come close to showing you the huge scale, or the level of detail and care that has evidently been put into this set by the CQL production team.

Before I attempt to describe the place that shaped much of our main characters’ lives, let me first share with you the set layout with reference to some aspects of traditional Chinese architecture (and please bear in mind, I’m not an authority on the subject. Links to sources/appropriate references are provided).

Understanding the set layout:

The main compound of Lotus Pier is set out loosely following the typical, traditional layout for residences containing a courtyard.* Rooms are placed at the four cardinal points, creating a central axis and a secondary horizontal axis. With the courtyard facing south, the most important buildings are placed to the rear (north), such as the parents and grandparents’ bedrooms and the ancestral hall, while the siderooms (typically for the sons’ families) are placed to the east and west according to auspicious philosophies (like fēng shuǐ) and social hierarchy:

* At least, in the northern regions of China. Although Héngdiàn World Studios, where most historical and xiānxiá dramas are filmed, is located in Zhèjiāng, it seems a lot of the sets at Hengdian are based on northern designs.

In true “courtyard houses” (sìhéyuàn or sānhéyuàn, depending on whether the courtyard is fully enclosed), this quadrangle layout would then repeat along the central (N-S) axis if the residence contains one or more ‘inner courtyards’ (Fig.3 below):

However, I would not call Lotus Pier a true “courtyard house” as it is freer and more spacious in form than, say, the Hanshi’s courtyard design** and both sets are part of a larger compound anyway, rather than a standalone residence for a single family - so the comparison may be redundant. For instance, Lotus Pier’s stilt foundation and large, sloping roofs also bear an interesting resemblence to the wooden storied houses of Yúnnán, which is a completely different type of vernacular architecture.

** That being said, there is a wealth of research on the different variations in this type of vernacular architecture [x] [x], which does include differences in siheyuan design based on climate (wherein the buildings are quite generously spaced apart, and the courtyard much larger, to deal with the warmer climate in southern regions of China). 

Nevertheless, we can see the cultural and cosmic philosophies which influence these courtyard homes used at times in the design of Lotus Pier.

For instance, we see in episodes 14 and 18 that first Jiāng Chéng, and then Wèi Wúxiàn lived in the eastern room - both seperately and together - in their childhoods. (We can assume that Yànlí would have lived in a room nearer her parents, located in the back of the residence so as to lessen her appearance in public as an unwed daughter.)

(Although the two rooms have been dressed differently, the raised platform, reused props, and WWX’s running shot from the inside to the outside in episode 14 show that it is the same building. Additionally, you can head here for some ramblings on the interior of WWX’s room and some analysis on camera angles.)

You may also be able to see from these gifs that these siderooms are divided into three sections, which relates to the construction of traditional buildings in three or five ‘bay’ structures:

A ‘bay’ is the space between columns of a building. An even number of bays, or jiān/間, was thought to be unlucky, therefore the three bay structure was the basic layout of a commoner’s home, with additional bays added based on the need for space or the wealth of a family.

Interestingly, the room on the west side of the courtyard is shown to be Jiāng Fēngmián’s study, rather than another bedroom as I originally assumed - one that may have been for an older Jiang Cheng, although as the son and heir of the Jiang famly, his room would traditionally remain on the eastern side of the house (where WWX’s is). Then again, the main courtyard is an odd place for a bedroom in the first place, so perhaps we might be looking at a conflation of public and private spaces due to constraints on the set designers.

As a sidenote, JFM’s study appears to back onto a private lake, seen through the rear viewing window. I think this must be CGI, however, as I can find no angle of the set that shows this exists as part of the structure.

With all this said, let’s not forget that this is a xiānxiá drama: historical accuracy is not the goal. Instead, the producers took their time finding a ‘cultural location’ for each Sect, through which they could develop a more artistic aesthetic by drawing on the atmosphere and charm of their desired location. This brings us to the set’s design, and what it may represent about the people of MDZS’s Yunmeng.

The set’s design:

For the Yunmeng Jiang, producer Yáng Xià states in the link above that the showrunners drew inspiration from Húběi province, particularly the Jiānghàn plain that now lies in the heart of Wǔhàn. It is here the Hàn river joins the vast flow of the Yangtze as it meanders its way through the eastern provinces of Central China.

Just as Wuhan has been a major port city since the earliest dynasties of Imperial China, it’s fair to assume that the river that flows through MDZS’s Yunmeng has likewise influenced those living on its banks:

One of our first, and repeated, impressions of Lotus Pier and Yunmeng is how lively and welcoming this busy harbor and its people are. A major transport hub in its own right, with links to Lánlíng, Yumeng people are at home on the water.

The Jiang are unrestrained and easy-going, open-minded and generous. To reflect this, Lotus Pier was likewise built to be “broad and open”, the easy curves of the roofs and the wide, open walkways creating a sense of transparency and openness; the fluttering gauze curtains soften and compliment what otherwise might be an imposingly broad structure of warm-coloured wood:

The marketplace that sprawls from the main landing likewise tells us that Lotus Pier and the wider Yunmeng area is a place of trade and craftsmanship.

We see lotus seeds and pods harvested frequently, and as strong swimmers and talented fishermen, we might assume that the Yunmeng people are also skilled at weaving fishing nets and other such tools from the abundance of natural materials the fertile floodplains afford them.

As an aside, I do wonder why JFM decided to decorate his seat of power with rolls of reed matting/blinds.

I like to think they’re wares from the market, to display his peoples’ craftsmanship. You have to admit, the effect is impressive, immitating an unfurling lotus:

The one area that intrigues me the most in this main courtyard, however, is the kitchen. The private dock in the kitchen really exemplifies how the river has had such a huge influence on the design of Lotus Pier, by virtue of the waterborne livelihood it has curated among the Yunmeng people: 

I like to imagine that fresh produce from the market would arrive by boat early in the morning, and Yanli would be there to help unload the goods while she prepares breakfast for her family...

