#Pier 1 Imports

[gothiccharmschool]

Did I covet this in the 90s? Of course I did.

[faggotfungus]

Pier 1 Imports: Blooming measuring set [Listing]

[novakspector]

[pepsinister]

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

[emawinslow]

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.

[torpublishinggroup]

Celebrate Pride with Tor Publishing Group!

The Water Outlaws by S. L. Huang

Mountain outlaws on the margins of society, the Bandits of Liangshan proclaim a belief in justice—for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt Empire would imprison or destroy. They’re also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats. Together, they could bring down an empire. 

Now available in paperback!

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

The long-awaited sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it. Welcome back to Marsyas Island—home to six magical and purportedly dangerous children. This is Arthur’s story.

The West Passage by @jpechacek

When the Guardian of the West Passage dies in her bed, the women of Grey Tower feed her to the crows and go back to their chores. No successor is named, and no hand takes up the fallen blade, so the West Passage—the ancient byways of the beast—goes unguarded. This is a weird and delightful journey across a deliriously medieval landscape where decay thrives in abundance and giant Ladies rule a palace the size of a city. 

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

On the thirtieth anniversary of the largest magical massacre in New Orleans history, Clement and Cristina Trudeau mourn their father and care for their sick mother. But their mother isn’t sick, they learn: She’s cursed. Cursed by a member of the same magic council over which she used to preside. Cursed by someone who will come for Clement and Cristina next. 

Now available in paperback!

Bury Your Gays by @drchucktingle

After so many years, Misha’s big Oscar moment is here. All he has to do? Kill off the gay characters in his long-running streaming series, “for the algorithm.” Misha refuses, but that’s hardly the end, because monsters from his old horror movie days have begun to step out from the silver screen and stalk him. 

The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo

The Cleric Chih accompanies a young bride to her wedding to Lord Guo, the aging ruler of a crumbling estate, but amid the elaborate courtesies and extravagant banquets, they realize something haunts the shadowed halls. As the big night nears close, Chih will learn that not all monsters dwell in shadows; some hide in plain sight. 

Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr

1) An unassuming librarian falls in love with a powerful witch. 

2) Previous librarian discovers she too is a witch…

3) …and that she must attend magical community college to learn how to save her new world from annihilation. 

Swordcrossed by @fahye

Part-time con artist / full-time charming menace Luca Piere didn’t expect to get blackmailed into teaching a chronically responsible merchant Matti how to wield a sword. He also didn’t expect to find his charge so inconveniently handsome, or to get so entangled in his tale of intrigue, sabotage, and matrimony. 

It’s important to read Swordcrossed because while you’re reading gay fiction, you can also study the blade.

Celebrate Pride with more titles from Tor Publishing Group here!

[silverwhittlingknife]

so like. saying jiang yanli should have guessed what material need there was and acted to fill it, unasked, presumptuous as all heck, is saying she should have been a different person, the right person for this specific situation, and that failing to be that person exactly is a moral failing. that she had the obligation to understand and react to the scenario the way the viewer analyses as optimal. and i think that reaction to the character kind of exposes what a destructive approach this is to thinking about people. no one has ever 'just,' you know? optimizing the process of being a person is never gonna be worth what you lose in the attempt. not getting everything right is part of the human condition.

THIS ^^^^

for anyone who criticizes jyl for bringing soup to yiling instead of like, money—

we should first ask: could jyl actually have given wwx money? she must have something, you say. the jins are rich! she could even give him some of her betrothal gifts.

but realistically jyl probably didn't have much money at all! let's think this through. not only did she not marry jzx yet at the time of her yiling visit, but (based on many, many imperial palace tv shows lol) all her worth would be in betrothal gifts of jewelry, fine clothing, or other misc items, which is 1) heavy and difficult to transport without notice, but that doesn't actually matter bc it's ultimately 2) disrespectful to sell and worse to have the gifter find out when they come by for tea and you begin chatting about the event in two days and they say oh where's that one-of-a-kind jade bracelet I gave you wouldn't it match the also one-of-a-kind silk garment that lady jin gave you sooo well oh you will look so lovely in it won't you wear it.

or worse, have it recognized in some random pawn shop on the street by someone who has never really liked you and WILL get you in deep shit for it.

does jyl have any money from the jiang side? well, jc has been busy at work rebuilding lotus pier and the clan since before wwx's defection, and even if he's not borrowing a shitton of money from the jins (which he almost certainly is), he definitely has the opposite of surplus funds. he's also busy organizing and buying gifts for the wedding too, making him go more in the red because you know the jins aren't going to want cheap-ass things even if you don't have money.

let's say jyl did get a significant bride price (aka given money money)—not only does that go to her family (jc), but it is given during the ceremony (which, again, hasn't happened yet). and, realistically, jc probably will have to use it to offset the costs of the above.

beyond that, let's just take this scene from a storytelling perspective. sometimes it is simply about the emotional resonance. the vibes. let's say jyl did have some funds to give wwx. but imagine if jyl was like here a-xian take all this money 😐 ok sure useful for some period. but is that the gift that wwx would want during the first time he's gotten to see her in months, and likely the last time he will see her in a long, long time (possibly years)? would that be impactful for the story?

meanwhile, the soup she brings represents her love. we hear in the extra, from wwx's own words, the care she put into selecting the ingredients, making sure the lotus root is fresh and perfectly ripe. it also takes hours for her to even make iirc. wwx derives so much comfort from it—that's why it comes up again and again. it is one of his first memories of feeling safe in lotus pier, of home. it provides wwx some semblance of normalcy. he hasn't had any this entire time, and is likely something he aches for whenever he's homesick or sad or questioning his choices. it is simply, given the circumstances, incredibly thoughtful. (and how meaningful was it to see wn treat it with such respect? seeing that is literally the moment in the chapter when wwx realizes—ah. the wens are people I cherish as well.)

and regarding jyl coming in her wedding dress—it is not for herself. it is for wwx. we saw how devastated wwx was just to even hear that jyl was getting married because he had to hear it from someone who wasn't jc or jyl. and to immediately then realize he cannot go? even more heartbreaking. and jyl, who clearly knows wwx extremely well, would know, without having to ask, how upset wwx would be to miss such a huge occasion in their lives that was previously a given. this is what she can do to offset that, even just a little. because jyl came in her dress, wwx gets to experience a piece of her wedding even though he cannot physically be there. not to be a 2000s mastercard ad, but there really are some things that money can't buy.

idk there's also some fist-shaking at the class discrepancy in the scene. and I get it. it sucks! her dress is certainly lavish, and the wens are farming on a corpse mountain and have only just started making a bit of money. yes, it's fine to think that if you were in the character's shoes, maybe you would've found it to be in poor taste—but the story isn't about you. it is about these characters, and what this scene means to them. and I'm of the camp that if there is no indication that wwx is upset by any of this, and in fact moved by it, there really isn't reason for the reader to be righteously indignant about these things on a character's behalf. that's just not the focus or the point of the scene.

plus, jyl is sharp. she is likely more aware of the discrepancy than most people think. she has also been shown in the text to not just be another sheltered, spoiled noble (re jzx soup incident). but if what you want is guilt from jyl—I personally think that guilt is performative, and accomplishes nothing. her guilt would've only made wwx unhappy. instead, here is an action that is meaningful and brings joy to wwx. to share her joy with him is not selfishness, nor is it some lack of awareness of their situation. if in this moment, she shows off her dress, if she revels in her joy, her happiness, it is for wwx, and wwx is incredibly moved by it.

and let's face it—wwx, of all people, would want to see jyl in a wedding dress that cost more than rebuilding lotus pier from the ground up. he wouldn't want anything less.

