#john d. dawson

[whisperhillforo]

[aquamon]

[flaviathebibliophile]

Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson (Review)

Title: Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting Author: Mary Kay Carson Illustrator: John D. Dawson Type: Nonfiction Genre: Children’s, Nature Publisher: Odd Dot Date published: February 28, 2023 A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. With 448 full-color, highly-illustrated pages, Outdoor School is your…

[downthetubes]

Rebellion announces new Battle Action mini series - our guide to the returning strips

Battle Action, 2000AD publisher's relaunch of the title inspired by two classic British weekly comics, Battle Picture Weekly (aka Battle) and Action, is back as a five-issue miniseries

[all-action-all-picture]

Battle No. 419, dated 14 May 1983. Treasury of British Comics.

[philsmeatylegss]

To everyone in red states where book bans are likely to take place soon, here’s some lists for you <3

As a history student going into library science, people way under hype how crazy book banning is

A follow up post I beg you to also read.

Multiple lists of books already banned in schools/libraries or ones that likely will be:

Banned Books Week 2024: 100 of the Most Challenged Books

Banned Books: Top 100

Banned Book List

Colorado Banned Book List

The Complete List of Banned & Challenged Books by State

Banned Books from the University of Pennsylvia Online Books Page

Top 10 Most Challenged Books in 2023

PEN America Index Of School Book Bans – 2023-2024

Challenged and Banned Books

Places to order books other than Amazon:

Internet Archive (free)

Libby (free with library card)

Thrift Books

Book Outlet

BookBub

Abe Books

Half Price Books

Barnes & Noble

Better World Books

PangoBooks

Book Finder

Goodwillbooks

Alibris

Places to support that fight against book banning:

American Library Association

Unite Against Banned Books

National Coalition Against Censorship

PEN America

There’s a reason politicians fight so hard to limit knowledge and it should scare you.

Some recs below based on reviews I’ve seen

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing by Maya Angelou

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Melissa by Alex Gino

Looking for Alaska by John Green

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

All Boys Aren't Blue by George Matthew Johnson

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Flamer by Mike Curato

Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg

Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Beloved by Toni Morrison

[pmamtraveller]

MONTAGUE DAWSON - THE CRESCENT MOON

The painting captures a naval scene likely from the late 19th century, reflecting Dawson's fascination with the sea and sailing ships. The central focus is on a majestic ship, often identified as a clipper. The ship is under full sail, suggesting it's navigating through open waters. The scene is illuminated by the soft light of a crescent moon, which casts a silvery glow on the water and the sails.

Dawson served in the Royal Navy during World War I. This experience profoundly influenced his later work, giving him firsthand knowledge of ships, sea life, and naval operations, which he then depicted in his paintings with great accuracy and detail. His naval career not only provided him with a subject matter but also instilled a deep appreciation for the maritime world.

His first major solo exhibition was in 1936 at the Royal Academy in London. This was a significant moment as it marked his recognition within the art establishment, helping to cement his reputation as one of Britain's leading marine artists. In the late 1930s, Dawson moved to the United States, settling in California. His paintings were collected by notable figures, including U.S. Presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, as well as British royalty.

[qrrieterisunnq]

🎞 with Dawson Mercer and just the way you are by Bruno mars

Thanks for requesting my love!💖

“May all your ups and downs come only in the bedroom. To y/n and Dawson Mercer’s!” John raises his glass of champagne with a stupid grin on his face. You giggle at his words hiding your face in Dawson’s shirt, his chest vibrating with laughter.

“Asshole!” he shakes his head before he leans down to pepper your forehead with loving kisses.

“Thank you, John,” You smile at him, sending him a wink. “And don’t worry, the ups and downs will be only in our bedroom, perhaps on our couch.” Another giggle leaves your mouth, while others start to laugh at your comment, your parent shaking their heads in embarrassment. You send them an apologetic smile when they look up at you.