What struck me most, though, during the course of this whole study was the dreamy, almost fantastical quality to the set. As I said above, the xianxia genre allows much more creative license with the aesthetic of the Sects and their domains, as the genre does not need to replicate a time or place with rigid historical accuracy. As such, much care and ingenuinty has been taken by the show���s designers to merge the Pier with the river, giving the impression that, like the lotus flowers that give it its name, the Pier also floats on the water itself.

To that end, let’s lastly think about the lotus imagery we see around the set, and how it applies to the role of Lotus Pier as a place in the narrative.

The symbolism of the lotus

Revered for its beauty and much loved for its versitility in Asian cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine, the lotus holds significance in Chinese culture for many reasons. As one of the 'Flowers of the Four Seaons' (四季名花, Sìjì Mínghuā), the lotus flower represents summer, blooming through the season in the shallows of slow-moving rivers and river deltas. 

「出淤泥而不染 / chū yūní ér bù rǎn」, an idiom meaning “growing out of mud, but remaining untainted”, is often attributed to a poem by controversial Confucian and Neo-Confucian scholar Zhōu Dūnyí called 'On the Love of the Lotus' ( 爱莲说, Ài Lián Shuō). Zhou calls the lotus flower a "gentleman among flowers" (not to be confused with the Four Gentlemen) as, rising dignified from the mud, it exemplifies the cosmic and spiritual harmony all humans should aspire to achieve. As such, it represents a moral ideal of dignity and integrity for a Confucian gentleman. As Zhou writes, “I love only the lotus, for rising from the mud yet remaining unstained; bathed by pure currents and yet not seductive.”

We cannot wholly attribute this idiom to Zhou, however, as this metaphor of the lotus flower, symbollic of purity of mind and body as it rises out of the muddy waters of worldly affairs, actually has its roots in the religious teachings of Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra. In it, the sacred lotus symbolises spiritual enlightenment and self-actualisation, where one is able to detach themselves from worldly affairs and overcome personal sufferings.

N.B. 18/04/2023 Edits have been made to reflect more accurate context regarding the prevailance of Buddhist thought in China since its introduction in the Han dynasty, and how Zhou’s ‘On the Love of the Lotus’ drew upon its teachings. See here for the original text and a review of its inaccuracies, as well as further resources.

How can we relate this back to the setting, Lotus Pier, and the Yunmeng Jiang? I think the most obvious parallel has to be the burning of Lotus Pier.

The event is the catalyst for a number of tragedies that occur throughout the narrative, and the Jiang siblings' attempts to reconcile the many layers of guilt, blame and grief they each feel with the enormity of losing their entire Sect, their home, their bonds with each other - the lotus emblem of their Sect is perhaps a reminder that there is no happiness without hardship.

Of course, more important than its cosmic symbolism, for these siblings lotus ponds represent home, and are a way the three siblings can remain connected as they travel seperate paths in life, forming new families after the tragedy of their own:

In the scene pictured above - where WWX, after many months in self-imposed exile, succeeds in cultivating his lotus pond in the Burial Mounds - the pond represents his longing for Lotus Pier while also bringing him some comfort and connection to what he has lost. Just as Jīn Zixuān seeks to bring comfort to Yanli by planting a lotus pond for her, too:

(Bonus gif of a different type of "gentlemen rising from the mud”):

But as an aside, it's also interesting to note that WWX tells A-Yuan in that above scene, that the lotus seeds are not to be eaten because they are grown in the soil of the Burial Mounds. Instead, they are 'the perfect thing to protect from evil spirits'. This may be a simple child’s tale for WWX to discourage A-Yuan from eating the tainted seeds, or it may refer to the spiritual purity the lotus symbolises. But as an interesting coincidence, lotus plants actually have the potential to filter nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals from watersources, so it’s possible they taste bad because they are literally cleansing the soil of the Burial Mounds.

It seems appropriate, then, that WWX is tied closely to this lotus motif, perhaps even moreso than Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng. This is especially poignant when we consider that the lotus is also symbollic of resurrection and rebirth: the blooms, closing and opening with the sun in a daily cycle, can be compared to the cycle of reincarnation.

A great deal of the narrative focuses upon WWX’s decision to forge his own path through life, a ‘single-log bridge’ that sweeps him away from convention and propriety that governs the rest of the cultivation world as he struggles to maintain his own integrity and compassion. He suffers for this choice, especially once he gives up his golden core and is thought to be actively choosing an ‘evil’ path. Yanli even dreams of him floating away from Lotus Pier, carried on the rapid current of the river:

After his resurrection, however, it seems WWX has been able to finally rise above the Sects’ biases and political machinations. Once the Yin Iron has finally been sealed away, and the mystery of the Fierce Corpse solved, he no longer has any obligation to stay in those muddy waters of the cultivation world. He is free to wander, as his parents did - the single log bride widening to encompass the whole world.

Although still tied to the world by his love for his family and friends, we could say that WWX is close to that enlightenment the lotus represents. He has risen from the mud and, despite all his suffering, has remained untainted.  

Bonus details!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! This got... so long... But of course, I had to do Lotus Pier justice as such a beautiful and thematic set. As a final point, here are some small details you may have missed or that I couldn’t fit in the main analysis!

Here is a cute interior shot of WWX’s room, and a view of the rear courtyard that shows the moon gate entrance, which presumably provides access for boats to dock in the kitchen:

Also join me in appreciating how detailed the design on the door panels is! So much so that I couldn’t do the finer details justice in my sketch:

Special mention to the fish doorhandles on the main hall, as well. As a Pisces, this brings me joy.

And finally, some reference shots for the gate:

As always, thank you everyone for your continued support and encouragement - and your patience! Lotus Pier was a massive project, that has taken me over a year to complete. I am so proud to finally present it to you, and bring you the news that I have finally opened a print shop! As always, you can also buy me a coffee on kofi to show you support.