[mxtxfanatic]

While flipping through mdzs to verify some stray thoughts of mine, I happened to fall into a translation discrepancy that I feel really, really emphasizes how important it is to have a proper grasp on the language you are translating before translating for a public audience.

Now before we get too deep into this, I want to reiterate that I am someone who does not understand Mandarin in any form but has been reading translations (both by humans and machines) for a few years now. However, because I have been reading translations that tend to follow the Mandarin more closely in grammar and because I haven't shied away from reading machine-made or bad human translations, I have noticed some places where mistranslations from Mandarin to English are common: pronouns, verb-subject matching, negatives, prepositions, and conjunctions. For this post, we will be focusing on the latter two.

In the lead-up to the Wen invasion of Lotus Pier, we are given a scene where Madam Yu whips Wei Wuxian, and in this scene, we are given a glimpse as to Madam Yu's average punishments towards the young ward.

While Madam Yu always pelted him with hostile words, she’d never really hit him hard before—two or three lashes at most, or being made to kneel or confined indoors, and it never took Jiang Fengmian long to release him from that.

—Vol. 3, Chapt. 12: Sandu: The Three Poisons, 7seas

In the past, although Madam Yu had always come at him with harsh words, she had never truly been cruel to him. The most that he’d been through were two or three strikes and being grounded. He’d also be let out by Jiang FengMian soon later.

—Chapt. 57: Poisons, exr

Reading these back-to-back, it should be very clear that though the same section is being translated from the same exact source, these translations do not say the same thing. The official stresses that Madam Yu had never hit Wei Wuxian "that hard" before, as well as saying that his punishments were a few lashes OR being made to kneel OR being confined, three separate punishments never taken together according to this diction. The exr translation, however, states that Madam Yu had "never truly been cruel to him" (emphasis mine) and that him being whipped was in addition to being confined. The emphasis on the strength of her lashings is absent, but an emphasis on the intent behind her actions—that she never meant to be honestly cruel to her ward—is established in its stead. (While this section as translated by exr does not mention kneeling, later scenes reflecting on Wei Wuxian's childhood in Lotus Pier do.)

Both of these translations... are wrong.

If we give exr the benefit of the doubt by virtue of being the original completed English translation of mdzs, then the official 7seas release should automatically raise red flags for the ways it seems to directly contradict the narrative that has existed for a few years before the novel was licensed. It doesn't help that the official has been riddled with many mistranslations and omissions from the very first volume, lowering any credibility it would otherwise have to stand on. But if we were to examine the rest of the exr translation, then the emphasis on Madam Yu's intent also rings false given the fact that we are told over and over again in this same translation that 1) Madam Yu is, in fact, unnecessarily, illogically, and erratically mean-spirited and cruel, and 2) Wei Wuxian knows this even at this time in his life (shoutout to the Lotus Pod Seeds extra) and understands her actions as targeted cruelty. What does the actual text say, then?

Although Madam Yu always spoke ill of him before, her hand had never been this viciously cruel. At most, she whipped him two or three times and ordered him to kneel down and be confined to his room, and he would be released by Jiang Fengmian sometime later.

—@jiangwanyinscatmom (emphasis mine)

Madam Yu has never been "as cruel" as in that moment when whipping Wei Wuxian, because normally she only whips him 2-3 times. She would whip him a few times and send him to the ancestral hall to kneel and be in confinement, which matches up to the memories that Wei Wuxian reflects on in other parts of the novel. This translation gets rid of the character inconsistencies that the other two translations create. So how did we get here? Remember how I pointed out those common Mandarin-to-English translation mistakes? Well, both the exr and 7seas translations fall into the trap of confusing conjunctions and prepositions. That's how we get a list of punishments rather than an order of events for a singular punishment type. That's how we get "not truly cruel" instead of "not as cruel." That's how we get these sections contradicting what we know about Madam Yu's personality and behavior from the rest of the novel through those two translations. Unfortunately, both translation teams just happened to flub in the same area in slightly different ways, and while I'm willing to give a multi-lingual grade-school student translating in their spare time the benefit of the doubt, a paid translator with a translation team hired by a professional publishing house should have better quality control than a spare-time hobbyist.

Also, just in case anyone wants more proof on what mxtx meant for us to take away about Madam Yu's treatment of Wei Wuxian from this scene, it was also apparently so important to mxtx for readers to know that Madam Yu was truly cruel to Wei Wuxian during his childhood that the act of her routinely whipping him whenever he was in her presence was something that was added into the revised mdzs. It was not in the original unedited version of the novel.

In the past, although Lady Yu always insulted or patronized him, she never laid a hand on him. At worst, she’d make him kneel for prolonged periods of time, but he’d always get bailed out by Jiang FengMian after a while.

—Chapt. 57. Act 12: Sandu/Three Poisons, Part 2, qinghe-nie

[totothewolff]

📁 Masterlist > My Toto Wolff & Sewis fics └👤 Other profiles: AO3 / Discord / Wattpad

[📚Multichapter][⏳Long read]

Season of Love

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨Toto x reader(fem team principal)][💘Romance][🥵Smut][😂Comedy][😪Drama][🏎F1 World/Races/Teams/Paddock][✍️WIP]

Summary: One night on a pier in Monaco, while admiring the sea under the night skies, you tell Toto: "I came to the conclusion that love is simply not meant for me." That's the answer to a question you have been asking yourself for the longest time. But what if he proved you wrong? Author's note: This is a multichapter Toto Wolff x team principal reader fic set along a season of F1. It's a very immersive story full of drivers, team dynamics, races, mystery, and smut. You just bought the Williams team, but nobody really knows who you truly are. 📁 Masterlist: └📁 Dances with Wolff Arc └📁 1 Engines on and hearts off! └📁 2 Lights out, and away your feelings go! └📁 3 Can you feel the traction? └📁 4 No brakes, just love! └📁 5 Cold tires, warm heart └📁 6 Collision at Turn "Your Heart" └📁 The Color of Truth is Blue Arc └📁 7 Red flagsss └📁 8 Safety car needed └📁 The Sebaffäre Arc └📁 9 Coming soon... └📁 10 Coming soon... └📁 Love Lies, Miss Normani Arc └📁 11 Coming soon... └📁 Dances with Wolff Arc └📁 12 Coming soon... └📁 13 Coming soon... └📁 14 Coming soon...

