#Open Question to Followers/Event Participants

[shotoh]

— in which they slowly find themselves enamored by the natural charms of their interviewer

feat. itoshi rin, nagi seishiro, itoshi sae

cw + tw. nothing much just fluff, fem!reader, interviewer/reporter!reader, aged-up!characters, characters are professional athletes and continue playing in their teams from the neo egoist league (except sae)

notes. first time posting blue lock so apologies if anyone’s ooc, either way i might make a follow-up of this (that might be more uh ya know) and/or add characters

ITOSHI RIN

the sound that follows the harsh slam of his locker is a frustrating sigh that has been simmering in rin’s chest since the end of today’s match. the match in which he had lost—and at the hands of isagi’s team which makes the defeat all the more bitter and disgusting on his tongue. it didn’t help that during the game, he was butting heads with his supposed teammate, shidou. once the coach had decided to sub the eccentric player in, their styles began mixing like oil and water. as a result, their win was swooped up from under them.

pxg has been called to host a post-sport interview to review the match with reporters, but rin couldn’t care less to participate. instead, he’s the very last person to leave the locker rooms. his duffle bag is slung over his shoulder, steps ambling down the hallway.

whether he wins or loses, rin never bothers to attend these post-game interviews. he doesn’t need to sit there and have brash reporters shoot the same questions at him, expecting him to “thank his coach and teammates,” “praise his opponents for a great game today,” and say he’ll “continue to work hard to win next time.” gross. he’d rather be caught dead than have any of those words leave his mouth.

as rin navigates through the hallways of the stadium, he’s hoping to be done with the day and think over the turn of events on his own. but when he rounds the corner, he crosses eyes with someone so obviously lost in the facility—a mistake which punishes him as you immediately approach him with doe, bewildered eyes.

“sorry, i don’t mean to bother you, but i was wondering where the conference for pxg was being held,” you ask. a pad of notes are cradled in your arms, pen clipped to the breast pocket of your blazer. it’s clear you’re another reporter.

before he can point you in the right direction to get you out of his hair, you squint. you’re taking a long, hard look at him until your face suddenly glows. “wait, you’re itoshi rin, the striker for pxg!” you practically blurt. with the volume of your voice, rin’s instincts take hold, and he’s pulling you away from the open space of the hallway.

“quiet. you want everyone to hear?” rin chastises.

“whoops. i got a little excited! i-i’ve been wanting to interview pxg’s top player and well…” you could say the opportunity presented itself, but rin makes it clear he’s not interested.

“if you’re here just to hear me mope over my loss, then go home,” the striker affirms to what he thinks will be the last of this exchange until you tug on the sleeve of his jersey before he starts walking away. turning his head back to glance at you, his brow quirks.

“no, of course not! i thought it was incredible how you were able to keep control of the ball from your opponents and even score the first two points of the game all by yourself!” you exclaim, face lifting as it’s teeming with admiration. surprisingly, he can’t help but be a bit amused by the determined expression etched over the perplexed look that was originally on your features.

you swipe your pen hanging off your pocket, prompting it open with a click of your thumb. “and i’m sure a lot of your fans would love to hear from you!”

the athlete cocks his head. “you’re acting like a fan yourself, miss reporter.”

you blink in surprise. the enthusiasm in your words tones down, but you fail to mask it completely. “what? no, i’m just here to get the exclusive on the best athletes of our country!” if your plan is to butter him up to get a word out of him, it may almost work. you send him another fawning look as if to say “can you blame me though?” and that stirs a low chuckle from his throat.

his face lowers until it’s slightly more leveled with your own, and from this angle, you’re amazed to find you can distinguish every distinct eyelash on his pretty face. and you’re even more enamored by the intense color of his teal eyes. at the proximity, however, your face bathes in the heat of the blood rushing to your cheeks. thankfully, the striker breaks eye contact in favor of taking the notepad from your arms, along with your pen which he uses to scribble something down.

“tell you what,” he says as he continues writing, “come to the next pxg match and i’ll give you an exclusive interview, right after i score at least four goals and decimate the other team.”

his declaration leaves you in awe, and your fascination persists when he hands your pen and pad back for you to see a ten digit number, followed by call my manager written next to it.

NAGI SEISHIRO

back when he was in school, nagi was never great at first impressions. and apparently that’s still the case even later on in his career as a professional striker.

he doesn’t even notice you enter the room as he’s preoccupied with tapping the controls for the first person shooter on his phone. as such, he’s woefully unprepared to hear the reluctant, but soft voice that vies for his attention.

“um, excuse me. if you don’t mind, i’d like to get started with the interview.”

taking a slow glimpse above his screen, he sees the refreshing sight of you—his interviewer—sitting across from him in your neat attire and a clipboard on your lap. surprised by the modest smile that greets him, he automatically straightens up and casts his phone to the side.

it’s a big contrast to what he was expecting. usually, scruffy men who claim they’re adept and knowledgeable in the sport would be shoving their mics in his face. when in reality those people are just washed up high school coaches or analysts who act all high and mighty by asking a bunch of nonsense questions. saying this and that about how they would have done it differently had they been in the game instead of him. regardless, they’re such a pain and nagi would rather be napping in his cloud mattress than go through another talk session with those wannabes. however, his encounter with you just might break this boring streak.

he rubs the back of his head sheepishly, playing off the crass first impression. “right. start whenever you want.”

once he gives you the go ahead, you flip through a few pages to your questions.

as time goes on, the sentiment nagi initially held about how the interview might have been a pain and a waste of his time in his already packed schedule begins to sway. throughout the inquiries, he finds himself fixated on you. like the flattering nude color touched up on your plush lips. or how you have a habit of playing with strands of your hair when contemplating on what question to ask next. or the cute laugh you let out that was pleasant to his ears when he gave a much more aloof answer than you were expecting.

well, he can’t change the fact that he doesn’t need to think much when it comes to football. that’s just how naturally talented he is—the sport is second nature to him. honestly, he’s a bit bummed out that he can’t give a competent interviewer like you better responses.

what catches the snowy haired striker slightly off-guard is your next topic of questions about his e-sport endorsements. he wasn’t expecting you to delve into his hobbies. most interviews always glossed over that area in favor of asking something along the lines of “what was going through your head when you made that winning goal,” to which he could only say he was too caught up in the moment to really convey the feelings into words.

but with this opportunity, nagi goes on a mild tangent about the new first person shooter he’s been playing. even if his tone sounds indifferent on the surface, you don’t miss the hidden enthusiasm under the brighter twinkle of his eyes. you giggle which makes nagi pause.

“did i say something weird?” he asks back. you swear you detect a tonal whine in his voice, another endearing trait you didn’t know a 190 cm striker could possess.

“no.. just find it cute how much you can talk about your favorite games like that.”

nagi can’t tell whether the grin on your pretty lips is there to tease him or that you find his boyish charms endearing. either way, his cheeks puff and that only serves to make him more adorable in your eyes.

