#summer reading 2k23

[artigas]

summer reading 2023

in an effort to motivate myself out of a depression slump and enjoy some reading, i thought i’d share my summer reading list with ya’ll! i’m currently in a phd program for english literature so here’s a mix of fun reading and school reading that i’ll be doing until the end of august ♡ if ya’ll wanna talk books or have any recs for me through the summer, chat me up!!

Pet Semetary - Stephen King (5/5, fiction horror)

Dowry of Blood - S.T. Gibson (3/5, fiction, horror, queer rep) 

The Hacienda  Isabel Cañas (1/5, DNF) 

Motherthing - Ainslie Hogarth

Reprieve - James Han Mattson

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

The House of the Spirits - Isabel Allende 

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

The Devil Takes You Home - Gabino Iglesias

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson

The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole

Dracul - Dacre Stoker

Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

Imperialism at Home - Susan Lynn Meyer

[buttercupjosh]

Underneath the Stars

(Gif credit to @jonasiegenthaler)

Word count: 3,075

Warnings: none

Genres: established relationship, fluff, self-insert

A/N: I’m back at it again by participating in @wyattjohnston’s Summer Fic Exchange and this is my story for @ilyasorokinn, written with the very handsome Nico Hischier. I hope that you like it. I’m sorry in advance that it kinda goes by fast and about the timeline format but I just wanted to try something different. I also decided to challenge myself a bit more by writing adding some dialogue so please bear with me if the conversations aren’t that great. This is an established relationship story (so there’s no meet cute this time, which was a challenge for me to not write one). I’ve also never been to New York City before so I used Google to help me and I apologize for any inaccuracies. Title and some of the story elements comes from Underneath the Stars by Mariah Carey (which I highly recommend listening to). There are also some elements of the journey across NYC events that take place in “The Sun Is Also A Star” by Nicola Yoon (book). As always, I’m open to any and all feedback, comments or questions; just put them in my inbox or dm me. Thank you so much in advance for reading, I appreciate it😌 (P.S. I have other stories (linked here) that I have written for other players as well if you want to check it out)

Optional/recommended listening: Underneath the Stars by Mariah Carey

“Who needs a crowd when you’re happy at a party of two?” -Late To The Party by Kacey Musgraves

7:05-10:00 pm

Another Devils season had yet again come to an end without making the Stanley Cup Final. It was a bit disappointing but the nice thing about being eliminated early is that you had some additional time to spend with your boyfriend, Nico. You were excited to see him but you knew your time together would be bittersweet. You were granted a summer sports medicine fellowship opportunity in California but that meant that you would spend the whole summer away from Nico and you would not be able to visit him in Switzerland either. Nico was happy for you, achieving something that you worked really hard for, but he was also a bit sad that you wouldn’t be able to spend the off-season together and be in the same place without worrying about the hockey season for a few months. You and Nico had been separated at times before, while he was away on road trips, but this felt much different. 

For your last outing together before going your separate ways, you agreed to go into the city to watch the Mets play against your favorite team, the San Francisco Giants. Yes, although you were dating the captain of a hockey team, your favorite sport was baseball. Despite being surrounded by others, the PATH train ride into the city felt like you were the only 2 people on board. During your trip, you noticed that the light from the waning sunset bathed Nico in the warmest glow. Before you knew it, you were in New York City and continued the rest of your journey. After taking the main NYC subway, you arrived to your destination at Citi Field and had a lot of fun at the game. It was so nice to enjoy your favorite pastime with Nico and it didn’t hurt that he looked good in a baseball jersey as well. Every time you watched a game, Nico always asked you questions about what was going on since baseball isn’t as popular in Switzerland. It was fun to be on the other side as the one explaining the game to him, just like he would explain things to you when you watched his beloved soccer together or had questions about hockey. One nice memory that was made during the game was singing along to “Take Me Out to The Ball Game”; the song was such a classic and Nico even joked that there should be a hockey version of the song, which made you giggle. Your time together at the game flew by and to your delight, the Giants won.

————————————————————

10:10 pm-10:15 pm

After the game, you planned on taking the subway together back over to New Jersey but Nico could sense that something was off on your walk to the station.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You look upset.” Nico asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

“I’m sorry, Nico, I just don’t want this night to end. I’ve been having such a good time with you and I know once you leave, I won’t see you for a while,”  you replied, trying to hold back tears. 

Nico felt the same way, he knew he would go back to Jersey, go to sleep, and have to wait months before seeing you again.

“It doesn’t have to end, my love. What else should we do then?”, Nico said with a smile on his face.

————————————————————

10:40 pm-12:56 am

After your conversation, you decided to go to a late night showing of Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse at Alamo Drafthouse. Before the movie, you and Nico stopped at a nearby bodega to get some snacks to sneak in. Nico didn’t care if the snacks were a bit unhealthy because it was the off-season and although it was wrong to sneak in outside food, it’s not like the theater employees were going to kick you out anyways. There weren't many people around for the showing so it was almost like the movie was shown just for the two of you. During the movie, Nico subconsciously put his arm around you and tried to pull you in closer; he would miss movie nights with you. It was a rare opportunity for him to just sit down and relax with his lover. The movie itself was super amazing and after the movie, you and Nico had a lengthy conversation about the events of the film.

————————————————————

1:00 am-2:00 am

Sleep may be an athlete’s secret weapon but even at 1 am, Nico still had energy. You ended up having a game night at Brooklyn Bowl since it was the only fun place that wasn’t a bar that was still open. Of course, being an athlete meant there was a competitive side to Nico so he was trying his best to win the game. You, on the other hand, were just having fun and didn’t care as much about winning. Nico’s goal was to get a strike but he kept knocking most of the pins down except for 1 or 2 so when you got a strike in your casual play, Nico was ecstatic. He lifted you up in the air and spun you around, making you laugh. All of the other patrons must have thought he was drunk but no, he was just sober and so happy for you. You were slightly embarrassed by your boyfriend’s excited gesture but you didn’t care because yet again, he made you laugh. Hearing you laugh was a sound that Nico would miss while you were apart from each other. Despite striking out, you didn’t win the game and Nico never achieved getting a strike but he had more points so winning allowed him to gain even more energy for the rest of the evening.

————————————————————

2:30-3:00 am

Since Brooklyn Bowl closes at 2 am, there was still time in the night and exhaustion hadn’t hit either of you yet so you and Nico headed back towards Manhattan. Nico decided that the best way to expel some of his extra energy was singing and bopping around. Nico’s actions inspired an activity. You decided to go for a late-night karaoke session at a karaoke bar called Karaoke Boho Orchard in the Lower East Side. Thankfully, this karaoke bar had private rooms so you wouldn’t have to worry about singing on stage in front of strangers. 

Nico wanted to sing first and he dedicated “Lover” by Taylor Swift to you; it was a song that you loved dearly. Although Nico’s vocals were a bit off-key, you were so in awe observing him sing and you began to quietly tear up a little bit. While you were wrapped up in your bubble of awe, you didn’t quite realize that Nico had finished singing; you didn’t even think about what song you were going to sing. After scrolling through the song catalog, you serenaded Nico to “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey. The song reminded the two of you that no matter what separates you, you’ll always be a part of each other. Nico’s heart began to fill with so much amusement and joy with your musical tribute. Listening to you enunciate the words of the song sounded almost like poetry. If Nico wasn’t weak in the knees with loving you from before, watching you sing to him made him hit the ground. After you completed the song, Nico suggested singing a duet together and you settled on “Islands In The Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Although it was cheesy, singing love songs to your lover and with your lover reminded you both that the love you shared was so strong. For the rest of your time, you and Nico continued to sing different songs. It was so much fun singing and dancing together; it was a side that rarely came out but whenever it did, you both always had a good time.

————————————————————

3:00-3:45 am

The karaoke room was paid by the hour but Nico was a bit hungry so the two of you made a quick stop at Katz’s Deli since it was the only food place open nearby. The restaurant was surprisingly not filled with many people so you and Nico sat close to the walls; observing the wall photos, trying to figure out who the famous faces were.

“Do you think I should tell them who I am so I can get my picture on the wall?” Nico jokingly asked while you waited for your food to come out.

“Nico, you do know this is Rangers territory? They would rather burn your picture than put it up” you whisper replied.

“Y/n, you do know that the diners in Jersey are better right?” Nico said in a not-so-serious louder tone.

“Nico, how dare you insult an iconic New York institution?” you gritted through your teeth.

You playfully swatted at him and thankfully, your waiter arrived with your order of potato latkes and matzo ball soup. Over the meal, you and Nico chatted and people-watched those who came in and out of the restaurant. 

————————————————————

3:45-5:00 am

As the night dragged into the almost sunrise hours, you started getting tired. Nico suggested that you rent a hotel room and rest; he knew that you would probably fall asleep on the train ride back to New Jersey and preferred for you to rest somewhere somewhat comfortable. The closest hotel was the Hotel Indigo Lower East Side, which was right next door to Katz’s Deli. You pleaded with Nico that he didn’t have to pay for a last-minute hotel room but he insisted. The front desk person who checked in was a Devils fan so they gave you a discount and a room with a spectacular view of the city. Nico embraced you as you lay in bed and you tried your best to fall asleep but you couldn’t quite stop staring at the sea of lights from the City That Never Sleeps right outside of your window. You wanted to continue to talk to Nico but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was knocked out. Over time, your eyes fell heavy and you went to sleep.

————————————————————

5:00-6:00 am

You couldn’t quite stay asleep, your brain raced with thoughts about how your time with Nico was winding down, even though, he was right next to you. You watched Nico as he slept, matching your breaths with the rise and fall of his chest, wondering what he was dreaming about; he looked so peaceful. You tried to quietly slip out of Nico’s arms but he kept pulling you back to hold you close to him. Nico’s eyes fluttered open once he felt the flat space of the mattress after you successfully broke free to use the bathroom. When you emerged from the bathroom, Nico’s big brown eyes greeted yours and he was sitting up in bed. 

“Are you okay? Do you want to switch rooms?”, Nico asked with the same hint of concern from earlier in the evening.

“No, I’m good. I just can’t sleep”, you replied back, “ but you can go back to bed.”

“Do you want to leave and go back home then?”, Nico suggested.

Hearing him say that made the reality of your time ending together hit you in a painful spot but it was for the best; you couldn’t stop putting off the inevitable separation that was going to happen soon. You agreed to go home. On the elevator ride downstairs, Nico expressed that he would want to come back to see more parts of the city and for a staycation with you and you suggested that since the hotel had a rooftop bar, it would be a good spot to host a team party.

