Transcript below the cut.
instagram / patreon / portfolio / etsy / my book / redbubble
Panel 1: For the second year in a row, Gender Queer was the most challenged book in the US, reported the American Library Association.
Panel 2: It’s been a weird two years. Number of unique titles challenged in the US by year. 2000: 378 titles. 2005: 259 titles. 2010: 262 titles. 2015: 190 titles. 2020: 223 titles. 2021: 1858 titles. 2022: 2571 titles.
Panel 3: It’s been a hard two years. The ACLU is tracking 469 anti-LGBTQ bills in the US.
Panel 4: Usually I prefer to wait until something is over before I write about it, so I have time to reflect. But this experience has not ended.
Panel 5: It has only gotten louder. (A series of screen shoots of news headlines about Gender Queer, book challenges and an obscenity lawsuit against the book being dismissed in the state of Virginia).
Panel 6: I’m constantly wondering, “When should I speak and when should I let the book speak for itself?”
Panel 7: I remember when I realized that the previous most challenged book spent five years in the top five.
2020- Melissa by Alex Gino at #1
2019- Melissa by Alex Gino at #1
2018- Melissa by Alex Gino at #1
2017- Melissa by Alex Gino at #5
2016- Melissa by Alex Gino at #3
Panel 8: Oh, I think I can take my time figuring out how to respond. I think I’m in this for the long haul...
Panel 9: Ways to support libraries and challenged authors: Check out and read challenged books. Vote for and attend library board and school board meetings. Report censorship to the ALA and PEN America. Vote to fund libraries. Speak up against legislation limiting the teaching of queer history, sex ed, abortion and the history of racism in the US.
Panel 10: Most challenged books of 2022:
1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson
3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
4. Flamer by Mike Curato
5. (tie) Looking For Alaska by John Green
5. (tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
10. (tie) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
10. (tie) Crank by Ellen Hopkins
10. (tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
10. (tie) This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
4K notes
·
View notes
our love has always been 10 centimeters apart - aventurine
synopsis: the two times the both of you were away from each other even though the only thing you’ve longed for was each other, and the one time where the two of you find your way back to one another again.
pairing: aventurine x reader (gn) | wordcount: 2.0k | content & warnings: unestablished relationship, fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, reader cries a bit (tiny bit), mentions of alcohol and “sex” (an idiom = get into one's pants) but no graphic mention of sex + they’re not drunk, kissing, making up and making out (one kiss), tba if i find more, proofreading is for losers (its 4am (cet) i'm just too lazy); oneshot
tags: @azullumi (i swear that grey block with spikes from mario literally looks like "alpha sigma boss. you guys agree right?? prove azul wrong.)
img credits: @/magnolia29 on x!
a/n: i started this draft at like 12 an and procrastinated for god knows how long but yeah!! hope this is okay for what sleep deprived me wrote lmfao
“you seriously still wear that thing?”
aventurine points at the wool scarfs you’re wearing, it hangs a bit loosely due to you not wrapping it around your neck enough.
“yeah, got a problem?” you tease, grinning as you look at him. “it’s the first thing i got from you when i was moved to this department.”
ah right. he remembers the day vividly. they said that a certain member has risen quite quickly in the past few months and will now be moved to his department: the strategic investment department.
on the first day of work, aventurine, like the thoughtful senior he is, came up to you and greeted you, offering you a tour around the building and introducing you to the staff and everyone who worked here. you agreed and followed him as he guided you around your new workplace.
the two of you got along quickly, exchanging laughters and telling each other jokes as the two of you were strolling around the building. he remembers gifting you an expensive scarf, one made out of the finest wool in the whole galaxy. you thanked him wholeheartedly and at that he couldn’t help but invite you out for a drink - like the mindful senior he is, of course.
drinking after work became a little habit for the two of you. sometimes the two of you were able to drag veritas or topaz along, but usually veritas denied the invitations, saying “he doesn’t want to mush up his brain due to the alcohol.” as for topaz she usually came along to look after the two of you, but today it seemed like there was an emergency regarding numby, which she had to rush to immediately. leaving you and aventurine alone.
which led you to your current situation, the two glasses of alcohol in front of aventurine are left untouched, everything that happens right now is done with a sober mind. he can’t put the alcohol to blame.
your hands are close, they're a mere 10 centimeters apart from his. it takes everything inside of him to not take your hand in his and smother it in kisses, but he refrains, he can't - he shouldn't even be thinking about something like this.
