#international wonder woman day 2021

[cowpokeomens]

absolution

Pairing: Pastor!Joakim "Jolly" Karlsson x fem!reader

Word Count: 5.3k

Warnings: 18+ ONLY MINORS DNI!!!!!!!!! A looot of references to religion (it all takes place in a church, so), smut smut smut (p-in-v) I'm including dubcon bc consent is weird with power dynamics, age gaps (10 yr) (everyone is of legal age though!!), some body horror stuff, power imbalance, I think that's all but if you come across something that I missed please reach out so I can tag accordingly!!! Love u bye!!!

A/N: This was really cathartic to write lmao I have a sprinkling of Religious Trauma and this helped me work through some of those feelings in my own weird horny way. It is porn, please don't start expecting me to be some kinda respectable writer with plotlines or whatever. PLEASE HEED THE TAGS. Okay enjoy!!!!

The guilt of it is eating you alive. 

The pressure between your legs- the raw, empty ache that plagues you day in and day out. Sitting on your pew, you are once again swept away by long, glossy hair and inked knuckles, turning sacred pages of a holy book that can do nothing to hold your attention at this moment.

What an impression of Christ he makes, you think to yourself, sounding hypnotized even in your internal monologue. 

He arrived when you were 19, to your small town, to your even smaller church. The rest of the folks in town think your congregation is too… fanatical. You can’t imagine a world in which someone could be over-zealous for the word of God, and even so, Pastor Karlsson had done a lot to level the congregation out. 

He was a divorcee, not by his choice, he has said. He was only 29 when he first rolled into town, funny accent and even funnier sounding name causing immediate distrust in your tight-knit community.

But God, did he have a testimony. Sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll, the tattoos adorning his body told you the story better than those gaudy stained glass windows in the snobby Catholic churches ever could. A lecherous lifestyle with a woman who didn’t love him, not really - not the way you do. He had humbled himself to you all, and you gladly let him in. He was made a pillar in your community - he became a leader to the congregation.

Which is why you always suppressed your feelings, putting them in a locked sarcophagus and hurling it to the far recesses of your mind. You will not be the thing that tries to come between him and the Lord.

You look up at him as he speaks, standing at the pulpit and wielding the word of God like the Archangel Michael who so valiantly struck down Satan. He who is made in God’s image; Had it not been for your utter devotion to the Lord, you would have wondered if he could sin at all.

But you knew better. Everyone carried their own sins. You had heard stories of husbands and wives who idolized each other so much that they left the church altogether. Your heart broke at the thought of leaving God’s light to worship something as sinful as human flesh, couldn’t imagine risking an eternity of paradise for what would one day be dust. 

Not that you’d know, of course. You’d never felt the touch of a man outside of when Pastor Karlsson baptized you the day before your 21st birthday. It had been fuel for weeks, his gentle hand on your back, guiding you underneath the water of the river that ran out behind the church. You had stuffed yourself full of your own fingers that night, stuffed your mouth full of bed linens so that no one would hear how you came undone at the mere thought of him. 

Perhaps you are the lecherous one, after all. Though you can’t help but think that God has given you Pastor Karlsson on purpose, as a test of your faith. A test that you believed you were passing, for the most part. You haven’t missed a Sunday sermon since you caught the flu in 2021, and even so, you watched the livestreams on Facebook. You keep your nose in your Bible, and ignore the clench in your gut when he tells you good morning. 

This morning is different. 

This morning is worse. 

You just come off of your period- disgusting and uncomfortable as it was, you are thankful it was over and you can enjoy the rest of your June in peace. But it lingers under your skin, an itch that can’t be scratched. Your emotions are raw, and you burst into tears twice this week, unprompted. Worst of all is the ache. 

You didn’t know you could feel so empty. It claws at your insides like a caged beast, mockingly calling in the voice of Moloch himself, “Fill me up, fill me up.”

You threw yourself headfirst into your studies; you reviewed Ecclesiastes as a way to ground yourself, to remind yourself that this was a temporary feeling, and would pale in comparison to the absolution of Heaven. 

Still, sitting in your pew, you felt the hunger gnashing at you, gnawing at your throat. It was overwhelming, all-consuming. You stutter through your hymnal, barely reading half the words. Your mother keeps giving you concerned looks, your father aloof as ever. Halfway through the sermon, she hisses in your ear, “What is the matter with you?” 

You blink up at her, wide-eyed, and stammer out a “I - I don’t know. I feel… weird.” 

She purses her lips, but says nothing, turning back to Pastor Karlsson in the pulpit. 

You pass the time in silence, feeling itchy and hot, until the sermon concludes, and everyone makes a mass exodus to the dirt lot where their cars are parked.

“Hold on.” Your mother stops you as you begin exiting your pew. 

She walks over and, to your utter horror, greets Pastor Karlsson, pulling him aside and speaking to him in hushed tones. He nods once, glancing at you, then nods again as she steps away. She looks grateful, patting his shoulder in that way that mothers do. 

He looks at you then, and his full attention is enough to make you combust. Suddenly your dress is too tight on your chest, your breasts straining with every breath against the linen that encases you. Your bones itch, but your hands stay resolutely tucked into your sides, your Bible held against your chest.

You’re so busy focusing on breathing that you don’t realize he’s walking towards you until he’s right in front of you, smiling warmly while greeting you by name. Your mother is by his side, looking at you in such a way that tells you she had something to do with this interaction. 

“Darling, Pastor Karlsson here wants a word with you. He even said he’d give you a ride back to the house! I’ll set aside a plate for you at home, you two take your time here.” She was smiling in a way that made all of her teeth visible, like a snarling animal. A lead brick settles in your stomach at the expression as you look up at Pastor Karlsson.

He was so tall, you think as you peer up at him. Dark eyes meet yours, making your gaze flicker away to something else- anything else to avoid the intensity you find there. Looking directly into his eyes was like looking into the maw of a starving beast- you weren’t brave enough to even consider it.

Your mother departs with a final “Wonderful sermon, Joakim, thank you!” Flashing one of her pageant smiles at him - one she’s never given your father - as she goes. 

He nods politely, murmuring a quiet, “All the glory to God.” before turning back to you. He gives you a thoughtful look before he speaks again.

“Your mother is concerned about you.” His tone was not accusatory or pointed, just repeating facts. 

You inhale shakily. “Yeah, I feel kind of weird today.” Admitting to such a thing is not a lie - you do feel weird today. 

He nods, as if understanding. Then, “Would you like to speak in my office? I have to pick up a few things, then we can head out.”

The thought of being in an enclosed space with him made you almost pass out, but you persevere, giving a meek nod as you follow him out of the sanctuary.

It was a short walk from the sanctuary to his office, your church is small, even among small churches. You love its modesty; It is a far cry from the towering spires and flying buttresses you saw in your history books back in school, but it has a self-effacing quality that makes it approachable to people from all walks of life. 

The walls are painted white, though slightly yellowed with age. Dark wood lines the floor, blue carpet cushioning your steps as you walk. There aren’t many windows - it was built for insulation, not sight-seeing, after all. Crosses hang sporadically throughout the hallways, some wooden, carved by members, others purchased at a discount at the craft stores a few towns over. 

His office is a glorified coat closet, something the elders threw together haphazardly when God called him to serve. It fit a desk, a desktop computer that was older than dirt, and two chairs, one on either side of the desk. The carpet is green, the walls beige, and you have always thought it is an entirely unbecoming space for such a Godly man. It’s a good thing he was humble; God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble, you think, almost bitterly, as he sits down in the chair by the computer. You make a mental note to work on your own humility as you sit down in the chair opposite him. 

“So, what’s got you feeling weird?” He asks with a small smile, putting his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers together. His hair falls over his shoulders with the movement, cascading down in a curtain of silk. You remind yourself to breathe. 

Stammering, you try to explain yourself. “I’m- I’m not sure, Pastor Karlsson-”

“Joakim.” He interrupts you gently. 

You blink at him, confusion evident in your face. He must find something about the expression amusing, because he’s smiling softly and continuing, “You can call me Joakim. We’re both grown-ups here.”

You swallow loudly, the sound all but ricochets in the stillness of the room. “R-right. I’m not really sure why I feel so weird. I just had a really hard time focusing today.” You suddenly realize what you’ve said, correcting yourself quickly. “Not that the sermon wasn’t good! Your sermons are always wonderful, Pastor Karls - Joakim.” 

He’s smiling broadly now, clearly entertained by your flailing. “It’s okay, käresta, I understand what you mean." A pause, then he lowers his hands. "Is there something on your mind specifically? Something that’s preventing you from focusing?”

You go still, scared to breathe too fully, lest it give you away. Your eyes slide to the ground, teeth coming out to gnaw at your lip. You can feel your heart racing in your throat- the throbbing sensation makes you wonder if you’ll actually vomit from anxiety. You freeze further when Joakim places a hand on your arm, gently.

His voice is barely audible when he whispers, “Hey, it’s okay. We all have our sins, and sin is sin -”

“- Is sin.” You finish for him, sounding unconvinced. You take a deep breath, then redirect your gaze back to him. His eyes are soft with concern, mouth pulled into the faintest frown. Hating to imagine you’re the reason he’s so upset, you blurt out before you can even process your words.

“I’ve been having lustful thoughts about a man in the congregation.” Once the words have been said, you fight the urge to grab them clean out of the air and stuff them back into your mouth. 

The hand on your arm tenses for half a second, then relaxes again. “Okay.” He begins calmly, pulling his hand back to the table. You resist the urge to whimper at the loss of contact. “I can see where your concern is coming from. Is this man married?”

There were only so many unmarried men in the congregation; it would be an easy elimination if you were truthful. But... You were already coming clean about one sin, no need to add on others, you reasoned. Shaking your head in a negative, you give a meek, “No, he’s not.”

Joakim nods thoughtfully, staying silent for a moment. You can all but see the gears turning in his mind, deducing who it could be. You wonder if he lists himself amongst the unmarried men- or if he is courting some woman, unbeknownst to you all. No, your mind fired at you venomously. He is not the sort of man to slink around in the shadows. 

Finally, he spoke. “While lust is never something to give full rein to, it is understandable, biologically speaking.” Upon seeing your confusion, he offers another soft smile, continuing. “You’re at an age where your body wants you to have children. It is what God made you for, it’s only natural that someone as devoted as you are would respond strongly to His plan. You’re not doing anything wrong, käresta.”

Relief floods your body, making your shoulders sag at the loss of tension. You aren’t doing anything wrong, Joakim even told you so. But that makes you wonder- is there anything you should be doing? You’re about to ask when he speaks again. 

“I’ve been wanting to speak with you privately for a while now.” He huffs a small laugh. “It seems the Lord thought today would be a good time, so it shall be.” 

You straighten your shoulders, sitting up, wanting to make sure he knows he has your full attention. Looking at him fully, you’re not surprised why your body is so responsive to him. He’s so handsome, even with the shadow of dark stubble on his face. You wonder what keeps him up at night, which chapters he gets stuck on for days before clarity dawns on him. It’s no mystery why your body is putting thoughts of lust in your mind; he’s the sort of man who would make a wonderful father. 

You cut off that train of thought, needing to focus on the present moment. He needs your full attention for whatever he’s going to say next. 

“The Lord has been communicating with me for some months now, on the topic of finding a wife.” You both take deep breaths, though for different reasons, you imagine. “You’ve heard my testimony on my previous marriage, so I don’t need to emphasize how much I’ve prayed about this.”

Your heart breaks, shatters, combusts into nothing but ash at his words. The Lord wants him to find a wife, and it sounds like he has someone in mind. You swallow the lump of bile in your throat, trying to listen to his next words as your guts fight the natural inclination to stay in your body.

