#best fine art insurance

[firstclassinsurance]

Artistic Treasures Secured: Fine Art Insurance Options in Florida

In the realm of art, every stroke, every curve, every piece holds a story, a sentiment, and an intrinsic value that transcends mere monetary worth. For collectors, artists, and admirers alike, these artistic treasures stand as testaments to human creativity, culture, and history. However, safeguarding these treasures isn't just about protecting their physical form; it's about preserving their essence, their significance. This is where fine art insurance steps in, offering a shield against the unforeseen and the unpredictable, ensuring that these treasures remain protected and cherished for generations to come.

In the vibrant state of Florida, renowned for its artistic dynamism and cultural richness, the need for comprehensive fine art insurance solutions is paramount. Enter FirstClassIns.com, a beacon of reliability and expertise in the realm of insurance, offering tailored and robust insurance options specifically designed for the fine art insurance florida.

Understanding the Value of Fine Art Insurance

Fine art insurance isn't just another financial safeguard; it's a meticulous craft that takes into account the nuances of art valuation, preservation, and risk management. For collectors, artists, galleries, museums, and even emerging art enthusiasts, having the right insurance coverage means more than just financial reimbursement; it means the assurance that their passion, investment, and legacy are safeguarded.

FirstClassIns.com recognizes the unique needs of the Florida art community, understanding that the diverse range of artworks, from contemporary masterpieces to classical artifacts, requires specialized insurance solutions. With a deep understanding of the intricacies of the art world, they offer comprehensive coverage that extends beyond standard insurance policies.

Tailored Solutions for Florida's Artistic Landscape

Florida's artistic landscape is as diverse as its population, encompassing a wide spectrum of art forms, from fine art and sculpture to avant-garde installations and culturally significant artifacts. FirstClassIns.com recognizes this diversity and offers specialized insurance plans that cater to these distinct genres and forms of art.

1. Customized Coverage for Various Art Forms

Whether it's protecting a valuable collection of paintings, sculptures, photography, or rare artifacts, First Class provides tailored insurance solutions that consider the uniqueness of each piece. Their policies are designed to encompass the specific risks associated with different art forms, ensuring comprehensive protection against damage, theft, transit risks, and more.

2. Expert Risk Assessment and Valuation

Valuing art is an intricate process that requires expertise and finesse. It collaborates with seasoned art appraisers and experts who understand the nuances of art valuation. Their in-depth knowledge ensures accurate assessment and valuation of artworks, providing clients with the confidence that their pieces are appropriately insured based on their true value.

3. Specialized Coverage for Exhibitions and Events

Art exhibitions and events are integral to Florida's vibrant art scene. It also offers specialized coverage for these occasions, providing comprehensive insurance solutions that safeguard artworks on display, during transit, and throughout the duration of the event, mitigating risks associated with public showcases.

Why Choose FirstClassIns.com?

First Class Ins isn't just an insurance provider; it's a trusted partner dedicated to preserving the essence and significance of artistic treasures. Their commitment to understanding the specific needs of the Florida art community sets them apart:

Expertise: With a team well-versed in art insurance intricacies, they offer unparalleled expertise and guidance.

Tailored Solutions: Their bespoke insurance plans cater to the diverse range of art forms prevalent in Florida.

Client-Centric Approach: Understanding the unique requirements of each client, they craft personalized insurance solutions that prioritize individual needs.

In conclusion, the realm of fine art demands more than just conventional insurance coverage. It requires a nuanced understanding of art's value, significance, and the associated risks. FirstClassIns.com stands as a stalwart guardian, ensuring that Florida's artistic treasures remain secured, cherished, and celebrated for generations to come. With their specialized expertise and tailored solutions, they embody the essence of safeguarding artistic legacies, making them the premier choice for fine art insurance in Florida.

[duskerot]

i just put together my year in review art summary for the year and its interesting because compared to last year i think my technical skills improved but it feels a little bittersweet overall because as soon as i got my job all of that ambition just vanished LOL

[llflorence]

Can I convince you to fall for me?

Sequel to Did you just -- kiss me? (Human AU, RatedE)

Inspired by this art by @gahellhimself-blog

“Oh, pshh!” Maggie says as she begins her second mimosa. The fine lines around her mouth have cracked as the face mask dries. “He’s not going to judge your sexual prowess on a little chipped tooth.”

Aziraphale glances around at the stylists. They’re all watching where he and Maggie sit, side by side in the massage chairs with their feet in roiling tubs of hot, soapy water. He just knows he’s being judged.

“It’s not so little anymore,” he complains, quiet enough so only they two can hear. “If you hadn’t talked me into eating that toffee —“

Maggie’s natural falsetto voice gets even higher as she lifts the bottom of Aziraphale’s flute toward his face. “Puh-lease. It’s hardly noticeable. It’s like the dimples on your ass, or the ski-jump nose.”

Aziraphale pushes her hand away and immediately takes offense. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

She laughs. The ladies in the chairs to their right look disapprovingly down long noses. “I only meant that it’s cute!”

Before Aziraphale can protest, Maggie downs the rest of her drink. She leans over, conspiratorially like. “It’s not like he’s going to know you can’t afford the dentist because you have no insurance and can barely make rent without help from your mother. Unless, of course, you tell him.”

Maggie is the nicest, kindest, most generous person Aziraphale knows, which is why she’s his best friend. Still, alcohol does tend to make her brutally honest.

She pats his hand and lifts the glass back to his mouth. If this wasn’t their annual pampering girls' day, he’d have refused. As it is, it’s New Year's Eve morning, and he’s way out of sorts. Maybe she has the right idea.

He finishes the mimosa in two gulps and forces himself to withstand the bittersweet fizzing in his nose and on his tongue. If he’d listened to Muriel and postponed this date until after the holidays, he wouldn’t be so miserable.

Well. He’d be less miserable.

Aziraphale lets Maggie pour him another glass from the chilled carafe in the cooler by her side. By the way things are going, he’s going to need it to make it through her advice for this evening.

“Now. You’ve already hired the Uber, right?” Her pretty, plump cheeks are quite pink.

“Yes,” he sighs. “But I can’t even pay for this spa treatment. I don’t know how I’m going to pay down the credit cards —“

“Think of it this way,” she interrupts, swirling her glass and staring off into the distance. The windows are dripping with condensation, obscuring the view of the street. “If you drive Ruby, you’ll be obligated to go take her home, won’t you? This way your handsome devil will have to drive you to his place.”

Aziraphale hasn’t told her about the text messages. He’s certain that Anthony has it in the stars to bring Aziraphale home. The man just doesn’t know what to expect.

(He thinks of Ruby where she’s parked on the street outside his apartment. Two-hundred-and-forty-thousand miles and the Subaru hasn’t failed him yet.)

“Yeah,” he grumps. “And when we get there and I drop my trousers, and all I have to offer is soft-serve ice cream —“

Maggie laughs again. A good-sized splash of orange juice and champagne spills on her sweater. “At our age, that’s the least of our worries!”

Aziraphale is pretty sure she’s never had to deal with a limp dick her entire life.

“This coming from a fifty-one-year-old lesbian whose pleasure button is on the outside .”

This time, the whole row of massage chair inhabitants turns to look at them, from both sides. Aziraphale quickly hides his face in his drink.

Maggie, however, doesn’t get the hint. Her volume is way past annoying, heading for indecent. “Maybe you fifty-one-and-a-half-year-old gays should try using your fingers. Or, better yet, your mouth .”

Mimosa sprays all over Aziraphale’s lap, soiling his clean pants and dribbling down his chin. At least he hasn’t choked this time.

Felicia, his stylist, brings him a towel. There’s a mischievous glint in her eye. “About ten minutes left on the timer. You two need anything?”

Maggie needs nothing, of course. “But Aziraphale is going to need his chest waxed. I’m paying.”

“Aziraphale most certainly does not need his chest waxed!” he says, horrified. Felicia shares a wink with Maggie, and he groans at their sudden partnership.

“Come on!” Maggie pleads. She swishes her feet in the bath and bats her long eyelashes. “Don’t you think you shouldn’t leave anything to chance? Second time around and all?”

His stylist’s eyebrows rise as she lifts and checks under his mud mask. “Got a date, have we?”

Aziraphale closes his eyes and wishes he were anywhere else.

“It’s so romantic,” Maggie coos, and he knows she’s about to tell the whole tale. He inhales deeply and beats her to it.

“A friend of mine and I reconnected after fifteen years. I’m attending as his guest at a New Year’s Eve party tonight.”

