a piece of string is tightly wound together and very tight-knit. good at what it does.

but have you even taken that piece of string and found that itty-bitty spot on it? the one where, if you wiggle into it just a little too far...it all comes apart? and the more you pull on that teeny-tiny thread, the further the string itself unravels?

and you can't put it back together again?

tomorrow is Ismini's birthday.

and I've got a fic coming >:D

HI MOOSIEEEE!!!!

2 - how do they weaken and strengthen each other?

Valerie's involvement in Ismini's life will end up strengthening not only the security she has in herself, but also will allow her the ability to have a free relationship with someone of her choice.

What I mean by that is neither of them will ever end up putting a label on what they are, because to them...it doesn't really matter, in the end. They aren't lovers, but nor are they strictly friends. Even the word "partners" doesn't get across the correct view of their relationship. Ismini relates a "lover" with what she had with Jayson and Erika, and the word has soured for her because of it. She knows she and Valerie aren't friends, because Felix is her BFF and what they have is totally different.

but having this unlabeled dynamic is comforting for her, because she knows it's something she chose to have, and wasn't decided for her.

Something about Ismini that ends up strengthening Valerie is her own convictions. She's abided by the Code all her life, to the detriment of others - even people she's grown to care about (cough, hint hint, cough). Eventually, her relationship with Ismini is going to push her to step back and reassess what's important to her - following the rules her family has laid down, or the people she has in her life right now?

guys it's gonna be so good. i shake at the thought of pulling it off ahhhh i can't wait until September when I have time to focus 50/50 on this

ANYWAY. WEAKNESS TIME.

so yeah, uh, Ismini's ride or die loyalty is gonna bite her in the ass REPEATEDLY with Valerie, F in the chat everyone. y'all like some toxic yuri, right? HAHAHAHA!! (you should, considering you're getting it TWICE in different flavors.)

you're gonna be shaking BOTH of them by the shoulders during this time LOL

and with Valerie, with her, she actually sees the dynamic she's making with Ismini as both something she wants & something she can't afford to have (because #weakness). so she then ends up self-perpetuating her OWN weakness by denying herself that connection...and sees just how wrong she was to do so when Ismini is finally forced to release that line.

20 - how did the relationship change them individually?

oh Ismini becomes more sure of herself & her abilities because of Valerie. mostly due to the "getting left behind" thing at first, leaving her to take matters into her own hands in order to get back to her. But also, Valerie is the ultimate linchpin in Ismini realizing that she can, still, count on others, even when she's the one in charge.

and Valerie? ohhhh Valerie gets to finally take what she can get from the people she wants around her and give nothing back to the ones she doesn't want. yeah i did that on purpose aren't I a genius hehehe!

39 - what are they the most grateful about in their partner?

For Ismini, it's Valerie's proactiveness. Remember how I've said Ismini struggles with taking responsibility? yeah this is something she secretly admires about Valerie, the ability to take that responsibility and do something with it.

even if it's not always a good idea lol

For Valerie, it's how unapologetic Ismini is. She knows who she is, you will know who she is, and if that's too much for you oh well. that's your problem!

and god, doesn't Valerie love a self-actualized person. that's attractive to her!

HI MAGGIE! :D

6 - in what ways do they complement and complete each other?

the thing that gets me about them is how you all will see how Ismini's loyalty fixation will get eroded away at over time >:3 and Valerie does play a role in that! but i shall leave that matter untouched for now >;3

Because the thing is, with Valerie, we know she's the golden child of the Teague family, and as someone who regularly fixates on "golden child" characters, or characters who put up a "perfect" front, I am welllll-versed in pinpointing what that character could struggle with. And for Valerie, I think it's a major case of internalized misogyny, thanks to not only the time period she lives in, but also because of how, historically, female pirates had to take on more "masculine" traits in order to have a measure of control on board a ship. and looking at what we know about Jack's backstory in the books, he's seen as "too soft" for a pirate, so we can then infer Valerie likely lives up to those expectations of their family where he doesn't.

so take someone who has swallowed a lot of unhealthy beliefs due to her background and throw her into the orbit of someone who, essentially, doesn't really care all that much about gender roles. Ismini took to the sea in order to avoid that, and she sure as hell has no interest in perpetuating them, which is why she doesn't really bother with hiding who she is, gender-wise. She has to deal with some shit for being a woman on the sea (sexism isn't so easily escaped RIP), but at least in the days when she's on Chevalle's ship, she doesn't deal with that as much due to the more open environment of the Fancy. So she actually has a safe place to retreat to!

Ismini did deal with sexism while on Basil Everard's ship, so by the time she meets Valerie, she already is disinclined to tolerating the more masculine front put up by men and women alike trying to establish the hierarchy or whatever. insert Ismini's beef with authority here.

Another thing that locks them together like a nifty puzzle piece are their respective arcs around loyalty <3 Valerie is used to leaving people behind on a dime. Remember how she's the Teague's golden child? The family with the Keeper of the Code? You betcha she's doing that.

And then you have Ismini, who becomes soooo ride or die for someone as soon as she gets close to them, and is left to constantly chase Valerie down after such abandonment.

Why doesn't Ismini simply leave, though, find better waters? Welp! She's just Like That. It's a consequence of her fixated loyalty. Both Valerie and Felix will play major roles in how that plays out, and Valerie and Felix themselves also have a pretty neat link between them over internalized misogyny - because here's Valerie, putting up the walls expected of a male pirate, and then here's Felix, a transgender man who is comfortable in his own masculinity and doesn't feel the need to remind people of it, even though he might actually have a reason to, what with some people's inability to accept those outside gender norms. raise a glass for Felix, everyone.

So Valerie accidently ends up in the social circle of two people who are 1) very comfy in their respective genders; 2) have no issue being in reversed positions of power in their dynamic (Ismini is typically in charge/calling the shots/captain, which is not the norm for pirates more feminine-presenting, and Felix second/backing her up/first mate); and 3) she's having Feelings about it XD

with that being said, if you ever notice Valerie acting strange around Felix, you may assume this to be the reason why. She is seeing someone who was told that he's a gender he is not (much like how she was pushed to act a gender she is not), shake off those expectations (which she has succumbed to), and find solace in who he is (which...she has not.).

guys i think Valerie has some self-love issues </3 I do believe she is comfy in more "masculine" contexts, but the repeated refusal to engage healthily with her "feminine" side would cause issues - because uh, engaging healthily with your emotions is #fortheweak and Valerie knows she is many things but she is NOT weak tyvm (someone call 911 she needs help)

...hey ever think about how Valerie might be a little jealous of Jack because of this? he just. fucks off. and does his own thing? completely separate from their family? so much so basically no one knows he's related to them?

yeah. I think about that.

and THIS IS ALSO A NEAT FLIP ON ISMINI'S SIDE OF THINGS because Ismini is actually pretty confident about herself?? She's absolutely comfy in her given gender and feels no need to present as anything else, but she's also not against dressing more masculine if the situation calls for it (such as wearing men's clothing on a ship, since...sailor clothes were basically men's clothing back then).

...and then you have Ismini's cousin Kyllian who constantly denies himself the freedom Ismini gave herself, he resists the call of the sea and sticks to their biological family, who Ismini separated from, much like Jack, but people will still know she's related to them, unlike Jack.

Let me tell you. THAT^. Was not planned. Ismini and Kyllian's thing was decided upon BEFORE I even knew Ismini and Valerie situationship could be a thing. but this is just beautiful. wonderful how the subconscious mind works.