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spaceorphan18 · 2 years

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The Spaces In-Between: Chapter 9

TITLE: The Spaces In-Between RATING: M PAIRINGS: Eventually Kurt/Blaine, unrequited Kurt/Finn ADDITIONAL TAGS: All the tags! Mostly slowburn romance and friendship SUMMARY: The story of Kurt Hummel’s life in the spaces between what we saw on the show – goes through the entire series, and follows his adventures throughout, including falling in love with Blaine, his friendships with Mercedes and Rachel, and his relationship with his dad.

Thanks to @lallagoglee for the wonderful cover art! <3

***

Chapter 9: Dancing With Myself

“It’s so goddamn annoying how that girl gets everything handed to her on a silver platter.” Mercedes Jones slams her lunch tray down next to his, sitting with a flop in the seat.

Kurt understands her frustration. Really, he does. Most of the time, he concedes. Because it’s Rachel Berry. Because he knows her talent and knows that she’ll steamroll anyone in her path. And he doesn’t really want to be in her path when she blows through. But this time? This time feels different.

Mercedes is seething next to him. She gets it. How long have they commiserated about the same thing? About how Mr. Schuester routinely puts Rachel front and center at the expense of everyone else? He knows Mercedes would have been great with the song -- he’s heard her sing Broadway numbers. He knows she has the chops for it. But this song? This song is more personal.

He chews a French fry slowly, as Mercedes continues to rattle off the egregious crimes Rachel has committed over the past few months. Normally, he’ll jump in and agree with her. They’ve had hours long phone conversations about how they could grab the spotlight from her. It’s always just talk, though. Anger usually dissipates into laughter, and then it’s onto celebrity gossip and fashion ideas as Rachel fades into the back recess of his mind.

He can’t help but stare at her, though, from across the room. She’s sitting at the same table as Artie and Tina, though a good chair length away so that, really, she’s sitting by herself. She’s dreamily looking to the table next to her, staring at Finn who is laughing with some other jocks Kurt recognizes from the football team. It’s all somewhat pitiful - the way she keeps trying to meet his gaze. There have been times when Kurt has felt sorry for her - when Kurt has understood the type of person she is. But there’s an energy buzzing under his skin, and he can’t help his contempt.

Why does she automatically get the song? Why is it that because she’s what society deems as normal there isn’t even a discussion as to whether or not he’d be allowed to sing the song? It makes him so unbelievably angry that he doesn’t quite know what to do with his aggression. He won’t take it out on Mercedes, she doesn’t deserve that. But god, he just can’t sit there and do nothing.

“I’m going to challenge it,” Kurt says - his voice a scratchy whisper at first, as if he is testing out the words to see how they sound.

Mercedes gives him a shocked look. “Wait, what? I tried that - remember? And shot me down immediately.”

“Yes, but I’m really going to challenge it,” Kurt’s more assured now - knowing that the next time they have glee club - he’s going to put himself out there. He’s going to take down Rachel Berry. “I want to sing that song. I have to sing that song. I’m not going to give up the fight.”

Mercedes is impressed, though she shakes her head. “You know I’ve always got your back, but don’t go expecting too much. You try to take something from Rachel Berry - she’ll fight back.”

Kurt takes a deep breath in. He understands. He deeply understands.

***

Kurt’s on his bed, lying on his back, earbuds in, staring at the ceiling as he listens to the music he’s heard so many times before that he could sing the lyrics in his sleep. Wicked has been one of those magical moments in his life -- discovering that musicals can be more than just delicate romances and quirky situations. That musicals can mean something. That characters and music and words can all mean something.

It’s not just a song. It’s not just a song that he’s able to sing despite being well out of the range of most male vocalists. It’s that he feels the song in his bones.

Over the years, he’s held himself back too often for too much. He’s been so scared of taking that leap, too afraid that he’d crash and burn that he didn’t never considered the possibility of what it would feel like to really fly.

The music encourages him -- flows through his veins as if it’s his life blood. He’s restless with an energy that he’s never quite known before.

He’s going to sing that song -- Mr. Schue and Rachel be damned.

Downstairs, he hears the front door shut. He hears the clunky sound of his dad’s boots as he climbs the stairs. There’s a quiet knock on his door.

Kurt sits up, as his dad’s peers into the room. Burt’s tense, his jaw working. Kurt’s stomach turns a little, as he knows his dad has just come back from the school.

“Uh, I talked to your teachers,” his dad says. He knows his dad is a little out of his league on this one but he’s trying. Thank god, his dad is really trying for him. “They’re going to let you audition.”

Kurt’s lips twitch into a contained smile. His happiness swells with the music he’s listening to. “Thank you.”

***

They leave the gymnasium, arms around each other, doubling over in laughter. Kurt cannot believe they just auditioned to be on Cheerios. The Cheerios!! Not that he or Mercedes had been serious about joining. It wouldn’t have ever occurred to him if Ms. Sylvester hadn’t been halfway decent when she coached them last week - or if Mr. Schue would just listen to their pleas and let them shine for once. Honestly, he would probably make a terrible cheerleader. But man, that had been fun.

