#The Brightness Between Us

[officialbillhader]

#neveragain

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

Catalina “Cat” Alvarez/Laila Dermott- The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic 

Kodiak Celius/Ambrose Cusk- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Jean/Muirin- A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

[saltierthanbottomofapretzelbag]

I finished The Darkness Outside Us and The Light Between Us this week.

And. Okay. Ouch.

19 Kodiaks and 19 Ambroses gave their lives so that the final Kodiak and the final Ambrose would get to be happy. Would get to know love and peace. We were left with this mystery of what happened to the originals. Did they seek each other out? They were well respected, well-trained, brilliant. They could have done so much with their lives. And THEN. We find out that the original Kodiak and the original Ambrose ALSO had to give their lives for the hope that the final ones could be happy and know peace??? Every single one had to give their lives so that one Kodiak and one Ambrose could be happy. I'm not crying, you're crying.

[smugvillanelle]

two boys alone in space? no! two boys who are happy and in love and nothing bad ever happens!!! 🫶❄️

comm by @/ZagreusLuv on X

[jeanmoreaux]

rotating "Intimacy is the only shield against insanity. Intimacy, not knowledge. Intimacy, not power." so fast in my head i suffer from vertigo

[mollymauk-teafleak]

Thinking about Kodiak and Ambrose and their early years on Minerva.

Thinking about the first time it rains and they run outside, the two of them getting soaked to the skin but laughing so delightedly and dancing together in the sudden downpour, their footprints glowing.

Thinking about Kodiak being unable to put baby Yarrow down in his crib once he has him in his arms because he has these vague memories of being in the orphanage and never getting held, he's desperate to give his tiny son all the love and affection he can so he never knows that kind of loneliness. Ambrose has to gently coax him, promising that Yarrow won't mind if he sets him down to sleep, that they'll be right next to him in their own bed if he needs them.

Thinking about the first time a storm hits and little Yarrow knocking on the dad's door, his little sister clinging to his other hand because she's scared of the noise but won't admit it. So Yarrow says he's very frightened of the storm, can he and Owl come sleep with you guys? And Kodiak and Ambrose just smile, making as much room as they can for their little ones to snuggle up between them, holding them so safe.

Thinking about how Ambrose has never seen Kodiak cry until they lose one of their babies and then he sobs like he's never going to stop and all he can do is just hold into him and pray his arms are enough to stop him falling apart completely.

Thinking about Kodiak and Ambrose calling each other husband because sure, that doesn't mean much out here and there's no legal meaning to it anymore but they made promises to each other one quiet night and that means everything to them.

Thinking about one time Kodiak checks his list of tasks for the day and is confused to see it wiped off its usual chores to keep the homestead running. Instead there's just one job on it and reading it makes him blush. He turns and Ambrose is leaning in the doorway to their room with a huge flirty grin on his face, pointing out that their children are out playing for the next few hours and they have their first alone time in who knows how long so he took the liberty of adjusting your schedule appropriately. Kodiak just shakes his head fondly and lifts Ambrose right off his feet, carrying him to their bed while he laughs.

[thisantithesis]

just got severely emotional over the cover reveal for the brightness between us

[metalandmagi]

Going the entirety of The Darkness Outside Us without knowing that Kodiak wore a skirt back on Earth is like going all of the Captive Prince trilogy without knowing Damen has a dimple.

[julesblackthorns]

good to know that while ambrose was mentally clocking that objectively kodiak was fit but of course completely not his type and annoying him into becoming his friend in what can only be described as active psychological warfare (devon mujaba's sexy voice modifier), kodiak was sitting there mentally knitting and deciding that yes this guy is irritating and loud and talkative and pretentious and most importantly sexy and that he wants him bad. if only he would shut up.

[aroaessidhe]

faves of 2024: YA [that didn't fit in my other posts]

The Gracekeepers (postapoc fantasy)

The Brightness Between Us (sci-fi)

Where Sleeping Girls Lie (thriller

Moth To A Flame (dystopian thriller)

The Girl In Question (thriller)

Edinburgh Nights (2-4) (paranormal/postapoc/mystery)

[hanging-with-the-gnomies]

me and the bad bitch i pulled by being annoying

[orionwoodss]

Who knew that the fucking gag of OS's voice would be important in the sequal

[machtaholic]

Okay, I am reading 'The Brightness Between Us' (sequel to 'The Darkness Outside Us') and ...I just finished Part 4 and ...

FUCK DEVON MUJABA!

[girlwholikestoread]

After reading The Darkness Outside

"Well, it sucks that Clone Ambrose realized that Minerva has been gone for years, but at least Minerva and real Ambrose probably had a nice life together"

After reading The Brightness Between Us

"Well Fu-"

[taste-thewaste]

Happy pub day, beautiful!!

[mollymauk-teafleak]

I literally could not ask for more from The Brightness Between Us.

Kodiak and Ambrose being dads. Kodiak and Ambrose being loving and domestic and smiling just at the thought of each other. Kodiak and Ambrose loving their children with everything they have despite and maybe because of, the fact that they never had any love in their own childhoods. Kodiak and Ambrose finding each other in every single version of their lives.

Headcanons will be incoming, this will be my brain for the forceable future.