[arlerts-angel]

CH. 01 — BRIDAL PARTY

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ series masterlist

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ taglist: @reiners-milkbiddies , @milky-aeons , @lees-chaotic-brain , @blueberrisdove , @tenjikusstuff4 , @manjiro-sanhoe , @carcat-02 , @ryuuc00chie , @i-literally-cant-with-this

a ray of sunlight shines on your face through your bedroom window. you scrunch your nose at the bright, warm light beaming onto you, waking you much to your dismay.

ken is already up; you can tell by the smell of coffee. you roll over and reach for your phone on the nightstand.

8:29 AM. 1 new message from hinata tachibana, your best friend.

thank goodness for small miracles, you think to yourself. you let her know you'll be there, then make your way to the kitchen.

"mornin'," draken greets, "you're up early."

"g'morning, love. getting ready to head out?" you ask sleepily, standing unsteadily on your toes before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"yeah, 'm running a little late. got plans today?" ken asks as he picks up his keys.

"hina wants to meet for brunch, that's all." you smile at him and grab a mug for yourself.

"hmm, sounds fun. i'll see ya later, baby." he kisses the top of your head and walks out the door.

"have a good day, ken. i love you!" you reply and blow him a kiss.

"love you too baby." he replies as he walks out the door.

11:25 AM.

you arrive at cafe flower and scan the patio for hinata. she waves her hand in the air to aid you in finding her. you acknowledge her wave with a gentle nod and approach the table.

"thank you for coming on such short notice! how are you? how's life with draken going?" she asks, visibly excited.

"good! we're good, thanks for asking. our two-year anniversary is coming up soon." you muse, mindlessly reflecting on life and its fast pace of moving.

"that's great! i'm so happy draken has you in his life!" hina beams. her smile, as genuine as the words she speaks. she's always loved love, for as long as you could remember.

"thanks, hina. i'm happy he's in my life, too." you reply. a waitress brings out some complimentary mimosas. hinata orders herself crêpes, you order french toast.

"i invited you here because i have some pretty exciting news, and a very important question..." hinata says as she hands the waitress the menus. she springs out of her chair, no longer able to contain her excitement.

"TAKEMICHI PROPOSED! WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" she exclaims, extending her hand out to you, flashing the engagement ring that sat pretty and perfect on her manicured finger.

you beam at the ring. it was so perfect. so hina. "oh, hina!! i'm so happy for you! congratulations!!!" you shriek, hugging her across the table.

"thank you! i am elated, can you tell?!" she giggles.

"well?! how did he propose?!" you ask excitedly.

"oh, you know takemichi... he was a nervous wreck the whole time. so nervous, he ruined the surprise because the ring fell out of his pocket!" she giggles, "he took me to the pier under some fairy lights and asked me to marry him."

your heart flutters in your chest hearing about hina's proposal. "that sounds about right for takemichi," you giggle as the waitress returns with your brunch, "i'm so happy for you both!"

hinata thanks you and the waitress, then takes a dainty bite of her crêpes. she reaches to her side, then hands you a gift box wrapped in a bow. she marvels at you as you sift through the contents of the box.

"i can't tie the knot with out you. so... will you be my maid of honor?"

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ note: aaah first chap!!! 🥹 lmk what you think!!! i've never written a series before so go easy on me 😅

[sleepingdeath-light]

relationship hcs ; piers

requested by ; anonymous (20/05/23) [1/2]

fandom(s) ; pokémon

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; piers

outline ; “Piers x reader sfw and nsfw headcanons since you’re into Pokémon now 😘 also I’m 22!”

warning(s) ; none, just fluff!

he’s an absolute gentleman who always makes sure you’re well taken care of — especially when you’re sick

writes songs dedicated to you which are much sweeter and gentler in tone than most of his other music

would teach you how to play the guitar if you asked and it would be a very intimate and casual lesson where you would be too focused on listening to his voice to actually listen to what he was trying to teach

he takes you out on his motorcycles whenever you want to go on a date out of town — usually to more rural areas at night so you can just embrace nature and watch the stars and the wild pokémon and not have to worry about anything else

marnie adores you and pesters piers about when he’s going to marry you

will seek you out in the crowd when he’s singing or battling and always performs better and becomes much more active and energetic once he notices you

calls you his good luck charm

has an excellent memory for dates and never forgets any anniversaries or birthdays that are important (e.g. the anniversary of your first date or your mother’s birthday)

he’s an excellent caretaker and will go full mother hen on you when you’re sick: taking time off work to care for you, making you hearty soups and keeping you clean and safe as you battle with whatever illness you’re dealing with

would melt if you started to match your aesthetic to his (and if you use any sort of mobility aid and want it modified to match this new look, then he’d happily lend a hand)

prefers matching collars to engagement or wedding rings as he doesn’t really wear that sort of jewellery

the most casual pda you’ll get from him is an arm around your waist or a kiss to the lips when you’re walking around town

you’re his muse and even if his music isn’t necessarily your style, you give him the motivation to keep on writing and singing

tends to call you ‘babe’ or ‘darling’ only occasionally calling you by your first name if he’s in a bad mood

[pub-lius]

WAKE UP ITS HAMILTON TIME (hamilton pt 1)

everyone thank richard for getting me to put all my knowledge about alexander hamilton in one place. if you're at all new or confused, @thereallvrb0y once asked me 3 years ago to tell him everything about every historical figure i can, and since then i have been doing that. now we are onto the last one on the list he gave me, and studying hamilton is literally my life's work, so here it is. on tumblr.com. for free.

my sources for this are Ron Chernow and Hamilton himself and a strange amalgamation of knowledge from different museums, documentaries, interviews with historians, and other otherwise publicly accessible knowledge that i have compiled into the vast library inside my mind! you can find my notes in the link in my pinned post. let's go (this historical research is sponsored by the ghost of freddie mercury and my aunt who made me a whole pot of coffee)

Background Information

Ron Chernow loves to talk about how the island of St. Kitts and Nevis was formed, but that's not fucking important. What's important about Hamilton's birthplace is that it was positioned in the Caribbean in such a way that made it a very easily accessible port, however the coastline was pretty smooth which made it generally unideal for mooring ships.

