#trying to survive in 2022

[iamfindingkatie]

I got the holiday blues....

Okay, so please let me preface this by saying that I am by no means being vengefull or malicious in writing this towards any one person in particular. Life is all about the paths you choose and the battles and achievements you can acquire along the way.

Holidays have not been so super nice to me. Co-parenting in your mid 30s to mid 40s gets interesting the older the child gets. I know. Things use to be simple. Everything use to be shared, compromised, worked through and understood. Unfortunately, my hippie self and reality do not align and I'm stuck in a constant battle of my personal beliefs and doing the wrong thing. Picking your battles gets hard when your buttons are pushed.

My number one belief is MY CHILD IS NOT A PAWN. My child's feelings are not a toy and how we RAISE them reflects how productive in society they will be in life and especially in adulthood. Also, FIRST RULE OF CO-PARENTING- NEVER exclude those who were key and essential in raising and helping in the first few years of their life. I strongly believe and will do anything and everything in power to uphold these truths.

Not only is co-parenting stressful alone, no one ever thinks how the child feels. Little children can barely even realize any intention other than the one presented to them at any given time. The older a child gets, they start to understand so much more. And could you even stop and realize the year it is. Growing up in the '80s and '90 is NOT like growing up in 2022. Everything is a click away, critical thinking has been in games they play to enhance their ability to connect pieces and see BULLSHIT when it is present. Simple. Issues and feelings NOT regarding shared children need to be kept to themself or said directly to the person you are directing your discord toward.

Life is hard. Between generations fading out because of mental health/drug abuse issues and children getting caught up in the misdeeds of their parents, the odds are stacked against them. More and more teachers are tasked with observing/documenting/referring kids to counseling or DCFS (a broken and in dire need of assistance program) instead of teaching them skills they have found helpful and resourceful in their lives. Every system put in place to help and assist children toward growth and properity also can cause havock and wreck many lives and families.

So-with that said. If you decide to co-parent or even be put in a potential co-parent position because....divorce and broken families have become the norm...please remember, everything you do and every single effort you make is noticed by those kids. EVERYTHING. No child has to hear hate spewed from someone's mouth when they can see what is happening with them and when it concerns them.

I co-parent. It was a blissful experience for a considerable amount of time. The only thing I have seen lately is the creation of a villian. There are always two sides to every story. 2 when it concerns an actual event or incident that 2 consenting people involve themselves with, but only one story when it comes to the children involved in the wishwash of a situation. Be mindful of the kids because when they see how you are made to look despite every single effort put into raising them, they will see. They will notice. They will learn about life in an unfortunate way by learning, experiencing, and understanding that life, in all it's glory, is shadowed by those you love the most and the pain you can feel when you are hurt because of the pain someone else is experiencing.

[slutforpringles]

There's something deeply ironic about Red Bull talking about wanting to see Perez perform well at circuits where he's done well in the past (aka Baku and Singapore), when the driver they could've replaced him with has one of the best records at Singapore out of any driver on the current grid 🙃🤷🏻‍♀️

[rockystar11]

spent way too long working on this just for me to post late lol

bumbleby week day 1: domestic bees

[fishandshesmygills]

less posts about Did Azula Abuse Zuko and more posts about how ozai pitted them against each other and created this dynamic where they stopped being able to have a healthy sibling relationship... azula did everything she could to avoid punishment from her abusive father, ozai’s favor made her the way she was because she HAD to be what he wanted (look at what happened to her brother). the traits she displays are things she picked up from that environment. it wasn’t azula’s fault that she WAS ozai’s favorite and that came with harm too even though it was different than his treatment of zuko. at least zuko had iroh, afterwards, and he was able to be out of the directly abusive household. it wasn’t zuko’s fault that iroh helped him and it wasn’t his fault that ursa seemed to favor him over azula! but azula didn’t have that support network and i like when fanworks make iroh regret that and reckon with the fact that he failed her. the adults failed them more than the abused teens failed each other.

[yourockthebeatofmyheart]

OJ throughout the whole movie:

[copper-skulls]

year under the sign of Blorbo and shortcutting things left and right. but hey, I had fun, and the resulting style mess is actually kinda fun to look at!

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12

Favourite from this year is probably september's piece. it DOES pay off when I put full effort into things fahskhj...

Honestly I'm very proud of the writing I've put out this year as well. I've been looking towards posting chapters 18-22 for a bit and I'm glad they're out there now! "is that why your favourite is literally september's Thing for ch. 18" yes. maybe. partially. look,

[the-frostiest-of-flakes]

Happy skeleton war 2022!

*casts spell of Perpetual Calcium Deficiency on you*

Victory for wizard-kind!

WELP, GUESS ZISS MEANS EET'S TIME TO GET ZOSE STEEL RENFAHRCEMENTS I'VE AHLWAYS WAHNTED.

A HAHPPY SKELETAHN WAHR TO YOU TOO, YOU VILE LUMP OF OCCULTEESM

[justabunchofdragons]

o... .. .,,, ! !!! i am very happy with where i am in this moment

[akajustmerry]

anyways, instead of focusing all your energy on calling out Succession and the Last of Us for being anti-palestinian, here's some of my favourite media made by Palestinians 🇵🇸 and their allies...

Salt of this Sea (2008). Dir. Annemarie Jacir. Heist film set in Palestine about 2 Palestinians who help a Palestinian American woman rob a British bank who refused to give her the money her grandfather left her.

Netflix original series, Mo, created by Mo Amer. Dramedy about Mo, a Palestinian American without papers, trying to stay out of trouble until his US citizenship is approved (he's already been waiting for 12 years). This just got renewed for a second season!!!!

Farha (2021). Dir. Darin J. Sallam. Coming of age story about a 14 year old girl trying to survive the Nakba in 1948. Tw: settler colonial violence.

In Between (2016). Dir. Maysaloun Hamoud. A film about 3 Palestinian women, one of whom is queer, in their 20s living under occupation. Heart-warming story about friendship, solidarity and revenge. Tw: sexual assault.

In Vitro (2019). Dir. Larissa Sansour. Breathtaking short scifi film set in a future where Bethlehem has been destroyed by an ecological disaster and two scientists from different generations are trying to remember what happened. This film is pure poetry and I think about it constantly.

It Must Be Heaven (2019). Dir. Elia Sulieman. A charmingly absurdist film about Elia Sulieman seeing parallels to Palestine everywhere he goes as he tries to make a film about his homeland.

The Crossing (2017). Dir. Ameen Nayfeh. Short film about Palestinian siblings trying to cross an Israeli checkpoint to visit their grandparents.

Ramy. Episode 3 of season 3: 'American Cigarettes'. Far and away the best episode of TV of 2022, and also directed by Annemarie Jacir. Ramy goes to occupied Palestine to make a diamond deal with some Israeli brokers, but his horniness takes him to The Other Side. I think about this episode almost everyday, it's unlike anything I've ever seen.

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis. A book of interviews and essays conducted by Angela Davis on how systems of racism and colonial violence are all connected, and how solidarity between communities of colour are vital, using the long-standing allyship between Palestinians, Aboriginal peoples and Black Americans as case studies.

As fine and good as it is to call out Zionism in media, rmr to also support Palestinians, their work and their art. Feel free to suggest more ❤️

[stemms]

I could never understand people who treat DSMP like a dead fandom or feel ashamed of still adoring this piece of media in 2024. After all, isn’t the whole point of enjoying any story to keep it in your heart for years instead of forgetting about it the moment it loses its popularity? How did classical literature or old movies/series survive and remain appreciated until today, for example? The DSMP fandom is alive because there still are people who deeply care about the characters, and it will keep on living until there’s at least one person passionate about it.