They’re not two feet down the hallway when they’re met by Santana and Brittany, arms linked tightly together, blocking their way. Kurt’s face falls - it’s never something good when the two of them are together. Mercedes straightens herself, standing slightly in front of him, almost protectively.

“So, I’ve never pegged either of you as the athletic type, but wow, that was quite the display. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw,” Santana says, a thick sarcasm in her voice. Kurt clenches his jaw. Mercedes is about to speak when Santana holds up a finger, wiggling it back and forth. “No, let me speak before I decide this is a bad idea. Here’s the thing, Kurt - one, tiny, gay baby step for you means a push forward for the rest of us.”

Kurt and Mercedes exchange looks. What in the world is she talking about?

Santana delights at their confusion. “Look, it’s about time the two of you started to take initiative. It really should be a joint effort in taking Rachel Berry down. First - it will be you, Kurt, with an obnoxious Broadway standard locking into place his future as drag queen supreme--”

“I have no intention--”

“And then, Mercedes will finally be able to do more than belt out the last note in a song that aging baby boomers got tired of listening to ten years ago.”

“Santana, what--”

“And then, finally, it will be my turn.”

Oh. Of course.

Santana stares at Kurt, firmly, a look of intensity behind her forced smile. “So, here’s the thing Kurt - you’re going to do great at that audition. And I am going to vote for you. And I’m going to make sure others vote for you, too. Because a vote for you means a vote for not having to listen to Rachel Berry screech while I sway in the background for the next three years. Got it?”

“It’s supposed to be about who is best, Santana,” Mercedes reminds her. Kurt knows she supports him. But he also knows she likes to play fair.

“Yes, and playing fair means that Rachel doesn’t get all the solos. Right?”

Kurt gives Mercedes a look. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it - Santana does have a point. He doesn’t have a rebuttal, not one that would be very believable anyway. He just stands there, his arms hugging his chest, looking slightly away, as if thinking over her words.

“I just want to hear you sing,” Brittany says. She reaches out and manages to stroke his cheek before he’s able to back away. “Maybe we’ll even get to duet soon.”

Mercedes shakes her head, and looks over to him. “Duet?”

His stomach churns a little. Santana throws her head back in laughter as they turn to walk away.

***

“So, the plan is after school, we’re all meeting in the home ec room to finish up the rest of the baked goods,” Artie says at lunch the next day. “Apparently, Puck has his old Nana Connie’s recipe that is going to be killer and will surely be what really gets these cupcakes moving.”

“Is this something we should be suspicious of?” Mercedes inquires.

“It’s P-p-puck,” Tina replies with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t even want to know what this special secret ingredient.”

Kurt’s not fully paying attention to the conversation. He’s too busy watching Rachel and Finn, huddled together, in deep discussion about something. Rachel smiles meekly. Finn puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. They both lean into a hug, though awkward while both sitting in wheelchairs. Kurt can’t help but feel a little jealousy boil up.

“I’m not going to be able to make it tonight,” he says. He turns his attention back to the group, not wanting to witness whatever that was any longer. “I’m going to have to practice if I’m going to be perfect tomorrow.”

Artie and Tina exchange looks. “K-k-kurt - are you sure this is a good idea?” Tina asks. “I mean, I completely buckled when Mr. Schue tried to give me Tonight. Just the pressure of knowing Rachel would be after me was too much.”

“Maybe,” Kurt says, though he isn’t really considering her words. “But was Tonight something you felt in your bones, Tina? Was that song something you knew deep down that if you didn’t perform then you’d just implode from how much it’s eating at your insides to get out?”

Artie stuffs some chips into his mouth, amused at Kurt’s ambition. “Well - you’re definitely going to meet her passion. But, c’mon Kurt, you know she has had training since she was a small child. You know we’d all vote for you in a heartbeat. But if you’re sincere in your wish for making it fair…” He scrunches his nose before finishing the thought.

“Kurt’s gonna do just fine,” Mercedes says, giving him a reassuring pat on the arm.

He smiles warmly. “I’m going to be more than fine,” he says. He looks back up to where Rachel and Finn are seated together. They’re laughing now, Rachel playfully throwing a napkin in his face. “I’m going to knock her down so hard, she won’t know what hit her.”

Everyone sits back at his intensity. But he feels how he feels.

***

The morning of the challenge, Kurt’s feeling unusually jittery. He gets up early, and heads to the school, wanting to practice just a little bit more before school starts.

It’s dark outside, and quiet, and as he heads to school, as he rehearses the lyrics in his head and hums the melody to himself, he can’t help but picture his dad in his head. The look of anger after that phone call the previous night. The look of sadness, of helplessness. Singing this song was supposed to be about him - about how he’d defy expectations and prove them all wrong. But for his dad, it’s just another reminder that his son’s struggle is his own.