Felicia knows Aziraphale almost as well as Maggie, seeing as he subscribes to therapy via hair and skin care. She eyes him head to foot and runs her tongue along the inside of her mouth. “Keep the hairy chest,” she nods. “Run some of that conditioner I gave you last time through it. You’ll thank me. So will he.”

Aziraphale takes her advice as he stands in the shower under what can only be called a ‘stream.’ It’s more like a slow drizzle; he’s called the landlord three times about the clogged shower head. And the busted lightbulb inside the fridge. And the window that’s stuck open in the kitchen. It’s getting to the point where he’s just going to fix things himself. That is, if he knew how.

He waits as long as he can, until goosebumps form on his arms and he’s procrastinated enough. He’s about as clean as he can be, and he’s done everything possible to make himself presentable. Nothing he can do about the tooth, of course.

Aziraphale shaves and dresses and paces in the kitchen as he waits for his ride. The new cufflinks from Muriel look out of place with his not-so-new shirt and suit coat. But at least he’s not wearing something rented; he could never live with himself if he did that.

He smooths out his tie and glances at the phone lying on the kitchen counter. There have been no text messages all day from him. Aziraphale knows it’s because he’s busy. Today was the day Anthony was scheduled to finish up on that very personal business he mentioned last week. And that was none of Aziraphale’s business.

The phone lights up, vibrating as a call comes through. It’s Muriel, and he considers not answering it. They’re probably ringing with more advice. As if he’s not already horribly embarrassed about the whole thing.

“Hey, Dad,” they say, bright and cheery as usual. “Just calling to wish you good luck.”

Aziraphale tries to smile so that it will show up in his voice. “Thanks, Dear. It’s really going to be f –”

“If it’s like, really bad, remember you can call me and I’ll pick you up. Just like you always offered for me.”

It’s going to be a long, long night, he thinks.

The Uber driver sends him a text from the street, and Aziraphale says goodbye to his offspring. He collects his long wool coat, hat, and mittens, and almost forgets the scarf as he pulls the door shut. It gets stuck in the door as he climbs inside, but Aziraphale doesn’t realize it. He’s too busy trying to make his hands stop shaking long enough to send a text.

To Anthony J. Crowley.

On my way! 

It’s a short drive through the busy part of downtown. Traffic is horrendous, and Aziraphale watches the time as his ride is forced to slow down to allow revelers to cross the streets. At this rate, he’ll be fifteen to twenty minutes late. Not the first impression he wishes to make, especially if Anthony relates punctuality to sex.

Sex is all Aziraphale can think about. In a matter of days, he’s become obsessed. He worries about how he smells, how he’ll taste, whether he should eat or be eaten. It ramps him up so high that he can’t focus on everyday things, like remembering to turn the dryer on after throwing wet clothes in. Or bringing the garbage and the recycling out to the cans.

So when the car pulls up to a swanky hotel, all lit up like a Christmas tree, he’s adjusting his dick inside the new underwear he bought himself as a gift. He makes the mistake of feeling the tip for wetness, which, of course, is right there. And, god, he hopes it isn’t leaking through to make a dark spot on the front of his trousers.

He pays and thanks the driver, opening the door to find the end of his scarf coated with brown, sandy slush. It’s dripping like mad as he lifts it off the ground, as he tries to close the car door and not step in the salty, puddled mess next to the curb.

The night has already begun with a failure, as he slips on the sidewalk and loses his balance. He closes his eyes as he sees very clearly what is about to happen. He’s going to land on his ass and ruin his night.

But the fall doesn’t happen. Instead, he is rescued. He is rescued by a tall, dark, devastatingly handsome man dressed in a familiar Santa cap. Gold-brown eyes twinkle down at him, and Aziraphale feels his breath catch in his throat. 

“Oh!” he manages, shocked and thrilled and a hundred other emotions all at once. Anthony has both hands firmly under Aziraphale’s elbows. And he’s smiling.

He’s smiling.

“See,” he begins, voice six shades of seductive as he steadies Aziraphale on his feet. “I thought maybe I could eventually convince you to fall for me, but this is ridiculous.”

Read on AO3

[makeyoumine69]

Yo! How do you think Patrick will react when he finds out that his girlfriend has been hiding the fact that she is very sick? I love your stories by the way, keep it up!😇

Reckless

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: Patrick Bateman x Fem!Reader

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: Fluff, hurt/comfort, pet names, established relationships, reader is a total brat.

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒: [MASTERLIST]🪓

𝐀/𝐍: Hello dear anon! Thank you sm for the kind words and sorry it took me a while to finish this request, I have been struggling with brain fog these days.

A suffocating, never-ending cough has been plaguing you for the past few days. Exhausted and irritated by your current state, you had to stay at home, barely interacting with the outside world...including Patrick, and of course he didn't like it when you told him in your last phone call that you were absolutely fine when you weren't. And you were sure Bateman didn't buy it, but right now you didn't care what he thought or didn't think. 

You popped another pill, took a big gulp of water, and rubbed your face before leaving your bathroom—you still had to solve this fucked up situation with your health insurance, which had expired for some random reason. Luckily, you always had some medicine for basic needs, but as your illness progressed, those meds weren't really helping you anymore.

As soon as you walked into your living room, you sneezed several times and at one point you thought about putting a clothespin on your nose to stop the sneezing. God, you hated being sick, but you hated being sick even more when you had to solve something. Picking up the phone, you were already looking in your notebook for the number of the health insurance company when the doorbell rang. The sound of it startled you a bit and you barely managed to hold the phone in your hands.

Who the hell is that?

Grumbling annoyedly, you walked to the door and opened it without looking at the peephole. To be honest, you were expecting to see anyone else but not him. 

"Pat-Patrick?" You blurted out in confusion, pressing a napkin to your sore nose. "What are you doing here?"

"You're alive," the man replied curtly with a wry grin. "That's a relief."

You narrowed your eyes before letting out a chuckle that almost turned into a cough. "Of course I'm alive... what made you think otherwise?"

"Yesterday I called you five times or maybe even more," Bateman explained, leaning against the doorjamb, his whole posture speaking volumes about how nervous he was. "So I wanted to make sure you were okay."

You sighed tiredly and crossed your arms over your chest, doing your best to suppress your cough and hide the napkin in your hand.

"Well, you see, I'm fine...nothing to worry about. I was just...a little busy yesterday."

"Busy? With what? Or with whom?"

"God, Patrick," you growled in irritation, pulling him inside so the neighbors wouldn't gossip about the two of you later. "Your jealousy is killing me sometimes."

As you closed the door behind him, you thought it would be better to leave him alone and let him take off his coat since it was quite stuffy in here, but Patrick didn't let you go and grabbed your hand firmly but gently.

"It's not jealousy, honey," Bateman crooned, getting closer to your face and attempting to kiss you, but you turned away at the last moment. "Hmm, don't you want to give your boyfriend a kiss after not seeing him in a while?"

Distancing yourself a bit, you carefully pulled your hand out of his grasp. "I've been busy with work," it wasn't a lie. "You probably don't know what it's like... to be busy."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"You don't look well," his scrutinizing gaze examined you as if you were a piece of art in a museum, and due to the bright light in your apartment it was now impossible to hide your bloodshot eyes. "Are you sick or something?"

Even if I am, I don't need a babysitter.

Instead of saying that, you just wanted to walk away without answering, because you really didn't want to be a troublemaker, you could take care of yourself, but then again, he didn't allow you to move, his hands wrapped around your body like tight ropes.

"Sweetheart...talk to me."

"Fine! I didn't sleep well last night!" Damn, how were you going to tell him that you were so sick and your health insurance was fucked up for some reason? "That's all."

And than a disaster happened—you sneezed so hard that you almost stained his cashmere Prada coat. The fleeting moment of complete silence and shock between you two didn't last long as you sneezed again, then again, completely forgetting about the napkin crumpled in your hands.

"What the..." Patrick was about to curse and back away, but the sight of you almost fainting before his eyes made him forget about his stained coat. "Jesus Christ," he quickly scooped you up in his arms, holding you bridal style, and strolled down the hall to your small but cozy living room, where he gently placed you on the couch. "What... What do you want me to do to help you? Hey! Don't you dare pass out!"

Despite the terrible headache and the strong fatigue, you were still in a clear state of mind and you could swear to God that you'd never seen Patrick so panicked before, his eyes darting all over your face, his big palms cold against your hot cheeks and his voice so worried that you were afraid he might have a heart attack.

"I'm fine," you murmured suddenly, covering his trembling hands with yours. "It's just a cold...but a glass of water would be nice."