Instead of taking a train to get there, you decided to walk to the PATH train station that would return you back to New Jersey. On your walk, you and Nico passed through sections of the New York University campus and even made a quick stop at Washington Square Park. Although the park wasn’t as large as Central Park, it was nice to stroll around together and there was a warm gentle breeze that wrapped around you. There weren’t many people around, just a few joggers and people walking their dogs. At one point during your walk, Nico wanted to take a quick break to sit on the grass. Sitting on the grass eventually turned into laying on the grass. There were still a few stars out from the previous evening but not long before, you watched the sun begin to spill the warm colors into the sky; the rising sunlight dressed you in a warm glow. It was hitting Nico bad that this would be the last time that he would hold you for the rest of the summer and he planted a kiss on your head. You felt a tear hit your scalp and you looked up to see Nico crying a little. You had never seen Nico cry like this before but you reassured him that everything was going to be okay. After the sun fully rose, you and Nico left the park to go home. As you walked under the Washington Square Arch, you squeezed Nico’s hand three times as a quiet gesture to remind him that you loved him.

————————————————————

6:30-7:30 am

The train ride back to Jersey had much fewer people than the train ride over. You and Nico sat in the back, wrapped in your own personal bubble. Nico kept trying to stay awake to maximize the time you had left together but he ended up taking a nap on your shoulder. You still couldn’t quite fall fully asleep yet. Although he didn’t have to do so, you were grateful that Nico sacrificed his time and sleep schedule to spend all night with you. Nico felt similarly; there was no one else in this world that he would be willing to spend sunset to sunrise in NYC, running on little sleep than with you. While he was asleep, you slipped a custom handmade letter bead bracelet onto Nico’s wrist. It was neutral colored and it had your initials together on it so everytime Nico looked down at his wrist, he would be reminded of you. You and Nico hadn’t planned on exchanging gifts before you left but you decided to make it for for him once you realized that you wouldn’t be spending the summer together.

After arriving in Jersey, you and Nico went to a local diner to share one last meal together. As you waited for your order, you were calmly soaking in your final moments with Nico but he was a bit antsy in his seat. Something was on his mind and he couldn’t quite keep in any longer.

“Can we take it to go? I want one final moment with just us.” Nico declared.

————————————————————

8:00 am

Over your last breakfast at your apartment, you and Nico reflected on last night’s events and the memories you made together. The time you had together sailed by so fast and you both had such a great time; it was both beautiful and bittersweet at the same time. You were obviously surrounded by people everywhere you went that evening but at times, it felt like the city felt like it was your own secret, special place.

Nico’s flight to Switzerland wasn’t scheduled to leave until the following afternoon so he still had time to get some sleep and finalize any final things before leaving the country until returning for training camp in September. After breakfast was done, you and Nico migrated toward the couch to watch the news; watching the morning news together was a rare thing that you got to do together whenever Nico had a weekend off day. You tried your best to stay awake but a wave of tiredness crashed hard into you and you ended up drifting off to sleep in Nico’s arms on the couch. As you lay deep asleep in Nico’s arms, he reluctantly said goodbye. He really didn’t want to leave you behind and wish that he could just move your summer fellowship to Switzerland so that you could be enjoying a Swiss summer with him. He would spend part of his time, missing you being so far away and trying to perfect a potato latke recipe to match the one you had enjoyed at Katz’s Deli. Being this close to you for one last time, Nico could feel himself fading into you and feel the parts of you that faded into him with each minute that passed and he had hoped that these parts would stick around long after he left (which they did).

————————————————————

Time unknown

You woke up hours later on the couch, feeling a bit disoriented. The TV was turned off and you were covered in a blanket. It was dark outside and Nico was gone but he left a gift behind for you. Before going to shower, you noticed that there was a stack of Polaroids and one of Nico’s bracelets on the coffee table. The stack contained all of the pictures from the evening before that Nico took on his phone: the photo of you and Nico at a baseball game that was taken by a fan, a photo of you singing karaoke, an image of Nico taking a selfie while you were looking off-guard at the Katz’ Deli picture wall, a photo of your side profile looking out the window on the train ride home and a Nico selfie on the grass at Washington Square Park to round out the stack. On the back of each Polaroid, Nico wrote “I love you so much” and other sweet notes. You were slightly confused as to how Nico did this but you realized that he had secretly stashed his mobile Polaroid printer at your apartment. It was such a kind gesture that Nico put these photos together for you. Last night felt like a dream but the love captured in those photographs were the most significant memories you would hold onto. Whether you were hundreds of miles or a few inches apart, the love you both shared was always there, lingering around in your hearts. It sucked that you would be separated for a brief moment in time but each day apart was one day closer to being together again.

[ya-pucking-nerd]

a lake house love story - r.graves

It’s here!! Summer fic exchange 2k23!! @thomasschabot it’s me hi I’m the problem it’s me (: So many apologies to go out. Sorry to @wyattjohnston because I actually suck at deadlines. #5dayslate Sorry to @thomasschabot because I had an idea for a fic, wrote it out, decided I hated it, deleted it, then didn’t write anything until July 20 (: But in all seriousness, I do hope that you love this fic

Also Ryan definitely did not get traded to Pittsburgh, it simply did not happen. If I don’t look at it, it’s not there.

No warnings, just teeth rotting fluff

Word count 1889

Spring break at Rutgers University was so anticipated because of the time of the year. Most people were tired of the snow and chill, so the need to be down in the Florida sun was almost overwhelming. But, Grace loved the chill. She was from upstate New York. She burned in the sun, and it made her nauseous thinking about spending all day in the heat. So, she decided with her friends to take a trip to Crane Mountain. They invited all of their friends, and friends of friends to help offset the cost. It ended up becoming a trip of her 9 friends plus 16 more guests.

Grace was excited. Being back in upstate New York might offset the slight homesickness she felt. Grace and her best friend Maria were planning on sharing a room and bed. Everyone was paired up and then a few people were going to take the couches.

The group left on Friday afternoon, planning on staying 10 days. The drive didn’t take too long, though her legs were grateful to be free after being cramped up in a car for so long. She took in her surroundings, then took in the beautiful cabin they were going to stay in. The cabin’s background was even more picturesque. Rolling hills surrounded the cabin along with several other cabins where fellow hikers and visitors were staying. She grabbed her bag and joined Maria to quickly claim a room. They were already sharing a bed, so they wanted the opportunity to get first pick so they’d at least get the biggest bed.

Grace had never met most of the group she was traveling with. And she felt almost certain that some of them weren’t even college students. Despite her slight discomfort, Grace was determined to have a good time. Spring break meant no worries about school. Her senior year was coming to an abrupt close, and she just needed this break to find her peace again.

Her face kind of fell when Maria informed her that almost every room besides the master was filled with two beds, so they’d be sharing the room with at least one other person. They would simply have to make do. They spent the next half hour unpacking their necessities while waiting for someone to discover that all the rooms were taken except this one.

In walked a 6’5” man who looked just as startled as Grace and Maria. “Sorry, everywhere else is full. I can take the couch if you want…” he trailed off. Maria started to tell him to get the heck out of their room, but Grace grabbed her hand. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She didn’t even know his name, but she held out her hand.

“I’m Grace. You can have the bed, just if you need to change, use the bathroom. And let us use this room to change.”

“I’m Ryan. And I can definitely do that. Thanks.”

Maria gave Grace the “what are you thinking” look, and if she was being honest, she wasn’t quite sure what she was thinking. She thought he was attractive, and why shouldn’t she get to spend the next 10 days looking at him?

Grace decided to explore the property a bit more. She slipped on a jacket just in case the air turned chilly while she was out. She started down the path towards the pond. She definitely wanted to make good use of it. There was a paddleboard rental station close by. She just knew that would be the most perfect place to watch the sunset. There were so many hiking trails to explore, and the group was planning on taking a sunrise hike at least once.

She came back from exploring and found that some of the guys in the group started on dinner. It smelled so delicious, and she took a seat near the end of the table. Since she didn’t know many people, she figured she could sit with Maria. But Ryan had other plans for her that evening. He grabbed the seat to her left, and shot her a smile while grabbing some dinner rolls. He held one out to her, and she was so shocked, she didn’t take it right away.

“Earth to Grace? Sorry, I just know how hectic this bunch can get when it comes to food, and I wanted you to get a dinner roll before they all disappear,” he laughed. Maria decided to walk in at that moment, and upon seeing Grace with Ryan, she sat on the opposite end of the table. But to her surprise, Grace didn’t even notice. She felt at ease with Ryan, which isn’t a thing that normally happens. They talked all through dinner, like it was just the two of them, not a room of 25 people.

Dinner moved into the backyard of the cabin where a fire was slowly starting to burn. Adirondack chairs and blankets littered the grass around the fire and mini-conversations carried on from dinner. Grace and Ryan moved out onto a blanket further away from the fire to keep their conversation private.

“So how did you get invited on this trip?” Grace asked.

“One of my buddies is dating a girl that was invited on the trip, and he asked if I would come so he could know someone else. Funny thing is, I haven’t seen him since the ride up here. And they took the room with one bed, so I couldn’t crash with them.” He was a bit sheepish about his last statement. “But, I’m glad they did, ‘cause I wouldn’t have met you.”

“I’m glad to have met you, too.”

The night carried on until Grace and Ryan realized they were the last two outside. They giggled and snuck inside, trying their best not to wake anyone up. He kept his promise, changing in the bathroom while Grace changed in their room.

Grace climbed into bed with Maria, but quickly realized that this arrangement would not work. Maria was a small girl, but a huge bed hog. She left Grace about nine inches of mattress to work with. Grace tried to make all nine inches count, but she just couldn’t. She silently resigned herself to sleeping on the floor. She threw her blanket onto the floor as a makeshift area. She found her second blanket and took a pillow from under Maria’s head. It wasn’t the world’s comfiest bed, but it would do.

In the middle of the night, she heard Ryan get up to use the bathroom, but she quickly fell back asleep.

In the morning, Grace woke up in a bed. She was so startled, she jolted up. Taking in her surroundings, she saw Maria in their bed, and she saw her blankets on the floor. And Ryan in them. She was in Ryan’s bed. At first she felt horror, but then it changed to awe. Ryan must have pulled her up and sacrificed his back. She had no idea why.

She gently nudged him with her foot. “Ryan,” she whispered. He grunted softly, but turned towards her. After he wiped the sleepiness from his eyes, he looked at her with the biggest puppy-dog eyes. Grace had to admit, it was pretty adorable.

“I just didn’t want you to have a sore back. I saw you on the floor, and I just couldn’t leave you there.” He was sheepish, but she knew he would do it again.

“But what about your back?” Grace was still fighting the sleepiness in her voice, which made it a little raspy. She hoped that Ryan would say something like “I’ll be fine.” Instead, he completely surprised her by saying, “You keep the bed. I’ll take the couch. I definitely can’t sleep every night on the floor, but you deserve a bed.”