And he doesn’t want to see his dad struggle. Not after everything they’ve been through.

Not when they’re just starting to get close again.

He’s able to use the choir room to practice. There’s something peaceful about being there before the school fully wakes up. Just him, and the piano, and his own voice filling the space. Despite the nerves, he’s able to sing through the song. He hits those high notes perfectly - just has he had the night before. He doesn’t doubt his ability to sing the song. He doesn’t doubt his ability to prove that Rachel isn’t the only one who deserves a moment in the spotlight.

Still, he can’t help but see his dad’s worried face.

He’s out and he’s proud of who he is - and who he is becoming. He’s internalized the song so hard because he’s finally embracing that he doesn’t have to fit into the boxes everyone else sets for him. But maybe it’s not just about him. Maybe he needs to be there for his dad just as his dad is there for him. Maybe - just because he can doesn’t mean he should.

He wants to beat Rachel. He so badly wants to beat her and prove to Mr. Schue - prove to all of them - what he can do.

He sings through the song again - more confidently, letting the music flow through him. He can definitely do this. But should he?

It’s a hard decision.

***

“Good luck, Kurt,” Matt gives him a pat on the back as he enters the choir room. Matt’s barely ever spoken to him, but the guy is all smiles.

“We’re rooting for ya,” Mike comes in next. He’s oddly supportive, too.

Santana enters, grinning wildly. “Don’t blow this,” she warns smugly before taking her seat next to Brittany.

If he hadn’t been so nervous, if the weight of his decision didn’t feel so heavy - he’d wonder if they were voting for him because they believed in him - or if they just wanted Rachel Berry to lose.

He settles on a stool as the others filter in.

Quinn approaches him, a quiet tenseness held inside as she moves towards him. She stares him straight in the eye. “Just beat her, okay?” Kurt’s unsure of how to respond, but she’s moved past before he can.

Mercedes comes in, eyes him giddily. “I’m so excited for you.”

She can sense that he’s nervous, and holds his hand for comfort. He’s not scared of Rachel Berry, however, not anymore. He’s scared that winning might be as damning as losing. As he takes a deep breath, he still hasn’t decided which way he’s going to go.

***

The thing about performing is that when you get into a song -- like really, really get into the song, it envelopes you. Everything else fades away - the world is no longer there and it’s just you and the music.

There’s no audience watching him - no Mr. Schue judging his style, his technique. No Santana with her smug looks, or Mercedes with her hopeful smile, or Finn with his confused interest. No Rachel Berry waiting for him to finish, slyly watching every move he makes, every curve of pitch, every stylistic choice. Just him. Just the music.

And just an understanding that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, he is still him. He knows who he is now, and knows what he can do, and that’s enough.

He’s defied gravity for himself. And at the end of the day - that’s all that really matters.

***

Time slows all the way down. The song is coming to its end.

And he knows in his heart which way he’s going to go.

He loves the thrill of performance. Loves that he can sing this song in all its glory. Loves that there is a whole group of people who are on his side this time. Loves that Rachel Berry, by the look of her, has been shaken to her core. He loves it all.

But he loves his dad more.

And this one is for him.

***

Afterwards, he goes on autopilot.

Rachel sings her version, and she sings it well. He comes to a peace with the inevitability that her win will cement her place as reigning soloist of the group. His anger from earlier in the week has entirely dissipated.

Santana sneers at him. Mercedes shares a look of support. There’s a sense of disappointment throughout the room, even as Finn stands up and cheers as Rachel hits those final notes.

But he doesn’t regret his decision.

And when he walks into the tire shop that evening, his dad a proud look on his face as he enters, he knows that for himself, it had been the right one.

#s.o. writes things #the spaces in between #kurt hummel #kurt hummel fic #hey look i finally updated this!!#also found on ao3 #the great glee rewatch

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maliciouscigarette · 9 months

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Art by giganticbuddha (here's their ko-fi)

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pixelpolls · 5 months

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Vamps vs Werewolfs like its 2010!

#No in-betweens #Vampire #Vamposting #vampcore #Werewolf #Werewolves #Werewoofs #Twilight #Polls #Poll #tumblr polls #Polls on tumblr #Honestly they're so opposed in nature that it's pretty easy to choose #Werewolves are more open-space outdoors and fluffy with a pack mentality while being massive and can go out in the sun #And Vampires are reclusive shut-ins who live away from society in their manors while having the public appearance of Victorian goth twinks

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sparrowlucero · 4 months

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Little alien "birds", about the size of button quails. They speak with a very melodic cantor, the holes along their "neck" forming a sort of biological flute that can produce a wide range of sounds. Human speech tends to sound confusing and garbled to them unless it's musical; they're big fans of sensible human media like Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and Hamilton, though the really avant garde among them might even be into deep cuts like Glee and Phineas and Ferb

#I'm leaning towards the very obvious “pipers” as a name for them #or sondheim sparrows lmao #carnyces #broadwayfarers #these are also in the same world as the space whales and yes those are the size of actual whales and often bigger #some real stuart little-core socialization going on between them

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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 3 months

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Lan Wangji Goes To Lotus Pier AU: Part 3: Enveloping Feelings.