Still shocked, Bateman quickly pecked your forehead and sauntered into the kitchen, and he had no idea where you kept the damn glasses. The man almost broke the cabinet door, but then he finally found what he was looking for.

The time Patrick was gone felt like an eternity, you were still lying on the couch looking at the ceiling above you, sometimes you could see black spots behind your eyes from how badly your head was hurting. When you thought about getting up to check on Bateman, he came into the room with a glass of water in his hand.

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" He asked you before handing you a glass. "Look at you, you can barely sit."

After taking a sip of water, you felt a little better, but then you had a coughing fit that nearly broke you in two. Patrick took off his coat and jacket and pulled up the sleeves of his shirt before sitting down next to you and dragging you onto his lap.

"I'm sorry," was the only thing you managed to say. "I didn't mean...to bother you."

Frowning, the man took the glass from your small hands and placed it on the coffee table. "Geez, what are you talking about?" Patrick's voice never sounded that serious. "Listen to me, dear. You really need to stop acting like a child and let me help you."

"I have medicine," you replied, as if all his words had fallen on deaf ears. "I'll be fine...I-"

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"I... I was going to see a doctor..." You weren't used to lying to people, so you chuckled awkwardly. "Today."

"Oh yeah? That means we can go together," the man brushed your messy hair from your face, his fingertips feeling so soft against your skin that for a slipping second you wished time would stop so you could enjoy this moment of intimacy a little longer. "My chauffeur is waiting-"

Suddenly you put your hand over his mouth to stop him talking. "Patrick...I don't want you to get mad but...we can't go to the hospital because my health insurance has expired," you saw his eyes darken even though he sat still and didn't try to free himself. "I have medicine and I really thought I could handle it myself without going to a doctor and spending a lot of money..."

And that was when his patience broke—in one swift motion he pushed your hand away and stood up—his face turning red with frustration.

"I can't believe a woman as smart as you can be so reckless sometimes," his words bordered on a scolding, but then he tried to calm down, rubbing the bridge of his nose and letting out a tired sigh. "What were you supposed to do? Sit here and wait to die alone or what?"

Somehow you were offended by his teacher-like attitude. "Stop it! You know I hate doctors and hospitals and needles! I don't want to...I don't want to go there...I'm scared."

Being on the verge of a breakdown, Bateman began to walk in circles around the room until he found several jars of pills sitting on the table next to you—how had he not noticed them before? Without saying a word, the man picked them up, took a proper look at the name of the medicine and tossed them somewhere behind you.

"WHAT THE HELL?" You instinctively covered yourself. "Are you crazy?"

"You really thought some vitamins would help you? Fucking vitamins?! Are those the meds you were talking about?" He towered over you, pointing to the side where he had thrown the jars of pills earlier. "You're kidding me, right?"

You hid your face in your quivering hands, so close to bursting into tears. "I told you—I'm scared! I'm scared of needles...I know if I go to the hospital I'll get hurt there!"

You didn't notice that you were already crying, and seeing you like that was what Bateman hated the most. The man closed the distance between you in several large steps and then, crouching before you, his hands carefully removed yours so he could see your face.

"Do you trust me?" He asked you suddenly, his hazel eyes fixed on yours. "Because if you don't, our relationship makes no sense."

These words struck a chord in you because of how disappointed and worried he sounded. Was the fear of hospitals really that big that you couldn't handle it?

"I trust you," you finally replied. "I'm just afraid that I have a serious illness and I'm gonna die."

Humming something to himself, Patrick took both your hands in his to give them a delicate kiss. "Don't be ridiculous, darling," he pecked your hands again, squeezing them a little harder. "I'm taking you to the best hospital in town. You'll get better, and then we'll have a nice vacation somewhere by the water. Deal?"

Even though you didn't know what was going through his head when he decided to use this childish trick to bait you like that, at some point you were grateful to him because you could finally relax a bit.

"Promise?"

With a mischievous grin, the man straightened up and planted a lingering kiss on the top of your head. "Of course, babygirl. You have my word." Bateman hugged you tightly and you buried your nose in the crook of his neck, but you couldn't smell his cologne because you were so sick. "I only want the best for you because I love...I love taking care of you."

You couldn't help but smile. "I love you too, Patrick," you purred in his ear, nuzzling his perfectly shaved cheek. "But throwing my meds around was not necessary."

Or maybe it was but you would never tell him that.

P.S. Thank you for reading until the end! I don’t have a taglist. You can follow my writing community to know when I update!💞

[one-idea]

I just realized that I misswrote something on the post the other day about the whitebeards assuming that fem ace was pregnant.

But it gave me another idea:

The whitebeards assuming that Ace and Deuce are married due to their antics.

(Mainly because of Deuce having that fond and kind of gleeful expression whenever ace destroys things and them sleeping together all the time)

Listen!!!! Everyone knows Deuce is in love with Ace. There is no secret there.

No if we are staying in the Whitebread mistaking Ace for being pregnant after she meets Sabo again (see post here)

Deuce is being super sweet and supportive. He’s trying his best (along with the other spades) to shut down any rumors about their former captain.

Until one day he goes to drop of Ace’s dinner and he tries to talking to her again. “You know I’m always here for you. No matter what. I know we’re on a new crew but you will always be my captain and I will always be YOUR 1st mate. I will be by our side no matter what.” Deuce trying to be comforting even though Ace hasn’t looked at him in weeks.

Ace, who has spent the past month think about her brother what was supposed dead for years only to be alive and forgotten their bond. Questioning if she’s even worth remembering. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Even the strongest bonds fade over time. No matter how strong they were or how much they promised.”

Deuce, for the first time wondering if the rumors are true and his best friend/crush did fall in love and get pregnant only to be abandoned. What else could make her feel this way? She always believed in her bonds with people. Her younger sibling Luffy being the most important. And as far as Deuce knew Luffy was fine. “bonds might change but my loyalty to you never will. If you need me I’ll be there. No matter what.”

Ace actually turns to look at him. She’s crying again and she wants so badly not to cry anymore but Sabo is alive and wants nothing to do with her and it’s been so long since she’s felt this worthless. “Stay with me?”

Deuce stays. They’re not doing anything just taking and sleeping. But the rumor mill goes crazy. People talking about how Deuce finally got the girl. How he’s stepping up for Ace and they’re proud of him. Some wonder if it was a lovers spat all along.

But some a ruder about it. And one poor soul, probably Teach because he sucks. Says something about Deuce being so pathetically in love that he’d take a ruined woman and her bastard. Deuce hears it and it’s the first time he’s ever punched a crew mate before. Not because of what they said about him but because of the disrespect and latent sexism towards Ace. (Who again is not pregnant)

Whitebeard is big stressed. He’s got so many rumors flying. A possible grandchild on the way. A possible father as a revolutionary to hunt down. And one of his doctors just broke his hand from punching another one of his son’s in the face. (He proud once the whole story is explained but why him)

When Sabo shows up everyone one of the gossipers is ready for a show down only to be slack jawed because 1) that’s Ace’s brother! 2) she’s not pregnant!

And somehow Deuce and Marcos get roped in (Ace asked them) to giving Sabo a full exam (he was just tackled to the ground) main to insure he’s memories are all right.

Once again quite a confusing day for all.

On the other hand if we’re talking about another story entirely when fem Ace and Deuce are assumed to be married.

The Whitebeard’s are the biggest gossips. You do not have a crew that big that’s all “family” and not get into each others business.

And deuce is so obviously in love with his formal captain. He watches he burn down enemies (a terrifying thing to witness) like it’s a work of art. He is warm to her and goes out of his way to make sure they still see each other as much as possible.

But Ace does to. Their stand offish little sister is warm to her former crew in general but it’s obvious that Deuce is special. She goes out of her way to see him. Even hang out in the infirmary when he can’t leave. A place most commanders avoid like the plague.

The two used to share a room on their old ship and it’s not uncommon for Deuce to spend the night in Ace’s quarters now.

All the Whitebeard’s think they’re married. Heck most of the Spades think they’re married. It’s only the original crew that knows they’re not. They don’t correct anyone because they have so many bets on when the two idiots will actually get together and refuse to have any of these idiots speed up their time tables.

It isn’t until Ace is hanging out with the other commanders on night and Izou asks Ace if she’d like to invite her husband to join them. (They wouldn’t mind him joining them, sure it’s normally commanders only but they can make an exception for the only married pair.)

Ace looks are him supper confused, but before she can speak Marco does. “My fault. I scheduled Deuce to work tonight so I could join you. Next time I’ll put someone else in charge.” He directs the second point to Ace almost as if he’s apologizing for incovining her.

