#May change it but that’s been in me brain

[jflemings]

— loose lips sink ships pt2

pairing: jessie fleming x reader part 1

synopsis: jessie goes out with her team and reconnects with her ex from college

warnings: language

a/n: with the way i’m writing this i honestly have no idea how long the series is gonna be but my hopes is more than 3 parts. (this is also shorter than i intended whoops)

୧ ‧₊˚ 🍁 ⋅ ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚

music pumps through the bar as jessie’s teammates down drinks. they’re occupying a corner and a bit of a long booth against the back wall furthest from the bar, tucked away in the darkness as they all happily talk and laugh.

she’s squashed in between janine and the wall, nursing a half drunk beer as she listens to her canadian teammate’s conversation. jordyn and janine talk animatedly about something, leading the conversation whilst quinn and sinc add their two cents every so often.

she takes a swig and tries to decipher whatever jordyn is trying to say in her half-drunken state when someone comes to stand just in front of her. she drains her neck to see olivia dressed in a simple black t-shit and jeans, her hair pulled back loosely. she smiles.

“how’s the ankle?”

“it’s okay” olivia says with a wave of her hand “it’s heaps better now but i still have to stay off it as best i can”

jessie immediately stands “do you wanna sit? i you can take my spot”

“no, no, that’s okay. i’m good standing”

the canadian still moves out of the way “are you sure? because it’s really no big deal”

olivia tuts “you haven’t changed much from college, have you?”

for some reason jessie’s face blazes at the small comment. she rubs the back of her neck hesitantly “i guess not, no”

the seattle player slides in front of jessie and between the table, the two of them chest to chest, as she sits in the spot that was previously occupied. jessie leans on the wall and nervously taps her pointer finger against the cool glass of her bottle as olivia looks her up and down innocently.

“that’s a good thing, y’know. you were always such a sweetheart, it’s nice to know that part of you hasn’t changed as you’ve gotten older” olivia says as she takes a sip of whatever she’s drinking “though, i didn’t think it would”

jessie tilts her head “you haven’t changed much either”

“good”

a beat of silence overcomes the two of them and suddenly jessie was really missing you. she’d settled into portland fine, but outside of sinc and janine she didn’t really have any solid connections with anybody on the team. you were always the more social of the two of you and often acted as a buffer for jessie in these situations.

“how have you been?” olivia asks “moving from london to portland is pretty big”

“i’ve been good, getting settled and such” jessie nods “it was just time for a change i suppose. i wasn’t getting the game time at chelsea and i wanted to make a bigger impact, among other things” she shrugs and takes another sip of her beer, her nerves slowly fading out of her “how about you? been up to much?”

“honestly, not really. same old same old.” olivia says as she finishes off her drink, leaving the ice at the bottom of her glass to clink against the sides “i saw that you’re now the captain of canada, congrat—”

“the wife stayed home then” sam interrupts louldy as she flings an arm around jessie

jessie grimaces at her intrusion “yeah—”

“wife?” olivia asks, directing her gaze from coffey to jessie’s unoccupied ring finger “you’re married?”

“they may as well be” sam half boasts for jessie “it’s sickening how cute they are, makes me wanna throw up”

jessie gives olivia a small smile “she’s just my girlfriend, we’re not even engaged”

“oh” olivia says “why didn’t she come out?”

“she, uh, she was the one you elbowed in the nose. she’s just really swollen and didn’t really want to” jessie says as she rubs the back of her neck “it’s not broken or anything though”

a look of surprise washes over olivia’s face as she wracks her brain trying to remember what you look like. she tilts her head in thought “send her my best then, i didn’t get to talk to her after the game”

jessie shifts from one foot to the other “i will”

“…so how long have you two been together?”

“it’ll be four years in november” she says shortly. this wasn’t a conversation she was expecting to have to be honest. the two of you weren’t a secret amongst the footballing world, to the players at least, so she had just assumed that olivia knew about the two of you.

olivia’s eyebrows raise in surprise “you moved on quick then” she laughs “we only broke up, like, a month and a half before you moved to london”

sam’s eyes rapidly go from jessie to olivia to back to jessie, a look of confusion on her face. she cocks a brow and takes a long sip of her vodka and coke, grasping the short straw between her thumb and forefinger as she sticks out her pinkie.

jessie’s lips fall into a flat line “i guess” she says awkwardly, taking another sip of her beer and eyeing janine. her best friend looks the two of them up and down with a blank expression before turning back to jordyn, sinc and quinn. jessie tears her eyes away.