Chemtrails Over the Yacht Club Collection

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨 Toto x reader(fem service staff)][💘 Romance][🥵Smut][🎀 Age-gap][❤️‍🔥Daddy Kink][🛳Yacht Culture][✍️WIP]

Summary: Toto Wolff is a name often mentioned at the Yacht Club, where you work after classes. For some reason, you have always pictured him as an old crank like the usual members, not this foxy man who arrives at the reception making your knees quiver.  The entire staff goes frenetic as he, one of the Club's most important clients, chooses to spend his spring break there without previous notice. You pray to the Gods that you don't cross lines with him since your entire livehood depends on this job, and you really want to graduate college. 📁 Collection: └📁 1 Dark But Just A Game └📁 2 Breaking Up Slowly └📁 3 Not All Who Wander Are Lost └📁 4 Dance Till We Die └📁 5 White Dress └📁 6 Let Me Love You Like a Woman

Grand Prix Elite Academy

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨 Toto(professor) x reader(student, future F1 driver)][👨‍❤️‍👨Lewis x Seb][💘Romance][🥵Smut][🎀Age-gap][❤️‍🔥Wild parties][🏫College AU][🌈Queer/Fem Seb][✍️WIP]

Summary: Your life turns 180 degrees after receiving your acceptance letter for the Grand Prix Elite Academy, the most exclusive and prestigious Formula One College, designed to shape the future drivers of the motorsport world. You will try to navigate your new life among the Monaco elites, survive the campus dynamics and rivalries between the faculties, and try to win this year's Elite Cup to beat an undefeated Mercedes, all while befriending your eclectic classmates, join the wild parties, have a couple of make-outs under the racing circuit benches, lose your v-card and get over that stupid crush you have on professor Toto. Will you make it alive to graduation? Race to Greatness! Author's note: This is a Formula One college AU fic set in an elite academy in Monaco, where the F1 Teams are Faculties, their Team Principals are professors, the FIA is the college board, and all the grid drivers are your classmates. You are accepted under a scholarship program called WomenOne and have lots to catch on to after years of putting your racing dreams on hold. Becoming the outcast new girl is always challenging, especially when all of you live on one campus. 📁 Masterlist: └📁 1 Hi, Society! └📁 2 Gone With The Wolff └📁 3 Know Your Frenemies └📁 4 The Kids Are Not Alright └📁 5 The Twat and the Furious └📁 6 Panic Roomate └📁 7 Easy Y/N └📁 8 War of the Rosbergs └📁 9 …Baby? One More Time! └📁 10 She Wolff

[📚One-shots][⏳Long read]

I'll Be Home for Christmas

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨 Toto x reader][🥵Smut][❤️‍🔥Mild BDSM][👄Dom/Sub][🎄Christmas]

Summary: Toto asks you in between ravenous kisses if you truly want him, even with his busy schedule, fast-paced life, countless nights miles away, and his dominant trait, the one you love to be submissive to, by saying yes you didn't expect it to be this hard! This particular season felt eternal, and you only desire to have him back, wrapped as the world's most alluring Christmas gift on your bed if possible. └📁 One-shot

Sparks Fly

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨 Toto x reader][🥵Smut][❤️‍🔥Daddy Kink][🎆New Years]

Summary: Toto is ready to leave his shitty 2023 behind and start 2024 in the best way possible, and you don't want to spend another New Year's Eve all by yourself; it's like destiny and the universe conspired to bring you two together. └📁 One-shot

The Lonely Hearts Party

[👩‍❤️‍👨Toto(boss) x reader(fem merc employee)][💘Romance][😊Fluff] [😂Comedy][🗄Corporate Mercedes][💝Valentine's Day]

Summary: For weeks now, you have been receiving the most gorgeous flowers every Wednesday morning at your desk at the Brackley Headquarters, as a mysterious admirer seems so in love with you. The entire factory, your besties at work, and you all wonder who he is. Could it be the one you truly wish for? └📁 One-shot

The Big Slip

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨Toto x reader (fem middle class artist)][💘Romance][🥵Smut][😪Drama][🕵️‍♂️Secret Identity][💸Social gap][🪐AU]

Summary: Your life as a struggling arts graduate in Monaco, coming from a working-class family who lives on the outskirts, is about to change. Toto Wolff enters your life not only by giving you the best sex ever but also by making you love somebody for the first time. Arranged marriages, a horrible breakup, and an induced coma, plus his terrible parents, were a complete surprise. └📁 One-shot

The Speed Game of Love

[👩‍❤️‍👨Toto x reader(fem contestant)][💘Romance][😂Comedy][🪐AU][🤪Crack humor][🌈RuPaul's Drag Race][💫Short read]

Summary: Three fierce queens will race for your love, but only one will win your heart. Could it be the spicy Carla LaTurbo Slayz, the fierce Adore D. Hammer, or the queen of England herself, GiGi Reigns? Or maybe that sexy host could get some! Hosted by the hot and only Toto Wolff. └📁 One-shot

Daddy's Little Pet

[🗯+18][👩‍❤️‍👨 Toto x reader(journalist)][🥵Smut][❤️‍🔥Daddy Kink][🎀Size Kink][👄Power play]

Summary: You had come to Brackley expecting a generic interview, not a deep dive into Toto's lovemaking life. └📁 One-shot

[🚎Coming soon...][✍️WIPs]

Join us at The Wolff Pack Discord Server > https://discord.com/invite/tpgArxqbfd

It’s Murder on the Garagefloor

boss!Toto x reader Merc!employee | crack au (Clue bang), comedy, romance and mystery.

Summary: His wife, one of his drivers, an engineer, his mentor, and you (Toto's assistant) all look at the body on the floor. Is the boss really gone? Loose inside this locked garage is the murderer. Who of you killed Toto Wolff? And why?!

└📁 Coming soon...

A mile-an-hour

Boss!Toto x reader merc!employee | comedy, crack (the office bang), romance, fluff.

Summary: Getting hired on the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team from the thousands of applicants seemed like the pinnacle of your career and a privilege. Such a prestigious and life-changing opportunity until you arrive there… Smoke is flooding the garage, Lewis is dressed exactly like George in casual clothing for some reason, and Niki plays sad Taylor Swift songs on the piano. At the same time, engineers try to catch a loose Roscoe throwing stuff everywhere. Why is even a piano in here?! Oh! And you almost forgot, Toto Wolff is crying inside his office.

└📁 Coming soon...

Fast Car

driver!Toto x driver reader | teammates dynamic, past lovers, young toto, drama, romance.

There was a time when he used to be your everything. Since childhood, you two shared a dream of one day becoming F1 drivers. Miles away from your families, you grew up only having each other, racing and experiencing life side by side. The short step from friends to lovers left natural, but the following step from F1 drivers to becoming enemies deeply scarred you. When your ambitious team offers Toto the open seat, well aware of his reckless and wild reputation, you wonder if the sweet guy you fell in love with is still hiding inside that ruthless, don juan, cold-hearted two-time world champion. It's going to be a hell of a season for you.

