#This goes for everyone including non-us folks

[abandonedelves]

Everyone take it easy today, watch that show you really wanted to but haven't got around to, buy or pre-order that thing you are always looking at but never get, eat that thing you've been craving to shit recently. Indulge in life's little pleasures that you have control over, it's the minimum of what you deserve today. I'm proud of you.

[theresattrpgforthat]

How To Find Cool Games: On Itch.io!

As I drift into a reduced posting schedule, I figured I’d give everyone a peek behind the screen for how I cultivate ttrpgs for recommendations! Some of these tips might even help you find your next favourite game.

This is a long read so let's put most of this beast under a read-more. Keep in mind that many of these strategies work best when you're checking itch.io a little bit every week, and when you're engaging with the platform as more than just a store page. There's a lot of features that you can choose to engage with if you want to find the game for you!

browsing physical game recent releases. This helps me see what’s new and happening, and it helps with a number of things. First of all, I get to see new games pretty much every time I browse recent releases. Secondly, I get a good sense of what’s currently popular in the design space. Thanks to my weekly browsing, I recognize Cy_Borg, Shadowdark and Mausritter as games whose content shows up rather regularly - if you see a lot of products attached to one game at once, that’s a good sign that there’s a related game jam going on (in this case, Shadowdark), or that a game is really resonating with its player base.

sorting games into collections. I personally organize by genre, system, player configuration and (in Games That Intrigue Me) games that I’m personally really hyped about. This works for me because of the nature of my work, but a few collections sorted according to level of interest or game style might work better for you.

Depending on the need, I might have a collection that works specifically for the request - Neon Lights & Cyber Nights is perfect for cyberpunk games, but I might also reference this folder for combat, inventory mechanics, resistance themes, or interesting tech rules. LUMEN is great for folks who want fast-paced games, folks who are looking for certain kinds of video games, or folks who want to feel powerful. If you follow other people on Itch, you'll probably also be able to see their collections, which is a great place to browse.

searching game tags. I don’t typically use the regular search feature, although recently the website did update the toggles to restrict your results to physical games, video games, etc. Instead what I usually do is type what I’m looking for into the url: so in this case, [deck-building]. I might use a couple different wordings, such as [deck-builder] and [deckbuilding] (no spaces). You’re not going to find everything that includes the thing you’re looking for, but you’ll definitely find places to start.

Game Jams! I find these either by looking at the “Jams” tab (although you'll have to wade through video games here) or by noticing that a number of games being published recently have the “for the _” jam in the description. Alternatively, I might be reading the page for a game and see the little “Submission” badge in interaction buttons. There’s game jams for specific systems, game jams for various themes, game jams with special restrictions, and game jams that are titled things like “finish your damn game jam.”

Bundles. I typically buy big-ass bundles and then sort through the games in my downtime. These games are sorted into collections for future reference, and if a game really pops out - into the Intrigue Me folder it goes! And the best part is that I already own it, so if I want to learn more, I can just download it and start reading.

following game designers that I like. This way I’ll get notifications if they release a new game, update an old game, rate someone else’s game, or sort games into their own collections. I also get to see what other folks in the space are excited about - on the day I was browsing, Plasmodics by Will Jobst was really hot.

If you follow me on Itch, you’ll get a notification every time I add a game to one of my non-private folders! Also - you can interact with designers on Itch by liking their updates, and even commenting on their posts, which is a great way to get involved in the design community - and also just make a designer’s day!

[syllvarin]

Non-traumagenic plurality: How could it be possible?

First off, let's start with what some anti-endo folk mean versus what they don't mean with traumagenic plurality

They mean systems caused by/as a response to trauma and traumatic events, and those who are still affetced by them, aka systems who are disordered, DID/OSDD/UDD.

What they don't mean is systems who have trauma in their origin along with other causes. They do not believe a system can very well be traumagenic but function smoothlessly due to recovering, or have multiple origins.

Note: We are a diagnosed DID system with mixed (trauma/ramcoa/neuro/para) origins. Yes, we know what we are talking about. No, that doesn't mean we can't do mistakes, but we will try our best to be as accurate as possible. We will include scientific articles, DSM-5 DID checklist, and many more in this post.