Now Ace is very confused because “I’m not married to Deuce.”

“You’re not!” They all yell at once before looking between each other.

“Do you want to be?” Thatch asked and Ace started sputtering. And that’s it. The commanders are looking between each other. It’s game on. You ever gets Ace and Deuce together wins.

Once Ace leaves they establish rules. They can have help from their divisions. So if one of the nurses convinces Deuce to propose then Marco wins. What do they win. Being Whitebeard’s current favorite. He’s not a man who ranks his children but he was there for the whole conversation. If Ace and Deuce aren’t married and decide to get married guess who is marrying them! Thats right Whitebeard. He’s pumped. The winner gets unofficial title of favorite plus a week off.

The game is on.

Meanwhile Ace is now looking at Deuce completely differently. She had never thought of him in that light before but now… her whole world view has shifted.

She’s trying to navigate this monumental shift while getting pushed into increasingly crazy scenarios with Deuce.

Meanwhile Deuce has always known he had a crush on her. He knew Ace didn’t see him that way so he had decided to ignore it and be friends. Ace’s friendship was enough. But now Ace is acting weird around him and they keep getting stuck together and the nurse and doctors have started telling him how cute they would be together and he feels like he’s losing his mind a bit. It’s not going to happen and he’s okay with that.

It’s a lot of shenanigans

[andi-dromeda]

This is art for my New All Caste au. Basically, Jason wants to rebuild the all caste in order to keep the culture alive and also to have more people who can fight the untitled. Since Essence is busy sharing a body with Isabel, Jason decides he’ll do it on his own. He was the only human to be able to learn how to wield the all blades and the all blades are connected to his soul so he uses some random magic item to find people with souls like his. The two people he finds first are Tara and Grant. So now he has to redeem them according to all caste standards so murder is fine but other than that Jason’s got his work cut out for him.

In this au, they did all die at some point but stayed dead long enough for all of them to have ended up roughly the same age. Originally when Jason was 13, Tara was 15 and Grant was 20 but now they’re all roughly twenty. I keep saying ‘roughly’ because Jason was in a coma and unresponsive for a bit so if you ignored that year then he’d probably be more like nineteen.

Also, since I don’t think I’d be able to handle the whole cannon Tara and Slade situation with the gravity it requires and since I just prefer them to have a slightly messed up mentor mentor dynamic, Slade never groomed Tara. Or at least not that kind of grooming. He still probably wasn’t the best to her but nothing romantic or sexual ever happened. He treated her and saw her just like the rest of his kids so whilst she’d still have issues because of him, it won’t be those kind of issues.

Once Grant came back to life he decided not to reconnect with his family because whilst he did miss Joey, this was his chance to have a life completely separate from his parents and he wasn’t going to pass that up. Mostly he just hung out with his old pall Jade and did jobs with her until Jason showed up.

Jason met Tara first and when he gave her his sales pitch she was living with Slade, Tanya, Rose and Poppy. She’d just gotten into a fight with Slade and took up Jason’s offer because he promised health insurance, dental, free food, living in the Chamber of All where no one but Jason and S’ara could get to, and getting magic swords by the end of it which she could brag about to Rose sounded like a pretty good deal. However, after her many bad experiences she isn’t exactly the most trusting person so gave him a fake name - Rocky. (I know it’s silly but if she used Terra as an alias, Rocky isn’t completely out of the question.)

When he gave the pitch to Grant, Grant said he’d go if he got payed and after being Red Hood for a while Jason had gotten a lot of money he mostly just spent on reinvesting in Gotham but still had more than he knew what to do with. He figured rebuilding the all caste was a good enough goal to spend money on so agreed and Grant joined the team.

From there they take a while to get along with each other. They take even longer to figure out who everyone is. Grant never heard of Tara and Jason only heard bits and pieces from Dick when he’d visit but Dick never talked a lot about her because either she’d already betrayed them or was just a plain headache to deal with. Grant died before Jason became Robin so would only know him as the Red hood guy whose friends with Jade’s ex and Tara would have probably only heard about Jason through Rose. Granted she wasn’t paying that much attention. Whilst they all vaguely know the others are capes too, no one actually bothered to mention their identities so it takes Tara inviting them to a family dinner for them to all figure out who the others are.

Also random things:

Terra loves to wind Grant up because he reacts more than Jason. Jason and Grant are the first to start getting along and bond over their shared interests like swords, hating Dick Grayson and some niche metal band no one else has ever heard of. Whilst Jason teaches them to meditate, Tara likes to move rocks until someone else notices. One time she made the ground she was sitting on hover up to ten feet in the air until Grant noticed (if you ask him, he’ll say he realised she was gone because it was too peaceful).

@autisticrosewilson

[rosethornewrites]

T & G reading since 12/8

Finished

Teen:

Battle Chefs: Live Finale, by sami (2nd in a series)

LIVEBLOG: BATTLE CHEFS SEASON 11 EPISODE 50: LIVE FINAL

by Sisi

Hello everyone! I'm sure you're all wondering why Qin Su isn't doing this. Don't worry, she's fine - better than fine, assuming she isn't right this second in the middle of a panic attack, she's not doing the liveblog because she's attending the Live Final. I'm not quite sure how it happened, she was hyperventilating too much to tell me.

Saccharine delights, by jalpari (2 chapters) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/41062998/chapters/102919839)

Wei Wuxian realizes that Lan Wangji secretly loves sweet treats. So he becomes Lan Wangji's literal sugar daddy.

[ ART KY KAK IN CHAPTER 2!!! ]

The Worst Man for the Job, by mondengel (🔒) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/22880818)

Lan Qiren pens the announcement for the rest of the cultivation world.

Moments of Revelation, by meyari (57 chapters)

As the Jianghu collapses around Jiang Cheng's ears, his borrowed core begins to fail. Wei Wuxian has one final trick up his sleeve, though the only person who can use it is the one person who has no core of his own: Jiang Cheng. Time travel may be impossible for everyone else, but Jiang Cheng has one slender, delicate chance to save the entire world. Of course he has to take it no matter what the cost might be.

Found you, by Amisamitami

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan meet again at a museum, they get their memories back.

He stoped at a flute looking at it with curiosity, suddenly he saw himself playing the flute and riding a donkey, a man with white robes in front of him. 'How funny, maybe a memory of my previous life' Wei Ying joked

Blur the Edges of Memory, by geethr75 (🔒, 30 chapters)

He had been Sandu Shengshou, had built his Sect to be one of the richest and strongest after it had burned down, had raised a nephew from infancy, had squatted in the sun alongside his men, nailing planks, had carried timber, sawed wood, dug latrines, had haggled for hours with vendors while he rebuilt his home.

And he’d done it all by himself.

That man had had no pride in those days, because he couldn’t afford it.

In the now, he feels a twinge of regret for the loss of Zidian, and lets it go. Because he has learned through blood and sweat and tears, and endless nights of grief that he would rather lose all that than the man who sat opposite him, worrying his teeth between his lips, the man who he never stopped loving, and whom he had hated and missed desperately for thirteen years and more.

His brother who had been forced into a dark path because he had tried to help Jiang Cheng.

General:

better run, better run, outrun my gun, by zylaa

“Lan Zhan! It’s been forever! I can’t believe you recognized me,” he said. This was almost worth pulling the mask down for again, like he had for the adorable lady behind the desk at the hostel. Adorable, but also probably could bench press a man if she wanted to—how could he not flirt with her?

Lan Zhan held up his phone. “You’re on the news,” he said.

Wei Wuxian’s many simultaneous trains of thought all screeched to a halt at once.

“I’m what?”

*

An AU in which Wei Wuxian is the hot guy suspected of assassinating health insurance CEO Jin Guangshan.

My Baba (by Sizhui, age 7 1/2), by treemaidengeek (🔒)

A grieving Lan Wangji is trying his best to raise his son.

This is Sizhui's story in his own words. He drew it himself. He hopes you like it.

Decorating, by Quiet_crash

A-Yuan is a Lan and wears a ribbon on his forehead because his Father is a Lan and also wears a ribbon. Following this logic, Father's rabbits are also Lan but they don't have ribbons. This must be addressed.

Brothers, Brothers-in-Law and Husbands, by xxxMiaHikarixxx

Due to a curse's remnants, Lan Zhan can't recognize Wei Ying in his new body and accidentally hurts him. As more and more people become aware of the fact, some other discoveries are made leading to an unexpected turn of events; though some may say that Wei Ying knew that would happen all along xD

different people with a common pain, by littledust

After the events of canon, Lan Sizhui and Wen Ning encounter a village gripped by sickness. Sizhui's memories of Wen Qing return as he watches Wen Ning use his medical training.

