Playing with words

So this was me! I actually matched on a different pairing but how could I not write Yelena&Natasha after seeing Black Widow?!

Vested Interest (2090 words) by NRGburst
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Black Widow (Movie 2021), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Yelena Belova & Natasha Romanov
Characters: Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Yelena Belova
Additional Tags: Missing Scene, background Alexei/Melina, Post-Canon, angsty ending, Assuming all of Family 2 got dusted, hence the major character death
Summary:

Because sometimes a baby sister might need some help from the cool kids. (Or vice versa.)


I haven't had the mental/emotional space to do my usual rummage and rec from the fic collection, but I will try to remember to do a browse later! 

I only finished one book in July and it was mostly for research for a fic I probably won't write now. 😅 Still, it was interesting and informative and I'd recommend it for sure. All the historical details about menstrual products from the past make me very grateful for my cup, and not at all sure that any fic talking frankly about periods (and sex while on a period) would be well received at all. Like it still seems to be one of those taboo subjects, even though most fic authors tend to be people who menstruate. Isn't that weird?( Cut for more period talk but I am also kind of annoyed that it isn't more normalized )

 Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elisse Stein and Susan Kim

Anyway, I was watching a lot of TV instead of reading, I suppose.

TED LASSO IS BACK AND AHHHH. SO MUCH LOVE. It got off to a weird start but I think it's hit its stride again after getting all the character arcs set up. I really need to GIF it and make icons! One weird thing in the last ep:( Cut for spoilers )
I also finished Loki last month and... it was okay? It didn't ever seem to really get great like Wandavision did, although I totally ship it and I'm thrilled they went there in the end. 😁

Also been watching a lot of documentaries like the various Explained series on Netflix.

Movies: Loved watching A Quiet Place Part 2, Black Widow and Luca last month. 

Just a PSA that fandomgiftbox  is in the sign up phase and that everywoman  exchange is at the nominations stage right now! Yes, I am side-eyeing myself for signing up for them when I'm currently swamped but it's only some GIF making and 500 words in order to get rarepair WLW fic/art! :D And I'm going to get used to this pace of daily life anytime now, right? :DDD 

ETA: Whoops I totally forgot to post that I wrote fic earlier this week too. 😅 I haven't written a 5+1 for years and this one just came pouring out outta nowhere. Like I was inspired by a couple of songs from 2019 (Stroke and Godless by Banks) and a GIFset I made 4 months ago, wtfeven is going on in my fevered brain.😅


the touch placebo (1374 words) by NRGburst
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Queen's Gambit (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Beth Harmon/Benny Watts
Characters: Beth Harmon, Benny Watts
Additional Tags: 5+1 Things, Canon Compliant, beth-centric, Rivals to Lovers, this isn't even that smutty but it's descriptive enough that i'm rating E for safety, Angst
Summary:

Five times Benny touches Beth (and one time she touches him back)