“well don’t let me stop you! i’d like to hear more about what things interest you other than soccer.” the look on your face fascinates him. you’re not even looking at your clipboard anymore, but right at him. it’s the tell-tale sign of someone who genuinely wants to know him not as the star player of manshine city, but just as regular nagi seishiro. he’s not used to that sort of treatment and as a result, he can’t meet your eyes, not realizing he flushes a lovely shade of pink that reaches the tips of his ears.

nagi pouts, glancing down at his phone that’s been laying near his thigh, untouched for a record of what must be ages, but that honestly doesn’t feel long enough to him. “no fair… you’re just teasing me…” he murmurs, but his fingers are already itching to ask his manager if he can extend the interview to spend more time with you.

ITOSHI SAE

the first opportunity you get to interview the itoshi sae is unconventional, to say the least.

“excuse me! please let me through–!”

“miss, you can’t be here– hey!”

the setting is chaotic, to the point where sae can make out the commotion in the background as he’s walking toward his rest area with his manager and bodyguard following beside him. when he glimpses at what all the fuss is about, he witnesses security personnel wrangle with a stray reporter.

spotting the reddish haired athlete, you find an opportunity to call out to him. “itoshi sae, please, may i have a word with you?”

to your dismay, security persistently blocks your view of the midfielder. despite being obstructed by a pair of burly men almost twice your size, you give them more of a struggle as you thrash around, even reprimanding them to “keep their hands to themselves if they know what’s good for them.” sae can’t help but be amused. a part of him finds your efforts admirable—watching you scrunch up your uniform and crease your notes at just a chance to speak with him.

“mister itoshi is far too busy to entertain any more of you today. please make your way to the exit–”

“it’s fine,” sae interjects to everyone’s surprise—mostly to the utter astonishment of you and his manager. the latter’s eyes widen scrupulously before he cups his hand next to the pro athlete’s ear.

“sir, i believe we’ll be running late to your next scheduled event if you decide to do a last minute interview,” the manager warns warily. “besides, haven’t you talked to enough of the media today? i mean look at her, she doesn’t even seem worth your time–”

“push everything back thirty minutes if you have to.”

his manager gawks. “but..?!”

one side-eye of sae’s piercing ocean eyes is enough for the man to retract his statement and mumble his apologies. that said and done, the security guards withdraw to let you through. you’re astonished by how much the situation can flip with the cooperation of a renown professional.

sae’s staff lead you into his spacious break room, preparing a set of chairs and leaving glasses of water on the coffee table before you start. having already taken his seat, he watches you run your hands through the wrinkled material of your blouse and pencil skirt. after finally fixing your stray hairs in place, you sit in front of him in all your pristine as if the whole conflict from earlier never happened. he wants to give you another point for professionalism.

“once again, thank you so much for granting me the opportunity to speak to you today,” you beam, mocking his manager hovering in the background with your unbeknownst-to-sae sly little smile.

sae grins, charmed. you arrange your notes one last time before moving onto your questions.

during the interview, sae comes to know your professionalism isn’t merely for show. you’ve done your research, analyzed his plays—his techniques, and as a result, ask him the most intriguing inquiries he’s sure no reporters asked him before. and he’s had his fair share of interviews throughout his developing career as a child prodigy. it’s evident you weren’t planning to waste his time and he’s appreciative of that fact.

there’s also an air of zeal you possess that allures him. he can’t exactly pinpoint what it is. your ingenuity? your liveliness? either way, he can’t imagine this to be his last interaction with you, and he makes sure that won’t be the case.

at just a simple snap of his finger, his manager is at his side. you have to hold in a snicker at how the man scurries over to the midfielder like a dog.

the two exchange a few words you don’t catch, only deciphering the dumbfounded look on the manager’s face which clashes with the stoic expression on sae’s. whatever the conversation was about, the former knows it’s a losing battle. at his loss, he pulls out a lanyard from the compartment attached to his clipboard. he gives it to sae, who takes it and leans across the space between you two to place it in your awaiting hands, as if you already knew from the manager’s defeated mannerisms that it was meant to be yours.

“this is..?” you begin inquiring as you eye the card on the lanyard methodically.

sae beats you to your discovery of that answer. “an exclusive press pass, which you can use to reach out to me again following any matches i’ve played in.”

mouth hanging open, you switch back and forth between the pass and sae’s marine eyes which don’t hold a shred of doubt.

he puts it simply.

“i’d like to continue this interview with you again.”

copyright 2023 shotoh, all rights reserved. i do not allow my creations to be published or translated anywhere else so please do not repost this or share my content on tiktok.

[amazing-nightcrawler]

NIGHTCRAWLER WEEK 2024 NOV. 11 - 17

Welcome Nightcrawlers!

The Amazing-Nightcrawler is proud to present our first NIGHTCRAWLER WEEK featuring our favorite Fuzzy Blue Elf, Kurt Wagner aka The Amazing Nightcrawler! We hope you'll join in & participate! See you in November!

Nightcrawler Week Prompts

Day 1 - Circus or Swashbuckler Day 2 - Fangs or Fashion Day 3 - Shadows or The Silver Screen Day 4 - Alternate Universe or What if...? Day 5 - Family or Abilities Day 6 - Romance or Team Leader Day 7 - Creator's Choice

Alternative Prompts

Sword Devotion Trapped Abandoned Exhibitionist Hope

Nightcrawler Week Ao3 Collection - Opens Nov. 11 2024

Creators can use one or both prompts for each day. Alternative Prompts are available for additional inspiration; Creators can swap out a daily prompt for an alternative prompt or use it in combination with a daily prompt or not at all. Creator's Choice can use any prompt in the list or whatever the Creator's heart desires.

Please read all FAQ's & Rules located under the read more. If you have any questions then drop the Mods an Ask. The Amazing Nightcrawler Discord is accepting new members! This is an 18+ Marvel Discord server. Please read & follow all rules upon joining.

FAQ's

What is Nightcrawler Week?

Nightcrawler Week is a Marvel Fandom Event created by Nightcrawler Fans for Nightcrawler Fans, with fanworks featuring Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler.

I want to be creator, how do I join?

No sign ups, no checks, just create whatever you feel like creating! Choose one or all of the prompts. Please read and follow all rules to be a part of this event.

What type of fanworks are accepted?

All types of fanwork are accepted; light, dark, fluff, angst, romantic or platonic, etc. please be sure to tag properly. Fanworks include: Fanfiction, Fanart, Podcasts, Edits, Playlists, Podfics, Moodboards, Aesthetics, Gifs, etc. You may commission work to be submitted but it must be created for this event, so no reposting an older work for this. Due to Tumblr's restrictions we cannot reblog anything that is explicitly N S F W, but we can reblog links to N S F W creations that are hosted on other sites.

What media is accepted?

Any and all media that features Kurt Wagner this includes; Comics, Animation, Movies, and Video Games.

Do I have to create to participate?

Not necessarily, while creating is highly encouraged, we also value the fans who wish to participate in the event by sharing, reblogging, commenting, and supporting Creators works!