Unfinished

Teen:

To Repeat, Repay, and Repair, by adrian_kres (🔒)

Wei Wuxian has died again and his family grieves. Lan Sizhui, now married and with children of his own, grieves the loss of both fathers, as Lan Wangji has entered seclusion. But somehow, he unknowingly sends himself back to the time he spent in the Burial Mounds at three years old. Will his family take his confused, nonsensical warnings seriously? Are they doomed to repeat the same fate?

Told from alternating points of view.

And to My Surprise, Neither One of Us Has Died, by muckkles

Mo Xuanyu wakes up alone and scared in the middle of Cloud Recesses with no memories of what his body has been up to for the past year. He never really expected to wake again at all. Now he's going to have to actually deal with all the issues he tried to make disappear by sacrificing himself to the Yiling Patriarch's ritual, all while sharing a body with the man himself.

OR: Post Canon Body Swap AU where Mo Xuanyu's spirit reappears and he and Wei Wuxian periodically switch consciousnesses back and forth.

Still waters run deep, by KizuKatana (🔒, 3rd in a series)

In his entire life, Lan Wangji had scrupulously studied and followed his sect’s rules. It had been a point of pride for him that not even his brother - who was revered by all and was being groomed to be the next sect leader - had as perfect a record of never violating the rules as Lan Wangji did.

Yet somehow, within minutes of meeting Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji had violated more than a dozen of his clan’s rules, some of them repeatedly, most of them severely. Worst of all for Lan Wangji was that he couldn’t even understand why he had done so. ( Be of one mind. Maintain your own discipline. Be strict with yourself ).

...

In the morning, he sought his elder brother's guidance and asked for punishment (and possibly exorcism). Lan Wangji respected his elder brother’s judgement about how best Lan Wangji was to learn this lesson. Some knowledge could only be acquired through direct experience and deep contemplation, and cannot be taught through a simple telling of facts. Perhaps this was one of those lessons.

Lan Wangji would endeavor to understand this lesson so he could regain his self control and discipline, and once again find inner peace.

...

Lan Wangji did not find inner peace.

so i cut the shackles and changed my name, by MichelleFeather

“A-Ying, should anything happen, should you be separated from us or find yourself in need of help, find Lan Qiren in Cloud Recesses. No matter what’s happened, he will keep you safe. He has sworn to me his home will always be open to you, no matter what.”

Following the advice of his late mother, Wei Ying runs away from Lotus Pier, knowing that if he were to stay, he would likely die at the hands of Madam Yu.

And, he finds, the Lan Clan is the place where he was always supposed to be.

General:

An Unforeseen Shift, by Remma3760

Wei Wuxian found a resentful sword deep in the bowels of a famed beast. He took it. That turned out to be fortunate since, it would seem, the sword had more than one purpose. That sword was the key to their escape from certain death trapped in the cave of the Slaughter Xuanwu.

[lily-alphonse]

Not super rare at all but Pierre and Morris 💔

Fantastic let's make these slimy weasels kiss

I literally just remembered Pierre's married LOL that's how much I care about his and Caroline's marriage.

With the Robin x Haley one I was like oh nooo I can't break up her marriage owie and this one I'm so chill with wrecking. Caroline will be fine I'm sure. She's already checked out.

If you like this pairing, I love this meme by @vilochkaaa , actually check out their whole blog there is so much great MorrisxPierre art. That meme is exactly how I imagine them.

Capitalism is their kink. They would absolutely exploit each other to make money if at all possible. Like, even if you like Morris' arc in his mod and want to think the best of him, he is not okay if he ends up with Pierre. That's his bad ending. They are making each other worse 100%.

Anyway, getting into it, it ends vaguely spicy so yk reader discretion advised or whatever

Of the two of them, Pierre is more aggressively manipulative.

Morris is a general manager. He is living the hell that is middle management and absolutely used to getting shit on daily by his district manager, I'm sure. So when Joja closes and he gets fired, he’s left hanging with no one to boss him around, and Pierre can fill that role.

Morris doesn’t live in Pelican Town so why does he stay? Revenge. And also a job. Now that Joja is closed, Pierre is open an additional day and needs help managing the influx of customers.

Morris comes to beg for a job. He has no choice if he wants to stick around and get his revenge on the farmer. But he tries to sell the villagers on this whole changed-man act. He’s learned from his ways. He’s making an honest living now.

But he starts to see Pierre is actually more similar to him than he thought. He’s shady, passing off produce from the farmer as his own, changing expiration dates on pantry goods, etc.

Pierre always works with him, probably because he doesn't trust Morris. He always handles the sales, and relegates Morris to lowly stocking and loading. If Morris is working, Pierre is there over his shoulder. Surely it’s only a lack of trust and nothing else, right?

They frequently end up closing the store alone together. At first Pierre would send Morris away before turning off the main store lights. Then he started doing it earlier, while they were still cleaning. Morris felt like he was being tested somehow, so he only continued as he was.

One day Pierre corners him as he’s exiting the broom closet. The main store lights are off and the air is thick and silent. He asks him if he’d like to make a bit of extra cash on the side, and it’s exactly as nefarious as it sounds.

Morris isn't sure why he agrees at first. Sure he loves money, but he isn’t so desperate as that. Well, not desperate for money anyway. But maybe he is touch-starved enough to get on his knees in a dusty broom closet...

Oop lol That's my most scandalous ending so far. Yeah it'd be a smut what else am I supposed to do, insurance fraud? They're so toxic lol.

This ask is a part of the (now closed) SDV Rarepair Challenge! Check out the other answers here, and make sure to boost your favorite so it can appear in the final fic poll! More info on that here.

[copperbadge]

Hello, Sam! I’m one of your neighbours, and I’m presently job hunting, coming out of a professional services career. I’ve been eyeing work in the nonprofit sector, and was wondering if you have any advice on entering you might share? I am aware it doesn’t typically pay the way for-profit tends to, which is fine; Chicago’s COL is Chicago’s COL, though, and can I reasonably expect to be able to continue to live in the city?

Hey fellow Chicagoan!

So, it kind of depends on a couple of factors, like what jobs you're looking at in the nonprofit sector, which nonprofit you end up with, and what your current COL is in Chicago. I was living...comfortable-ish on $55K/yr, but I was in a cheap one-bedroom rental situation and had reduced-fee student loans, no partner or children, and was used to living very cheaply. I now earn roughly $75K/yr with a mortgage and no student loans, but I still had to put a few things on credit to do the Europe trip (since paid off). For context, after taxes $75K a year is roughly $5K/mo, of which I get about $2.5K/mo after mortgage and bills (including vision and dental insurance, which I don't get through my work).

I work for a small nonprofit of about 35 people (about half in fundraising) with a yearly fundraise of $10M or so. I was actually far less well-compensated at my last job, which was a massive organization with a 200-person fundraising team alone. But if you're coming from for-profit your best bet is still to look at large orgs, like United Way or UIC or similar. I know from experience the museums in Chicago, while delightful, generally have to pay somewhat below industry standard (when I changed jobs from a $55K to a $75K job, the Art Institute was offering $40K for the same position).

Without knowing your previous industry and where you're looking to land it's tough to offer useful information, but it is possible to live in Chicago, even in downtown, and work for a nonprofit, it just depends on other factors. And I don't have a ton of info on what other non-fundraising people who work at nonprofits get paid. :/

If you like, feel free to hit me up at copperbadge@gmail.com and I'm happy to get more specific; I can also pass along some good jobsearch websites for specifically the nonprofit field. But I would definitely start by researching larger nonprofits, either local to Chicago or national with Chicago branches, and checking out comp salaries in your field.

[alphabetboyluvr]

danbi dog walking w/ tae sort of meet cute-type date vibes

🪩 WORDCOUNT | 700 (exactly!) 🪩 NOTE FROM HOLLY | so i kinda think they're impossible to have a meet-cute, just because danbi was sooooo anti-tae at the start. like she always knew he was interested and used to try soooo hard to pretend that she wasnt!!! plus if anyone is a man hater (complimentary <3) it's danbi!! I can't remember when, but i know it's mentioned earlier on in the story that tae had been at memorial park with dan so.... here u go!

🪩 BD DRABBLES MASTERPOST 🪩

“Again?” Danbi sighs as she notices the man walking towards her up through the path of the Memorial Park.

She’d put her hands on her hips if either of them were free - but she’s currently got three dogs to each hand. The leads wrap around so tightly it’s a miracle her fingers haven’t fallen off yet.

