#SOMETHING IS DIVERGENT IN MY NEURO --

[k9catastrophe]

awooo ,, outta curiousity howd you know you were therian?

boRK i dont entirely remember actually ? All i remember is learning about alterhumanity in general, learning about therianthropy and then going "👁️ i see.." and ive just rolled with it from there??

[334iwatchshit]

"do you want revenge?"

"...i'm undecided"

can you believe they kissed after that

[astridthevalkyrie]

not to be all “what I want in a relationship is what I didn’t have growing up” but I just thought of asking someone to watch a show with me and them just like….doing it, without grumbling or sitting like this 😑 the whole time or insulting whatever we’re watching for shits and giggles and i fully made myself tear up and cry

[eclipsecrowned]

like if u want to know what a fucking geek i am about smoot let's just examine a ship and how i make their sex life actually reflect something about narrative/muse i play.

helstarion.

she bites because he's offering, and she's never tried before, and he doesn't mock her for that fact when he rolls the perception success about her hesitation with his offer. they could be dead tomorrow. they've been through trial and tribulation together. she trusts him, and she thinks he genuinely wants her because she doesn't realize that he's manipulating her at that point.

she submits to him. this can be interpreted a number of ways for an audience. hel has been so in control and alone for so long that maybe her thrill is letting the handsome man take it all away from her, to be with her and in control of her. maybe because as much as fucking an undead is against her church's dogma, then she can at least argue this way he is a thing done to her, not a thing she is actively doing by her submission. maybe her exhaustion in spending her life in service to her god is represented in the repeated sin of letting this man have her any way he wants her. maybe she's trying to give him back the agency he's lacked for 200 years in her submission. maybe she's just a sub. each possible interpretation introduces a whole new layer to the dynamic, instead of just implying ax or i are deriving author appeal from such a dynamic.

hel's health would interfere with attempts to keep the relationship physical. whether on chronic pain days where she does not want to be touched in any way whatsoever to maxing out at two rounds, she's not keeping up with astari0n's immortal stamina. how does she cope with that? how does he? what sort of negotiations do they have about this less than ideal circumstance, or do they just shrug it off and accept it as is?

the ship doesn't take a hit once he nixes sex as an option. hel finds other ways that are just as valid to her to show her adoration, both emotionally and physically. sex doesn't matter to her in terms of compatibility or longevity of a relationship -- she loves that man. sex has no part in her feelings.

on the surface, the vampire is fucking the cleric, what scandal. to me, it's 'and what can we infer about the cleric, that she's allowing the vampire to fuck her?'

[talisidekick]

To be clear: don't call me either. I see it as insulting.

If you are neurodivergent (including all psychological conditions, neurological conditions, and developmental conditions) I have a question for you and pls elaborate in the tags if you feel comfortable

[mss-eclipse]

The best kinds of friends are the neuro-divergent ones ( autistic folk especially) they have my heart and I love yall so so much.

[livzmysteriouslytinyvoid]

I walk quietly like a cat but it's not because I want to be a cat girl nor is it usually cause I try to be sneaky

The real reason is cause the sound of my own walking annoys me

[ms-demeanor]

I'm certain that if pressed my father, who owns 2k+ laserdiscs, 8 laserdisc players, 5k+ DVDs, who runs a blog where he makes near daily posts about movies and hosts a movie podcast, and who saw Spectre in theaters 27 times because Regal Cinemas offered an unlimited viewing card for fifty dollars, would insist that he is a Fully Normal Adult Man with no divergence, neuro or otherwise. After all what is not normal about doing a job where you have the same daily routine, down to recording the second half of your favorite morning talk show every day so you can listen to it on your commute home and drinking 4 liters daily of the only beverage that tastes good to you that you bring in a cooler that you carry to every one of your classrooms every day, except for in the summer, when you teach summer school and wear a different hawaiian shirt every day because you like them better than every other kind of shirt and have collected enough not to repeat for an entire eight weeks but feel that they break dress code for the rest of the year.

We went on a month-long road trip once and he got thirty tapes and recorded a month's worth of the talk show without listening to the second half so he'd have something to listen to when he was driving each morning on the trip.

He has absolutely no idea why his kids (one of whom was diagnosed as autistic in the 80s and the other was diagnosed with ADHD in their thirties) are so weird or how they got that way.

C'mon, Pops. I learned it from watching you.