“What? No. Ryan, this is your bed. Last night, Maria was just being a bed hog, and I didn’t want to push her over. It’ll be better tonight and for the rest of the trip.”

Over the next few nights, it kept happening. After a fun day of whatever activities, Grace and Ryan ate dinner together, sometimes with Maria, and then they would be the last to turn in for bed, thus Grace would find Maria being a bed hog. She would swear up and down to Ryan that she was fine taking the floor, but she’d always wake up in a bed and Ryan was always on the floor.

On the last night, Grace and Ryan were talking on the Adirondack chairs again, talking about how much it was going to suck going back to their real lives.

“You’re a university student, right? Where do you go?” Ryan asked. He was sipping a beer, feet kicked up onto the table in front of them. He looked like a dream.

“I am. I go to Rutgers, the Newark campus. It’s been so great, but I’ve been trying to get my name out there for a job, and it has not been successful. And I have to find a place to live. I went on this vacation to kind of clear my head and re-energize because I’ve been so stressed.”

This was music to Ryan’s ears. “I’m in Newark, too! We should hang out more when we get back. I’ve really enjoyed this past week with you. And, if you’re looking for a place, you can stay in mine. I have an extra room. You don’t have to pay rent either. I’m all good.”

Grace’s jaw almost hit the floor. He was being so generous. And she almost couldn’t say no. It was the perfect offer. But, she had to. She barely knew the guy.

“What? Ryan, no. I can’t ask you to do something like that. I was just complaining. I’m going to figure it out.”

“Grace, I’m serious about it. I’m already there. And I like you a lot. I’d like to see where life takes us.” His smile was shy but so adorable. He wasn’t able to quite make eye contact with you. Grace felt her heart flutter. Butterflies and fireworks and all the movie cliches. Her cheeks must be tomato-red by now.

“I like you, too, Ryan. I’m really happy we met. And that you came into our room.”

“Let’s head to bed, yeah? We have a lot of traveling tomorrow.” He held out his hand, which Grace gladly took. Together, they walked back to the cabin, smiles as wide as anything.

When they got to the room, Ryan pulled Grace into a hug, and whispered into her ear so he wouldn’t wake Maria up, “You take the bed.”

“Only if you cuddle me.” Grace whispered back, shocked at her forwardness. She wasn’t known for being the type of person who asked for what she wanted.

Ryan nodded his head and said, “I was hoping you’d say that. I’m a great cuddler.” And he really was. Grace climbed into his bed, and immediately felt the warmth he radiated. He wrapped his arms around her. The next morning, they woke up to Maria’s gasp. “Guys! I knew it!” She was beaming ear-to-ear. Ryan kissed Grace’s forehead, and whispered, “I could get used to this.” He winked at her before rolling over to answer what would undoubtedly be Maria’s onslaught of questions.

~fin.~

Tagging some moots to enjoy :) @typical-simplelove @jostystyles @2manytabsopen @fallinallincurls @imagines-r-s @islesnucks

[gashousegables]

BBC Summer Reading

Book title: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: This book started with 'France is disgusting Paris smells like shit' and I loved that for me.

Book title: Middlegame ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: Seanan committed the crime of writing about twins in a way I consider cringe and I take it personally because I am a twin.

Book title: Eleanor and Park ❌ DNF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: When I tell you, as a mixed-raced, half-Asian from a majority white neighbourhood, I can extend SO MUCH grace to the clumsiest of attempts of white women writing characters of colour ... and Park pissed me off.

Book title: The Martian ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: First time I read this it cheered me up after my last remaining grandparent passed away, the second time was just for funsies and it feels so much lighter now.

Book title: Braiding Sweetgrass ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: I listened to the audiobook while hiking through some bush in Dorrigo, NSW a few years back and I think that this book feeds the soul.

Book title: Dracula ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: Sometimes the Knights of the Roundtable are Sir Kay, Gawain and Bedivere, led by Merlin and King Arthur, and sometimes its a Doctor, a Cowboy and an Aristocrat led by Mina n her guywife and a weird fobby old man and I think that's beautiful.

Book title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: I want to be on whatever Jackson was on when she wrote this I think she was real fucked.

Book title: Howl's Moving Castle ✔️ DF ☆☆☆☆☆ One sentence sum up: Slam dunked back into the start of highschool and lemme tell you the book holds up when you have so much love for it <3

[wyattjohnston]

i’m tweaking the exchange form (less than 2 weeks!!) and am adding this q to the form under what “what do you want to receive”—is this okay???

i don’t want to make it a “tell me your pronouns” q and then force the straight forward options, because the point of this isn’t forcing people to define what they might not know themselves yet, it’s just making sure people get what they want & deserve

[cellythefloshie]

;; Alone With You Dedicated to @miracleonice87  for @wyattjohnston summer fic exchange 2k23

Summary: Anthony Beauvillier was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, and it not only shocks the fans, but those closest to him. Forced to leave his closest friend and roommate, Mat Barzal, behind, Anthony and Mat are left to navigate the next stages of their career alone. Estelle Beauvillier, has come to New York for school, but has found herself in an awkward position when Mat seeks her friendship during his time of loss. On the West Coast, Anthony struggles to find his place on the Canucks roster, but Mat's sister Danielle is determined to make Vancouver feel like home. Kinks & TW: Will be added at the beginning of the applicable chapters. ABOUT THE OCs: Estelle Beauvillier. FC: Daisy Edgar Jones. Baby sister to Anthony Beauvillier moved to New York to attend university. She was only able to convince her parents to let her do so because Anthony was playing for the Islanders. Daniellie "Dani" Barzal. FC: Madelyn Cline. Sister to Mat Barzal, he contacts her after the news of Anthony's trade drops with a favour: help his friend settle into the new city. She welcomes him in with open arms. Total Word Count: 23K+ A/N: Now, Miracle, I'm not sure how familiar you are with me, my work, or my blog, but the people who do know me for 1 thing: I often get carried away. And it happened again. I swear this was just meant to be a story who focused on Mat OR Tito, BUT I really couldn't decide. SO here we are, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds. I did my best to touch on everything you asked for from a little bit of angst to smut (it really wouldn't be a fic from me without smut) with some creative liberties and I really do hope you enjoy!

Listen to their playlist while you read.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ - ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴅᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴏ - ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ - ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜱᴏ ʟᴏɴᴇʟʏ - 18+ ᴄʜᴀᴛᴘᴇʀ ꜰᴏᴜʀ - ꜰɪɴᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ - 18+ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪᴠᴇ - ɪ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ

[wildrangers]

Sweet Like Cinnamon // Timo Meier

Word Count: 3.8K

Summary: This is my submission for the wonderful @matthewtkachuk in The Summer Fic Exchange 2k23, organized by the lovely @wyattjohnston! It’s a falling in love story with a dual timeline so I hope everyone enjoys ☺️

Warnings: resolved angst, cursing, accidental hurt/comfort (ish)

Your hands shook as you read the notification lighting up your screen: Timo Meier extended eight years in New Jersey. Click for contract details.

You quickly swiped it away, biting your lip as you contemplated what to do next. Things hadn’t been the best between you since playoff’s but this changed everything. You had to call him, right? Maybe just a text, to be safe.

T, I just saw the news congratulations! I can’t wait to see you in the fall.

It was already mid-afternoon in Jersey, so you knew it had to be late in Switzerland. Plus, he was probably getting bombarded with messages. With those thoughts in mind, you went about your day without worrying too much that a text didn’t arrive by the time you were getting into bed. As your thoughts inevitably drifted back to him, you couldn’t help but feel surprised that you’d only met him a few months ago.

***

Nico had given you all of three hours’ notice that you’d be having a stranger as a house guest for the next couple months and that had been about two and a half hours ago. You didn’t mind having new guys on the team stay with you, that’d been happening for years, but an earlier warning would’ve been nice.

That was actually how you’d met Nico years ago: your brother, Adam, was a veteran on the team at the time and offered his home to the rookie who knew so few people in the States. You’d been finishing up college and were accustomed to your brother’s teammates constantly coming and going as you juggled schoolwork and internships. Nico had crashed the longest because you two grew so close. When he did finally move out, it was only for the two of you to move into the same building together across town.

You were drawn back to the present as your doorbell rang just as you finished tucking in the quilt in your guest room. Nico really had some nerve being early after springing this on you last minute. You padded over to the door, throwing it open to see him and a bigger guy laughing.

“Hey guys, come on in” you said moving out of the way so they could roll in Timo’s suitcases. “I’m Y/N.”

“Timo, I can’t thank you enough for doing this” he replied, offering his hand once he’d gotten his bags inside. You shook it, unsurprised to find that his hand easily engulfed your own.

“I don’t mind at all, it’s nice to finally meet you” you said honestly; Nico had spoken of Timo often over the years. “Hello Nico.”

“Ouch, that’s all I get from my American sister?” he teased, holding out his arms for a hug. You rolled your eyes but quickly embraced him.

“You’ll get a warmer greeting once you make up for the late notice” you chastised before turning back to Timo. “But seriously, I’m glad I can help. Nico just didn’t give me much time to get the place ready.”

“I think that’s mostly my fault” Timo admitted, grimacing. “I assumed I’d crash with him and didn’t call until my plane was about to take off. I forgot Nina was staying with him for a bit.”

“Ah, I see. So, what you’re saying is I should have had Nina stay with me and leave you two to fend for yourselves at his place” you teased, earning their laughter.

***

When your alarm pulled you from sleep, your stomach sank that there was no reply from Timo waiting for you. As you got ready for your day, you debated calling him—maybe the text had fallen through the cracks. It wouldn’t be weird if you called, right? You finally bit the bullet and hit his name as you pulled onto the busy Newark streets. More worry flooded your system as your call went directly to voicemail.

“Um, hey T, it’s just me. I sent you a text but I wanted to let you know how I happy I am that you’ll be in Jersey for the next eight years. You deserve it and I can’t wait to celebrate when you’re back in the fall. Um, okay, call me back when you can. Bye!”

Work was crazy that morning so you eagerly pulled your phone out as you sat down with your lunch, expecting to finally hear from Timo. Disappointment filled your chest as his name was nowhere to be found in your notifications. You realized suddenly you hadn’t heard from Nico all day, which was unusual in and of itself but particularly given the good news so you shot him a text:

I’m on lunch, you around to chat? Miss you!

Your lunch hour passed with no reply from either Swiss boy and you tossed your phone back into your bag feeling dejected as another memory replayed in your mind.

***

You’d jolted awake at the sound of the door opening behind your spot on the couch. Timo had been staying with you for a few weeks at this point but you still weren’t totally used to not having the place to yourself. You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes, grabbing the remote to turn off the television broadcasting a Devils loss, hoping Timo hadn’t noticed. You turned around to greet him and noticed he didn’t quite seem like himself.