It is true that the DSMP fandom was bigger in 2020-2022, but it’s also important to remember the quality of the fanbase at the time. I remember seeing so much more harassment, especially directed towards people interested in portraying c!Prime’s canonically abusive dynamic without even exploring the aspect of /p physical affection; many people were forced to deactivate their accounts because of the insane amount of toxic reactions. There were also A Lot of people incapable of understanding that CC’s characters weren’t supposed to represent their real life personalities, which either led to certain CC’s harassment for being “horrible people” or to misinterpretation of certain characters (e.g. c!Dream, c!George, c!Sapnap, c!Quackity, or c!Sam), a huge amount of poor lore comprehension, leading to Lots of victim-blaming and abuse apologism.

Now that DSMP is over and less popular, a significant amount of people responsible for the fandom’s poor reputation is gone, and people who genuinely understand the characters and simply want to discuss and/or create content for their hyperfixation in peace, stayed. Of course, this fandom isn’t perfect or entirely free of Weird™ people, but there’s certainly less toxicity, and it’s all that matters.

The next time you feel ashamed of still enjoying DSMP, try to remind yourself of the wonderful memories, excitement, creativity boost, and friends it brought you, and focus on the fact that this story will remain alive for as long as you let it.

[pascaloverx]

BORN TO DIE

Summary: In a tense political setting, a Targaryen bastard working as a prostitute is summoned by Prince Aemond to the Red Keep. Aemond wants her to approach his dragon, Vhagar, as a test of her worth. Although he plans for her to claim another dragon in the future, her immediate challenge is to survive Prince Aemond demands while trying to stay alive.

Author’s Note: This work is set in the world created by George R.R. Martin, as depicted in his book Fire & Blood, and none of the characters belong to me. The story will follow some events from the series House of the Dragon (2022), but with changes to fit the fanfiction narrative. Therefore, it will not adhere strictly to the series' storyline. This fanfiction is a work of fiction and may contain inappropriate language, adult content, and violence. Readers be warned. I hope you enjoy the story and interact with it. I apologize if there are any errors in the High Valyrian sections; I used a translator and am unsure of its accuracy. Thank you and happy reading.

AO3 LINK ONE

PREVIEW

Walking through King's Landing is exhausting. Your life as a bastard has not been easy, especially with the struggle for the Iron Throne. Unsure of which direction to take, you have tried to be invisible to the Targaryens while working in a brothel to survive. This morning, you were summoned by a royal messenger on behalf of King Aegon II. You thought it was a joke, but soon realized you really had to go to the Red Keep. You are taken to whoever summoned you like a little mouse sneaking through the sewers until you reach the surface. Perhaps they don't want to publicize that a prostitute is being brought in for a private conversation with the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

"I heard that my presence here had been requested. But I didn't imagine I would be summoned by Prince Aemond," you say as you enter the room indicated by the messenger and come face to face with Aemond One-Eye. He looks a bit more intimidating in person, but in a way, it's not a bad kind of intimidating. Just surprising.

"Ao kostagon enter, bastard." Prince Aemond commands with a certain skill. But you are somewhat worried that he might know you are a Targaryen bastard. So pretending to be oblivious seems to be the wisest course of action for now.

"This is a lovely place. An extremely enchanting castle. However, if you summoned me here for a conversation in another language, I will be a nuisance to Your Highness. Since your request for my presence proves ineffective, perhaps I should leave immediately," you say, trying not to show any hint of fear. You are a prostitute, accustomed to pretending all sorts of things. As you hesitantly move toward the exit of the room, where you are alone with the Prince, he doesn't seem to fall for your ruse. He throws a dagger in your direction, which grazes the corner of your cheek before embedding itself in the door, which is closed.

"Do you intend to waste our time here? I know you speak High Valyrian, and honestly, I’m hating your attempt to deceive me, gundjabo." He speaks while watching you turn, somewhat irritated by his actions. However, the One-Eyed Prince seems very proud of his deed. He is speaking in High Valyrian to you, probably to test you, but you feel that if you do not meet his expectations, the dagger will find its final mark and you will die.

"If you know that I can speak and understand what you are saying in High Valyrian, Your Highness, tell me, what use would a prostitute be to you? Do you, by any chance, have some secret desire in your chambers that requires a different language?" You might lose your tongue for speaking this way to the Prince Regent, but anger got the better of your temper, causing you to suggest that he brought you to the Red Keep to exchange heated vows in High Valyrian, which is nothing but folly.

"Your mouth would be much better sealed forever. But I need you for a mission, so for once, be less of a deceitful prostitute and serve your King," Prince Aemond says as he moves across the room, seemingly trying to reach you. You, however, despite your nerves, manage to grasp the dagger embedded in the door. Now, he stands just a few steps away from you, while you hold the dagger that could have gravely wounded you.

"I think this is yours, Your Highness." Your eyes meet the Prince's gaze. One eye reveals a hint of surprise, perhaps even pride, confirming that you can speak High Valyrian. The other eye, covered forever, conceals something deeper—perhaps resentment, perhaps fear. He approaches slowly, as if analyzing your behavior; likely wary of being harmed. But swiftly, his hand moves over yours, pulling the dagger from your grip and into his own.

"Follow me," is all he says as he sheathes the dagger somewhere in his attire and opens the door. You don’t fully understand his intent, but you know you don’t want to provoke Prince Aemond's wrath. At least not in this way. You follow him quickly, while the Prince seems to be almost racing toward one of the castle’s exits. He mounts a horse with enviable precision. You watch him, still unsure of your role in his sudden departure from the castle. He adjusts his long hair and then extends a hand toward you. You stare at him for three seconds before hearing him grunt in your direction. Seemingly as impatient as possible, he nearly falls off the horse while trying to grasp your arm, but he manages to hold onto it after the first attempt—holding your arm, not falling off the horse.

"Where are we going, Your Highness?" you ask, feeling your hair whip in the wind, as you notice a few people—probably servants of King Aegon II—passing by as if you’re inconsequential. Another grunt from Prince Aemond makes it clear that if you don’t get on the horse, you might be risking your well-being.

"I intend to test you before revealing your purpose. Now I suggest you come with me, or I’ll be forced to find another bastard to replace you and order your death." Prince Aemond seems astonished by your reluctance, forcing you to follow his commands. But really, there’s no other option. You leap toward him, being propelled onto the back of his horse. He begins to gallop with astonishing speed, so fast that you’re compelled to wrap your arms around his waist. He gives a slight turn of his head, looking in your direction, which startles you and almost makes you fall off the horse. However, this seems to amuse Prince Aemond. Before you can react, it seems you’re arriving at a location. A place certainly surrounded by nature, which gives you a comforting feeling despite the unknown. That is, of course, until you notice a massive dragon ahead. He brought you here to become dragon food.

"As flattered as I am by the importance you place on feeding your dragon well, I must say that a prostitute who speaks High Valyrian will not be any more special than any other meal given to your dragon," you say as you dismount the horse, struggling a bit. Prince Aemond is too absorbed in admiring his dragon to notice your struggle to get off the horse.