Source: The St. Kitts' Scenic Railway; Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy by Ian W. Toll, p. 112 ("Basseterre Roads was not a good natural harbor. It was little more than a dent in the otherwise smooth coastline that ran along the western side of the island. There was no pier- visitors were obliged to run their boats directly onto the beach, sometimes surfing in on waves that broke heavily as they reached the shore.")

Now, notice that St. Kitts and Nevis is, in geographic terms, to the right-ish of the Caribbean. That means when you're coming from Jolly Ole England, you might make a pit stop in St. Kitts and Nevis. So if you ignore the fact that the island has no natural harbor (at least not a good one), it might be a good economic prospect for a young merchant, right?

Well, not if that merchant is James Hamilton, because he was an idiot. And I say that lovingly, or at least more lovingly than Ron Chernow did. Ron Chernow also emphasized that St. Kitts and Nevis was filled with the 18th century version of Shameless, and also Jewish people. Ron Chernow might not hate Jewish people, but he does hate the character archetypes in Shameless. In Shameless terms, James Hamilton was like Frank Gallagher.

Disclaimer: knowledge of Shameless is not necessary to understand that being compared to a guy named Frank is not a good thing

I've already made posts about Hamilton's parents and brother (here, if you'd like to read that ig. weirdo), but I want to talk about the things that Hamilton would have learned from his parents. Later in life, Hamilton vaguely alluded to his father's failings in business being due to an excessive amount of generosity and not really understanding where he should and shouldn't spend his money. This did not by any means make Hamilton stingy with his money, or even smart, for that matter, but it did make him want to be something specific: independent.

James Hamilton's tragic flaw was his dependence on other people, whether it was his older brother or Rachel Faucette or his business partners, etc. Due to the position and order in which he was born, James was never destined to be a leader. He wasn't exceptional academically like other non-first-born-sons, such as James Madison, or dispositionally inclined to organize and inspire, like George Washington. He was just a dude, and he was a dude who was not built for 18th century society, especially not in the Caribbean. From what we can tell, James Hamilton was a gullible, moderately intelligent man with symptoms of autism and non-descript mental health issues. He was basically fucked from the get-go.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (p. 12-16); Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 25, p. 89, letter to William Jackson, August 26, 1800 ("In a capacity of a merchant he went to St. Kitts, where from too generous and too easy a temper he failed in business and at length fell into indigent circumstances.")

Rachel Faucette was like James Hamilton's polar opposite. She was forced to learn how to provide for herself, not being able to rely on anyone, because that could be ripped out from under her feet at any moment, and the only thing concrete in her life was herself. She was a woman, and that was what most women had to learn at some point.

Rachel was also perfectly poised to be the clear moral guide for young Hamilton. When James Hamilton left, he basically sacrificed any reverence his son might have for him, and instituted Rachel as Hamilton's sole role model for his developmental years and i just burned the shit out of my hand with coffee.

Disclaimer: James Hamilton had nothing to do with me burning the shit out of my hand with coffee, I promise. You can't blame all your problems on deadbeat dads

If you're a Sigmund Freud fan, (good opener, I know), you're aware of the Oedipus Complex, and that's not exactly what I'm talking about, but yk. look it up. This theory proposed by Freud was only partially rejected by the psychological field (due to the fact that not everything is about wanting to fuck your mom and kill your dad, and also that's not the story of Oedipus Rex like. at all??), but the part that still rang true was that children do have a unique attachment to the opposite sex parent.

Psychological studies show that children tend to describe their opposite sex parents more favorably than same sex parents. Why? I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, I'm an 18 year old who drinks coffee like he was 5 kids to raise.

Source: "The Relation between Attachment to Opposite Sex Parents and Attachment to Romantic Partners" by Gary L. Grogan and Dr. Mary E. Pritchard, p. 10 ("However, most significant for the present inquiry were the findings that respondents described their opposite sex parents more favorably, and same sex parents more critically.")

This statistic is visible in Hamilton's descriptions of his parents, and must have been enhanced by James Hamilton's early departure in his son's life, the consequences from that which seemed constant, but also by the reputation his father had built on the island he left Hamilton on. Hamilton would grow up to see his mother not only providing for herself and her children, but also overcoming the consequences of James' actions, which provoked resentment towards his father, and admiration towards his mother. This will develop as a theme throughout his life, but we'll touch on that as he grows up. He isn't even born yet! So let's get on to that.

Source: so when I say Hamilton's description of his mother, I really mean HIS son's, but JCH most likely got this description from his father, Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, vol. 1, pg. 42 ("...a woman of superior intellect, elevated sentiment, and unusual grace of person and manner. To her he was indebted for his genius."); for the sake of my reliability and reputation, I'll include JCH's description of his grandfather for comparison, Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, p. 13 ("Hamilton's father does not appear to have been successful in any pursuit, but in many ways was a great deal of a dreamer, and something of a student, whose chief happiness seemed to be in the society of his beautiful and talented wife, who was in every way intellectually his superior.")

Early Life

Alexander Hamilton was born ginger on January 11, 1755, and I don't entertain the argument that he was born in 1757 because I'm not an anarchist and I believe society has laws (I'm actually lying, I'll talk about the birth year debate in the college section). Hamilton was not, however, born black or Jewish. He was also, potentially, born not James Hamilton's son.

"Wh- WHAT?! *cries*" I hear you say, and I know, it's shocking information, but yes. First off, Hamilton was not black in any percentage more than the Pillsbury dough boy is black. This theory comes from the fact that Rachel Faucette was a lower class woman and therefore we have no proof that she WASN'T partially black. I don't even have to dispute that for anyone with a gram of critical thinking skills to see that that isn't a valid historical hypothesis.