Cursed to Love

+18 | Lewis Hamilton x Sebastian Vettel, sewis | fantasy, witchcraft, lore, period, drama, romance, smut, pinning, epic, war, violence.

[starcurtain]

Ratiorine Fics I Want to Read

1) Modern AU: When Veritas Ratio discovers a beautiful businessman poised to jump from the roof of his apartment building, he does something he's never done half as seriously before: makes a bet. One month--in just one month, he will find this "Aventurine" a reason to keep living. The terms: 30 days, anything goes, whatever it takes to make some kind of meaning out of a miserable existence. If Ratio loses, a brilliant-eyed gambler will disappear from the world forever. If Aventurine loses... well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. (Of course, neither of them anticipated that Ratio would end up becoming Aventurine's reason to live--but there's something to be said for non-zero-sum games.)

2) "I'm real sorry to bother you, mister, but I think I'm lost?" Aventurine is pretty sure he's dreaming. Pretty sure he's been pulled back to the hellscape known as Penacony. Pretty sure the Lady Emanator might need to come back and take another swing at him, to burn out the last hold of the Harmony for real this time. Because those are the only logical explanations for why Aventurine is currently locking eyes with his own younger self, standing very confused in the middle of his trussed up Pier Point condo, far from the Family's shadow. (Or: That one where a blessing from Gaiathra temporarily sends the young Kakavasha out of harm's way--straight into the care of his future self. Aventurine isn't the ideal person to care for a child, but hells if he's going to let his younger self experience anything less than the safest and most wonderful weeks of his short, miserable life. The only real problem is, well, how is he possibly going to explain this to Ratio?)

3) A super soft, small fic of Ratio reflecting on all the ways his life has changed since Aventurine came into it--there's noise in his apartment now, and a photo on his desk in the office; there's troublesome snacks to pet sit and someone keeps sneaking inappropriate jokes into his lecture transcripts. There's a sounding board to test his lesson topics on, and a peacock on his cellphone lock screen because he's developed a newfound fondness for the color. There's a go-between nowadays when the ravenous investors come sniffing after the results of his research, and unlabeled packages containing exotic bath salts from star systems even Ratio has never heard of... But most beloved of all: the sense of soundness and symmetry, of something unexpected settling perfectly into his hold, at last.

4) Bodyswap AU: Ratio and Aventurine end up on a mission that goes wrong in every sense of the word (aeons, it's always aeons). They're separated with probably half the known universe between them, stranded on unrecorded planets without credits or technology, and--most bizarrely have all--have definitely swapped bodies. Cool. Cool. What the fuck. Aventurine is honestly tempted to say he might be coming out ahead in this whole drama--he's ripped and tall now--until he discovers that in Ratio's body, he doesn't have his luck. Meanwhile, Ratio is discovering just how much harder life is for Signonians, and coming to truly appreciate how strong of a person Aventurine really is. Somehow, they've got to make it back from half way across the universe, accomplish their mission, and get their own bodies back. Please?

5) A collection of complaint logs very important internal IPC records:

Complaints received on the dangerous behavior of new Stoneheart "Aventurine of Stratagems"

Complaints received on the hostile work environment created by Intelligentsia Guild Consultant Dr. Veritas Ratio

Request for transfer

Request for transfer

Request for transfer

Proposal (Joking) to assign Stoneheart Aventurine to joint mission with Intelligentsia Guild Consultant Dr. V. R.

Request for transfer

Request for transfer

Proposal (No Longer Joking) to assign Stoneheart Aventurine to joint mission with IG Consultant Dr. V. R.

Joint Mission Report, Status: Complete, three days before projected date, Casualties: 0, Complaints: 0

Note from Clerk #157B to Clerk #162S, on digital post-it: "Are you seeing this shit?"

Mission Report, Status: Complete, two days behind schedule, Complaints: 1 - "Please don't subject me to the drivel of untrained imbeciles again. If you're going to send someone from outside the Technology Department, at least provide a competent strategist. The same one from last time, preferably."

Mission Report, Status: Complete, Casualties: 1, Complaints: 1 - "Just send Ratio next time, okay?"

Joint Mission Report, Status: Complete

Complaint received on the questionable conduct of Stoneheart Aventurine: "Why did my boss send me to buy bath bombs? Who are these for?"

Joint Mission Report, Status: Complete

Complaint received on the biased behavior of IG Consultant Dr. V. R.: "Why does boss get called 'dear gambler' while the rest of us are 'fool'?"

Penacony Joint Mission Report, Status: Complete

Notice of Hiatus from Intelligentsia Guild Activities and Sabbatical from Lecturing, Reason Given: None

Request for Paid Leave, to: Diamond, cc: Jade, bcc: Topaz, Reason Given: Elopement 💖

6) Maybe it's not a sensitive thing to ask. Maybe some stories are better left in the past. But Veritas Ratio has never been able to curb his desire to know--nor his desire to right the wrongs the world with that knowledge. Laid bare, pale against the lip of the tub, with nothing but the rippling of the bathwater to accompany him, Aventurine tells the story of each of his scars. Some marks cannot be washed away. But some--with time, with touch--can heal.

[atqh16]

I hate accusations that Wei Wuxian was at fault for being 'avoidant' in regards to the Golden Core.

If you had to go through an incredibly traumatic experience and pain of having an organ torn out of your body while you were wide awake, would you be keen to talk about it yourself? There have been many real life incidence of patients waking up in the middle of their surgeries still under anesthesia but wide awake and being able to feel exactly what was happening to them. They couldn't feel the pain but they could still feel their insides being rummaged. The smell of burnt flesh. The pull and tug and detachment of their organs. The ptsd they develop from the trauma would be so severe that their marriage and job would suffer to a point of loss. The trauma would ruin their relationship with everyone around them. Losing control over your own emotions is guaranteed. Triggers are so common that day to day life is almost impossible.

Imagine having to willingly go through that for 2 days and 1 night straight. When When Wei Wuxian says he doesn't want to talk about it, he's not being avoidant. Anyone who's ever dealt with trauma can understand the visceral fear you experience at the thought of having to mentally go through with it again.

Wei Wuxians rejection of society and pulling away from the people he loved had nothing to do with ego. It was fear. Self isolation is a very clear symptom of ptsd and trauma in general. I doubt he cared about people leering at him for his choice of cultivation or his impulsive actions. But to be reminded of it every dau when people mention his sword or by the people he cared about scolding him for choosing the path he did, speaking from experience, the pain would have been unbearably numbing.