“what about you. seeing anyone?”

olivia swirls the ice in her glass “uh, no” she says looking up at jessie “you’re not a very easy person to get over”

her words make jessie feel a bit off-kilter. she quickly looks to sam who concludes that she isn’t apart of this conversation and pats jessie on the back before leaving, going off to talk to the others. jessie breathes a short sigh of relief. her and olivia had talked shortly a few times over the years, like when canada won gold at the olympics and olivia congratulated her, but jessie never got any indication that maybe she wasn’t over the relationship.

she must be wearing her thoughts all over her face because olivia is quick to put her hands up “i meant you weren’t! there’s no ah— i don’t feel that way anymore” she rushes, looking down at her glass before smiling back at jessie “and i’m really happy that you’ve found someone”

jessie nods “thanks, she’s pretty great”

olivia nods “she’d have to be to keep up with you”

time passes as the two of them continue to talk and laugh, reminiscing their time together at school. the two of them fall into conversation like they’d stayed close over the past four years, words flowing easily and laughs bubbling.

suddenly, jordyn jumps up from her spot “photo! everyone get in for the photo!”

jessie rolls her eyes but turns around to face her canadian teammate. olivia shuffles over as people move to fill the gap that jordyn left “sit” she says as she taps jessie on the lower back.

she smiles and nods a thanks, squeezing in next to the wall like she had been before.

“jessie smile!” jordyn scolds “sinc move your head i can’t see quinny”

sinc rolls her eyes at jordyn’s demands but complies. once she’s happy with how everyone looks, jordyn takes the photos. she spam clicks her phone and quickly goes through them whilst smiling, clearly satisfied with how they all turned out.

this time olivia stands. she tugs on the shoulders of her shirt and turns around to face jessie “i’m gonna go” she says jerking her thumb “but i had a really good time catching up with you. i’d love to do it again whenever we can”

jessie can’t help but smile “i’d like that too” she says.

olivia places a hand on jessie’s shoulder before going and saying goodbye to her own teammates, leaving jessie once again tucked away in the corner.

she finishes off her beer just as janine slides into her, pushing her further into the wall. the two of them are now shoulder to shoulder “so, olivia”

jessie narrows her eyes “what about her?”

“i just didn’t know she was coming”

“yeah, she said she didn’t know if she was going to when i spoke to her this afternoon. guess she changed her mind” jessie shrugs “it was good seeing her”

janine hums “how’s y/n?”

“good. sore, but fine” she answers as she places the empty glass bottle down. “she’s probably asleep, she was in a frosty mood before i left”

janine’s eyes go wide and she necks the remainder of her drink, slamming it down on the table “i’m gonna get another, do you want one?” she rushes as she points to the empty beer bottle.

jessie cocks her brow “changing the subject, much” she points out “but no, i’m fine. not really in the mood to drink”

janine shrugs “i’m not changing the subject, i was just asking if you wanted another drink” she says surely, standing.

jessie rolls her eyes as janine whips around to go to the bar, stumbling slightly as she smacks her thigh into the table. soph and sam also stand and follow her, the three of them talking eachother’s ears off as they go.

the midfielder slumps in her seat as fatigue catches up with her. she closes her eyes momentarily before her phone buzzes in her pocket.

getting it out, she sees that she’s been tagged in jordyn’s instagram story. upon opening the app, she comes face to face with one of the group photos that was taken, a mix of portland and seattle players all squished into frame. her eyes fall to the end where her and olivia are basically on top of one another. she’s donning a proper smile, as per jordyn’s request, and olivia’s leg is almost thrown over her right knee.

she doesn’t think anything of it and locks her phone after liking the story, smiling and raising her eyebrows as janine comes back.

she’s careful not to hit her leg again as she slots back in between jessie and soph — who is now sitting where sinc was — and begins talking as she sits.