Still, her facial expression conveys everything her body can’t - and yet Kim Taehyung has the audacity to stand there fucking smiling. 

“Fancy seeing you here!” He beams, turning on his heel to stop himself from walking on by. Doesn't miss a beat. Heads in the same direction as Danbi, now.

“Y’know, some people would consider this stalking,” she tells him with nothing but disdain. 

“See, I would agree,” Taehyung answers with contemplative arrogance. “But it’s funny - DB seems to reckon you’ve changed your route, recently?”

“Oh has she, now?” Danbi says, resisting the urge to curse you out. Loves you to death, but knows exactly what you’re doing. Begins to think that your joke about dressing up as cupid for Halloween isn’t really a joke.

“Mhmm,” Taehyung nods, hands in pockets. A little shy, but trying desperately hard not to be. “You used to do your walks down by the river, apparently.”

Danbi’s jaw is tense. Unwavering. “Sometimes a change of scenery is good. Gives the pups more mental stimulation. Different smells.”

“There are so many parks in the city,” he muses.

“Well I’ll pick a different one, once I’ve decided they’ve had enough of this one.”

“Maybe you should try the city forest,” Taehyung suggests. “The one by the last stop on line two. I go there pretty often, too.”

The narrowing of Danbi’s eyes only serves to make Taehyung smile. He’s learning pretty quickly which buttons of Danbi’s to press - and given how easy it is to wind her up, he doesn’t have to try particularly hard. 

It’s what he likes about her, though. She’s fiery. Ignites a little something inside him.

“My route choices have nothing to do with you.”

“No?” He challenges. “So why’d it change after you found out my studio overlooks Memorial Park?”

“Coincidence.”

“Y’know,” Taehyung smirks. “Some people would consider it stalking.”

If there’s one thing Danbi hates, it’s when men make her smile - and Taehyung is getting dangerously close to that. She has to nip this in the bud, or otherwise her mild-infatuation with him will inevitably grow, and she cannot let that happen.

She’s dated musicians. Dated pretty boys. Ones with egos. Knows that artists are even worse.

And the ones who look like Kim Taehyung? Nothing but trouble. She knows that as soon as her guard is down, some girl from his art school will end up back in his DM’s and then she’ll have to fight for his attention, which she refuses to do. Dreads to think of the notches in his bedpost. Doesn’t wanna have to look at the art he’s made from other muses.

Again, she’s dated men who are menaces before. Had songs written for other girls cosplayed as serenades for her (fuck you, Sanghyuk). Refuses to let it happen again.

Better to just fight with him. Easier that way.

She’s incapable of doing anything by half measures though, so hatred seems like the best course of action.

“With all due respect, Taehyung, I’m working,” she shrugs, picking up her pace.

“Let me help.”

“No.”

“I'm good with animals.”

“You’re not insured.”

“I know how to walk a dog”

“No.”

“Let me-”

“Fine! Take Mabel,” Danbi finally relents, adjusting the leashes to hold one out from him. On the end is a Pomeranian, not too dissimilar from Taehyung’s own dog - the same dog Taehyung keeps trying to convince Danbi to walk, just so he has an excuse to see her. “She bites.”

“It’s fine,” Taehyung says, taking the leash in his palm and wrapping it over slightly for a little extra security. Starts walking. Is cheeky, as he says, “I’m used to bitches who bite.”

“You did not just call me a bitch,” Danbi gasps, genuinely affronted. It’s the first time throughout this entire interaction that Taehyung thinks he’s getting genuine emotion from her. Knows the rest of it is bull.

“Well, are you planning on biting me?” He flirts. Wouldn’t be opposed. In fact, he’d quite like it.

“Shut up,” she whines with a deadly roll of her eyes. “Just walk the damn dog."

[firstclassinsurance]

Jewelry Business Insurance - arts insurance

In the vibrant realm of artistic expression, your jewelry creations are more than mere products; they are works of art. Jewelry business insurance recognizes and safeguards the artistic and financial value of your pieces, offering protection against a range of potential risks. Whether you operate a boutique studio, a retail store, or an online platform, this insurance provides a safety net that extends from the crafting bench to the display case.

Coverage typically includes protection against theft, damage, or loss of your valuable inventory, ensuring that your artistic investments are shielded from unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, liability coverage is designed to protect your business from potential legal claims related to your products or operations. As a jewelry artisan, you understand the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into each piece, and jewelry business insurance is there to preserve the passion and dedication you've invested.

Moreover, in a world where artisans engage with customers both in-person and online, this insurance provides peace of mind by covering potential risks associated with sales, exhibitions, and shipping. Whether your creations are on display at an art fair, in a gallery, or being shipped to a satisfied customer, you can focus on your craft knowing that your business is protected.

Choosing the right jewelry business insurance is an investment in the longevity and prosperity of your artistic venture. It's a testament to the recognition of the unique challenges faced by jewelry artisans, ensuring that your passion for creating beautiful and meaningful pieces is safeguarded against the unpredictable nature of the art and business world.

[whoiskt]

I didn't do my end of the year questions last year and it messed up the year for me so HERE YA GO:

1. What did you do in 2024 that you’d never done before?

Man, I don't know really? I feel like I used to have so many each year and now I'm struggling to think of any. I went to LA for the first time?

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't know what my resolution was but I'm pretty sure I didn't do it.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, but basically yes. That's me being a touch dramatic but like, it really does feel like a certain someone died.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024?

Clear skin.

7. What dates from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

None, shit memory, nothing crazy happened this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving. It was a bit of a rough one.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I would have liked to achieve more and be more confident in myself by now. It's mostly many small failures in that way. Like, I'm still mad at myself for not presenting my finals well. I did fine in class overall but it was a bit of a bummer at the end there.

Also like, my financials in general are very not great.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not really, which is good. I had the flu which was scary for a hot second because I had a 104° fever that wouldn't break, and I ain't got no health insurance so I was worried I was going to be forced to go to the doctor and pay out of pocket, which lead to me having a panic attack while already fevering. But I was fine in the end.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I barely bought anything this year that wasn't rent, credit card payments, or tuition. Or Celsius.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

God, I don't know. Let me know. I would like to know.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled?

Not naming names....... but rest assured there was appalling behavior.

14. Where did most of your money go?

See #11, lol.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

School. But I won't make that mistake again. I think school is bad for me mental healths. But we stay silly.

16. What song will always remind you of 2024?

The entire Arcane soundtrack.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

SADDER FATTER POORER

the holy trifecta 😎👍

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Make money.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Doubt and despair.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Went back home. My second oldest sister was with her in-laws on Christmas Day, so we shifted our Christmas to the 26th. So, on the actual day of, I was just kind of chilling with my folks, we had lasagna, watched The Holiday, and played some games.

21. Did you fall in love in 2024?

Oh yeah, always falling in love babey.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Arcane, Blue Eye Samurai, Dungeon Meshi, What We Do in the Shadows, Law and Order: SVU were my lifeblood. Also rewatched Danny Phantom. Started a lot of good shows I'm yet to finish--literally took a TV history class and I have a huge To Watch list.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

(weary sigh) No, I'm not cut out to hate people.

24. What was the best book you read?

Honestly, most of my reading was academic this year so I didn't finish many books. But House of Leaves was pretty wild and fun. That is one of maybe 3 books I finished this year ahahahaha.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I didn't "discover" Will Wood this year but I finally gave in and listened to more of his discography, discovered many bangers, which is how he ended up as my #2 on Spotify Wrapped.

26. What did you want and get?

Feedback on my art. Got to go home during summer which was nice too.

27. What did you want and not get?

Better. Wait, is that too general of an answer?

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

The Wild Robot.

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Not dying?

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?

Whatever doesn't have holes in it (and some things that have less obvious holes too)

31. What kept you sane?

Friends.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Well, I support that guy who shot that insurance CEO... Don't know if I'd go as far as 'fancy' though.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

God... I don't know. I feel like the world is a ton of bricks and we're getting pelted by it all the time. And it was fucking election year, and look how that turned out...... but I will try not to fall into despair.

34. Who did you miss?

I miss my bro-in-law :(

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024.

I learned something big and important but I can't remember how I articulated it. I've been having issues with self-worth, and often I fall back to old failures to make things worse, and I've learned that focusing too much on failure doesn't just prevent more failure, it prevents any movement at all including progress or success. So, I've been doing better with that.

So, I guess I've been learning to let things go more.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I had the perfect lyric for this but I can't remember what song it was anymore. It was like literally one random line in a song.... gr... this will bother me. If I think of it, I'll let everyone know and update it.