How can that be possible?

1st: Brains are quite complicated. Research on brain functions is far from being complete, it is a long road that we are still at the very beginning of. We still don't know how brain exactly works let alone how it can form seperate conscious identities and work them together. We do know headmates exist based on brain MRI's ( link here ) That proves us that systems indeed, exist.

2nd point i want to make is that science is not done in a linear fashion. We are studying to be neuroscientists ourselves and the very core of what makes science doable is MONEY. Yes, in this capitalist system even the most seemingly basic research requires funding, money, and a goal that can be monetized to get done. Reseaches on female autonomy, rare disorders and "demonized" disorders such as DID is therefore not often as it is not easily capitalized and funded.

Therefore we do not have enough research to prove or disprove that the only way of becoming a system is through childhood.

And that brings me to my 3rd point, where we will take a look at what DSM-5 (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) says about diagnostic crietria of DID. We will see how it is a dissocative disorder, not a trauma disorder.

Found under dissociative disorders (not trauma disorders!), checklist for DID is as follows:

See how none of those checklist include trauma as checklist? Yes DID is commonly caused by trauma but not always. Yes it commonly is created during childhood but not always. Those arent in diagnostic criteria.

Definitive feature is not trauma, it is distinct personality states or experience of possession.

DID is associated with traumatic events, does not mean it requires it.

DID can manifest at almost any age (DSM-5 is saying that, folks)

What's more is OSDD doesnt even have a definitive checklist like DID. it is found under differential diagnosis, with other disorders. PDID (partial DID where one part is frontstuck a majority of the time) is also up to psychiatrist's evaluation rather than a concrete checklist.

4th point is : What about Structural Dissociaton Theory?

This theory is as it goes: The theory of Structural Dissociation works off of the assumption that everyone is born with different ego states that later merge in life. Those different ego states operate for different actions in life, that later integrate into one person during ages of 4-6. Trauma disrupts that integration and causes ANP (apparently normal parts) and EP (Emotional parts). EP's are stuck in the trauma while ANP's are not.

source: The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization" by Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis, and Kathy Steele. 

Yes, theory. Theories are not concrete. They can be disapproved, they can change, they may not fit every experience. Structural dissociation only explains how DID can manifest at childhood, but we already know by now that DID can manifest at almost any age.

So I personally think basing everything on a theory about how DID might've been caused (which doesn't even perfectly explain every possible way) is not as fault-proof as one might think it is.

Point 5: experiences of "multiple identities" exist for so long into history (people who are possessed, talk to themselves, act weird at times, are very different at times, etc), way before any DID/OSDD terms were created. And actually, how can we know how many people in history have had this experience when the very society we are in is very scared of them? It is fair to say only the disruptive cases must've been noticed, and majority of them probably were either deemed as crazy or exorcised as they believed those people were possessed by spirits. Just because your experience does not fit with others and just because science hasnt done anything to back them up, doesn't mean people's lived experiences are false. Why would so many people tell that they are a system when they are not? We are not living in a place where being a system is happy or fun, we are not in a society where its profitable or anything. It literally gives a person zero + points for being plural if they arent. It would be a nonstop roleplay they have to keep up throughout every aspect of their life; and at that point, it must be either impossible or that person is already plural and not roleplaying when no one is looking at them.

Creating headmates is on the same basket. A person with DID can create headmates in blink of an eye (we know from oursleves) sometimes splitting threshold is so low you may split off multiple people at once. You cannot know what is going in a person's mind, and what mechanisms work for creating a headmate. If they claim they did, it is very much no chance they are faking being different people 24/7. It *is* a real chance that they actually did develop a headmate. If you do not believe them; ask them about their experiences. I am %100 positive that if you actually listen to them, you will see those people are only trying to live their life.

Also, if you think healthy systems cannot exist and only way to be a system is through dissociation and dysfunction; then why would DID systems try to heal anyway? Wouldn't that just be sanist and ableist to expect all of them to turn into singlets because healthy multiplicity isnt a thing?But no, it is a thing, and healthy multiplicity and recovery is possible for systems. DID and other disordered forms of plurality do indeed exist, and they are indeed, treatabe in multiple ways according to what a person feels comfortable with. That is also a system's right to heal however they please. They don't owe anyone their right to stay as plural or become a singlet.