“Hey, you okay over there?” you asked tentatively. While the two of you had grown friendly, this was the first time he’d come home visibly upset after a game. If it was your brother, you knew not to talk to him until he came to you. If it was Nico, you’d already be popping some popcorn for you two to share. But Timo was a wild card.

“Just a shit game” he mumbled, slipping off his shoes and shaking off his jacket.

“How can I help?”

The offer seemed to surprise him, his hands freezing where they worked on loosening his tie. “I wouldn’t want to bother you” he replied but you could tell he was hoping you’d meant it.

“What’s your post-loss treat of choice? Nico’s is always popcorn but I have chips, ice cream, you name it” you offered as you stood and stretched before walking into the kitchen.

“Do we have any of those cinnamon cookies left you made the other day?” he questioned quietly, making you smile. You loved baking for people so it pleased you he had deemed them worthy of softening the blow of a tough loss.

“Go get changed, I’ll get them out.”

Since Timo had arrived, you’d noticed he seemed to hate feeling like a bother. He’d waited almost a week before letting you know he wasn’t sure how to get to the closest grocery store since his car was still being shipped from California. Similarly, he’d apologized on and off for days after dropping his lunch on your rug even though he’d insisted on cleaning it himself and you could never find the ‘stain’ he asserted he left behind. Because of these experiences, you waited until you heard his footsteps retreat down the hall before pre-heating the oven and grabbing the leftover dough from the freezer.

You hummed to yourself as you began lining the tray with cookies, keeping an ear out for the return of his footsteps. By the time you heard them, the oven was almost ready and you were sitting on the countertop. He took in the scene before him and shot you a look, “You didn’t have to make more, it was just—”

“I wanted to” you cut him off. “Plus, I’m comfy up here so you have to put the tray in when the oven beeps, so you’re helping anyways.”

He rolled his eyes playfully but nodded, “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

A not quite comfortable silence descended for several moments until the oven beeped and Timo dutifully placed the tray on the center rack.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He sighed as he shut the oven, turning to face you—he looked absolutely exhausted. “Not much to say, I’ve been playing like shit since I got here.”

“Oh, none of that” you chastised him, tossing a towel at his face in protest.

“What was that for?” he laughed in surprise as he caught it before it bonked him in the head.

“That was for being way too hard on yourself. It’s a new team, a new system, a new city all while you’re still recovering from an injury. No one was expecting you to come in at 100%.”

He shrugged, chewing on his lip as he processed your words, “But I’m a free agent at the end of the season, I have to prove myself.”

“UFA or RFA?”

“Restricted. But I like it here so far and it’s fun playing with so many other Swiss guys. I want to do well with what time I have so I can sign for longer here.”

You nodded in understanding, “I know it can be tough not knowing where you’ll likely be long-term but all you can do is take it day by day.”

“You sound just like Nico” he teased and you rolled your eyes.

“My actual brother has been in the league a long time and I’ve been close with Nico for over five years now. So, I have some experience calming down guys I care about while they catastrophize after a loss.”

“Are you going to adopt me like you did Nico?” he asked tentatively and there was something in the way he held himself, avoiding your gaze, that made you pause. You couldn’t quite tell if he was asking because he wanted you to or if he was thinking of something more.

“Nah, I have enough brothers” you tried which earned a grin from him that made your toes curl.

“Good, my sister wouldn’t be too happy either” he joked and a far more comfortable silence settled between you.

“We don’t have to talk about it anymore if you don’t want to but I don’t mind listening if you do.”

His head dipped again but not before you caught the pink tinging his cheeks. “Would it be weird if I admitted a hug would really help?”

You grinned at him opening your arms wide, “Hugs and cookies, that I can do.”

He returned your smile before stepping between your legs and wrapping his arms around your shoulders. Yours twined around his middle and you rested your cheek against his broad shoulder. As you rubbed his back, you felt the muscles slowly begin to loosen beneath your touch. Feeling bold, you moved one hand to his hair, massaging the scalp underneath which earned you a grateful sigh as more of his weight settled against you.

“Thank you” he murmured into your hair softly.

“My pleasure” you said just as the oven timer dinged, causing him to draw himself up and away from you. He began to turn to get the tray but paused, looking back at you for a moment before placing a gentle kiss on your cheek. He was reaching for an oven mitt before you could process the tender act and how it made your heart both race and settle itself.

***

The rest of your work day passed in a blur, juggling your responsibilities with your thoughts constantly circling back to Timo. As you walked to your car and could finally check your phone, you felt your frustration flare as you scrolled through your notifications and didn’t see anything from Timo or Nico.

You hurriedly tapped Nico’s contact as you left the parking garage, hoping to get some reassurance that you were overthinking. But you felt anger rise as it rang only a few times before you were sent to voicemail.

“What the fuck?” you mumbled to yourself, drumming your fingers on your steering wheel as you waited to leave a message. “Nics, it’s me, can you call me when you get this? It’s important. Okay, bye.”

You went out to dinner with friends as a distraction but constantly checked your phone until your best friend finally snatched it away. You were admittedly grateful she forced you to stop obsessively staring at it but your swirling thoughts were another story.

By the time you’d settled into bed for the night, you were certain you weren’t going to hear from Timo. Nico would probably reach out with some excuse for himself and his friend and that would be that. As you tossed and turned, you found you couldn’t stop the memories flooding your mind.

***

The bass was throbbing and you could barely hear yourself think as you people-watched from your seat in a corner booth. All the guys, their partners, and friends were at the bar celebrating clinching a play-off spot. You’d been there a few hours already and were ready to go home but didn’t want to rush Timo—he’d earned the time enjoying himself and his teammates.

You were lost in this train of thought when you felt a hand land on your shoulder. Your eyes rose to meet Timo’s as he leaned down to speak in your ear. “You look like you could use a break, want some fresh air?”

You eagerly nodded in agreement, taking the hand he offered to help you out of the booth. You were a little surprised when he held onto it as you two made your way to the cool air outside. You took a deep breath as you leaned back against the building, closing your eyes to appreciate what a gorgeous night it was after the long winter months.

Your eyes flew open when you felt him tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. His bright blue eyes were intent, the smell of his cologne enveloping you as you took a shaky breath. As his hand moved to rest on your cheek you noticed its slight tremor before he leaned in. When his lips met yours, the kiss was achingly tender and gentle, as if he worried you might break.

Before you could doubt yourself, your hands clasped around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. As the heat of his body pressed into yours, you opened your mouth to his exploring tongue and briefly lost yourself in the feel of him. But all too soon, rational thoughts flooded back into your mind: he didn’t have a contract, you didn’t know where he’d be in a few months’ time, you didn’t want to jeopardize your friendship with Nico, you couldn’t risk him not feeling for you how you did for him.

Seeming to sense your unease, Timo pulled away slightly, eyes searching yours while his thumb gently stroked your cheek.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, I can’t do this” you mumbled, turning away from the intensity of his gaze and running your hands over your face.

“What’s wrong? It seemed good and then…” his words trailed off as he waited for you to turn back to him. The best you could do was face him again while keeping your eyes firmly on the ground. “Are you upset with me?”

“What? No, of course not” you replied, finally looking up at him. His face bore confusion, hurt, and worry which made you feel even shittier about your inability to find the right words to explain yourself.

“Do you still want to sign in Jersey long-term?” He opened his mouth to respond but you steamrolled ahead. “I just mean, you’re a free agent come summer. Even if you wanted to be here long-term, it doesn’t mean it would happen. You could end up with a bridge deal or being traded again and I just—”

He cut you off by pulling you into his embrace. You sighed, breathing in his scent as you held onto him tightly.

“There’s too many unknowns aren’t there?” he asked quietly and you nodded into his chest. He held you for another moment, hand gently stroking your hair, before he pulled away to look at you. “I get it, really, I do.”

But there was something shifting in his face, the warm openness you were accustomed to was hardening before your eyes. “No, don’t do that” you begged, hands cupping his face.

“Do what?”

“I can see you shutting me out” you said sadly and he flinched slightly at your words. “And if you have to, I understand, but I really care about you, T. Enough that I can’t just dive in and take it as it comes, because if you end up somewhere else or are only here for a season, I can’t do that…it would hurt too much.”  

He took a deep breath before leaning his forehead against yours, “No, you’re right. If we’re going to do this, I want to do it right. You deserve that much.”

“I’m sorry” you whispered.

“Me too” he replied, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

Since that night, you’d been friendly with each other but things were understandably different. The looming unknowns of his future, as well as that of your relationship, hung heavy between you despite your best efforts. As you watched the boys shake Carolina’s hands onscreen, you busied yourself making a batch of cookies for Timo. You were leaving in an hour for a work trip and he’d likely be home in Switzerland when you returned a week later. All that was left unsaid sat like a rock on your chest.

As the cookies baked, you pulled out a sheet of paper to write him a note to go with them:

I’m so proud of you, T.  I’m sorry I can’t be here with you but I’m just a phone call away if you want to talk. I’ll miss you this summer and hope I’ll see you again in the fall. -Me

When you landed a few hours later, you’d received a thank you text from Timo but nothing more. Over the next week, you did your best to accept that this distance between you two would be the new norm for at least a few months, possibly beyond that. But, when you walked into your kitchen after returning home, a little flicker of hope reignited at the sight of your favorite sweatshirt of his left neatly folded for you on the counter.

***

That hope hadn’t lasted long as the summer dragged on. You two texted occasionally at the start but navigating this limbo was difficult. You wanted him to make the decision that was best for him and his future—all you could do was wait until then. As you burrowed yourself deeper into the warmth of his sweatshirt, you finally drifted off to sleep.

Only to be woken up a few hours later by incessant pounding on your front door. You nearly knocked your lamp over in your hurry to illuminate your room so you could get to the door and stop the noise echoing throughout your apartment.

“I’m coming!” you called, annoyance lacing your voice. The building had better be on fire for someone to wake you up at 2AM like this. The knocks blessedly stopped and you yanked the door open. You fell back a step at the sight that greeted you: Timo, hair messy, bags under his eyes, two suitcases behind him.

You two stared at each other for a long moment before he cleared his throat, “Can I, um, come in?”

You shook off your shock and opened the door for him, “Of course, I’m sorry, I’m just surprised.”

“Hopefully good surprised?” he asked nervously.

“Mostly exhausted and confused and a little hurt you’ve been ignoring me for over a day now” you admitted then cursed yourself. “I’m sorry, I’m still waking up, I didn’t mean to snap like that.”

“No, I’m sorry, I was going to stay at a hotel and call you in the morning but I just wanted to see you after all those flights.”

As you processed what he said, your brain was finally starting to catch up. “Timo, have you been travelling here since you re-signed?”