“ethan’s gonna come get me, we can take you home if you want? save you calling an uber or something” she says as she sips her drink.

jessie nods “yeah, that would be great”

“he says he’ll be here in five!” she informs jessie cheerily “which is good because you looked like you’ve wanted to leave since olivia left”

“i have not” jessie protests as she furrows her brows “i’m just tired”

“mmm okay” the forward purses her lips “it was good catching up with her then?”

“yeah, yeah it was. i haven’t seen her in a while” jessie says, a hint of nostalgia tainting her voice.

“i thought the two of you stayed friends after college?”

“we did” jessie picks her fingernails “we just obviously haven’t seen eachother”

almost awkward silence overtakes the pair of friends and jessie suddenly feels uneasy. she still felt awkward talking about olivia despite the fact that they ended on good terms, and four years ago. the feeling of nostalgia wasn’t one that was welcomed when she thought about her first love.

jessie had tried to date people in highschool once or twice but she was still figuring out her sexuality and juggling school and football, ultimately it just came down to the fact that she didn’t have time to maintain a relationship. it was pretty much the same for her first two years of college. she had spoken to a few girls, went on some dates and even let teagan try to set her up at frat parties. none of it stuck until olivia.

they were close friends in school and the feelings had just developed naturally. the pair of them agreed that if it didn’t go anywhere, then it didn’t matter, it just meant that they were better as friends.

only, it did go somewhere. olivia had become jessie’s first for pretty much everything when it came to a relationship. she was the first girl jessie had said i love you to, her first time, and her first heartbreak.

when chelsea ended up on jessie’s doorstep she knew she couldn’t refuse. they were a powerhouse of a club and with women’s football growing, she knew that it was where she wanted to be. olivia and jessie agreed that long distance wasn’t going to work and broke up before her move to london. the breakup was amicable and sad. there were a few tears after olivia left her dorm room and jessie in the silence, but she quickly picked herself up and moved on, promising that she’d focus on football.

then she moved, and covid was hitting hard, and she was still settling, and then she met you.

you, who had captured her attention immediately. you, who had left her obsessed after just one conversation. you, who she was sure was the love of her life.

but you weren’t here right now and she hated that because of your absence, feelings of longing and nostalgia had managed to bleed their way into her heart. she was sure she didn’t love olivia anymore — she knew she didn’t — but that didn’t stop the reminiscing.

janine coughs “well, it’s good that you got to catch up then!” she says as she, once again, necks her drink, making jessie’s brows furrow in confusion.

“you usually pace yourself better” jessie points out.

“do i? i didn’t know that” janine shrugs “ethan says i’m a sloppy drunk”

“yeah, maybe when you were under the age of twenty five” jessie says cautiously “what’s with you tonight?”

“what do you mean?” janine tilts her head and fakes confusion.

jessie rolls her eyes but waves her off, not being in the mood to entertain whatever game janine is playing when she’s so ready to go to bed. “don’t worry about it”

janine’s phone buzzes and she claps her hands and stands “perfect, let’s go then, ethan’s here”

jessie follows janine’s lead and stands to say goodbye to the people she knows and the people she doesn’t, waving on her way out to the car so she can go home to you.

[icypopz]

bathing with them ♡

↬ request from anons ; Hiiii may I pls request the love and deepspace boys with a reader who loves taking baths with them??

↬ notes ; rafayel, xavier, zayne x gn!reader

↬ from ice ; ice active era?! jk we all know i'm lying atp HAHAHA but here's my annual post which is also my first post for LADS :> i changed the prompt a bit but i hope u enjoy !

↬ warning(s) ; tiny spoilers for rafayel's backstory, xavier's is like microscopically suggestive

please reblog ! it helps a lot :)

[ rafayel ! ]

rafayel absolutely adores taking baths with you, even though he loves to tease you about being too clingy (he's actually the clingy one, but he'll never admit it for the world). he loves just chilling in the bathtub with you, especially on winter nights where he'll pull you closer in the hot water, complaining that "i need more warmth! protect me from the cold, miss bodyguard!"

he would get playfully annoyed when you joke about wanting to see his mermaid tail when he gets into the bathtub, scolding you about how lemurians also have powers to lure humans in and he'll be doing that to you if you don't get in the bath with him "right now!" also rafayel doesn't really like rubber ducks, he says it's weird that humans like to put toys like that in the water when they could just go swim in a lake if they wanted to see ducks. but! he does love bubble baths, he loves to put the bubbles in your hair, and when you make a beard for him with the foam, he finds it the cutest ever.