“I’ve spoken to God a lot, the last few months- even by pastor standards.” The playful smile he gives you feels like a knife twisting in your chest. “And if I’m understanding his message correctly, I believe God wants me to court you.”

You’re so busy wallowing that you don’t understand what he’s said at first. The words sink in slowly, like the drip of an IV into your veins. When you think you understand, you manage a, “What?”

He chuckles, not a degrading sound, rather like he understands your confusion. “I know, it seems sudden, but I’ve been speaking to the Lord about this for many months, and-”

“Oh my goodness.” You interrupt as realization hits you like a freight train. “No - I know. I know. Because God has been speaking to me, too.”

Joakim’s brow furrows at you, and it feels nice to not be the confused one for once. 

You continue, looking up at him shyly. “The… lustful thoughts I’ve been having, they-” You pause, building up your courage. “They’re about you.” 

He’s frozen, mouth slightly agape as he processes your confession. His head tilts to the side slightly, eyes darker than usual as he asks, “You’ve been having lustful thoughts about… me?”

You nod, cheeks tinged pink. “When you’re in the pulpit - I try to focus, I really do, but my mind wanders to… other things.” 

You should be embarrassed, should be ashamed of admitting something so unbecoming. But the comfort of this being God’s plan washes away any ill regards you have about the situation; this is what He has always intended. 

“Other things?” He echoes, eyes focused on you intensely. His voice is hushed, only loud enough for the two of you to hear. “Like what?”

Your blush deepens at his inquiry. “Well, it’s more of a feeling than an exact thought…”

He’s leaning forward now, all but hanging over his desk at your words. He looks hungry, you realize suddenly; Like he’d seen firsthand the famine in Canaan, pupils blown wide, mouth open, breathing slowly. “A feeling?” He prompts.

Nodding, you find yourself leaning forward too, almost desperate to close the gap between you both. You can feel the dust in the air, hear the quiet electric hum of his old desktop computer. Your breath is coming too loudly, it ricochets off the walls around you both. “It feels like an ache.” You explain, sounding hoarse. “It feels like an emptiness.” 

He takes a shaky breath, pushing himself back from his desk in a controlled motion. Standing up, he makes his way around the desk to stand in front of you, one of his calloused hands guiding your chin up to look at him. 

“Do you want me to help you - with the emptiness? The ache?” He questions, eyes boring into yours. 

The thought of it makes your thighs clench together, and the feeling is so delicious that you almost vocalize it. Your mouth is dry, but you feel wetness gathering in your cotton panties already. You almost forget to respond, nodding and breathing out, “Yes, please.”

“Always so well-mannered.” He praises, making you feel warm. You would do just about anything for him to keep going.

The hand on your jaw guides you upward until you’re standing in front of him. You’re not touching, but you can feel the heat emanating from his body, feel the way the air vibrates between you. His eyes travel down to your lips, back up to your eyes, then down to your lips again. 

“Have you ever kissed a boy, lillis?” He asks, eyes half-lidded and voice quiet.

You shake your head, a tiny movement. “No.” You pause, then decide to continue. “I wanted to save myself.”

His inhale is sharp, deep. “Such a good girl.” The words light a fire in your belly, and the familiar gnawing is back, worse than ever before. You shift on your feet, subconsciously searching for any kind of friction. He picks up on the movement. 

“Do you feel empty, now? Are you desolate?” You can feel where his breath hits your face. If you tilted your head right, your lips would meet. The clothes you’re wearing feel itchy - too tight, too rough.  

You can’t speak, so you nod “yes.” His eyes run down your figure, back up again to your lips. 

“Show me where.” Is his only command. You can’t read his expression fully, features arranged into careful neutrality. The spark in his eyes seemed to hint at desperation, though.

Your face is probably the color of a sun-ripened tomato, but you do as he says, grabbing his free hand, guiding it between your legs. His fingers curl up through your skirt, cupping your mound. Your eyelids flutter shut at the contact, hands coming up to rest against his chest to steady yourself. Heartbeat racing, you don’t think there could be anything better than the feeling of what’s happening right now.

“Here? Is this where you feel empty?” His lips move against your cheek, breath fanning across your ear, making you shiver.

You blink several times, trying to clear your head. “Joakim, please.” Is all you can muster, fingers gripping at his shirt. 

You can feel him sag against you as his lips crash into yours. You’re not completely sure of what to do, allowing him to guide your lips open, licking into your mouth. You hear yourself groaning into the kiss, crowding impossibly closer until your bodies are pressed against each other fully. 

He breaks the embrace to place wet, open-mouthed kisses along your jaw, down your neck. The feeling is euphoric, making your hips buck into his without conscious decision.

Hands run down your sides, coming up again underneath your dress skirt to grip at the backs of your thighs, yanking you forward with such force that you almost topple over. His left hand is at your back in an instant, holding you steady before unzipping the back of your dress in a swift motion. 

The material pools around your front, hanging loosely until you pry it off, happy to be rid of the too-rough fabric at last. His lips are back on yours in an instant, one hand gripping the back of your neck while the other kneads the flesh of your breast through your bra. 

You outright moan at the feeling, his teeth nipping at your bottom lip as your mouth opens to let the sound out. He works a knee between your legs, rubbing the meaty flesh of his thigh against your core in such a way that has you seeing spots in your vision. Fingers curling into claws where they grip onto his shoulders, you grind down onto his leg, an animalistic snarl escaping you as you do so. 

You know this feeling; Though it’s a sin to give into lust, you’ve made yourself climax before, silently, long after everyone had laid down to rest at night. This is so much more, though - you feel as though someone has soaked you in gasoline and laid a lit match to your flesh. Nothing could have torn you from the carnal desire you felt, being entwined with Joakim like this. You want to take turns ripping each other apart, severing limbs and gluing them back together until you have both been remade in His image. You want to bite and gnaw and lick until you taste blood, to soothe the worried skin with soft whispers and softer hands. Dragged to Hell and back, nailed to a cross and left to rot, rising from the dead with such vigor that Lazarus would envy you - you wanted it all, so long as this moment didn’t end.

“Joakim - I, I -” You choke out, eyes focusing on his, foreheads pressed together.

“Good girl, give it to me, everything you’ve got.” He urged you, the hand on your neck coming down against your hip, ushering your pelvis against his thigh. 

Burying your head in his chest, you climax with a wanton moan, body shuddering through the shockwaves of it. Your breathing is labored, vision blurry from clenching your eyes shut so tightly.

He’s gently prying you off his leg then, maneuvering your positions until you find yourself face-down on his desk. Using a knee, he nudges your knees apart until he fits comfortably between them. The new angle has you feeling vulnerable, visible, licentious. 

You don’t have time to dwell on the feeling, because suddenly his fingers are playing with your folds through your ruined panties. Your knees almost buckle at the stimulation, so sensitive it almost hurts. Gripping the other side of the desk to hold yourself upright, you do your very best to stay still as he explores your body. 

Two fingers hook into the side of your panties, moving them to the side. You know he can see everything like this, and while part of you is screaming at the debauchery of it, another, louder part of you hopes he likes what he sees. You’re fighting the urge to sneak a glance at him when the two fingers that moved your panties aside are thrust deep into your core. 

You let out a howl that could rival a rabid dog, nails scraping against the wooden laminate of the desk as your hands clench into fists. He’s curling his fingers inside you slowly, and you can feel every millimeter of it. A string of drool escapes your open mouth, cascading down into a puddle on a stack of prayer requests from this morning’s sermon. 

“That’s it, so good, just take it, lillis.” He murmurs, fingers still unfurling deep inside you. 

You don’t know that you can do anything but take it. His fingers are so much thicker than yours, taking up twice as much space as you’re used to. You feel wonderfully full, the emptiness inside you finally satiated.

But then he’s pulling them out, and you almost sob at the loss of it. You could feel your hole clenching on nothing, throbbing with want; Whether you enjoy it or not, you aren’t even sure. 

You hear a zipper, then the sound of something metallic hitting the carpet. When you turn your neck to see what’s happening, you’re met with the sight of Joakim’s full manhood on display. 

You’ve never seen a man naked before. There were pictures, shown to you unwillingly by the cruel boys who called you a “Bible-thumper” in school, but this is entirely different.

Joakim is… prettier, you think is the right word. His tip is pink, almost red, and wet-looking in the glow of the fluorescent office lights. Veins bulge along the length, throbbing at you angrily as if to mock the throbbing happening within you. It’s big, you realize suddenly. You can’t begin to fathom how it’s going to fit inside you, when his fingers alone made you feel so full already.

A hand is placed at the back of your neck, holding you flat in place. The weight is reassuring, grounding in its pressure as you’re pressed fully against the desk, the cool laminate a welcome reprieve from the fever burning in your skin. You feel him press his tip against your folds, running it through the slickness there, before slowly pushing past your threshold. 

“It hurts.” Is the first thing you whine, legs already trembling. It does hurt - in a sharp way, like stretching to reach your toes first thing in the morning. 

You gasp as he leans over, thrusting further into you as he whispers in your ear. “Shh, I know. It’s the price we must pay for our sin.” His murmur relaxes you a bit, reassures you of what you’re doing. Joakim would not lead you astray; God had spoken to him, given him fortitude in the last months. This was His plan.

The stretch continues as he slowly slides further into you, until your bodies are joined completely. You’re panting, open-mouthed as he fills you entirely. Your toes are barely brushing against the ground from how far he’s pushed you into the desk, corners digging into your hips sharply. 

A soothing hand runs up and down your spine, unraveling the muscles that have been pulled taut with anticipation. Your breathing slows, body easing around the intrusion until only the sensation of fullness remains.

Joakim pulls back then, a slow movement that has you inhaling harshly as he drags along your inner walls. Your mouth goes to ask him what he’s doing, when he slams back into you, cutting off your train of thought in favor of gargling on your breath. 

“Oh my God,” You keen, eyes so wide they might bulge out of your head altogether. 

A jarring slap lands against your backside, stinging skin left in its wake. “Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.” Joakim rasps, sounding as out of breath as you do. 

He pulls back again, only to crash back into you a half-second later. The force of it jolts you, making you wail as your hands reach out for something, anything to hold onto. Documents and envelopes fly onto the floor in your frenzy, looking as haphazard as you feel. 

He continues at an unrelenting pace, hand still firmly gripping the base of your neck from behind. You know you’re being loud; A distant part of you even registers that, given the circumstances, you should probably be much, much quieter. You can’t bring yourself to care, though, an endless chant of Joakim’s name falling from your lips as you do what you can to grind back into him.

The hand leaves your neck, coming down to grab onto your hip while his other hand mirrors the action. Your pelvis is lifted off the desk, thrusts never even pausing as the new angle drives him deeper into you. Tears spring in your eyes from the overstimulation, having climaxed only a few short minutes ago. 

This is absolution, You think. Being tangled together, conjoined like this - There is no fear of sin, no guilt at succumbing to the lust-filled desires of the flesh. As Joakim plunges himself into you, over and over, you find yourself almost dizzy with relief at the weight lifted off your shoulders, the panic of condemnation a distant memory. 

His arm wraps around the front of your hips, holding you in place, as his free hand tangles into your hair, yanking your head towards him. 

“Say the Lord’s prayer.” He groans in your ear, breath hot and sticky. “Beg for His forgiveness. ‘Our Father-’”

“‘-Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.” You whimper, the words slipping off your tongue like muscle memory as your body is rocked back and forth by his thrusts. “‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth-” Your voice is cut off by your own gasp as he reaches something in you that you’ve never felt before. Knees shaking, you dig your fingers deeper into the mess of papers surrounding you to try and stabilize yourself. 

