here, queer, bookworm for years

Flamingos can survive in low oxygen, high altitude, high temperatures, low temperatures, high alkaline, they can and will drink boiling water and they can be completely frozen at night and still get up the next morning

(animal death) this is a real undoctored photograph (*though the body was stood up for the shot) of a dead flamingo on the surface of lake natron, a lake so salty and so alkaline that it’s naturally carbonated like soda and would eat through your stomach lining if you drank from it.

When this photo went viral years ago, most people assumed this poor flamingo must have been killed by the lake.

It is actually the lake where 75% of its global population are hatched. This is a photo from the same lake:

RATING: RELIABLE

Flamingos can survive in high altitudes, hypersaline conditions, and caustic lakes.

Source: ‘All flamingo species have evolved to live in some of the planet’s most extreme wetlands, like caustic “soda lakes”, hypersaline lagoons or high-altitude salt flats.’

They can survive water so alkaline it burns human skin.

Source: ‘More than a million lesser flamingos breed in Tanzania’s Lake Natron, for instance, a lake fed by hot springs with water so alkaline that it can strip away human skin (one pioneering flamingo researcher named Leslie Brown spent months in Nairobi General Hospital after burning his legs wading out to observe where the birds nested).’

They can drink water at near-boiling temperatures.

Source: ‘They can drink water at near boiling point to collect freshwater from springs and geysers at lake edges. If no freshwater is available, flamingos can use glands in their head that remove salt, draining it out from their nasal cavity.’

The lakes they inhabit can freeze overnight, and the flamingos can survive once it thaws in the morning.

Source: ‘The birds may seem to epitomize the tropics, but they also live in the Andes, 15,000 feet above sea level, where they rest on lakes that freeze around them overnight.

“You’ll see them sitting there like snowballs, frozen on ice,” Dr. Arengo said. “And as the temperature warms up, they thaw out, fluff themselves up and go about their business.”’

The photo is indeed from Lake Natron, taken by photographer Nick Brandt. The content of the lake chemically preserves animal corpses that die there. You can see more photos of this here.

It is also true that 75% of Lesser Flamingos are hatches on Lake Natron.

Source: ‘The lake’s landscape is surreal and deadly—and made even more bizarre by the fact that it’s the place where nearly 75 percent of the world’s lesser flamingos are born.’

Some species of Flamingo eat cyanobacteria or algae.

Hey! I’m working on a green skin right now, but it’s still a work in progress, and it won’t be similar to the vintage pink one—hope that’s okay!

I finally got around to organizing the code for this[ skin.]

If anyone is curious, the title of this skin comes from a classical Chinese poem:

折花逢驿使，寄与陇头人。

"I met a messenger while holding a flower, and asked him to deliver it to a friend far away."

江南无所有，聊赠一枝春。

"Jiangnan has nothing else to offer, so I send a branch of spring instead."

I've always loved the imagery of this poem. The "branch of spring" isn't meant literally—it's a way of sending spring itself to someone far away, along with your thoughts of them.

Since spring is the season when everything turns green again, "聊赠一抹绿" felt like the perfect title for this skin. 🌿

setup steps:

click the code link above — it’ll open a long block of code. copy all of it (don’t include the title). it’s way easier to do this on desktop since mobile has copy limits

on AO3, go to your username → dashboard → skins → create site skingive it a unique title, paste the CSS you copied, then scroll down and hit submitonce it’s created, just click “use” to apply the skin

If you share this skin, please link back to this Tumblr post. Thank you!

This is hands down my favourite way to read Heated Rivalry stories at the moment. So, I decided to share a few with you guys in the hopes you might find a favourite read of 2026 in there too.

Feel free to add your favourites or (even better) stories YOU'RE writing/have written as well! We need more and every story should be celebrated! ♡

Yuna Hollander POV

Learning to Fly by WriteSmart: Oneshot. Yuna has let go of a lot in her life, including her own dream to play professional hockey. [One of the most beautiful character studies on Yuna! Also: Podfic excists!]

It starts in an elevator by Sporkess: Series. Yuna getting stuck in an elevator with Ilya for two hours doesn't change everything... [This is one of my alltime fave HR series. Stunning work!]

morality clause by canadadry: Complete. Yuna does her research—apparently, a morals clause is common, in contracts like this.

Wunderkind by a_good_soldier: Oneshot. When Shane was born an ocean away from her homeland, Yuna Hollander, who did not pray, whispered into the world: Let every door open for him, my son.

(wild and flourescent) come home (to my heart) by devereauxing: Oneshot. No shit. “You just suggested euthanising my son.”

the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose by alchemystique: Oneshot. Yuna Hollander works through years of memories in attempt to discover when she should have known her son didn't trust her with all of himself. [Podfic available]

David Hollander POV

tu peux sauter loin de la peur by Revenant: Oneshot. David goes to Shane's cottage to get his phone charger. Or maybe, it's really not about the phone charger. [Podfic available.]

Observations on Fatherhood by HH_Arrow: Oneshot. From the day Shane is born, David promises to protect him from everything—especially from the kind of love that comes with conditions. [Made me emotional. It's incredible!]

last one to leave the bleachers every time by Anonymous. Oneshot. what David Hollander and Ilya Rozanov talk about while Shane and Yuna are outside in episode six. [Podfic available]

Hayden Pike POV

The Waiting Game by Rizandace: Complete. Hayden Pike and Ilya Rozanov are waiting for Shane to wake up after he took a bad hit on the ice. They get to talking.

contingency plans by anincompletelist (soldouthaz): Oneshot. Ilya needs a place to go, and Hayden's happens to be the closest. It turns out to be a good thing.