rafayel definitely has like several hundred bottles of soap, shampoo and conditioner in varying scents, claiming that their fragrance was so inspiring he just had to buy all of them. (the truth is, he wasn't sure which one you'd like so he just bought everything.) it's really helpful for when you stay over at his place though, you don't have to worry about packing a vanity case because he keeps everything ready for you, from your favourite toothpaste to a spare toothbrush. he also loves seeing you wrapped up in a towel, he thinks you look so adorable.

more content utc !

[ xavier ! ]

xavier isn't picky, he doesn't mind using either a bathtub or a shower, but after you visit him a couple of times, you definitely tell him he should use the shower instead. he always ends up falling asleep while he's soaking in the bathtub! he definitely loves showering with you though, he'll always do stuff like scrub your back or help comb through your tangled hair without you needing to ask. but it's almost impossible for both of you to bathe quickly, because you always end up getting distracted. who can you blame you though? it's not your fault xavier is so muscled from all his training!

xavier is the type who showers in freezing cold water, but he's willing to compromise if you don't like that. he ends up realising that hot water is more fun because he gets to write silly messages and draw hearts for you on the glass since it gets fogged up from the steam. also xavier's brain would totally crash the first time he showered with you, it would be that one tender night card all over again except better LOL. he's just that obsessed with you, you're the prettiest person with the best personality he's ever seen!

xavier would be one of those guys that has like the '10-IN-1! SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER, SOAP!' soap bottles. it's not that he isn't bothered about hygiene, he just finds it a lot simpler to use one single bottle for everything, and it evidently works for him since his skin is so clear and his hair is so fluffy. but ever since you've started staying over, xavier takes note of your favourite soaps and stocks up on them (especially after you tease him for that pitiful bottle of soap in his bathroom - he's the type to squeeze out every single last drop of soap from the tube so the bottle definitely looks like it has been through The Horrors).

[ zayne ! ]

zayne would usually prefer showering over bathing usually, because he's used to maximising time for work in his schedule, so he likes everything in his personal life to be extremely efficient. but once he starts dating you, that does kind of change. on days where he doesn't have to rush into work for urgent cases, or nights after a hectic day, he enjoys relaxing with you in the bathtub - it's a little slice of heaven for him to have you pressed up against him in the warm water.

zayne likes using his evol to tease you while you're showering. though he isn't usually a playful person and his humour is quite dry, the intimacy of being in such close proximity to him makes him act up a little LOL. so when you ask him to soap your back or anything like that, he'll purposely make his fingertips cold so you shiver when he touches you. "zayne!" you'll scold him, and he'll just let out a soft chuckle before doing what you actually asked him to.

zayne would just have the bare minimum essentials in his bathroom, but i also think he would be the type to buy in bulk so he only has to go out shopping once in a while. this way, when his soap runs out he can just get a new bottle from his cupboard. he likes going into his bathroom and seeing little traces of you all over the room, like your toothbrush in his cup or your favourite soap on his shelf - it makes him happy because it's like a reminder of you even when you aren't there.

✧ thank you for reading ! if you have a request, feel free to send it in 🌠

© icypopz 2024. do not repost or modify in any way.

[kingofthering]

april-may 2024

ao3

rosquez

arms out like an angel by @yekoc

I do not promise that you will come out alright after reading this because it's so well written and full of emotions and very Rosquez in terms of communication and conflict (non) resolution.

can't change that, can't change you by @cvrthage

Marc putting the helmet back on is something I'm still thinking about btw. Very into Marc's attitude through the whole thing.

higher than the heights by @splitstuura

Mile High Club baby. Valentino asked for that one and this was perfect.

Bikefuckers by @sammyche

Again. Fic that just had to be written. And it was done perfectly.

special topics in calamity physics by @serve-cunt

I'm in love with Valentino's brain in this, his POV is so interesting and the dialogue is so good. The beginning of that scene in the kitchen? Yeah.

bezz/cele

you let me desecrate you by @celestinovietti

Hot shit for one of the biggest bike fuckers out there. Just had to be written.

