penandtheducks

[penandtheducks]

I seem to have fallen into a BL black hole and have completely stopped reading (I usually read at least 50 books a year)… do you have any good queer novel recs to get me back on track? Bonus if any of them have a seme/uke dynamic! (I don’t mean thai BL novels, the translations are so awful I can’t cope with them)

Right there with you, BL killed my reading. But I did once read a ton of m/m.

So this is interesting because a seme/uke doesn't play well with m/m romance readers (in the US market at least). Also the more seme/uke the book the less genuinely queer friendly the writing. A romance author who writes this dynamic probably came from the slash side, identifies as straight, and is unlikely to be in touch with modern queer culture. 

M/M Books for BL Fans 

The only book I know of off the top of my head that strictly and intentionally is written with traditional yaoi tropes in mind and strong seme/uke but in English is:

Tokyo Stars by Gage Lively - and actually it works pretty well for what it's trying to do. Very classic Japanese Yaoi but in m/m novel form. 

M/m authors that touch on some of the tropes? These are gonna range in heat levels and queer friendliness, and a few of them aren’t the most fantastic writers (but they are better than Thai in translation). 

Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane - friends2lovers, poor little rich kid, sunshine, hurt/comfort, coming of age, trigger for depression & family rejection. It’s a GREAT book. For fans of: I Told Sunset About You

My Hero by Max Vos - this is what we all wanted from Water Boyy. 

Steamroller by Mary Calmes - nerd/jock, obsession, very high heat. For fans of FighterTutor Why R U? (Mary Calmes’ style is extremely addictive, she writes mostly adult characters but she does tend to have a strict top/bottom kinda seme/uke thing going on. Because, I’m pretty sure, she comes out of early slash fanfic.) 

Frat Boy and Toppy by Anne Tenino - kinky, nerd/jock, bit dirty, coming out. For fans of TharnType. 

Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy - sports romance, pining since childhood, complicated back story, hurt comfort, grumpy/sunshine, well done and popular book. For fans of We Best Love. 

Valor on the Move by Keira Andrews - bodyguard trope, age gap. FBI agent falls in love with the president’s youngest son. For fans of Golden Blood of course. 

A Fool and His Manny by Amy Lane - childhood proximity (close to stepbrothers), younger boy pines for older boy, fantastic family dynamics. For fans of Lovely Writer. 

Prefer Taiwanese Gritty BL? 

If you like the harsher stuff and you want your leads to suffer seriously for their pay out...

Racing for the Sun by Amy Lane - friends2lovers, hurt-comfort, military, criminal activities, trigger for abuse and violence 

Yes but hella QUEER?

If you want strong story, paranormal elements, (more like 1000 Stars, He’s Coming to Me, or Until We Meet Again) but with great queer rep then try author R Cooper. They are amazeballs. 

Please don’t ask me about Red, White, & Royal Blue. 

Links are to Amazon because I’m a lazy putz. Pay the fucking author, don’t steal these. Some of them are only on Amazon, but most of them are wide. 

(source)

[penandtheducks]

The more you grow older the more the "I gave you a rare gift" becomes less dramatic. He was so real for saying it that way. While we grow we put on so many different suits for so many different people, we play so many roles to be accepted or to fulfil our dreams, that it's indeed a rare gift to show someone the real naked you. You show too much, you risk getting rejected, misjudged or deceived.

[penandtheducks]

Starker Moodboard, period piece for Mer-May 2025 prompt “sea storm.” Mer!Peter rescues intrepid explorer!Tony during a big storm.

Card under the cut.

[penandtheducks]

-> Canon Compliant If I Were Erica Messer et al Bad Text Messaging

"You used the eggplant emoji?!" "So? I told you we were having eggplant pasta?"

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preacher boy

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Would you be interested in a Late Treat Bonanza treat from the Flash Mob exchange a few years back? It looked like you maybe hadn't requested noncon in a while and I didn't want to impose.

Hello!!

Yes, indeed I would! I just checked my requests again from the exchange and can confirm I'd still love anything I requested back then 🤩

Also, thanks for reminding me I once modded this haha.

Looking forward to it and thank you for checking in, I appreciate it! 🩵

[penandtheducks]

can't sleep redux so thinking about them

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I KNOW his ass is hitting the

“ is it hot in here or is that just you? “

Where are his two beautiful boys to help make sure he gets home safe?

I wrote a silly drabble for this and your warnings are: not explicit, McCoy is drunk and horny, and this is pre-established mcspirk so there’s quite a bit of un-spoken understanding about the consent around that.

—

In the after-party of a frankly excessive diplomatic wedding, Jim had one of McCoy’s arms slung over his shoulder and was attempting to drag him out of the reception hall. With Spock two steps ahead, leading the way. Bones was humming drunkenly, or mumbling something, it was kind of hard to tell over all the noise, but the vibrations against his side were distinct and endearing.