I think obsessive Jiang Cheng stans love ignoring this in favor of defending their beloved. Wei Wuxian's trauma is woefully understated. Not even mentioning his trauma of losing the only family he's every known. He might not have been related to jiang fengmian by blood and madame Yu might have been ruthless, but they were still his family. He grew up with the juniors there. They looked up to him. Arguably, his pain might not have been as deep as Jiang Chengs, but to ignore it (which is what so many do) is just unfair. Wei Wuxian went through lost twice. The first time being his parents and the second being Lotus Pier. Of course he has severe survivors guilt. The fact that Jiang Cheng needs to have that spelled out for him is frustrating.

Wei Wuxian is a flawed character, but his traumas were colors that painted the canvas that is his life, and that is so very important.

[ineffectualdemon]

....Jiang Cheng lashing out while having a mental breakdown and getting into an argument with a family member who is deliberately hiding important information from him is somehow him being abusive

But Wei Wuxian lashing out while having a mental breakdown and getting into an argument with his family because he is keeping secrets is somehow not abusive

Make it make sense

Jiang Cheng is an abrasive asshole yes

But he's not abusive to any of the characters we meet

He is again, abrasive, and has a difficult relationship with many of them

But he is not abusive

And if you bring up Jin Ling I will cut you. Jin Ling says "my uncle has never laid a hand on me" Jiang Cheng is his safety

Did Jiang Cheng make mistakes and bad decisions and hurt the people around him?

Yes

Did he end up alone?

No

He has Jin Ling

And if you base your arguments on The Untamed then the issue is you are speaking about a different Jiang Cheng then the one I know from the Book and that's a different issue and specify which one you mean

Because my Jiang Cheng is abrasive and rude and made bad decisions and has a mental breakdown directly after the Lotus Pier Massacre and his only moment of clarity in the middle led to him sacrificing himself for his brother and losing his core which further broke his mind

Something his brother still doesn't know at the end of the book

Also try to remember that Wei Wuxian deliberately keeps Jiang Cheng in the dark about a NUMBER of things

Before the events at the end of the book Jiang Cheng:

1. Doesn't know Wei Wuxian doesn't have his golden core

2. Doesn't know he has Wei Wuxian's core

3. Didn't know really who the Wen's were to them or what they did for them or even who they were as he was not with it during that time

4. Because he didn't know about the core didn't know that Wei Wuxian couldn't heal like he had a core

5. Didn't know what happened to Wei Wuxian while he was gone or where he was

And that's just what I remembered

Do I agree with all his actions no? But Jesus fucking Christ he's not the villain or the antagonist! He's half of a broken brotherhood that both are mourning the break of and both are at fault for

That's why it's so tragic and yet beautiful

(yes this is about a post I saw. I'm deliberately not arguing with it directly and yes that's cowardly but I'm tired)

[moonlightndaydreams]

Secrets in the Mist - a Han Jisung x Mermaid fic - Chapter I

Prologue | Chapter I | Chapter II

↠↠ About: Something strange is going on in Little Pebble Bay, a little fishing village where Jisung lives. He feels he’s being watched by something in the water. Then one day his world as he knows it is turned upside down when he saves a woman from being attacked by the village’s thugs. From then on, Jisung's life is changed forever. He learns of a world of merpeople, sirens, fated mates and a secret that has been kept from him his entire life.

↠ A/n: So I am publishing this chapter sooner than expected, but just want to let you know that the chapters here on in will take a little longer. I'm posting as I write, so there may not be a regular posting schedule.

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Chapter I

Chapter summary: Jisung keeps seeing something suspicious in the water, he does something heroic.

Chapter word count: approx 3k.

CW: violence, attempted sexual assault (5 guys on 1 woman, please be mindful if this concept is triggering)

MDNI // MNDI // MDNI

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1 year later

Jisung woke up sometime after midday. He rubbed his eyes and willed himself to sit up. Tea. He needed a cup of tea. He sniffed his armpit. And a wash.

“Grr, come on Jisung. Up.” He pushed himself up out of bed and trudged to the bathroom to wash himself with a sponge and soap at the sink. It wasn’t ideal, he should really draw a bath, but he needed to get to work.

While he let the pot of peppermint tea brew, he got dressed, throwing on his loose button down, a tatty sweater, comfortable linen pants, and a beanie, and thought about the tasks ahead. 

It didn’t really require much thought as most days were the same. Pick up the barrels of rum from the dock, deliver them to the tavern, and start peeling vegetables in the tavern kitchen. Then later, wash the dishes from that night’s dinner. 

Simple. Just how Jisung preferred it.

He finished the last of his tea and headed out to his truck. Not many people in the village owned an automobile, which was basically why he got the job of transporting booze, and any other imported produce, to the tavern and little grocer shops.

When he bought it a few years ago, he knew people would stare as he drove through the town, although he’d hoped they wouldn’t. He’d rather stay invisible than have people gawk at him. He supposed he was a little odd. Most young men wanted a boat, not a truck. Christ, a boat was the last thing Jisung wanted. Why the hell would he want to deliberately choose to go out onto the sea? It was bad enough he had to walk on the pier most days.

It was only a five minute drive to the dock, as per usual the sky was cloudy and the air cold. Miserable weather, but Jisung liked it, preferring it to the searing sun.

He backed the truck up onto the widest pier, reversing carefully. The first few times he ever did this, he almost had a panic attack. What if he’d misjudge the angle and reverse right into the water? He didn’t end up reversing into the water, and now, after hundreds of times, he can practically do it with his eyes closed.

Once he deemed himself close enough to the boat behind him, he turned the motor off and jumped out. The sea air hit his face. Even though he wasn’t keen on the ocean, he enjoyed the ocean breeze.

“Channie, hey!” he called to the man unloading barrels of rum from the boat at the end of the dock.

“Jisung! How’s it going man?” Chan grinned, crinkling the skin around his eyes.

“Yeah. Same as usual.” Han replied, and started lugging the barrels onto his truck. “It’s pretty misty out there today. Sure you’ll be okay in it?” he nodded to the horizon.

“Nah, yeah. She’ll be right, mate. Been in worse weather.” Chan said nonchalantly.

Jisung shrugged, he’d take Chan’s word for it. He was thankful it wasn’t him having to navigate a boat through the fog. The longer Jisung stared off into the distance, the eerier it seemed.

Just as he was about to turn back to the task at hand he saw a flicker of green in the distance, then a splash. Not again? 

“Hey Chan, did you see that?” He pointed in the direction of the splash.

“See what, mate?” He turned to where Jisung was pointing. “Nah, I don’t see anything.” He replied and went back to what he was doing.

This was the fifth time he had seen this - what was it -  A fish? It looked too big to be a fish. He squinted his eyes to try to focus, but it had gone. He shuddered. So we have giant creatures out there now? “Creepy.” he whispered to himself.

“Okay. That’s everything. I’ll give you a hand loading.” Chan helped Jisung with the last of the barrels, and slapped him on the back. “You’re right if I head off, yeah?” 

Jisung nodded. “All good. I’ve got it. See you in a couple of days.” 

“Catchya later.” Chan waved as he started his boat up.