[morellywrong]

Missing Out

Ethan Landry x afab reader (fem pronouns/nouns)

Warnings: stalking, obsession, Ethan's a pretty lil psycho, descriptions of murdering and torture, Ethan is actually fucked bro, reader is wearing a dress, Ethan is kinda neuro-divergent- coded (real), both Ethan and reader will be bi-coded because I said so, also some gross lil things in there for fun :)

Part 1 (?)

"Hey, y/n!" Ethan beams as he catches up to you, on your way to your morning class.

"Oh, hey Ethan...you sure are chipper this morning." You chuckle softly as he adjusts his bag strap on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I don't know, I guess I slept pretty good- I had a productive evening." He beams softly, walking alongside you, matching his usually long strides to better fit yours.

"Oh yeah, get all your work done?"

Flashes of the previous evening washed over Ethan's mind, his grin only growing.

"Please! Please, I didn't do anything!!!" The boy sobs, his eye swollen, lips bleeding and a deep gash on the side of his neck hes desperately trying to keep pressure on with his broken hand.

"...that's where you're wrong...you got in the way." Ethan hisses, his voice modulator clipped into the inside of his signature Ghostface mask, wiping the blood slowly from his knife.

"Please...please..." The boy begs helplessly, tears running down his cheeks, snot bubbling under his nose as he backs away weakly, only for his back to be met with the wall.

"Please, please...." Ethan mocks him, stepping closer, his heavy boots thumping against the concrete of the warehouse he'd dragged his latest victim to.

"No one will hear you scream...no one will remember you...not even her...youre nothing..." The boy yelled out in anguish, choked sobs becoming more and more liquidated-

Ethan snaps back to reality as he turns towards you again, still smiling brightly.

"Yeah, it was....good, I got everything finished sooner than I thought."

"Wow...maybe I should get you to do my coursework sometime." You chuckle softly, nudging his shoulder with your elbow. Heat spreads across his face as he lets out a breathless laugh, looking away.

"Y...yeah, well, maybe..." He mumbles, his dimples showing as he glances back to you.

"Oh, are you going to the frat party later tonight? Tara, Mindy and Anika invited me....Chad'll be there too..." You hum, offering the idea with a small grin.

Ethan's heart hammers in his chest, feeling that type of love sickness his Dad used to talk about with his mother.

Well. Before Wade had all his children assist in killing their mother. Ethan tried not to think about it too much.

"I...I'd love too, y/n..." He whispers, his pupils dilated so much one would assume he'd taken something to help him focus more on his studies.

Or watch the sky melt.

"Cool....uh, wanna meet at the party? Quinn offered to drive us girls there and back, since she'd got a date tonight..." You giggle slightly, even though you're glad there'll be a designated driver.

"Sure, uh, I've, uh, never really been to many parties, though. I get a little nervous in crowds." He lies, brows creased together, portraying that awkward, shy boy you know him as.

"Don't worry. You can stick with me the entire night....I don't drink much anyways..." You beam softly as you stop outside your class.

"I'll see you after Econ?" He nodded quickly, propping up on the balls of his feet briefly to try and contain his excitement.

"See you. Meet for lunch?"

"Defintiely. I heard there's pretzels today." You smirk softly as he lets out another breathless laugh.

"Yeah...." He murmurs in a slight daze as you walk into the lecture hall, giving him a small wave before leaving his sight.

He leans back against the wall, holding onto the straps of his backpack as his cheeks heat up even more, biting the inside of his cheek with an uncontrollable beam plastered on his pale face.

You had spent lunch with Ethan, sat on the grass outside one of the lecture halls, laughing together about how crappy most of the lecturers are, and exchanging mild stories about how boring your days were. But soon enough you had your last classes of the day to attend, afterwards he walked you to your dorm building.

He always insisted on walking you all the way to your dorm room, claiming it was safer.

"There's a psycho on the news, haven't you heard??" He beams playfully at you as you playfully push at his arm. He's been mentioning it ever since the first disappearances.

"Please, I'm not important enough of a target, let alone being noticed by some killer." You roll you eyes as he watches you take your keys out of your bag pocket.

Keys that he definitely hasn't got like 4 copies of each key on there. He's pretty sure one of them is just for a small indoor window, and another is to your old locker key that you still have on your keychain for some reason- even though he defintely has a copy of your current locker key.

It's the stupid little things he likes in life, after all. And something about you not caring to throw the old key out just makes him love you more.

"Nah, maybe the killer is secretly targeting you...maybe he's watching you sleep-" He grins playfully, watching you send him an unimpressed look.