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 4 (soon))

#poorly drawn mdzs #mdzs #lan wangji #Yungmeng Jiang training arc AU #I wanted to try out a different paneling style for this one - sorry I'm a day late! (there will still be a post tomorrow to keep on track)#The original 3 panel comic idea was fine but the point of this new schedule was to take time to push myself a bit more.#I was taking a look back through some comic artists I felt inspired by #and I really loved how Lynda Barry fills her gutters with patterns and doodles!#Obviously I'm not going as absolutely wild with it as she does but it was a great exercise!#I truly think the gutters are the most important and most overlooked part of any comic. There's lots going on in that space.#It's the same with timeskips. The implied movement between moments that we don't see changes depending on how wide that gap is #You're here for the funny tags so here's some that ties this time talk together:#I think LWJ was thinking about that second note from day 2 but it took him 7 days of hazing to commit it to paper.#I think he sends it a day later and immediately regrets it. Chasing down the messenger and everything.#You know if something actually happened to his brother he would never ever forgive himself for putting the bad vibes out there.#Third time skip was the hardest because there was so many possible flavours of jokes here. Day 8/9 was a personal favourite.#day 14 was also funny (week by week). I think the debate on 'how long does lwj take to catch feelings' is more or less:#'how long does it take for him to arrive at a particular stage of grief and yearning (and awareness of it all)#This is a symphony. There is an act by act structure. Every day he is fighting to keep his old sensibilities. He is losing so badly.#(I'll be returning to the main comic soon but there is more of this AU to come!)

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makeitastrength · 5 months

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“Ready for the movie?” Tim asks as Lucy emerges from the bathroom.

“Actually,” she hesitates, “I think I’m gonna head home.”

“Oh, uh, okay,” he manages, caught off guard by this sudden change of plans. He stands and makes his way across the room, coming to a stop in front of her. “Did I… do something wrong?”

“No,” Lucy answers quickly, reaching out to rest a hand on his forearm and squeezing gently. “I’m just not feeling that great.”

“It wasn’t the sushi, was it?” Tim asks.

Lucy shakes her head, hoping desperately that he’ll just drop it and let her go home, but knowing that he won’t because he’s Tim and her wellbeing matters to him.

“Are you coming down with something?” he asks, reaching out to place a hand on her forehead before seemingly coming to the conclusion that she doesn’t have a fever.

“No.”

“Then…?”

“I just got my period,” Lucy blurts, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment. Which only serves to heighten her embarrassment, because this is not something she should be embarrassed about. It’s not like Tim doesn’t know she has periods. It’s a normal biological function, and two years of riding together means there’s been more than one occasion where she’s mentioned things like having cramps or needing to change her tampon. But somehow, it seems so much more intimate to talk about her period now that they’re dating. Especially when they haven’t even slept together yet.

“Do you not have anything?” he asks, gesturing toward the door. “Because I can go get whatever you need.”

“I’m good,” she assures him. “I’m just starting to get cramps and I’m not in the mood for much of anything.”

“Okay,” Tim says gently, extending his arms in her direction. Lucy hesitates for a split second before stepping into them, and he enfolds her in his embrace, arms strong but gentle around her shoulders as hers curve around his lower back. “You know you can still stay though, right?”

“I know,” she answers, voice muffled by his shirt.

“Lucy.” Tim waits until she lifts her head to meet his gaze, and the uncertainty in her eyes confirms his suspicions. “If you’re leaving because you’d feel more comfortable at home or you just want to be alone, I get it,” he tells her. “But if you’re leaving because you think I don’t want you here when you’re not feeling well, you’re wrong.”

Read the rest on AO3

#chenford #chenford fanfic #the rookie #the rookie fanfiction #lucy chen #tim bradford #the spaces in between

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floweroflaurelin · 3 months

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Please undo what I’ve done, Lord. I will never ask anything of you, ever again, if you just give me back the life of Gideon Nav.

—

The Descent of Gideon Nav, inspired by the statue El descendimiento by Virginio Arias ✨ Prints are available here! ✨

#the locked tomb #tlt #the locked tomb fanart #gideon nav #harrowhark nonagesimus #harrow the ninth #gideon the ninth #griddlehark #kiriona gaia #gtn #gtn fanart #htn fanart #htn #floweroflaurelin art #worked on this a little bit at a time between commission stuff :D #now that HC s10 is out though I want my ‘between comm work’ painting to be something for that hehe so i finished this wip up to make space #genuinely beige is my favourite colour scheme to work with nobody does it like her #cw blood

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shirkers2018dirsanditan · 8 months

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biological differences between men and women are inherently neutral. they do not indicate male superiority over female people. to suggest so is inherently sexist. to complain when female sports cater to female anatomy - such as the smaller balls in the wnba because women tend to have smaller hands - is what sexists do. they want women to be forced to prove ourselves according to standards designed for men because they want to see us fail. it is sexist to argue that women who wish to compete on their own terms are pronouncing themselves as inferior. nobody said that but you. because you’re a sexist that hates women

#and beyond physical differences #there are long standing historical social inequities #that produce disparities between men and women that have nothing to do with anatomy #how we build both female and mixed sex spaces has to take these into account too #none of this means women are inferior #unless you hate women

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kyurochurro · 4 months

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"gentlemen i believe... we are lost."