Masculine, sweet like cherry cola by @sunnyeti

Hot. Necessary as well. Do read.

helping hands by Anonymous

Yes :))) Confident Cele ily.

others

tyre marks (bezz/marc) by @anitalianfrie

Bless you Jerez 2024 podium.

switchblade (pecco/cele) by @vanillow

Such an interesting pairing and I always love a good vampire AU. Cele's mind is so interesting in this and I loved all the visuals of how he managed his thoughts and the tension with Pecco and the dialogues were just so good. Could have read 10k more of this easily.

the sweetest torture one could bear (pecco/bezz) by @volchitsa-of-winterfell

Love me some Pecco/Bezz friends with benefits situation, always. And they're both omegas? Very interesting to me.

tastes like champagne (aleix/pedro) by @vanillow

Still 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 about it.

tumblr

Please note that I haven't included the continuing tumblr series that have been included in the january-march recs list already.

rosquez

"marc knows mean" with a side of bezz by @thewriters-world

cowboys by @moonshynecybin

marc wearing vale's necklace by @uwabbittuwabbit

inside vale's head by @frogsonabike

pollen sex by @splitstuura

tavullia post reconciliation by @love-leah

teen dad marc by @moonshynecybin

threesome with a girl by @moonshynecybin

hunger games au by @moonshynecybin

vr46 gangbang universe by @sammyche

omega auction by @baking-soda

horror au by @hotmessmaxpress

laguna seca 2013 by @moonshynecybin

actors au by @moonshynecybin

others

bezz/cele during a night out by @yekoc

bezz/cele roadtrip by @splitstuura

bezz/cele + quick fuck pants by @yekoc

pecco/bezz trashtalking gone too far by @hotmessmaxpress

pecco/bezz surfer au by @vanillow

sad dovquez by @agnst-crrnt

marc/bezz over the 2024 season by @vanillow

marc/bezz post jerez 2024 by @love-leah

vr46 boys + marc abo (with established rosquez) by @sammyche

[meanbossart]

How would DU Drow’s story have changed if Orin reciprocated his feelings? The optimist in me thinks they may have escaped Bhaal together or smth, but that’s probably not very likely 😭

OH BUDDY NO, IF SHE WENT ALONG WITH IT THEY WOULD HAVE BURNT THE WORLD DOWN TOGETHER UNLESS SOMEONE STOPPED THEM FIRST. And if no one did, they would have very likely gone on to be pinned against each other at some other point, in some other way, this just seems to be the way of the Bhaalspawn lol

I think if they had both been tadpoled/brain-scrambled by some third party they could have gotten away and possibly rekindled a healthy brother-sister relationship, but that possibility is so far out of reality it's difficult to even hypothesize.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading roundup: May 2024

you guyssssss you guys you guys you guys I've been reading so much this month :)

sometimes my brain gets the itch to just DEVOUR books and it's really been on me, probably thanks to the burst of energy + free time that comes with the semester ending and summer getting started! the days are longer, the last of my season depression has been kicked to the curb, and I can spend hours reading on the porch every evening. the ideal!

right now, as the month ends, I'm feeling a particular hankering towards nonfiction and juicy new summer novels; I reblogged a Lit Hub roundup of new books the other day that got my brain buzzinggggg with excitement for the coming months. we'll see if that ends up manifesting in the June roundup, but for now, here's what kept me busy in May:

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble (Alexis Hall, 2022) - this month I read two romance novels picked by my beautiful patreonites; I did a compare/contrast between the two over on Patreon and I'll leave the majority of my thoughts there, but suffice to say that I am not a fan of Paris. definitely the weakest of the three Alexis Hall novels, and a real disappointment since I found the other two delightful. the story is straightforward enough and has some potential for sure, but Paris as a protagonist is a sodden mess who I found just insufferable. thumbs down from me, gang.

Chef's Kiss (TJ Alexander, 2022) - hi, it's the other romance novel. this one is a lot goofier than Paris Daillencourt, which is fitting since it's BA Test Kitchen rpf starring a bisexual Claire Saffitz and a nonbinary Brad Leone. it's frustrating because the story is definitely stronger than the one in Paris but the romance is piteously undercooked, although I was at least fine with the protag and her love interest getting together - they were boring but unobjectionable, unlike Paris and his love interest who I really thought would have been better off as friends. now that I'm thinking about it, you might get a perfect queer cooking show romance novel if you somehow mashed the two of them together. they're both, like, so close to working, but ultimately fall flat.