Jisung hummed to himself as he tied down his load to the back of his truck. His skin behind his neck prickled and he felt like he was being watched. He turned back but all he saw was Chan and his boat already disappearing into the mist. There was no one else around except for some people on the shore going about their afternoon.

“Get a grip, Ji.” he told himself, and started to hum again.

Then the color green - sparkling green - out of the corner of his eye. This time it was right beside him in the water. He bit his bottom lip. Should he look? It’s probably just a fish, albeit a big scary sized fish, or a diver? It’s just someone going for a swim. But the green? It’s never come this close to him before.

Without stopping his humming, and without turning his head, Jisung tried to just move his eyeballs to see if he could catch a glimpse. It was only for a second, but Jisung saw clear as day a green frilly tail disappear underneath the water, causing a splash so big it wet him from head to toe.

“Fuck!” Jisung choked, and hurried back into his truck, closing the door and locking it. He was absolutely drenched. “What the flying fuck was that?” He quickly turned the motor over and hastily began to drive back towards the shore, stealing a glance in his side view mirror. He swore he saw in the reflection, a woman’s head, peering out of the water, watching him as he drove away.

By the time Jisung had delivered the rum and was in the tavern kitchen peeling potatoes, he’d decided he’d been hallucinating. The five sightings of what looked like a sparkling in the distance, and next to him at the pier, all hallucinations.

He did work strange hours, and his sleep cycle was a little off. Maybe it had messed with his brain? Maybe the peppermint tea was laced with something? He nodded his head. Whatever he saw, it wasn’t real.

Then why were your clothes wet?

He groaned and slammed the peeling knife down on the bench, causing a few staff to look at him. Okay, so maybe it could have been a fish and a woman going for a swim. The two certainly couldn’t be the same thing? It couldn’t be a mermaid? They don’t exist. His Mother told him that when he was a boy.

In the end, he concluded that whatever it was or wasn’t, it was not any of his concern. It was in the water and he was on land. It wouldn’t be able to do any more than splash him.

The woman probably lives on land too, Jisung.

“Ya! Jisung! You finished with the potatoes?” The head cook, broke Jisung from his intrusively relentless thoughts.

“Yeah, Minho, almost.” He called over his shoulder, then scooped up the potatoes and tossed them in an enormous colander to wash them.

Jisung didn’t mind working in the kitchens at the tavern. Sure, he didn’t cook, only prepared vegetables and washed dishes. But it meant he didn’t have to deal with too many people. 

He got along well enough with Minho, even if he did seem rather scary at first.

Minho’s right hand man was Felix. He was a kind soul who took Jisung under his wing, and although Jisung already knew how to peel and wash vegetables, and clean up, Felix’s moral support helped him feel comfortable in the kitchen.

Then there was Changbin who worked the bar and kindly removed patrons who were causing a ruckus. He was the kind of man you wouldn’t want to cross, with big muscles and a booming voice. 

The kitchen staff could currently hear him now, trying to calm a rowdy group in the bar area. 

“Sounds like those thugs.” Felix said in a low voice. 

“I thought they were banned for life.” Growled Minho disapprovingly.

“Boys!” Changbin appeared around the kitchen door. “I need someone to take care of the bar for ten minutes.” He looked around at the kitchen staff.

“Don’t look at me, I’m cooking.” Minho said, not looking up from the frying pan. 

“Lixie?” Changbin batted his eyelids and pouted. 

“Can’t, I’ve gotta watch these mussels.” He replied apologetically.

Jisung tried to melt away into the shadows, praying he wouldn’t be called upon to help. Please don’t ask me. He thought to himself.

Changbin’s eyes landed on him. “Ji, come on. Please. I need to look out for the safety of the patrons.” He whined. “It’s really easy. You just pour whatever the customer asks for and then take their money.”

Jisung closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine.” He replied, tearing off his apron and following Changbin.

He coughed, clearing his throat as he assessed his surroundings from behind the bar, while Changbin headed over to deal with the unsavory group of men.

There weren’t any customers waiting to be served drinks, and Jisung felt immensely relieved.

“Not your usual occupation is it?” A playful voice came from the end of the bar. Jisung looked over to see one of the locals, Hongjoong, seated in a relaxed manner on the last bar stool.

“It shows, huh?” Jisung half chuckled and went over to where the man was seated.

Hongjoong was an interesting fellow. He was the most pretty and most flamboyant man Jisung had ever seen, often donning delicate eyeliner and lipstick, just like he was now, and wearing obscure clothing. He came to Little Pebble Bay some four or so years ago to live a “quiet life.” God knows why he’d choose to come here of all places. 

Jisung and Hongjoong couldn’t be any less alike. Except they did have something in common. 

Neither of them fit in. 

Hongjoong seemed much more comfortable than Jisung with the idea of being an outsider. Jisung eyed the man’s wide brimmed hat with a feather poking out, and his fur coat of who knows what animal. He stood out like a sore thumb. Jisung would rather be invisible, and move about his day inconspicuously.

There was one other thing they had in common - an aversion to the sea. Jisung wondered if he’d had a similar experience to Jisung, and that’s why he never went in the water.  

“I don’t know how Changbin does it?” Remarked Jisung as he watched the barman single handedly shove the group of men out into the street.

Hongjoong tilted his head back as he watched too. Then shook his head. “Hmm, I’ve dealt with worse.” He mused.

Dealt with worse? Jisung arched an eyebrow. “Really? Where would you have dealt with worse?” Jisung quizzed.

Hongjoong looked at Jisung calculatingly, like he was thinking through his words carefully. Then he smiled cheekily. “Oh just in my previous occupation, that's all.”

Before Jisung could ask what his previous occupation was, Hongjoong downed the last of his beverage. “Ah, I’d best be off if I’m going to open up on time tomorrow.”

Hongjoong ran the local museum and library, taking over it when its original owners retired and moved away.

Jisung was struck with an idea. If anyone would know anything about what that creature could be it was him.

“Wait! Hongjoong.” He said desperately. The man stopped and turned back to him. Jisung hesitated. “What do you know about—” he looked around the room then whispered low “mermaids?”

Jisung swore he saw a flicker of fear in the man’s eyes, but in less than an instant his features turned into his usual cocky-but-kind expression, and he chuckled. “Jisung, there has never been a mermaid in Little Pebble Bay.” And with that, he nodded and tipped his hat and exited the tavern, leaving Jisung both perplexed and a little disappointed.

Eventually, Jisung could go home. He’d finished cleaning up the dishes for the night and the kitchen was tidy.

“Jisungie, Lixie, Minnie.” Changbin called them from the bar. “Let’s have a few drinks before we lock up.”

Felix playfully blew Minho a kiss, and Minho rolled his eyes. 

“What? Is it a special occasion or something?” Minho called to Changbin as they headed out to the bar area.

Changbin gave a flirty smile. “Yes it is a special occasion.”

Everyone silently waited for him to enlighten them.

“I fought off and kicked out five thugs from the tavern. That’s five on one.” He flexed his biceps.