"Alright, get out of here, you're not supposed to be in this building anyway...I think we'll be at the frat party at like 9, ask Chad, I'm sure Tara's told him all the details." You smirk whilst tapping the side of your nose playfuly. He taps his in return, grinning. It was no secret those two were grossly infatuated with each other.

"I'll see you later. Text me if you need anything." He responds like clockwork, a usual closing response he offers to you out of the kidness of his heart. And definitely not obsession.

"I will." You insist with a chuckle, before closing your door and leaving him beaming by himself crazily once more, rolling onto the balls of his feet once, twice then three times before he catches himself, correcting his body language quickly.

"You look so fucking good!" Tara beams, a shot or two already in her system, deciding to pregame before the party as you got ready with the other three party-goers.

She stood behind you, admiring your body as you stand in front of her bedroom mirror.

"I don't know...it's a bit revealing..." You mumble sheepishly as you glance at your reflection, at the new dress you had bought the last time you were out with the girls.

"Shut up, no one will care, if anything, it's a good thing, dummy." Mindy beams from the couch, Anika fixing the back collar of her shirt, both also a little tipsy.

"Yeah, girls and guys are gonna be all over you."

"Chad'll keep an eye on us though, he always does." Tara smiles gently as she helps adjust the straps on your shoulders, her fingers leaving a small tingling feeling against your bare skin.

"More like he keeps an eye on you." Quinn smirks from the doorway, eyeing your outfit up and down with almost hungry eyes.

"Nice dress, y/n...hey, you guys ready?" She holds up her car keys with a small shake, the metal jingling in her hand.

"Yes! Let's fucking go, girls!" Mindy exclaims, standing up and grabbing her girlfriends hand.

"Let's go!!" Anika grins brightly.

"Let's go, cmon!" Tara grabs your own hand in her's, practically dragging you behind her.

When you arrive the party, it's pretty much already at full force. Drunken jocks, flashy cheerleaders, theatre kids talking loudly in the corner, math wizz's awkwardly stood in their small gaggles. It's refreshing, in a way, to see the students enjoying themselves and taking a break from studying.

"It's fucking loud..." You mumble, glancing over at the giant speakers in the corner and the 'DJ' set up the frat house had set up for the party. Your ears strained as you winced, before gasping.

"I feel like i'm inside the fucking speaker!" Chad beams, his voice making you and Tara jump as he places a hand on your shoulder, the other on Tara's shoulder. His head appeared between you, but he was grinning at Tara.

You glance behind him, beaming softly as you spot Ethan stood there. He looks like he's already spacing out, disassociating from the crowd once he realises how loud and chaotic it was.

In reality, Ethan's zeroing in on a girl staring at you. She's one of the cheerleaders. Bitchy, blonde, ditzy, pretty stereotypical but there she is. She's whispering to her friends, gesturing towards you and smiling as they all giggle.

He's trying to figure out if she's making fun of you or if she's into you. Either way, he's going to paint someone's walls with her blood by the end of the night.

"Ethan?" He glances down at you, a smile breaking onto his face beyond his control.

"Hey! Sorry, uh..."

"I get it. I space out at parties a lot. It's jut so overstimulating sometimes." You reassure him, nudging him softly with your shoulder.

"Y....yeah, that's it! Sorry, I tend to space out pretty often..." He plays it off, before his eyes snap to your outfit- the tight dress you'd decided to wear, before he forces himself to meet your eyes, respectfully. He needed to have patience, he didn't want to creep you out or scare you away from him- at least not /yet/.

You didn't need to know about the cameras hidden in your dorm room.

"Hey, wanna grab a drink? I'll stay with you, don't worry." You offer, speaking over the music.

Ethan grinned a little more sternly than he had intended to as you playfully link your arm with his, his cheeks lighting up- he was grateful for the dark lighting of the frat party. The only real light was LED lights that blessed the room with a purple and red glow.

He glances back over the cheeleader, she's glaring at him, her knuckles tense as she grips her plastic paper cup so tight it starts to crinkle and strain. He just sent her a dark look, before walking with you to the kitchen of the frat house- where the alcohol is.

[livelaughlovesubs]

Lost-nut enlightenment sjdbbdhdhd I'm fuckin wheezing but you're so real for that

If hoyo didn't want me to Dom him then too bad, any male character can be Dommed if you're not a coward.