When does Nightcrawler Week open?

Nightcrawler Week opens on November 11th, Kurt's Birthday! The week closes on November 17th. During this time Mods will be checking the #nightcrawlerweek tag to reblog creations to this blog. So don't forget to tag with #nightcrawlerweek or @amazing-nightcrawler so we can see your posts! You can also add to our Ao3 collection.

RULES

1. No Racism. Racism in any form will not be tolerated nor accepted. Kurt was raised in a Romani Family, please be mindful and respectful about their culture.

2. No Pedo, Incest, Pseudo Incest fanworks (such as Amanda/Kurt where they are raised as adopted siblings or Rogue/Kurt.) (However X-Men Evolution Amanda/Kurt is accepted as a ship pairing.)

3. Absolutely NO AI generated fanworks, including art or writing.

4. No Nightcrawler x Reader, Character Imagines, Kinships, Selfship x Nightcrawler. (OC x Nightcrawler ships are welcome!)

5. Kurt is not a furry, or an alien/demon/catboy, he is a Human Mutant, please be mindful to not dehumanize Kurt.

6. Don't like? Don't Read! You, the fan, are responsible for your comfort in fandom. If there is something that upsets you then please take the steps necessary to remove yourself from that situation.

7. Tag your triggers! Please remember to properly tag your work!

8. You must use #nightcrawlerweek in the first 5 tags of your post so that Mods will be able to find your work and share. You may also use @amazing-nightcrawler to tag us on your posts.

Mods will not share any works that does not comply with the rules. We strive to be a supportive & fun community, no drama or racism will be tolerated.

[atthebell]

Spiderbit/Guapoduo Fluff or Fright: October 20-26

Do you love Spiderbit? Enjoy Fluff? Love Horror? This is the event for you!!!

This event will take place the week of October 20-26th and consists of fourteen prompts; one each day of the week for Fluff, one each day of the week for Fright.

AO3 Collection

FAQ:

Q: Do I have to post just one prompt? Can I post on different days/late? A: You can post as many prompts as you like, and you can even use your own prompts, so long as they follow the theme of Fluff or Fright!

Q: Can I post on different days/late/early? A: You can post whenever you'd like! You don't have to post on the exact days if you need more time/want to post early, and you can even post a month late or however long it takes for you to finish. This event is to encourage people to create more Spiderbit fanworks-- it's not a homework assignment!

Q: Do I have to write fic? Can I post fanart/cosplays/edits/etc.? A: You do not have to write fic to participate! This event is open to any kind of fanworks.

Q: What tag(s) can I use? A: On Tumblr, you can use the tag "spiderbit fluff or fright," with the spaces. On Twitter or Bluesky, you can use "SpiderbitFlufforFright."

Q: Are there any rules about what kind of content can be included? A: Yes. No explicit sexual content, and keep the works focused on Spiderbit.

Q: Can I tag you on here when I post my work(s)? A: Yes! Please do! I can't guarantee I'll reblog all works, but regardless, be sure to use the tag and I'll go through it periodically throughout the week.

Q: Do I have to sign up/join a Discord/fill out a form? A: You do not! Feel free to just work on your fic/art/etc. and post it whenever you finish. There are no deadlines and no sign-ups; anyone can feel free to participate at any time.

Q: What if I have further questions? A: Send me an ask or a DM!

[atomicraft]

JRW(D)ISABILITY WEEK!

a week dedicated to posting JRWI fanworks related to disability for july, which is disabled pride month !!!

This event will start on July 29th and end August 4th! The official hashtag will be #jrw(d)isabilityweek2024

You can make any kind of fanwork (fanfiction, art, webweave, etc) and this event is open to all, whether you’re disabled or not :]

Rules, guidelines, and definitions can be found below the cut!

What does disabled encompass ?

The definition of disabled is “(of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities.”

Examples of physical disabilities are arthritis, being blind or hard of hearing, joint weaknesses, autoimmune disorders, etc.

Examples of mental/cognitive disabilities are dyslexia, cerebral palsy, autism, OSDD/DID, schizospectrum, OCD, etc.

GUIDELINES:

1. Ships are welcome in this event; platonic, romantic, familial, whatever floats your boat

2. The prompts are just suggestions, you do not need to follow them!

3. Feel free to tag me in works made so I can repost them :D

4. Having more then one entry per day is welcome

5. You do not need to be disabled or have a particular disability to participate in this event

RULES:

1. Be respectful! This includes respecting everyones individual disabled experiences, and being respectful of how you portray disabilities

2. All work must be your own! No plagiarism, no AI

3. No works with explicit sexual content in them

4. Have fun and be creative <3

I’ll be posting reminders for this event 2 weeks and 1 week out from before it starts with the hashtag, as well as feel free to send asks about this event to my inbox or discord (atomicraft)! I’ll answer any questions under the #jrw(d)iasks tag.

Happy disabled pride month!

[bellanothadidloa]

As I initially stated in my success story, I don't plan on being very active here because I've spent too much time on social media. However, I want to answer some common questions to help you guys achieve your dreams before winter or to provide some motivation.

Do you have new method you recommend

Yes, I found this on a blogger's page. I've been experimenting for fun with different techniques. One method involves using theta waves and counting from 100 to 300 until you feel drowsy, then affirming for the void.

Alternatively, you can use the five senses method that shifters often use, which I find works the best!

And, lucid dreaming is an incredible experience. To enhance your dreams, try spraying magnesium oil on your feet. This will lead to some of the most vivid dreams of your life.

Also, research neuroplasticity—it's a fact that with enough repetition, affirmations can rewire your brain. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.

Are you into shifting and other explorations

Yes, at first, I manifested shifting abilities just for fun, but I didn't have anywhere I particularly wanted to go because I was so content with my life—and I still am. I love my life! However, anytime you're curious about something, bored, or want to see how a different decision would turn out, you can just shift. It's amazing to feel this limitless, and I wish this experience for everyone!

I've also tried astral projection, but it doesn't do much for me since I can just shift anywhere I want or even travel there if I want to see something in person. It's all quite fascinating!

What is your life like now

I live in Monaco, but I'm considering international schools like Le Rosey or Phillip Phillips Exeter in Massachusetts. I've manifested that when I graduate in 2025, I'll get into an American Ivy League school.

I have an amazing social life, travel often, and attend prestigious events I could only dream of (I follow the billionaires calendar) I experience pretty privilege, and I have a good dating life and don't relate to the "I hate men" sentiment. I mean, the ones on social media can be gross, but they don't meet or see me in real life.which is insane. I get good grades easily and am generally loved and admired by everyone. It's so weird going from being ignored to being loved by everyone. My home life is great; my parents are the best people, and my siblings and I get along well. My home is the hangout spot for my friends which is fun, and I still cater to myself. I listen to subliminals and do journaling, which genuinely makes me happy. I'm open about my spirituality on my social media page, hehe! I've also become a Pilates enthusiast, even though I don't need to work out. I enjoy participating in rich hobbies like Pilates, golf, horseback riding, tennis, skiing, and, of course, traveling!