“Keep going. ‘On Earth, as it is in Heaven.’” He urges, grip tightening on you. 

“‘Give us today our daily bread,’” You continue, moaning pitifully as he drives into that same spot again. “‘And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.’”

Tears stream freely down your cheeks now, a mixture of pleasure and overstimulation driving you mad. Joakim is mouthing at the junction of your neck and shoulder, tongue brushing over a spot that makes you shiver into him. A fire is building in your belly, lapping at the bottom of your throat as you move closer and closer to climax. 

“‘L-lead us not into temp- temptation,’” You stutter, mind hazy with want. “‘But d-deliver us from evil.’”

Joakim’s voice is back in your ear. “‘For thine is the Kingdom,” A harsh thrust, “‘The Power,” Another thrust, “And the Glory forever.’” 

The fire burns so hot that it rips the oxygen straight out of your lungs. Your eyes struggle to stay open, fluttering closed each time he rams into you. A particularly harsh pull of your hair reminds you that he is waiting for your response.

“Amen.” You whisper, vision going white as you climax, body twitching forcefully in his arms. His hips stutter once before he buries himself inside you, spilling his seed into you as he does. 

Whether you lay there for seconds or days, you don’t know. Eventually, Joakim pulls out, a string of his release coming with him, rolling down the inside of your thighs. You whimper at the loss, still too sensitive to move. 

“C’mon, käresta, we need to get you dressed. Your mother will wonder where you are.” His voice is gentle behind you, hand rubbing against your lower back to rouse you. 

Your joints pop in protest as you try to push yourself up off the desk. The room is a mess of papers and scattered writing utensils, your dress nothing more than a rumpled pile of cloth on the ground. 

You slip it over your head gingerly, every muscle in your body somehow sore. Joakim zips up the garment for you, running his hands over your clothed back, as if to smooth the wrinkles. 

Turning to face him, you’re met with a soft pair of lips to your forehead, dark hair brushing against your cheeks. The kiss makes you feel brave as you ask, “Joakim?”

His eyes are warm as he gazes down at you, his fingers coming up to comb through your tangled hair. “Hmm?” Is his response as he works out a particularly knotted strand.

You flutter your eyelashes, a move that feels foreign, but somehow right. Looking up at him demurely, you ask, “Will you be leading tonight’s Bible study?”

[veryqueermovies]

Happy Women's History Month!

Here's a list of films about Queer Women! 🏳️‍🌈

For every list I post there's always more films out there, Letterbox'd is a great place to find movies.

(This was supposed to be up yesterday for International Women's Day but I've been sick for while and don't know what day it is ✌🏼)

•

Desert Hearts (1985)

The Women Of Brewster Place (1989)

When Night Is Falling (1995)

Fire (1996)

Bound (1996)

Set it Off (1996)

The Watermelon Woman (1996)

But I'm A Cheerleader (1999)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Saving Face (2004)

Fingersmith (2005)

Imagine Me & You (2009)

Black Swan (2010)

Cloudburst (2011)

With Every Heartbeat (2011)

Pariah (2011)

The Guest House (2012)

Stud Life (2012)

Liz In September (2014)

Carol (2015)

La Belle Saison (2015)

The Girl King (2015)

Bessie (2015)

Lovesong (2016)

AWOL (2016)

Our Love Story (2016)

Below Her Mouth (2016)

The Handmaiden (2016)

Carmilla (2017)

The Feels (2017)

Disobedience (2017)

Professor Marston And The Wonder Women (2017)

Princess Cyd (2017)

The Favourite (2018)

Duck Butter (2018)

Tell It To The Bees (2018)

Vita & Virginia (2018)

Rafiki (2018)

Hearts Beat Loud (2018)

The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018)

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

Elisa & Marcella (2019)

Booksmart (2019)

The World To Come (2020)

The Half Of It (2020)

My First Summer (2020)

Ammonite (2020)

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

Fear Street Part One (2021)

Fear Street Part Three (2021)

Do Revenge (2022)

Beauty (2022)

[saynomorefic]

For Simon Month 2024 Day 22: Labor Day

Sara goes into labor, naturally, on Labor Day. Simon is about to be an uncle, and Wilhelm is Sara's distracting pediatric nurse.

Thanks to @youngroyals-events as always for hosting <3

Read on ao3 or below the cut

Sara looked pale when Simon rushed into the hospital room. He hastily threw his backpack on the nearest chair and went right to her side.

“I’m sorry it took me so long, the bus was delayed because of the parade,” he panted. “How are you?” 

“I need to get this fucking baby out of me, is how I am,” she exhaled sharply, wincing as another contraction hit. Simon squeezed her hand and circled the bed to hug Linda. 

“She’s certainly been a trooper. She even took the train from work to the hospital! Can you imagine?” Linda looked at her daughter with awe in her eyes. 

“I’m guessing Lukas is on his way?” Simon asked. 

“No, Simon, Lukas is not coming to witness the birth of his first child.” Simon rolled his eyes internally, but he was happy to bear the brunt of Sara’s pain if it meant getting them all through this. 

He had just been at the Labor Day parade with Ayub when he got the call. They had been getting signatures for a petition to increase the budget for Swedish language tutors in public schools, and things had been going really well. The moment he got the news, he rushed to the nearest bus stop and high-tailed it to the hospital. It wasn’t Sara’s first choice, or even second choice; she had a doula and a whole plan, but apparently when your water breaks over a week early, the best laid plans go flying out the window. 

There were three sharp knocks on the door, and two people dressed in blue scrubs walked in. “Sara Eriksson?” A middle aged woman greeted, walking over to the hospital bed. “My name is Katya, and this is Wilhelm. I’m your nurse midwife, and I'll be delivering your baby. Wilhelm here is your assigned pediatric nurse. His job is to monitor your and the baby’s vitals, and make sure everyone is healthy. Things are looking great so far,” she smiled. Sara looked skeptical, but nevertheless she nodded at them in greeting. 

The male nurse paced right towards Simon. “Sorry, if you don’t mind, I have to be here next to the screen.” He half-smiled at Simon, and he thought Wilhelm had quite a nice face. He wondered how common it was for male nurses to work in labor and delivery, and immediately chastised himself. Of course there were male nurses in every specialty. 

Brushing past Simon, Wilhelm looked down at his jean jacket. “I like your pins.” He smiled again, and for the briefest moment Simon swore he saw something flash in his eyes. Wilhelm was looking right at his enamel pride flag. One of Simon’s students had given it to him his first year teaching, and to this day it was one of his most prized possessions. 

“Thanks. Labor Day, you know.” Simon turned to show Wille his panel of other buttons. 

“Nice,” Wille nodded. “I’ve always wanted to go.” 

“You’ve never been? Is the medical profession void of any social causes to fight for?” He questioned teasingly.

“The medical profession doesn’t get national holidays. Babies get born every day of the year, you know.” He looked at Simon with matched sarcasm, and Simon’s stomach flipped instantly. Wilhelm turned towards the screen and started typing. Simon thought to himself on a scale of one to an extremely bad person, how awful it was to flirt with his sister’s nurse while she was actively having her baby. He landed somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Someone had to keep the group spirits up. 

Sara’s contractions were getting more and more intense, and the midwife informed Simon and Linda she should only have one person with her. Simon was more than relieved to be dismissed. He grabbed onto Sara’s hand and squeezed it. “You’re going to do great,” he reassured her. It wasn’t often she welcomed his physical comfort, but she had a vice grip on his hand and stared at him wide-eyed. 

“You’re not really leaving, are you?” She asked. 

“I’ll be right outside.” He squeezed her hand again. Wille turned and smiled as Simon left. 

– 

It was one of the hardest things Simon had ever not-witnessed. Sara was grunting and crying, obviously distressed, and he knew there wasn’t anything he could do to help. It didn’t get much better when Lukas got there, panting and sweaty and on the verge of the rest of his life. Simon had heard horror stories of parents being in labor for an entire day. His Mamá never let him forget that for his own birth, she didn’t have enough time to get an epidural and just had to grit her teeth and bear it. 

He felt selfish, but Simon’s mind kept wandering to Wille. As his palms sweat against his jeans, Simon kept thinking about how this man did this every day. He witnessed people endure the worst pain in their lives, had probably dealt with all kinds of situations and worst case scenarios, and did it all with a smile on his face and a sense of humor. And people said that teaching was a difficult job. 

Before long, Simon heard some of the worst crying subside, only to be replaced by a new kind of crying. It was high pitched, and much louder, and holy shit holy shit holy shit, he realized that was the moment. He was an uncle. Tears sprang to his eyes. It still felt surreal that Sara was starting a family of her own, and for the rest of his life he’d have her kids to take to Rosh’s games, or on playdates with Ayub’s two menaces, or even to take to Labor Day parades. 

All of a sudden the door slammed open and Wilhelm was standing in front of him purposefully. “You want to meet them?” He asked, beckoning his head back into the room. 

“Holy shit, yes,” Simon said, nearly tripping over his own feet. 

Sara held the baby on her chest, a sated and peaceful expression on her face. Lukas stood next to her, caressing the top of her head and cooing at the bundle in his wife's arms. Sara looked up at Simon and smiled, ever so slightly tilting the newborn in his direction. 

“Alma, meet Uncle Simon,” she breathed. 

“Hi, little Alma,” Simon said. She was covered in all kinds of fluids, her eyes screwed shut, but she was undeniably precious. He could see the beginnings of both of her parents features on her face. Sara’s mouth, Lukas’s nose, Linda’s hair. She was spectacular. 

He stepped back to let his Mamá come closer, coincidentally moving towards the nurse’s station. “She’s so calm,” Simon murmured to no one in particular. 

“It's the oxytocin. Some powerful stuff,” Wilhelm commented. He looked at Simon, eyes smiling. “This is always the best part. Right after, I mean.” 

“It’s pretty amazing,” Simon laughed wetly. He couldn’t be bothered to hide his tears. 

“Are you excited to be an uncle?” Wilhelm asked.

“It's crazy. My friends keep saying I'll be the cool Guncle.” Simon joked offhandedly. 

Wilhelm beamed back at him. “It is pretty cool, not going to lie.” Simon looked at him with a start. “My older brother has two kids. Also takes the responsibility off of us. Unless, of course, that’s something you want,” he finished. This was turning more personal than Simon suspected most of Wilhelm’s interactions with patients’ families went, but he couldn’t be bothered. 

Simon didn’t know what to say. He’d thought about kids, but it seemed so complicated. Surrogacy was banned in Sweden, and sure you could go abroad, but that was complicated, expensive, and potentially ethically unsound. Simon had thought about adoption, but it was just that. He figured once he met the right person, they would have that conversation, but until then it had only been a passing thought. It all seemed so real, with Sara cradling Alma in her arms, and Linda standing over them proudly. 

“At least ask me on a date before we start having the kids conversation,” Simon finally joked. Wilhelm startled, looking at him with wide eyes before bursting into laughter. 

“Is that a request?” He said quietly, glancing around the room. “I’m a professional.” 

They left the hospital early the next morning. Sara insisted on bringing the blanket they wrapped around Alma postpartum, the sheet of paper that had her heart signals and time of birth printed on it, and the basin they had washed her in. Simon, too, left with his own souvenir: a new contact and number in his phone, and a promise of a date.