His cheeks pinkened and he nodded, nervously playing with the handle of his suitcase. “Why would you do that?” you asked when he offered nothing more.

“I’ve missed you so much” he admitted, eyes meeting yours. “I get why we paused, really, I do, but it was torture being with you here every day, being just friends again. I thought it’d be easier back home with less reminders of you, but it wasn’t. Not at all. I kept wanting to call but I didn’t want to upset you. I knew my agent was working on as long-term of a deal as possible but I didn’t want to get your, or my, hopes up until it was finalized. So, when it finally was, I just wanted to see you.”

“You flew all the way here just to see me?” you asked, emotions tightening your throat.

“I guess I should have asked first instead of assuming” he mumbled shaking his head at himself but you quickly stepped forward and took his hands.

“No, this is perfect, I just can’t believe you’d do that for me” you explained, eyes tearing up. “I’ve missed you too. So much.”

That was all it took—before you could blink, his lips were crashing into yours. If your first kiss was tentative and sweet this kiss was its opposite. All of the emotions of the past few months came pouring out as you desperately clung to him. His fingers dug into your hips as he pulled you flush against his frame, and you melted into the warmth of his embrace. Your teeth clashed and your tongues fought for dominance and you couldn’t breathe but you wouldn’t pull away.

Finally, he pulled back panting and buried his face into your neck. You soothingly ran your fingers through his hair as you both caught your breath. His hands snuck up from your hips to slide under your sweatshirt, “Is this mine?” he asked and you felt his lips pull into a smile.

“Maybe” you replied and giggled as he tickled your sides in response. “Would it totally freak you out if I admitted I haven’t washed it since you left? I didn’t want it to stop smelling like you.”

He pulled away to place a gentler kiss on your now swollen mouth. “I won’t be freaked out by that if you won’t be freaked out that I only let myself finish that last batch of cookies on the plane ride here.”

You threw your head back in laughter at his admission, “They have to be so stale by now.”

“I didn’t care, they were all I had of you back home.”

Your heart warmed at his words, and you stood on tiptoes to kiss his forehead softly. “If I’d known, I would’ve left behind something of mine that wouldn’t expire on you.”

“I’ll forgive you as long as you let me stay with you for a while.”

“I can do that. How long do you think you’ll be here before you fly home?”

“Only long enough to convince you to take the trip back with me. Nico misses you too, you know.”

A/N: Thank you for reading! Shelbs, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing 💕 Thank you for the freedom you gave me; I tried to put in details so it still felt personalized you.

[laurenairay]

gotta trust how you feel inside - J. Skinner

Summary: Jeff Skinner had never met anyone like Cameron Marlow before. Turns out, he had a lot to learn.

A story of accepting someone for who they are, as well as accepting yourself.

This is my entry for @wyattjohnston​’s summer fic exchange 2k23, for @nhl-stories​! I decided to do something a little different than I’ve ever done before, based off of your prompts and answers to my questions, so I really hope you like this. I researched so many articles and blog posts and videos on coming out and acceptance and all the different ways people have felt and reacted in their own journeys, so I really hope I did Cam’s story justice. Also heavily inspired by Mae Martin and their wonderful self!

Warnings: angst, slow burn, friends to lovers, fear of coming out as non-binary, change of pronouns part-way through.

Words: 4.8k

Title from Green Eyes by Arlo Parks.

Thank you to @tippedbykreider​ for being a wonderful beta reader!

Some of these folks wanna make you cry, But you gotta trust how you feel inside, And shine, and shi-ine, yeah, yeah, yeah.

~

“Jeff! Pizza or tacos?”

“Tacos please!”

“On it!”

Jeff smiled to himself as his neighbour Cameron disappeared from her balcony, back into the apartment below his. Their Friday night tradition of take-out and movies – whenever he was in town, that was – was something he treasured. Most of his teammates over 30 years old had a wife and kids at home for their Friday nights, but not Jeff. Maybe it was something that bothered him a lot when he was younger, not having someone to come back home to like everyone else seemed to, but since he’d been traded to Buffalo, it was something he was learning to let go of. There were plenty of other things in his life, plenty of other people, to fill what society deemed him missing, and he appreciated all of them. Loved all of them.

Cameron Marlow included.

She had been a breath of fresh air when he’d first moved into their shared apartment building back in summer 2018. Single, like he was, and only a year younger, so at least he didn’t feel completely out of place. And she was an introvert much like he was slowly growing into, meaning he didn’t have to put on a fake extroverted energy all the time, didn’t have to be ‘on’ 100%. The two of them bonded over just wanting someone to hang out with sometimes, someone who wouldn’t judge a depleted social battery. He knew that her work was intense, that she was damn good at her job too, and that the hyper-focus she had to have on all the time during her workdays left her pretty drained by the time she got home, much like hockey sometimes left him socially inept, so he appreciated having her as a friend he could just be himself with.

It didn’t hurt that she was blonde, blue-eyed, and completely & utterly beautiful. But that wasn’t something he wanted to think about right now. Cameron was so out of his league it wasn’t funny. Her intense corporate work aside, she was so interesting as a person that he barely felt like he could keep up. She was part of a book club, reading fiction about all kinds of different topics that he barely understood, leaving him feeling like more of a dumbass every time he attempted to follow along. She always volunteered during Pride month at the parade, making sure teenagers felt safe and secure and hopeful. She introduced him to plays and movies and poetry readings that he never would’ve thought of going to. He tried to keep up with her, loving the time they spent together too much not to, and it always seemed like she appreciated it anyway.

At least her dating life was as much of a disaster as his was. That was always something he could console himself with. Her type seemed to be tall blonde beefcakes, typical douchey gym bros, and every time a series of dates ended with the two of them eating ice-cream on one of their sofas, Jeff felt their friendship bond grow just that little bit more. He knew that his friendship with her was one of the best and closest and most genuine friendships he’d ever had, and over the past five years he’d grown to cherish it over anything else.

Cameron Marlow was in his life to stay, and there was nothing he ever wanted to change about that.

“Alright, tacos should be here in 30 minutes. Do you have beer?”

“Of course, I’m not a heathen,” Jeff scoffed.

Cameron just laughed, blonde waves swinging over her shoulder as she shut his apartment door behind her. She was dressed similar to him, tank top and sweatpants with fluffy socks, and she wasted no time in pulling her hair back in a messy bun after passing him a beer and sitting down next to him on his oversized sofa.

By the time their tacos arrived – Jeff went down to the lobby to pick them up, of course – Cameron had all but sunk into the sofa, all tension disappearing from her body. It was a good look for her, to be honest, peaceful and relaxed and content. And the fact that it was in his apartment that she was able to feel this way? Well, that meant everything to him.

However, by the time they’d finished eating, Cameron had flicked through her phone a few times, and a frown had grown on her face, her body a line of stiff tension again. He didn’t think it was because of him – he knew he hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary to her – but it still concerned him all the same.

“You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind,” Jeff said, “Want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know if you’d want to hear it?”

Jeff found himself frowning as he shook his head. Why would he not want to hear what she had to say?

“I always want to hear what you have to say? Why would I not?”

Cameron seemed to hesitate for a moment, eyes filled with something that he couldn’t read. Despite their five years of friendship, there was still so much he didn’t know about her, he knew that much. But why would she think he wouldn’t want to know what was bothering her?

“It’s just…okay, so you know I’m part of a book club, right?” Cameron blurted.

“Yes.”

He didn’t have a clue where this was going, but he was just going to roll with it. The book club met every other Sunday, he knew that much.

“Well we’re reading I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver, and naturally the conversation turned political,” Cameron started.

“As it would, sure,” Jeff nodded.

He didn’t know if it would be rude to pull out his phone to google what the book was about while she was talking, so he just decided to wait to see if she would explain.

“And like, a few of the group can relate to the main character Ben’s struggle, right? Coming out as non-binary to his parents only to be immediately kicked out of the house, so the topic was pretty personal for some of my friends…”

So that was what the book was about. Huh. He could only imagine how difficult that kind of situation would be. And Cameron said it had also happened to some of her friends? Damn.

“…and with the political climate right now, things just got so heated. As it would.”

“As it would,” Jeff agreed.

Well, not that he actually knew much about the political climate around gender. It was gender she was talking about, right?

“Gender is always an emotionally difficult topic,” he said, hedging his bet.

“Exactly!” she nodded.

Oh good, he’d gotten it right.

“The discussion is still bothering you though?” he prompted, eyes flicking to the phone she’d put down on the coffee table.

“Well, yeah, because New York still has so far to go in terms of making things equal for non-binary people. Like, shit, it took until late 2021 for driving licenses to get non-binary options on, and even now official government departments might not have options for all forms until 2024!”

“That seems unfairly restrictive?” Jeff said, frowning.

“It is! And of course, it’s started so many debates and discussions from hate groups and just generally horrible people about whether any of it should even be allowed. Like, what the fuck? All these absolute fuck-up debates about non-binary recognition, how non-binary people are basically invisible, it makes me so mad! How is it okay that a tiny group of people decide that I don’t exist?”

As she wound herself up angrier and angrier, Jeff froze slightly at Cameron’s words. That I don’t exist.

I.

Not they.

Cameron was talking about herself.

No, if Cameron was talking about herself then that would mean she was non-binary…

Whatever was showing on his face made Cameron stop in confusion, before absolute horror flooded her expression.

“I mean, I, heh-”

Cameron cut herself off with a whimper, eyes desperately darting around like she was looking around for an exit from his apartment, and in that moment, Jeff’s heart broke a little. Cameron was trying to get away from him, because she was scared of his reaction. Scared of him. That was the last thing he ever wanted.

Jeff swallowed heavily, before smiling lightly. “I can’t imagine you ever being invisible. No-one should ever make you feel that way.”

The tears that filled Cameron’s eyes caused Jeff to panic slightly. Had he said the wrong thing? Had he ruined their friendship? Had he ruined…everything else?

“Fuck. Fuck, that wasn’t how I ever wanted it to come out,” Cameron murmured, “You don’t hate me?”

The last few whispered words broke his heart all over again. Jeff quickly shook his head as he put his beer down, taking Cameron’s hands in his.

“I could never hate you. I may not understand much about what you’re going through. Like, as a non-binary person. But I could never hate you, okay? You’re still Cameron to me,” Jeff said firmly.

Because it was true.

He might not know much about what it meant to be non-binary, or understand Cameron’s struggles, but the fact that she was scared he would hate her said all that he needed to know. Cameron was still his friend, still the same person he’d always known – he just knew a little more now, that was all, right?

Cameron bit her bottom lip for a moment, seeming to hesitate about something, so Jeff just squeezed her hands reassuringly.

“Actually, I prefer just Cam,” Cameron said.

“Okay. Okay, Cam it is,” Jeff nodded.