“Yes, you are a super strong sexy ultra man.” Felix joked. 

Changbin poured four glasses of rum as they sat at the bar. “So, what were you and Hongjoong talking about earlier?” Asked Changbin.

”Yah! I thought you were too busy kicking people out of the tavern to notice what I was doing.” Jisung replied.

”Hey, does anyone know where the guy is from?” Asked Felix in a hushed tone, even though there was no one else around to hear them.

Changbin and Jisung both shook their heads.

”I heard he used to be part of a traveling circus. A magician.” Minho chimed in.

”Really? Or are you just making shit up?” Changbin narrowed his eyes.

Minho laughed. “I don’t fucking know. But he looks like he could’ve been, don’t you think?” He smirked.

The others laughed and shook their heads.

After a few rounds of rum, with Jisung only drinking one, they finally said good night to each other and went their separate ways. He hopped in his truck and started his short trip towards home.

As he drove along the road adjacent to the shoreline, Jisung tried his hardest not to think about the creature in the water. But his mind wouldn’t leave it alone. It was hot and stuffy in the truck, and sweat started to form on his brow. He wound the window down, welcoming the cool sea air as it filled the truck. 

He looked out the window, taking in the dimly lit view of the shore. Up ahead he noticed a group of men. They were the same thugs from earlier in the tavern. A piercing scream rang out, and Jisung caught a glimpse of a woman’s head. Was she being attacked?

Jisung pulled the truck over, and like a man possessed, ran straight towards the thugs. He didn’t know what he was doing, nor did he care for his safety. Each loud, scared scream that came from the woman only made his blood boil more.

Jisung never ran towards danger, but in this moment he was laser focused on one thing. Helping the terrified woman.

As he got closer he could get a clearer view of what was happening. She was laying half in the shallow water, half on the pebbled beach. The fuckers had her wrapped in a fishing net. One was holding her head steady, a knife to her throat. Another stood, unzipping his trousers near her face. The others were poking, taunting her while they cheered on the man who was about to —

“Ya!” Jisung growled.

The men stopped, and looked over to him. Their surprised expressions quickly turned to irritation.

“What’s it to you, you little shit? Just walk away. Just walk away and pretend nothing's happening, and we’ll forget we even saw you.” Snarled the man who was about to get his cock out. He appeared to be the ringleader.

Jisung clenched his fists and launched himself at him, knocking him to the ground and falling on top of him. Another pulled Jisung off and landed a solid punch to his face. It stung, but Jisung didn’t care. One by one, he threw himself at each of them with jaw breaking punches, and hard kicks that knocked the wind out of them. 

He felt a slash to his forearm from the knife, but the pain was dulled by the adrenaline racing through his body.

He grabbed the ringleader by the collar and shook him hard. “You fucking leave her alone. Or I’ll kill you.” Jisung warned through gritted teeth. He meant it. He would kill the guy.

“Fuck, man, he’s not worth it.” One of the thugs said staggering to his feet and rubbing his jaw. 

“Yeah, let’s get the fuck out of here.” Cried the one whose nose appeared to be broken.

The ringleader spat in Jisung’s face and glared at him before tearing himself from his grip and stumbling away with the others.

Jisung wiped the spit from his face, then turned his attention to the woman. 

She had indeed been tangled in a fishing net. He looked around trying to find something to help free her, and to his relief found the knife one of the thugs must have dropped in the fight. 

He grabbed the blade and crouched down next to her. She was sobbing, head down and turned away from him.

“Shh. It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. Let me just—“ he began cutting the net away, first freeing her arms. He started to worry she was naked because he couldn’t make out any clothing on her. Did they fucking tear her clothes off?

He pulled and tugged at the netting, freeing her bare torso.

“It’s going to be okay. Did they hurt you?” 

She didn’t answer.

She was probably in shock. 

Then, as he pulled the netting away from where her legs were, he saw that she had no legs.

Instead he saw the same shimmery green that he’d seen in the sea. 

Jisung dropped the knife and staggered backwards. His eyes wide and glued to the woman’s tail.

He managed to peel his eyes away and look up only to lock eyes with the woman. It was the same one from the pier. Only now she had a cut to her lip and a black eye.

“W-what the fuck are you!” He cried.

“I’m a - a mermaid.” She gulped and watched him tentatively.

But Jisung didn’t answer. Instead, he jumped to his feet and ran back to his truck, slamming the door shut.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He began to hyperventilate. He rocked back and forth rubbing his hands on his thighs.

“It’s a fucking mermaid!” He could hardly breathe. “But they don’t exist!” He ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Ive gotta get out of here.” He went to turn the key to the engine and paused. He sighed. “Fuck, Jisung, you can’t just leave her there. What if they come back? What if someone else finds her.”

He really didn’t want to go back. This was too much for him to handle. But he knew he had to help her.

What if she’s a siren? He shook his head. “If she were a siren, she’d have been able to deal with these assholes, right?” He mumbled to himself as he trudged back to the woman.

But all he found when he got there was the fishing net and the knife laying on the pebbled beach.

She was gone.

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tag list open

@channieandhisgoonsquad @noellllslut @itsseohannbin @weareapackofstrays @xxkissesforchanniexx @starr-lvst @queenmea604 @queen-in-the-shadows @newhope8 @vanillacupcakefrosting @3rachasdomesticbanana @fun-fanfics @palindrome969 @rhonnie23 @jisunglyricist @strayywayy @yaorzu-blog @armystay89 @igetcarriedawaywithyou @everythingboutkpop @jiminssluttyminx @felixleftchickennugget @minho4cat @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @tirena1 @estella-novella @dearbisky

[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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

But the worst part had been that they had all been right about her, about the changes. 

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. 

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 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 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. 

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. 

"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. 

After a warm welcome from all of them, they were sitting on the porch, sharing beers and being happy about the reconnection. 

"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. 

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. 

"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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

"It's me, JJ, please let me in," he begged, but she was reluctant. 

"Who is there?" y/n asked before deciding whether she should open the door. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"You came to apologize," she reminded him. 

"I don't like when you lie to me," JJ whispered after stepping closer again. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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. 

"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

[cenorii]

All theories about RE and etc

I decided to collect everything I wrote about RE in one place. This will be a convenient article in which I will put links to my previous theories and analyses, which I will formalize with a brief description. Now it will be easy for you to navigate. And those who have found my blog recently will be able to see what theories and revelations I have written before.

It will be updated!

💉1. Link. Theory detailing why Wesker couldn't have died in a volcano. And what would be his future path after this event, and how would he cross paths with Chris. It says that this is a theory of the possible RE9 plot, but now I believe that these are possible ideas for the future, not tied to a specific part. There's also a theory about Chris's BOW clones

💉2. Link. Theory of Wesker's leaked concept. I found a lot of oddities.

💉3. Link. Theory of why Wesker's eyes change color and what it depends on.

💉4. Link. I accidentally found a photo of a man who looked like an elderly Wesker when I was playing RE8. Theory of why it's Wesker and not anyone else.

