among tides of light and through shoals of dust

and in the one hand, did i enjoy spending hours researching housing regulations in my state? not especially. drafting this email was stressful. but on the other hand, did i learn a lot by doing that research? yeah, i did. i’m more prepared for my current and future leases. i used some of that info to make decisions about a new renter’s insurance policy. i already told three different people about things i learned that are relevant to their leases that they didn’t know yet. (pro tip: see if you’re supposed to be getting annual interest payments on your security deposit! also look up what specific appliances your landlords must legally provide as of 2026.) i also got to reconnect with my cousin for a bit because her job gave her specific insight on part of the situation, and i’d much rather do that than have a chatbot make shit up for me.

also, i drafted that email with the power of friendship (friends angry on our behalf) and spite (from landlords telling me not to do my research). chatgpt could never.

anyway i wanted a memento of my first pride, you know, and this one vendor was selling keyrings, and i liked it, so i bought one. do you remember those italian charm bracelets that were all the rage like 10-15 years ago? it was a keychain like that, and it had a rainbow rooster, a rainbow cat, and then just a rainbow, and so I bought it.

i run into my mom a couple of vendors over and she goes oh you bought something? what’d you get? so i showed her, and i was like, “I’m not sure why it’s a rooster and a cat. Seems kind of random. But I liked the rainbows.”

and my mom, who was some form of minister’s wife for most of my childhood and teenagerhood, stares at me like she thinks i’m joking.

“What?” i say.

…relic…

“Grace says he would like half of dome to be water.”

“Oh, is necessary for humans to have large amounts of water question?”

Small Eridian equivalent of a sigh. “No. Not needed for life. In fact Grace will die if he falls in water and does not get out.”

“Tell him we give him water in containers that won't kill him. Lots lots lots of water on Erid for Grace to drink.”

“No. Grace say he want water on ground. Also want it with excess sodium chloride compound so it will be unhealthy for drink.”

“Grace want this liquid for celebration.”

“Of course.” They scan it. “You have wrong liquid. This contain compounds which are poisonous for humans.”

“Yes yes yes. Grace say humans like feeling of being slightly poisoned.”

already suggested a

sapphibbatical

7 years ago someone posted this-

And 5 years a different user posted this-

The guys are goofing around, sitting in on each other's sessions and making jokes, and generally being a pain in the ass. The photographer has just about run out of patience when finally it's Shane's turn.

Shane, consummate professional that he is, locks in. It's a little bit embarrassing to be doing this in front of the guys, sure, but he's got a decade's experience here. He can easily compartmentalize.

The photographer is ecstatic that someone is finally taking this seriously! It doesn't even matter that the room his filled with hockey players wolf whistling and shouting "Looking good, Hollzy!" because Shane hits every pose and makes every adjustment and is generally just a dream to work with. (It also doesn't hurt that he's so easy on the eyes.)

Ilya finds the whole thing fun at first but his expression is stormy by the end and when Shane finally gets cleared to leave the set, he's positively pouting.

"What's the matter?" Shane asks quietly as soon as they're in the hallway.

"You liked that?" Ilya asks. "Taking his directions?"

Shane rolls his eyes. He can't believe he thought something was seriously wrong. "Oh my god, you're ridiculous."

"Is a simple question!"

"I was just doing my job. It's not like I was having fun."

"Could have fooled me," Ilya mutters bitterly. "You were being very good for him, doing whatever he told you."

Shane's cheeks go hot, a Pavlovian reaction to Ilya telling him he's good even though it's wrapped up in the pettiest, most stupid accusation.

"You know I've done this like a hundred times, right? There is nothing special about this specific photographer."

Ilya's eyebrows rise. "You would go to your knees for any man who asked you, as long as he's holding a camera?"

Maybe there had been a pose or two involving Shane on his knees. That doesn't make this tantrum of Ilya's any less stupid- although looking at him now, Shane's not sure if he's still just pissed or if he's talked himself around into being horny about it, too. Ilya does have a tendency to do that.

Shane really shouldn't be encouraging this. But then again, "Why don't you take me home and try it?"

The first time it happens, Shane is confused. The second through fourth, he thinks maybe this is some cruel prank being played on him. By the fifth, he's forced to admit to himself that it's possible these guys are being sincere and they actually want to fuck him.

It's at this point he brings it up to Ilya, because it feels like the kind of thing his boyfriend should know about. After a long silence, Ilya asks for their names.

"I can't tell you that," Shane says. "They all approached me in private, they definitely don't want it getting out that they're not straight."

"Then they should not be hitting on my boyfriend," Ilya says sourly.

Shane is unable to keep from smiling, feeling a smug little thrill at seeing Ilya act jealous. "Well, unfortunately for them they don't stand a chance, since my boyfriend is hotter than all of them combined."

Now it's Ilya's turn to be smug. "Yeah?"

"I'm kind of obsessed with him," Shane admits.

And what's Ilya supposed to do about that other than initiate some mind-blowing phone sex?

"Just tell me one thing," Ilya says once they're finished and basking in the afterglow, both of them lying down and holding their phones inches from their faces. "Pike hasn't hit on you yet, has he?"

Seeing that performance recognized on one of Canada’s biggest stages feels incredibly rewarding. Williams’ win is also historic in its own right. At just 25 years old, he became the youngest performer ever to win Best Lead Performer, Drama, at the Canadian Screen Awards, accomplishing the feat on his very first nomination.”

- Q+ Magazine

Special mention to my fellow asexuals and aromatic people! Be unapologetically yourself!

HAPPY PRIDE! 🌈