(entering the new year with a stv drawing since im still on a st movie kick from the marathon my dad and i had HEHE >:D)

#churro art #digital art #illustration #fanart #star trek #star trek the original series #star trek tos #james kirk #jim kirk #spock #s'chn t'gai spock #bones mccoy #leonard mccoy #OKAY LOOK I KNOW STV IS LIKE THE ODD ONE OUT OF ALL THE MOVIES #and yes definitely watching it between 4 and 6 wsa a bit of a whiplash. BUT!!!!!!!!#it gave me many a main space trio interactions to enjoy so JUST FOR THAT. i count it as a blessing OK #also i cant help it a lot of the silly humor does get to me ToT ToT #anywayssss this is a bit different its completely lineless #mostly cus i also rewatched klaus and was enamored with the coloring and lighting!!!!#but anyways yeah this was mostly for fun i needed some time on the big ol tablet again and this helped a lot :D #immeeee gonna go watch s3 CUS I STARTED S3 OF TOS!!! WOOOO #OH laso the movies were GREAT its genuinely so awesome that me and my father can connect over st :"D

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nellasbookplanet · 2 months

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Book recs: black science fiction

As february and black history month nears its end, if you're a reader let's not forget to read and appreciate books by black authors the rest of the year as well! If you're a sci-fi fan like me, perhaps this list can help find some good books to sink your teeth into.

Bleak dystopias, high tech space adventures, alien monsters, alternate dimensions, mash-ups of sci-fi and fantasy - this list features a little bit of everything for genre fiction fans!

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

Something massive and alien crashes into the ocean off the coast of Nigeria. Three people, a marine biologist, a rapper, and a soldier, find themselves at the center of this presence, attempting to shepherd an alien ambassador as chaos spreads in the city. A strange novel that mixes the supernatural with the alien, shifts between many different POVs, and gives a one of a kind look at a possible first contact.

Nubia: The Awakening (Nubia series) by Omar Epps & Clarence A. Hayes

Young adult. Three teens living in the slums of an enviromentally ravaged New York find that something powerful is awakening within them. They’re all children of refugees of Nubia, a utopian African island nation that sank as the climate worsened, and realize now that their parents have been hiding aspects of their heritage from them. But as they come into their own, someone seeks to use their abilities to his own ends, against their own people.

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

Novella. After having failed at establishing a new colony, starship Calypso fights to make it back to Earth. Acting captain Jacklyn Albright is already struggling against the threats of interstellar space and impending starvation when the ship throws her a new danger: something is hiding on the ship, picking off her crew one by one in bloody, gruesome ways. A quick, excellent read if you want some good Alien vibes.

Dawn (Xenogenesis trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler*

After a devestating war leaves humanity on the brink of extinction, survivor Lilith finds herself waking up naked and alone in a strange room. She’s been rescued by the Oankali, who have arrived just in time to save the human race. But there’s a price to survival, and it might be humanity itself. Absolutely fucked up I love it I once had to drop the book mid read to stare at the ceiling and exclaim in horror at what was going on. Includes darker examinations of agency and consent, so enter with caution.

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson*

Utterly unique in world-building, story, and prose, Midnight Robber follows young Tan-Tan and her father, inhabitants of the Carribean-colonized planet of Toussaint. When her father commits a terrible crime, he’s exiled to a parallel version of the same planet, home to strange aliens and other human exiles. Tan-Tan, not wanting to lose her father, follows with him. Trapped on this new planet, he becomes her worst nightmare. Enter this book with caution, as it contains graphic child sexual abuse.

Rosewater (The Wormwood trilogy) by Tade Thompson

In Nigeria lies Rosewater, a city bordering on a strange, alien biodome. Its motives are unknown, but it’s having an undeniable effect on the surrounding life. Kaaro, former criminal and current psychic agent for the government, is one of the people changed by it. When other psychics like him begin getting killed, Kaaro must take it upon himself to find out the truth about the biodome and its intentions.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

Young adult. A century ago, an astronomer discovered a possibly Earth-like planet. Now, a team of veteran astronauts and carefully chosen teenagers are preparing to embark on a twenty-three year trip to get there. But space is dangerous, and the team has no one to rely on but each other if - or when - something goes wrong. An introspective slowburn of a story, this focuses more on character work than action.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

After the planet Sadira is left uninhabitable, its few survivors are forced to move to a new world. On Cygnus Beta, they work to rebuild their society alongside their distant relatives of the planet, while trying to preserve what remains of their culture. Focused less on hard science or action, The Best of All Possible Worlds is more about culture, romance and the ethics and practicalities of telepathy.