All in all, my life is amazing, and every day I'm kind of scared I'll wake up from this spell. It's crazy that this is just my permanent life!

Comment more questions I have a layover which nothing to do and I’ll add more to the post as I see them :)

[doomdoomofdoom]

If you've been boycotting Eurovision, you may have missed out on how bad it truly was, so here are a few events in no particular order:

The opening act of the semi-finals was Eric Saade, a swedish-palestinian singer who participated in Eurovision 2011. He wore a keffiyeh, a palestinian headdress, around his arm like a wristband.

Despite not making any political statements or drawing attention to his accessory, he was reprimanded by the EBU for "compromising the non-political nature of the event".

During their semi-final performance, the Irish contestant had the word "ceasefire" in old irish runes painted on their face. They were ordered to change it for the final, as it was deemed too political.

The contestant from Israel was not allowed to mingle with the other contestants, due to supposed security risks.

During an Interview, she was asked if she felt any concerns over her participation potentially endangering the event and the people present. The host told her she did not have to answer this question. Dutch contestant 'Joost' asked "why not?"

Joost, while not openly antagonizing the Israeli contestant, has made covert critical remarks about the EBUs decision to allow Israel to participate.

On Friday, the day before the Finale, Joost was investigated by the swedish police for a supposed incident where he threatened an EBU crew member. Thursday, a female camera operator had followed him off-stage to continue filming, even though there was an agreement not to film him off-stage. After she ignored his requests to stop, he threatened her with some sort of gesture.

Joost was disqualified mere hours before the finale. He was slotted to perform just before Israel and considered a favorite and potential winner.

The show itself did not address his disqualification. The dutch entry was simply skipped with no further comment.

Israeli broadcaster KAN was confirmed to have broken EBU rules during their coverage of the Irish act in the Semifinal. The commentator spoke negatively about their act, condemning the very scary goth aesthetic, and noting their willingness to criticize Israel's actions.

Despite Irish contestant Bambie Thug lodging a complaint with the EBU, there was no penalty or other repercussion.

If you were hoping that the event itself would turn into some sort of protest, I have to disappoint you:

Despite rumors of other contestants dropping out over Joost's disqualification, all of them performed.

There was audible booing every time Israel was on-screen, including their performance, announcement of points, and every time they received points. There was equally audible cheering.

No contestant or spokesperson directly addressed the ""controversy"" (read: ongoing genocide being artwashed), although very few made covert remarks about peace, love, dignity, and equality.

The most explicit it got was the Austrian spokesperson, saying something along the lines of "It's hard to find only positive words in a time where heartlessness prevails. But we hope everyone can unite through music and show that everyone deserves to be treated equally"

No one stormed on stage or held up a palestinian flag or anything, if you were hoping for that. I certainly was.

Israel gave its 12 points (both Jury and public) to Luxembourg. The singer is half-israeli and born in Jerusalem.

Jury votes mostly ignored Israel, netting them a total of 52 points through jury votes, which put them somewhere in the middle of the scoreboard. Norway, Cyprus, and Germany awarded them 8 points each, making them the main contributors.

In contrast, Israel received 323 points from the public voting. They were second only to Croatia with 337. 15 public votings, including "rest of the world" awarded Israel their 12 points, more than any other country would receive. The only countries not to award any points to Israel in the public vote were Croatia and Ukraine.

Israel thereby placed 5th out of 25.

But hey, at least the winner (Switzerland) was nonbinary, diversity win amirite. Notably, they had to smuggle in their pride flag, since EBU guidelines only allow flags of participating countries and the rainbow flag. (This is also why palestinian flags were not allowed. It's not a new rule, but they certainly weren't going to start bending it now.)

If there's one thing to take away from this: Do not ever think the rest of the world is on your side, just because your social media is. The rest of the world has shown their allegiance, and it lies with Israel and Genocide.

Do not stop fighting for what is right.

[dira333]

Kiss me in the dark - Kuroo x Reader

Friends to lovers, for @reverie-starlight for the Milestone Event Week 1

"Spin the bottle!" Bokuto cries, as usual much too loud for the crowded space.

"I heard you the first time!" Yaku sniffs and spins the bottle, no doubt hoping it will land on Fukurodani's cute manager.

It lands on you.

You can see how he swallows, his usually straightforward behavior turning nervous. "I think there's a mistake," he tries. "I didn't spin it right."

"Rules are rules!" Akaashi points out with an almost bored smile while you wish you could sink into the floor.

Yaku hesitates once more before resigning himself to his fate, leaning over the gap where the bottle waits for its next turn.

SMACK!

He lands face-first on the floor, Tetsurou behind him.

"Whoops, sorry. Didn't see you there."

Yaku's cheeks are red and he's positively angry but he's not retaliating, which is a first.

"Well, get it over with..." Akaashi drawls and there's something to his smile that tells you he's enjoying this... whatever this is.

"I could take your place if you're too hurt to kiss, you know." Tetsurou points out, pointedly checking his nails.

"Yes," Kenma snarls from where he's hidden by the snacks. "Do it."

Silence washes over the room. It's one thing to joke about it, another to actually follow through on it.

Your eyes catch Tetsurou’s in the dim light and your heart stutters to a halt as you wonder if he's finally going to do it - breach that gap between you that's been keeping you apart.

- - -

“This is Tetsurou, my son. And this is Kenma, his best friend,” the man explains. You eye the two boys from the safety of your mother's hand, none of them daring to catch your eye.

“My daughter is a little shy,” your mother explains above you to your utter embarrassment. “I’m sure she’ll warm up to them in no time though.”

“Do you, uh,” Tetsurou mumbles, dragging his foot across the floor, “do you wanna play… Volleyball?”

“Can I?” You look up to your mom for guidance. You don’t dislike playing ball. You just hope they don’t play rough.

“Sure, honey. Go on.”

Tetsurou is a good teacher. He might swallow his words sometimes, reddening in the afterglow of the evening sun when you peer up at him with too many questions to voice and he might stumble over himself trying to get you to like Kenma and Kenma to like you, but he’s nice. Not too rough, not too loud. Just nice.

-

The room is filled with the pained sounds of a monster dying as Kenma slays it on screen. 

You purse your lips, focusing as you drag the little brush over Tetsurou’s nails.

“I like this kind of red,” he mumbles quietly, all tuckered out from playing Volleyball all afternoon. It’s the one thing that gets him out of his shell, just like Games do for Kenma, or fashion does for you. 

“I have a wig in that color,” you tell him just as quietly, “I can lend it to you.”

“Really?” His grin is infectious. “I’d love that.”

And it’s in those moments, quiet and soft and oh so familiar, that you find yourself drawn in. Like you’re no longer orbiting him, but going straight on collision course.

- - -

Over seven years of friendship and it all boils down to this.

Tetsurou doesn’t move, frozen where he sits.