[arojenniferwalters]

Comic Book Movies by Female Directors (1995-2024) for International Women's Day 2024

Tank Girl (1995) Directed by Rachel Talalay

Josie and the Pussycats (2001) Co-Written & Co-Directed by Deborah Kaplan

Punisher: War Zone (2008) Directed by Lexi Alexander

Wonder Woman (2017) Directed by Patty Jenkins

Captain Marvel (2019) Co-Directed by Anna Boden Co-Written by Anna Boden & Geneva Robertson-Dworet; Story by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve

Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) Directed by Cathy Yan Written by Christina Hodson

WW84 aka Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Directed and Co-Written by Patty Jenkins

Black Widow (2021) Directed by Cate Shortland Story by Jac Schaeffer

Eternals (2022) Directed and Co-Written by Chloe Zhao

The Marvels (2023) Directed by Nia DaCosta Written by Nia DaCosta & Megan McDonnell & Elissa Karasik

Madame Web (2024) Directed by SJ Clarkson Co-Written by SJ Clarkson & Claire Parker

[wlw-stanbot]

After their conversation the first night, Yelena mostly slept through the entire next day and a half, only waking a few times to use the restroom and eat a little bit of food.

The archer turned nurse kept her promise of attending any request placed upon her, nearly jumping at each opportunity. And, every time she appeared in the bedroom doorway she was met with a broad but wordless smile from her patient.

The silence mostly continued through their interactions, as Yelena was still quite exhausted and Kate was perfectly happy letting the heaviness of their most recent conversations settle into her mind for her own internal contemplation for as long as it took to make sense of it.

Halfway through the first day, Kate had helped Yelena take a quick wipe bath over the sink and change into clean clothing. Later that day she brought some chicken dumpling soup from one of Yelena’s favorite eateries in town, nearly exploding with the joy of seeing her light face up when it was handed over. She offered to do some laundry and, after a brief bit of hesitation about allowing Kate into her room, Yelena conceded when she swung her legs around to stand up and almost immediately fell back down again.

At the foreign bedroom door, Kate hesitated herself. She hadn’t been inside Yelena’s room yet, though she had certainly fantasized about barging into it in the middle of the night and begging the woman inside to ravage her. Blinking the memory of that from her mind, she forced herself to stay on task.

Pushing into the room, she was greeted by a dark, sparsely filled space. It would have been sad if Kate didn’t know a widow lived… no, not lived…rested here. The full size bed sat on a basic metal frame with no head or footboard. The mattress was still made neatly with only a copy of the scratchy brown blanket and a white flat sheet underneath it. Above the tucked in blanket, there was one flat pillow wrapped in a plain white pillowcase. Across from the foot of the bed was a simple, wooden dresser completely bare at its top.

Flipping the switch on the wall, nothing seemed to happen, so she moved to the bedside to pull the chain on the simple shaded, porcelain vase-like lamp set on a plain, wooden end table. A soft light flooded the room and Kate immediately noticed that there was a dark brown ring, the shape of a coffee mug on the surface of the wood. She absentmindedly traced a finger around it, realizing it was one of the only indications that anyone had ever occupied this room. She thought about Yelena lying in this bed, happily sipping on hot chocolate while…what? cleaning her guns? stitching up tears in her clothes or body? planning an assassination? It was a macabre thought, but one she couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of.

Curiosity pulled her further toward the bed, all the way to the single pillow. She lifted it up and smiled again at the confirmation of her suspicion that a weapon would be under it. She regarded the small, black steel pistol briefly before her eyes threw wide open with wonder at whether or not she would have gotten shot had she tried turning her earlier fantasy into reality.

Probably. Yeah. Probably.

Chapter 7 - Sweetness is up on my bishlova fic. It's a long one but damn cute (and a little angsty of course.)

[coochiequeens]

Did Herseys do any research before asking Fae Johnstone to be in their IWD campaign? How could they have the comments about silencing women, the disrespect to the dead at a memorial to the victims of the École Polytechnique massacre, he attacked the Declaration on Women’s Sex Based Rights, he supports drag queens story hour andsending men to women’s prisons

Hershey’s is facing backlash following the release of their International Women’s Day campaign, one which features a trans-identified male with a history of making disparaging comments about women. Many social media users are now calling for consumers to boycott the company. 

Trans activist Fae Johnstone is being featured in the SHE campaign by Hershey’s for International Women’s Day, which is due to take place on March 8. Johnstone excitedly announced his participation in the advertisement through Twitter on Wednesday.

Women on Twitter did not react positively to the news of Johnstone’s participation, with some calling it “female erasure.” Many began tagging the company and expressing their disappointment in the campaign, launching a hashtag “#HersheyHatesWomen” and threatening to boycott Hershey products.

“Hi @Hersheys WHY do you let a MAN who hates women and wants to silence us, represent WOMEN on International Women’s Day,” one user wrote, including a screenshot of a tweet from Johnstone calling for “TERFs” to be silenced. TERF is an acronym which stands for “trans exclusionary radical feminist,” but is often applied to any person, especially a female, who expresses critiques of gender ideology.

“He is not a woman and should not be featured in an International Women’s Day ad. There are many inspiring women who would have been a great choice to represent women but they chose a MAN. What a vile way to teach girls and women about male privilege. #BoycottHersheys,” another Twitter user said.

This is not the first time Johnstone, who identifies as “trans feminine and non-binary,” has been selected to take a platform representing women. 

In December of 2022, Johnstone was invited to give the keynote address at Durham College in Ontario, Canada for their National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women ceremony. The event was a memorial tribute held on the anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre. During the horrific act of mass femicide, 14 women, 13 students and one university staff member, were killed by a lone gunman who claimed he was retaliating against feminism.

“You’re women, you’re going to be engineers. You’re all a bunch of feminists. I hate feminists,” the shooter said after telling all of the males to exit a classroom. He opened fire on the remaining women in a horrific act that has now been recognized as terrorism by the Canadian government. 

After his keynote speech at the event, Johnstone was confronted by an attendee who questioned the University’s decision to platform him at the memorial ceremony.

Jennifer Anne, a woman’s rights campaigner, recorded her interaction with Johnstone, and uploaded the audio to Twitter. 

“I am wondering why, on this day, we would have a man dressed in women’s garb to talk to us about sex-based violence and keeping women safe? How can women stay safe in this environment?”

Johnstone casually dismissed the question.

Despite identifying himself as a “feminist,” Johnstone has previously attacked various feminist groups for failing to include men in their activism or for using sex-based language. 

In November of 2021, Johnstone made disparaging remarks towards the Canadian Femicide Observatory, a research and information centre which aims to prevent femicide and violence against women, for using “TERF rhetoric” on Twitter due to their overt focus on female victims of sex-based crime.

Johnstone also attacked the Declaration on Women’s Sex Based Rights, which advocates for women and girls on the basis of needing single-sex spaces and protection from violence, and has called for those who hold views critical of gender ideology to be “so vilified” that they are unable to publicly express their opinions on the debate.

Most recently, Johnstone advocated for the placement of a male rapist in a woman’s prison. Responding to fellow trans activist Peter Tatchell on Twitter, Johnstone compared segregating a transgender double rapist from the female general population to segregating lesbian inmates.

As well as attacking feminist organizations and those advocating for female only spaces, Johnstone is a proponent of “drag queen story hour” (DQSH). 

In one article he published last month, he called the opposition to DQSH a rise in “anti-queer hate” and called for protection bubbles around “queer spaces,” similar to the protection zone around abortion clinics.

Johnstone has worked extensively with different departments in the Canadian Government, including Health Canada. One Twitter user attended a sex-education workshop led by Johnstone and expressed concerns over some of the subject matter being discussed.

In a short statement regarding the controversy, Johnstone said: “It was, and continues to be, an immense honor to be included in Hershey’s Canada’s campaign, as a young trans woman and feminist advocate.”

Johnstone also tweeted that the backlash he has received shows “just how far we still have to go in the fight for feminist liberation and trans rights.”

Despite the negative feedback regarding the campaign from social media users, Hershey’s has doubled down on their decision to include Johnstone in the women’s empowerment campaign. 

Posting to Instagram, Hershey’s Canada said: “We value togetherness and recognize the strength created by diversity. Over the past three years, our Women’s History Month programming has been an inclusive celebration of women and their impact. We appreciate the countless people and meaningful partnerships behind these efforts.”

The comments made in response to their statement have been overwhelmingly negative, with women using the hashtags #STOPERASINGWOMEN and #BoycottHersheys in their replies.

This is not the first time social media users have called for a company to be boycotted for having men represent women. 

Feminine hygiene brands Tampax and Always have both faced scrutiny from consumers for using trans-identified males to sell their products. Earlier this year, women on social media called for a Tampax boycott after Jeffery Marsh, a 45 year old man who identifies as non-binary, spoke about being paid to promote tampons and other feminine hygiene products for the brand. 

Always, another feminine hygiene company, faced widespread backlash last year after transgender TikToker Dylan Mulvaney claimed to have received a sponsorship deal from them. Mulvaney would prompt yet another wave of anger from women after he was invited on an Ulta Beauty podcast to discuss girlhood and motherhood in October of 2022, resulting in #BoycottUlta trending on Twitter.

By Shay Woulahan Shay is a writer and social media content creator for Reduxx. She is a proud lesbian activist and feminist who lives in Northern Ireland with her partner and their four-legged, fluffy friends.

[deathsmallcaps]

I got more stamps today! I’m not a collector, I like using them, but I adore having all these options and picking out who gets what. (I DO want to get my hands on some Wonder Woman stamps though. I’d use them but hold onto them for a while). I have a roll of international stamps, but they’re just American flags and are thus boring. I’m not going to talk about them.

So below the readmore I’m going to show off my stamps! Each will have a readmore, but keep in mind that like all USA stamps, they have the words ‘Forever USA’ on them.

I just used up these Raven ones ^. The picture doesn’t show it but the real one had gold foil (or something similar) for the sparkles! I didn’t think to take a picture before using it to send a Mother’s Day card though. So this pic is from the Internet.

Here are my Toni Morrison stamps! They’re from last year, but when i went into the post office today, they didn’t have any Constance Baker ones (I wanted some for my birthday but none of the post offices I or my Dad stopped in had them), but they did have Ms. Morrison! So obviously I got them. Then 2 hours later my mom sent me out to mail two envelopes and they needed more postage. Good thing I had these in the car!

Then there’s the Tap ones, which I’ve had since 2021. There was 5 designs originally, on a big sheet. There’s only 2 left, both of the same man. I used up a bunch sending out cards yesterday. I sent out the ones with ladies in them on the envelopes. I’ll try to use these two up soon, so they don’t feel lonely lol.

These are what are left of my 2019 Halloween stamps. They’re shiny*! There were two other designs originally, but I used them up. Any mail I send out in October, aside from sympathy or get better cards, get these stamps. I suspect they’ll be used up for this October :).

*I thought they were called holographic but I was getting mixed up. Sorry to those who read my alt text, updating it on mobile is a pain. Some of the following stamps are actually holographic.

These are my Dino ones! There’s four designs, two that are holographic! Pretty cool, right? I used to send them on the birthday card envelopes for a friend who likes Dinosaurs. But now I think I’m going to send them to some kids who might enjoy them more.

Last up is my manatees!!! I also wanted them for my bday, and I actually found them! This sheet, which is double sided, fits in my wallet-purse, so if I ever have a stamp/mail emergency (they occur! Like sending a bday card late) they will be on hand. Manatees were my favorite animal in middle school and I am still quite fond of them.

(Yes I know I can order stamps off of stamps.com, but it’s not the same).

[brian-in-finance]

Instagram

‘Heart of Stone’ Trailer: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan and Alia Bhatt Star in Action-Packed Netflix Movie

Gal Gadot is going from superhero to super spy in the action-packed first trailer for the international espionage thriller “Heart of Stone.”