Background Check by halfbaked_ziti: Oneshot. Hayden Pike has a babysitting emergency, and no one else to call.

Hayden Pike, Noted Ally by eden22: Oneshot. Or, Hayden finds out something that he was never supposed to, and decides that the only thing he can do is show his best friend that he can be the best ally ever, if he just gives him the chance. [Podfic available!]

your good buddy lily by larry_larson: Complete. Of all things, Hayden doesn't expect a t-shirt to be the thing that exposes it all. [Only available for AO3 User.]

A is for Ally by imperfectcircle and kenopsia (indie). Oneshot. After inadvertantly bearing witness to a dick pic from "Lily", Hayden goes so hard as an ally that he circles right back around to homophobia. [Podfic available.]

connecting the dots by defcontwo. Oneshot. “Holy fucking shit, it all makes sense now. Lily is a dominatrix.” Or: Hayden is connecting the dots. Maybe. [Podfic available]

I Like Jane For You by icopythefax: Oneshot. After a mix-up leaves Hayden with the wrong phone for three days, he ends up learning more about Ilya Rozanov and his secret girlfriend, Jane. [Podfic available]

So Lily's Just a Buddy? by multifandomhomo. Oneshot. Or, Hayden needs to get better at not looking at Shane’s phone, but to his defense, it’s always open. [Podfic available.]

Cliff Marleau POV

The Shane Hollander Thing by fandom_commitment_issues: Complete. Cliff Marlow has been on Boston’s team with Ilya Rozanov for the last seven years. Last week, he figured out the Shane Hollander thing. [Podfic available]

The Way Hockey Is by Erisenyo: Oneshot. Cliff Marlow's POV of The Hit and the aftermath, as he starts to put a few things together.

A Formal Study of the Heart by HH_Arrow: Series. Cliff Marleau gets assigned to keep the new Russian rookie out of trouble. Fifteen years later, he gives a speech at Ilya's wedding.

outlier by conturbat_me: Oneshot. The new kid's an omega.

of a certain age by gurlsrool: Oneshot. Cliff figures out why Ilya’s keeping his Montreal girl a secret. She’s not a girl at all…she's an elderly woman. Or maybe an elderly man?

The Cliff Marleau Files by unsane_poet: Oneshot. Missing moments from Boston. Or, How Cliff Marleau figures it out. [My Cliff finds out favourite. Absolutely adore this one!]

Scott Hunter POV

stuck in symmetry by firelord_zutara: Oneshot. Scott Hunter has the unfortunate experience of rooming next to Ilya Rozanov at the 2011 All-Stars.

Scott Hunter's Impeccable Gaydar by epexegetical: Oneshot. Answering the questions "how did Scott and Shane go from fisticuffs to chatting idly about black mold in a few weeks" and "what happens when two deeply closeted men try to out-hetero each other".

I've Been Down Here Before (I Know the Way Out) by HollowIsTheWorld: Oneshot. Scott's been the subject of a lot of rude comments, on and off the ice. [Podfic available]

Knowing by toomuchplor. Oneshot. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are not Scott's problem. That's all there is to it. [Podfic available.]

quick, he needs more hockey! by SafelyCapricious. Oneshot. Both Scott and Kip POV. Shane Hollander has been traded to the Admirals.

Overall Fandom POV

You Have (81) Unread Messages by subcorax: Series. Ilya becomes one of the WAGs. [one of the first I've read!]

love takes miles by corsi: Complete. Ten years, as seen through fandom. [Podfic available]

Other's POV

What Jackie Knows by probablylily: Complete. Jackie Pike: 5 times Jackie learns something about Shane + 1 time she learns something about Ilya.

Captain Obvious by Llamafarm: Complete. A 5 + 1 story about five people who observe the relationship between Shane and Ilya unfold in real time and come to their own conclusions about what's going on.

Jane & Lily by Amee19: Series. Where each the Boston Raiders and the Metros get in contact with Lily and Jane.

Is Ilya Rozanov Really....? (A 5+1 story) by Ubiquitously_Ubiquitous: Complete. after Ilya signs with the Ottawa Centaurs, five times Ilya’s new neighbors in Ottawa learned he was nothing like they expected, plus the one time he was.

Vibes Are Not Data by GlitterCity. Wyatt Hayes POV Oneshot. So, no. Wyatt wasn’t nosy, but he wasn’t stupid, either. [Podfic available.]

A good example of team bonding by 048b. Troy Barrett POV Oneshot. It was kind of sweet how much Shane talked about Ilya. Troy hadn't realized they hung out that much during the offseason. They must be really good friends. [Podfic available]

speak to us of clothes by whimsicule: Oneshot. Shane hires a stylist.

Luca Haas, Tumblrina by adevyish: Oneshot. Luca Haas’ rookie year, as told through Tumblr.

Inspiration for this 6 parter is this lovely tumblr post. Y'all I am out of my comfort zone but possessed to get this written.

Prefer to read over on AO3? You can find it here.

***********

Comeau. He knew after Drapeau who his list would be and who should be next. Who would pay for what Shane suffered. He thought it would be difficult to get close enough to them. That it would take time and energy. Until he started building dating profiles on a whim. A woman. Obsessed with hockey- just wanted to have some fun with the MLH players. He’d seen enough of them in his days in Boston that he knew he just had to find their type. He never expected for Comeau to pick ‘Sydney’ while Montreal was in Ottawa. While they were playing against his team. 

Every fifth MDZS textpost: nobody understands the Themes