“And they/them pronouns,” Cameron added.

Cam.

They/Them.

Cam. They/Them.

He could absolutely do that.

“Cam. They/Them. Got it,” Jeff said firmly, still smiling.

Cam seemed to hesitate for a moment again, looking confused now.

“Just like that? You have no questions or reluctance or anything?” Cam asked, frowning.

“Well, no? Not really? I mean, you know yourself better than I do, right? So if you tell me that you won’t be using she/her any more then that’s not my choice? It’s you and how you are in yourself. It’s only right that I follow what you need,” Jeff said, frowning in response, “Is that not okay? I know I’ve probably been getting things wrong for years now, but I’ll do better?”

Cam laughed softly in disbelief, shaking their head.

“Of course it’s okay. And it’s only been a couple of years really but that’s because I purposely didn’t tell you. Haven’t really told many people, if I’m being honest. I just…I wasn’t expecting you to just accept it straight away? Like, you’re a hockey player right, and…”

“And hockey players have a reputation of being homophobic assholes? There’s a few prominent names popping out lately, yeah. But that’s not me. My older sisters played hockey on women’s teams while we were growing up and there were a few lesbians out and proud with their friends, so it’s not like I haven’t been around the LGBTQ+ community? And I know that non-binary is your gender, not anything with your sexuality, but what I mean is that I’m not that kind of asshole?” Jeff explained, “I might be a dumbass hockey player most the time but I’m not that full stereotype.”

“No, you’re right. I shouldn’t have painted you with that brush. I’m sorry,” Cam said, wincing.

“It’s okay. No, really it is. I get that you have to expect the worst from people and I hate that you have to, but you don’t have to with me, okay? I’ve got a lot to learn, I know that. So much. But you don’t have to be scared or nervous around me. I promise,” Jeff said, smiling.

Cam smiled shakily, nodding their head, finally losing a bit of tension in their shoulders.

“Thank you. I just…thank you,”

“I accept you for who you are, Cam Marlow. Exactly how you are,” Jeff said firmly.

Cam choked out a sob, hand flying up to cover their mouth, and it was all Jeff could do to let go of their hands and open his arms wide. Cam wasted no time in flinging themselves forward into his body, letting Jeff hug them as they cried into the crook of his neck. Jeff felt tears sting at his own eyes, but he just held them tight, rubbing their back to reassure them.

Everything would change from here, he knew that. But he wasn’t going anywhere.

*

Skinner Siblings

Jeff: A friend of mine recently came out to me as non-binary. Obviously I support them and I'm so proud of them but I haven't got a clue where to start to understand it all better? I just want to be a good friend.

Andrea: Firstly, congrats to your friend. I won't ask who because that's none of my business. Secondly, do you want some resources?

Jeff: Yeah I won't say their name because they haven't said I could. But yes please to resources!

Erica: Good start on using their correct pronouns Jeffy.

Jeff: I'm trying. It's literally the least I can do.

Erica: More than a lot of people would! Just as a tip, more than anything else, follow whatever your friend says is right for them. And if you mess up, correct yourself and move on. You are a good friend, even just by wanting to learn.

Jillian: Love you Jeffy. Proud of you!

Andrea: I’m proud of you too. I found a bunch of resources for definitions and reading material and even blog posts. Let me email you.

*

“Sex is what you’re assigned at birth, based on bodily characteristics. Gender can be completely separate from the sex you’ve been assigned at birth. That’s the best thing about gender: it’s free, flexible and completely yours to decide.”

“A recent Stonewall study found that 31% of nonbinary people have experienced hate crime as a result of their gender identity.”

“60% of Americans have at least heard about gender-neutral pronouns, many people may still be kind of unsure of what to say or do. According to the survey results, 52% of Americans report that they would be somewhat or very comfortable using gender-neutral pronouns with someone they know. But 47% said that they would be somewhat or very uncomfortable doing so.”

“A common misconception is that all non-binary identities sit somewhere in the middle of male and female, and that if you’re non-binary you’ll fit neatly into a box labelled ‘androgynous’. But this really isn’t the case – and one of the most liberating things about being non-binary is that there are no set rules around how you express or experience your gender.”

Jeff’s head spun as he read through all the resources that his sister Andrea sent over to him. There was so much new information to digest, and yet still not enough somehow. Sure, GLAAD was a great place to start for definitions, but he knew there was still so much further for him to go.

Baby steps though, right?

If Cam could take things step by step, so could he.

One of the first things that Jeff did was to add his pronouns to his twitter and Instagram bios. A simple he/him. It wasn’t much, but it was a start – and at least hopefully, if anyone asked him (not that he expected they would), then he could start a positive conversation about pronouns and representation. It was, quite literally, the least he could do. It was also likely that Cam would never notice either, but if they did then he wanted them to know that this was another way he could support them – it was important that everyone and anyone could use the pronouns they knew were correct for themselves, he knew that now. So if he could show people that with his level of publicity then he absolutely would.

He had to use his privilege for something good, right?

In the weeks following Cam’s accidental non-binary announcement, aside from his own research journey, it seemed like a new side of Cam’s life opened that he’d never been privy to before. Sure, he’d liked and treasured the time that the two of them spent alone over the past five years, but now it seemed like they were comfortable enough to let him into a whole new level. He wasn’t entitled to it in the slightest, he knew that, so he made that they knew exactly how much he appreciated these new steps they were taking.

Cam also opened up more to him about their discovery journey. About how they had felt just ever-so-slightly wrong in their body for so long, not understanding why until they stumbled across an LGBTQ+ poetry slam one night not long after he had moved into their apartment building, not knowing what to do about how they felt until a few years ago. Cam had insisted that they hadn’t kept things separate from him maliciously – it was more of a case that they had still been figuring it out for themselves while they were getting to know him too, and part of their process had been compartmentalising. He wasn’t mad. He literally had no right to be, but he genuinely wasn’t mad. The fact that they finally felt comfortable enough with him and within themselves to take down those barriers? That was all that he cared about.

They had even introduced him openly to a few of their friends. Jeff hadn’t understood the side-eyes and the smirks or even the money exchanged between a couple of the group, but he finally in on the jokes about Cam being a social disaster, finally able to have them smiling at him like he was in on the secret. He was part of a whole new world – one that confused him heavily sometimes, but one that he appreciated being able to be within – and he loved that his friendship with Cam had only grown from strength to strength with each new thing he learned about them.

None of that changed how their smile still gave him butterflies.

*

“You cut your hair.”

That was the first thing that came out of his mouth when Cam opened the front door of their apartment. It had been only a little over a month since their unintentional coming out, but it seemed like each day Cam was a little more settled in their skin, and it made Jeff feel so happy that he got to be part of that. Their hair though – that was a big change.

“I…did. Is it bad?” Cam asked, a little nervous.

Cam’s hair had previously been down to their waist, naturally tousled and dirty blonde. But now…now it was short. Super short. A pixie cut, maybe? At least that’s what he remembered from one of his sister’s magazines. A white-blonde pixie cut. Huh.

“Not bad. Like, at all. It really suits you,” Jeff said firmly, as he walked past them into their apartment.

“You’re not just saying that?” Cam asked hopefully.

“I’m a really bad liar, you know that,” Jeff shrugged, smiling a little sheepishly as Cam laughed, “And I wouldn’t lie to you about this. It’s different, sure. But it feels like you.”

Cam exhaled shakily, shoulders losing a little tension as they nodded. “That’s what I thought. That it feels like me, more than anything else ever has.”

Jeff hesitated slightly as some of the reading he’d done came back to him, before he took a deep breath to steel himself.

“Was this a gender dysphoria thing? Is there still anything else you want to do to feel more comfortable in your body?” he asked.

Cam’s eyes widened slightly before they smiled fondly at him. “You really have done your reading, haven’t you?”

“I just…wanted to be a good friend,” Jeff said, feeling a little awkward.

Was he not meant to have tried to learn more? Did Cam not want that?

“Oh Jeff, you are one of the best friends a person could ever ask for,” Cam said, shaking their head as they smiled, letting Jeff breathe a little sigh of relief.

“You deserve it,” Jeff shrugged.

Interestingly, Cam blushed a little, before they laughed softly, moving to pull some coffee mugs out of the kitchen cupboard.

“Right, to answer your questions. The hair was kind of a gender dysphoria thing? My long hair just felt so feminine, and that obviously isn’t me anymore. Or maybe was never me? I don’t know, I’m still figuring out how I feel about it. In terms of anything else…I’m not trans. I don’t want to transition from female to male, because I genuinely don’t feel like either of them. That isn’t my journey. I’ve been dressing pretty androgynously for a few years so that covers most of what I feel like I need? And it’s not like my boobs are particularly big anyway so I can just wear a tighter tank top if I have days where they are a trigger,” Cam explained.

Jeff’s eyes dropped to their chest before he could even stop himself, and he felt his cheeks flare in horror at his reaction as he quickly looked back up to their face. What was wrong with him? Why would he…bleurgh.

Cam politely ignored his reaction, their mouth quirking in a slight smile.

“Periods might be an issue I’ll have to face at some point, but that’s something I’ll deal with as I get to it,” they shrugged.

He’d heard all the horrors of periods over the years from his sisters, so while he wasn’t quite desensitised, he didn’t grimace.

“There’s birth control you can go on to stop them for a few years though, right? Like, the implant or the coil?” Jeff said, tilting his head, “That’s always an option.”

Cam’s eyes widened slightly again, before they shook their head. “You are a gem, Jeff Skinner. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.”

Jeff found his cheeks heating up again, but he just smiled, shrugging. It’s not like he was looking for a gold star for being a half-decent human being after all.

Cam finally finished making their coffees, sliding Jeff’s over the counter to him while they sat down on the stool opposite.

“Oh, here, I got you something,” Jeff said, reaching into his bag, “It’s a little lame now that I think about it, but I already bought it so here we go.”

“This is…a cupcake?”

“A coming out cupcake. In your colours,” Jeff nodded, smiling.

White, yellow, purple and black swirled icing on a vanilla cupcake, the colours of the non-binary flag, from a tiny LGBTQ+ friendly bakery that he’d found in the city. The day he’d ordered it, he remembered the tiny smile that cracked on the terrifying butch woman’s face behind the counter, probably because he’d been rambling about wanting to celebrate and support Cam. He’d tried to find a date in the last month that felt right, but with Cam still settling into themselves publicly combined with his travelling schedule, it had taken longer than he wanted. But when he’d picked it up this morning he felt good about it. It might only be a silly little thing, but Cam loved cupcakes, right? So it felt good just to show Cam a little appreciation.

“This might be the sweetest thing ever. My god, Jeff. Why?”