"Vhagar is a female dragon. And keep your mouth shut for a moment. You’ll soon understand your purpose here," Prince Aemond says, drawing closer to Vhagar. She, with her head lowered, lifts it from amidst some branches and foliage to see who is approaching.

"She is quite impressive. But I don’t understand why I was brought here, Prince Aemond. Is there a reason I need to meet your dragon?" you say as you follow the Prince toward the dragon. Vhagar emits a somewhat shrill noise, making you stop for a moment to look at her.

"I’ve heard that my sister plans to raise an army of bastards. I thought I might at least try to have one bastard on my side. There is a dragon, which has been confirmed to be available to be claimed. I want you to claim it for me and fight alongside your King." Prince Aemond speaks with vigor, as if discussing a great triumph that is to come. You look at him reluctantly, struggling to accept such an absurd proposal.

"You brought me here to force me to interact with your dragon. So if I don’t pass this test, I’ll be eliminated one way or another," you say, looking at Prince Aemond with some anger. He remains indifferent to whether you live or die. He just wants to ensure that he isn’t wasting his time chasing an illusion.

"I'm glad you're not as stupid as you seem. Now, stop wasting our time and go on," he says, as impatient as ever, stopping midway between you and Vhagar. You let out a nervous laugh, not quite believing that this is how you're going to meet your end.

"Likyri, ȳdra daor sagon zūgagon." You speak with a certain precision as you approach Vhagar. It’s not as if your job is to claim her. But if she accepts you, you might be able to prove useful to the Prince. And if you’re useful to him, you’ll be useful to the King. You move your hand forward to signal Vhagar that you are there. You are a nobody to her, but you appear alongside her rider. You look into her eyes, trying to stay steady as the dragon raises part of her body in your direction. She seems to be still assessing who or what you are.

"Gīda, Vhagar. Ao ȳdra daor jorrāelagon naejot zūgagon nyke." You try to calm her, speaking in High Valyrian or at least the most you’ve learned. You’re somewhat terrified when you notice that your hand is on Vhagar. It seems she has allowed you to touch her, perhaps mistaking you for a previous rider. The reasons for the dragon allowing your touch may not be particularly relevant. What matters is that now you’re at risk of becoming dragon food, as Prince Aemond certainly seems very enthusiastic about the fact that you’ve touched, and are still touching, his dragon.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[ohbueckers]

TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME. i’ve been watching you for ages and i spend my whole time trying not to feel it.

CHAPTER THREE! pairing, paige bueckers x teammate!reader. notes, finally stopped being lazy and went back to edit the lyric part for the chapters so they’re up if you’re curious YAY! also please send me anons i wanna talk to you all and hear your thoughts! it’s gonna get real messy real soon trust.. warnings, sexuality talk-ish?

august, 2022

“you know i’m not eatin’ that, right?”

paige’s voice cut through the quiet of the kitchen as sana set a plate of quinoa and grilled chicken in front of her. she stood back, arms crossed, waiting for paige’s reaction—exactly what she’d expected, if she was being honest.

“yeah, well, you can’t keep eating takeout every day, fool,” sana shot back, raising an eyebrow, daring paige to challenge her. she leaned against the counter, still in the black sweatpants and hoodie she’d been wearing all day. her straightened hair was pulled into a messy bun, stray strands falling into her face as she tucked her hands into her pockets.

paige stared down at the plate, her expression holding all the disgust in the world if it could. her hoodie sleeves were pushed up to her elbows, and her hair was pulled into a low, loose ponytail. “you really expect me to eat this? quinoa, sana? really? that doesn’t even sound appetizing.”

sana furrowed her eyebrows. “spell appetizing. and yes, really.” her tone was deadpan as she leaned further back against the counter, gesturing to the plate with widened eyes, practically saying she wouldn’t move until paige took a bite. “you’re an athlete in recovery. you need actual nutrients, not the junk you’ve been living off.”

paige gave her a look, scoffing. it was like forcing a child to eat their vegetables, except that child is a full-grown adult. “i’ve been fine on takeout.”

“paige, you’ve been ordering pizza every other day.” sana raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to try to justify herself.

paige grinned, leaning back in her chair and propping her crutch against the table. “there’s nothin’ wrong with pizza. you just hatin’ ‘cause i’m still faster than you, even on one leg.”

sana rolled her eyes. she could see the look on her face that told her she’d been trying to get out of this by distraction, and she wouldn’t feed into it. she’d picked up on a lot of paige-coded things since staying with her. “you’re delusional,” sana said, crossing her arms and giving paige a look that screamed ‘i’m not playing.’ “and trying to throw me off. eat.”

paige groaned, spooning some quinoa onto her fork again like it personally offended her. “you really out here actin’ like my mom.”

sana snorted, finally turning around and taking her eyes off of the blonde to begin cleaning up her cooking mess. “i’m trying to keep you alive. big difference.”

“alive is pushin’ it,” paige mumbled, taking a bite, chewing dramatically slow just to make a point. “you still can’t convince me this is better than a pepperoni slice.”

“i’m helping you survive!”

“hey, i ain’t died yet, so i must be doin’ somethin’ right,” paige retorted in her defenses, swallowing as she set her fork down. it didn’t help that the food actually was good, but she was too stubborn to admit it.

“because of me.” sana chuckled. “you’re welcome, by the way.”

paige smiled, watching her move around the kitchen as she crossed her arms. “alright, alright. you really gonna act like you don’t love takin’ care of me, though?”

sana paused at the sink, glancing over her shoulder with an eyebrow raised. “oh, i love it!” she replied dramatically, dishes clinking as she moved them around. “especially when you whine about eating real food.”

“i’m not whining,” paige shot back, always having to have the last word. sana knew paige wasn’t thrilled, but she also knew that beneath the joking and grumbling, she’d appreciated it. the recovery process had been brutal, not just physically but mentally.

paige’s family had gone back to minnesota after staying with her for the first few weeks, and though they still facetimed her constantly and checked in, it wasn’t the same as having them around. since then, it had been mostly sana and caroline stepping up, making sure paige didn’t lose herself in the monotony of rehab and downtime.

sana would never admit it out loud, but she could see it—the toll it was taking on paige. the endless physical therapy appointments, the constant reminders that she wasn’t back to her old self yet, the social media support that was both overwhelming and suffocating at the same time. the internet had been great, really. the love from fans, the constant reminders that people believed in her recovery. but there was always a part of her that felt like she had to live up to those expectations, and sometimes, it weighed her down.

at least sana and caroline were physically there. they didn’t treat her like she was fragile. sana especially didn’t. she teased her relentlessly, challenged her, made her laugh when the weight got too heavy, and most importantly, she didn’t let paige feel sorry for herself for too long. every time she started slipping into that mindset of self-pity, sana was there, pulling her right back out, like she wasn’t going to let her lose herself to the injury.

it was… comforting, but also fucking confusing.

paige glanced over at sana, still working her way through the dishes, her back turned but her presence steady. before she could say anything, the front door swung open, and caroline walked in, holding up a pizza box like a trophy. “guess what’s for dinner?”

paige lit up instantly, her eyes immediately darting to sana, throwing her some shit-eating grin. “see? mama carol knows what’s up.”

sana turned, groaning dramatically as she threw the dish towel over her shoulder. “oh, for the love of—fine.” she began pointing at paige accusingly. “but when you’re waddling through pt tomorrow, don’t say i didn’t try to help.”