💉5. Link. Video about this photo.

💉6. Link. Psychological analysis of Chris Redfield's personality.

💉7. Link. Psychological analysis of Albert Wesker's personality.

💉8. Link. A small addition to Wesker's analysis.

💉9. Link. Theory of why Wesker's virus is as contagious as HIV.

💉10. Link. I tried to determine which dates Chris, Jill, and Wesker's birthdays were on.

💉11. Link. I was bored and decided to identify every Wesker gun from all the games.

💉12. Link. Generalized theory about RE9. There I wrote the most important thing from the first link, and also added a theory about a photo of an old Wesker with long hair.

💉13. Link. I'm trying to analyze the butterfly effect in the history of RE, specifically from Wesker's side and people's attitudes towards him. How could a different attitude to personality affect the plot of all RE games?

💉14. Link. Detailed analysis of Chris's BOW from the ending of RE8.

💉15. Link. In 2021, Wesker's VA leaked information about some future game with his participation. I figured out this leak and put everything in its place.

💉16. Link. Once again, I find it strange how Capcom writes about Wesker's death. It's like they're trying to convince themselves of this, not the players. There is also a little bit about Jake here.

💉17. Link. Why Wesker is not a secret admirer of Rebecca.

💉18. Link. My thoughts on how I see the RE5 remake.

💉19. Link. There is an interesting date on the PG67A/W label.

💉20. Link. My headcannons about characters, part one.

💉21. Link. My headcannons about characters, part two.

💉22. Link. My headcannons about old Wesker.

💉23. Link. What is Chris's eye color?

💉24. Link. I saw the rumors about the RE9 and tried to be realistic.

💉25. Link. Piers and Jill are very important people to Chris. I told about it in more detail.

[diiwata]

my district 4 masterpost!

to me, district 4 is a mix of se/east asian, lat-am, and even a bit of black influence. had a bit of help from @blackoutdays13, creds to her too <3

let's dive in (joke intended). more below the cut!

CULTURAL TIDBITS

i like to think dance is an important part of the d4 culture. many artists that contribute to hip-hop culture originate from california, especially dances :) not to mention cultural latam dances, the dragon dance from china, and maybe even tinikling (projecting so hard rn)! movement is how they get through the day.

their diet may consist of mostly seafood, but grains are also a staple. rice, bread, noodles, and tortillas are often paired with meats and vegetables to make meals more fulfilling. of course, they aren't the same to the grains we produce now, but it's close enough to what they are able to get their hands on.

as stereotypical it is to asian culture, i like to think education holds some importance there, too. it doesn't just involve hitting the books, but also street smarts and survival skills. even if you're working, there's some downtime saved for learning/passing on knowledge from the older to younger generation.

there is a large sense of community in the districts. it's a staple in asian culture to identify with your community. your achievements and your failures are not just yours, but is a reflection of the people you identify with. this is touched more on my asian d4/d7 analysis.

since california legalized this, they definitely had... recreational uses for certain substances. you know. mary jane, the 🍃. it's a whole thing in the district and a "hidden gem". it's more popular with the lower class, but the capitol thinks it's used by the best of the best. they don't have to know, though ;)

LOCATIONS

their marketplace is concentrated in the docks! similar to the piers of santa monica and san francisco, there's a lot of street vendors, kiosks, and street performers.

the further away you are from the shore, the more impoverished you are. the people of the "inner lands" probably process the food for safer consumption, or travel to the shore to find work (hence the kiosks and such). grains could also be grown in the inner lands, which is how they're able to supply the district with rice and such w/o having to rely on d9 imports too much.

a train or trolley system helps large capacities of people travel to and fro their work. the trolley might be a bit more for tourists, though.

lots of cliffs. lots of mountains. houses on cliffs and mountains are seen as a privilege. I imagine the victor's village is somewhere here!

the houses in the victor's village look like italianate homes in san francisco (1). houses by richer folks look like malibu/southern californian beach houses (2). inner lands houses are either the older, fenced homes or apartment units (3)!

RELIGION

(i read these in some fics!!) considering that latinos are also big in california, and that a lot of asians share a catholic faith in the state, i could see them using rosaries or crosses. not because of a belief in it, but as an equivalent of a good luck charm.

to add onto this ^ they celebrate ash wednesday, but with their own twist. the ash on their foreheads is instead a reminder of who they lost.

speaking of holidays, the festival that they celebrate during the victory tour months probably closely mimics lunar new year! of course, they don't follow the lunar calendar, but their traditions and rituals to celebrate that day look awfully similar. red envelopes could be passed around, but I highly doubt that there's much in there if you're from the inner lands.

dia de los muertos is celebrated too! possibly during the victory tour months, too. imagine a festival that's just spilling with the golds and reds of lunar new year and the vibrant colors associated with dia de los muertos!

NATURAL DISASTERS

earthquakes. wildfires. droughts. those are the holy trinity of natural disasters in d4. protocols for all three are drilled into the minds of d4 citizens since youth.

thanks to the indigenous practice of controlled fires that persisted during the building of panem, they are often able maintain these wildfires. but sometimes, the wildfires do get out of control and turn the sky orange.

their structures are relatively stable to help accommodate for the earthquakes, but of course, damage will be done especially during a huge one that occurs in california every few centuries.

in my finnick/oc fic, "the big one" occurs before the 65th games. after finnick's victory, they paid more attention to d4.

droughts are not to be taken lightly in d4, especially in the inner lands. don't shower for more than five minutes. turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. never keep the sink running. fix leaking faucets whenever you can b/c every drop counts.

a water limit is imposed on them. most of the water goes directly to the upper class and the capitol resorts by the coast.

CLASS DIVISIONS

the inner lands' lower class, the coast's merchants, the officials, and the victors are all classes in district four. the lower class harbors some resentment towards the upper class, and it's the other way around, too.

since most of the water travels to the upper class, that's where the main resentment lies. everything is for tourism and to maintain appearances.

because of this maintenance and carefully curated appearance, I can see the capitol citizens romanticizing d4 to an extreme degree. with finnick as the "face" of the district, it only worsens. they think of d4 as beaches, tropical fruits, and a sunny paradise. but once they take the train that passes through the rural lands and the poorer urban areas with the fog limiting their view, they realize that district 4 isn't all what they shaped it up to be.

I also imagine the upper class trying to dismiss the lower class because they don't look appealing enough to the capitol. they ARE a career district, after all. this could tie into the model minority myth, which I discuss in this post using hannah's ask, as well as the d4/d7 hc I linked previously. to summarize, reputation is ingrained in asian cultures. this need for a good rep could bring d4 to try their hardest to appeal to the model minority myth and keep up with the other career districts.

all in all, d4 is my little try-hard district rich with culture, mary jane, and the impending doom of "the big one". I love it with all my heart. if you have anything to add, or things you want me to touch up on, feel free to drop an ask or say something in your rb!

stream "california love" by 2pac 🙏🏽