“You deserve something nice? To mark this new chapter? The world is full of terrifying things that happen to people when they come out as non-binary. I’ve read some really awful blog posts about people whose lives were turned upside down just for being brave enough to be themselves. And I know you’re going to have to keep coming out over and over and over again even in just the tiniest of ways, so this is just me saying that I see you and I appreciate you.”

“Damn it Jeff, you’re going to make me cry again,” Cam

“Sorry?” he offered.

Cam just laughed, shaking their head as tears sprung to their eyes.

“I just hope that coming out to my parents will be as smooth as coming out to you was,” Cam said softly.

“You aren’t out to your parents?”

“No,” Cam murmured, shaking their head, “I’m so nervous.”

“Hey, no, don’t be, okay? Your parents love you,” Jeff said, frowning.

“You know just as well as I do how badly parents can react. It’s such an unknown reaction. And it’s not like they would’ve had any kind of idea that this is how I felt about myself over the past few years, right? No build up or lead in that they would have to prepare themselves,” Cam sighed.

They were right. Jeff had read the blog posts, the articles, the statistics. He hated that Cam had to go through this, but it wasn’t his place to pretend that everything was going to be a-okay.

“All you can do is be honest with them. That’s literally it,” Jeff said softly.

“I’m 30 years old, I shouldn’t be this scared to tell my parents who I really am,” they said, laughing a little dryly.

“It’s a natural reaction, Cam. From what I understand anyway. You love them – they’re your parents. You don’t want to lose them, it makes sense. But you also wouldn’t be doing yourself justice in not living your truth,” Jeff said, smiling sadly, “I’m here for you, no matter what happens, okay?”

They nodded, sniffing slightly. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You deserve everything and more. Never let anyone tell you differently,” Jeff said fiercely.

Cam choked out a laugh, blinking away their tears as they nodded again.

“Alright, if Jeff Skinner says it, then it must be true,” they said, wry smile on their face.

Jeff just grinned, making them laugh properly this time. He couldn’t bear the thought of them feeling like they didn’t deserve the whole world. Even if it wasn’t him that was able to give it to them, he still wanted them to be happy. That was all that mattered, right?

Then Cam’s smile slid into something a little more serious. A little more earnest. Jeff finished his coffee, sliding the cup to the side as he waited for them to collect their thoughts, knowing they would speak when they were ready.

“You make me want to be brave,” Cam said softly.

Well that was the last thing he expected. Those sweet simple words made his whole chest warm with happiness. He made them want to be brave? They were already so brave all on their own.

“Me?” Jeff asked, surprised.

But Cam just nodded, glancing over at him with their big blue eyes as they bit their bottom lip, and the look in their eyes made his heart start beating a little faster. Oh. Oh. Him?

“Me? Really?” he asked, a little breathless.

“Yeah, Jeff. Who else?” Cam said, cheeks flushing lightly.

Jeff inhaled sharply, reaching his hand across the kitchen counter to rest on theirs, his heart pounding so hard in his chest that he felt like it would fly out. Was this what his sisters meant when they’d described how it felt when they fell in love? Was he finally getting his chance to love someone too? When Cam clutched his hand back, smiling back at him so sweetly and shyly, he knew he had his answer. This was Cam – his heart had fallen for them a long time ago.

“You make me want to be brave too.”

He knew that this wasn’t going to be easy. He knew that the two of them would face so many questions, so much scrutiny, and most likely so much hatred. But what Jeff knew most of all was that he wanted to try. Cam was worth that. Cam was worth everything.

*

“Hey Cap, do you mind if I bring my partner Cam to the end of season barbecue?”

“Cameron? Your neighbour? Of course bud, glad the two of you finally got your shit together. How is she?”

“They.”

“What?”

“They. Not she. And it’s Cam, not Cameron.”

“Huh. Okay, good to know. Do you want me to say anything to the guys?”

“No, I’m just going to introduce them as they are. If anyone is shitty, I’ll deal with it.”

“Alright bud, but let me know if you want any help. You’re not alone, okay? Either of you. I look forward to meeting Cam. And Jeff? I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks. And, uh, thanks.”

“Any time.”

Baby steps.

[ao3feed-bakusquad]

Excuse me, what's my name?

excuse me, what's my name? by jumix

Today's a standard day for Kaminari Denki, a standard patrol for Chargebolt and- oh, they're giving chase to a villain, nothing unusual about that... The villain knocked over Mt. Lady. Okay! Time to send Vine in for damage control. The villain escaped from Woods? No problem, just-

There's a problem.

Sero's eyes focus on him. Pupils at normal dilation. No sensitivity to light then, good. He's about to ask whether Sero heard his question or not when he squints up at him, head tilting to the side. Sero clearly shows no sign of ringing in his ears when he asks plainly, “What's a Cellophane?” — #OrangesInSummer2k23 day 12 | name/identity

Words: 2549, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 12 of Oranges In Summer 2k23

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Iida Tenya, Sero Hanta, Kaminari Denki, Shiozaki Ibara, Takeyama Yuu | Mount Lady, Nishiya Shinji | Kamui Woods

Relationships: Iida Tenya/Sero Hanta

Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Characters Are Pro Heroes, Established Relationship, but then not, oopsie, Temporary Amnesia, they hope it's temporary

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47826493

[ao3feed-bnha-rarepair]

Tactile Affection

tactile affection by jumix

What does it mean when your significant other's love language is touch and a decision from your adolescence means your sense of touch may be fucked up for the rest of your life?

I don't know, and neither does Tenya. — #OrangesInSummer2k23 day 25 | touch

Words: 2070, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 25 of Oranges In Summer 2k23

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Iida Tenya, Sero Hanta, Mizushima Masaki | Manual, Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shouto, Hagakure Tooru, Ojiro Mashirao

Relationships: Iida Tenya/Sero Hanta

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, to a certain point, Final War Arc Spoilers, Scars, Serious Injuries, Nerve Damage

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48186865

[wyattjohnston]

The Winter Fic Exchange 2k24

Important Dates

sign ups close November 24 at 11:59pm AEDT (what time is that for me?)

you’ll receive your match no later than December 1

the final day to post your finished fic is January 31 at 11:59pm Anywhere On Earth

NEW THIS YEAR:

there will be no multi-chaptered fics allowed. whatever you do with the fic after (i.e. if it becomes a series) is fine, but the fic posted for the exchange must be a standalone fic.

Guidelines & Sign Up Below

this is a hockey imagine exchange, meant for reader inserts or OC fics (not player/player)

if you signed up for the summer fic exchange 2k23 and did not finish a fic you are not eligible for this exchange without chatting to me first

if you signed up for the summer fic exchange 2k23 and did not reblog the fic written for you, you are not eligible for this exchange. you can go reblog said fic and show your appreciation right now, and then sign up. if the fic written for you has disappeared/been deleted… let me know.

the minimum word count is 1500 words

there’s no requirement to have written x number of fics prior to signing up

if you change your URL at any point after you’ve signed up, please let me know so that your sign up doesn’t get lost. this ideally includes letting me know if it changes before the masterlist goes up

you do not have to be following me, but please check back occasionally between sign ups opening and matches being sent as there might be changes/updates

this is supposed to be fun. if you are going to be overwhelmingly stressed out about the writing process, due date or what people’s response will be to your fic then this isn’t for you. know your own limits.

any updates will be tagged with ‘the winter fic exchange 2k24’

you will need to allow anonymous messages once matches have gone out so that you can be asked questions. if you are unsure about how to change these settings, please let me know

i am doing this by myself so don’t be a dick.

my DMs and ask box are always open (anons welcome!) if you have any questions.

you can sign up here.

Explanation

this functions like secret santa/kris kringle, where people sign up and are then provided a person they will be writing a fic for.

on the google form linked above, you will fill in a bunch of information including players and genres you like to read about and players you like to write about—i then do my absolute best to match these up with each other so that people are receiving what they want and writing within their comfort limits.

there are also spaces to tell me genres and players you want nothing to do with, so that i won’t pair you up with a person who exclusively writes things you aren’t interested in.

after you’ve received your match (the person you’ll be writing for), you can then head into their inbox anonymously and really drill down into what your match would like to receive.

[cellythefloshie]

;; alone with you dedicated to @miracleonice87 for @wyattjohnston 2k23 summer fic exchange

playlist. read. PSD credit. 

[danortizdigital]

Creative Review 07

Here’s a quick look back at the Creative happenings and hot topics of the week.

#CreativeReview is a one-stop cheat sheet of everything that happened this week in the digital media world - it’s a weekly summary for creatives, written by creatives and it’s a free/quick read with no registration and we won’t add you to some annoying list that’s impossible to unsubscribe to promise.

Trailer Beat

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Paramount Pictures/In theaters, August 2

Seth Rogen, John Cena, Paul Rudd, Jackie Chan & others

After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - The Final Season Amazon Prime Video, June 30

John Krasinski is back for The Final Season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.

Black Mirror: Season 6 Netflix, June 15

The sixth season of Netflix's tech-horror anthology series returns in black, with a hint of red! The sixth season of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror returns with 5 new stories he calls, "the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected season yet."

Barbie Warner Bros. Pictures/In theaters, July 21 Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Dua Lipa

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

Shameless Marketing Nerd plug: the trailer is a "shoppable" YouTube video stuffed with Barbie merchandise.

Avengers: Wes Anderson Edition

What would Avengers be like if it was a Wes Anderson movie?

Written by ChatGPT and realized by Synthetic Screen.

Social Media Tips & Resources

Free 14-Day Content Calendar for Music Artists

June Feature: #TheSoundofPride 2023

As an agency that has had the esteemed privilege to partner with cutting-edge musical acts, we are incredibly passionate about music. And so, for our annual #TheSoundofPride playlist, we're doing things a little different than in years past as this year we're creating our usual #TheSoundofPride playlist celebrating global artists that amplify queer voices and provide the community with the floor-fillers and anthemic songs that soundtrack our summers and beyond.

And in addition to our main playlist, we're also shining a light on "Pop Rising," emerging queer and queer-friendly artists pushing for inclusion and musical globalization who should be on your radar.

#TheSoundofPride 2K23 #TheSoundofPride Pop Rising

Global Creative Spotlight

Tillamook “BLOCK JAMS” VOLUME TWO

Tillamook reunites hungry listeners with Vol. 2 of their cheesy “Block Jams” out of agency 72andsunny. The fun-in-the-sun edition includes catchy tunes like “Waves of Flavor”, “Cheese By The Slice”, and other earworms to leave you “absolutely melted”.

Spotify: Have You Heard?

When Spotify wanted to bring their promise of 100 million songs to Kenya, they enlisted a large cast, a dynamic wardrobe and sets, and a healthy helping of street-cool humor to announce their arrival.