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 4-6 (Ryoko Kui, 2018) - I don't even know what to say except that I'm still loving everything about Dungeon Meshi. the craft and thought that Kui puts into every facet of the world, from the big picture politics between fantasy races to the individual thoughts and feelings of each character, shows so much love for the world without ever being overbearing; it never feels like exposition is being hammered down my throat so much as little details are being tastefully arranged to be enjoyed at whatever speed and to whatever extent the reader likes. the world is getting bigger with each chapter and I'm looking forward to exploring more, especially now that Falin's hottie monster form and that good good catgirl have entered the chat.

Earthdivers Vol. 2: Ice Age (Stephen Graham Jones, Riccardo Burchielli, Patricio Depeche, Emily Schnall, Joana Lafuente, 2024) - once again I've done the worst thing that you can do as a comics fan, which is get invested in a series that's just starting out and is still releasing individual issues. the third trade paperback won't be out until December, so I guess I'm either going to have to go on hiatus with Earthdivers or start chasing down new releases on comic pirating sites, which feels shitty - that's how I read Batman comics that are the same age as me, not new stuff from authors I actually want to support! but Earthdivers might just be worth it. the second installment takes us to a wildly different setting than the first, Columbus-killing collection, dropping fearsome mother Tawny in a prehistoric North America. but while the setting changes, the series is still grappling with the question of what its protagonists are willing to sacrifice and who they're willing to become to change the past and save the world. we're starting to see bigger hints about how much history can be altered and catching some clues about the series' antagonist (???); I gotta know what happens next.

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Caroline Fraser, 2017) - here it is, the book that got nonfic so powerfully on the brain! this is a riveting history whether you grew up on Little House on the Prairie or not (I didn't), tracking Laura Ingalls Wilder from an impoverished girl constantly imperiled by life on the prairie to a beloved icon of American propaganda. for me, personally, this hefty book really picks up when it gets to the endlessly complicated and frequently nasty relationship that Wilder had with her daughter when said daughter was grown; Rose Wilder Lane is a FASCINATING figure in her own right and I'm kind of obsessed with what a shithead grifter girlboss she was. fascinating stuff all around.

The Brides of High Hill (Nghi Vo, 2024) - Vo's series of Singing Hills novellas has always woven from one genre to another, exploring new types of stories just as our protagonist, the cleric Chih, explores new lands. this installation takes us straight into a gothic horror that pulls out all the stops: an isolated manor, an enigmatic madman roaming the grounds, the strangling snares of social conventions, and a blushing bride who isn't exactly what she seems. I read it in one sitting, it's delicious.

Superfreaks: Kink, Pleasure, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Arielle Greenberg, 2023) - a poppin' primer for anybody who wants to learn more about the world of kink and what the fuck is going on out there. at one point I did catch myself thinking that I was a little underwhelmed and that Greenberg wasn't really putting forth anything that radical, but then I realized that speaking extremely candidly about and validating interest in basically any kink or fetish imaginable, and yes I do mean straight up any of them, is actually A Lot for many people to handle. so, yeah, good book, check it out for a friendly and enthusiastic intro to the wide world of kink.

Sex Criminals Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop (Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, 2015) - the first volume of Sex Criminals left me feeling a little meh, but I decided to keep going because Matt Fraction's Hawkeye run was lifechanging and I know this series is pretty widely acclaimed, so I want to see where we're going with this. (plus it's free via the library, so what do I have to lose?) this volume really sold me on the series and particularly on Jon, who I was pretty lukewarm on initially. he really stole the spotlight in this one, and I like the way that the story is ratcheting up the stakes.

The Stone Sky (N.K. Jemisin, 2017) - GOOOOOOOOOD what a book! what a trilogy! in a series shaped by empires and natural disasters, the story ultimately ends with a quit confrontation of clashing ideologies, a young daughter determined to end the world and a mother equally determined that one of her children should live. and that shit hurts! I read the series a couple of times when I was younger but I was never before able to fully appreciate the work Jemisin does in crafting Essun and Nassun, showing us the way cruelty and fear have shaped both of them into the people they ultimately are and the choices they make. absolutely masterful, a legend.

