#Fandom Friends

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

Speaking of tumblr moots, anyone heard from Violet @catbells-and-summerlinens lately? Haven’t heard from them since August, I know @ofmd-ann and @agaywithcoffee were looking too.

[maaikeatthefullmoon]

I am so incredibly grateful to the GO fandom for introducing me to some of the nicest, funniest, and cleverest people on this planet.

I met the incomparable @words-so-innefable through a work I wrote on AO3 earlier this year and we quickly became great friends, messaging almost daily here on tumblr about all things GO, Dr Who, and life in general.

This past Friday we *finally* got to meet up in the flesh in London, where we spent a day living our best nerdy lives, hitting up Forbidden Planet, the Who Shop, and what are apparently the best Eccles cakes in London (St John St Bakery, if you wanted to know- have them with Lancashire cheese for the full experience).

I don’t think we shut up the entire time and it was glorious. All the nerdy fan-ness that I don’t get to dump at home, I was free to let fall out of my mouth, and I received fan-ness in return.

And it was sooo relaxed. The most relaxed I’ve EVER been on a trip to London. This is what life can be like, with people who *get* you, when you don’t have to wear your mask. I’m not even this relaxed at home.

I didn’t have the rebound exhaustion from this trip that I normally have, and that really made me think.

In the meantime, I leave you with our ineffable selfie. 🤘

[incognitopolls]

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[raevulsix]

Here’s the second part done for with for @nahoney22’s awesome fic, A Warrior’s Need. ✨

Slight NSFW, Thrawn x Reader. 💙

You can find the fic here.

[rahuratna]

Had a wonderful birthday, courtesy of family, friends and loved ones, and, of course, my dear, dear fandom friends who went out of their way to make this day an ultra-special one for me.

As someone who has recently joined fandom on Tumblr, I knew that there were so many talented artists and writers out there. As someone who has been writing on fanfic websites for over a decade, I did not expect to become part of a community that feels like family. Your warmth, kindness, encouragement and acts of simply creating things alongside me inspire me to even greater lengths!

I feel like my writing has been improving, my ideas flowing like a strong, clear river and my voice as a writer has certainly become more distinct. I have all of you precious, precious people to thank for that.

Once again, thank you to @tsukimefuku , @courtneedsleep , @actuallysaiyan , @kusakabesimp , @kentocalls , @jadedjane , @yasu-1234 and @mysteria157 for your beautiful, sweet messages.

Thanks to @cmdrfupa for that stunning poem that literally made me pause and put my phone away for a minute because I was so overwhelmed. Thank you, sweet one.

Thanks to @radish-breath , @traffi , @valleyofwater , @g00miato , @courtneedsleep and @jjk-eugie for the stunning art you drew as my birthday gifts, of Nanami, Taishiro (and Pompompurin!). I cannot even believe I received those priceless and beautiful gifts from you all and I will save and treasure them always!

This year has been a tough one for me. I've said that before. With friends and fellow-creators like these, though, walking this path beside me, my journey has been so much richer and full of life, colour and joy.

This has been a fantastic birthday.

[angelosearch]

I just realized it was around this time last year that I started replaying FFVIII.

This time was different from all the other times I returned to it. For the first time since my initial playthrough, it brought me into the fold of the fandom. I tried to go on Reddit, but that was not enough. In the few months that followed, my ravenous desire for all things FFVIII led me back to Tumblr.

Since then, this fandom has done so much for me and my mental health. I've made new friends (even irl!). I've learned many, many new skills. Through the act of engaging, by creating, interacting with, and enjoying various fanworks, memes, and theories, I've been given so much joy, inspiration, and even moments of self-discovery.

And, of course, this fandom got me writing again, which has just been all-around life-changing. I used to spend so much time scrolling and watching TV - now I use that time writing.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be learning how to sing, or dressing in cosplay I made, or finishing writing a 200k word fanfic, I NEVER would have believed you. But having this space to explore and play within the context of this videogame has brought out the best, most passionate version of myself.

Connecting with my inner child, returning to my favorite piece of media, meeting some incredible people; it has all just made me feel good about being alive and has motivated me to get creative in ways I never have before.

I was lucky enough to have the time and space to accept the wonderful things the universe offered me over the last year. As I move into this next (likely extremely busy) phase of my life with grad school and my internship starting, I want to express gratitude and also remind myself that while these pursuits do take energy, they also generate it.

This is my promise to myself: I will continue listening to my inner child. I will not stop writing. I will not forget what brings me joy. Holding onto these things is what makes the hard work and late nights and the stress of a new career doable. I will be a better person if I take the time to engage with my hobbies, and, as a therapist, it will be important for me to model strong work-life balance and professional boundaries for my clients.

To all my mutuals, thanks for being here for the journey. Shout out to a few of my closest fandom friends, as I cannot express how much better you've made my life since I met you: @tr1ck5 @suleikashideaway @irishais @gardengalwrites @aleheartilly @sevlinop @foxtrottcantfindshit @quiettekiyet

[daniwib]

When I started writing fanfic back in the dark ages (2020) I would never have guessed that one day I’d be holding bound copies of my own writing. My writing. In actual physical book form.