6th point I want to make is about: Why do we even care?

If a person says they have multiple people in their head, why do we care and tell them they are faking? They are not claiming to have a diagnosis, even if they did; if their situation is causing a distress to them, then they ARE diagnosable and that therefore is none of our business, again.

Last point I want to make is how endogenic DID is possible. yes, possible. remember how trauma is not in diagnostic criteria and DID can happen at any age? If endogenic plurals can happen, they can also form DID at later in life. They can also become disordered due to an event in their life. They can lose harmony and become so dysfunctional they need professional help. That doesn't mean they are no longer endogenic or some other origin, that simply means their state is different than what it was and they need help.

End of our post. Thank you for reading.

[genderqueerdykes]

I know I sound like an exclusionist or whatever but it feels like the term lesbian has just been straight up appropriated by non-binary folks. They're not women. And they're not men either. That's the point. And switching around a preexisting definition to fit those who already have their own terms (trixic, anyone?) at the expense of having a term for women who love strictly other women just is... No?? And making the definition (non-men loving non-men) centered around men has always felt like subtle misogyny. I'm not attracted to men. I'm not attracted to non-binary people even if they're fem-presenting. And the only term for that no longer belongs to me as the term itself implies some extent of bisexuality. And it's just... Frustrating. I feel like my desire to have a safe space specifically for people like me is overshadowed by accusations of hatefulness. Labels DO matter to people, they wouldn't be used otherwise. And I feel like in an effort to become inclusive, we've just horseshoe-theoried our way back into being... Exclusive? I guess?? I don't know, I'm rambling, trying to keep and open mind here, but it's difficult. Thoughts?

nah, that's not appropriative of nonbinary people to do. nonbinary lesbians are lesbians. i'm a genderqueer lesbian who is also a woman and a man- i'm not just a "woman loving woman" either. my lesbian attraction doesn't apply to just women- it applies to anyone who identifies as a dyke, lesbian or sapphic. the lesbian community/label has always included people other that women. lesbian does not mean woman loving woman in every case. it means that for some lesbians, but not all. just because you're not attracted to non binary people doesn't mean that other lesbians are not!

"I feel like my desire to have a safe space specifically for people like me is overshadowed by accusations of hatefulness."

that is because you are presently being hateful, yes. nonbinary people are not a threat to you- i don't understand exactly why it's difficult for you to see why this is hateful, as you are very much excluding people who belong from joining the community they belong to. this is identity policing. it is hateful.

how would allowing nonbinary people into the lesbian community make you unsafe? i see people use this argument a lot, that the lesbian community needs to weed everyone out but women in order to "keep women safe". how are other genders inherently unsafe for you to be around? the lesbian community isn't a "safe space for women". it's the lesbian community, that's it. keep in mind, the lesbian community isn't about you, it's about all of us. does the thought of someone who isn't a man being in a gay community threaten you as much, or is this because you view women as inherently defenseless/weak/in need of protecting from other genders? there's a lot of internalized misogyny at play in this mindset.

women can abuse you. women are not inherently safe to be around. the sooner you internalize that, the easier life will become for you. you can't view woman as a "safe" gender and everyone else as a threat. the lesbian community isn't where you go to hide from other genders. i'd like to remind you that lesbians are more than welcome to bring family members and friends who are not lesbians or women to lesbian spaces. a lesbian space does not mean "women ONLY". it means people who identify as lesbians, questioning being lesbians, and everyone who supports them is welcome.

the lesbian community thrives off of the diversity it contains. trying to water down lesbian to "woman attracted to women ONLY" goes against the very reason the lesbian community exists in the first place. the reason you are being called hateful is because you are being hateful, presently, but it's more than possible to change. your idea of lesbianism aligns with rad feminism. it's best to open your mind as soon as possible, lest you find yourself identifying as one of them, some day. and that is a recipe for a lifetime of misery

if you want a "women's only safe space" it might be worth looking into women's groups. like groups made specifically for women and only women to attend. you're not looking for a part of the queer community, it sounds like you're looking for a support group of some kind. like, if you want a women's only safe space, you can find exactly that! they're out there, i'm sure your local area has at least one. this honestly would be more productive than expecting the entire lesbian community to conform to what your specific belief on what a lesbian is.