Gadot was joined by co-stars Jamie Dornan and Alia Bhatt at Netflix’s Tudum fan festival in São Paulo, Brazil, where the trio debuted the film’s first trailer. The footage features heart-stopping stunts, like Gadot’s Rachel Stone — an intelligence operative for a shadowy global peacekeeping agency — skydiving from a death-defying height.

Stone’s steely demeanor and adrenaline-junkie habits are explained as her boss (Sophie Okonedo) warns, “You know what you signed up for. No friends, no relationships… What we do is too important. When governments fail, the only thing left is the Charter.”

Stone and Dornan’s Parker are among the organization’s highly-trained agents, who have no political leanings or national allegiances and are described as “working together to keep peace in a turbulent world.”

But when hacker Keya Dhawan (Bhatt, as the Bollywood A-lister stars in her first major Hollywood movie) steals the agency’s most valuable – and dangerous – weapon (a technological core that “gives the Charter its power,” it’s “heart,” if you will), Stone sets off on an epic, globe-trotting adventure to save the day and clear her name.

“Heart or no heart, I’m coming for you,” Gadot snarls into a cell phone as her own warning to Bhatt.

Directed by Tom Harper from a script by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder, the intense footage also features major action set pieces including a motorcycle chase through the Alps and cars speeding through the streets of Lisbon. Gadot is also seen flying through the air twice — first, paragliding off a snowy embankment and later, doing some extreme skydiving.

“Chance of success just plummeted,” a Charter agent (played by Matthias Schweighöfer) cautions while Stone performs the dangerous maneuver. “Only because you have no imagination,” she shoots back, as she manages to tumble onto her target.

In addition to bringing her action star skills (refined in “Wonder Woman,” and soon to return to the “Fast and Furious” franchise) to the table, Gadot also produced the film under her Pilot Wave banner with her producing partner and husband Jaron Varsano. Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger are also billed as producers, along with Mockingbird’s Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn. Patty Whitcher, Harper and Rucka serve as executive producers.

“Heart of Stone” begins streaming on August 11.

Netflix nabbed worldwide rights to the project in 2021, marking another partnership between the streamer and Skydance, after teaming for “The Old Guard” with Charlize Theron, Ryan Reynolds’ “6 Underground” and “The Adam Project,” directed by Shawn Levy. Gadot and Netflix have their own strong ties, with the superstar set to appear in two sequels to “Red Notice,” as the 2021 action comedy is one of the streamer’s most-watched movies of all time.

Variety

Remember… (Gadot’s) Stone and Dornan’s Parker are among the organization’s highly-trained agents, who have no political leanings or national allegiances and are described as “working together to keep peace in a turbulent world.” — Variety

[supergito]

Fusion Revived - CH 3 (Dinner Guest)

➤ This story is actually complete (finished Sep 2021) over on my Ao3 already; I'm just publishing it here on tumblr too for archival purposes. I hope any and all curious readers enjoy if they haven't checked it out yet!

SUMMARY: Majin Buu has been destroyed, and the Earth has known peace for close to a year now. Life hasn't been too peaceful for the person responsible for saving the world and the entire universe however, but when an ordinary woman meets him one day, things start to change.

RATING: Teen and Up. PAIRING(S): Vegito x OC/Reader, alluded Gochi, alluded Vegebul CONTENT: Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Family Drama CW(s) THIS CHAPTER: None.

A week had passed since her last encounter with…Vegito. The exact reason was unknown to her, but he kept slipping into her thoughts every now and then. Part of her wondered just what he was up to, or what he even did as a living, but asking someone who she still didn’t know a terrible lot such questions felt inappropriate. She’d leave it alone. All things considered, she didn’t know if she would see him once more, so she tried to focus on her own life.

There was nothing like a hearty meal to quell a grumbling stomach. It took some time to come together, but she was satisfied with the final results. The noodles were firm but not too tough, the veggies and meat were all a nice color, and the broth was rich.

The aroma wafting about the kitchen and into her living room was tantalizing. She was itching to fill up a bowl and dig in, but first…she needed to have a bathroom break.

Setting down her ladle, she stepped out of her kitchen and down the small hallway. She wasn’t in there for long, but upon exiting her bathroom, there was something…off.

Puzzled, but alert, she slowly walked back up the hallway to the living room. In it, there wasn’t anything out of place. It was quiet, like it sound be, but she couldn’t brush off the feeling that she wasn’t alone anymore. Gritting her teeth, she internally questioned if she was being paranoid, but then-

*thump*

There was a noise in her kitchen. Some object had been put down. She tensed, and knew with certainty that there was someone in her house. But how? All of her windows and doors were closed and locked. If someone had broken in, she would have definitely heard them in the act.

Weighing her options, she decided the first step would be to see what kind of trespasser she was dealing with. Moving as silently as she could, she peeked around the corner…

And her jaw dropped.

“Hey, _____.”

Standing next to her stove, was a completely unexpected guest.

“What you prepared wasn’t bad.” Vegito patted his mouth with a napkin, before tossing it onto her counter next to a bowl that wasn’t there before.

“The noodles were good, everything else was decently cooked…could’ve used more salt and spices though.”

He talked as if…she ran to his side, just to get a better look. Her suspicions were confirmed.

Everything she made was gone. The platters holding the meat and veggies, the pot of noodles with the broth…they were all empty.

Mind blank, her head turned towards him. His eyes were closed, and he was digging into one of his ears with a finger; totally indifferent to his crime.

She grabbed a wooden spoon next to her barren pot of noodles, and promptly smacked the man over the head with it.

“How dare you?!” She screamed, fire blazing in her eyes. Vegito didn’t flinch to the strike, but when he heard her roar, he was taken aback.

“You break into my house, eat my dinner, then tell me how bad it was?!”

“… … …” He blinked.

“…I didn’t break in. I wouldn’t do something barbaric like that.”

Was his first reply, watching her with a look akin to a kicked puppy.

“You-” She gasped, teeth bared and eyes glaring daggers, clenching the spoon’s handle so tightly that it creaked. He raised his hands and stepped backwards, like she was an upset beast. She couldn’t tell if he was genuinely spooked, or if he was playing with her.

“If it makes you feel better, it surely wasn’t the WORSE meal I’ve ever had.”

“… … …”

She deeply inhaled, and exhaled. She regarded Vegito with a half-lidded gaze, then threw the spoon onto the stove after a minute.

“Whatever.”

She growled, and went over to her refrigerator. There wasn’t any use in crying over spilt milk. Or in this case, lost food. Come to think of it, how did he even eat everything so fast…?

Vegito stood quietly as she rummaged through the appliance, but eventually rubbed the back of his head and walked out of the kitchen.

“You don’t mind me staying here for a while, do you?”

Leaning into the fridge, she shot up.

“What?!”

“Hm? Are you expecting company over?” He asked, plopping down onto the living room’s couch. He picked his legs up to cross them over her coffee table.

“Company-” She zipped to stand in sight of him, fists clenched.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be? Your OWN home?”

As soon as the questions left her mouth, there was a shift in the air. Her hands relaxed, and she saw the expression on Vegito’s face change. It wasn’t into anger, but…it wasn’t of a positive emotion regardless.

“I do. And I don’t.”

He plainly stated, saying no more, and his tone was a hint to her that it would be ill-advised to try to push him on the topic. Not because he would be angered per se, but because she could sense that it was a highly sensitive subject. One he obviously didn’t feel comfortable explaining.

She would respect that. His reaction had an effect on her, an effect that about erased all of her previous fury. It helped that deep down, she truly was…lonely. When was the last time she had company over?

“…You can stay. As long as you don’t break or steal anything.”

She turned around, missing the soft smile that spread onto the man’s face. Diving back into her fridge, she thought about a new plan for dinner.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have allowed him to stay, but…at this point, he seemed harmless; despite how he somehow got into her house without going through any of the doors or windows. She needed to ask him about that.

But, if he wanted to hurt her, he likely would’ve done so by now. Additionally, while he has annoyed her a great deal, she hasn’t picked up any unsettling or threatening vibes from him during all the times they’ve interacted so far.

That had to have meant something.

[idolskpop]

2PM Taecyeon Reveals Shocking Truth About His ‘Vincenzo’ Role: He Didn’t Know He Was a Villain!

2PM Taecyeon is one of the most versatile idols in the industry, who has successfully transitioned from being a singer to an actor. He recently amazed the viewers with his brilliant performance as a psychopathic killer in the hit drama ‘Vincenzo’. But did you know that he had no idea he was playing a villain when he accepted the role? Read on to find out more about this surprising revelation and his career journey!

From Idol to Actor: 2PM Taecyeon’s Career Highlights

Taecyeon debuted as a member of 2PM, one of the most popular K-pop groups in the second generation, in 2008. He quickly gained recognition for his charismatic rap skills, powerful dance moves, and charming personality. He also participated in various variety shows, such as ‘We Got Married’, ‘Family Outing’, and ‘Running Man’.

(Photo : 51K Official Instagram) However, Taecyeon did not limit himself to music and entertainment. He also pursued his passion for acting, starting from minor roles in dramas like ‘Cinderella’s Sister’ and ‘Dream High’. He gradually improved his acting skills and took on more challenging roles in different genres, such as comedy, romance, thriller, and action. Some of his notable works include: - ‘Who Are You?’ (2013), where he played a detective who falls in love with a woman who can see ghosts. - ‘Wonderful Days’ (2014), where he played a prosecutor who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his childhood friends. - ‘Assembly’ (2015), where he played a bodyguard who helps a former welder become a politician. - ‘Let’s Fight Ghost’ (2016), where he played a college student who can see and fight ghosts. - ‘Save Me’ (2017), where he played a young man who tries to save his childhood friend from a cult. - ‘The Game: Towards Zero’ (2020), where he played a man who can see the moment of death of anyone he looks at.

2PM Taecyeon’s Dream Role: A Villain in ‘Vincenzo’

Taecyeon’s most recent and impressive work was in the 2021 smash hit drama ‘Vincenzo’, where he played the role of Jang Jun Woo/Jang Han Seok, the main antagonist of the story. He was initially introduced as a naive and clumsy intern at a law firm, but later revealed to be a ruthless and cunning serial killer who was behind a series of crimes.

(Photo : tvN) Taecyeon’s portrayal of the character was praised by critics and fans alike, who were impressed by his ability to switch from being cute and funny to being cold and scary. He also received several awards for his role, such as the Best Villain Award at the 12th Korea Drama Awards and the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 8th APAN Star Awards. However, what many people don’t know is that Taecyeon had no clue that he was playing a villain when he accepted the role. In fact, he only found out about his character’s true identity when he received the script for episode 3. He revealed this shocking truth during his Asia solo tour, where he met his fans in different countries. In Hong Kong, he attended a media press conference on September 29, 2023, where he shared his career journey and stories about his profession. He said: Talking about Vincenzo I actually didn’t know the role was an evil character. The scripts that I received were only episodes 1 and 2, and back then I was the kind cute intern Jang Jun Woo. I myself was also surprised to know that I am a villain. He also posted this tweet on his official account: https://twitter.com/only_oktaec/status/1707384587545088309?s=20 This revelation surprised many fans, who wondered how he managed to pull off such a convincing performance without knowing his character’s background and motivation. Some of them commented: - Wow, that’s amazing! How did he do it? He was so good as Jang Han Seok! - I can’t believe he didn’t know! He must have been shocked when he read the script! - He is such a talented actor! He made me hate him so much in Vincenzo! - He deserves all the awards for his role! He nailed it!

2PM Taecyeon’s Next Role: A Physically Demanding Character

After achieving his dream role of playing a villain in ‘Vincenzo’, Taecyeon is not resting on his laurels. He is already looking forward to his next challenge, which is to play a character that requires more physicality and athleticism.