You push yourself up when it goes on too long, darting your lips over Yaku’s bruised cheek.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” you tell the room as if anyone doesn’t know what’s going on. Those are your friends, in a way, even though Bokuto is more Tetsurou’s friend than yours and Akaashi is Bokuto’s friend of course and Yaku is a whole different topic, but, alas, they all know what’s going on. It’s Tetsurou after all. He’s an open book.

You make it all the way down the dark hallway, past the other sleeping quarters where the younger players snore away. At least Lev hadn’t participated. You wouldn’t be able to live that humiliation down.

“Wait!”

You don’t turn. You know that voice without looking.

The bathroom door closes behind you with a quiet click, your heart beating fast. You didn’t need to run, but it feels like it, running from a joke that’s no longer funny, an unavoidable conversation you don’t want to have.

The door opens again and Tetsurou stumbles through, eyes wide and cheeks pale.

“This is the girl’s bathroom!” You hiss and he panics, throwing himself against the closing door with his eyes closed.

“I’m not looking!” He promises. “But we need to talk. Alone. Is anyone else in here?”

Silence.

You sigh.

“Fine,” you huff, swallowing against the nerves. Like a bandaid, you tell yourself. Just rip it off. “Don’t joke about kissing me if you don’t wanna do it anyway.”

Tetsurou chokes. “I wasn’t joking.”

“What?!” It’s your turn to panic. “No, wait. No! You don’t get to say that when you panic froze right after being put on the spot.”

“I want to kiss you!” He promises. “Just not… in front of all of our friends.”

“You’re just saying that so I’m no longer mad at you.”

“True, but, also…” He shrugs, but it looks more like a nervous tick, like he’s trying to get rid of the thoughts that sit heavy on his shoulders. “You’re my best friend. What if we kiss and you’re no longer my best friend? I don’t know if I can take that risk.”

You nod, stepping back a little. He’s right. You’ve been thinking about that long enough to know that he’s right.

However, tonight has proven something else.

“But I think… if we keep going like this, in this kind of limbo of not just friends but not something more, we’ll not stay best friends either. This hurts, you know?”

“Yeah,” Tetsurou nods, slow and solemnly. His eyes look like they used to as a kid, before he got more confident in himself, before he began trusting others as well as himself. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.”

His hand reaches out and you take it without thinking, your heart and body longing to be close to him.

“Can I kiss you now?” He whispers as the motion-sensitive lighting flickers out around you, bathing you in soft, curious darkness.

His lips are soft and he tastes like the nerd clusters Bokuto dared him to eat as a joke and his arms are warm and strong around you, like a promise and a memory altogether.

-

Your hand is firmly in his as you step out into the hallway again, your lips a little bruised and his grin sitting a little lopsided.

“Finally,” Kenma drawls and you turn, surprised to see the whole group waiting at the corner behind him.

“Did you kiss?” Bokuto asks, beefy arms heavy on Akaashi’s shoulders who just rolls his eyes.

“Yes,” you tell them with a grin before Tetsurou can and watch them all jump and cheer like the idiots they are.

[armoricaroyalty]

Get ready for Simblr Bingo!

Simblr Bingo is a week-long event themed around community and engagement. The goal is to send as many asks, leave as many comments, and reblog as many posts as possible in a one-week time span.

To help you on your way, you'll get a unique Bingo Card with a variety of different challenges. For example, you might be tasked with Sending an anonymous ask to a mutual or reblogging a post featuring an elder Sim. Your goal is to complete as many challenges as you can and rack up the bingos!

How to Participate

It's simple! To get your bingo card, click here, then click "Play" and then "Player." Starting on Sunday, October 6th, post a screenshot of your bingo card with #simblr bingo (and link back to this post, if you can!)

Throughout the week, keep your eye out for chances to complete goals and mark off spaces on your card. You can either edit your downloaded card in an image editor or mark off your completed goals on the bingo website (be sure to bookmark your card!)

Rules for playing

No double-dipping! There might be some overlap in some of your challenges (for example, you might have squares that say Reblog a piece of CAS CC and Reblog your favorite hair) but you can only complete 1 objective at a time. To mark both as complete, you'll need to reblog 2 posts.

Spread the love! Try to engage with as many different people as possible. You might be able to complete your whole bingo card by going through the archives of a few friends and mutuals, but that's a lot less fun than seeking out new people to engage with.

Be nice! A few of the challenges say specifically to compliment someone on something, but that doesn't mean you can be a hater for the rest of the prompts. Focus on spreading positivity.

Can I generate a second card?

Yes! Follow the steps above, but open the card in a private window.

Are there any themed bingo cards for specific simblr genres?

What a specific and leading question! Yes! Below the cut, I've made a royal simblr bingo card featuring challenges specific to royal simblr. If you'd like to make a card dedicated to your favorite genre, follow the instructions on the website and send me the link. I'll edit the post to include your link!

Ready...set...bingo!

Themed Bingos

Royal Simblr Bingo by @armoricaroyalty

Tips for making a themed bingo

Check out the Simblr Bingo Starter List

Come up with different prompts and challenges for each category (asks, comments, reblogs). A good bingo game needs around 75 items to ensure all players have unique cards.

I tried for 30 ask prompts, 30 comment prompts, and 15 reblog prompts. I want to encourage people to actively engage with one-another versus only reblogging.

Try to include prompts that encourage people to talk to new people, engage with new stuff, and seek out to posts that get less attention.

Keep it positive! Focus on spreading positivity and making it fun for everyone.

[evanbuckleyweek]

Evan Buckley Week 2024

The prompts for Evan Buckley Week 2024 are here!

This event celebrating our very own Evan "Buck" Buckley from 9-1-1 will be held from the 12th until the 18th of August 2024.

You don't need to sign up to participate, just make sure that when you post your work here on Tumblr, you use the tag #buckweek2024. Since tags can get a bit finicky here on Tumblr, you can choose to let us know you posted by also tagging @evanbuckleyweek in your post. Fics posted to ao3 can be added to the Evan Buckley Week 2024 collection.

We've provided prompts for edits as well as fanfiction and art. However, you don't have to stick to one specific list. We encourage you to choose from whichever one sparks joy, as long as you make sure to post on the corresponding day the prompt belongs to!

Edits

For edits, we have some prompts for you where you can pick your Buck-related favorites to make an edit with. All kinds of edits are welcome! Show us your gifs, image-edits and collages!

Day 1: Buck + favorite rescue

Day 2: Buck + favorite line

Day 3: Buck + favorite near death experience

Day 4: Buck + hugs

Day 5: Buck + bi disaster moments

Day 6: Buck + love language

Day 7: favorite headcanon or free choice

Fic & art

For fics and art we're giving you a few prompts to choose from every day. You can choose only one of these, or choose to combine two or all three of them! Every day consists of a line, a theme and a feeling.

Every part of the prompts is completely open to your interpretation. Surprise us with your creativity! We look forward to your fics and all variations of art and other creative works!