paige only grinned wider, blue eyes piercing into her. they moved down to her lips, and sana had caught it. she always did, and she wanted her to stop doing that so badly. “don’t worry. if i gotta waddle, i’m taking you down with me.”

september, 2022

the bonfire crackled in the center of the group, flames casting long shadows across the lawn. uconn’s men’s and women’s basketball teams had gathered for some team bonding, a way to meet the new recruits from both sides. everyone was there—players sprawled out on blankets, standing in groups, or clustered around the fire. it was easy, familiar.

for the most part, it felt comfortable. but for sana, it was a little off. not bad, just… different. it felt like every week things had felt more and more different.

she wasn’t sure why. maybe it was because she wasn’t used to this, to being completely part of their world yet. or maybe it was because the entire night, her focus kept drifting to paige.

definitely the second approach.

she stood near the fire, smiling at something one of the guys had said, though her mind wasn’t there. it had been over a month since paige’s acl surgery, and in that time, sana had spent most of august by her side. it had been casual, her staying over with paige and carol out of convenience. but somewhere along the line, it became more than that. but she’d be kidding herself if she said it hadn’t always been more than that, she just felt like she could prevent it for some reason.

it was confusing, this closeness with paige. they’d grown comfortable, that’s for sure. it had snuck up on her, the way things sometimes do when you’re not paying attention. it’d been easy to write off at one point. paige was injured, vulnerable, and sana was just being there for her as a teammate, maybe even as a friend. but now?

now… she wasn’t sure.

the guy kept talking, something about the tradition of first night and how everyone gets into it, but sana’s attention wandered again. she didn’t want to be rude, but her thoughts kept circling back to paige. to the way she had looked at her earlier in the night, a glance that had lasted just a little too long.

and it wasn’t the first time it’d happened either.

there was that night nearing the end of august, days after paige’s surgery, but that thought didn’t make things much easier. paige had been frustrated, venting about how the rehab felt impossible, how the idea of sitting out another season made her want to scream. sana had been sitting on the floor next to her, listening, nodding along, but her attention had been focused on something else entirely—just paige herself. the way her face was flushed with anger, the tension in her jaw, her hands fidgeting in her lap. and there was something about her vulnerability in that moment that made sana’s chest feel tight.

“you know what’s worse?” paige had said, looking up suddenly, catching sana off guard. “feeling like i’m just a burden to everyone now. like i’m not even me anymore.”

sana had opened her mouth to reassure her, to tell her that wasn’t true, but the words got stuck in her throat, something that’d been happening a lot more now. instead, she’d reached out, her hand resting on paige’s knee without thinking. it was supposed to be a comforting gesture, but the moment their skin made contact, something shifted, and for the first time, sana found herself really noticing just how close they were.

the room had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, and paige’s eyes dropped to where sana’s hand was resting on her bare knee. then, slowly, she looked back up, their eyes locking for what felt like an eternity. sana had felt her pulse race, her heartbeat thundering in her ears as her hand stayed put. move your fucking hand, sana, she thought. but another part yelled that it would’ve been so easy to close the distance, and to just do it.

paige had leaned in, just a little, her lips parting as if she was about to say something, but nothing came out. sana had leaned in, too, almost involuntarily, her breath catching in her throat. for a split second, she’d been so sure paige was going to kiss her, that they’d crossed a line neither of them could come back from. but she didn’t, and maybe it was better off that way.

the door creaked open, and it was unlike caroline to knock. it must’ve been a sign, really. sana had jerked her hand away, bringing it to the back of her neck. and paige had sat back, letting out a breath as her cheeks flushed a light pink.

“you still staying with paige and caroline?” one of the guys—drew—asked her, pulling her from her thoughts. she blinked, turning to find a couple of the other guys from the men’s team sidling up next to her.

the way he said it almost made sana roll her eyes. everyone knew she’d been practically living with paige and carol for the last few weeks, as management had still been getting her sorted into an apartment, and her roommates arranged.

sana gave a half-smile, shrugging. “yeah, for now. i’ll be in my own soon. not that it concerns you, though.” she crossed her arms over her chest, the teasing evident in her tone, although only she would know she wasn’t exactly joking.

“why?” another guy chimed in, nudging drew with his elbow. “you got it made over there. i mean, who wouldn’t want to stay with bueckers?”

sana’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, her patience thinning at the not-so-subtle insinuation that was thrown out. since her arrival, she’d learned that paige’s sexuality wasn’t exactly a secret around campus, not that it mattered to her. it was like everyone assumed they knew paige bueckers more than she knew herself. it didn’t help that sana was a new and undeniably attractive addition to the women’s team meaning that in the guy’s eyes, paige had already gotten at her.

because supposedly, if you played women’s basketball, it automatically makes you gay.

as much as she wanted to snap, sana caruso was known for self control, even though she wasn’t sure how she did it half of the time. she chuckled, letting out a soft, “it’s not like that.”

“yo, ruso! you coming over, or are you just gonna keep entertaining those clowns all night?” nika’s voice yelled out to her, sharp and teasing as always.

sana’s head snapped over over to find nika standing with her arms crossed, a smirk pulling at her lips. amari was sat down beside her stood figure, and could see the rest of the girls lounging on blankets near the fire—azzi, lou, ice, aaliyah—all of them waiting, watching her from the other side. paige was there too, her expression casual, but there was something in the way she subtly tilted her head, gesturing for sana to come over. it was quiet but intentional, just like paige always was with her.

sana sighed, grateful for the out, and threw the guys a quick smirk. “i’ll catch you later.”

drew gave her a mock salute while the other guy, clearly unsatisfied, just muttered something under his breath. she didn’t care to hear it. even as she made her way across the lawn, she could feel the eyes on her, clutching the cup in her hand a little harder.

“finally!” nika exclaimed dramatically, clapping her hands. paige tapped sana’s ankle with the back of her hand from beneath her, silently telling her to sit. sana looked down, poking her hip with her shoe playfully before taking a seat. it was only a subtle acknowledgment. “i thought we were gonna have to drag you away from the dudes.”

“yeah? me too. it wasn’t easy to get away,” sana replied, sighing out with a fake grin and leaning back on her elbows as she shifted around. paige shifted herself, making room for the girl now next to her, glancing down at her knee still wrapped in the brace. the ache was dull, nothing like those first few days, but it was there. still.

“can we blame them, though?” dorka added with a smirk, eyes darting between sana and paige before they went back to her now assembled s’more. “they’d be dumb not to try.”

sana shot her a look, bringing a hand up to her forehead in embarrassment. “i am not that special, please,” she muttered, though her tone wasn’t entirely convincing.

paige snorted softly, more amused by sana’s humility than anything.

“isn’t there some rule about same-department dating?” caroline piped up, raising an eyebrow. her eyes involuntarily went to paige, who, for one, needed to know the answer more than anything. the question wasn’t mean to stir the pot, but it did serve as a warning. paige’s nothing is gonna happen comment didn’t sound entirely too convincing, and now that some time had passed, the odds of it only worsened. better safe than sorry.

neither of them could afford getting distracted. not with the season approaching.

“nah, no way,” dorka shook her head, licking a bit of melted chocolate from her thumb. “only same team. they’re really strict about funny business.”

the casual comment hung in the air for a moment, the unspoken tension between sana and paige only thickening as their eyes met briefly. paige’s jaw tensed slightly, her smirk fading into something unreadable. sana quickly looked away, pretending to be more interested in the sticks and fire than the way her breath had just hitched.

had that been a problem? had that even crossed her mind?