For now you can have this:

[riftdancing]

Second Question. Siyoh Mari. She grew up in Doma? She aided the revolution? Did she stay after it failed? Was she there the entire time of the occupation? If so how did she survive? How does she feel about the people that didn't stay?

There's an implication of secret there, so feel free not to share that if there is one.

Oh no worries! I am quite open about Siyoh's history. She is a very proud and patriotic Doman!

So Siyoh's Mother, Aanya, was Thavnarian born and raised and her Father, Sasja, was Doman born and raised. They met in Thavnair while Sasja was trading goods from Doma. Basically he spied Aanya entertaining in the markets with her Dancing, and immediately fell head over heels for her.

He extended his stay in Thavnair so he could court her for a few weeks, visiting her frequently in the Markets before he finally worked up the courage to ask her on a date. She said yes, and the rest is history.

After exchanging vows they settled down in Doma with Sasja's family. But, when Aanya was pregnant with Siyoh the two migrated back to Thavnair for a short while to be with Aanya's family, which is where Siyoh was born.

Shortly after her birth, Sasja and Aanya moved back to Doma which is why Siyoh is technically Thavnarian despite being raised almost entirely in Doma. Only almost because she visited Thavnair frequently with her Dad on his trade routes to see her Mother's side of the family, including her great grandmother who is actually Vieran!

That being said, both cultures are equally important to her, she still needed to choose a Nationality. Because she was raised mostly in Doma, Siyoh would consider herself an Immigrant who chose Doma for her home. To which she considers herself Doman over Thavnarian.

Growing up, Siyoh never knew a free Doma. She was raised during the Garlean occupation and her parents, while still playing by the Empire's rules, would school her at night in their own beliefs of freedom. Luckily for Siyoh, she had two very loving parents who had the luxury of being able to shelter their Daughter from some of the Occupation's hardships.

Part of this was due to the community Sasja had fostered within his nation. I've talked about Azuma being Siyoh's life-long best friend because the pair were raised together. Azuma's Father and Siyoh's were like found family brothers. Their families took care of each other. In exchange for baked goods from Aanya's bakery Azuma's Father trained Siyoh in the ways of martial arts. To this day she is incredibly talented with a blunt pole arm.

But, Siyoh didn't really feel the effects of the Occupation until she was old enough to be considered an adult. Siyoh grew up aiding her Mother in the bakery. Aanya is one of Siyoh's biggest culinary influences and part of the reason she's so passionate about cooking is because it makes her feel close to her deceased Mother. So her teenage years were spent learning how to bake and aiding her Mother in various chores about the family establishment. Especially when her Father would have to leave home for long trade routes.

If you've ever made your own bread before, you know it can be a tricky business. There are many things out side of your control that can effect the whole process, and you can't always predict exactly how your bread will rise or bake. Which is why back in medieval England an extra 'insurance' loaf was necessary. Today we've come to know it as a 'baker's dozen'. There are a few theories as to why a baker's dozen became 13, but the most widely accepted one has to do with avoiding a beating. In medieval England there were laws that related the price of bread to the price of the wheat used to make it. Bakers who were found to be "cheating" their customers by overpricing undersized loaves were subject to strict punishment, including fines or flogging. Even with careful planning it is difficult to ensure all of your baked goods will come out the same sized. So, for fear of accidentally coming up short, they would throw in a bit extra to ensure they'd be spared a surprise flogging later.

As a writer I was horrifically inspired by this idea for Siyoh's first cruel experience with the Empire. It occurred one day when a high-ranking Garlean officer stopped in to sample their confections and made a big stink about being sold short. Unfortunately, fresh into her adulthood and manning the shop for her Mother who was preparing more confections in the back, Siyoh caught the bulk of his ire.

To make it known no Garlean would ever be sold short in their particular market, Siyoh was brought out front and made an example of. The man had her ear nailed to the door of their shop, so that next time she might better listen to perceive his wants. Once he had left she was so mortified by the experience that instead of waiting for the nail to be remove, she tore her own ear from it.

To this day she still has a crescent notch in her ear from where it scarred. You can see it in almost all of the artwork I've doodled of her.

These days she often adorns it with earrings or piercings. A way of reclaiming the trauma which was inflicted upon her that day.

Siyoh also lost both of her parents during the Occupation. In the same night even. Both Siyoh and Azuma's families had always secretly opposed the occupation. By night Sasja was constantly working to meddle with Garlean tradelines while Aanya inspired the youth around her to be brave enough to one day stand up to the Empire.

But a secret only remains a secret as long as it's kept, and one night the Empire would come calling. Luckily for Siyoh, she had been spending the night with Azuma's family. But her parents were caught, and she would never see them again post that night.

Worse off, Siyoh still has no idea what happened to them. She returned home after spending the night with Azuma to find neither Mother nor Father home, and their house left looking as if they'd left in a rush. Anya's hand pulled soba noodles were still only half made resting on a bowl on the counter. An image that still haunts Siyoh to this day, despite running a Noodle Bar out of their old bakery building.

But this left Siyoh mostly defenseless. For a while she tried manning the bakery by herself. She was hardworking, determined to uphold the honor and respect of her hardworking parents and the wealth of their establishment. But the Empire just kept calling. And more specifically, one officer in general. The one who had nailed her ear to the door.

I won't go into detail, because I would have to trigger warning the hell out of this post. But Siyoh suffered a lot of abuse at the hands of this particular one man. And it wasn't until Azuma's Father was able to smuggle her to Kugane and onto a ship headed for Limsa Lominsa, that Siyoh was able to escape him.

Unfortunately, that ship wrecked just outside the Isle of Umbra, and after bashing her head against a rock before washing ashore, Siyoh (much like Mihli) lost the majority of her memories.

Thankfully she met a sweet Thavnarian woman there ( @thavnairian-mist's character As'htola Amari) who took her in and nursed her back to health and sanity. As'htola became somewhat of an adopted Mother to Siyoh who she still writes to and visits on occasion when her trade routes lead her the right way. (Siyoh also wound up with a bunch of adopted siblings who she loves DEARLY - As'htola's kids)

Of course once she remembered who she was and where she came from, the bells of the revolution were just beginning. And they tolled her return to Doma. Siyoh was reunited with Azuma there and the pair played their part in the revolution by aiding those who fought, as well as Siyoh waging her own fight there.

...and that's how she survived the occupation.

Being someone that technically fled towards the end, she has no hard feelings to the others who fled to Eorzea as refugees. After all, Azuma also fled and wound up in Mor Dhona. Those people were only doing what they could to survive. In fact, she has a lot of sympathy for Doma and her people as they have weathered many hardships under the Garlean Empire.

But more interestingly, Siyoh has no prejudice towards the Garlean People as a whole. This comes with her own experiences. The officer I mentioned earlier had taken her to Garlemald on more than one occasion where she met more than just the soldiers who had bullied her and her family. Through this she noted that not all Garleans were the same. That some where good and kind people, with different beliefs and even oppositions to the empires choices (as we saw in Stormblood.)

Siyoh is able to separate her abusers from their race and nationality as a whole. That one abuser is not the reflection of his entire people. And while she knows more than one was abusive, she also accepts that there is more than one good Garlean out there (for instance, Jullus pyr Norbanus in the MSQ).

And I really admire that about her.

Fun fact: During the Empire Siyoh's full name was actually Siyohei aan Mori

Also one of the write prompts from a previous year very lightly hinted at some of the abuse and anxiety she felt during the occupation. You can read it here if you're interested.

[oc-aita]

AITA for becoming my ex-best friend’s nemesis after he ditched me to join a superhero team with my bullies?

Some context. I (16F) have been best friends with this guy Gale (16M) since…forever. Our moms were in the same pregnancy support group and we went to the same kindergarten and we’ve basically been inseparable our entire lives. We’ve always been there for each other when times were tough- my dad died in a freak accident at work when I was 5 and his family really helped me and my mom, and we offered similar support when his older brother died a few years later.

I don’t want to minimise Gale’s issues but he’s lived a much more comfortable life than me. His dad is the CEO of a construction company and they have a normal sized house in a nice area (difficult to get in our city). Meanwhile my mom works 3 minimum wage jobs and barely affords the rent in our run-down apartment in the most dangerous part of town. He’s super sociable and gets along with everyone, while I’ve been bullied since the day I stepped on the playground. We’re both equally smart but teachers see him as charming while I’m the disruptor. The only real “advantage” I have is athletically. Gale was never interested in doing extracurriculars, but the 2 neighbours on our floor teach martial arts and REALLY like my mom’s cooking so I’ve been getting free Jujustu and Capoeira lessons since Elementary school. But I never really made friends in those classes so it’s always just been me and him.