Day 1: “Why did you do that?” | reckless behavior | fear

Day 2: “This is my home” | catharsis | hope

Day 3: “Stop lying” | walking away | anger

Day 4: "I really don't like thunderstorms" | late night conversations | anxiety

Day 5: “I wonder what it would have been like if I had known sooner” | bi pride | acceptance

Day 6: "that's why I love you" | love languages | joy

Day 7: favorite headcanon or free choice

Some last things before you go and create your masterpieces:

Please make sure that your fics on ao3 are tagged with the proper ratings and warnings.

We want to ask you to refrain from submitting any of the following: works with character bashing or ship bashing as well as works containing explicit rape/non-con, pedophilia and incest (exploring the aftermath or trauma of these things is okay). Fics that do contain any of these will not be accepted into the ao3 collection and posts will not be reblogged to the Evan Buckley Week blog.

If you have a question, check our FAQ page to see if the answer is there or drop an ask in our inbox!

[2-years-of-kp]

Happy two years of KinnPorsche The Series and welcome to this year's anniversary event!

In celebration of the show and us as a fandom, this event will host prompts and a rewatch, so we can enjoy the show once more, and to encourage creativity and new creations for its second anniversary. Starting from April 9th, the event will run across 28 days; dedicating two days to each episode and one prompt pair as listed below.

Any and all creations are welcome! You don't have to follow the prompts, they are just here to give you some inspiration if you'd like.

Make sure to use the tag #kpanniversary2024 on any anniversary-related posts so we can reblog them to this blog and feel free to add your writing to the Kinnporsche Two Year Anniversary collection on AO3 as well!

Got any questions? Feel free to send an ask!

REWATCH SCHEDULE

Apr 9-10: Episode 1

Apr 11-12: Episode 2

Apr 13-14: Episode 3

Apr 15-16: Episode 4

Apr 17-18: Episode 5

Apr 19-20: Episode 6

Apr 21-22: Episode 7

Apr 23-24: Episode 8

Apr 25-26: Episode 9

Apr 27-28: Episode 10

Apr 29-30: Episode 11

May 1-2: Episode 12

May 3-4: Episode 13

May 5-6: Episode 14

PROMPTS

List 1: Your Favourites

Ep 1 - Apr 9-10: Favourite Main Character

Ep 2 - Apr 11-12: Favourite Supporting Character

Ep 3 - Apr 13-14: Favourite Episode

Ep 4 - Apr 15-16: Favourite Location/Set

Ep 5 - Apr 17-18: Underrated Character

Ep 6 - Apr 19-20: Favourite Romantic Relationship

Ep 7 - Apr 21-22: Favourite Platonic/Familial Relationship

Ep 8 - Apr 23-24: Favourite Scene

Ep 9 - Apr 25-26: Favourite Outfit

Ep 10 - Apr 27-28: Underrated Ship

Ep 11 - Apr 29-30: Favourite Family

Ep 12 - May 1-2: Favourite Parallel

Ep 13 - May 3-4: Underrated Quote

Ep 14 - May 5-6: Your Choice!

List 2: Your Interpretation

Ep 1 - Apr 9-10: Fate

Ep 2 - Apr 11-12: Misfit

Ep 3 - Apr 13-14: Heroes

Ep 4 - Apr 15-16: Tension

Ep 5 - Apr 17-18: Regret

Ep 6 - Apr 19-20: Comfort

Ep 7 - Apr 21-22: Heist

Ep 8 - Apr 23-24: Haunting

Ep 9 - Apr 25-26: Trust

Ep 10 - Apr 27-28: Manipulate

Ep 11 - Apr 29-30: Villains

Ep 12 - May 1-2: Identity

Ep 13 - May 3-4: Secrets

Ep 14 - May 5-6: Legacy

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Any kind of creations (fics, drabbles, fanart, edits, gifs, videos, etc.) are welcome!

Use the tag #kpanniversary2024 so your creation can be reblogged to this blog.

Be respectful of other people; this event is no space for negativity.

Mature and NSFW content is welcome, but must be tagged properly - both on Tumblr and on AO3.

Feel free to skip days, only participate for one day, etc. however you like!

You can participate in the prompts, the rewatch or both - it is up to you!

Late submissions are allowed.

One prompt or a combination of both prompts can be used, and all prompts are open to personal interpretation.

Multiple creations per prompt/prompt pair are welcome!

You do not have to follow the prompts, any creations during the course of the event are welcome.

Since this event is meant to celebrate the show itself, no actor content or behind the scenes content will be reblogged.

DISCLAIMER

This event has drawn inspiration from the previous year's anniversary event, as well as Kinnporsche Week in 2022.

Happy creating!

[mikelogan]

TJ MIKELOGAN's HALLOWEEN 2024 EVENT

RULES:

Use the tag #USERTJ to share your creations (and so I can reblog them)

Include "TJ MIKELOGAN's HALLOWEEN 2024 EVENT" + that day's prompt in your caption

Reblog this post

THINGS TO KNOW:

This event is open to anyone who wants to participate – gifmakers, editors, etc. – and you do not have to be following me if you don’t want to! Create gifsets, graphics, moodboards, whatever you enjoy!

You can do as many or as few prompts as you want! This is supposed to be fun, so no need to put unnecessary pressure on yourself.

Interpret the prompts however you see fit; stick to them as loosely or as rigidly as you want! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me an ask or DM!

When I reblog your creations, I will tag them as halloween24event and I will tag mine as *halloween24

Make sure to check out the #USERTJ tag as well so you can see what everyone else is coming up with and share what they’ve created! Even if you’re not participating in the event yourself, please support creators by REBLOGGING!

PROMPTS:

DAY 1: Your go-to Halloween movie DAY 2: Colors – orange and black DAY 3: Foreign horror DAY 4: Classic horror (pre-2000s) DAY 5: Villains DAY 6: Horror parallels  DAY 7: Vampires DAY 8: Costumes and makeup DAY 9: Horror movie soundtracks DAY 10: Animation DAY 11: Obscure horror DAY 12: Newer horror (2000-2010) DAY 13: Horror television DAY 14: Horror tropes DAY 15: Halloween episodes/specials DAY 16: Colors – purple and green DAY 17: POC in horror DAY 18: Spooky musicals DAY 19: Horror remakes DAY 20: Quotes DAY 21: Make it horror DAY 22: LGBT+ horror DAY 23: Modern horror (2010-2024) DAY 24: Horror sequels DAY 25: Final girls DAY 26: Colors - black & white DAY 27: Period (historical) horror DAY 28: Halloween nostalgia  DAY 29: Horror film that scared you the most  DAY 30: Favorite horror movie DAY 31: Wildcard – your choice

last year's event post + creations

gif frame/border can be found here by @raccoonscity

Below the cut, I’m tagging those who reblogged my original poll regarding this event and were either interested in participating or signal boosting, those who participated last year, as well as some moots who’ve expressed interest in all things Halloween and horror. Regardless of why you were tagged, please don't feel obligated!