“Okay, so, ehm. It’s my turn to say a toast,” All eyes are on Dawson as he slowly stands from his seat, the glass of champagne already in his hands. Dawson looks over at your DJ nodding at him. The melody of your favorite song sounds through the reception.

Confusion is written all over your face as your eyes flicker between you and the DJ. Your jaw drops when you hear Dawson start singing the son, his eyes locked with yours.

Oh, her eyes, her eyes Make the stars look like they're not shinin' Her hair, her hair Falls perfectly without her tryin'

You watch him in awe, his voice sounds so perfect, hoarse and raspy, but he sounds so good.

She's so beautiful and I tell her everyday Yeah, I know, I know When I compliment her, she won't believe me And it's so, it's so Sad to think that she don't see what I see

Your cheeks are red from all the attention that’s on you.

But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?" I say

He yells lightly, earning laughs from everybody except himself. In the next part, you start singing with him, and his teammates stand up walking over to him as they start dancing.

When I see your face There's not a thing that I would change 'Cause you're amazing Just the way you are And when you smile The whole world stops and stares for a while 'Cause girl, you're amazing Just the way you are Yeah

Dawson extends his hand towards you, moving his finger to himself inviting you to dance with him. With a giggle, you stand from your seat and carefully jog to him almost falling in his arms. Laughing you two start dancing in a tight hug as he keeps singing the song you love.

With a soft sigh, you snuggle more into his chest, hearing the smile on his lips in the song. Your hands are wrapped tightly around his torso as he swings you around the dancefloor, his hand resting on your lower back.

“You are so beautiful, y/n,” he says with a big smile on his lips, the microphone he was holding in his hand together with the glass is somewhere on a table.

“You don’t look bad yourself, D.” your hand runs through his hair on the nape of his neck, a fond smile playing on your lips.

“I love you, babes!”

“Yeah, I love you too, you crazy man,” you laugh. “ How did you come up with the idea of singing anyway?”

“Ugh…Jack and I wanted something funny to do on my toast, so he suggested for me to sing,” he smirks down at you, his white teeth on display. “But you like it, right?”

“Yeah, it was funny, and you know I love your voice so…”

“And I love you!”

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in July 2024 🌈

🌈 Good morning, my bookish bats, and happy July! Pride Month may be over, but remember: Read Queer ALL Year. Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Earth to Alis - Lex Carlow 🧡 Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts - Adam Sass 💛 The Sky on Fire - Jenn Lyons 💚 The Meaning of Liberty - Sage Donnell 💙 Making It - Laura Kay 💜 The Black Bird of Chernobyl - Ann McMan ❤️ A Map of My Want - Faylita Hicks 🧡 The Devil You Know - Ali Vali 💛 The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power - Various 💙 The Second Son - Adrienne Tooley 💜 Cursed Under London - Gabby Hutchinson Crouch 🌈 Forbidden Girl - Kristen Zimmer

❤️ Rise - Freya Finch 🧡 Undercurrent - Patricia Evans 💛 Online Rebellion - Blue Matt Jeff 💚 Wolf Gift - T.J. Nichols 💙 Cash Delgado Is Living the Dream - Tehlor Kay Mejia 💜 Miller: Origin - Starr Z. Davies ❤️ The Shadows Beyond - T.J. Rose 🧡 The Ones Who Come Back Hungry - Amelinda Bérubé 💛 Their Viscountess - Jess Michaels 💙 Fast Holiday - Kerry Lockhart 💜 The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky - Josh Galarza 🌈 The West Passage - Jared Pechaček

❤️ The Hades Calculus - Maria Ying 🧡 Misrecognition - Madison Newbound 💛 One Last Summer - Kristin Keppler 💚 Waypoint Seven - Xan van Rooyen 💙 Hiding Him - Adam Hattan 💜 Thousand Autumns - Meng Xi Shi, Me.Mimo ❤️ The Adventure Zone, Vol. 6: The Suffering Game - Various 🧡 Rowan & Aldred - Lucie Fleury 💛 Yoke of Stars - R.B. Lemberg 💙 Casting Vows - Ariella Talix 💜 Count Felford's Vessel - S. Rodman