Anyway a couple days after Gale’s 16th birthday he started acting wierd. He was spending less time with me, hanging out with other people and dodging the issue anytime I asked him about it. He was still friendly during school but anytime I wanted to hang out he’d say he couldn’t. I wasn’t angry, just concerned, especially since he’d been getting closer with a select few classmates who’d been especially ruthless when bullying me and often picked on him too. Eventually he relented and told me that his dad had volunteered to be the coach for the “Lacrosse team” and signed him up for practice every day after school and he had no say in it. I said it was fine and he didn’t need to hide that from me but he said he felt bad bc he couldn’t hang out as much.

I spoke with my mom about it and she said I should ask about joining the lacrosse team too if I really wanted to keep spending time with him, so I did. And it turns out the Lacrosse team was a LIE. Well it did exist, but they were using it as a cover. Turns out Gale’s dad was our city’s superhero (his name is “Tempest” and he has weather powers) and he’s been acting as his sidekick and leading some kind of young justice-esque teen supersquad with my 3 bullies. Btw, I only learned this AFTER I showed up to Lacrosse practice where I was ridiculed by them and Gale cut off our friendship entirely. Initially I was going to forgive him bc he kept giving me guilty looks at school and I figured he probably ditched me for my own safety. But then he told the bullies ABOUT MY DEAD DAD, apparently in an effort to get them to sympathise with me and leave me alone. This obviously didn’t work and now the entire school knows about my home situation and I’ve been the butt of so many hurtful jokes.

Anyway the only reason I found out Gale’s secret was because I was one of the civilians caught in the crossfire between their squad and his dad’s nemesis, some supervillain named “The Underking.” This Underking guy saved me from falling debris at some point, and I followed him back to his headquarters out of morbid curiosity. Initially he was furious and tried to get rid of me but then I learned that not only was this guy BEST FRIENDS WITH MY DAD, HE WAS THERE WHEN HE DIED AND IT WASNT AN ACCIDENT. Apparently the factory they worked at was destroyed by a supervillain, and when he went after him he learned that the guy was being paid so the building owner could commit insurance fraud. All the villains currently attacking the city were getting similar payments, and the Underking was masquerading as a bad guy to try and get in good with them and uncover who was behind it.

I begged him to let me help find out who killed my dad, and while he didn’t want to at first, I told him that I knew the secret identities of everyone in the hero squad that just defeated him and what their weaknesses were. He gave me this suit that gives me invisibility powers and now I’m an “intern” at city council because it turned out this guy was THE MAYOR.

I started this whole out of spite but working for him has actually been really nice? He’s become like a surrogate father to me; he tells me stories about my dad, his lackeys help me with my homework, and he’s been paying my mom’s rent. He’s encouraged me to put more effort into my martial arts classes; I actually started making friends with the other people there and now my mom has more money I can afford to go out and do nice things with them.

Gale, his dad, and my bullies all know I’m the Underking’s new sidekick causing mayhem around the city. I tried to hide it but I got tag-teamed a couple fights ago and they ripped my mask off. The Underking lost that fight but I sure didn’t! Seeing the fear in my bullies eyes when they realised the girl they’d been throwing in dumpsters can roundhouse kick with near-professional precision was the highlight of my week ngl. They’ve FINALLY stopped harassing me at school because of it.

Part of me still feels bad though, Gale told me that he never wanted to work with my bullies and wanted me on the team instead but his dad said no. Whenever we fight in the field it feels super personal, and he always looks super betrayed. A couple times he’s even begged me not to fight. I just can’t help but feel like he decided that being a superhero was more important to him than being my friend. But when I put it that way I feel selfish. AITA?

[hadoriel]

Also in other news I'm about to start the fourth week into treatment out of eight. I found out my insurance lets me double up with that and a personal therapist so I scheduled one, soonest I could get was second week of July. I wanted to make sure I could have one to keep up the progress on myself once I'm out of treatment. That'll be once a week, assuming I'm okay with them. I'm not going to fall into the whole 'oh I can do once a month it'll be fine' thing again, especially since my insurance actually covers it

Most days of treatment I feel like I don't get much out of, but some days are particularly good or teach useful skills. The biggest help has just been for me to have to go somewhere every morning, stay there, and keep a schedule. The forced routine does a lot for me

Otherwise in July I'll be trying to do a little bit of Art Fight. I'm still trying hard to draw even if it's doodles. I'm biking about twice a week, taking photos outside. I'm about at the point where I should be looking at driver's permit test again, so I can practice starting in July or August

My daily medication I think is mostly working for me, but I think it caused my period to start almost a week early. I was really depressed yesterday and today and was wondering why I felt so crappy but it turns out I think the medication is messing with me and either is making the hormonal part of periods worse or just losing effect during it? I have no idea. This is my first period while on it so I don't have enough data. Most other days it seemed to be working well enough

But yeah. I'm trying to keep my head up. I know who I am and that I'm a good person and worthy of love, but I have problems I need to be continuously working on to live the life I want. So I'm taking those steps and trying my best, which is the most I can do

[firstdivisiongirl]

Hello, Can I have a matchup please? From One piece! If not, that's totally fine!

Female, she/her, ExFJ 2w3, Leo I would prefer a guy!

I am pretty social however I prefer to spend time alone! I care about others a lot… To an unhealthy amount honestly but Im working on it! I love to help others and make them smile! :3 But I do wish I would get something for being so nice in return, yeah it might sounds greedy but I want to be appreciated! And get something nice haha, like just a compliement or something, when my helping and kindess gets unnoticed I might get upset because of how much tired I am and I just want to be a appreciated like I said before 😭 I wanted to be noticed and not ignored! I care too much what others feel and think and its tiring, I just want to be selfish sometimes and care about myself even if its sounds mean.

People call me funny! Well it all depends because everyone has different sense of humor! But I am most of the time unserious and I love to joke around, serious situations are stressful so I prefer to be joyfull, but I do like talking about serious topics (sometimes) Like I said before I love to make people smile and laugh with my jokes and overall with make them happy with presence. Its my job to make others happy <3 My humor is definitely not for everyone, its mostly humor of a 12 y/o kid which can be annoying to some people lmao (sometimes its funny how people are annoyed by it) and some other things depends on how I feel. When it comes to annoyence I also like to annoy people <3 its so fun! But I never want to make them really feel bad! Often I act like an asshole but this is just for jokes! (but sometimes I wanna be a real asshole lmao) Like I said I dont want them to actually feel bad, if I do, I will feel very guilty! When it comes to it I apologize A LOT, I apologize so much that it might too annoying but I always feel a sense of guilt inside of me. I'm also VERY sensitve and worry about everything. Ah and I'm pretty dumb and I am not trying to insult myself I am just silly hehe and I'm okay with that. Oh and Im clumsy 😭😭

I LOVE LOVE horror and scary things, I can't imagine my life without it, its just a such interesting genre that makes me happy and intrigued! I adore horror games and I'm mostly interested in them, however most of the time I am scared of playing them so I just watch gameplays and stuff like that haha. You can say I am obssesed with horror! (its funny because its easy to scare me haha) I also love cute things! Plushies, pink, clothes and other cute things! I just love it so much <3 I like games very much (I suck at them), art, anime, drawing and psychology! When it comes to music I love energetic ones! I dislike slow music but there can be some exceptions.

I dislike cooking (I love when someone knows to cook however I suck at it </3), stressful and serious situations (I stress a lot)

When it comes to looks I am around 156cm height, chin length hair with bangs, brown color eyes and I'm chubby!

Thank you so much and have a wonderful day!

Hello. Thank you for the matchup request. This one was a no brainer. There was really only one perfect match. I hope you like it!

You Got...

Monkey D Luffy!!!!!

You both have a great sense of humor and I think he would enjoy that he can laugh and joke with you.

He would be happy that you care about him and the rest of the crew. You may think it's too much, but he would think it is perfect.

He may not be able to cook, but he will get Sanji to do it for both of you.

Will insure you that you are awesome and that you don't need to apologize for anything.

Would dance with you to energetic music.

Every day with this boy would be fun!

I think he would enjoy horror movies and games. Would he be scared? No because he doesn't really understand it, but he would enjoy it.

Would want you to make drawing for on the ship. He would make you drawings too. They won't be the best, but it's the thought that counts right?

Overall, he will make you feel loved and will do anything that you enjoy. He wants to see you smile and laugh

Please do not copy, modify, translate or repost my writing on other platforms. Comments, reblogs and likes are highly appreciated!