@kizzyedgelll @scarecrowmax @vinmauro @sidprescot @showyoumyfavoriteobsession

@thepunkpanther @idlewarning @3rdboywonder @hollytanaka @rhcenyra

@mvthr @taiturner @stuckinthedeadlights @chappelroans @maybethistimemegz

@katieskrsgard @charmedslayer @marionsravenwoods @kvtnisseverdeen @usertiff

@sapphic-girls @elssbethtascioni @esmecarmona @maxinesminx @maxanor

@magicaplin @miwtual @scullys-scalpel @sculien @muldxr

@angelamcss @finnickodaiir @ianmckellen @cowboykeery @laurabenanti

@chaoticroad @muldery @kizzyedgelll @leodanbrock @anyataylorjoys

[lotrweek]

One month left until LOTRWEEK 2024 begins! See this year's prompts below and the updated FAQs below the cut for more info, and have fun!

Day 1 (16th Sep): the road goes ever on

Day 2 (17th Sep): histories and legacies

Day 3 (18th Sep): the green earth in the daylight

Day 4 (19th Sep): gifts, burdens and choices

Day 5 (20th Sep): here with me

Day 6 (21st Sep): songs and tales

Day 7 (22nd Sep): free day – Hobbit day!

What is lotrweek?

Lotrweek is a week-long event to celebrate The Lord of the Rings here on Tumblr. It takes place on 16th-22nd September 2024.

How do I take part?

Each day of the week has a prompt. Create an original work (e.g. gifset, fanart, fanfic) inspired by a prompt, then post it to Tumblr! Where the prompt has multiple parts to it, you can choose which part(s) you want to focus on – how you respond to a prompt is  comletely up to you. The prompts are deliberately vague and open so that they can work for gifs, art, fics, etc.

For example, for “histories and legacies”, you could make a gifset of Moria, or art of the similarities/differences between Luthien and Arwen, or a fic about Aragorn and the Dunedain before the War of the Ring.

Will you reblog my works?

Yes! Tag your works with #lotrweek so they can be reblogged here, and follow @lotrweek for updates on the event and to see everyone else’s works. If there’s anything nsfw or that may need a warning, make sure to do this responsibly and put said parts under a read-more.

How much can I participate?

As much or as little as you’d like! You can take part just once or every day (or even multiple times a day if you’re feeling particularly hasty). It’s up to you – just make sure you’re enjoying it!

Can I create any type of work?

Yes! Gifs, graphics, fanart, fanfic, video edits, meta – all are welcome, as long as it’s your own original work.

Does my work have to be based on the LOTR films?

Any works based on LOTR (book or film) are welcome.

Can I include other Tolkien books/adaptations?

You can, but LOTR should be the focus. So, for example, a gifset of just The Hobbit films wouldn’t work, but a gifset including shots from both The Hobbit and LOTR (e.g. to draw parallels between characters/events) would work great!

Who is running this blog?

@southfarthing

Any other questions?

Ask away!

[mcytfanfictionappreciationweek]

Runs from January 21st to January 27th, 2024

7 days of fanfiction appreciation for all our fandom writers!

Everyone from all corners of MCYTblr are welcome to participate. No matter how large or small your favorite SMP or creator is, there is a space for everyone.

Many fandom events focus on providing tasks for artists and writers, but very little are made with the people who enjoy and appreciate that work in mind as participants. Lurkers and enjoyers and love posters are just as important to the fandom, so this is a space for us to do our thing and spread the love 💗

How to Participate

There will be 3 kinds of planned activities hosted on this blog, but there is no single correct way to participate, as long you’re uplifting others. The activities and prompts are meant to be a guideline and source of inspiration. You don’t have to burn yourself out by participating every day or in every activity.

Keep this space positive and abide by standard fandom etiquette. Be mindful of tags and if you don’t think you’ll like a work, don’t click and read it!

Share the love; one goal of this challenge is to help authors who’ve been overlooked feel appreciated for their contribution to the fandom. If you’re up to it, try and use this challenge as a way to break from your comfort zone and uplift others who you haven’t seen get any attention yet.

Note: This doesn’t mean to not send love to any ‘bigger authors’ whose work you admire, and we are not entertaining any discourse related to the size of one’s following.

Use the tag ‘mcytfanficappreciationweek’ for your recommendation lists related to this event and we will reblog them here!

Activities

(Under the cut!)

Reading and Recommendation Challenge

Find a fic that fits the theme of the day and give it a read/comment! Then if you’re up for it, share the recommendation in a post on tumblr and use the event tag. You can make individual posts for each day, or create a wrap-up at the end of the week.

It is both allowed and encouraged to engage with fics whose authors don’t have any linked social media presence. This is not exclusive to authors on tumblr.

January 21st (Day 1: Something New)

Read and comment on a fic written by an author whose work you’ve never commented on before

January 22nd (Day 2: Hidden Gems)

Read and comment on a fic that currently has no comments

Or, feel free to share and recommend a fic whose only comment is your own

January 23rd (Day 3: Underrated Blorbos)

Read and comment on a fic centered on a character of whom you’ve never read as a main POV (the less fics the character is tagged in, the better!)

January 24th (Day 4: Rarepair Extravaganza)

Read and comment on a fic with a character relationship tag (that’s central to the fic, no cheating with ensembles!) that has less than 500 tagged works

For fandoms with <1000 works, use 50 tagged works as a threshold (or your best judgment)

For fandoms with <100 works, use 5 tagged works as a threshold (or your best judgment)

Can be either romantic (using the “/”) or platonic (using the “&”)

January 25th (Day 5: A Blast from the Past)

Read and comment on a fic that was last updated before 2023 (complete or in progress!)

January 26th (Day 6: Canon? Who is she?)

Read and comment on a fic with any ‘Alternate Universe’ tag of your choosing

Canon divergent fics or split timelines count!

January 27th (Day 7: Procrastination Termination)

Read and comment on a fic that you’ve had ‘saved for later’ or opened in a new tab but never got to reading

Or, finish catching up to a multichapter fic that you fell behind on and comment on it

Author Interaction

Send authors who are active on tumblr questions about their work! Ideas/prompts for each day are written below.

January 21st (Day 1: Something New)

Ask an author about future writing projects or ideas that still only exist in their head

January 22nd (Day 2: Hidden Gems)

Ask an author about one of their least-kudosed fics

January 23rd (Day 3: Underrated Blorbos)

Ask an author about something they’re excited or passionate about

January 24th (Day 4: Rarepair Extravaganza)

Ask an author about one of their favorite ships (romantic or just a platonic relationship!)

January 25th (Day 5: A Blast from the Past)

Ask an author about past fandoms they may have participated in or their journey as a fic writer in general

January 26th (Day 6: Canon? Who is she?)

Ask an author about an AU or headcanon of theirs

January 27th (Day 7: Procrastination Termination)

Ask an author about their writing process

Love Posting

Too shy to reach out to someone you admire directly? Write them an anonymous message in our inbox and we will post it and tag their blog for you! (Please be sure to include their blog name so we know who to tag).