❤️ The Actor and His Secret - Ben Alderson, Laura R. Samotin 🧡 How To Die Famous - Benjamin Dean 💛 So Witches We Became - Jill Baguchinsky 💚 The Amazing Alpha Tau Romeo and Juliet Project - Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey 💙 The Noble’s Merman - S.S. Genesee 💜 The Loudest Silence - Sydney Langford ❤️ Life is Strange - Brittney Morris 🧡 Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle 💛 I Will Never Leave You - Kara A. Kennedy 💙 The Blonde Dies First - Joelle Wellington 💜 Under the Lupine Moon - A. Knightley

❤️ Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf - Deke Moulton 🧡 Charlotte Illes Is Not a Teacher - Katie Siegel 💛 The Ghostkeeper - Johanna Taylor 💚 Trespass Against Us - Leon Kemp 💙 Exes & Foes - Amanda Woody 💜 The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl - Bart Yates ❤️ Unbound - J.A. Vodvarka 🧡 StreamLine - Lauren Melissa Ellzey 💛 Time and Time Again - Chatham Greenfield 💙 No Road Home - John Fram 💜 Queen B - Juno Dawson 🌈 A Darker Mischief - Derek Milman

❤️ Beautiful & Terrible Things - S.M. Stevens 🧡 Benvolio & Mercutio Turn Back Time - Elle Beaumont, Lou Wilham 💛 About Last Night - Laura Henry 💚 You Had Me at Happy Hour - Timothy Janovsky 💙 Moonbane - Jamie Jennings 💜 Between Fate & Failure - Amber D. Lewis ❤️ Blessed by the Cupid Distribution System - Robin Jo Margaret 🧡 Between Dragons and Their Wrath - Devin Madson 💛 Twisted Magic - Barbara J. Webb 💙 Rare Birds - L.B. Hazelthorn 💜 At the End of the River Styx - Michelle Kulwicki 🌈 Origin Story - Jendi Reiter

❤️ Eras of Us - Shannon O'Connor 🧡 Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema - Willow Maclay, Caden Gardner 💛 A Wolf in Stone - Jane Fletcher 💚 Toward Eternity - Anton Hur 💙 Portrait of a Shadow - Meriam Metoui 💜 Anyone's Ghost - August Thompson ❤️ Home Ice Advantage - Ari Baran 🧡 Unbelievable You - Chelsea M. Cameron 💛 Incorrect Eyes - Andromeda Ruins

[janes-eyebrows]

Hello,

this post is not like my usual on this blog, but I feel it is important to share. As an American living in the U.S, I have high concern and fear of the next four years for a number of reasons. One of those concerns is the banning of books. My middle & high school years took place between 2011-2017, and A LOT of books I had to read back then are no longer teachable/available in public school libraries, bookstores, etc. This should not be happening as the banning of books if a form of censorship. Those who are at the forefront of banning these books do it under the guise of protecting the younger generation, but let's be real, they do it because they do not like the material/themes in the books.

Reading is political, the consumption and critical analyzation of literature is political. Censoring books is a form of control. Read banned books!!

Below the cut I've listed banned books everyone should read. Several of these have been banned for decades, and some over the last few years. You'll probably recognize a lot of them and might even be shocked at some. I'll also list books/series that focus on dystopian/totalitarian governments that you should read as how the governments in these books reflect issues present today or were inspired by real events, as well as book recs involving themes of sexuality, race, gender, etc.

Also be sure to check out Banned & Challenged Books | Banned Books from the American Library Association

Banned/Challenged Books In America

(remember to check content warnings before reading)

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Animal Farm by George Orwell 1984 by George Orwell I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Beloved by Toni Morrison The Color Purple by Alice Walker The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein The Giver by Lois Lowery Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Girl, Interrupted by Susana Kaysen The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer Looking for Alaska by John Green My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson Critical Race Theory by Richard Delgado Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli

Books recs about a corrupt/totalitarian governments & dystopian/Sci-fi/fantasy

(remember to check content warnings)

Legend Series by Marie Lu (my absolute fav series ever) Skyhunter series by Marie Lu Warcross Series by Marie Lu (banned in Florida) The Young Elites Series by Marie Lu (banned in Florida) Girls of Paper and Fire Series by Natasha Ngan Renegades by Marissa Meyer The Gilded Ones Series by Namina Forna (banned in Florida) Arc of Scythe Series by Neal Shusterman Unwind Series by Neal Shusterman Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Fledging by Octavia E. Butler Severance by Ling Ma Dune by Frank Herbert

Book recs that are LGBTQIA+, Race, Gender, and themes the government is trying to/might ban/challenge

(check content warnings before reading)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (banned in Florida) In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens These Dead Prophecies by Andrea Tang Match to Love by Johana Gavez Score to Love by Johana Gavez A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Banned in Florida) The World's Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (banned in Florida)

Feel free to add your recs or any banned books I may have missed!! Spread the word!!

[todaysdocument]

Discharge Petition for H.R. 7152, the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Record Group 233: Records of the U.S. House of RepresentativesSeries: General Records

This item, H.R. 7152, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, faced strong opposition in the House Rules Committee. Howard Smith, Chairman of the committee, refused to schedule hearings for the bill. Emanuel Celler, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, attempted to use this discharge petition to move the bill out of committee without holding hearings. The petition failed to gain the required majority of Congress (218 signatures), but forced Chairman Smith to schedule hearings.

88th CONGRESS. House of Representatives No. 5 Motion to Discharge a Committee from the Consideration of a RESOLUTION (State whether bill, joint resolution, or resolution) December 9, 1963 To the Clerk of the House of Representatives: Pursuant to Clause 4 of Rule XXVII (see rule on page 7), I EMANUEL CELLER (Name of Member), move to discharge to the Commitee on RULES (Committee) from the consideration of the RESOLUTION; H. Res. 574 entitled, a RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H. R. 7152) which was referred to said committee November 27, 1963 in support of which motion the undersigned Members of the House of Representatives affix their signatures, to wit: 1. Emanuel Celler 2. John J. Rooney 3. Seymour Halpern 4. James G Fulton 5. Thomas W Pelly 6. Robt N. C. Nix 7. Jeffery Cohelan 8. W A Barrett 9. William S. Mailiard 10. 11. Augustus F. Hawkins 12. Otis G. Pike 13. Benjamin S Rosenthal 14. Spark M Matsunaga 15. Frank M. Clark 16. William L Dawson 17. Melvin Price 18. John C. Kluczynski 19. Barratt O'Hara 20. George E. Shipley 21. Dan Rostenkowski 22. Ralph J. Rivers[page] 2 23. Everett G. Burkhalter 24. Robert L. Leggett 25. William L St Onge 26. Edward P. Boland 27. Winfield K. Denton 28. David J. Flood 29. 30. Lucian N. Nedzi 31. James Roosevelt 32. Henry C Reuss 33. Charles S. Joelson 34. Samuel N. Friedel 35. George M. Rhodes 36. William F. Ryan 37. Clarence D. Long 38. Charles C. Diggs Jr 39. Morris K. Udall 40. Wm J. Randall 41. 42. Donald M. Fraser 43. Joseph G. Minish 44. Edith Green 45. Neil Staebler 46. 47. Ralph R. Harding 48. Frank M. Karsten 49. 50. John H. Dent 51. John Brademas 52. John E. Moss 53. Jacob H. Gilbert 54. Leonor K. Sullivan 55. John F. Shelley 56. 57. Lionel Van Deerlin 58. Carlton R. Sickles 59. 60. Edward R. Finnegan 61. Julia Butler Hansen 62. Richard Bolling 63. Ken Heckler 64. Herman Toll 65. Ray J Madden 66. J Edward Roush 67. James A. Burke 68. Frank C. Osmers Jr 69. Adam Powell 70. 71. Fred Schwengel 72. Philip J. Philiben 73. Byron G. Rogers 74. John F. Baldwin 75. Joseph Karth 76. 77. Roland V. Libonati 78. John V. Lindsay 79. Stanley R. Tupper 80. Joseph M. McDade 81. Wm Broomfield 82. 83. 84. Robert J Corbett 85. 86. Craig Hosmer87. Robert N. Giaimo 88. Claude Pepper 89. William T Murphy 90. George H. Fallon 91. Hugh L. Carey 92. Robert T. Secrest 93. Harley O. Staggers 94. Thor C. Tollefson 95. Edward J. Patten 96. 97. Al Ullman 98. Bernard F. Grabowski 99. John A. Blatnik 100. 101. Florence P. Dwyer 102. Thomas L. ? 103. 104. Peter W. Rodino 105. Milton W. Glenn 106. Harlan Hagen 107. James A. Byrne 108. John M. Murphy 109. Henry B. Gonzalez 110. Arnold Olson 111. Harold D Donahue 112. Kenneth J. Gray 113. James C. Healey 114. Michael A Feighan 115. Thomas R. O'Neill 116. Alphonzo Bell 117. George M. Wallhauser 118. Richard S. Schweiker 119. 120. Albert Thomas 121. 122. Graham Purcell 123. Homer Thornberry 124. 125. Leo W. O'Brien 126. Thomas E. Morgan 127. Joseph M. Montoya 128. Leonard Farbstein 129. John S. Monagan 130. Brad Morse 131. Neil Smith 132. Harry R. Sheppard 133. Don Edwards 134. James G. O'Hara 135. 136. Fred B. Rooney 137. George E. Brown Jr. 138. 139. Edward R. Roybal 140. Harris. B McDowell jr. 141. Torbert H. McDonall 142. Edward A. Garmatz 143. Richard E. Lankford 144. Richard Fulton 145. Elizabeth Kee 146. James J. Delaney 147. Frank Thompson Jr 148. 149. Lester R. Johnson 150. Charles A. Buckley4 151. Richard T. Hanna 152. James Corman 153. Paul A Fino 154. Harold M. Ryan 155. Martha W. Griffiths 156. Adam E. Konski 157. Chas W. Wilson 158. Michael J. Kewan 160. Alex Brooks 161. Clark W. Thompson 162. John D. Gringell [?] 163. Thomas P. Gill 164. Edna F. Kelly 165. Eugene J. Keogh 166 John. B. Duncan 167. Elmer J. Dolland 168. Joe Caul 169. Arnold Olsen 170. Monte B. Fascell [?] 171. [not deciphered] 172. J. Dulek 173. Joe W. [undeciphered] 174. J. J. Pickle [Numbers 175 through 214 are blank]

[incorrectdevils]

Tyler Toffoli: Anyone d- John Marino: Depressed? Jesper Bratt: Drained? Dawson Mercer: Dumb? Alex Holtz: Disliked? Toffee: - Done with their work... What is wrong with you people?

[freckliedan]

ty for the tag @hingefreelester!! breaking this off that long post so i can keep ppl's dashes less clogged. rules: pick a song for every letter of your url and then tag that many people

F: free in you by the indigo girls

R: rivers and roads by the head and the heart

E: everything almost by madi diaz

C: cavity by copper king

K: king of the world by first aid kit

L: loose lips by kimya dawson

I: i'll believe in anything by wolf parade

E: everybody's trying by poi dog pondering

D: despite what you've been told by two gallants

A: annie's song by john denver

N: never quite free by the mountain goats

+ adding that as a playlist!

tagging. @alecsalamander @manchesterau @georgiaokeeffe @freckliephil @phulge

@birthdaywolf @cuartist @asterlark @dnphobe @bitchslapblastoids

@wdapteo

[talesfromthecrypts]

rules: shuffle your 'on repeat' playlist and list the first 10 songs ✨🎵✨

i was tagged by @mikelogan :D

Salty Sweet - MS MR

Sympathy for the Devil - Guns N' Roses

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

Kill the DJ - Green Day

One Step Ahead - Spies Are Forever Cast

Magic Dance - David Bowie

Burn My Tongue - Jean Dawson

Halloween Theme - John Carpenter

Dark Doo Wop - MS MR

Ballroom Blitz - Tia Carrere

tagging @andfangs, @celine-song, @meduseld, @emilyjunk, @spookylestat

[willysnylander]

as promised , i come bearing a word prompt !!! i would love if you could possible write something with lukedaws + ‘surprise’ please !! i think i would love you forever (somehow impossibly more than i already do😽🫶)

thanks so much for this, becca!! sorry it took me so long and that it’s kind of short, i started writing a different version of this and i wound up not liking it so i had to start over 😭. i hope you like it!, though! <3

The kiss comes as a total surprise, when it happens. Not an unwelcome one, certainly, considering all the less-than-platonic thoughts Luke has been secretly having about his teammate for months now, but definitely a surprise.

The two of them are sitting on the couch of Luke and Jack’s apartment, playing a few rounds of Chel and just generally hanging out. It’s just them in the apartment - Jack’s out grocery shopping. It was supposed to be Luke’s turn to do that, actually, but when he’d mentioned earlier that Dawson had texted him asking to hang out Jack said he would do it instead, an offer paired with a wink and an insistence that Luke should be able to spend time with his quote-unquote “future husband”.

Luke had very much appreciated his brother in that moment, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t thrown a pillow at Jack as the older Hughes brother had made his way out of the apartment.

Right now, though, Luke has just finished kicking Dawson’s ass for the third round in a row. As the game ends on the TV screen, Luke throws up his arms and lets out a triumphant crow, quickly followed by a laugh as Dawson groans and slumps dramatically back into the couch cushions.

“Dude,” Dawson whines. “I already know you’re good at this game, you don’t have to, like, humiliate me to prove it.”

Luke laughs again, shorter this time. “Please, you think that was me humiliating you? You should see me play against Jack or John sometime, that’s me humiliating someone.”

He sets his controller on the coffee table, preparing to take a little break and grab a drink from the kitchen, and when he turns over his shoulder to ask Dawson if he wants anything, the other boy is actually pouting. It’s not an expression Luke is used to seeing on his teammate at all, and it’s so silly and endearing all at once that he feels heat bloom in his chest and finds himself unsure whether to laugh or smile fondly.

“Still,” says Dawson, and it takes Luke a second to force his stupid crushing brain to focus on the words and not just the lips they’re coming out of, “you couldn’t’ve let me win once? Spare my poor, fragile ego?”

Luke does laugh now, tilting his head back slightly from the force of it. He closes his eyes, too, without really meaning to, and when he rights the position of his head and opens them again, Dawson is looking at him with a look in his eyes that he can’t exactly place.

Which is kind of weird. But Luke has already promised himself a while ago, when he first realized he actually had a crush on his teammate, that he was going to do his damnedest to act completely normally around Dawson at all times, and he might as well apply that to odd behaviour from Dawson as well. Besides, it isn’t like the unreadable look on Dawson’s face is the kind of look Luke hopes it is, as much as that sucks - he’s long since accepted that the other boy will never return his feelings and he’ll be stuck uselessly pining until he either finds someone else to like or the feelings go away on their own.

With all that in mind, Luke clears his throat a bit, trying to ignore the blush creeping onto his face because Dawson hasn’t stopped staring at him with that look in his eyes, and says as lightheartedly as possible, “C’mon, Merc, you know I don’t let anyone else win. You wanna beat me, you’ve gotta earn it.” He gently bumps Dawson’s knee with his, smiling as normally as he’s able while his cheeks slowly turn the color of a sunrise. “I���m gonna go grab a Gatorade before we play again, you want-”

He doesn’t get to finish his question. Because all of a sudden Dawson’s eyes have gone from unreadable to determined, and he’s sitting forward again, and then he’s leaning over and his lips, those lips that Luke has been dreaming about for longer than he really wants to admit, are on Luke’s, and just like that Luke is being kissed by the boy he’s just finished reminding himself he’ll never be able to have.