Mirage (Mirage duology) by Somaiya Daud

Young adult. Eighteen-year-old Amani lives on an isolated moon under the oppressive occupation of the Valthek empire. When Amani is abducted, she finds herself someplace wholly unexpected: the royal palace. As it turns out, she's nearly identical to the half-Valthek, and widely hated, princess Maram, who is in need of a body double. If Amani ever wants to make it back home or see her people freed from oppression, she will have to play her role as princess perfectly. While sci-fi, this one more has the vibe of a fantasy.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Life on the lower decks of the generation ship HSS Matilda is hard for Aster, an outcast even among outcasts, trying to survive in a system not dissimilar to the old antebellum South. The ship’s leaders have imposed harsh restrictions on their darker skinned people, using them as an oppressed work force as they travel toward their supposed Promised Land. But as Aster finds a link between the death of the ship’s sovereign and the suicide of her own mother, she realizes there may be a way off the ship.

Where It Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon

The planet Swazembi is a utopia of color and beauty, the most beautiful of all its citizens being the Rare Indigo. Lileala was just named Rare Indigo, but her strict yet pampered life gets upended when her beautiful skin is struck by a mysterious sickness, leaving it covered in scars and scabs. Meanwhile, voices start to whisper in Lileala's mind, bringing to the surface a past long forgotten involving her entire society.

Eacaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus duology) by Nicky Drayden

Seske is the heir to the leader of a clan living inside a gigantic, spacefaring beast, of which they frequently need to catch a new one to reside in as their presence slowly kills the beast from the inside. While I found the ending rushed with regards to plot and character, the worldbuilding is very fresh and the overall plot of survival and class struggle an interesting one. It’s also sapphic!

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah*

In a near future America, inmates on death row or with life sentences in private prisons can choose to participate in death matches for entertainment. If they survive long enough - a rare case indeed - they regain their freedom. Among these prisoners are Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, partners behind the scenes and close to the deadline of a possible release - if only they can survive for long enough. As the game continues to be stacked against them and protests mount outside, two women fight for love, freedom, and their own humanity. Chain-Gang All-Stars is bleak and unflinching as well as genuinely hopeful in its portrayal of a dark but all to real possible future.

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed duology) by Octavia E. Butler*

In a bleak future, Lauren Olamina lives with her family in a gated community, one of few still safe places in a time of chaos. When her community falls, Lauren is forced on the run. As she makes her way toward possible safety, she picks up a following of other refugees, and sows the seeds of a new ideology which may one day be the saviour of mankind. Very bleak and scarily realistic, Parable of the Sower will make you both fear for mankind and regain your hope for humanity.

Binti (Binti trilogy) by Nnedi Okorafor

Young adult novella. Binti is the first of the Himba people to be accepted into the prestigious Oomza University, the finest place of higher learning in all the galaxy. But as she embarks on her interstellar journey, the unthinkable happens: her ship is attacked by the terrifying Meduse, an alien race at war with Oomza University.

War Girls (War Girls duology) by Tochi Onyebuchi

In an enviromentally fraught future, the Nigerian civil war has flared back up, utilizing cybernetics and mechs to enhance its soldiers. Two sisters, by bond if not by blood, are separated and end up on differing sides of the struggle. Brutal and dark, with themes of dehumanization of soldiers through cybernetics that turn them into weapons, and the effect and trauma this has on them.

The Space Between Worlds (The Space Between Worlds duology) by Micaiah Johnson

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s a catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying. As such she has a very special job in traveling to these worlds, hoping to keep her position long enough to gain citizenship in the walled-off Wiley City, away from the wastes where she grew up. But her job is dangerous, especially when she gets on the tracks of a secret that threatens the entire multiverse. Really cool worldbuilding and characters, also featuring a sapphic lead!

The Fifth Season (The Broken Eart trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin*

In a world regularly torn apart by natural disasters, a big one finally strikes and society as we know it falls, leaving people floundering to survive in a post apocalyptic world, its secrets and past to be slowly revealed. We get to follow a mother as she races through this world to find and save her missing daughter. While mostly fantasy in genre, this series does have some sci-fi flavor, and is genuinely some of the best books I've ever read, please read them.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings*

In an alternate version of our present, the witch hunt never ended. Women are constantly watched and expected to marry young so their husbands can keep an eye on them. When she was fourteen, Josephine's mother disappeared, leveling suspicions at both mother and daughter of possible witchcraft. Now, nearly a decade and a half later, Jo, in trying to finally accept her missing mother as dead, decides to follow up on a set of seemingly nonsensical instructions left in her will. Features a bisexual lead!