(Photo : tvN's Official Twitter) He revealed his wish during his media press conference in Manila, where he met his fans on October 1, 2023. He said: For my next role, I want to show more of my physique. I want to play a character that is a boxer, a swimmer, or a fighter. I want to challenge myself and immerse myself in the role. He also expressed his gratitude to his fans for their support and love, saying: Thank you for always being there for me. I will work hard to show you more of my skills and charms. I love you!

2PM Taecyeon’s Bright Future as an Actor

2PM Taecyeon is one of the rare idols who can successfully balance his music and acting careers. He has proven his versatility and talent in various roles, especially in his latest drama ‘Vincenzo’, where he surprised everyone with his shocking revelation that he didn’t know he was a villain. He is not afraid to take on new challenges and explore different genres and characters. He is also eager to improve his skills and satisfy his fans with his performances. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for us in the future. We are sure that he will continue to impress us with his acting and charm us with his personality. What do you think of 2PM Taecyeon’s revelation? What role do you want to see him play next? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. Subscribe to IDOLS KPOP for exclusive updates and captivating content. Read the full article

[bongaboi]

The REAL power behind the North Korean throne revealed

Always careful to walk at least several paces behind her baby-faced brother and keep out of shot if cameras are around, she looks so pale and fragile that its seems a strong wind might knock her down.

Indeed, compared to her obese and surly-looking sibling – North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un – she seems a gentle soul, charming even, who couldn’t hurt a fly.

When her brother met President Trump for a historic summit in 2019, she was seen shyly peering out from behind a wall. Observers thought it almost adorable.

And yet – according to a ground-breaking and revealing new book – those who judge Kim Yo-jong on appearances may be making a fatal mistake.

Believed to be 35, the youngest child of former North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il is actually a ruthless political operator (even by her brutal family’s standards) who some tip to succeed her brother and who their father regarded as the most able of his offspring.

Yo-jong may even be heading for an explosive power struggle with her niece – Jong-un’s daughter Ju-ae – who is thought to be just 10 but has already been publicly hailed as her father’s heir apparent.

But judging by what this new book reveals about Aunt Yo-jong with her ‘trademark Mona Lisa smirk’, it would be foolish to assume that little Ju-ae will one day be sitting on the throne of the Hermit Kingdom.

For Yo-jong, say North Korea experts, is ‘the brains behind the operation’ – and terrifying brains, at that.

According to US academic Sung-Yoon Lee, whose new book ‘The Sister’ provides the first detailed insight into Yo-jong, it’s not for nothing that some Pyongyang officials have nicknamed her ‘bloodthirsty demon’ and ‘the devil woman’.

The de facto second-in-command to her brother, Yo-jong can have even the most senior government officials executed on just a word.

In 2021, she was elevated to the nation’s most powerful body – the State Affairs Commission. And since then, Lee says, she has had ‘the ultimate power of the cruel dictator; the power to play God and decide who lives and who is killed’.

Doted on from childhood, Yo-jong was largely hidden from public view for decades. But in 2018, she sparked a media frenzy when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as her country's official representative and was pictured sitting close to Vice President Mike Pence.

Journalists hailed a glamour, delicacy and charm so lacking in her dumpy brother and many wondered if North Korea could finally be veering away from its dreadful past.

Instead, predicts Lee, Yo-jong is her 39-year-old brother’s zealous and spittle-flecked chief propagandist and is potentially ‘fiercer and more ruthless’ than him.

And, given his health problems with suspected heart disease, diabetes and obesity – the regime as good as admitted he was nearly killed by Covid-19 – North Korea may need a new leader sooner than expected.

Of course, obtaining information about the ferociously secretive dictatorship is immensely difficult but in 2021 Yo-jong reportedly ‘ordered several executions of high-ranking government officials for merely “getting on her nerves”.’

Those she found ‘less disagreeable’ were simply banished – along with their entirely innocent families – to detention camps and gulags, ‘where a life of grueling forced labour, beatings, torture and starvation rations awaited’.

According to Lee, rumors of Yo-jong’s ‘impulse to purge and kill’ soon became so rife that top officials started holding their breath in her presence. If she approached them they would avert their gaze or stare at the floor.

Ignoring her is apparently far safer than trying to win her praise – for ‘just being recognized by her might in due course lead to a fall from favor and a brush with death’.

A computer science graduate, Yo-jong doesn’t reserve her bloodthirsty impulses just for cowering officials. On the few occasions she’s been allowed to show her teeth on the international stage, she’s left little doubt that her finger on Pyongyang’s nuclear button would be every bit as unsettling as her saber-rattling brother’s.

In April last year, the First Sister dropped the sweetness act and warned South Korea that if its military ‘violated even an inch of our territory, our nuclear combat force will have to inevitably carry out its duty… and a dreadful attack will be launched’.

The South Korean army, she added, ‘will have to face a miserable fate little short of total destruction’.

As the head of propaganda, she has also demonstrated a knack for concocting particularly vile blasts against her nation’s enemies.

When, 2014, South Korea elected their first female leader, Pyongyang state media carried quotes calling her a ‘wicked sycophant’, ‘dirty old prostitute’ and ‘capricious whore’.

President Obama was outrageously branded a ‘wicked black monkey’, and a gay High Court justice in Australia was labelled a ‘disgusting old lecher with a 40-odd-year-long career of homosexuality’.

All of the comments were either written or signed off by Yo-jong.

Certainly, she’s come a long way since 2011 when her brother succeeded their father. At the time, few people outside Pyongyang even knew her name.

North Korea is also a staunchly patriarchal society. And one in which, for all its socialist pretensions, women generally look after the family at home while the men handle the politics.

Nonetheless Yo-jong’s own parents were said to be the first to recognise she was special. Even if they felt they couldn’t acknowledge it in public – her father instead elevating her underwhelming, basketball-obsessed brother.

Kim Jong-il had seven children by four women, either wives or concubines, but he reserved his chief affection for a dancer named Ko Yong-hui who bore him both Jong-un and Yo-jong.

Yo-jong’s own parents were said to be the first to recognise she was special. Even if they felt they couldn’t acknowledge it in public. (Pictured: Female North Korean soldiers march in parade).

They and elder brother Kim Jong-chul lived in the ruling family’s gated compound, given every luxury including the best food and toys money could buy, while their countrymen and women languished in poverty.

Up to the early 2000s, Jong-chul was all but set to succeed their father – until it was announced in 2009 that he wasn’t.

According to the family’s sushi chef, his father suddenly decided Jong-chul was ‘no good because he is like a little girl’.

And while Jong-chul reportedly now lives a quiet life in Pyongyang, appearing at occasional Eric Clapton concerts as far afield as Singapore and London, the actual ‘little girl’ in the family was clearly made of sterner stuff.

As a child, she was addressed by her proud parents as ‘sweet princess’ despite having a reputation for being strong-willed and stubborn.

Interestingly, the couple referred to their sons as ‘Big Brother’ (Jong-chul) and ‘Little Brother’ (Jong-un), in other words from the perspective of their sister.

Soon after she was born in 1987, she became the ‘axis of the royal family’, always sitting next to her father at meals while her brothers sat further down the table.

By the age of eight she was sufficiently sure of herself to fire her personal aide. Aged nine, she physically dragged her older brother – who was 16 – out of a women-only theatre on their family estate after he sneaked in.

She and her brothers were sent to be schooled in Switzerland, using pseudonyms and pretending to be the children of North Korean diplomats.

Her father was a psychopath who had his own half-brother Hyon murdered in 2007 to protect his children’s succession right. In the 1980s he attempted to assassinate the South Korean president and blew up a passenger plane in mid-air as one of many terrorist acts.

Lee says Jong-un and Yo-jong have clearly both inherited his murderous instincts. Indeed, Jong-un is suspected of having his own half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, assassinated in Kuala Lumpur airport with nerve agent in 2017.

Quite what his sister would be capable of is yet to be seen. But in the meantime she remains an increasingly powerful and vindictive presence in the background.

Even aged 21, when she was spotted trailing her father to an important meeting with Bill Clinton, it is thought she was already playing a key role in government.

And, unlike her Supreme Leader brother, she can speak English – a notable advantage when it comes to global politics.

When, during a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2018, the US delegation cracked a joke, she laughed while Kim Jong-un stared blankly ahead, clearly not understanding.

This may be one of the reasons as to why Jong-un clearly depends on his sister and keeps her close.

During the funeral eulogy for Kim Jong-il in 2011, his daughter – evidently overcome with emotion – suddenly left the official line-up.

For anyone else, such an outrageous break with protocol at a sacred ceremony would have been considered even worse than ‘half-hearted clapping’ and punishable by death.

But, from the earliest days of her brother’s rule, Yo-jong has been ‘untouchable’, says Lee.

Not that ordinary North Koreans would have known: state media never mentioned her once until March 2014 and that was only to say she’d cast a vote for her brother in an ‘election’.

She was mentioned twice more that month when she accompanied Jong-un to concerts. On both occasions, her name came last in the list of more than a dozen attendees and with no reference to her ‘blue blood’.

All considered then, it’s hardly surprising that her private life remains a mystery.

In 2018, during the trip to South Korea for the Winter Olympics, she appeared on one occasion without a coat and seemed to have a slight bulge around her abdomen.

Intelligence analysts speculated that she might be pregnant and South Korean media claimed she confirmed as much to Olympics officials. As to the likely father, she reportedly married Choe Song, a government official’s son, in 2014. It’s also claimed she had a child in 2015.

According to Lee, Yo-jong and her brother have devised a ‘good cop, bad cop’ strategy on the world stage whereby she employs her femininity and deceptive charm to offset Jong-un’s surly aggression.

But while it might publicly appear that she’s in a subservient role – standing happily aside and handing her brother a pen for him to sign the historic joint statement with President Trump in Singapore in 2018, for example – once again, appearances can be deceptive.

In 2019, Jong-un took a long train ride to Vietnam for a second meeting with Trump. He and his sister were caught on camera at a rest-stop during the journey, standing by themselves as he had a smoke and she held up a crystal ashtray for him with both hands.

Some commentators said it smacked of her subservience but in fact, says Lee, she was making sure he left no cigarette butts bearing traces of his DNA for foreign intelligence services to examine.

‘No one else, aside from his wife, has such intimate access to the Supreme Leader,’ says Lee.

But will she be loyal forever?

Just as her butter-wouldn’t-melt appearance hides a woman who kills on command and revels in vile abuse, perhaps nothing about Kim Yo-jong can be taken for granted.

[kcrabb88]

I posted 1,927 times in 2022

That's 165 more posts than 2021!

382 posts created (20%)

1,545 posts reblogged (80%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@pilferingapples

@rosesutherlandwrites

@amarguerite

@thegreatblondebalrogslayer

@kcrabb88

I tagged 1,925 of my posts in 2022

#les mis - 334 posts

#fanart - 320 posts

#gifs - 303 posts

#star wars tag - 231 posts

#kcrabb rambles - 219 posts

#obi-wan kenobi - 198 posts

#pirates tag - 188 posts

#sea tag - 144 posts

#the constellation trilogy - 139 posts

#black sails - 131 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#god i remember casual fans being like oh dominic west was good in this and i'm like he couldn't be because the script did valjean no justice

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Les Mis meets Black Sails + Robin Hood in Sailing by Orion’s Star (The Constellation Trilogy, #1), out TODAY! 

In the 18th century West Indies, stories hold the ultimate power. Sailors spin yarns about pirates. Newspapers tell tales full of half-truths. Myths spread like whispered wildfire.