Deadass when I saw his leaks and saw the headphones I was like "oh, he's probably partially deaf and those are in-game's equivalent of hearing aids, that's pretty neat. He seems like he's either going to be overly friendly or I'm going to want to punch him type of personality"

And damn hoyo tried to portray him as this cool lone wolf scholarly guy who wants to understand everything about Teyvat that's aloof and blunt and a majority of the fandom looked at him (me included), especially after he mentioned that his headphones have noise cancelation, plus the stories about him going the Akademiya as a little kid and went "autism/neuro divergent havin ass 🫵😶" and they're so right for that. Literally nothing about him is neuro typical and I think it's neat.

He's such a dork, bro thinks he can hurt my feelings by being blunt he's not ready for me to take one good and psychoanalyze him. This is how we flirt, others are horrified but this man is literally the horny grip meme because I just know he'd be turned on by you doing something that shows off how smart you are.

I just remembered that his headphones can record lectures.

Nini, imagine recording JoI for him on a separate headphone set, general dirty talk, etc for when you gotta be away because you just know he'd be too stubborn to openly admit that he misses the sound of your voice.

He's so pathetic bless we really eating good

I'm trying not to spam your inbox with the rambling of madman but I'm just so happy to have fellow Doms to gush about subby men with since it's hard to find each other

-🐇

Nah it’s alright, I don’t mind. Also I noticed that was a typo- I wanted to write post-but enlightenment Ahahhahah

But the thing with the headphones? 10/10 would write. I’ll do it once my kinktober stuff are done. Imagine recording his own noises during smexy time without him knowing, and making some alternations to his headphones so that we can change whatever he’s listening to something else.

Then just jumpscare him with his own lewd moans and whimpers. At first he’d be so confused, like who’s this weird ass dude with the high pitched voice of a girl? Is it even a guy? Until he hears your voice, and the words you uttered were so familiar.

As soon as he notices that these sounds were in fact, he himself, god the embarrassment and lust swelling inside him would be 📈📈

I think he’d blush and smirk to himself, scaring basically any poor souls who had the unfortunate fate of witnessing such a scene.

[groovebunker]

@wild-fleurs

oh boy. do i have nanny related hills to die on. please, get a drink, sit down, settle in.

cc is a lesbian. that's it. she's a dyke. a homosexual. not just because i like lesbians. i just think her behaviour is easy to read as comp het bc why else would you be that interested in maxwell sheffield?

maxwell sheffield is history's greatest monster. i hate max. max is at best an absent father, a lackluster business partner and an awful boss. he's also a terrible husband who never, ever deserved fran fine. ever. he doesn't love fran, he loves the idea of her and the way he treats her after they get married makes me want to commit a murder.

fran should have dumped max after paris. that's it, that's the hill.

cc babcock, neuro divergent angel. my girl is autistic. that is an autistic babe. fran gives me big adhd vibes also.

you can fuck off if you think fran fine can't cook. nice jewish girl™ fran fine, daughter of sylvia fine, can't cook? are you fucking kidding me? this is one of the things about the show that pisses me off so fucking much, food is so much a part of fran's character - she's a caretaker, she's jewish - i refuse to believe that she cannot cook.

the fact that a show set in the 90s with two main characters who are broadway producers doesn't mention aids makes me want to scream. i know it's a comedy! i know they didn't do any very special episodes but still. a nod! please!

cc got done so dirty - lauren is so fucking funny and she could have done so much more with that role if fran drescher didn't need to be the funniest, prettiest woman in the room at all times (sorry fran, ily, but i know i'm right)

fran also did herself dirty. the voice jokes? the jokes about her weight? like girl, you're funnier and better than that. this is not a show which treats women well.

fran/cc is a better enemies to lovers than niles/cc. there was the possibility for development there!!! i will one day give a ted talk on it. fundamentally tho, i think it comes down to how enemies to lovers is based on obsession and cc is obsessed with fran (even if she says it's about getting rid of her) (she's lying). fran's less obsessed but i don't think fran sees cc as an enemy (bc fran has a functioning gaydar), fran kind of pities cc. but i think there is something there, something which could have at least developed into a friendship (if the show didn't hate women!!) and in my head, will always develop into romance.

i'm sure when i post this, one of my friends will remind me of another one of my hills but this is good to start with.

[thefunkyspoon]

Humans are Weird

Ok, so everyone's talking about humans being super freaky to aliens, but what about neuro-divergent humans? Like, an ADHD-er is sitting in their room, completely still, while they have a task to do. Not a hard one, and certainly one they could easily do, but their brain just *won't let them.* Because executive-dysfunction sucks.