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

South African-set scifi featuring gods ancient and new, robots finding sentience, dik-diks, and a gay teen with mind control abilities. An ancient goddess seeks to return to her true power no matter how many humans she has to sacrifice to get there. A little bit all over the place but very creative and fresh.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson*

Young adult. Young artist June Costa lives in Palmares Tres, a beautiful, matriarchal city relying heavily on tradition, one of which is the Summer King. The most recent Summer King is Enki, a bold boy and fellow artist. With him at her side, June seeks to finally find fame and recognition through her art, breaking through the generational divide of her home. But growing close to Enki is dangerous, because he, like all Summer Kings, is destined to die.

The Blood Trials (The Blood Gifted duology) by N.E. Davenport

After Ikenna's grandfather is assasinated, she is convinced that only a member of the Praetorian guard, elite soldiers, could’ve killed him. Seeking to uncover his killer, Ikenna enrolls in a dangerous trial to join the Praetorians which only a quarter of applicants survive. For Ikenna, the stakes are even higher, as she's hiding forbidden blood magic which could cost her her life. Mix of fantasy and sci-fi. While I didn’t super vibe with this one, I suspect fans of action packed romantasy will enjoy it.

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

1960s classic. Rydra Wong is a space captain, linguist and poet who is set on learning to understand Babel-17, a language which is humanity's only clue at the enemy in an interstaller war. But Babel-17 is more than just a language, and studying it may change Rydra forever.

Pet (Pet duology) by Akwaeke Emezi

Young adult novella. Jam lives in a utopian future that has been freed of monsters and the systems which created and upheld them. But then she meets Pet, a dangerous creature claiming to be hunting a monster still among them, prepared to stop at nothing to find them. While I personally found the word-building in Pet lacking, it deftly handles dark subjects of what makes a human a monster.

Bonus AKA I haven’t read these yet but they seem really cool

Lion's Blood by Steven Barnes

Alternate history in which Africans colonized South America while vikings colonized the North. The vikings sell abducted Celts and Franks as slaves to the South, one of which is eleven-years-old Irish boy Aidan O'Dere, who was just bought by a Southern plantation owner.

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Young adult dystopia. Ellie lives in a future where humanity is under the control of the alien Ilori. All art is forbidden, but Ellie keeps a secret library; when one of her books disappears, she fears discovery and execution. M0Rr1S, born in a lab and raised to be emotionless, finds her library, and though he should deliver her for execution, he finds himself obsessed with human music. Together the two embark on a roadtrip which may save humanity.

Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Lelah lives in future Botswana, but despite money and fame she finds herself in an unhappy marriage, her body controlled via microchip by her husband. After burying the body of an accidental hit and run, Lelah's life gets worse when the ghost of her victim returns to enact bloody vengeance.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

Young adult. Fen de la Guerre, living in a quarantined Gulf Coast left devestated by storms and sickness, is forced on the run with a newborn after her tribe is attacked. Hoping to get the child to safety, Fen seeks to get to the other side of the wall, she teams up with a scientist from the outside the quarantine zone.

Everfair by Nisi Shawl

A neo-victorian alternate history, in which a part of Congo was kept safe from colonisation, becoming Everfair, a safe haven for both the people of Congo and former slaves returning from America. Here they must struggle to keep this home safe for them all.

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

Space opera. Enitan just wants to live a quiet life in the aftermath of a failed war of conquest, but when her lover is killed and her sister kidnapped, she's forced to leave her plans behind to save her sister.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: The City We Became (Great Cities duology) by N.K. Jemisin, The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull, The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

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spaceorphan18 · 2 years

Text

The Spaces In-Between: Chapter 8

Thanks to @lallagoglee for the wonderful cover art! <3

***

Chapter 8: Bust a Move

The theme of the week is mash-up. Not that they’re singing any mash-ups in class. Mr. Schue wants them to try to pair the Thong Song with I Could Have Danced All Night, and there are some things in life that just aren’t meant to go together. Those two songs are definitely that. And for Kurt, it’s him and football.

It’s not as though he hates football. There are some perks, like getting to spend more time with Finn and… well, that’s about it. But the game is barbaric. And as cute as some of the guys are in their uniforms, it’s just not worth having to endure constant Neanderthal level thinking. Teenage boys are dumb. And gross. He’s not sure why the universe has him attracted to them. At least girls smell better.

When the ultimatum is laid out that the football players all have to choose between glee club and football, the choice for Kurt is easy. Glee club. He has no idea why these guys are having such a hard time choosing. Why would you want to continually and barbarically run into each other when you could be on stage singing or dancing or expressing some other emotion besides pent up, youthful anger? Kurt doesn’t know.

Telling the guys he is quitting isn’t that hard. He strolls in one afternoon after missing the entire practice and as the guys are getting out of the showers, (it’s easier to tell them when they can’t so easily come after him) he announces that he’s done with the team. Coach Tanaka is mad, but the rest of them look at him in indifference. Apparently, no one really cares. Even Finn only carries a frown on his face but says nothing to persuade him not to leave the team.