“okay, but real talk,” aaliyah broke the silence, her tone more serious now. “are you ready for first night?”

sana raised an eyebrow, glancing at the group. “i mean, i’ve heard it’s a big deal, but i don’t think i’ve fully wrapped my head around it yet.”

“it’s like the whole school comes out for it,” azzi explained. “there’s skills challenges, the usual stuff. but mostly, it’s just a chance for the fans to meet the new players and for us to kinda show off a little.”

sana nodded, trying to let their words sink in, but she could feel the weight of everyone’s expectations. she wasn’t new to pressure—she’d handled it all her life—but it felt like the first time all over again. her first official appearance at uconn, new fans that would have to get used to her.

paige watched her from the corner of her eye, catching the subtle shift in her posture. it wasn’t much—just a slight stiffening of her shoulders, the way her fingers tapped against her knee—but it was enough to tell her what she needed to know. sana was nervous.

without thinking, paige leaned over, voice low and casual, but with that signature confidence. “you got it though,” she said, tongue darting out to lick her lips as she looked at her. “it’s not like they can keep up with you anyway.”

sana glanced over at her, surprised? something about the way she said it—so sure, so easy—made the knot in her chest loosen just a little. despite it, she smirked, trying to hide the relief in her voice. “you sound pretty confident.”

paige shook her head, eyebrows furrowed as a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “we’ve all seen you play. there’s no contest, trust.”

and she meant it.

the rest of the group continued talking about the event, but for a moment, it felt like it was just them, locked in a silent exchange that said more than either of them was willing to admit. paige was right, and somehow, hearing it from her made all the difference.

what the fuck was paige bueckers doing to her?

[kanmom51]

Jikook car drive to CT

I think that before I dive into the actual car ride I have to set a few things straight.

Did you guys notice they chose to ride together? Shock and awe...

Lmao.

Just a little stab for all those who were nitpicking at them back in 2021-23. Yeah, you's that were all about "but they don't ride in the same car anymore", or "they aren't addressing each other or reacting to each other on SM", or whatever other kind of insecurity for some or just outright malice from others.

JM and JK are the same JM and JK they were before the hiatus and solo paths. Same same. With adjustments having to be made to a new reality of not spending close to 24/7 together. Adjusting to their crazy busy solo work and schedules. Adjusting to learning how to be alone when you are used to not being, because your significant other is submerged in his work while you are not. With adjustments to not having ot7 as their protecting glass closet. When you are used to being together close to 24/7 and circumstances change and you can't anymore, as a couple you need to adjust to that new reality and sometimes it's harder on one of you than the other. Not because you don't love each other or need each other equally, but because you are different people and adjust differently to this new reality.

And in the reality of these 2 young men, well it has been apparent since the beginning of 2023 that JK was the one that was struggling most with these changes. I'd say that this is can be a huge clue to his neurodivergence.

When we look at these two young men, whom I believe to be 2 queer young men in a long term loving relationship, not only do we need to look at them within the context of them being in one of the biggest if not THE biggest band in the world right now, living in a still mostly homophobic society and at the time were looking at enlisting for their 18 month military service, a military that still outlaws sexual relations between men.

This has to be understood while looking at Jikook throughout the years and in 2021-2023, things changing after creation of Hybe, going public, trying to buy out SM and the whole saga with MHJ (which was going on since Oct 2022 behind the scenes).

That's a good starting point understanding them in 2023 and going into watching Are you sure?

But that's not all.

There's more.

Seeing some of the reactions, comments, posts I feel the need to say this as well:

JM and JK are human beings.

They aren't characters in a drama.

This isn't The Bold and the Beautiful, JK not Ridge and JM not Brooke or vise versa (seriously, just picked the parallels because of the current hair colours). They weren't married and divorced ending up with others and then married again and divorced and with others and just going on and on and on. Ups and downs, ins and outs, together and parted. This is real life, not a TV show. Not only would their love not last that (and they clearly love each other), their interactions, their dynamics wouldn't just stay the same same. Not to mention what it would have done to the band and their own relationships with the others. They wouldn't survive it nor would the band. So don't create drama where there isn't is what I say.

What I see is a pretty much levelled long term couple. With relationship bumps in the road, adjustments, frustrations, moods.

I also see 2 queer young men who due to the reality of 2023 have close to zero camera time in one frame. And it shows.

But mainly I see LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.

On top of that I see both of them feeling physically unwell. Poor JM with his stomach issues and bursting pipe (yes I just said that, lol), and JK who has been ill for days, had to go to the hospital for treatment before his solo debut performance, for that performance to be fucked up by the weather. Man was definitley still unwell the whole time constantly sniffling and coughing. And JM worrying about JK's health is another indicator as to it not being nothing.

Bottom line: these are real life people with their own different characteristics, feelings, stress, anxiety, illnesses and the runs.

Not that they didn't know there will be cameras, they were well aware of it, but looks like JM was initially a little shocked to see just how many of them.

Even with the cameras and initial apparent awkwardness, not with each other, but with the whole "it's just the two of us on camera together, no other members to buffer", they are at ease with each other, smiling and giggling.

And even with the cameras and that on one hand need to say things but on the other need to still be wary of what you say and not to say too much - something they are expert at, even if it's been a while and takes them a bit to get back on the wagon with. Even with that they go back to that very jikooky type of formal - informal interaction with each other, JK 'forgetting' JM is the hyung out of the two (like I said, same same).

We have JM's cheeky comment about spooning JK if he's cold, one he insisted on implementing that same night. Mics on, cameras obviously on, but us not allowed to see a thing (and I will talk about this in another post - the whole "if there's nothing to hide how come we didn't get to see one of the apparently funniest moments of the trip, one that the the two and those around them couldn't shut up about?" (phew, that was a long question).

We also get a cute JM looking out for JK's health turning on the heat in the car, turning on his seat heater (without JK knowing about it, lol).

As a whole, those two in the car sounded like an old married couple. I was watching laughing the whole time, the whole thing feeling too familiar, lol.

But I know what you are all waiting for.

More so those that love to question their relationship.

Let's get on and discuss the car convo some are stressing over.

This:

But wait.

Before I talk about it, there's one more word I want to mention.

CONTEXT.

Context is EVERYTHING.

We all know that, right?

And what is the important context here?

Well, first of, this is all in front of the cameras.

Secondly, we ALL KNOW that even with their crazy schedules JM and JK DID GET TO SEE EACH OTHER in those months counting up to this trip, in private, just the two of them.

We know from them that they were together drinking the night before Hobi's enlistment, for example. We know JM was at JK's before JM left for London end of May, JK 'complaining' about having to change the way JM adjusted the mood lamp. We know they are the closest duo in the group, but beyond that, those two are just super close. We know that JK went live basically every time JM left for overseas and was overjoyed when JM showed up in his comments (including his comments during the mukbang live and perhaps coming over after he finished his schedule). This is before this trip. Let's not mention (or maybe let's) the flirt-fest we got in the JK in bed live that came shortly after this trip.

One other huge thing we seem to forget is that:

This is an edited product we are seeing.

Not a live discussion.

And even if it looks like the conversation is somewhat flowing, when you look really closely you see that there are cuts cuts cuts. Some might just be change of camera angle, others are real cuts where you can see that whatever was said was not said at the same time as a flowing conversation.

So, if you look carefully you will see that the first part of the discussion and the part where JM brings up V are not exactly in one flow. That there is a cut between what JK says, and we will get to that, don't fret, and when JM brings up him facetiming with V and what follows.