Creative Agency: Machine

The Experimental

BBDO Bangkok collaborated with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation to create this “Experimental” campaign warning Thais of the emerging health risks of e-cigarettes, which are gaining popularity among youths with their contemporary appearance and selection of appealing odors and flavors.

The information which was presented in research that was published by the Korean Society of Toxicology has shown E-cigarette toxicity affects brain cognitive memory functions and inflammatory responses in mice.

[enchanted-lightning-aes]

Enchant’s Starter Pack Guide

[ID: a banner of gradient blue, green, and yellow with green text that reads ‘Enchant Starter Pack Masterlist’ / finish ID]

the pinned post serves as a red herring to guide you to this post. this is basically a list of what content i posted. this can be used a bookmark, i guess.^^

Note: if it’s empty, it means I’ve yet to make a masterlist for it.

General Stuff

Content to Expect Here

Tag-list Options

Enchant’s FFF Drabbles

Writeblr Stuff

Enchant’s Re-Intro

Enchant’s Re-Intro Take 2

Enchant’s Re-Intro Take 3 (not really a masterlist, more like an about me sorta thing.)

Enchant’s Original Writeblr Content

Enchant’s Poems

Blasted Scorn

True Devotion that Remains Constant

Lines of A Script to Ignore

OC List

Fandom Stuff

Enchant’s Fanfics

Sam Wilson x Bucky Barnes (SamBucky)

Zari Tomaz x Amaya Jiwe (Zamaya)

Anissa Pierce x Grace Choi (ThunderGrace)

Fandom OCs

Cisco Ramon

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 1 Rewrite

Clawie Strodloge (OC)

Events Stuff

Sambucky Bingo 2K19

Samtember 2K20

Flarrowverse Shipyard FF Bingo 2K21

OC Appreciation June 2K21 Week

Ladies of DCTV Month 2K21

Samtember 2K21

Sambucky Library Candy Hearts Event 2K22

DCTV Gen Bingo 2K22

SamBucky Library Summer Bingo Event (Camp Edition) 2K23

[wyattjohnston]

here we are! finally with the masterlist! all the thanks in the world to the 39 people who signed up for the exchange and the lovely D who came in as my saviour and wrote a pinch hitter fic without even being signed up

please read all the fics below, so much love and care was put into them and they all deserve your attention. a reblog if you can would also be incredible.

please respect all warnings at the beginning of fics. if a fic has been marked as smut or 18+ and you are younger than, do the right thing and do not read it.

keep your eye out for the winter fic exchange 2k24 sign up post. if you want me to let you know when it's happening you can click here.

the summer fic exchange 2k23 masterlist

Buffalo Sabres

Jeff Skinner

gotta trust how you feel inside by @laurenairay for @ nhl-stories

Tyson Jost

i should've fought harder by @butgilinsky for @ typical-simplelove

a Devon Levi fic was written by @waysicouldhave for @ jackhues but they have since deactivated.

Carolina Hurricanes

Andrei Svechnikov

Every Summer Has a Story by @comphy-and-cozy for @teokka

HATE HATE HATE by @luvmmarner for @ comphy-and-cozy this is a multi-chaptered fic, so keep an eye on it!

How Long? by @lifeofpriya for @ luvmmarner

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar

all's well that end's well to end up with you by @fallinallincurls for @ ya-pucking-nerd

i've found love (and all that goes with it) by @huttons for @ fallinallincurls

Mikko Rantanen

Do That by @selfindulgentpoorlywritten for @ kurlyteuvo

Summer Baby by @typical-simplelove for @ buttercupjosh

Nathan MacKinnon

It Starts With a Cookie by @luvsherleafs for @ princessphilly

Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger

taking on the world together by @laurenairay for @ jarmorie

Los Angeles Kings

Pierre-Luc Dubois

as the seasons change by @gravestrain for @ bqstqnbruin

never said a thing by @wyattjohnston for @ pcttymarleau

Minnesota Wild

Marc-André Fleury

Genève by @teokka for @ callsign-denmark

Montreal Canadiens

Juraj Slafkovsky

If I Say It, Will You Respond? by @puckmaidens for @ 2manytabsopen

Nashville Predators

Tyson Barrie

simple by @jxmieoleksiaks for @ laurenairay

New Jersey Devils

Dougie Hamilton

hydrangeas where your face should be by @nhl-stories for @ huttons

Jack Hughes

make it weird by @wyattjohnston for @ torontoflames

something in the way she moves by @miracleonice87 for @ wyattjohnston

Nico Hischier

See You Again by @bqstqnbruin for @ selfindulgentpoorlywritten

Underneath the Stars by @buttercupjosh for @ ilyasorokinn

Timo Meier

Sweet Like Cinnamon by @wildrangers for @ matthewtkachuk

New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin

Polaroid Dreams by @kurlyteuvo for @ lifeofpriya

Mat Barzal

Alone With You by @cellythefloshie for @ miracleonice87

Disney Magic by @lam-ila for @ tinyhockey

tell me why by @torontoflames for @ luvsherleafs

where you lead i will follow by @ilyasorokinn for @prettytoxicrevolver

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby

Triple Axle Celly by @callsign-denmark for @ starshine-hockey-girl

Ryan Graves

a lake house story by @ya-pucking-nerd for @ thomasschabot

Seattle Kraken

Jamie Oleksiak

to the ends of the earth by @jarmorie for @ laurenairay

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point

one day all my love will come back to me by @matthewtkachuk for @ senditcolton

Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthew Knies

being a good man by @pcttymcrlecu for @ gravestrain

Vancouver Canucks

Anthony Beauvillier

Alone With You by @cellythefloshie for @ miracleonice87

The Invisible String by @starshine-hockey-girl for @ jarmorie

Quinn Hughes

i can still see it all by @ghostyjosty (jostystyles) for @ wildrangers

mango dragon refresher by @jackhues for @ lam-ila

saw you in a dream by @thomasschabot for @ puckmaidens

Surprise Party by @prettytoxicrevolver for @ ghostyjosty

Vegas Golden Knights

Nolan Patrick

Soothing Swedish Summers by @2manytabsopen for @ waysicouldhave

Winnipeg Jets

Adam Lowry

breakable heaven by @senditcolton for @ cellythefloshie

i am slowly making my own way through reading all the fics--if i haven't read yours and you want to make sure i don't forget, please send it to me.

if the person you wrote for hasn't read and reblogged your fic, please tell me.

[wyattjohnston]

and just like that, the exchange has come to an end! thank you to everybody who participated—all 43 people!

if you take the time to read these fics, take the extra minute to reblog it and let the writer know how much you enjoyed it. the only way to spread things on tumblr is to reblog them. likes don't get the word out there!

please respect all warnings at the beginning of fics. if a fic has been marked as smut or 18+ and you are younger than, do the right thing and do not read it.

keep your eye out for the summer fic exchange 2k23 sign up post. if you want me to let you know when it's happening you can click here.

the winter fic exchange 2k23 masterlist

Buffalo Sabres

Tyson Jost

- A Christmas 3+1 by @2manytabsopen for @ bqstqnbruin

- cooler by @jostystyles for @ butgilinsky

- it's always the boy next door by @ya-pucking-nerd for @ ilyasorokin

- Slowly, Then All at Once by @color-offside-the-lines for @ jostystyles

Carolina Hurricanes

Andrei Svechnikov

- All I've Tried to Hide by @laurenairay for @ hoesforthecanes

- The Myster of Love by @comphy-and-cozy for @ idontgiveaflyinggrayson69

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar

- i love you, grumpy by @nylwnder for @ gravestrain

- tell me you want it a thousand miles away from the day that we started by @fallinallincurls for @ hockeylvr59

- Unexpected Love by @buttercupjosh for @ wildrangers

JT Compher

- this song is about you by @torontoflames for @ comphy-and-cozy

Nathan Mackinnon

- I Got You by @hockeylvr59 for @ raysofcrosby

- The Problem with Maddie by @luvsherleafs for @ fallinallincurls

- you always did feel just like home by @wyattjohnston for @ blueskrugs

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov

- Christmas With You by @raysofcrosby for @ callsign-denmark

Montreal Canadiens

Josh Anderson

- promise this won’t change a thing by @matthewtkachuk for @ luvsherleafs

Juraj Slavkovksy

- second times the charm by @ilyasorokinn for @ lam-ila

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes

- sweet nothing by @gravestrain for @ quinnshuggy

Nico Hischier

- be my fire in the cold by @tinyhockey for @ lifeofpriya

New York Islanders

Anders Lee

- Welcome Home by @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69 for @ barzysunflower

Anthony Beauvillier

- holiday cards by @fear-of-flyers for @ buttercupjosh

- It Was Real For Me by @lam-ila for @ sorryjustafangirl

- tell me that you'll open your eyes by @liquidflyer for @ 2manytabsopen

Mat Barzal

- comin' home to you by @quinnshuggy for @ color-offside-the-lines

- Last Christmas by @bitchinbarzal for @ liquidflyer

- New Year's Surprise by @barzysunflower for @ bitchingbarzal

- Sparks Fly by @hoesforthecanes for @ tinyhockey

Seattle Kraken

Andre Burakovsky

- They Shoot Websters, Don't They? by @bqstqnbruin for @ laurenairay

Jamie Oleksiak

- i won't say (i'm in love) by @barkbarkbeauvillier for @ jxmieoleksiaks

- seizing the moment by @butgilinsky for @ typical-simplelove

- the untitled date day by @jxmieoleksiaks for @ barkbarkbeauvillier

- Untitled by @selfindulgentpoorlywritten by @ tippedbykreider

St Louis Blues

Colton Parayko

- something just like this by @tippedbykreider for @ senditcolton

Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner

- won't you stay til the a.m? by @senditcolton for @ fear-of-flyers

Morgan Rielly

- babe for the weekend by @sorryjustafangirl for @ broadstbroskis

William Nylander

- choosing you by @broadstbroskis for @ nylwnder

Vancouver Canucks

Brock Boeser

- fools rush in by @pcttymcrlecu for @ torontoflames

Elias Pettersson

- here comes your man by @thomasschabot for @ selfindulgentpoorlywritten

- Home by @wildrangers for @ thomasschabot

- Nervous by @typical-simplelove for @ ya-pucking-nerd

Quinn Hughes

- More than a Memory by @blueskrugs for @ matthewtkachuk

- What the Heart Wants by @lifeofpriya for @ pcttymarleau

Washington Capitals

TJ Oshie

- What We Had by @callsign-denmark for @ cellythefloshie

Winnipeg Jets

Adam Lowry

- Last Christmas by @cellythefloshie for @ wyattjohnston

if you wrote a fic and the person you wrote it for did not reblog it, tell me! if you know you haven't reblogged the fic written for you (and left some nice comments!), please go do that now.

ANONYMOUS EXCHANGE FEEDBACK