Note: If we suspect that your message is back-handed or being hateful towards another group in the community, it will be deleted. If you believe your message was deleted in error, feel free to send this blog a DM about it.

And finally…. If you are an author remember that even if you don’t receive a message or new readers during the course of this event, you are still a valued member of this community. With the size of our fandom, it is impossible to give every single author their due recognition. You are appreciated for your contribution to this fandom, and every fic that is written makes our fandom a more vibrant, wonderful place to be. We love you for the time and effort you put in the art of your creation and we are privileged that you choose to share it for us to enjoy!

[narlieweek]

♡ welcome to narlie week !

a fandom event for everyithing nick and charlie! as a way to show some support to alice and everyone involved in making the show and the comic, we'd like to organise this fanweek, where tumblr users are encouraged to post fan creations according to prompts!

the promts for the event are here!

please, if you are interested in participating or even just supporting this project, respond to this post! reblog, give us a comment, follow this blog.

the dates are currently set to sept 26 - oct 2 2024, the week leading up to the release of season 3. we will welcome all kinds of original creations - art, fics, edits, headcanons, crafts, you name it! your submissions can be based on hstv nick and charlie and/or on the comic ones, there are no limitations here.

if you have any questions, our ask box is open 💌

disclaimer: narlie week has no relation to alice oseman or anyone else associated with the creation of "heartstopper." this event is entirely fan-organised! nick and charlie are characters belonging to alice. the mod for the fanweek is @hona-hona

[subeddieweek]

New Steddie event 📢

Join us for Sub Eddie Week!

Masterlist

• More Details Below

Here’s a list of *optional* prompts:

• Sign up sheet (no commitment required just an interest check)

POSTING GUIDELINES:

• Posting begins Sunday April 14th - Saturday April 20th

• Post using #SubEddieWeek or @SubEddieWeek on Twitter or Tumblr and post Ao3 fics to the SubEddieWeek Collection!

• If you are posting your fic on Ao3, please include the “Sub Eddie Munson” tag so the tag can grow

• Please tag any necessary warnings (ex. dubious consent, major character death)

• No underage sexual content please

• No minimum word count

• This is a Steddie only event (Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington) background pairs and past pairs are allowed but Steddie must be the main pairing

• Eddie must be in the sub role in the actual content of the fic/art/post to be included in this event

• Late submissions are allowed and you can post as many works as you'd like

• Prompts are optional. Use whatever combination you'd like, or don't use them at all, it's up to you

• This is not a secret exchange so feel free to post about your WIPs for this event! Also feel free to use this event to finish up any previous sub Eddie WIPs you’ve already started so we can cheer you on!

• Disclaimer: We will keep the event as open as possible and we plan to include everyone who participates in using the SubEddieWeek tag, but mods will have final say on retweets, reblogs, and the ao3 collection for the event, regarding what follows the guidelines

Submit any questions to the Tumblr ask box here, or @ us on Twitter @SubEddieWeek

Ao3 Collection Here

[justinssportscorner]

Anna Merlan at Mother Jones:

By the time J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump were falsely referring to her as a man, the lies about Imane Khelif had already traveled halfway around the world. Last week, two Olympic boxers—Khelif, from Algeria, and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan—were subjected to brutal international scrutiny about their sex and gender, and whether they were entitled to compete in women’s events; the attention on Khelif became particularly acrid after her opponent, Italian Angela Carini, quit 46 seconds into their bout, declaring that she had “never been hit so hard in my life.” A photo of the two women exiting the ring, Carini in tears, Khelif casting a glance, was widely shared, with people like Rowling—who’s promoted transphobic views for years, but has denied being transphobic—offering heated and derogatory commentary about Khelif.   “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better?” Rowling tweeted. “The smirk of a male who’s [sic] knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.” 

While the attacks on Khelif are of a piece with familiar recent Western controversies over who is allowed to participate in girls’ and women’s sports, many of the articles and individuals magnifying the debate relied on or relayed the claims of a discredited group with strong ties to the Russian government, a deep grudge against the International Olympic Committee, and a seemingly vested interest in proving that the IOC-run games are, as the group’s leader has claimed, a venue for “sodomy.”

In trying to unravel what led up to this moment, many individuals and news outlets cited a statement released by the official-sounding International Boxing Association, which stated that both Khelif and Yu-Ting had previously been disqualified from competing in the IBA-administered Women’s World Boxing Championships in March 2023. The women were barred from that competition, which took place in New Delhi, following tests the organization has not publicly clarified, citing privacy rules. At the time, IBA president Umar Kremlev told a Russian state news agency that the women had been found to have “XY chromosomes” and claimed the two had “pretended to be women” and “tried to deceive their colleagues.” Even if the IBA’s findings were true, having XY chromosomes does not automatically make someone male—women with Swyer syndrome, a rare genetic condition, have XY for instance. Nor are XY chromosomes proven to constitute an “unfair advantage,” although that is exactly what an IBA official claimed in a press conference on Monday. One pediatrics expert told NBC in 2009—one of the innumerable times this issue has been raised in women’s sports—that such a claim was “malarkey.”

[...] When Khelif and Yu-Ting were disqualified by the IBA back in New Delhi, skeptics questioned how it benefited Azalia Amineva, a Russian fighter. The women were not ruled ineligible until after they’d already competed and Khelif had won a bout against the previously undefeated Amineva. While IBA officials said the sequence of events was due to a week’s delay in being provided testing results, as the Associated Press has pointed out, the decision meant the Russian fighter’s perfect record was retroactively restored. Kremlev isn’t shy about expressing a broad fixation on gender and sexuality, with him, as the sports website Defector has pointed out, decrying the IOC on YouTube for promoting “outright sodomy and the destruction of traditional values.” In the wake of the Paris games’ opening ceremony, he blasted the spectacle, which featured queer performers, as “pure sodomy,” while saying the IOC “burns from pure devilry” and that its president is a “chief sodomite.” He also claimed that “men with changed gender are allowed to fight with women in boxing at the Olympics.” (Videos with such remarks have been helpfully subtitled in English to draw a wider, Western audience.) Last week, Kremlev announced the IBA would give $50,000 in prize money to the defeated opponents of Khelif and Yu-Ting.

[...] The Khelif affair captures English-speaking transphobes with rigid ideas about the nature of womanhood picking up on a politically motivated campaign from a discredited organization at open war with the IOC. Indeed, right-wing organizations in the United States, including the Independent Women’s Forum and CPAC, via its chair Matt Schlapp, have paid for sponsored posts on Musk’s X platform, calling her “a man“—posts that appear when users search for information on the controversy.

The International Boxing Association, which is a Kremlin-led body led by Umar Kremlev that is permanently banned from being the sanctioning body for Olympic boxers, has instigated a transphobic war against cis women boxers Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif.

The IBA issued politically-motivated disqualifications of the pair in 2023 that don’t stand up to scrutiny.