And like, an alien (let's call him Quĺ) walks in, and is super confused.

"Human Emma? Why have you not cleaned your pod, are you sick?" Quĺ asks, his one eye furrowed as he peers at the human lying on the ground.

"Are you sleeping? I'm aware that is a thing humans do, though I didn't know they did it with their eyes open." His confusion increases, as Human Emma sits up, and lifts her lips up, which is apparently a form of greeting to humans, though it was a bit horrifying to the aliens.

"Hm? Oh, hi. Er...yeah, that." Human Emma says, her cheeks tinged with a slight pink. "Sorry. I haven't been able to do it today." She mumbles, and looks around her messy pod.

"What do you mean, 'haven't been able to do it'? You're not injured, yes?" Quĺ inquires, examining Emma with a concerned look. To his surprise, the human laughs, a distraught sound to Quĺs.

"Oh, no. It's just... a thing some humans deal with, I guess? It's odd." She explains.

This confuses Quĺ even more; he wasn't aware humans just...couldn't do things sometimes, even if they *could.*

"I'm not sure I understand. Are you feeling well?" He looks really confused, as this wasn't a thing he was aware of. For aliens, this was an unheard of concept. If they had a task, and had all means to complete it, they did. And he had seen humans do the same thing, so why was this different?

"Yeah, I'm fine." Emma reassures him.

Quĺ decides to ask another human what's the issue. He calls out to Human Greg, an older human. Maybe he could explain?

Human Greg walks to her pod upon request, and asks what's needed of him.

"Well, Human Emma was given her weekly task of maintaining her pod, as we all are. Though, it's been all day, and it hasn't been completed. Is there a reason humans do this?" Quĺ asks, still unsure what was wrong.

"Well, is Emma feeling well? Emma, are you sad?" Human Greg asks Emma, and sits on the floor beside her, giving her a reassuring smile. This only made Quĺ more curious. What did that have to do with anything? It's a feeling, but she could still complete it, right?

Emma shakes her head, a movement that means "no" to humans. Quĺ had learned it was best to not question humans odd behaviors, but sometimes he couldn't help but ask.

"No, my ADHD is just acting up. Sorry, I could've explained this to Quĺ." Human Emma says, and Gred smiles and nods understandingly. But this made no sense to Quĺ, and he was concerned by now. What was ADHD? Was it an illness? Could he catch it? Was she sick?

"ADHD??What does that mean? Do all humans have it? Are you okay??" Quĺ was increasingly dumbfounded, and required an explanation ASAP.

"Oh, do you aliens not have a similar thing? Here, let me explain..." Emma explains what it is, and how it affected life, and how not all humans had it. Apparently, it was a 'neuro-divergent thing', which was something that also needed to be explained to him. He was reassured (again) that everything was fine, and she would try to do it soon.

Quĺ eventually understood, or got enough info to not worry, though it was still a confusing concept. He was not aware Human Emma had this "ADHD", and wondered on who else had it. He asked Greg, who denied it.

It was also quite odd for him, because some other humans, such as Human Sophie and Human Nick acted just as confused and even uncomfortable with her, even though it was nothing new to them. Why was that? Quĺ eventually left, feeling a bit better now that he had an explanation. Everytime one of the humans acted rude to Human Emma because of her "ADHD", they would get glares from most aliens, who were notified of the situation. They also made accommodations to Human Emma, as she could get overestimulated easily. They did this by acquiring soundproof headphones for her, and a sensory room where she could calm down. Human Emma was confused as to why they did this, as she was not used to people simply normalizing it, and treating her normal when discussing it.

This angered Quĺ, as it seemed like common sense to him and most other Quĺs.

Human Greg helped Emma clean her pod after an hour, assuring her it was no big deal. This made Quĺ happy, and returned to his station as a mechanic.

The End! <3 hope you enjoyed it

[justacatiguess]

When I first met Bellara in Veilguard, I didn’t think I’d end up enjoying her company as much as I do now. At first, she felt… superficial. Her initial dialogue seemed too on-the-nose, and her habit of predicting game mechanics—like saying, “This is the last barrier!” or “We’re almost there!”—came across as overly fourth-wall-breaking or hand-holdy. I remember thinking, How would she even know that? I dismissed it as bad writing and moved on.

But as I got to know her, something started to shift. During one of her personal quests, there’s a moment where you’re disabling a power source, and she implies there will be a second wave of enemies. A companion asks how she knows and she points out it's a pattern from previous battles.