nobody is excluding you. nobody is challenging that you're a lesbian. you're the one challenging others, which makes you the one being exclusive, not everyone else. i hope these talking points gave you something to chew on for a it. i need you to ask yourself why it is that you want to identify lesbianism this way for everyone. it's fine that that's your definition of lesbian that applies to you and you only, but you are not the protagonist of the lesbian community, and not everyone has to define it the same way as you. hope that helps somewhat

you may want to research the life of Leslie Feinberg. Leslie identified as a polygender & male lesbian for a lot longer than i and probably you have been born. here's some more info on hir:

[anexperimentallife]

The US far right has been working on their plan since AT LEAST the 1960s, when I was a kid listening to evangelicals talking about their plan to take over the US, and eventually the world. It's called "Christian Dominionism," and it's a fascist ideology which goes hand in glove with the GOP's plans.

Although it was not expressed so much to the world at large, this plan was OPENLY and FREQUENTLY discussed in far right circles. We kids, if we asked about it, were told that it was "God's Will." Ask any exvangelical about it, and they'll confirm. (Part of why I know so much about these dangerous and deluded folks is I WAS ONE OF THEM in my youth.)

And where has that plan gotten them? Well, the GOP recently released a hundreds of pages long document filled with their intentions if they win--including a nationwide abortion ban and a repeal of anti-discrimination laws, among other things.

Trump has already signaled his intent to create a military dictatorship if elected, by repealing laws against using the military against US citizens on US soil sp he can deploy them against dissenters, etc., and if the GOP pick up a few more congressional seats, he can do it. The GOP has already pushed to repeal presidential term limits, and Trump has indicated he'd like to be president for life.

So I'm amazed at all the people who think withholding their vote and letting the GOP win is going to somehow fix things and "push the Dems left."

You wanna know how to push US politics leftward? You're not gonna like it, because it takes actual work beyond stomping your foot and pouting and performatively showing everyone how "pure" you are by refusing to vote.

You have to start the same way the far right did (and again, they've been OPENLY talking about and pursuing this plan since I was a kid in the 1960s, AT LEAST)--they started by getting the most extreme right wingers they possibly could into any position they could. Positions like school board member, police chief, sherrif, city prosecuter, city council member, municipal judge, mayor, governor, hell, fucking dog catcher.

They encouraged far right extremists to become police officers and military personnel and work their way up the ranks to the point at which even the famously-racist FBI reported that major city police departments across the nation were pretty much taken over by members of white supremacist organizations.

In formerly reasonable churches, right wingers pushed for the hiring and training of more and more right wing pastors and mire right-wing theology.

More affluent right-wingers bought local papers and broadcasters, and as their political power grew, they changed laws to make it easier for a single entity to control the news--until now a mere handful of entities own nearly every major media outlet in the US.

And then they used every victory as leverage for the next one, and worked their way up. I mean, there's more, like the capitalization on economic and social anxiety and their inentional exacerbation of same so they could take advantage of it, but that's intertwined with the rest.

Essentially, they got this far because they put the work in.

If the US left is going to turn things around (and if it's not already too late), we've got to do the same, but it takes RESEARCHING and PROMOTING your local and state candidates, attending city council and school board meetings, and shit like that. It's actual fucking work to fix a country.

And then, after you've done all that--and after you've shown up to primaries to try to get any non-authoritarian leftist candidate you can nominated--then you vote for the leftest folks you're able to in the general. If there are no remotely leftist candidates, you vote for the centrist or right winger who will do the least damage.

Again, that's what the US far right has been doing for decades. Taking action. Wherever possible, taking new ground, but when they couldn't do that, ceding as little ground as possible. If they couldn't win, they made damn sure to do everything in their power to try to keep actual decent human beings from winning.

Actually doing the work doesn't have the emotional satisfaction of a grand gesture, but it definitely shows who is serious about making a difference and who would rather let everything burn than sully their imagined purity by voting for anything less than perfection.

Listen, Trump is not going to end the genocide in Gaza--in fact he increased tensions between the Israeli occupation and Palestine. And the GOP will never be persuaded. Hell, they want to let Russia take Ukraine and declare open season on asylum seekers.