East India Company sailor Nicholas Jerome has no patience for pirates, determined to leave his father's thieving past behind. After a convict and an enslaved woman escape his grasp with the aid of an aristocrat's mysterious wife, he faces one last chance to save his career. Finding an unexpected home with a new crew, he gains a chosen younger brother in René Delacroix, the son of his wealthy captain and the grandson of Jamaica's cruel governor.

But there's a storm brewing in the Delacroix household. For René and his best friend Frantz, the Robin Hood tales about legendary pirate Ajani Danso and his famed female quartermaster are a lifeline amidst the governor's abuse. Danso robs greedy merchants, frees slaves, and shelters queer sailors, inspiring the downtrodden across the New World.

When death and betrayal shatter the lives they knew, René and Jerome each face a choice: obey, or rebel.

A war for history's favor begins, and as an uprising against colonialism erupts on the ocean, everyone must choose a story to believe in.

You can order here (paperback or e-book from several retailers) or here (for readers outside the US who want to order a paperback from a non-Amazon retailer).

135 notes - Posted April 26, 2022

#4

Sailing by Orion’s Star Cover Reveal!

I am so EXTREMELY excited to reveal the cover for Sailing by Orion’s Star! This gorgeous artwork was done by the wonderful Abby Gavit, whose work you can check out here. @prosodi​

I’ve spent a long time thinking about what this cover would look like, and I honestly could not be more pleased with this. Truly, it is a dream cover. I want to give a special shout out to the Les Mis fandom, who have been with me on this project since its very early days, when I didn’t know what it would be. <3 

Sailing by Orion’s Star will release on April 26th! 

Also, check out the full wrap cover (and the blurb!) for the print edition. Don’t miss the skull in the clouds!

See the full post

150 notes - Posted February 22, 2022

#3

Do you like Les Mis, Black Sails, Robin Hood tales, queer pirates, found families and epics? Paperback pre-orders for Sailing by Orion’s Star (The Constellation Trilogy, #1) are live! Release is set for 4/26. 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble 

Book Depository (Sometimes if you’re using Chrome the cover doesn’t pop up, so if you don’t see it, it is the right listing and you can still pre-order! The cover has popped up on all other browsers)

Bookshop (US friends, if you haven’t used this website before, you can choose a digital “storefront” for participating indie bookstores, and they will profit off the sale. If you’re near the DC area, I tend to choose Kramer’s or East City Books. And hey, if enough folks buy from particular indies, maybe they’ll consider stocking it in store!)

International friends: you should be able to buy paperbacks from Amazon if it’s available in your country, and Book Depository (above) ships to something like 160 countries (The UK, pretty much all of Europe, some parts of Asia and South America, etc.) 

Interested in e-books? I have those too! You can get it on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and others. (Kobo is easy for international folks!) 

Add the book on Goodreads! 

Subscribe to my newsletter for fun pirate facts and updates! 

For content warnings, check out my website

Book trailer!

240 notes - Posted March 28, 2022

#2

The 2012 Les Mis movie surely has its issues, but god, that transition from Stars to Look Down (Paris) is just *chef’s kiss*

344 notes - Posted June 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Okay so here’s the thing. If I see one more “who cares about historical accuracy in a historical piece of media” I am truly going to lose my entire mind. I’m not asking for TOTAL accuracy down to the detail (I don’t strive for that, and things should connect with a modern reader) but I AM asking that books and shows and movies ENGAGE WITH THE PERIOD THEY’RE SUPPOSEDLY SET IN. The new Persuasion is just the newest (and one of the most egregious) instances of this, but I’ve seen this sentiment a lot, recently. If you don’t care about historical stuff, then why create or engage with historical media? The goal should not be to “modernize” historical fiction, but to create and engage with more diverse historical media. Different settings and periods! More stories about queer and BIPOC folks! Historical fiction has so so much to offer without stripping it of all historical context. I’m tired. 

1,793 notes - Posted July 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ectonurites]

Sorry if there’s tons and it’s a pain to list them, but I’m curious, which comics are you currently reading? Like which series are on your pull list, even if you’ve not necessarily caught up completely

OK so before the summer started I was up to date on So Many Things but with my job over the summer being very busy and then things being complicated irl for me since then (mostly medical stuff, both my own and elsewhere in my family, most notably with my uncle passing away a few weeks ago) it's caused me to be specifically like 4-5 issues behind on several things.

[Also, my actual 'i purchase these physically' pull list is much smaller than this whole list, but I think you're asking more about what I've read than just what I've bought.]

gonna put this under a readmore because it's long lmao

To start with ones i'm up to date on/mostly up to date on (like only 1 or 2 issues behind at most)

Batgirls

Batman

Batman Incorporated

Superman: Son of Kal-El

Tim Drake: Robin

Batman: The Knight

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (and trying to read the related tie-in oneshots too)

Dark Crisis: Young Justice

Dark Knights of Steel

DC vs. Vampires (though I no longer really want to read this one after the controversy about Otto Schmidt came to light recently, but I'd read all of it that was released before I become aware of that situation)

The New Champion of Shazam!

Poison Ivy

Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons

Plus some recently finished series that are also in that category:

Nubia: Queen of the Amazons

Robin (2021)

Task Force Z

Then ones I'm further behind on (so more in that 4-5 issues range or I'll specifically note if I think necessary):

Batman/Superman: World's Finest

Batman: Urban Legends

Detective Comics (I just haven't had a chance to read it since Ram V took over, but I've read all of Tamaki's run)

The Flash

I Am Batman

Nightwing

Wonder Woman (I haven't read any of it since Trial of the Amazons ended, but I've read everything from Infinite Frontier-ToTA)

Batman vs. Robin (I haven't actually had a chance to read this one yet but I like, have it on my physical pull list thus own the issues)

Monkey Prince

Then they haven't started yet but I have Blue Beetle: Graduation Day and Stargirl: The Lost Children on my pull list for when they start, and once release dates for Kon's book from Round Robin come out i'll be adding that to my pull as well.

Thennnn ones I am not at all up to date with but do intend to get to at some point:

Action Comics (I fell off right when Warworld saga started which was like over a full year ago so it goes here)

Sword of Azrael

Multiversity: Teen Justice

Anyways it is very funny to me that internally I keep being like 'ugh i'm barely up to date with anything rn :(' when that's not even a little bit true. there's just so many books and i wish i consistently had the time and energy for all of them (even the ones i don't necessarily enjoy as much, because i just Like being up to date and Aware of what's going on regardless of quality)

[iphoneartgirl]

I Have Received 14 Awards in the 2023 Julia Margaret Cameron International Awards for Women Photographers!  The works above will all be on display starting in mid-April at the Fotonostrum Gallery in Barcelona, Spain, along with works from other award winners from around the globe. I was hoping I could figure out a way to attend the opening, but I can’t.

I received word about these awards at the close of 2022. But to say that the news was overwhelming would be putting it mildly. This is why I’ve waited until now to share the news here.

Following the loss of my home, studio, all my tools, my garden and all my work to the Almeda wildfire, I drove a motorhome I bought to live in after the fire 11,000 miles around the United States. I immersed myself in nature, visited old friends, and asked them for help in recovering my mind, my identity, my sanity.

When I returned in June of 2022 and set up camp in my motorhome on a hill in Ashland, Oregon, I was mostly still in a state of shock and bewilderment. Confounded and flabbergasted. I spent the summer walking around Ashland connecting with agencies set up to help wildfire survivors and seeing friends. But it was hot, uncomfortable living in one place in a motorhome, and I was always expecting more fire. I felt in no way grounded. Always afraid. 

By the time it started getting cold again I was still camping. In the cooler days, I began to imagine, however tentatively, that I might one day share some mobile images again. Maybe some from my trip, some of my meditations and deep experiences of both pain and steady transformation. Nevertheless, I still felt so vulnerable. So discombobulated. So tenuous about whoever I had thought I was before the fire. So unclear about who I might become as a senior artist who had lost all evidence of her previous life and her work.

It was in that state of mind that I decided, one November morning, to send some of my mobile images to the International Julia Margaret Cameron Awards competition for women photographers. The entries didn’t cost much - a huge motivator since I’m broke now. Why not? I thought of my entries as a kind of trial balloon, particularly the images I entered from the Almeda Firewalk Series that I’ve been working on since 2021.

I expected nothing and figured that if anything I sent got any kind of attention from the juror, Barbara Davidson (a woman whose courageous photography I have admired for decades), maybe I could reinvest in thinking of myself again as a living photographer and mobile artist. If not, I could just keep on drinking my way from one day to another, wondering when I should just pull the plug on this life.

Getting the news that not one or two - but almost ALL - of the entries I submitted had received awards put a serious dent in my stupor. For a couple of days, I danced around on Facebook and called and told old friends. I couldn’t have felt more delighted or more affirmed in my creativity and I took the awards as evidence that I hadn’t actually lost all my skill even if I didn’t believe that myself. I lost everything else, right?

But the thing about trauma recovery is that it’s anything but linear.  Survivors don’t just go from sad to elated and stay there. We remain afraid. Stunned. Suspicious. Doubtful. And isolation can easily remain our best friend. We know how bad we still feel. And we know how everyone who knows us just wants us to feel good again and go back to where and who we were before the trauma. They’re tired of hearing about the pain. So we stop telling them about it. We get quiet and we hide out.

Hence ... the time it’s taken for me to feel up to making this post here today.

I told my friend, John, this morning that over the last month I am starting to feel  that my mind may actually be healing. A bit. After two-and-a-half years. Yes, I’m still the iPhoneArtGirl. Yes, I still make mobile photographs and mobile art almost every day. And maybe, just maybe, I will one day be able to courageously share more here than an awards announcement.

Tomorrow morning, I’m planning to venture out to a speed-dating event at the Medford Library. I don’t know what’s going to happen there but it’s my hope to have a few minutes of conversation with private foundations and government funders who I can imagine could use the Almeda Wildfire Series to serve their stakeholders. I’ll be looking for partners who might see it in their interests to help me take all the pain and the transformational gifts I’m starting to experience into community conversations with their stakeholders in communities of all sizes around the state.

I know there are people like me all across Oregon who need to re-connect much more substantively with their neighbors so all of us can BELONG TOGETHER AGAIN even if the political trance has people believing we can’t. There are such large climate, environmental, housing, medical care, educational, economical, ethical and spiritual challenges ahead. We cannot meet them in isolation.  

If you read this far, I thank you warmly for your time, your consideration, and your care. Namaste.

[carolinesiede]

My 2022 Roundup

Phew! What a year.

2022 started with news of some disappointing corporate shake-ups at The A.V. Club — my main freelance home for the past nine years. After leaving the site in solidarity with my wonderful departing editors, I went all-in on a full-time contract gig with FOX Digital only for that to rather unexpectedly end in mid-November. Add in the tumult that has taken over Twitter in the last third of the year, and I’m ending this year without any of the pillars of stability that have propped me up for my entire career, not to mention nearly my entire adult life.

And, yet, remarkably, I also feel more rejuvenated and excited than I have since the start of the pandemic. After a challenging 2021 took a fairly drastic toll on my mental health, 2022 was filled with adventures that pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me that I’m capable of more than I think I am.

I started the year covering virtual Sundance, which was my first experience with a major film festival like that. Then in March I hopped on a plane for the first time since 2015 (!!!) to attend SXSW, where I saw a Dolly Parton concert, watched Nic Cage watch Nic Cage play Nic Cage, and just generally had 10 of the most surreal, exhausting, exhilarating days of my life.