It reminded me of a codex entry where she talks about a book she read for the team's book club—how she lost the book halfway through but still guessed the twist correctly.

It hit me then: this is just how her brain works. And that’s when I started to see myself in her. I think a lot of people with neuro-divergent tendencies, like me, have the knack for predicting stories/patterns or drawing correct conclusions faster than others or from seemingly out of nowhere. I started warming up to her as I saw more of myself in her personality.

But my newfound affection for Bellara lasted until exactly the next part of the quest, where we came across a door puzzle. Bellara decided, despite my gameplay settings of no hints or quest direction, to explain every little nuance of the puzzle in quick succession as I explored the room.

I got so annoyed. I remember thinking, Why won’t you just let me figure this out? Sadness grew as I realized poor writing had stunted my gameplay.

And then it hit me: Oh. Wait. This is me. I do this all the time to people.

If people or situations are moving too slowly, I start trying to take control. Not intentionally. Usually from nervous or excited energy, when my filters are weak or emotions are high. At this point, Bellara is very motivated to get to her destination, so it makes sense she would react this way.

So for me, her too-obvious statements and unsolicited advice is actually great dialog writing, because it fits the character's point of view, AND it elicited an emotional response from me as a player, where I had to figure out why the heck she was being so annoying in the first place. I like when games make me frustrated and I have to step back to see why a character was motivated in some way.

Bellara IS hand holdy. But not necessarily to cater to a clueless player. She can't help it. She's smart, knows things, and Rook is too slow to come to conclusions on their own, and she has places to BE.

[eclipsecrowned]

d*rk ac*demia as an aesthetic tickles me bc i've been a 50 year old librarian since i was about 5 so i've been in the lifestyle since kindergarten.

[oonajaeadira]

For the Love of Fic Joel Miller

It's been a time in my world. Busyness and writer's block has been troubling. I think a lot of it stems from just feeling behind in general, so I thought I might launch into a catch-up campaign for myself ... in reading fic.

And I had a lot of this fella to catch up on.

So hold onto your butts, my friends, because herein lies the fics I loved in my several weeks of just. reading. Joel. <3

Spinner by @insomniamamma Joel has such a caretaker streak in him that being observant and taking to a neuro-divergent reader rings so true. I love a huddling-for-warmth tale--I do so enjoy a good cuddle with a gruff broad man.

The Reason for the Season by @prolix-yuy Now here's a fun idiots-to-lovers take where one of the yearners is our Joel. When Ellie has questions about old traditions, he takes her to the other idiot--a school teacher with a warm smile and some yearns of her own. Aka you. I very much enjoyed this tale of finding the many varied and true meanings for the Holiday in all its forms.

Please Mister Please by @grogusmum Hazel imagines Joel as a kindred lovely soul, one that has a song of his own that brings sorrow, just like yours does you. But is seems he has a better song in mind....

Carpe Diem by @boliv-jenta I love that fic writers want nothing ore in the world than to tell Joel he's going to get taken care of and doesn't have a choice in the matter. I'm so glad this one afforded him the chance to actually speak and grab the moment...even with a little help from a friendly weed...

Year of Small Joys: A Quiet Night In by @keldabe-kriff I'm in love with this little slice of post-apocalypse life. It gives me hope that even if the world falls apart, there will still be the chance to find the quiet somewhere, and with someone...

Simple Pleasures by @julesonrecord Listen. i don't care if the info trail goes cold or not. If it means getting off with Joel--even this cranky, somber version of him--I already consider my self lucky.

Able by @ladamedusoif I have no doubt that a cane would come in handy during an apocalypse, and for many reasons. It's fun to watch Joel realize it too, and to walk the reader through one of the things he knows--a full-blown panic attack. Disabled reader represent!

Snooze by @tightjeansjavi Short. Sweet. Quiet. A soft drabble of everything I want--now that Joel is safe and sinking into a domestic life, he loves him some naps. And with naps comes warmth and lazy days, and a big ol' bear of a man to cuddle with.

Mine by @secretelephanttattoo I really really love this beautifully written meditation on Joel and Tess' relationship; how they share intimacy and how they won't. It's heartbreaking and beautiful and so very real.

When His Eyes Open by @undercoverpena A beautiful train of thought from Joel as he opens his eyes to find you awake next to him, thankful for what you represent in his life. It's so soft and wonderful. It's a drabble, but I could read a whole multi-chapter fic of this.