The Dems suck. But the GOP is far, far worse, and will do MORE damage, and kill FAR MORE innocents. And if allowed to do so, will make it even harder to change the system than it is now. They've already PUBLICLY ADMITTED that their only chance of victory is keeping people from voting. Don't play into their hands.

Under current circumstances, you know what the Dems are going to do if Biden and a bunch of other Dems lose for not being pure enough? You think they'll be all like, "Oh, no! The left sure taught us a lesson by handing the country to the GOP! We'd better shift to the left!"

No. They're going to sip champagne in their multi-million dollar mansions and have meetings about how they need to move FURTHER RIGHT to win elections, because the left doesn't vote.

And if the US becomes a military dictatorship, most of the high ranking ones will simply take their fortunes and leave.

Yup, it'd sure teach ol' Joe a lesson to force him to spend the rest of his days sipping cocktails on the Riviera.

Look beyond the single battle and think strategically. That's how the GOP keeps gaining power. And refusing to act strategically is why the left is losing. We cannot take the hill we want right now. But if we lose the hills we've already taken, we risk losing the entire goddamn war.

So fucking vote. Work to get every leftist you can in any office you can. And if you can't do that, support the one who will do the least harm.

And if it takes voting for that shitbag Biden to keep Trump and the GOP out, hold your fucking nose and pull the goddamn lever.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

A special sort of craving 4

Warnings: non/dubcon, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Characters: Lloyd Hansen

Summary: A stranger appears at your cafe and leaves you unsettled.

Part of the Backwood AU

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

The quiet one goes out with another tray for the lively partygoers. You’ve permitted Katherine to join the furor as she was much too distracted to be of any true help. As it is, you’re about to send your second helper home to get her out of the frenzy. She’s ill-equipped for it and you can handle things just fine on your own. 

As you wait for her to return, you continue to clear and stack the trays. You’re certain Frigga won’t mind if you leave them and return to pick them up tomorrow. Little good you’re doing here as Thor sows the last of his wild oats. Yet, you hardly think a number is going to change much. 

The door swings open and you look up, expecting that quiet girl and her doleful eyes. Its not her. Shit. Of course he’s there. 

“Ah, there you are, sweetie pie,” Lloyd calls with a keen smirk at his lazy pun. “I’ve been looking for you all night.” 

“I’m working,” you continue your work, setting a stack on the cart. “Go, enjoy the party--” 

“I didn’t come to deal with the drunken idiot,” he insists as he looms on the other side of the able, “I came for the dessert.” 

“Those aren’t out yet, you’ll have to wait,” you ignore him for your work.  

You can sense him as he inches towards the corner of the big metal table. You try not to react. It’s exactly what he’s looking for. You might not know much of city folk but you have a good idea. You don’t want to feed his ego, he might just hurt himself if it inflates any bigger. 

“I’m not talking about cake, well, not like that,” he snickers as he comes closer and closer. 

“Ew, would you not? I really don’t have time--” you begin as you slice berries. 

“Sure ya do. Everyone’s off their head. They don’t care about your shortcake, sweetheart.” 

“Not interested, for the last time--” 

He reaches for you and you turn, pointing the paring knife at him. His eye glints and he tilts his head. He takes a deep breath and lets out a sinister laugh. 

“Don’t be stupid. You shouldn’t pull a knife unless you’re prepared to use it,” his face turns sober and his brow arches. You can see along the edge of your vision how his fingers twitch, “should put that away before you cut yourself.” 

“Leave me alone,” you force out, heart racing. “I don’t know how they do it in the city but when someone says no, the answer is--” 

“Boring,” he swipes at your hand and knocks the knife from it. The blade bounces off the table and skitters over to the other side, falling onto the floor. 

In a moment, he has you in his grip; one hand on the back of your skull, the other on your jaw. You whimper and clutch at his wrists. You grit your teeth and stomp around blindly, trying to crush his toes. 

“Hey, get the hell off of me!” You hiss as he squeezes enough to make your head throb. 

“What you don’t understand, sweet cheeks,” he walks you backwards, “is that in the city, we take what we want,” he continues on, keeping you on your heels, “I want the rest of that cherry pie, baby.” 