May brought my first-ever on camera interview, with Cha Cha Real Smooth writer/director/star Cooper Raiff, who was in town for the Chicago Critics Film Festival. Then June took me to L.A., where I watched a dear college friend get married and took my first-ever trip to Disneyland! (I also dealt with my first major cancelled flight snafu and managed to have only a minor emotional breakdown in LAX.)

The adventures didn’t stop there, as I took a relaxing trip home to St. Louis in August, dashed around like a madwoman covering the Chicago International Film Festival in October, and took a semi-spontaneous trip to New York City in November, where I squeezed in five Broadway shows amongst catching up with friends old and new.

The year wasn’t all easy, of course, especially when it came to the major mental adjustment of switching from a freelance lifestyle to the structure and demands of a full-time job creating a brand new section with a two-person team.

And it was incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to some of the long-time anchors of my career: My episodic recaps of This Is Us (my favorite show I’ve ever gotten to write about in such an in-depth way) and especially my long-time A.V. Club column When Romance Met Comedy, which came to a close after 101 columns totaling 187,227 words.

I’m especially proud that my final four WRMC entries (Roman Holiday, Win A Date with Tad Hamilton!, 2005′s Pride & Prejudice, and How To Be Single) really sum up the scope of what I was trying to do with this four-year project. And though it was kind of nice to take a break from writing about rom-coms for most of 2022, I feel like the genre is calling me back again in 2023. 

Other highlights of the year included celebrating Nathan Chen’s gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics (I’ve been following his skating career since 2016!), spotting Nate from The Bachelorette at my screening of Black Adam, re-hauling my wardrobe, getting my bivalent booster (a major turning point in pandemic safety — get yours today!) and reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in person in years.

I also created a public Instagram account, recapped “The Slap” Oscars, delved deep into the nerd-spheres of the MCU, Stranger Things, and House of the Dragon, and kept things going strong with my podcast Role Calling, where we covered the careers of Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, and Zac Efron, and released a series of Lord of the Rings specials that I’m especially proud of.

Oh and I picked my 10 favorite films of 2022, even though this is the first time in years that I didn’t actually publish any official year-end coverage:

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Living

Cha Cha Real Smooth

Elvis

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.

The Woman King

Aftersun

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Saint Omer

Turning Red

As we head into 2023, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing and podcasts I did in 2022. If you enjoyed my work, you can support me on Kofi or PayPal. Or you can just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends! That really means a lot. 

When Romance Met Comedy

Nearly 70 years on, Roman Holiday remains one of romantic comedy’s most delectable treats

Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! now has retro charms twice over

Joe Wright made Pride & Prejudice feel fresh all over again

Can romantic comedies teach us How To Be Single?

My last A.V. Club TV recaps

This Is Us season 6

The Doctor Who 2022 New Year’s Day Special

Op-eds and Features

At the SXSW Film Festival, Nicolas Cage watches Nicolas Cage play Nicolas Cage

Revisit the lighthearted nun comedy that won Sidney Poitier the Oscar

Awards show recap: The chaos Oscars

‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ is still timeless at 25

75 years of the Roswell incident — pop culture’s favorite alien conspiracy theory

Watch rare color footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1947 royal wedding

Interviews

Cooper Raiff on his new Apple TV+ indie rom-com ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

Film Reviews

Say "maybe" to Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me (my last A.V. Club film review!)

‘The Worst Person in the World’ might be the best movie of the year

Unfortunately, ‘Uncharted’ isn’t quite a national treasure

‘The Batman’ review: Why so serious?

'After Yang' review: Colin Farrell grapples with the loss of his android son

‘Turning Red’ is Pixar at its weird, wonderful best

‘The Lost City’ almost strikes gold at SXSW

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once' is transcendent and a bit exhausting

‘Morbius’ is a boring, bloodless bat man

In ‘Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood,’ nostalgia becomes rocket fuel

‘Dual’ review: Two Karen Gillans, one deadpan dark comedy

‘The Bad Guys’ review: Animated baddies make for a good time at the movies

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ review: Marvel makes a messy horror movie

‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ review: Mamma Mia, here we go again

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ review: ‘Top Gun 2’ is a gloriously corny nostalgia fest

HBO’s ‘The Janes’ tells the story of radically empathetic abortion activists

‘Jurassic World Dominion’ review: Just going through the dino motions

‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is a stellar new riff on a classic indie dramedy formula

‘Elvis’ somehow has both the best and worst performances of the year

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ review: A surprisingly bittersweet romp

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ lacks grit

‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is pure magic

‘My Old School’ is a wild, weirdly charming documentary

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ has delightful Saturday morning cartoon vibes

‘Bullet Train’ review: Brad Pitt’s thrill ride just barely stays on track

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ review: A wickedly fun Gen Z slasher from A24

‘Not Okay’ and ‘Vengeance,’ two provocative comedies about narcissism

‘13: The Musical’ review: Broadway magic gets lost in Netflix translation

John Boyega gets a dramatic showcase in ‘Breaking’

‘Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.’ review: A megachurch mockumentary masterclass

‘The Woman King’ review: Viola Davis’ crowning achievement

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ should’ve worried more

‘Bros’ review: Billy Eichner is a glorious rom-com lead

‘Black Adam’ review: The Rock goes bad — mostly for good

‘Ticket to Paradise’ review: George Clooney and Julia Roberts grin and bear it

'Call Jane' review: An abortion drama with optimism

‘My Policeman’ and ‘Causeway’: Harry Styles and Jennifer Lawrence lead quiet new dramas

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ review: A superhero elegy

TV Reviews/Recaps

‘Welcome to Flatch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

‘Monarch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

Streaming pick of the week: Hulu’s ‘Pam & Tommy’

‘The Dropout’ review: Amanda Seyfried leads TV’s latest scammer drama

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ is promising but weirdly paced

‘Doctor Who’ review: A pirate-themed Easter special is a throwaway romp

Get ready to fall in love with ‘Ms. Marvel’

‘She-Hulk’ review: Marvel’s bold comedic experiment’

‘House of the Dragon’ review: ‘Game of Thrones’ is back and better than ever

‘Andor’ review: ‘Star Wars’ grows up, with a rebel yell

Explainers & Rankings

Oscars 2022: Where to watch the Best Picture nominees (and other movies like them)

Marvel second installments ranked — including ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

‘Top Gun 2’: Film critic eats his shoe (literally) over ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

'Stranger Things' recap: Here's a refresher ahead of the season 4 premiere

‘Stranger Things’ season 4 storylines, ranked

Here's everything Marvel announced at Comic-Con

'She-Hulk': Three Marvel movies (and one TV show) to revisit before starting the series

The 11 best movies of the year so far: ‘Top Gun 2,’ ‘Turning Red’ and more

10 of the best streaming shows of the year (so far)

22 things we loved in 2022

‘House of the Dragon’ 101

‘Game of Thrones’ returns: Everything you need to know about HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: Who's who in this new game of thrones

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What are the Stepstones and where’s Old Valyria?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What’s up with Targaryen incest?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: That time jump (and those kids), explained

Festival Coverage

Sundance coverage part one, two, three, four, and five

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 1

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 2

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 1

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 2

Chicago International Film Festival preview, part one and two

Movie Previews

February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Role Calling Podcast

Meg Ryan: When Harry Met Sally, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless In Seattle, Anastasia, You’ve Got Mail

Antonio Banderas: The Mask of Zorro, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Desperado, Evita, Pain and Glory

Zac Efron: High School Musical, Hairspray, Neighbors, The Greatest Showman, The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

Specials: One Year Anniversary Special, Thor: Love and Thunder, Halloween Ends, The Best and Worst Films of 2022: Letterboxd Special

Other Podcast Appearances

The Filmcast: The Tragedy of Macbeth

Culturally Relevant: Breaking Down the Films of Sundance 2022 

Travolta/Cage: Old Dogs/National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

The Filmcast: The Lost City

The Filmcast: Morbius

Happy Harvest Horror Show: Hocus Pocus 2

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

[molsno]

I posted 9,787 times in 2022

That's 1,338 more posts than 2021!

670 posts created (7%)

9,117 posts reblogged (93%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@mossheartlesbian

@rapturebones

@vivi266

@bloodbornekart

I tagged 4,900 of my posts in 2022

Only 50% of my posts had no tags

#game queuebe - 2,163 posts

#txt - 333 posts

#otherside picnic - 163 posts

#video - 149 posts

#lycoris recoil - 131 posts

#me - 124 posts

#pokemon - 105 posts

#shokei shoujo - 102 posts

#gender envy - 99 posts

#homestuck - 65 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#society doesnt want to view me as a woman or even a man so asserting that i am a woman no matter what people think is very radical actually

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I think one of the more painful aspects of transmisogyny is thinking about how much of it is perpetuated in children's media. finding out about some male character in a kids show that wears a dress and makeup for comedic effect will never stop hurting, because you just know all the little trans girls watching that will internalize the idea that anyone with broad shoulders and a deep voice who partakes in femininity deserves to be an object of ridicule. you know that because the same thing happened to you 20 years ago, and you still find yourself worried when you go out in public that someone will scream at you for being a man in a dress and a danger to children. and it just makes you wonder if anything will ever really change

1,466 notes - Posted October 2, 2022

#4

I think that the most annoying thing about the term "male socialization" being applied to transfems is that for most of us, we weren't actually socialized male. if any of us have "male traits", it's because we developed those as a survival mechanism.

I certainly would have liked to be a lot more feminine growing up, but when you're born with a penis, you're expected to be a perfect, shining beacon of masculinity every moment of your life. if you deviate from this standard by expressing any behaviors that are deemed even a little feminine, you will be severely punished. if you cross your legs with one knee over the other, or you sit down to pee, or you check your nails by straightening your fingers instead of curling them, or you watch disney channel at the age of 10, or you just simply exist, you're a pussy, you're a faggot. maybe your sister will mock you for being too girly, or maybe the guy at school who would one day become a cop threatens to rape you and settles for giving you a black eye instead.

like, are you surprised that some of us try to live up to masculinity in the years before coming out? it's either that, or continue facing an endless onslaught of transmisogyny until you can't take it anymore and either transition or kill yourself.

I wasn't socialized as male, I was socialized as a tranny. it's fucking insulting to have my "male upbringing" weaponized against me to dismiss my womanhood because I never had one. and guess what! the vast majority of the masculine behaviors I picked up as a survival mechanism evaporated almost immediately after I came out as trans and realized I no longer needed to make use of them for my own safety.

stop falling for the myth of male socialization.

1,526 notes - Posted November 24, 2022

#3

if I learn that a transfem person has a kink that I'm not into, even if I think it's gross or uncomfortable, I'm just gonna mind my own business and assume they only want to engage in that kink with fellow consenting adults. rip everyone else but I would simply not cast baseless sexual menace on a transfem

3,038 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

#2

What I believe is happening in the case of coming across a public expression of sexuality, or a trans woman in a dress, or someone wearing a BDSM collar, or a woman in a short skirt is that these things will strike some people as inherently "sexual" in ways that other things (such as topless men and wedding rings) do not. And things that strike us as "sexual" may evoke sexual stigma in our minds. And this experience of sexual stigma - which can act indirectly and from a distance, as we've all seen with fears of "contagiousness" - can make us feel as if we are being "nonconsensually" implicated in a "sexual" activity, even though no boundaries have actually been breached, and the supposed act may not even be sexual for the other party. Such overreaches are worrisome, not only because they further marginalize those who are already unfairly "marked by sex" in our culture, but also because they can dilute or weaken legitimate claims of nonconsent in cases where actual sexual violence has been perpetrated.

- Julia Serano, Sexed Up: How Society Sexualizes Us, and How We Can Fight Back

11,020 notes - Posted October 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

logging on to www.girldick.cum

12,143 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →