#rusa threads.

[gravesung-moving]

@crowshoots​ said:

he reaches out to snag rusa by the sleeve of her dress. "hold on," jesper says, thumbing the rip that he can see on the fabric around her shoulder. he has no idea when it'd rip, but she doesn't seem like she's taken any other cuts, so - "you want me to fix this? i can take a needle to it - same if you've got a couple other ones with tears."

unprompted ( always accepting )

SHE SEEMS NOT TO REGISTER THE TOUCH for a moment, eyes cast out toward the raging sea with a look of distant concern – as if rusa’s been focused on something far on the horizon as they walked along the docks. then, jesper’s voice ripples in. it snaps her out of the reverie, and she turns her gaze to the rip ( oh! ) and then to her friend’s face. ❝ oh – thank you! i hadn’t even noticed... how odd. ah – but where did you learn to sew? ❞

[chvemin]

‘¡Todo se ve delicioso! No sé por dónde comenzar a comer.’ / @adrievl​

‘ tampoco yo. ’ musita, tal vez, con más pesar del que debería. mesa expone platillos y todos, sin excepción, vistosos y tentadores a la vista. ‘ de acuerdo, cierra los ojos y escoge algo. ’ propone. ‘ así sabrás con cual comenzar. ’

[000nyx]

nyx: [ escribiendo... ]

nyx: te estás yendo ??????

nyx: no seas estúpide vuelve aquí voy a salir

nyx: solo me dio vergüenza que leyeras el msj

nyx: tienes que dejarme ser dramática un rato

000nyx​:

nyx: claro que me ayuda porque es la verdad .

nyx: claro que no .

nyx: eres insoportable nadie te dijo que no nunca ???

nyx: tráeme la almohada voy a dormir aquí

sheik: de hecho, no. nadie. sheik: eres la primera :) sheik: [ escribiendo… ] sheik:  sheik: no vas a dormir en el baño, nyx sheik: dormiré en otro sitio, tranquila

[djinah]

* ——— ‘ me gusta tu atuendo.   ’   /   @rmprk​

‘ ¿el mío? ’ por inercia baja la mirada hacia sus ropas, frunciendo ligeramente el entrecejo al no encontrar nada extraordinario en tan simple diseño. ‘ gracias, conseguí rentarlo a un precio bajísimo porque supuestamente está pasado de moda, lo que sea que eso signifique, aunque no puedo respirar bien en él. ’ ni comer demasiado, lo cual le resta todos los puntos que podría darle. ‘ ¿a que me veo buena? sólo por eso lo elegí. ’ a ver, que tampoco va a ir por ahí de modesta; las cosas como son. ‘ me gusta el tuyo. ¿es rentado también? ’

[huvtao]

Viendo que este año mi actividad ha vuelto a ser muy montaña rusa debido a mis ánimos, he decidido remarcar el punto de low activity en mis reglas y mobile theme. Por mucho que esto sea un hobbie, todavía me cuesta no exigirme y agobiarme cuando apenas me paso por aquí... Así que espero que esto me deje la consciencia un poco tranquila. Aprovecho para recordar que, si quieren dejar algún thread, pueden decírmelo sin problema. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión 💗.

[tallowbone-blog]

Kill or Be Killed

[ @antlered-deity ]

The forest was dark and pointy and miserable. The water was tainted, the flowers poisonous or carnivorous, the ground sharp and bristly on bare feet. And honestly, he would have run anywhere else if he had anywhere else to run. As it was, this was a last resort -- too tired from being chased by a pack of dog monsters to keep running or think of a better solution.

The little skeleton pushed himself into a pile of thorny brambles, antlers snagging and clothes catching. This was not his daddy’s forest, merely a dark mockery of it, and he was so scared and so tired and so hurt. But the monsters couldn’t reach him. They barked and bayed, paws reaching in but withdrawing with yelps and growls.

“Come out of there, you little shit!”

“So much for easy XP.”

“Shut yer yap, Cani and help me drag ‘im out!”

“You shut it!”

“All of you shut it!”

They scarcely noticed the approaching figure, nor that they had stumbled into a dangerous place.

[missingmorethanmyskull-arch-blog]

The Flames of War

@antlered-deity from here x

A rather tall skeleon, and his average height brother, wandered up to the shrine, squabbling the whole way.

‘this is stupid.”

“IT’S NOT STUPID.”

“yes it is, there’s no such th- ow!”

“QUIET. DON’T FINISH THAT SENTENCE. YOUR BLASPHEMY WILL FUCK UP MY PRAYER.”

“tch...” Arum rubbed his now-throbbing skull as he walked with his brother, glaring. Tox was bringing along a red, high-quality sword.

When they reached the shrine, Tox nodded to the priest, whom he’d seen betore, then went to where offerings were set down to present the sword, which he had forged himself.

Arum glared daggers after his brother, then turned his glare to the short skeleton cleaning up around the shrine, hostility coming off of him in waves.

“tch... what a waste of mountain space.”

[incorrect-pokespe-quotes]

Clearing Out the Askbox

She sure is! I love early SwSh theorizing :)

(hands you the arc) here you’ll do it better. 

Are you implying there are space huskies that you haven’t told me about? Spill the secrets of the alien dogs

This is unintentionally the funniest ask I have ever received, thank you. Spe not respecting women is more of a joke since the manga isn’t really misogynistic in any meaningful way, but it does have an issue I like to call FDS, or Female Dexholder Syndrome. If you read all the arcs you’ll notice a pattern: the girls don’t do ANYTHING in the final battle (Yellow being an exception but she’s a special case). Blue is eliminated from the tournament by Oak, Crystal gets frozen in ice in Ilex and really just doesn’t move the entire scene, Sapphire gets locked in an aircar, Platinum never actually fights the bad guys (seriously, every fight she’s in someone else is battling Team Galactic she’s just standing there), White was kidnapped, Whitley was also just kinda standing there, Y had a bit of a role but I forgot it, and Moon was locked in a literal dog cage.  The joke is thus that all the female dexholders have FDS and are nerfed in order to make their male counterparts look cooler in the finale when facing off against the big cad guys, so spe doesn’t respect women (also all the female dexholders who are focused on battling are overshadowed narratively by their male counterparts with the exception of Platinum, so there’s that too). 

“Are you a boy or a girl?” “Yes”

100% agreed. Sadly Crystal’s debut was a bit of a transition period-- Crystal came out after GS so it’s likely that Crystal wasn’t planned for the original draft of the story and had to be added in last minute (which is likely why there’s a massive tonal shift and her introduction hits like a freight train). Not only that, but when Crystal showed up the manga switched artists, which probably didn’t help things as Yama was still getting his bearings. So yeah... GSC could’ve handled Crystal a lot better. 

This is the fourth time you’ve sent this ask

I like the idea of a remake arc pushing Yellow’s abilities but “overzealous to the point of endangering others” isn’t really Yellow’s MO. She’s willing to put herself in danger and go with wacky plans, but she’s not stupid and she doesn’t abuse her powers in the slightest. Also I really don’t think Red OR Green is really in a position where they have the moral or actual authority to take back her dex

I stg I’ve gotten this exact ask before and like? That’s kinda rude of them :/

I’m getting Deja Vu

haha gay

Half the asks I get are legitimate nonsense so at this point I almost DO miss Jimmy Neutron

Honestly same and I really need to brush up on my ORAS, but yeah I agree. I don’t really know what it is that makes them seem so... off in the ORAS arc, but I attribute it to being sort of a step backwards from their partnership in Emerald. Maybe it’s because in ORAS they never really get a chance to breathe and be themselves in a non-stressful situation, but Sapphire acts almost uncharacteristically sensitive to Ruby’s moods and actions towards her whereas Ruby is very serious and angsty. Idk. 

That being said, seeing them doing field research and being just... good friends who care about and trust each other is something I wanted to see more of too because I think the best parts of their relationship shine when they get to enjoy each others’ company like that

Oh absolutely, Kusaka is a genius at weaving in different plot threads / events into one (typically) cohesive story. With the exception of SMUSUM / ORAS, he does it flawlessly imo.  If I had to tweak ORAS, I would have Blaise and Amber disguise themselves as this “new Archie and Maxie” to try and round up the old team Magma / Aqua members, giving them hope and an opportunity to fight for what’s right this time. Instead we got them coming back to life AGAIN and dying for the THIRD TIME, which. ok Kusaka. Ok. 

ORAS should’ve had Ruby and Sapphire doing field work and being cute together while Emerald and Wally saved the day because Wally deserves to be a hero and RuSa deserve a goddamn nap. Send Tweet. 

[thatdarkpath-blog]

[ @antlered-deity ]

Something is wrong. Something is terribly, horribly, awfully wrong. Handfuls of trees lay scorched and withered -- thick, jagged gashes marring their once beautiful bark. ❝Eheheh.❞ What a terrible laugh, rumbling through the creatures chest as he rips into another tree. God or not, foul talk of his mother was not tolerated.

[tenderlygrown-blog]

✿ @antlered-deity​ liked for a starter!  ✿

                  ✿ ✿ ✿ So do I remind you of someone you’ve never met? ✿ ✿ ✿

Clover made a soft sound, rubbing at the thick, yellow blossom scratching on the inside of their eye. They had made their peace with their affliction, though the flower still stung, and itched, and hurt. They could feel it, sometimes, rooting around in their socket and scraping the bone there. Those were bad days. Perhaps that was why they came to the forest -- a vain hope that there was a cure for their pain.

They stopped at the edge of a pond, splashing a bit of cold water onto their face. It helped a little, refreshing them enough that the ache in their skull didn’t seem so bad. They brought a handful of the water to their lips, drinking it down with a satisfied sigh. It was good. Better than any other water they had ever tasted.

They were hardly aware they were being watched.

[gravesung-moving]

@astravaris​​ said:

“in the end, maybe love just meant longing for something impossibly bright and forever out of reach.“ is this too deep of an interaction for erin and rusa the world may never know

ruin & rising starters ( accepting )

❝ THAT WAS — INCREDIBLY WELL-PUT, but also... incredibly bleak, erin. ❞ and yet, how true it can be. rusalka stifles that thought, though, knotting it into a ball and shoving it down like paper into a garbage bin. ❝ i think ... many shy from that light – that bright thing. because they’re scared it will burn their hands if they touch it. but really, it’s quite warm, see? ❞  in erin’s presence, rusa thrums with energy. a faint light – residue from the day’s minor fears and excitements – glows within her chest, silhouetting her ribs against the reddish luminescence behind the blouse. she raises a hand to take erin’s, but stops short – storm-gray eyes flick up to meet hers as the question forms. ❝ may i? ❞

[lgbtqiahistoricalromance]

LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels...International Locations

Historical romance novels tend to center on a few locations, despite the large mass that is our globe. Here’s a list of romances that don’t take place in England or New England.

Beautiful One: An LGBT Historical Romance by Kerry Adrienne - Ancient Greece

In Athens, the Great Dionysia festival rouses citizens with wine, song, theater, and debauchery. Politics and scandal paint deep shadows across the portrait of the city, and wolves in sheep’s clothing roam the streets and the stage.   Shy Kallistos faces Sophocles in the theater competition, play for play against the celebrated master. Success beckons like a siren’s song, but the dark allure and smoldering desire for a new acquaintance rouse feelings Kallistos never imagined he’d feel. Alexios spent many cold nights singing to the sheep and stars before traveling to Athens to help Sophocles. He longs to feel the breath of audience applause on his face and will do anything to become a famous actor. Now, losing his heart to the competition forces him to make difficult choices that may jeopardize his lifelong dreams. Of Minotaur masks and men…where is life truly lived? On the stage or in the heart? This book was first published in 2013. It has been significantly revised to release here.

Rebellion by Naomi Aoki - China

1899, political tensions are rising with the emergence of the Boxer Movement in Northern China, straining ties between the Chinese Imperial Government and the Eight Nations with stakes in the country. As a Captain in the Royal Marines, Alfred Cartwright is deployed to Shanghai, where he discovers more than he’d dared to dream of – Love. Not even the struggles with language or the fear of reprisals if their relationship is found out, can stop Alfred from falling for the Chinese man he encounters. But as the ant-foreigner sentiment of the Boxer Movement grows in strength, their relationship will be put to the test.Where do Alfred’s loyalties lie? With the man he loves or his country, as they stand opposite each other on a battlefield neither can escape.

Shadowrunners by Alex Assan - Fantasy Chicago-style

“A thread all about my queer noir webcomic Shadowrunners.com ; historical fantasy comic where the alcohol prohibition in the 1920s is instead a prohibition of COLOUR! 🎷🍸💚 via @alexassanart on Twitter”

A thousand years ago, the last colour in the world faded to grey. Now, after the great archaeological discovery of Queen Sorizahana’s shade-stocked tomb, it stands ready to enter the world again. Ironwell City will become the birthplace of the burgeoning colour industry, where colour is pumped out of factories, poured into perfumed bottles and sold at exorbitant prices to those wealthy enough to afford the luxury.

At least, that’s the plan according to the Five Financiers of the Sorizahana excavation.

One part Prohibition fantasy, one part Robin Hood, and a whole lot of epic heist, Shaderunners follows a group of ragtag bootleggers and bohemians who band together in an effort to steal colour from the wealthy echelons of Ironwell’s high society. Among them: a philosopher, a puppeteer, a gutter rat, an opera singer, a naval officer and a hopeless romantic. Together, they run The Glass Dial, former watch shop and future night club, where all the house drinks run red.

Speak easy, pal, ‘cause the road to ruin is paved with good intentions.

Labyrinth by Alex Beecroft - Ancient Knossos (Beautiful origin story of a myth, with a nonbinary MC.)

- Kikeru, the child of a priestess at the sacred temple of Knossos in ancient Crete, believes that the goddesses are laughing at him. They expect him to choose whether he is a man or a woman, when he’s both. They expect him to choose whether to be a husband to a wife, or a celibate priestess in the temple, when all he wants to do is invent things and be with the person he loves. Unfortunately, that person is Rusa, the handsome ship owner who is most decidedly a man and therefore off-limits no matter what he chooses. And did he mention that the goddesses also expect him to avert war with the Greeks? The Greeks have an army. Kikeru has his mother, Maja, who is pressuring him to give her grandchildren; Jadikira, Rusa’s pregnant daughter; and superstitious Rusa, who is terrified of what the goddesses will think of him being in love with one of their chosen ones. It’s a tall order to save Crete from conquest, win his love, and keep both halves of himself. Luckily, at least the daemons are on his side. 

The Crimson Outlaw by Alex Beecroft - 18th century Transylvania (High adventure, with not a single vampire.)

- Love is the greatest outlaw of all. Vali Florescu, heir to a powerful local boyar, flees his father’s cruelty to seek his fortune in the untamed Carpathian forests. There he expects to fight ferocious bandits and woo fair maidens to prove himself worthy of returning to depose his tyrannical father. But when he is ambushed by Mihai Roscat, the fearsome Crimson Outlaw, he discovers that he’s surprisingly happy to be captured and debauched instead. Mihai, once an honoured knight, has long sought revenge against Vali’s father, Wadim, who killed his lord and forced him into a life of banditry. Expecting his hostage to be a resentful, spoiled brat, Mihai is unprepared for the boy to switch loyalties, saving the lives of villagers and of Mihai himself during one of Wadim’s raids. Mihai is equally unprepared for the attraction between them to deepen into love. Vali soon learns that life outside the castle is not the fairy tale he thought, and happy endings must be earned. To free themselves and their people from Wadim’s oppression, Vali and Mihai must forge their love into the spear-point of a revolution and fight for a better world for all.

Side Note...Alex Beecroft also has a collection of novels that take place in the Caribbean.

The Celestial by Barry Brennessel - 19th century California

- Love was the last thing Todd Webster Morgan expected to find while searching for gold in 1870s California. But that was before he met Lao Jian. Hardened beyond his nineteen years, Todd Webster Morgan is determined to find gold high in the Sierra Nevadas. But his dream is violently upended. Complicating matters even more, he meets a young Chinese immigrant named Lao Jian, whose own dreams of finding gold have been quashed by violence. But life back in Sacramento isn't any easier. Todd's mother struggles to make ends meet. His invalid uncle becomes increasing angry and violent. Todd seeks employment with little success. Meanwhile his friendship with Lao Jian turns to love. But their relationship is strained as anti-Chinese sentiment grows. Todd vows not to lose Lao Jian. The couple must risk everything to make a life for themselves. A life that requires facing fear and prejudice head on.

Provoked by Joanna Chambers (Enlightened Book One) and Beguiled (Book Two) - Scotland

- Tormented by his forbidden desires for other men and the painful memories of the childhood friend he once loved, lawyer David Lauriston tries to maintain a celibate existence while he forges his reputation in Edinburgh’s privileged legal world. But then, into his repressed and orderly life, bursts Lord Murdo Balfour. Cynical, hedonistic and utterly unapologetic, Murdo could not be less like David. And as appalled as David is by Murdo’s unrepentant self-interest, he cannot resist the man’s sway. Murdo tempts and provokes David in equal measure, forcing him to acknowledge his physical desires. But Murdo is not the only man distracting David from his work. Euan MacLennan, the brother of a convicted radical David once represented, approaches David to beg him for help. Euan is searching for the government agent who sent his brother to Australia on a convict ship, and other radicals to the gallows. Despite knowing it may damage his career, David cannot turn Euan away. As their search progresses, it begins to look as though the trail may lead to none other than Lord Murdo Balfour, and David has to wonder whether it’s possible Murdo could be more than he seems. Is he really just a bored aristocrat, amusing himself at David’s expense, or could he be the agent provocateur responsible for the fate of Peter MacLennan and the other radicals?

Peony Lanterns by Patricia Correll - Japan

Mitsu has been Shiro’s personal servant and best friend since they were both six years old, and he’s been in love with him for nearly that long. While Shiro takes lovers of both sexes, the gulf between their social classes is so vast that Mitsu has never spoken his feelings aloud. When Shiro meets the beautiful Lady Keiko, he’s instantly infatuated. His affection soon turns to obsession, and Mitsu resigns himself to a life of unrequited love. But as Mitsu looks deeper into Keiko and her motives, he realizes that Shiro is in grave danger. He will need all his courage-- and some help from a master of the occult-- to save the life of the man he loves.

Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett (f/f!!!) - Milan

With Miranda in Milan, debut author Katharine Duckett reimagines the consequences of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, casting Miranda into a Milanese pit of vipers and building a queer love story that lifts off the page in whirlwinds of feeling.

After the tempest, after the reunion, after her father drowned his books, Miranda was meant to enter a brave new world. Naples awaited her, and Ferdinand, and a throne. Instead she finds herself in Milan, in her father’s castle, surrounded by hostile servants who treat her like a ghost. Whispers cling to her like spiderwebs, whispers that carry her dead mother’s name. And though he promised to give away his power, Milan is once again contorting around Prospero’s dark arts.

With only Dorothea, her sole companion and confidant to aid her, Miranda must cut through the mystery and find the truth about her father, her mother, and herself.

Muffled Drum by Erastes

Bohemia, 1866 They met in a port-side tavern, their lust-filled moments stolen from days of marching and madness. After eighteen months, Captain Rudolph von Ratzlaff and First Lieutenant Mathias Hofmann have decided to run away from everything they hold dear. Resigning their commissions is social suicide, but there's no other choice. Someone will eventually see Rudolph's partiality toward Mathias. Now their plans have gone horribly awry... When Mathias goes to Rudolph's tent after their last battle, his lover looks at him without a hint of recognition. Mathias can hardly believe the man he knew is gone. He wants to fill in so many of Rudolph's missing memories, but the doctor says a shock could result in permanent damage. The pain of seeing Rudolph on a daily basis, when Rudolph doesn't remember their love, is excruciating. Now Mathias must decide whether he wants to fight for the man he loves or forget him completely...

Brought Forth by Josie Finch - Virginia

Henry Merrill escaped the abusive family from his childhood and has built a life as the kindhearted handyman for the small town of Ashford in the 1880’s. Henry has every intention of living his life alone, serving the town he considers home. But an angel named Cory-Elle has other plans for Henry. With a soul that needs to be brought to earth, Cory-Elle gives Henry the opportunity to raise the family he never imagined he would have. Dr. Lawrence Turner has a bad reputation in Ashford for attending to poor patients who cannot pay him and for being the only physician the town has ever seen make house calls to the local brothel. So when a young man claiming an angel has made him pregnant arrives in his office, Dr. Turner is not surprised. Despite his disbelief, Lawrence has few things to lose in tending to Henry—though Lawrence never counted on his heart being one of those things. With the help of the doctor’s assistant Ben Lockhart and a saloon woman named Lily Mae Pepperidge, Henry and Lawrence must challenge everything they thought they knew about faith and family. Together they encounter pain, joy, sorrow, and pleasure. But among it all, they discover love. Standalone. HEA. Mpreg (Male Pregnancy) is a primary theme. Print version is coming soon.

The Last Concubine by Catt Ford - Japan

When Princess Lan’xiu’s brother delivers her under duress into General Hüi Wei’s harem as a political offering, her only question is how soon her secret will be discovered. She is under no illusions: when the general discovers she is actually a he, death is his only future—though he doesn’t plan to make it easy. Lan’xiu has dressed as a woman all his life, but he is no damsel in distress. He can swing a sword with the best of them.

General Hüi Wei has everything a man could want: power, wealth, success on the battlefield, and a harem of concubines. At first, he regards Lan’xiu with suspicion, but he finds himself strangely drawn to her. When he discovers the beautiful young woman is actually a man, his first reaction is to draw his sword. Rather than waste such beauty, he decides to enjoy the spirited Lan’xiu’s submission—and ignites a passion and desire deeper than anything he’s felt with other wives. But court intrigue, political ambitions, and the general's doubts may be too much for their love to overcome.

A Timeless Dreams title: While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma.

Flying Fish by Sedonia Guillone - 18th century Japan (Book One of the Sword and Silk trilogy)

- In eighteenth century Japan, during the golden age of samurai and of the Kabuki theater, young actors known as “flying fish” traveled the countryside, performing for audiences by day and giving their bodies to their samurai patrons at night. Genji Sakura is one such flying fish, yet he dreams of finding the man he can give his heart to and leave the loneliness of his itinerant life behind. Though he loves theater, he doesn’t love every part of his profession, especially some of the patrons. So when a handsome ronin comes upon him stealing some solitude for a bath in a hot spring and their encounter turns passionate, Genji’s surprised and delighted. Daisuke Minamoto’s past fills his life with a bitterness that grips his soul and makes him dangerous. Yet passion takes him when he spies on a graceful young man bathing naked in a hot spring. He has always loved women, but he can’t deny the call of his heart. After an afternoon of sexual bliss, his heart and soul are tormented and torn. Keeping this miraculous lover will require giving up the one thing that has kept him alive for years: his hatred for the lord who murdered his wife. If he loves another, how will he go on and who will he become?

Well Met in Molos by J Hepburn (trans MC!) - Fantasy Middle East

Zerris is a man of many talents: thieving, procuring, and more, peddling his trades in a city at the edge of the empire and between two cultures. He has a built a life and sterling reputation through guile, cunning, and constant vigilance in hiding what and who he is. Then a cocky stranger barrels through all his careful planning, and a contract goes horribly wrong. As he struggles to recover his plans and save his name, Zerris instead finds his world collapsing, until all that’s left is the first true friend he’d ever had.

Novae Comic by Kaiju - 17th century France http://www.novaecomic.com/

Novae chronicles the adventures of Sulvain, a sweet tempered necromancer and Raziol, a passionate 17th century astronomer. While studying the stars together, a connection forms between them and their relationship blooms. However, when the body of a fellow astronomer is found on the steps of the Academy of Sciences, their lives are entangled in ways they could never foresee.

Japanese Love by Rei Kimura - Edo period Japan through 21st century

- Can a Japanese samurai of impeccable lineage in Edo period Japan get away with being gay? Can he break all the rules of society and get away with it? It all started when an aging samurai took an eccentric interest in a teenage peasant boy who had the unusual gift of writing and one day he brought his son, Lord Okimoto to the peasant’s house. The eyes of the samurai’s son and the teenage peasant met and spawned a forbidden love affair which broke all the rules of Japan’s Edo period society and a feudal class so sharply defined that it could cut like a knife. Four centuries later, an ancestor of Lord Okimoto finds a diary written by his peasant lover unfolding the anguished tale of a forbidden life went wrong, leaving behind a trail of destroyed lives, broken dreams and a few deaths. The spirit of the gay samurai who put duty and obligations above his poignant love travels one whole circle to arrive to the 21st century in a final twist to this intriguing story of how two young men dared to break all the rules in conservative unforgiving 18th century Japan.

Nomad’s Dreams by August Li - Fantasy Middle East

Two men, each with a hidden destiny. Can they defeat a web of deceit and dark magic to ensure their fates intertwine?

Bedouin Isra al-Grayjaab’s dreams lead him to Janan, an amnesiac beggar on the street of Qena—one who steals his heart and starts him on a seemingly hopeless quest. With only their wits, Isra’s knowledge of the desert’s secrets, and the aid of a mercurial djinn, they must recover Janan’s past. But neither can predict his true identity or the lengths others will go to see that his mind remains broken and his true power out of his reach.

In a sweeping romantic adventure that takes them across the Eastern Desert to the modern streets of Cairo and on to the luxurious Red Sea Coast, Janan and Isra seek a truth that will either bring them into each other’s arms or tear them apart forever.

The Farmer’s Daughter by by Robbi McCoy - Hollywood

A butch hobo meets a beautiful girl on a farm while roadtripping in the 1940's. Years later they find each other again in glamorous 1950's Hollywood, but now the farm girl is an aspiring actress. This story has every bit of a happy ending as the couple end up together for something like the next fifty years, but I can't stress enough that this one has trigger warnings (pasted from my Goodreads review: If you are triggered by family abuse/"corrective rape" of a lesbian or of bad guys dying in various realistically violent ways, check out my other book reviews for alternate recommendations instead.)

By The Currawong’s Call by Welton B. Marsland - Australia

- A small town, a new arrival, and a love that is as undeniable as it is unlawful…

Victoria, Australia, 1891 Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw receives his first posting in tiny Dinbratten, two days’ ride from his Melbourne home. Determined to honour his calling as best he can, he throws himself into the footy mad, two–pub town, navigating the dusty streets, learning the gossip, and striking up a friendship with Jonah Parks, the resident police sergeant and local bona fide hero.

A police officer and a priest often find themselves needed at the same place, and Jonah and Matthew’s friendship deepens quickly, as they set about their business of protecting the bodies and souls of Dinbratten’s residents. When a bushfire threatens the town, and Matthew’s inexperience with fire endangers the church buildings, Jonah comes to the rescue, and a reckless kiss in the midst of the chaos takes their friendship to forbidden.

Neither Matthew nor Jonah can go back to the way things were before, but continuing their relationship puts everything at risk: their jobs, their friends, even their lives. In the outback town of Dinbratten where everyone knows everything about everyone else, how can they ever expect to keep a secret this explosive?

The Liberators of Willow Run by Marianne K Martin (f/f WWII)

It’s 1943 and the world is at war.

Hope for victory rests on the wings of America’s Liberator, the B-24 bomber. And, with more than nine million Americans on the front lines, there is only one way for the assembly plants to produce enough planes to meet the demand—and that is to recruit women by the thousands into the work force.

Audrey Draper is committed to the war effort, and beyond that, to finding her own personal and financial independence. And she is not alone. Ruth Evans also chooses to seek employment. As a waitress living on her own, she not only searches for freedom, but also a way to fulfill an important promise. And then there’s young Amelia, a fifteen-year-old rape victim who is being forced to return to a dark and dangerous home. Audrey, Ruth, and a handful of these newly independent women must risk everything they have fought so hard to achieve to give one of their own a fighting chance to survive. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world, these women capture the spirit of the times through their determination, ingenuity, and enduring courage.

Interested in more f/f WWII novels? Try these…

Tournament of Shadows by SA Meade - Bukhara (Uzbekistan- being fought over by the British and Russian Empire during 19th century)

In 1842, Captain Gabriel O'Riordan of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars is sent on a mission to Bukhara. His task—to try to free two of his compatriots from the clutches of a mentally unstable Emir. On his way, he encounters Valentin Yakolev, an officer in the Russian Army, who is also on a mission—to persuade the Emir that an alliance with Russia would be in his best interests. Gabriel, disguised as a holy man, is not happy to be the object of Yakolev's intense scrutiny. After all, he's working for the opposing team in the Great Game being played between their two nations. When Gabriel realises that his mission is little more than a forlorn hope, a game he has no chance of winning, he's desperate enough to turn to Valentin to help and offer him anything in return. What he doesn't expect is to have his plans to return to Calcutta scuppered by events. Instead, he and Valentin flee north, fighting off bandits, their desire for each other and the hardship of desert travel. Their travails bring them closer together until a secret from Valentin's past tears them apart. Can they set the past behind them and move on together?

Battle Scars series by Charlene Newcomb - Jersulem

March 1190. Brimming with the spirit of youth, the idealistic Henry de Grey joins King Richard’s army ready to fight for God’s glory on the battlefield. But after he bloodies his sword and witnesses the slaughter of innocents, he struggles to justify the violent acts he’s committed. Through months of brutal marches and political bickering, Henry finds comfort in the fearless resolve of a brash veteran. But when his feelings of friendship grow into something more, he must put his old convictions through the gauntlet. Stephan I’Aigle would follow the king anywhere, even into the heart of enemy territory. He takes Henry under his wing, but fears his growing attachment and burning passion could make him lose his fighting edge. Will opening up his heart destroy the knights’ friendship, or leave them both completely defenseless in the heat of battle? Men of the Cross is medieval historical fiction with elements of an m/m romance. If you like journeys of self-discovery, vivid historical details, and slow-burn chemistry, then you’ll love this tale of the knights who served the Lionheart.

Song of the Spring Moon Waning by EE Ottoman - China

Upon waking up one morning, Wen Yu is surprised to find a note asking him to return the song thrush given into his care while the owner was sick. The only problem is that Wen Yu was never given a song thrush. Though he has no time for distractions from his studies for the palace examination, Wen Yu goes in search of the unknown Liu Yi who left him the note. What he finds is a beautiful imperial eunuch, a talking tortoise, and a collection of mysterious moon poems that force Wen Yu to question what path in life he is truly meant to be walking …

Alaskan Bride by Jordan Redhawk - 19th century Alaska (f/f)

- Finding a husband after the American Civil War isn’t easy. When twenty-two-year-old Bostonian Clara Stapleton discovers the address of a likely bachelor in the wilds of the Alaskan bush, she throws caution to the wind and sends him a letter. Soon she’s on the adventure of her life, leaving the comfort and stability of a well-to-do family for a man she’s never met and a life of uncertainty. Callie Glass isn’t happy with her brother Jasper’s proposal to a mail-order bride, though she knows it’s not her call. And when a tragic accident takes Jasper Glass’s life, Callie doesn’t hesitate to call off the wedding in a letter to Clara. Callie is soon surprised to find a strange woman settling into her cabin, a stranger who had never received news of Jasper’s demise. While Callie insists that the other woman should return home, Clara digs in her heels. If Callie can live without a man in this isolated land, why can’t she? Both headstrong women struggle in the ashes of their dashed hopes and dreams, slowly coming together to forge an alliance for which neither is prepared.

Nova Praetorian by NR Walker - Ancient Rome

Quintus Furius Varus is one of the best lanistas in Rome. Tall and strong in build, fearsome in manner, and sharp of wit, he trains the best gladiators bound for the arenas of Rome. When Senator Servius Augendus seeks personal guards, he attends the Ludus Varus for purchase of the very best. He puts to Quintus an offer he cannot refuse, and Quintus finds himself in Neapolis, contracted as a trainer of guards instead of gladiators.

Kaeso Agorix was taken from his homelands of Iberia and delivered to Rome as a slave. Bought by a senator to be trained as a guard, his fate is handed to the man who would train him. Absent free will, Kaeso knows his life is no longer his own, though he soon realises the gods have favoured him when he learns his new master has a kind heart.

Quintus and Kaeso forge a bond that far exceeds the collar at Kaeso’s neck, and together they discover the senator’s move for promotion has an ulterior motive. Thrown into a world of politics and conspiracy, of keeping enemies close, they move against time to save Rome before traitors and the gods themselves see to their end.

And in doing so, see the dawn of the nova praetorian—the new guard—rise.

A Land So Wild by Alyssa Warkentin - 19th century Arctic (This one is a can be a difficult read, but so worth it. The amount of research put into it, boggles the mind--I know, because I majored in some of this in uni.)

- In 1845, the HMS Vanguard, under the command of Captain William Caulderson, departed England on a voyage of discovery to find a Northwest Passage through the perilous arctic waters separating the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was never heard from again. Five years later, Captain David Maxwell of the Serapis sets sail to attempt to recover the Vanguard and determine the fate of his former commander. Naturalist Embleton Hall is running from demons of his own. He doesn’t expect to find himself drawn to Captain Maxwell--but the two men form a bond that will become essential to their survival. Together, they'll brave the elements on a long and harrowing voyage to discover the fate of the lost ship Vanguard. But they'll also learn that some secrets are best left frozen in ice.

A Little Sin by Sionnach Wintergreen - East Texas

Sheriff Avery O’Rourke has tried to obey his strict Christian faith and lead a “normal” life. In 1923 in a rural East Texas town, “normal” means heterosexual. A cholera outbreak has made Avery a young widower, so he is married to his job. When a murder investigation forces him to confront his truth, will he finally be able to accept being gay?

Veterinarian Garland Sands has returned from Europe to take over his father’s practice. Struggling with shellshock (PTSD) and heartbroken by the suicide of his French lover, he resigns himself to a quiet, solitary life as a country vet. But the murder of the town doctor brings the sheriff to Garland’s doorstep looking for help with the investigation. Seeing Avery awakens dormant feelings. Can he love a man who hates what he is?

This isn’t the lavish 1920s of The Great Gatsby. This is the flip side of that coin—rural East Texas. No electricity. No indoor plumbing. No flappers. In 1923, the timber barons have left and racism, homophobia, and sexism thrive.

A Little Sin is a realistic mystery with unlikely heroes and a timeless romance between lovers caught in a world where their love is forbidden. This book contains steamy sex scenes and is intended for adults only.

The Winter Triangle by Nikki Woolfolk - 19th century Virginia

- In the town of Stubborn, West Virginia, 1880, happily single Cassandra Holloway has decided to come out to her father, Walter, on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Before she can reveal being a woman of “two spirits,” her well-intentioned but offspring-obsessed father has set her up on another blind date with someone named Morgan. When Cassandra attempts to cancel the date, she is faced with a first. She must choose between a beautiful, deaf astronomy professor at the local university or the professor’s handsome sign-language interpreter—both named Morgan. With a comedy-filled evening that Cassandra’s cupid-playing father could not have planned, she must make a choice as the sun rises on Valentine’s Day. Which Morgan will be her Valentine?

*LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels w/Cowboys, Ranchers, and People of the Frontier and Old West (Includes Fantasy, Steampunk, and Horror offerings this time.)

LGBTQIA Historical Romances with Pirates, Sailors, Highwayman, Smugglers, and Thieves

[brooklynhqact]

luna park, brooklyn. 

     la primavera ha llegado hace no más de siete días y las aventuras al aire libre comienzan a ser planificadas. ¿qué mejor que celebrar el final de las temperaturas que hielan hasta los huesos que un buen carnaval? la alcaldía ha sido clara: las entradas al luna park han sido rebajadas a la mitad y nadie tiene excusa para saltearse la fiesta en el parque de atracciones. las puertas han sido abiertas exclusivamente para los habitantes de brooklyn y pasada la medianoche, las familias comienzan a desertar. pero no se confundan, que el festejo recién empieza, porque ahora que las colas para los juegos han disminuido y los gritos de los niños no abruman el ambiente, no queda nada más que los jóvenes neoyorquinos desesperados por un poco de diversión tras el frío invierno que casi pareció eterno. 

OOC.

     ¡por fin estamos acá! llegó la apertura y no lo puedo creer. cuando recién empecé a armar este rpg no podía evitar pensar que estaba trabajando para nada, que al final iba a pasar lo mismo que con todos los que surgieron en estos últimos meses. pero al final quise darle un intento y omg here we are. no voy a cansarme de darles las gracias por su emoción, su compromiso, su buena onda, su interés y su tODO. así que vamos por esta primera actividad y que sean muchísimas más. dicho esto, paso a dejarles las instrucciones, bellezas. 

como se leyó en la introducción, la actividad se va a dar en el luna park que es un parque de diversiones con montañas rusas y todo tipo de juegos a la par de la clásica feria americana con juegos más simples como el de puntería con dardos y cositas así. van a poder manejarse por el espacio a su antojo durante la misma, pero no salir de lo que es el parque en sí. 

siendo esta la primera actividad, no se podrán abrir threads privados. pero, ¡atención!, sí se podrá abrir más de un starter. entiendo que puede volverse muy tedioso rolear la misma situación una y otra vez con ligeros cambios, así que una vez que alcancen las cinco notas, podrán quitar al starter inicial del tag y publicar un segundo. eso sí, siempre respondiendo los que ya se encuentren en el tag. 

los tags a utilizar serán #brooklynhqstarter y #brooklynhqoutfit si acaso gustan mostrarnos cómo van vestidos sus personajes (here’s a secret: para que sus publicaciones aparezcan en los tags, tienen que ser el primer tag que pongan, ¿sí?)

     ¡eso es todo, amores! ¡espero que les guste y se diviertan los próximos días!

[tallowbone-blog]

Tallow has just taken a bite, and chewed thoughtfully before answering. He raised and lowered his hands a couple of time before he was able to form the question that had been on the tip of his tongue. Er...fingers.

<<You’re a god. Do you know what heaven is like?>>

@tallowbone liked for a starter!!

Sleeping for so long was always a problem for when Rusa woke up. The small god groaned as he cracked his eye sockets open. His antlers were still thanking from their stone case. He looked down, smiling when he saw the vines that had wrapped protectively around him while he slept. Gently lifting them off himself and setting them down, he thanked them.

Someone was in his forest. Someone….familiar. Tallow! A grin spread across his skull as he stood up, looking around. Where was he? Rusa was tired, very very tired but missed his favorite mortal.

[unjuegoenfermizo]

*OOC: Hola mundo, quería mencionar que para la segunda parte de la actividad, en los videos reproducidos en las pantallas de la casa Reeves, entre los asesinatos por parte de la mafia rusa que se ven en pantallas, aparece Roman ejecutando a alguien. Tengan en cuenta que no es reconocible (sino, mi bebé se iría preso), pero la gente cercana a él (sus hermanas, miembros de la Bratvá, uno que otro asociado observador) puede llegar a darse cuenta que es él, y obviamente el mismo se reconoce. Por eso en los threads que tengo, independiente de si el otro personaje lo reconoce o no, es probable que él tenga algún tipo de reacción.

En todo caso, voy a subir un self-para más tarde donde se explica todo esto in-character.

[uhacts]

“te hice creer en el mundo que fabrique con mis propias manos, y te enseñe partes de ti mismo que tenías miedo de explorar. la verdad muchas veces duele.”

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 : 𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗍𝗐𝗈.

— “solo un tiro ... ¿quién dijo yo?”

la voz del recién revelado hacker se repite una y otra vez en su cabeza mientras que tiene que ver a dos de sus mejores amigos a su merced. kairo aprieta la mano de imani, la cual a encontrado la suya en algún momento de toda la conmoción. ambos tienen primera fila del espectáculo pero no pueden hacer nada al respecto, el coordinador de actividades conoce lo peligroso de nomada, el ponerle un rostro al extraño apodo no cambia esa verdad. está armado y listo, con tres revolvers en ambas de sus manos y una sonrisa adornando sus labios. la escena hace que se le revuelva el estómago, obligándose a tragar saliva para no vomitar ahí mismo. no quiere llamar la atención, la valentía se le ha drenado completamente del organismo con cada instante nuevo y solo puede mirar hacía delante, un espectador más de su juego. 

minami, sage y hannah.

ve a las tres chicas acercarse al climax y se pregunta si saben a que se están anotando. si saben la sentencia que están firmando, la obsesión del ajeno con terminar con cualquier rastro de bondad remanente en sus cuerpos. cuando harry busca su mirada, baja la suya. 

apretando los dígitos entre sus propios con un poco más de fuerza. 

“¡comencemos el show, señoritas!” la voz surge de las tinieblas, palmas del de cabellos claros abriéndose para ofrecer las brillantes armas a sus voluntarias. “¡elijan, elijan!” exclama, esperando con paciencia a que féminas escojan su veneno. una vez cada una cuenta con un revolver, harry las toma de los hombros una a una para ubicarlas frente al líder que les toca esa noche.

sage delante de sean, minami delante de diego y hannah delante de minho. 

la ruleta rusa da vueltas, sigue girando, con fuerza suficiente que no la logras parar. 

“a la cuenta de tres ¿hm? ¡no quiero arrepentimientos!” suena como a los posts de su blog, piensa kairo, la forma en que habla. la forma en que su mirada busca a todes los que tiene en frente, a veces mirándoles a los ojos por un momento de más. sus palmas chocan con diversión de vez en cuando y su sonrisa jamás abandona la escena. las hojas de los árboles bailan con el viento de la noche ¿y elles? al ritmo que él orquesta. “a la cuenta de tres.” 

tirar el gatillo... una pausa para tomar un respiro y aprietas. 

“uno.”

“dos.” 

“... tres.” 

lo está viendo, a sean, directamente cuando cierra los ojos con fuerza, murmurando para si mismo. segundos después, cae. 

gritos y caos.

DATOS OOC

el juego de la ruleta rusa ha llegado a su fin y la encuesta misteriosa (el osito era el emoji que lo representaba) ha decidido el destino de uno de los tres líderes. sean ha sido asesinado por el revolver que ha disparado sage. 

se pide que los threads actuales o nuevos se adapten a la situación actual lo más pronto posible, esta viniendo a ser el asesinato de sean, los instantes antes de este y/o los instantes después de este. por favor tener en cuenta que habrá una parte más de está actividad, el cierre, por lo que se pide no creer acciones del nomada que no sean mencionadas por la administración. por ahora, el juego se ha llevado acabo y ha habido una reacción colectiva de sorpresa con la conclusión. 

en otras palabras, tu personaje puede reaccionar de la manera que desee teniendo en cuenta el no hacer godmodding a los personajes no jugables. 

¡eso es todo por ahora! cualquier pregunta que pueda surgir, por favor hacérnoslas llegar al main.