Bound by not one but two amazingly talented people who liked my silly little stories so much they bound them for themselves. Not only that, but they also then bound a second copy and sent it to me (not a small feat, we live in completely different countries and they took nearly 3 months to get here).  

I am stunned. Awed. Amazed. Humbled. So very grateful. They are sitting next to my keyboard and I keep stroking them like they’re cats. They are so pretty! Each is so perfectly suited for the plot of the fic too. A hunter’s journal for the SPN/911 crossover and colour changing scales for the Merman Buck fic? I could never have imagined such perfection or had the skill to do this myself.

Thank you, my wonderful fandom friends. You have given me a truly unique gift that I treasure. And that my family is fighting over about who gets to read which first! If you’re curious about the fics. Mind the tags: Trust me, Darlin’ Cherish

[here-queer-jointpain-severe]

Texts I get from @xiaq out of context

peak chaos

[unicornmachine]

The sweetest gifts from my beloved @blenselche 🥹 💕

[crumpetsandbiscuits]

reblog if you need more friends in any of these fandoms: (TMNT, KOTLC, PJO, ASOUE) and we’ll make some friendships 💖 and feel free to add whatever fandom you want!

[blackmonitor]

"Thrawn rolled his shoulders in an attempt to make his new tunic fit just a bit better; in time the cloth would become like a second skin, but for now it was still slightly stiff, never worn before today. A new rank badge, silver collar pins, golden epaulets - all placed just so, the effect of the whole undeniably striking. It felt strange; it felt right. A decade of struggle and hard work had led to this; for a man that had never expected to be garbed in white, it was an accomplishment that he was fiercely proud of, despite the event that had led to it. And yet, as he buttoned the cuffs of his sleeves, Thrawn couldn’t help but feel a pang of loneliness. This was a great accomplishment, yes, but it was not his alone. He wondered what Eli would think if he was here to see it. Would the same pride he felt be reflected in the human’s eyes?

He liked to think so.

One day, perhaps, he would find out."

Thank you for those wonderful words @owlpartytime

[raevulsix]

Here’s my Comic-Inspired Art for @nahoney22’s awesome Thrawn x Reader fanfic with Director Krennic. ✨

You can find the fic, A Warrior’s Need, here.

[bellisima-writes]

Fandom friends are the best. Thanks bestie, @lickthecowhappy , for this awesome postcard that took way too long to get to me but brightened my day immensely when I received it.

Art by the amazing @illustoryart . I bought a digital set of ineffable husbands works and have one as my background on my phone - check out their blog for more goodies. The detailing is delicious.

[siriuslychessi]

The only time I’m a swiftie is when I’m with @petals2fish

Loved meeting @petals2fish and @chierafied 💕💕 for more meetings in the future!!!

[dbhstruggleposting]

I see you need friends?))))))))))

(Let me know if this isn't how you reply to this stuff???)

Yes! I love making fandom friends! My closest friend of 8 years was originally a fandom friend, and she was the one who bought me DBH :D I cherish fandom friends, and being able to yap about games and characters! I've spent 10 years online within fandoms fandom hopping so :D

Have a Connor for you time :3

[runawaydr3amerao3]

Happy Friendiversary, Kase. 🫶

Two years ago today, I got this comment on one of my fics on AO3:

I could not possibly have known at the time that it was the first of dozens of comments Kasey aka @sam-is-my-safe-word and I would exchange as they went through my back catalogue hyping the shit out of everything I'd ever written until I was such a gleeful puddle of low-self-esteem goblin goo I could hardly bear it.

But in the interest of not spamming the archive into 50-comment-deep threads, we soon moved to email, where we exchange literally thousands over the next year. And I mean 'literally' literally there, not figuratively as 'literally' is often used these days.

What can I say? We're both writers. We do words.

When we (well, just me, actually. I am a DELICATE. FLOWER) finally got past being shy about adding each other on social media so we could chat in real-time, we really hit our stride.

It's now been two years (officially!) and except for days sacrificed to the gods of my depression-sleeping marathons and timezone differences, we haven't gone a single day without speaking.

I've never had a friendship like I've had with this incredible human being. The bonding over SPN and the creative energy it stokes is one thing. But on a purely human level, the mental and emotional support they've offered me in times of need has been unwavering. The gentle but firm refusal to accept when I'm being unfair or unkind to myself. The light they've sometimes inadvertently but accurately shone on patterns of behaviour I accept from myself and others when I should expect better. And my word, the laughter. The joy. The tears (oh my gosh the tears). The patience and kindness. The trust. The loyalty, wisdom, consideration, and encouragement.

The love, given and received, in such volume it dazzles me on a daily basis.

This friendship came to me at a time in my life when I needed it more than I realised. It also came to me at the time in my life when I was most able to truly accept it. A lot of things had to line up for it to happen the way it did, including my return to the fandom as a writer after a decade-long hiatus, which was itself spurred by other significant life circumstances. I don't know if fate is a thing, but whatever the case, even sheer dumb luck, boy, am I glad for it.

Happy friendiversary, Kasey. 💖

(Yes, I chose this picture because you complained about it. Love you. 🫶)