your soft lips lean forward to meet his, they're a mere 10 millimeters away from his. you continue to launch forward, he doesn't move away, he can't move - he's frozen. you assume he granted you permission to kiss him. your hand snakes towards his, loosely intertwining the tips of your fingers.
your lips ghost over his - the distance between the two of you is gone, it scares him. he fears he might not be able to return if he goes this way.
aventurine can’t help but pull away from your tantalizing touch, it hurts him. but he’s scared.
he slips his fingers out of your grasp, lurching backwards, uncomfortably shifting on the big sofa and scooting back, to move away from you.
your eyes shoot open, clearly filled with confusion. your lips slightly part open and you tilt your head to the side, irritation is written all over your face.
"s-sorry." he apologizes quickly. "i don't think i'm made for this," he mutters. regret immediately overcoming him and you.
"ah, don't worry. i should be the one apologizing. i'm sorry. i shouldn't have just assumed your feelings. forgive me." you try to maintain a steady tone but your voice and expression betray you. your voice quivers - it breaks, it sounds like you're holding back tears that are about to spill at any given moment.
no, no , no this can't be. it's all his fault. he ruined everything once again, his gift was a mere misfortune, it only caused bad luck.
your hand that was once connected with his slithered away from its previous position, this time you really were gone.
perhaps this is when aventurine realized that the both of you weren't just mere inches apart but the distance between the two of you went beyond planets and galaxies and thus could never be conquered.
the two of you were worlds apart.
it’s been a few years ever since he’s seen you. (there hasn’t been a single day where he hasn’t thought about you.) apparently someone caught wind of what happened between you and aventurine, of course they reported it right away. initially it was planned to fire you, for making a move on one of the ten stonehearts, especially as someone who stood below him.
but aventurine convinced them not to do so, saying he’s also at fault and that they should just make you move departments, perhaps you’d learn from your mistakes. it was successful - he was beyond relieved. he didn’t show it, the only thing that was visible to them was a cunning smile.
behind it, beneath the faux smile, he was clenching his teeth, biting the insides of his lips so hard that they began to bleed (he wishes that you were there to trace the outline of your lips over his once again, mending to his wounds - both, the one on his lips and the one in his heart.) his left hand was trembling behind his back as he awaited their judgment.
eventually you did get moved to another department and aventurine didn’t visit you, too caught up at work and business matters on other planets.
(it’s a lie - he knows that himself, it’s just to avoid you. it’s for the better he thinks, better for the both of you to not meet. he fears that all the feelings he kept hidden inside his chest will return and turn his world upside down once again.)
one time he overheard some co-workers gossiping about “the person who got into mr. aventurines pants” getting sent onto a mission that’ll take several years. “what a pity that they won’t get to see him anymore.” a female voice giggles as the other voice hums in agreement and they walk away.
lies. all lies, it had to be. both that you “got into his pants” - hell it was a mere kiss that the two of you exchanged (not even a kiss because he shied away.) but it had to be a lie that you were sent away right? right? It’s just rumors, just some gossip that people need to pass their time, it can't be.
of course, to his dismay, it had to be true.
his luck was truly a misfortune.
spring has come, the remaining snow melts away and turns into puddles. the skies started to clear up and flowers that were once covered in snowflakes, hidden beneath the white blanket of snow, started to open up again, blooming in their full glory.
but there was another flower he spotted, one that stood out from the others - you. after all this time, he’s finally found you.
this time he doesn't falter.
he runs up to you. pulling you into a tight embrace as he hugs you. his nose is buried into the wool scarf you’re wearing, he took notice that it’s the same one he gifted you back then. your scent mixed with his still lingers on it.
“aventurine?!!” you shout, surprised to see him again after all those years.
“you kept it..” he whispers fondly. huh? you’re confused, what is he talking about? “the scarf i mean.” he says without looking up, as if he knew what you were thinking without having to see what expression you wear or hear your voice and which sound you’ve uttered.
“of course, i did.” you say bitterly. “after all, it's the last and only thing i have left from you.” you whisper, a frown finds its way onto your face.
“no. that’s not true.” he protests, finally looking up. it's just like the last time he saw you, your eyebrow furrowed, your eyes telling him that you’re on the verge of crying - similar to when he rejected your advances. “you have me now.” the words barely above a whisper.
“oh aeons, dont, please. i beg of you.” aventurine is quick to put his gloved fingers on your eyes and rub them softly, collecting the tear drops that are about to run down your cheek. “you know i hate seeing you like this.” he whispers quietly as he removes his glove from his hand and rubs circles over your cold and reddened cheeks.