The Jewish thing has a little more merit to it, and there's a whole book about it that I haven't read. There is some evidence to suggest that Rachel Faucette's ex husband, Johann Lavien, could have been a secret Jewish person, and possibly caused Rachel herself to convert, and she tried to pass on that to Hamilton by having a Jewish woman educate him when he was a toddler (that last part is a true fact, and is the earliest piece of information we have about Hamilton's education). If this is true, (and it's nearly impossible to prove true or false because well if Lavien was a secret Jew, it was a secret), it did not impact Hamilton's religious beliefs in any way, and he identified as a Christian throughout his entire life.

We'll do a paternity test on Hamilton later, just hang tight. See, this is how I get you, I say something controversial, and then I don't talk about it until 16 paragraphs later.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 9 ("A persistent mythology in the Caribbean asserts that Rachel was partly black, making Alexander Hamilton a quadroon or an octoroon. In this obsessively race-conscious society, however, Rachel was invariably listed among the whites on local tax rolls. Her identification as someone of mixed race has no basis in verifiable fact. (See pages 734-35 [this is in Chernow's Acknowledgments, and he just talks about how he used a paper trail to come to this conclusion, and thought genetic research would only confuse the evidence. He also discusses that there is a small chance that Hamilton fathered a black child named William Hamilton, but I can go ahead and tell you that's false due to the fact that Hamilton had just arrived in America when William was born -HWS]) The folklore that Hamilton was mulatto probably arose from the incontestable truth that many, if not most, illegitimate children in the West Indies bore mixed blood."); Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, vol. 1, p. 42 ("...rarely as he alluded to his personal history, he mentioned with a smile his having been taught to repeat the Decalogue in Hebrew, at the school of a Jewess, when so small that he was placed standing by her side upon a table); Ibid., vol. 7, p. 710-11; Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 26, p. 774, "Comments on Jews"

Hamilton's education began with his mother, who is almost definitely the person who made him fluent in French by the time he came to America. Despite limited access to books (34 books in both French and English to be specific), Hamilton still studied everything he could from a young age, with an early love for learning new things and proving that he was smarter than you. However, most of his education was in the School of Hard Knocks Community College, which was amply provided by the environment around him.

In the height of the British Empire, the Caribbean was essentially a social prison for anyone who broke the moral laws of the colonial, Eurocentric society of the time. This included pirates, prostitutes, drunks, thieves, and basically anyone who didn't fit the mold for a member of high society and/or someone who could serve high society and their lives of luxury. Hamilton, by birth, was one of these people.

Hamilton's father moved the family to St. Croix right before he left, which was a dramatic shift from Hamilton's life on St. Kitts and Nevis. In St. Croix, everyone knew Hamilton's mother as the disgraced ex-wife of Johann Lavien, and therefore knew her two sons as "whore-children", which was a word usually given to illegitimate children. Here, Hamilton was roped in with the degenerates of society, and it was practically said directly to him that he was destined to be unholy, unclean, worthless, and disgusting. Could you believe that this would have an impact on his mental health?

Along with seeing the poor lifestyles of the inhabitants of the Caribbean, Hamilton also saw glimpses into a very different world: ~rich people~. There were few rich white people on the islands, and they owned vast amounts of enslaved people, with the black to white ratio being 8:1 in the Caribbean. These enslaved people were forced to live in horrible conditions, and Hamilton saw it everywhere- his mother owned three people, but they were often rented out to garner profit for the white family, rather than working a plantation as others in the Caribbean did. Violence towards enslaved black people was only part of the violence young Hamilton witnessed in the Caribbean, some of which came in the form of dueling *insert ominous music*

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 18 ("To the extent that dueling later entranced Hamilton to an unhealthy degree, this fascination may have originated in the most fabled event in Nevis in the 1750s [a duel between two men where one of them was killed"); Ibid., p. 19; Ibid., p. 23-24

James Hamilton abandoned the family in 1765, and the reasons he did so are debated, but most likely are due to debt. However, there's another possibility that I've alluded to before: Hamilton's paternity.

So, remember, Rachel Faucette is not a perfect angel, and she also didn't particularly care for matrimony. There is a chance that she was with other men besides Hamilton and Lavien, and though we have no evidence that she was, there is an interesting character I'd like to throw into the mix.

Thomas Stevens, a moderately rich guy, was a merchant who lived on King Street in Charleston, St. Croix, with his wife Ann and his son Edward, who was born a year before Alexander Hamilton. Thomas Stevens was a very generous guy, and Edward Stevens would later be lifelong friends with Alexander Hamilton. And uh. They looked almost exactly the same. I really wish we had a portrait of Edward Stevens, but according to literally everyone, it was hard to tell the difference between him and Hamilton. Now, statistically, we all have some kind of doppelganger out there, but like what are the chances that they grew up down the street from each other and their parents had suspiciously close connections? Now, I'm not saying that Hamilton should have been Alexander Stevens, I think that's pretty irrelevant, but it is possible that Thomas Stevens... you... ARE THE FATHER!!!

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 27-28 ("Nevertheless, in the absence of direct proof, the notion that Alexander was the biological son of Thomas Stevens instead of James Hamilton would clarify many oddities in Hamilton's biography.")

The Hamiltons' life post-dad-desertion was actually somewhat comfortable due to Rachel's kickassery. She established a little store for a source of income, relocated a couple times, rented out the enslaved people (as one does, i guess, that's such a wild phrase), and kept a pet goat for milk and cheese and idk soap or whatever else people make with goat milk. Her sons would help out, possibly providing an origin for Hamilton's incessant need to be productive at all times without resting. At times, they were supported by his aunt Ann Lytton Mitchell, who he would remain loyal to until his death. During this time, as he was old enough to understand what his father did, is probably when his fiercely loyal, chivalrous and family-driven attitude developed.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 22-23; Ibid., p. 28

I'm so hopped up on caffeine I could do a triathalon.