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World in Search of the Good Death (Caitlin Doughty, 2017) - this was another reread, and while N.K. Jemisin was blowing my mind, Caitlin Doughty was giving me a warm hug. I don't know what to tell you, reading about the ways that people all over the world care for their dead and take comfort in their memories makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. death can be really beautiful and comforting, if you're not a coward.

The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag (Sasha Velour, 2023) - listen, I'm not really a Drag Race girlie. I first heard about this book when Velour was a guest on Nicole Byers' podcast, and while I was very charmed by her I was not expecting to be blown away by her book. it's just a little cash-in for a Ru girl, right? all she needs to do is slap together some cool pictures of her in drag and a few platitudes about being yourself and boom bang, that's a book. but readers, I owe Sasha Velour an apology: this book was so much cooler and smarter than it needed to be! Velour brings an impressive eye to forces of colonialism and capitalism that shape art and conceptions of queerness, and keeps this framework firmly in place while keeping the tone of the book bubbly and lighthearted. she also goes out of her way to spotlight a huge variety of drag performers and gender nonconforming figures throughout history, celebrating all the different means of expression that make up the tapestry of contemporary queerness. a great read, and one that I've already shelled out for. a friend and I are working on a documentary exploring the nuances of queer style, and I know I'm gonna want to pull heavily from Velour's thoughts and the history she's curated.

[adiduck]

okay i know its not a current ask game but you posted before about an ice time travels wip and im sosososo curious 👀

It is now June, so I can answer this ask for you, Anon! I DO have an Ice Time Travels AU, though it's not top of my list of WIPs at the moment :DDDDD one big project at a time, I beg you.

Anyway, here are three sentences and the surrounding context for the 👀. I suppose I'll just generally speaking keep 'send me a 👀 and a title and I'll write you three sentences' open, it really DOES seem to get me writing (assuming I'm not in the middle of a little event 😉)

-

The truth is, Ice thinks he’s braced for it.

He is not.

Nick Bradshaw, alive and cheerfully self-confident where he sits only a row in front of Ice, feels like some sort of blow to the head, rattling Ice’s brain around hard enough he thinks he might hurl right here in the classroom.

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a few months from 25, baby-faced with sharp, wary green eyes and a crooked, cocky grin, feels like someone reached straight into Ice’s chest and ripped out his heart.

Oh Mav, he thinks, fighting so fucking hard to keep a straight face as he stares at the back of the head of this barely-out-of-childhood version of one of his oldest, dearest friends. Look at you.

He can almost hear his Mav’s laugh, loud and rich. Gonna make me blush, Kazansky. Isn’t there a lecture you’re supposed to be paying attention to?

Ice closes his eyes and then tries to refocus on Jester. Or at least to make himself stop staring.

He thinks he’s pretty successful all told, until this younger Mav turns back to look at him, eyes narrowed with suspicion. Feeling eyes on him—that was something that Mav did as long as Ice had known him—so very aware of being perceived.

In hindsight, that may have been why he bought a hangar in the fucking desert.

You’re still staring, big shot, Ice’s inner Mav reminds him, and he mentally gives himself a shake, shoots a smirk at this young version of his dearest friend.

He gets a very huffy turned back in response, has to bite at the corner of his lip to stop himself letting the smirk become a real smile. Some things never change.

[kathren-doodles]

Uhhh hiii starting off with Adventure Time/Fiona and Cake stuff bc I’m really getting into it :D

also some Au Simon stuff I’ll spill later

Under the cut is oc stuff I’ve been working on!

Yeah I’m dragging my duck oc over here he still is running around my brain

[krussyarts]

I'm gonna throw up my brain is so full of these two

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Congrats on your milestones and thank you for your hard work as always!! 🐎🐎🐎

PIO!!!!!! THIS IS AN ASSASINATION ATTEMPT!!!!! YOU ARE COMING FOR MY LIFE

[a-s-levynn]

"Even if the sky cracks in mourning / And the heavens just won't open up for me" A Series of Small Offerings - II/12 - day20

[thedeadthree]

-`. 𝖚𝖗𝖑 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊 ❦

-ˋˏ .·:·. ⊱ indorilnerevarine ➵ THEDEADTHREE ⊰ .·:·. -ˋˏ

-`. baldur’s gate has my psyche and soul at the moment so in honor of that and the dearest (un)holy trinity i thought it would be cute to do a change as it’s been a bit!