“i missed you.” you hiccup in between your cries, aventurine continues to catch your tears, he won’t allow you to cry any more - especially because he’s the reason why you’re tearing up.
“pshh.” he tries to quiet you. “ive missed you too, probably more than you know.” as an attempt to reassure you.
“i’m here now, i’ll stay with you, i’ll follow you wherever you go.” he leans forward, this time he’s the one initiating the kiss and you gladly return it. his chapped lips meet yours, kissing you messily. there’s some biting and teeth clashing but he couldn’t care less, neither do you - after all this is what you’ve been waiting for.
there's no distance, no fronts, no walls to separate the two of you. he's never felt this kind of love - your love. he hasn't been held this lovingly for an eternity, this is the first time he actually somehow feels human.
boundaries is a word foreign to the two of you, they've never been there - they never will be there because from the beginning on aventurines heart has only sought after you.
it used to terrify him, the way his heart always seemed to jump out of his rib cage upon seeing you. the louder and faster the pumping got the closer you leaned in - just like back then.
but exactly because of that or rather because of you he discovered a new part of himself, diving into an ocean of emotions that were anchored to the bottom of the water, anticipating the daz they'll be discovered and treasured in one's heart. those feelings were unknown to him until he met you.
"what should i say once we meet again?", "what should i do to prove that i'm ready now and don't fear to love or be loved anymore?", "how can i prove my love to you?"
those questions have haunted him in his restless nights, the ones that made him wake up from his deep slumber where he dreamt of you, forehead glistening with cold beads of sweat, gripping his bed sheets tightly. (all of his thoughts and dreams are filled with you.)
the beauty of this world has always been hidden beneath a window curtain, he was oblivious - blind, just how breathtaking the world can truly be.
but you came along, pulling the curtains away, revealing the outside world to him. you stepped into his life and shattered the glass that kept him confined behind the window.
you confessed your unyielding love for him. you love him - you've always done and you always will - you imagined a future which he was a part of. where the vibrant colors of the sun not only greeted you but also him as he laid next to you, side by side. watching as the rising sun kisses your skin with its tendrils of sunshine.
(he'd follow the rays of sunshine and kiss the same spots they marked, he'd leave a trail of kisses along your body.)
how can he ever repay you for what you've done for him?
a mere thank you wouldn't suffice - not in a million years.
if you were to ask him if he'd give you the sun, the moon, the stars or the whole sky - he would.
if you were to ask him if he'd get on his knees for you - he would, no questions asked. be it when he prays to you, pleas leaving his lips and dripping off his tongue or when he'd kneel down on one of his knees to tie your shoes or propose to you - he would.
if you were to ask him if he'd stay by your side all night or rather all life long - he would. he'd be your light that'd guide you even though the flame went extinct, he'd be your flesh you'd nibble on, he'd be your blood you live off.
he wouldn't hesitate for a single moment, he'd give you everything you yearn and long for in a single heartbeat.
after all, that's the least he can do for you.
@azullumi here extra paragraph again hhihihihuuh anyway when's the stoner!chuuya x stoner!reader fic like where??? also azul i love you a lot. you deserve the best - you deserve the world. i hope you get accepted into your dream uni, get everything you've worked hard for (u deserve it, you're a person full of determination) and yeah convince ur teacher to extend the deadline!!
© VYNICITY 2024. stealing, copying, translating, reposting my works on other platforms or feeding them to ai is not permitted.
e/n: it's 4am rn im sooooo tired but yeah here!
408 notes
·
View notes
04/02/24’s delivery 🏹✉️ twisted wonderland
<3 stood still, when we first metヽ( ・∀・)ノ_θ彡☆Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ,ヽ( ・∀・)ノ_θ彡☆Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ ;; summary. ‘eels are covardes—hence how the tweels are when it comes to romance.’
characters. octavinelle : floyd leech , jade leech ( separate ) ;; romantic . 🖇️ tags. reader is gender neutral ( you/your ), reader is yuu, pre-relationship, romantic fluff
📡 _a/n. ‘the tweels could never be flustered’ this, ‘the tweels are slick when it comes to romance’ that.. i choose FREEDOMMMM!!
f. leech
— it’s a sure fact; eels are cowards, and with no exceptions, as is floyd. think him as intimidating, scary, a mereel who’s more than willing to terrorize a few people if it seems fun enough. but deep down, he’s very much a coward. at the very least, that much is true when it comes to who interests him most—you. he can’t recall exactly when you caught his heart, like a fisherman after some catfish for his dinner. but he knows for a fact, and remembers how all of a sudden you sent his heart a flutter. maybe, so long as you’re attentive enough, you’ll notice the way he tries ( and fails ) to hide his mushy smily face that makes it ever so obvious how much he truly finds himself infatuated with you, the way he at times twiddles his thumbs when you joke together like he wants to say something more, but his nerves leave him to back down.