Hamilton and his mother were both afflicted by a strange and unspecified illness in the winter of 1768. The primary symptom was a severe fever, and they were treated with purgatives, medicinal herbs, and bloodletting. Nothing helped, and Rachel died at 9 pm on February 19. Hamilton miraculously survived.

Immediately, Hamilton and his brother James had everything they owned taken away, indebted by bills charged against them by local debtors. Their half brother inherited whatever else belonged to their mother, which brought up the marital scandal all over again, beginning a legal battle that lasted for around a year. In the end, the two Hamilton brothers were left with two things: jack shit and fuck all.

Custody of the two boys was appointed to their cousin, Peter Lytton. In my notes, I described him as "white trash" and "insane", including the quotes, so idk who said that. Peter Lytton lived with his black mistress and their illegitimate child. He killed himself on July 6, 1769, and what's strange about that is that we don't know if he shot or stabbed himself. I don't know who got confused about the difference between a knife and a gun, but that isn't my problem.

To make a bad situation worse, Peter Lytton didn't leave the boys anything in his will, and neither did his father, who did "his best" to help. His best could have been even just mentioning the name Hamilton in his will, but whatever, I guess.

These events held very important lessons for the young Alexander: 1) nothing lasts forever; 2) everyone dies; 3) the legal system is terrible; 4) rich people hate you; and, most importantly, 5) the only way out was up.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 22-27

On His Own

This marked a split between Hamilton and his older brother, but this didn't seem to affect him as much as what happened with his parents- possibly because he wasn't biologically his brother, but I don't really care about that. What's more important is that Hamilton was almost entirely on his own, with inconsistent housing, so he couldn't always rely on the Stevenses. He was in a very similar situation that his mother was in at one time not long ago: alone and self reliant.

Hamilton was already working for the mercantile company, Beekman and Cruger. This company was later renamed, so I'll just say that Hamilton worked for Cruger, who was a business man with ties to New York. Hamilton worked as a clerk at this import-export business, giving him the responsibility to monitor intake and outtake as well as the organization of papers and just generally keeping everything in line. Due to the international relevance that was St. Croix, Hamilton often used French in his business dealings. Here, Hamilton perfected his handwriting into that elegant mess we know and can't read, picked up information on shipping/navigation, and learned his famously proficient math skills, particularly in relation to finance and economics.

Hamilton's famously maniacal work ethic began here, but so did his yearning for military valor. The first piece of personal correspondence we have from Hamilton is a letter to bestie Edward Stevens, and was made very famous from The Musical.

"Im confident, Ned that my Youth excludes me from any hopes of immediate Preferment nor do I desire it, but I mean to prepare the way for futurity. Im no Philosopher you see and may be jusly said to Build Castles in the Air. My Folly makes me ashamd and beg youll Conceal it, yet Neddy we have seen such Schemes successfull when the Projector is Constant I shall Conclude saying I wish there was a War. I am Dr Edward Yours Alex Hamilton (sic)"

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 29-30; Alexander Hamilton to Edward Stevens, November 11, 1769, St. Croix; Library of Congress, Image 13 of Alexander Hamilton Papers: General Correspondence, 1734-1804; 1734-1772

When Cruger left St. Croix for New York due to medical reasons in 1771, he left 16 year old Alexander Hamilton in charge of his primary source of income. And you're probably thinking that's a stupid idea. Because it is.

BUT ITS ALEXANDER HAMILTON. SO IT WAS FINE??? Well, fine for everyone besides the captain of the HMS Thunderbolt.

The Thunderbolt pulled into St. Croix's busy harbor after crossing the ocean and manned by a veteran captain, however Hamilton was not satisfied with the outfitting of the ship nor the quality of the goods that had been transported.

"Reflect continually on the unfortunate voyage you have just made and endeavor to make up for the considerable loss therefrom accruing to your owners." -Alexander Hamilton to Captain Newton, February 1, 1772

You can really see Hamilton's "I'm better than you and I know it" attitude shining through, made more shocking than ever than the fact that he was SIXTEEN YEARS OLD and talking to a man who was LITERALLY TWICE HIS AGE. The only reason he didn't lose his job over this is because he was right. The mules that had been transported were in such poor health, Hamilton had to pull strings to get them sold, and the wood was too waterlogged to be sold on the open market, so he sold it to a private buyer who was able to find something to do with them. He showed quick thinking, confidence in his abilities, and managerial skills. It was these skills that would later appeal to George Washington, not his financial abilities, and led to his most important appointment.

Source: Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 1, p. 23, letter to Tileman Cruger, February 1, 1772 ("It would be undoubtedly a great pity that such a vessel [the Thunderbolt] should be lost for the want of them [cannons]."); Ibid., p.4, letter to Captain Newton, February 1, 1772; Alexander Hamilton: A Biography by Forrest McDonald, p. 128 ("Taken aback, Washington replied, 'I always knew Colonel Hamilton to be a man of superior talents, but never supposed that he had any knowledge of finance.")

Cruger's firm also engaged in the Atlantic slave trade, as did the majority of trading firms in the Caribbean and the American south. It was this exposure to the abhorrent conditions on slave ships and the violence African people faced in the triangle trade that shaped Hamilton into a vocal opponent of slavery- when it was convenient. More impactful was the fear he developed of slave revolts, as was very common in the Caribbean because of the disproportionate slave to free/black to white ratio in the islands, and this would later define his views on the French Revolution and public protest in general. He and Thomas Jefferson had this in common.

Hamilton continued studying books in his free time, and the local newspaper, the Royal Danish American Gazette, began publishing poems from an anonymous young writer- obviously it was Hamilton. His poems ranged in subjects, and aren't particularly good, but they're better than any poems I've written angrily in my journal about my evil exes, so that is to his credit.