Telling his dad is a lot harder. “Was it those big guys who scared you off?” his dad asks, as he takes his baseball cap to rub at his worried brow. “Because I will go down to that school and give ‘um hell.”

“No, dad, no,” Kurt reassures him. “No one tried anything. I just… love singing more than kicking a ball.”

A frown still remains on his dad's face. “I didn’t raise a quitter,” he says a bit quieter, as if it’s some kind of plea for Kurt to rethink his choice.

But he can’t back down. “I’m not one. You told me that I should always go for my dreams, and glee club is the best path to them.”

Burt relents a little. “Well, if that’s what you want.”

Kurt nods his head, enthusiastically. He does.

And he feels so much lighter for letting football go.

Unfortunately, the decision isn’t fully without consequences.

Kurt steels himself up for consequences.

He’s been through this enough times to know it's coming. He even wears his favorite designer raincoat in preparation. What he doesn’t get is that Finn is the one to do it. He can’t help but be a little disappointed. Finn has come a long way -- especially in regards to how the other guys treat him. But Finn has already demonstrated that he’s firmly still in the other camp. The ones who don’t really accept him. It hurts more than the slushie than the cold, bitch-slap of the slushie hitting his face. At least Kurt takes the choice away from him.

The girls take him into the bathroom to clean him up. He sits in one of the plastic chairs they stole from the cafeteria, head leaning back into the sing as they do their work. Their hands are soft and warm and gentle as they clean him up. They are much more caring of him than he expects them to be, and while he can’t completely say he’d be the same to them (Mercedes being the exception) he’s grateful for their compassion.

“Those guys make me so mad,” Mercedes says. She has her hand in Kurt’s as Tina combs through his hair, getting the purple clumps out. “How can we be a team when they’re still throwing slushies at us.”

“I-I know Mr. S-s-schue says he wants those songs to be a mash-up,” Tina says, as she dips some paper towel in the sink for more water. Her hands are steady as she tries to get more of the slushie out of his hair. Thank god he didn’t use much product today. “B-b-but I think we’re the real mash up. I-I-I mean look at us.”

“I cannot believe Finn, of all people, would betray us,” Rachel says, indignant. Her hands are firmly on her hips as she seethes. “He wants us to believe he’s sorry for throwing us all under the bus, but at the end of the day, he still will fall in line with the rest of them. Doesn’t he understand that he doesn’t need them? Doesn’t he understand that if he would just listen to me, and quit football for good, it would be better for us? For the club? Doesn’t he understand how much it hurts me to see him struggling when obviously I know exactly what’s best for him.”

“Alright, alright…” Mercedes can’t help but roll her eyes a bit. “We’re supposed to be here for Kurt right now. He took one for the team, and he was really brave.” She rolls her thumb over his knuckles. He gives her hand a squeeze, and smiles kindly at her before Tina soaks his hair again with water.

The door opens, and in comes Brittany, Santana, and Quinn. It’s an awkward moment as they adjust to what they’re seeing.

“Oh, my god,” Brittany lets out a little squeal and hurries over to him. She all but pushes Tina out of the way, taking the paper towel from her, and dabbing Kurt’s face with it. He never expected Brittany to be the one to dote on him, but she coos sympathetically as she washes him up. “I can’t believe what they did to your pretty face,” she says as she playfully boops him on the nose with the paper towel. It brings a slight smile to his face.

“Well, it’s a good thing they used the grape flavor,” Santana says with a humorous bite. “It definitely matches your outfit.”

“Knock it off, Santana,” Mercedes scolds.

Santana raises both hands in the air. “I’m only kidding. I mean, I’m not - the color scheme totally matches. But for realsies, it’s totally unfair that those guys never get a slushie to the face themselves. Maybe a slushie to the face would knock some sense into them.”

“Then w-w-why haven’t you done it?” Tina challenges.

Santana lets out a shrug. “I’m too lazy. And besides, you know the minute a girl starts throwing these things around, everyone involved is going to get expelled. And my grandmother will kill me if I’m expelled.”

Quinn stands behind them all, one hand lightly on her baby bump, with no expression on her face, making it difficult to read her. “I’m sorry this happened to you,” she says softly. It’s the closest, he believes, he’ll ever get to any kind of sympathy from her, and he can’t help but think it’s a step in the right direction.

“Well, thank you ladies for the sentiment,” Kurt says, pushing Brittany’s hand away. “But this slushie was done of my own hand.”

“What?” Santana gasps. “Why would anyone do that unless they have some kind of sadistic streak.”

“I was proving a point,” Kurt says, brushing his wet hair back. “That I’m not afraid of them or what they’ll do to me. I’m not afraid of anyone.” He’s not sure if he believes it yet - but he wants to. “But thank you. Really. You ladies are all wonderful.” He looks over to Tina and gives her a kind smile. “I suppose even mash-ups can still make great music.”

#s.o. writes things #the spaces in between #kurt hummel #klaine fic #omg you guys - i'll be writing new material for this soon!!!#the great glee rewatch

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