“No, urgh, stop,” you scratch and slap at him helplessly as he marches you around the fridge, “let go--” 

“Shh, baby, it don’t gotta be bad,” he coaxes as he takes you through a doorway, “in fact, I wanna make it real good for you.” He pokes out his tongue and lewdly licks along the bristle of his mustache, “I bet you’re sweet. Taste like sugar... melt like it too, won’t you?” 

“N-no,” you grunt as he kicks the door to the storage room closed, “Lloyd, I’ll scream--” 

“Listen, baby, shhhh,” he hushes you again, “you hear that?” 

Your eyes round as you stare at him. He pushes you against a shelf as you listen. You can hear the music, the voices, and the sheer chaos brewing on the other side of the walls. A scream breaks out and is met only by raucous laughter. He presses his thumb behind your jaw until you squirm. 

“Think they’ll come find you? If they do, you think they’ll find you before I got your cherry?” 

“Get--” you wisp as you writhe and claw helplessly. “Stop, no--” 

He pushes his knee between both of yours. He keeps his hand around your jaw as he crosses his other arm across your chest. He pins you to the shelf as it rattles. He leans into you until your bones ache and lets his hand trail away from your chin. 

“Just relax,” he snarls, “it’ll be good if you just let it happen,” he feels along the side of your apron and dips his hand beneath. His fingertips dance along the top of your pants as you wriggle and gnash your teeth, “I don’t usually like to play with my food but you need a little extra kneading, baby.” 

He shoves his hand down the front of your pants, your chest straining against his weight. Your ribs ache and your head swims. The walls seems to slant around you as the futility paralyses you.  

His forearm draws your waistband so tie it cuts into you. The apron string snaps, then the button of your fly. He angles his hand against your vee as you try to close your knees against his. He growls and presses against the front of your panties, rubbing heat through fabric as you whine. 

“Trust me when I say the stache feels better,” he winks, “but you’re gonna have to earn that, baby face,” he grins and curls his fingers under, covering your clit with his thumb as he uses his index to edge aside your panties.  

He glides against your folds and along your entrance, letting out a dramatic gasp, “oh no, sweetie pie,” he flicks his finger through your slickness and you squirm, “you’re fucking wet.” He clicks his tongue and shakes his head, “you can drop the act already ‘cause we both know you’re gonna love this,” he pokes at your entrance until he dips inside, “you’re never gonna forget the way you feel right fucking now.” 

[rivendellwatch]

[Update Spice Week N°1]

Hi peeps! I wanted to take a moment to gently revisit and clarify some of the conversations around content boundaries for the upcoming Spice Week event. I’ve received some thoughtful, passionate feedback on the form so far (thank you!!) and I truly appreciate that folks care enough to share their perspectives.

Because this is meant to be a safe, sexy, and creatively freeing event for everyone who opts in, I want to make sure everything’s crystal clear before we move forward, because this is an important topic.💌

TW: mentions of dark themes who could be triggering to the reader!!

So! Let’s start here:

Me saying "no rape/non-con/abuse" doesn't mean I'm "banning" BDSM.

Kinks and abuse are NOT the same thing. Those are COMPLETELY different things.

🖤 What’s allowed and welcomed? Kink is not only allowed—it’s encouraged! Let me be super clear: if you enjoy writing or reading about dom/sub dynamics, impact play, restraints, degradation (soft or sharp), voice kink, begging, being tied up, calling someone "sir", whatever tickles your fancy—it is more than welcome here. We even have whole prompt wheels with these spicy themes because this event is meant to be unhinged, cathartic, indulgent, and freeing.✨

I want this to be a space where you can explore fantasy, power dynamics, and all the delicious stuff—as long as it's consensual and clearly tagged.

🧷 What’s not allowed? The line I’d like to keep firmly in place is around non-consensual sexual violence, aka:

Rape or true non-con, especially when portrayed without context or as something desirable

Unlabeled abuse or sexual trauma

Anything that might give people a false sense of comfort only to pull the rug out with unexpected content

This is not about kink-shaming. It’s about mutual respect and informed participation.