The start of it is also not clear. If what JM says about not going somewhere together in a while is the start of the flow of conversation, then the clip they are showing us of them in the car driving in the streets of NY is not connected to that, because the conversation continues when they are already out of town. 2 possibilities here. Either that was the start of the convo and for some reason they decided to show the car driving in NY even though the convo happened with them out of the city already. Or, once again, my point that maybe the convo isn't in one flow - even that first part of it. That JM did say what he said when they were still in the city and then their conversation following was edited in a way that we didn't get much of it until they were already out of the city and JK says what he says.

Reason I bring this up is again to emphasize the fact that as much as we are let in, we are still getting an edited product.

You know, same edited product that cuts out their flirty playful bedtime toothbrushing session.

I also want to bring this up, because I basically agree with much of what @shellbells-things the importance of them needing that getaway together (in this post):

This was written with the official translations in mind.

But you see, this is not what JK said.

The actual translation is basically JK calling out JM for not seeking him out enough!!!

And we also have this from @haedalkoo (thanks you for this post💜):

And why does it matter? Why do these different translations matter? Because they tell us a totally different story.

In the first you have JK saying that when one of them is busy, even though the other is not, he does not tend to call/reach out to the one that is busy. Basically this could be read as them not making an effort to contact the other even when they had time on their hands to do so. And perhaps that is why there are people up in arms about this, although my take of it is that even if this was the correct translation, which it is not, that understanding, that conclusion, would have been a very superficial one, disregarding the context of those two, who they are, where they are and what they are doing, as mentioned above.

In the other, what seems to be the more accurate translation, we have a salty boyfriend complaining about his partner not reaching out to him when he's busy, but also not reaching out to him when JK is busy, even if JM is not as busy.

"Your busy you don't seek me out, your not busy you don't seek me out"...

Now let's look at what JK said within the context of it all.

This isn't about them not seeing each other, not being in touch at all. Being estranged. Losing contact. Like so many want it to be about, given that would be so much more dramatic and 'interesting'.

This is about it not being enough for JK.

Enough being the key word.

JM and JK are different. They are both highly driven, and when JK has a JM by his side, said JM is a catalyst and has JK as driven as him. But you see, they weren't together. JM, being the workaholic that he is, highly driven with his work, having to give not 100% but 1000%, could easily lose himself in that work. And as much as he loves JK, or perhaps even more so because he's crazy about him, he can't have him around as a distraction. So, in a sense, when he works he can get lost in that work and that leaves little "free" time to spend with the person he loves, the person that loves him, the person that needs him. Same person that was REALLY struggling at the start of 2023 while JM was too absent. Again, that does not mean that JM was not spending time with JK. It was just not enough. Especially while JK was sort of lost at that point in a sense that he had no clear path set for himself. JK is different in the sense that JM is kind of his blankie, his anchor, his safe place. He needs JM around even when he is up to nothing (see JM's "he comes to my room to lie on my bed and do nothing" from the LA live 2021). And having him around is a need. Do we remember crying JK at the end of his lives on White day 2023. Heart wrenching. And again, it's not that JM doesn't need JK, he does, but a. his need is different to JK's, and b. JM was super busy at the time while JK was doing basically nothing.

And when JK was busy, well I'm guessing that JM was giving him the space he thought JK needed to work. But obviously this wasn't what JK wanted.

This saltiness is all coming from the same person that says he doesn't answer his phone calls or reply to texts. The person that JM complained when he doesn't answer his calls. With all that he still needed JM to reach out. He needed to know that JM is thinking about him.

This conversation isn't about them not seeing each other. It's about not seeing each other enough. It's about JM not seeking JK out as much as JK needed him to. And it's about them not being able, for whichever reasons (exterior or self inflicted) to do exactly this. Be out and about together. The two of them. This is exactly what you do in a healthy long term relationship. You talk. You are open. You tell your partner how you feel and what you need.

And you know what JK sounded like to me?

He reminded me of this JK:

The JK that even though he had already scolded JM he couldn't just let it go. That even though JM apologized several times and explained himself, he just couldn't let it go because it was weighing on him, that choice that he felt JM made.

And I know, I just know, that this conversation we got in the car was not a one of. That "Your here. Finally" we got from him at the end...

He needed this to happen, for JM to make this happen.

I will also add, even though I cannot go into too much detail at this point, that I feel that the : "You're here. Finally", has so much more sub context to it within the way they had both handled 2022-23 and that adjustment to the new reality. Not about it being easier for one over the other, but more so about how they handled this "apartness" that was kind of forced on them.

Anyway, that "finally", that was it for me. Seeing. No. Feeling how this was weighing on JK. Feeling just how important this was for him. JM making that effort and showing up for him like he did.

I hope that I have managed to get the message through. I will drill it in with my three keywords to this post:

COUPLE

CONTEXT

ENOUGH

I will end this by saying this:

Read that convo as you will, see those two as you will. At the end of the day not only did they CHOOSE to do this again and again (even with the little time they still had with their crazy schedules and upcoming enlistment). Not only did JK say he wanted to keep going with this until they are 50 years old. But they also CHOSE to enlist together. To be TOGETHER for those 18 months of military service. CHOOSING to do so knowing that meant a harder service and placement.

At the end of the day they CHOSE EACH OTHER.

And they will keep on doing so!!!

[satisfiedskye]

i think its about time i made the post I've been meaning to make. i just want it out of the way.

my father passed june 27th. it was sudden, a motorcycle accident that was not his fault in the slightest. my mother was also in the accident, but survived. however, she lost a leg, among having other injuries. she will be in hospitals/rehabilitation for a long time. I'm a disabled person, as you may know as I've talked about my coma in 2022 from autoimmune encephilitis, and my many autoimmune diseases. life is both very hard right now, and has me very anxious. in the future, there will be a gofundme for my mothers needs medically, and insurance wise. my fathers job was our families insurance... and on top of her own medical expenses, I need steroids and insulin and all of my other medication to stay alive and care for her. for now, Im linking my ko-fi, as a way to get any sort of income right now. donations are very VERY appreciated right now. i also sell stickers there, and will be selling more stuff soon, so keep an eye out for posts about new stuff ! thank you very much. please share and reblog this, I'm trying my best to just be.. okay, right now.

[kirkwallhellmouth]

So when it said the zombie plague turned “anyone with enough testosterone” into the the feral zombies…I had to do some searching to see if that meant what I thought it meant.

Found a review that gave me my answer: “The only people left are women and a few trans men who weren’t on T when the pestilence hit.”

Yeah. I bolded for emphasis. Trying to sell this as a great story for ALL trans horror-enthusiasts is…disingenuous when it’s literal horror to a large portion of trans people…and actually buys into the bullshit of “testosterone will make a you a monster.”

I’m not saying the author can’t make her own power fantasies, but if they’re specifically fantasies that relate to trans women and would actively horrify a large number of trans men, more specificity in language would be appreciated. Like...don't try to sell it as a thing ALL trans people will see as A Win for All Trans People as far as media representation goes.

[sweet-s0rr0w]

Happy Valentine's Day to you all! To celebrate, I'm back with another collaborative Drarry reclist, featuring a new lovely bunch of Drarry writers, artists, reccers, and fans!