"I think we should let him drink champagne more often, never seen him cut so loose,” he half-shouted at Spock’s back and, as if to prove his point, Bones started giggling from his spot pressed into Jim’s side.

"Would cut loose be referring to when he began stripping or when he nearly climbed on stage to join the dancers?” Spock called back over his shoulder, not looking for an answer and not slowing his pace as he neatly parted the sea of bodies.

Jim pursed his lips, honestly considering it, in the right context he doesn't really think he'd mind either of those things. Though stripping is a little exaggerated, it was just the outer layers really. But, fine, he’ll concede, to the cultured eye McCoy’s rolled sleeves were not unlike lingerie. He’d rag on Spock for that if he wasn’t already having trouble keeping pace with him.

Thankfully, the air was getting cooler, and the crowd thinner. Soon Spock was ushering them out of the venue and into the brisk other-worldly night. Jim glanced around. Definitely not the main entrance, i.e. they'd have to walk the perimeter for Spock-knows how long to get back to the hovercar- but he did appreciate the lack of people.

He took the chance to readjust McCoy’s body against his and, equally, their good doctor took the chance to lean into the crook of his neck. Mumbling something giddily against Jim’s collar. He shivered and gave a sidelong smirk down at the man,

“Hm? What was that?”

“Should’ve let me dance,” Bones lolled his head up to look at him, and then across towards Spock, sloppy grin and dropped lashes making him look particularly debauched,

“I could’ve given you one helluva show~”

Spock turned and stepped in close, tidying the disarrayed mess of hair clinging to McCoy’s forehead,

“if you wish to dance for us, you can do it someplace with much less of an audience.”

McCoy gasped, glittering,

“a private show? Spock, you sly dog.”

“That is not-“

“Oh it definitely was, let’s get to the car, then I can-“

They bickered in flirtatious circles, though Jim could see McCoy was definitely more checked into his own fantasy than their actual conversation. He feels warm and pleasantly exasperated,

“Bones, you had like four glasses, I’m a bit more worried about that impending hangover you have to look forward to.”

Than any other impending issues.

“Hmm- It might’ve been more,” McCoy tilted his head back looking up at the night, after a distracted pause he turned back to them, scowling- more like pouting,

“Can’t I take advantage of our time before the massive impending hangover?”

Before he could even reply, Jim watched the man consider his own words, and start giggling all over again,

“Or.. can’t you take advantage of my time?”

McCoy’s fingers moved to try and re-start their much earlier work of undoing his top buttons. Pretty unsuccessfully. Jim continued to watch, entertained, as Spock huffed and lightly smacked Bones’ hand aside, fastening the buttons all the way back up. More chaste than ever but still undeterred, McCoy leaned in suddenly, jostling Jim out of his adoring, doe-y eyed revelry.

Bones began whispering heatedly into Spock’s ear, and though Jim couldn't hear every detail, the not-really minute reactions Spock gave were enough of a clue. He cleared his throat,

“Back to the hotel then?”

When they parted Spock raised a brow and said nothing, turning to walk- presumably- in the direction of the car park. Jim followed, making interested half-noises to Bones’ continued horny rambling.

It was dark, but if he squinted could just make out the lovely deep green flush gracing their vulcan’s ears.

[penandtheducks]

i just had to paint him ...

oil on paper, ~A5; process photos below the cut

[penandtheducks]

Twitter thread by Melissa Caruso about a labyrinthine magical bookstore in Syracuse, NY. Link to the first tweet in the thread; most pictures have image descriptions! Now here are the screenshots of that thread:

And then a hero of the labyrinthine magical bookstores of the world put all the bookstores that people listed in the replies on a map! (Google Maps link)

[penandtheducks]

house’s thinning hair and little bald spot and wilson’s full thick head of hair is evidence of soulmatism btw

[penandtheducks]

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

[penandtheducks]

moodboards + mel/frank/kingdon

[penandtheducks]

DR. ROBBY & DR. ABBOT | The Pitt - 1X15

[penandtheducks]

#mom and dad (platonic)

[penandtheducks]

Only been watching The Pitt for a few days but Mel King is THE best autistic character ever written in a medical drama. She doesn't "make connections no one else can" or "just see things differently" or any other Savant with Special Abilities stereotypical bullshit, she's a resident physician who's exactly as intelligent and capable as any other resident physician in the same year. She hates unnecessary yelling because it's loud and annoying, not because she's completely incapable of handling conflict. She usually keeps her stimming subtle enough to hide but sometimes she can't. She loves having a furry critter to pet. She accommodates an autistic patient by lowering the lights and closing the doors because she understands the sensory nightmare of an active medical setting. She speaks in a straightforward and honest way but she isn't an overtly rude inconsiderate asshole. She misses some jokes and takes things too literally on occasion but she does have a sense of humor and she is funny. She speaks up against misinformation and parent panic about autism and other developmental disabilities. She has emotions. She looks at a video of a lava lamp on her phone to chill. Doctor Mel King you have my entire heart

[penandtheducks]

They are never beating the allegations