Hamilton's poems took a religious turn, most likely traceable to the arrival of Reverend Hugh Knox, who took in Hamilton as a mentor. Clergymen were a hot commodity in the hell hole that was the Caribbean, and Knox had a lot of work on his hands, but he took a particular interest in Hamilton, specifically in getting him out of the aforementioned hell hole. He saw that Hamilton was incredibly intelligent and hard working, almost to a fault- he was probably the first person who was genuinely concerned for this dude's health over how much he worked.

Fun fact, Knox also had personal ties to the Burr family, but that is literally only a fun fact and not a sign that Burr and Hamilton were star-crossed lovers in fair Verona or whatever Chernow has deluded himself into thinking.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 32-33; Ibid., p. 34

Source: National Guard Bureau, "Examining Lessons from Katrina 10 Years Later"

Then, a massive hurricane struck the Caribbean on August 1, 1772. It was incredibly damaging, causing mass destruction in St. Croix, and this is most definitely one that we in the south would evacuate for. Even my dad would evacuate for this one, and it took a lot of convincing to get him to evacuate for Katrina.

In reaction to this event, Hamilton wrote his famous letter to his father detailing and reflecting on the storm. And finally, I'm giving y'all my analysis of this letter that I keep saying I'll do. However, this post is already incredibly long, so I'm going to do it in a google doc and attach it here.

Source: Alexander Hamilton to The Royal Danish American Gazette, September 6, 1772

The letter was published to The Royal Danish American Gazette, which spread around the afflicted community. Knox's congregation gathered money for the anonymous young author (now not very anonymous) to sail to the American mainland for his education. Originally, Hamilton went to study medicine, due to the high demand for doctors in the Caribbean (his knowledge of anatomy would remain helpful throughout his life). However, at some point he decided he would not be going back to the Caribbean, and switched his focus to law, but we'll discuss that more in part two.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 37-40

Well, there's part one. I did all of this in one day because um. I don't know, but it is now one in the morning and i have to wake up earlier than normal. so that's fun. i hope y'all enjoyed. shout out to my mom for proofreading half of this, and shout out to my aunt who gave me coffee, that was a horrible idea. i'll be back with part two at some point, which will probably be more concise because hamilton's childhood in the caribbean is where most of the theories are, so yeah. love y'all.

[tyanis]

Poll: Which TEAM of male Resident Evil characters can build a shelf the fastest and with the least amount of trauma?

Now that they're back from their camping trip, the gang finally notices their living space is severely lacking in shelves.

Because they all live in the same house.

And shelves are important.

After a quick trip to a furniture store, the men now have six shelves. Problem is... they have to assemble them themselves.

So... they once again pair off in the most convoluted way possible and set to work. To make it more interesting, they see what team can finish the fastest and have the least amount of fighting.

And both men need to contribute equally.

Here are our teams (picked by random number generator):

Team 1: Ethan & Jake

Team 2: Leon & HUNK

Team 3: Krauser & Chris

Team 4: Steve & Piers

Team 5: Luis & Heisenberg

Team 6: Carlos & Wesker

Winners go on to face the winners of the female poll so make sure to vote in both!

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

🔥 when you said, "Neither Wei Wuxian or Jiang Cheng respected the other as another human in equal standing." you meant like WWX didn't see JC as equal in power and talent and that JC didn't see WWX as qual in social status? Could you elaborate on that? I saw someone saying how WWX didn't respect JC but there wasn't a side of why JC didn't respect WWX. Love your account xoxo

Hello, anon.

No, I don't believe Wei Wuxian ever had an issue with talent or power being a factor for respecting anyone. I say they did not respect one another due to their core ideals and morality being so different. Wei Wuxian emphasizes kindness and happiness being something to strive towards to feel content with life and with yourself. You cannot be content in your choices and your own life without simple kindness from others or showing that to others. To not envy others or deny the kindnesses you are granted. Or, to deny another that simply based on who or what they are. To accept what you are given and try to equally grant such kindness's back because of respect.

1:

Wei Wuxian’s own pride when he was seventeen or eighteen had been, in fact, on par with Jiang Cheng’s. He had also been someone with strong spiritual power and exceptional talent. Even when he’d fooled around all day catching fish and shooting birds, and climbing walls and playing pranks at night, he had still been leagues ahead of his fellow disciples who actually studied hard.

But whenever he found himself tossing and turning in the dead of night, unable to sleep and plagued by thoughts of how he’d never again follow the orthodox path to the mountain’s peak, never again display the astounding swordplay that made people’s jaws drop…he would turn his thoughts around with a simple fact. If it had not been for Jiang Fengmian bringing him to Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian might never have crossed paths with the cultivation world. He would never have been conscious of such a mystical and magnificent realm. He’d merely have been the leader of some homeless street urchins who roamed the streets and fled at the sight of dogs—or perhaps herded cattle and stole vegetables in the countryside, playing his flute and living one day at a time. He’d have had no way of cultivating, let alone a chance to form a golden core.

And at that thought, he’d feel a lot better.

2:

Wei Wuxian, knowing that “for once” was directed at his memory, couldn’t help but smile. “Stop being so peeved about that. I was wrong, okay? Besides, it’s my mom’s fault that I have a bad memory.”

“How so?” Lan Wangji asked.

Wei Wuxian rested his arms on Little Apple’s head and spun Chenqing in one hand.

"My mom once said, ‘You have to remember the good things people have done for you, instead of remembering the bad. A person’s heart shouldn’t be burdened with so many memories. That’s how you live freely.’”

It is Jiang Cheng who does see power and talent as the only way to be happy. To be competitive, to win to be the best, to always be right. He does not exhibit kindness but wants to be given what kindness entails from others and without reciprocity. He views relationships transactionally, to help only if it is based within a debt he deems important enough to honor.