Once again, the question was: ‘what one or two fics, or scenes, or quotes, represent peak Drarry romance to you?’ and (in what is rapidly becoming a nightmare for me), no duplicates from previous years were allowed. Thank you so much to everyone who took part, I hope you enjoy the results!

You can find part 1 (2022) here, and part 2 (2023) here!

This year's list features answers from: apricitydays-lazynights, arminaa8, drarrymyheart, drarryspecificrecs, hoko-onchi-writes, jtimu, littlewinnow, mallstars, myrtlefics, oflights, peachydreamxx, pl0tty, rainstormradish, romaine2424, squintclover, starquestingfordrarry, thecouchsofa, thedrarrylibrarian, and themiddleofwonderland!

***

@apricitydays-lazynights

💗who will receive you in love's offices by jtimu (E, 30k)

It was a wonder, Draco thought, watching Potter tip back the last remnants of his drink, that the man had survived to adulthood. Not because of the war, or the constant attempts on his life, or surviving two separate killing curses, despite his insistence that he had at some point died, but because there was not a single ounce of self-preservation in his entire body. There couldn’t be. …He glanced over at the potion on the table, and considered, for a fraction of a moment, getting up and pouring those same drops of veritaserum into his own glass. He looked away just as fast, back at Potter, grinning in his chair like they were queuing up for a Quidditch game and not at all like he had just handed his childhood nemesis the keys to his thoughts. “All right,” he said, “first of all. What the ever loving fuck is wrong with you?

@arminaa8

💗My Beautiful Boy by alexmeg (unrated, 69k, sequel to Alucinatio)

"You don't even like boys."

"I didn't know I did. But you," Harry trails off, laughs with his gaze trying to meet the grey of Draco's eyes, a little tremulous with nerves and fear and the way his breath sticks high in his throat like an ache. Draco does look at him, then. "God, you."

💗Seagulls Cause Storms, or the Essence of Chaos by @writandromance (M, 312k)

The stars above them were bright white. It made him think again of the black universe between the constellations, the way he thought people like him held the space for people like Harry to burn hot.

@drarrymyheart

💗The Rewards of Being Loved by @lou-isfake (E, 161k, sequel to The Ordeal of Being Known)

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to make you stop thinking so hard,” Harry replied, grinning mischievously. He placed Draco’s hand on his bare waist, his own hand on Draco’s shoulder. Draco’s lips twitched in a hesitant grin.

“This song is too fast for you to dance to.”

“Only if I’m thinking about it,” Harry retorted, stepping in close. “Is my kitchen too difficult for you to dance in, your highness?”

“Don’t underestimate me, Potter,” Draco murmured, his grin widening as he pulled Harry flush against him, taking his hand. Harry chuckled, waiting for him to lead.”

💗I Do Not Love You by @writandromance (M, 228k)

“The thing is,” Harry said, voice low like all they’d said was public knowledge and this was the secret. “If you’re interested in this, if we pursue this, I’ll be a goner.”

“A goner?” he echoed.

Harry took a lung-filling breath. “Yeah, Draco,” he sighed. “That’ll be it for me. Tony… well, Tony I ended up happy to see go. Miles, I—that was hard in the moment but I was fine. But you… we’re so connected, our lives are so connected, our friends. I don’t want to fuck around, it would be serious, to me. You’re serious to me.”

@drarryspecificrecs

(cause 'Hogwarts 8th year' & 'creature' are among my fave tropes and I really really adore fics where Draco is in trouble but not weak & Harry is already smitten with him)

💗Draco Malfoy, It's Your Lucky Day by @faith2wood (E, 37k)

💗The Arc of the Pendulum by brummell (E, 30k)

@hoko-onchi-writes

💗Half Sick of Shadows by StarQuesting (E, 40k)

(I have a hard time containing myself about dragon tamer Draco, and everyone knows it. I’m about as subtle as a brick when something pings a sweet spot in my brain. But this fic is so much more than a hot, aloof, sex king dragon tamer Draco who has weaver Harry weak in the knees. It is also so very bright and clear in my mind; the visuals are so affecting, just like the creations that Harry weaves. Favorite scene: Harry casually chatting with dragons. 12/10 would be unhinged again.)

💗A pulled down shade by fast_brother (M, 43k)

(I’m not a big crier over fics. Maybe three or four have made me cry this year. This one made me lose it. I think the thing that stands out to me is the visceral capture of emotion. You can feel Draco’s broken heart, and then you can feel Harry’s. I could probably get worked up about it right now. Favorite scene: Draco crying over the broken tea cup. I literally can’t function when I think about it. 12/10 would cry again.)

💗The Brightest Constellations of Our Souls by thecouchsofa (E, 256k)

(I might be cheating since I’m still savoring The Brightest Constellation of Our Souls but I’m including it because it is Peak Drarry Romance. TheCouchSofa always has this intensely brilliant characterization. Harry is heartbreakingly oblivious. Draco is prickly and about as subtle as a brick over pining for Harry. This also features depression!Harry, which has gotta be one of my favorite Harrys. She writes depressed Harry with such delicacy, handling the ins and outs of mental illness and trauma with care, but also making it fucking funny. Favorite scene so far: Harry very casually slipping into conversation that he’s bisexual after he’s been traveling with Draco for an absurd amount of time without mentioning it. And Draco’s ensuing reaction. 12/10 will continue swooning.)

@jtimu

💗Designate / your love as fate by @elskanellis (E, 17k)

💗Lover, Where Do You Live? by @dodgerkedavra (E, 39k)

💗Seven Days in June by @fourth-rose (E, 47k)

@littlewinnow

💗1000 Kisses: #27 First Thing in the Morning, Just After Moving in Together by @deliciouslystickypersona (E, 3k)

Draco trails his fingertips over the flat plane of Harry’s belly, tracing the line of hair up to where it widens over his pectorals. He nuzzles his nose into the curve of Harry’s shoulder, inhaling the sweet, musky, sleepy scent of his skin.

💗Little Love by @ladderofyears (M, 34k)

Harry – who still held Draco’s hand – was gazing at the baby, spellbound by the sight. His whole appearance couldn’t have been prouder, or more loving, had he been Snidget’s natural father. When Harry caught Draco looking at him, he beamed, unashamed of his response.

@mallstars

💗Elaborate, Correct, and Assiduously Observed by peu_a_peu (T, 4k)

Some things were still the same, he thought. Draco was the perfect height for Harry to put his head on his shoulder and rest. That had been secretly true all along, and they’d only had to figure it out.

💗Us, In Lieu by Tepre (E, 30k)

“I . . .” The words jumble in his mouth. His hair is still mostly wet in his neck. He should’ve shaved. He should’ve cleaned his glasses. He should’ve— “I do want you.” And, “Enough,” he adds, then decides no , decides, “Not just enough. More than. More than that.” He licks his lips. “So much more than that.”

💗The Pure and Simple Truth by @letteredlettered (E, 14k)

Malfoy’s eyelashes were visible just above his cheeks, golden and some might have said they should have been darker, but Harry thought that they were perfect. The curve of Malfoy’s jaw, the slant of Malfoy’s throat, that was perfect, too. Malfoy looked up, licked his lips. “I thought you weren’t interested,” he said.

💗The Isle of Ogygia by @citrusses (E, 13k)

The days pass slower, after Potter leaves. Draco tries to fish again, and manages to actually levitate a fish out of the water, but then he Stuns it and it sinks back beneath the waves like a rock, and he doesn’t have any luck retrieving it again. Every day he walks to the top of the lighthouse, casts the right spells, and walks back down. He looks around his room and thinks about where Potter sat.