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BY @something-tofightfor

Birthday Kiss #7: Joel Miller If I was stuck at the end of the world, I'd be thankful to have a Joel Miller to find me in the early hours, knowing exactly where I'd be and exactly what day it was, just to sing me a Happy Birthday.

Smutsgiving Feast 2023: Turkey - Joel Miller It's Thanksgiving in Jackson and Joel's been helping you get settled in after a traumatic past. Everything you need is here--family, an invitation, Joel carving a perfect turkey with his sleeves all rolled up...and perhaps there's more going on upstairs later....

Snow and Mistletoe (series) Rachael loves Christmas and I always look forward to her holiday fics since the coziness always comes through so strong in them. This series is no exception by far. A no-outbreak fic where you own a music store and Ellie's your niece and Sarah's her best friend and the two girls pull a parent trap on you and Joel in the very best way. It all unfolds against a backdrop of different holiday gatherings--social, work, family--and all of them sweet and beautiful and enticing in their own way. The season may be over, but this zinged me back in time a couple of months and I'm not mad about it. In fact, I'm thankful for it.

.

BY @missredherring

Wrong Until You Make it Right A yearning Joel is always good in my book, but the earnest way he years after his plus-sized coworker here is so very juicy and sweet. I love to see him watch a lady do what she does best.

J.M. + "Tell me what you like" I think if I was stuck at the end of the world and asked Joel Miller to read to me because I had no glasses and he said yes, I might die of happiness on the spot.

Warming Up Joel deserves a good teasing, which is a little of what he gets for sleeping in while you go outside to shovel and then return to his furry, heated body to warm up. and, of course, maybe get a little recreational. After all, nothing warms up cold hands like all the bits and pieces of a Joel Miller.

A Flower in February I really love this story. Rachel does a good job of placing you firmly in the QZ with all of its bleakness, giving you one spot of color--a crocus in the snow. After a spot of bad luck with some bad people, Joel's there to set things right--well, as right as it can be. And I'll take it, because in the world of TLOU, it's everything.

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BY @ezrasbirdie

Observations This is so so sweet. Neuro-D reader is so observant about not being accepted or invited to be part of groups, it breaks my heart. But Joel sees her. Worries about her. Likes her. And he's getting better at pasta.

Sticky This one left me a mess. Maybe not as messy as the toy reader gives him to play with while she's gone or while she's on the phone, but I may have had to wipe the drool off my chin...

Crystal Now this one was made for me. Here we have a witchy reader and Joel has a lot of thoughts about her. Surprise though, because none of them are negative. They're curious and wondrous and endearing. He's bewildered by the hanging herbs and the rocks and oils, but they make her happy and that's all he asks. Sweet man.

Sparks Fly Two words: eating ass. That's what falls out of reader's mouth under the influence and perhaps that's a good slip because there's gonna be plenty going in her mouth--and Joel's--later on. And it's gonna be hot like fire.

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BY @blueeyesatnight

There's a Word for It As Blue says in her notes, this is where she lives. As in, it's what she does best. This here is a no nonsense meditation on Joel and Tess and how they met and how they functioned. There may or may not have been a word for what they had...it was many words. And they're all here in order, comprising this fic.

Trimmed This fic hit something deep in me, the way it uses memory is really lovely and really feels steeped in canon. The little things we share with someone, not worth mentioning to anyone else, hard to put into words how meaningful it is to you personally or maybe you don't know until they're gone...or until a familiarity with someone else triggers it...

Trouble This is a masterclass in examining Ellie and Joel after they return to Jackson. It weaves in and out of their shared POVs, examining their feelings about who they've become, how they justify Joel's actions and words, who they are to each other, how far they can trust one another, and maybe how tainted that love is. But it's still love all the same. It's amazing and packs a really good punch.

Honest Mistake A short and sweet trope reversal where Joel makes an honest mistake and instead of retrieving Tommy from a situation, kidnaps a boss instead. I love the way the brothers' relationship comes out in the dialogue.

Trying This fic broke my heart a couple of times. Blue imagines the Joel of beforetimes and then bridges the gap to Tess. The man just keeps at it, over and over....because its' what he knows. It makes his arrangement with Tess and actual heaven and I thank her for it.

I Like My Girls A Little Bit Older - (Over the Hill pair) And I like that Joel likes it. He certainly has a type and the reader in this fic has a real sassy, no-nonsense attitude that can meet Joel's in a pretty good dance. And that last sentence may be a spoiler for this story...maybe...

I Know Just What You're Saying - (Over the Hill pair) I love that when Joel is having trouble understanding a teenage girl, he has the foresight to go talk to someone what WAS one once. And that he cares enough to ask for the biiggest favor...and that the reader has no choice but to give it to him.

I Thought I Could Be Someone - (Over the Hill pair) There are so many forms of grief and some of them come out of nowhere from sources you never even knew. Blue does beautiful job in finding that moment here, all wrapped up in an unexpected softness from Joel. This is my favorite of the series yet.

Just Like Heaven - (Over the Hill pair) This brought me back to being a teenager, that "does he like me or want to keep me at arm's length" feeling, that "should I kiss him or is he gonna kiss me" feeling. Of course I get the ending I'm hoping for though! Blue is not gonna leave us hanging when it comes to Joel Miller.

That Summer Seemed to Last Forever - (Over the Hill pair) I still don't forgive Blue for this one. How dare she make me love so bittersweet? That's not to say it isn't beautiful and artfully done. Grab yer hankies, all.

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BY @morallyinept

O' Christmas Tree by @morallyinept This is a precious, delicate story, one in which Joel loves so deeply and hurts so much that the thought of losing you--a real possibility since you've been very ill. But he'd do pretty much anything to see you smile, even if it means facing down a day int he cold to bringyou something to warm your heart.

Northern Lights Imagine camping with Joel. Sharing a sleeping bag. Under the aurora. Hand stuff in the wild has never been so sweet and hot.

Saviour Harsh and heartbreaking and real, this Joel is almost beyond help and I love the way Jett so beautifully details the many little deaths of a survivor. Angst to spare here, but true to character all the way.

Adoration Imagine you are married to no-outbreak, breast-man Joel. Happy. Loved. With a lump. I'm so awed by this fic, that Jett takes a very common nightmare and examines it, never sugar-coating, never denying the difficulties. It's a hard process and maybe I cried. But then there's Joel and his beautiful, steady consistency. I've never been more in love.

Home I can't imagine the love of my life just disappearing one day...but Jett can. Don't worry though, there's a happy ending waiting for you.

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BY @maggiemayhemnj

Happy Tuesday There's no need for Valentine's Day if there's a Happy Tuesday. I love this take on a couple who know how sappy they are for each other but make a joke of subverting the sap. A no-outbreak Joel who's still 20 years on, 20 years in love, and 20 years loving it. Which is exactly how long I'll be loving these two.

A mini Happy Tuesday interlude (Spring prompt: Bees) - (Happy Tuesday pair) Maggie's damn good with a drabble, but even better with a good ending line. I smile every time.

He Sees You - (Happy Tuesday pair) If this is what goes through Joel's head as he watches you assess yourself in the mirror, then that man is in L O V E love.

Breakfast Is Served - (Happy Tuesday pair) I would do anything to be able to cook well, if only to be able to make biscuits for Joel Miller so we can sit at the table with messy bed head and use breakfast as Sunday foreplay.

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[thequeefdealer]

[SURVEY ENDED]Hi, anybody with any neurodiversity! I really need some help with something!

Can you answer this questionnaire on having ADHD, autism, or any other type to neurodivergence and is impact on your creative endeavours or career? Doesn't matter what gender you are or if you're professionally or self diagnosed, or if your creativity isn't a job and just a hobby! All opinions are valid and useful!!

This is for my final project in uni so it'll help me get a banging grade of I have a good sample size! Thank you so so much if you do this. I'm so grateful!

If you can't take the quiz please reblog it so it finds someone who can! Thank you so much!!!

(BTW it's completely anonymous, no signing in, no exact ages (as long as you're over 18), no names, no genders, and the only ppl seeing the stats from the quiz are my tutors marking this and myself, so go ham!)

Here's the link!!!

Thank you so much. You're amazing!!!!

(Edit: I got asked about the security of Google docs and them seeing your answers and your data. I am really sorry about that, and I understand the fear. You honestly don't have to answer if you feel uncomfortable about google having that data. If you still want to do it, maybe opening it on an incognito window will help it not link back to your Google account. Either way, it's entirely your choice to answer these or not! Thank you)

Thursday 20th June Update:

This survey is now closed with an absolutely amazing pool of data and more support than I could have ever expected! Thank you so much, everyone, for your support! You've helped me to no end! Once the Paper is done the Data will be destroyed (no skin off my nose, if my uni ever wants me to publish this dissertation or I ever want to use it in future I'll just redo the survey and probably better than before!) Anyway, thanks again for all your trust, insight, and answers. They're invaluable!