This is a creed that Madam Yu shows as well,

1:

There is not a single day that Wei Ying will rest until he stirs up some kind of trouble! If I had known better, I would’ve forbidden him from leaving and made him stay in Lotus Pier. Would Wen Chao really have dared do anything to the two young masters of the Lan Clan of Gusu and the Jin Clan of Lanling? Even if he had, it would’ve been their own bad luck. Who are you to play the hero?”

2:

Jiang Cheng covered his wound with his hand as he bit out a sarcastic reply. “Wei Wuxian, you’re so selfless. So noble. Despite all the humiliation you’ve suffered, you’ve done every good deed in the world and kept them secret from everyone. How touching! Should I be down on my knees, weeping and thanking you?”

3:

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian grumbled, “I’m not asking you to thank me.”

Jiang Cheng snorted a laugh. “Right. Asking nothing in return for doing a good deed—you’re in a league of your own. Unlike me, of course. No wonder my father always used to say you were the one who really understood the Jiang Clan’s motto, when he was alive. That you were the one who acted as a Jiang should.”

Wei Wuxian interrupted him, unable to listen any longer. “That’s enough.”

“What’s enough?” Jiang Cheng snapped. “It’s enough just because you say so? Yeah, you know best! You’re better than me in every way, whether it be talent or cultivation, intelligence or temperament! You people know it all. I can’t compare. What does that make me, then?!”

Essentially, Wei Wuxian does not allow the tragedy that has befallen him to be what defines him, or allows it to be what he is. It is Kindness that makes life worth it. Jiang Cheng does not understand extending such kindnesses as it is a burden to help and genuinely care for others without vitriol. It is not worth it for him to sacrifice literally or figuratively for someone that is loved by him. All give and no take is what he views the world as and if he gives, it is to be repaid in ten fold. No one can be his equal as no one is worth that aside from his own self.

Jiang Cheng does not even begin to understand his own sect motto until the revelation of the core and how he met kindness (in many ways) with nothing but vitriol and cruelty because he has been to caught up in his own selfishness and viewing kindness as something to earn and take away at will without repercussions to his own life.

[unpopularshipbracket]

Round 2b Match 1

Rashmi Jamil/Amelie Macon (Entropic Float)

Fic count: 0

Milo/Piers (Pokemon)

fic count: 29

"COUNTRY BOY X EMO CITY BOY, HIMBO X GOTH, SHORT AND STRONG X TALL AND SKINNY, SUNSHINE ONE X GRUMPY ONE C'MON GUYS THEY'RE EVERYTHING it is MIND boggling they aren't more popular"

Rashmelie propaganda under cut!

Rashmelie:

"this essay is going to be reused whole cloth from the submission of them to the 17 million years of pining poll! because unfortunately i do not have the energy to go insane enough to write up anything new oh.

my god. where the fuck do i start with them for real.

okay so, theyve been friends since early childhood, and before either of them came out (Rashmi is agender, they/them, while Amelie is a trans girl, she/her, and they are both mspec which is a bit less relevant but is also there). the earliest time that we know that they have feelings for each other is when theyre both 14, and Rashmi - already out, with their entire family (parents and grandma) supporting them without question - is moving. uhhh 90% of american geography names are the same to me so i might lie there. from Nevada, where they both grew up, to New York, where Rashmi is planning on studying dance further, which has always been their plan; around 14 is when they ran out of teachers at home.

they quietly hope Amelie doesnt confess her feelings for them, as they fear it might tempt them to stay, which they cannot allow themself to do. Amelie, meanwhile, is very carefully not thinking about gender, because her parents are quite frankly the worst. over the course of the years before they meet back up, Amelie has had some dates, but each time, they dont work out, and in her own words, put logs on the flame she carries for Rashmi.

Rashmi, meanwhile. gets married. one of Rashmi's biggest struggles in their romantic pursuits has been the fact that they are both Indian and queer. it has been a struggle for them to find someone who respects both - someone who respects their gender identity while not throwing their culture under the bus. that is one of the factors contributing to the way their relationship with "Ajay" (we learn that this name isnt his real one, but it was magically replaced in Rashmi's memories of him and we dont know it) played out: he is also Indian, and the first thing he asked them upon meeting them was what their pronouns were. and it was all good.

until it wasnt.

i would love to get into that deeper, but the important point is that "Ajay" is kind of a piece of garbage, whose crimes include finding Rashmi's address when they didnt give it out, deliberately not sending Amelie her wedding invitation because Rashmi told him they used to have a crush on her, driving them to drop out of dance school, and general possessiveness (notable being the fact that, whenever he is home, he always asks them to stay home too, which leads to them dropping their social circle and their hobbies). one of the places it grows from is "Ajay" being ace and not quite believing that Rashmi accepts that. he also has a substance abuse problem.

all of that culminates as they return from a short visit to their parents, and he in a fit pushes them down a long flight of stairs.

in the meantime... god, i cant even figure out what parts of information are important about Amelie here. i would put as notable the fact that she only figured out she was a girl something like a year before the events of the game - and only ever came out to Rashmi, who in turn told their parents...

and who didnt realize that Amelie's workplace didnt know. her workplace is just. terrible in social terms. she loves the work itself (its food industry, a restaurant in a casino, dont remember the exact job description) but her coworkers are being the absolute worst. a cesspool of toxic masculinity. also an environment for Amelie's undiagnosed psychosis. she is prone to auditory hallucinations.

after being outed to her boss while also hearing from Rashmi's parents that their husband is... lets just say bad for them, she, while safely at home, hallucinates that her boss or maybe her father is breaking down the door.

simultaneously with Rashmi as they are falling down the stairs, they make Wishes.

these are not widely understood; from the context of the game, it seems as though some people get a Wish when in significant peril, or in distress. you do not need to use the Wish immediately as you get it, but they both did.

essentially, what Rashmi Wishes for is a way to escape from their husband that wouldnt raise a fuss; and Amelie Wishes for a place where she and Rashmi can both be safe. (i am very muddly on the details there) their Wishes create the anomalous clocktower where the game takes place."