— after all; despite their frightening features, especially floyd all things considered, eels are cowards. oh, but that’s alright, because even if he can’t seem to spit out even the words ‘you’re real nice lookin!’, at least there’s the true fact that, lo and behold, you’re capable. go ahead, be physically affectionate with him, tease him a bit so long as he’s in a good mood, just return the favor of romance. all of it, are things he absolutely lives for. especially when it comes to physical affection, even just a teasing hand hold is enough to get him flustered and looking away from you, albeit with a pout.
— really, he tries ( and still fails ) to tease you back, but when it comes to you, it really doesn’t seem to work, does it? “boo, shrimpy..you’re no funnn..” he’ll pout, and he pouts even more when you just giggle in response. what’ll be the ticking point though, for him to sum up his courage and confess to you? that’s where a gift comes in—some shiny jewelry, specifically speaking, a necklace. surprise him from behind and put it on, maybe let your touch linger around his neck. especially then, you can take the time to adore his ever so flustered face.
— he can barely keep in his sheepish delight, so mark his words, by after school hours he’s hunting you down over to ramshackle; albeit you get there first, so despite his nervousness telling him to run away, he knocks on your door, forcing himself to with his other hand. thus when you finally open the door, he proceeds to immediately envelop you in a hug, and pay attention to the way he kept the necklace on, as it clinked softly against your bodies at the quick movement. “eh, shrimpy..you like me right? that’s why you gave me this pretty stuff?” he’ll ask, head nuzzled into your neck like he’s scared to see if you reject the notion, so go ahead and pat his head and tell him outright, that you love him. so floyd summons bravery once more with his toothy grin, and gives you a peck on the cheeks in his glee.
j. leech
— when the jaws open wide ‘n then it gets all shy, that’s a moorayyy..and that’s also jade. indeed more reserved, though still as menacing as floyd, and yet so long as you push the right buttons, it’s rather easy to get him flustered. as equal a coward as his brother, but his usual smooth, calm-face helps him a bit, though he clasps a clenched fist to keep himself from trying to hold your hand in case you’d rather not and his eyes dart around when he tries to make eye contact with you. maybe he’d be good at hiding his feelings, if not for the way he hitches when you give him even the slightest of affection, like grabbing at the fabric of his sleeve to take him to eat lunch with you.
— he can go ahead and try to be suave, especially with his “do be gentle with me”, but well and goodness believe that he goes to bed kicking his feet and giggling like a high school girl whenever you act smoothly in reply. at the very least, your blatant honesty with your compliments and praise evens out with his cowardice that causes him to suck in a breath, leaving him without the ability to come up with a smooth comeback. give him some time to lessen his fluster, to keep up his reputation as the ‘humble, gentle’ mereel his first impressions leave him to be.
— and goodness, how he’s left with a flushed face whenever you give him princess treatment, run your fingers through his hair and offer to feed him food when he teasingly suggests it ( and his mind is like tv static..he didn’t expect it, but he really, really enjoyed it!! ). but to finally get the feeling across so he feels comfortable enough to know his love is requited .. you’re going to have to be direct here, and ask if he’d like to have dinner with you at ramshackle. at that point, no matter how impressive he may have been in hiding his shyness before, he’s just barely keeping himself together from stuttering when he agrees, his sharp teeth showing just barely then.
— for just one last time, feed him some food as you eat together, in comfortable silence before jade finally collects himself once he realizes you truly aren’t just teasing him, that you really did ask him out on a date, which he was brave enough to accept. maybe he lets a nervous chuckle before he takes hold of his utensils, still barely able to look you in the eye, unsure of how he managed to gather the bravery to do it even just then. “for you to treat me ever so kindly like this..” and just a slight quiver in his voice which he berates himself over, “by any chance..have you taken a liking to me?” and that, then, is when you can confess—ask to kiss him if you’d like, his stomach will do twirls sure; but he’ll say yes.
408 notes
·
View notes