For a second or two, Luke’s body turns to ice, and he just sits there like an idiot, completely still. It isn’t until Dawson falters, seeming to fully realize what he’s doing and panic, and his mouth starts to pull away from Luke’s that Luke finally manages to kick himself out of shock and into action. He chases Dawson, pressing his lips firmly back onto the other boy’s, and this time it’s Dawson’s turn to briefly freeze before he starts responding.

And once he does start responding - Jesus, it’s the best kiss Luke’s ever had. Dawson, even though he’s only two years older and can’t have that much more experience, clearly knows what he’s doing, moving his lips near-perfectly in sync with Luke’s and giving just the right amount of gentle pressure. Luke finds his hands wandering up to tangle themselves in the older boy’s hair, and in return he feels one of Dawson’s hands come to rest on his thigh, acting as a brace for his teammate as Dawson pushes himself impossibly closer to him.

When they finally break apart for air, Luke feels like it’s been an eternity and a single instant all at once. They don’t go far from each other, faces still close enough that they’re panting the same air, their noses just barely brushing together. Dawson’s pupils are blown wide, his hair is messy where Luke still has his hands in it, and his lips are kiss-swollen in the same way Luke imagines his own must be. He’s never looked more attractive, and Luke can feel the heat that had spread through his chest earlier growing even further, becoming a raging inferno of something that feels like genuine love as Luke gazes at the beautiful boy he’s just finished kissing.

Still a bit out of breath, Dawson murmurs, “You’re so fucking good-looking when you laugh.”

So that was the look in his eyes, then, and the reason behind it. Luke knows, logically, that they should have an actual conversation now, that they should talk about how long they’ve both been feelings the feelings they clearly share despite how much Luke thought the opposite. They should be responsible young adults and discuss where they go from here, whether they’ll actually enter into a relationship and what that could look like. They should stop, take a moment, and come up with an actual plan.

But Luke’s never really been that good at planning. And despite everything, how much responsibility he already has that most people his age don’t even have to think about, he’s still a twenty-year-old with a beautiful boy in front of him - a boy he’s been fantasizing about kissing for months, who has just given him the best surprise of his life by making that fantasy come true and making it better than he could’ve dreamed.

So right now, Luke decides to wait until a little later to be responsible. Right now, he just smiles as Dawson, so wide he feels like it’s going to split his face, and closes the short gap between their lips.

taglist: @hughes-jack, @gayhughes, @square-opossums, @hiya-itsamber, @yoontwin (let me know if you want to be added or removed!!)

[deadthehype]

Today Is The 25th Anniversary Of My Spike Lee Joint HE GOT GAME. Folks And NBA Ballers Always Asked Me When I Was Going To Write And Direct A Film About Basketball. I Wrote This For My Dude Denzel Washington Not Knowing He Would Dig It. Thank You Jesus(Pun Intended). I Got “D” At The Right Time.  HE GOT GAME Is My Third Partnership With Mr. Denzel Washington (Mo Better Blues, Malcolm X, Inside Man After HE GOT GAME). Many Thanks To Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Hill Harper, Travis Best, Walter McCarty, John Wallace, Rosario Dawson, Milla Jovovich, Rick Fox, John Turturro, Public Enemy. I Want To Also Give A Special Love Shoutout To All The Talent In Front Of And Behind The Camera. God Bless The Memories Of Bill Nunn And Thomas Jefferson Byrd. And Dat’s “Da Father, Da Son, And Da Holy Game” Truth, Ruth! Orange And Blue Skies. Ya-Dig? Sho-Nuff!

-Spike Lee