@myrtlefics

💗Going Postal by dustmouth (125 page comic)

(I am a complete and utter sucker for Dustmouth’s comics and the correspondence and longing and softness of this one make me really happy)

@oflights

💗Yours is the Earth (Hold On, Hold On) by chickenlivesinpumpkin (E, 127k)

(Chapter 11: it's one of my fave proposals in any fic ever/a beautiful love confession/a lovely romantic moment that fits with how the rest of the fic builds up their relationship and all the poor communication and ways they've hurt each other and love each other)

@peachydreamxx

💗to be a bit of warmth (for you) by @softlystarstruck (M, 9k)

Draco stirs in Harry’s arms, mumbling something soft and incoherent, and Harry whispers a wandless spell to completely dim the room lights. If Draco is just seeking comfort, so what? Harry has more than enough to give– it may be the only thing he has left to give– and Draco grounds him, too. Whatever happened on the other side of a war they both went through no longer matters. They’re here, now, and Draco is cold.So Harry will keep him warm.

@pl0tty

💗Tandem by fast_brother (M, 93k)

The handle clicked and the door cracked open, allowing the sound of rain to come into the car. 

“I… thanks,” Harry said. His heart was beating faster. His hands were sweaty.

Draco didn’t back away completely, just enough to be able to look Harry in the eyes. 

“You have to stop that, Harry. Really," he said gravely, as if speaking about a very serious issue. 

“Stop what?” Harry asked stupidly, still holding his breath. 

“You have to stop looking at me like that.”

Harry’s heart traveled all the way up to his throat. 

“I– I can’t,” he blurted out, feeling himself flush with the enormity of what he’d just said.

Draco let out a shocked chortle. He looked away at the street covered in rain, his left hand still resting on Harry’s chair. When he turned back towards Harry, he wasn’t laughing anymore.

He leaned in and kissed Harry on the lips.

💗Matters of the heart by nerakrose (G, 5k)

Today’s breakfast: eggs, toast, tea. I’ve left the sink a mess this week but I’ll do the dishes later. In a way taking these moments to write to you every morning feels like a little quiet refuge or a secret space that nobody else knows about but you. It feels safe here. I miss you. These days I’m missing you more than I’ve ever missed you before and I can’t explain it. Have I reached a breaking point? I don’t know.

Yours,

Harry

💗More Than That by joosetta (E, 11k)

“He was going to kill you,” Potter said, “He said he was going to kill you.”

“He was never going to kill me,” Draco mumbled, “He was up against you for Merlin’s sake. He tried to play quick-curse with Harry fucking Potter.”

Potter was silent for a bit at that, raising a hand up and stroking the back of Draco's head.

“He thought I would help him,” Potter said finally. Draco felt the strangest thing, like a spasm in his face, that left his eyes hot, and his lips shaking. He had to gather himself together again before he could reply.

“Well, he’s never had me suck his cock, so there was no way he could know,” Draco said, instead of he didn’t realise that you loved me. Potter got it anyway, because he laughed, just a little bit. He drew back, and his face was the most frightening and beautiful thing Draco had ever seen.

“You always talk like you give me blow jobs all the time,” he said. “You almost never give me blow jobs, Draco.”

💗Sparks from the Fox’s Tail by khalulu (T, 17k)

And then it was just natural to turn in his arms so they were face to face. Eye to eye, lip to lip, mouth to mouth. Natural to fall into bed together, hands and mouths moving over warm skin, stroking and kissing til they were breathless.

Harry broke off. “Should we think this through?”

“No,” said Draco. “Why did you pull away in the shower?”

“You were so weak then, I didn’t want to take advantage.”

“I was throwing myself at you with what little strength I had. Next time, catch me.”

“I’ve got you,” Harry said, winding himself around Draco. “I’ve got you.”

@rainstormradish

💗Where I see things right by InnerLilith (E, 15k)

(just... absolutely gorgeous handling of a sensitive subject, and I love how the preparation and thoughtfulness is such a big part of the romance. I don't bookmark InnerLilith's fics so much as intermittently go and reread half their back catalogue again. I've loved everything I've read from them.)

💗Help! I'm a Hopeless Romantic by peachydreamxx (M, 15k)

(we watch Harry fall in love with Draco and come to terms with lots of aspects of his life. The little Google searches are just so sweet and tender and I loved, loved loved it. And the ending is so perfect.)

@romaine2424

💗keep driving by @babooshkart (art)

(The romance portrayed in Keep Driving is palpable. Draco is so cool, but from every look, you can see the adoration she has for Harry. And Harry thrives off of the touches between them but also has a confident sense of her own worth. I will never tire of this calming, soft piece depicting a happy, confident, and joyful Drarry. The world is theirs to explore. They'll keep driving.)

💗Never Mind the Bollocks by @the-sinking-ship (E, 119k)

(Never Mind the Bollocks is a new fic from Erised 2023. I loved every moment of it, and Harry having so much fun and feeling like he belonged was everything. However, his drive to right and save all was still there. Chapter 18 brought it all together. I won't say how as the fic is so new, but, for me, it was so romantic with BAMF Harry showing up and Draco trying to be mad. Complete chef's kiss.)

@squintclover

💗 A Secondary Education by Thunderbird587 (E, 235k)

(I remember so vividly the falling in love and the moment when it changed for both of them.)

@starquestingfordrarry

💗The Potter Malfoy bathroom war of 2007 by @andithiel (E, 9k)

(it is peak bathing-comfort)

@thecouchsofa

💗Cut From the Sky by mallstars (E, 150k)

(“Rainy romance’ describes this perfectly. I love how Harry grows to love Draco and never stops going after him once he realises that’s what he wants. This kind of love necessitates an endless amount of patience, but I can’t think of anything more romantic than that – someone coming back time and time again and showing you more grace than you would ever show yourself.)

💗Everything is Relative to You by @thehoneybeet (E, 43k)

(Harry and Draco being each other’s Great Loves in every life going back hundreds of years? I am feral. I cannot be contained. A demonstration of them being perfect for each other in every timeline, through good and bad. This is peak romance at its best.)

@thedrarrylibrarian

💗O Come, All Ye Faithful by @toomuchplor (E, 20k)

(Told through jumps between the past and the present, I adore the way toomuchplor depicts the everyday romance of an established relationship. Too often romance is delegated to big displays of affection, when I think much of romance is in the mundane, routine moments. Listening to your partner share about their day is romantic. Making routine breakfast and coffee is romantic. The intimacy of having an ongoing inside joke about a cat name is unbearably romantic to me. These are the small, everyday moments that the foundations of grand romances are built upon, and this fic was a love note to those moments.)

@themiddleofwonderland (amazuppai)

💗Heal Thyself by astolat (T, 16k)

(it's a classic H/D fic that preserves Draco's prickly personality while still showing him reforming in a very realistic way. It's a slow-burn—Harry isn't really in the first half at all, and when he does show up he's still very suspicious of Draco—but as Draco shows his (new) true colors, Harry can't help that his suspicions turn to curiosity (one of my favorite tropes with reformed Draco fics) especially with the somewhat forced proximity they find themselves in that slowly turns into voluntary and frequent proximity. To me, maybe because of the slow burn, it seems like a very realistic depiction of how Draco could reform himself and how Harry can turn his suspicions into curiosity and eventually more to form a healthy relationship together.)