-`. 𝖒𝖚𝖙𝖚𝖆𝖑𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖊𝖑𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖗𝖊𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘! ❦

[oohbuggypie]

THESE TWO PICTURES ARE SO BULLDON CORE LET ME BE IRREGULAR SUPER FAST .

k so the first time i ever read Suficiente i didn't pay super hard attention to the sequence of events after Don gets out of the shower , but upon reading it the second time around , one of the parts that stuck out the absolute most to me throughout the entire fic is when Don dabs his cologne on and then puts his crucifix back around his neck . the religion mention made my heart full bcuz , though i don't actively hold any serious religious beliefs or have a grasp on the true depth of religion, i have a very fond relationship with it and have taken to educating myself a bit more on it . anyhow, what's so special to me is that Don is Hispanic and i am as well, and when they say "his crucifix" i can only imagine that it's a rosary considering his descent ,, as i mentioned, im Hispanic as well and though i wasnt raised to be religious (in fact, for a long period of my life i quite resented it), others in my family and many who share my ethnicity have had very religious upbringings and are taught Catholicism from a very young age ... soooooo it's been a headcanon of mine since i read it that Don has a strong appreciation and love for religion; his mother began teaching him faith at a very young age and his father did as well , and once Don turned 18 he made his own rosary and began wearing it every day 🩷 also , the literal definition of rosary being "chain of roses" is VERY in character for him lol and it almost makes me wonder if - considering that he's Hispanic - the roses he's associated with aren't just to express his romantic characteristics but also serve as a possible nod at his cultural roots ? IDK JUST A FUN THOUGHT TO CONSIDERR

anyway i said this is BullDon core because ..

1. the first pic has a bull standing next to the Virgin Mary duh

2. the second pic omg .. the crucifix on the chest hair LET ME BABBLE

new headcanon since i saw that pic is that after Bull gifted Don the Convertible, Don began saving money to buy Bull a pure gold necklace with a crucifix pendant 🩷 since Bull has a looot of money Don feared that the gift would lose its sentiment seeing that Bull could easily afford it, but Bull absolutely treasures it and never once considered its cost bcuz it holds such a connection to his partner ,, ive previously mentioned that i hc Don to also have a tattoo on his torso of a religious symbol / quote along with his rosary, so i think that Don deciding he wants to share a large & sentimental part of his life with Bull by having him don the same crucifix he does shook him to his core and honestly made Bull a lot more tender at heart ,, 🥹 though Bull doesn't share the same strong love for religion the way Don does, and Don is less religious than he used to he when he was younger, i just (loosesly) hc and find it very sweet if they were brought closer by it . Also I Like To Project OOOOOPS ✝️

anyway i hope u guys see my vision and don't hate my idea :3 this has a lawt of meaning 2 me believe it or not so YAY !!!!

!! image credits !!

1st picture: @.tomscepaniak on Pinterest

2nd picture: @.houseofscum on Instagram

[stationk17]

You give me a self absorbed arrogant smartass and expect me not to like him? Well my friend you are very wrong.

Please please listen to @roguespodcast i beg you

Edit: The Companion Jonathan portrait

[karinyosa]

listen i can’t prove that asp bloggers by and large seem to know brinker was based on gore vidal now because of me but brother i will say it was not like that back when there were like 4 asp blogs and all the fanart was anime

[beanmaster-pika]

Me when I get into a new series or game: hello! where are the tragic brothers

[brown-little-robin]

I think I'm going to treat myself to being off tumblr until Tuesday. a nice long stretch of four days to force my brain to calm down, and if I feel like it, maybe a longer vacation soon. I'll be back today (or maybe tomorrow) to post the next Strange Redemption chapter, and my queue will be running.

In the meantime, I'll be doing art, talking to friends, playing board games, working, cleaning, et cetera... :)

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

bye! see you later!