Some dub-con elements, like sex pollen, magical manipulation, “oops we’re stuck in this horny cave,” etc., can be okay—as long as they’re well-tagged. The same goes for violence in the context of character dynamics (we’re in Middle-earth after all, things get stabby). But stories that center or glorify rape, abuse, or harm without consent or context are just not something I want associated with this space.

🔖 Tagging Matters I’d rather we empower people with thorough tagging, rather than overly policing content. No AO3 “Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings” for this event, please. Be open and clear so folks can choose what they want to read—and what to skip.

✅ Tag your kinks

✅ Tag your dub-con setups (also putting it in the author note could help)

✅ Tag your violence

❌ Don’t submit work that includes non-con, abuse or rape

I trust that we’re all adults here who know the difference between rough consensual kink and non-consensual harm. One is hot. The other is not.

Also, just as a note for everyone—AO3 has built-in systems to help manage content responsibly, including the ability to report works that misuse tags or fail to properly warn for sensitive material.

If something is mislabeled or lacking essential warnings (like non-con not being tagged), readers can flag it through AO3’s support system, and the moderators do take action when necessary. This is part of why I’m emphasizing clear, accurate, and thorough tagging during Spice Week: it helps keep the space safe, enjoyable, and respectful for everyone, no matter their comfort levels or preferences.

I completely understand that for some writers and readers, exploring darker or more morally ambiguous themes—like non-con—can be cathartic, emotionally complex, and creatively fulfilling. There’s nothing wrong with that, and I absolutely respect the value and importance of spaces where those narratives can be explored deeply and safely. This just isn’t quite the space for it.

There are dedicated events, spaces and communities that specialize in those explorations, where expectations are set accordingly and people opt in with full awareness.

In contrast, Spice Week is meant to be a more broadly welcoming space for everyone who enjoys a bit of heat—whether that means slow-burn tension, kinky fun, or absolutely losing your mind over someone’s thighs. And part of that means ensuring folks feel safe and informed engaging with the content, especially when browsing the tag casually or seeing their faves pop up on a prompt.

I want to be transparent too: the majority of responses to the interest form so far expressed a preference for not including non-con, abuse, rape content in the event, even with tagging.

And while I understand that might be frustrating to writers who lean into darker or more intense themes (you are absolutely valid!!), I’m choosing to follow the guidance of what makes most people feel safest and most included for this particular event.

This doesn’t mean your writing isn’t valued or wanted in fandom—it just means this specific week is angled toward spicy, consensual, kink-friendly, fun-chaotic creations with clear boundaries.

Ending Note: To wrap this up, I want to emphasize something really important: me not allowing rape, non-con, and abuse in the context of this event does not mean I’m kink-shaming anyone.

There’s a very big difference between drawing boundaries for safety and shaming people for their tastes. I’m not here to tell people what they can or cannot write in general—I’m just setting clear, respectful limits for this specific space so that it feels comfortable and welcoming to the majority of people participating.

One response implied that disallowing these themes was kink-shaming folks who enjoy BDSM or similar dynamics—and I really want to clear that up: that’s simply not the case.

BDSM, power play, rough sex, praise, degradation, restraints, consensual dub-con setups like sex pollen or aphrodisiacs etc—all of that can absolutely be a part of the event as long as it’s clearly tagged and rooted in mutual consent within the fic. Abuse and kink are not the same thing. Kinks are negotiated and consensual; abuse is a violation.

The line matters, and it’s one I intend to uphold with care and respect for both writers and readers.

I also want to take a moment to say that I deeply believe in the value of writing and reading smut, erotica, and all forms of spicy fiction as something that can be incredibly cathartic, empowering, and healing. For so many of us, these spaces are how we reconnect with our bodies, our autonomy, our confidence, and even our sense of safety—especially after experiences that have taken those things away. Smut isn’t just "fun"—it’s often reclamation, exploration, comfort, or just joy. And that is beautiful.

Because I see writing this way, I also believe that certain themes can be truly disruptive to that healing and autonomy. For this reason, I’ve made the decision that rape, non-con (non-consensual sexual acts), and abuse will not be permitted as themes or content in Spice Week. I know these subjects can also be processed through fiction for some, and I’m not dismissing that as a coping mechanism—but this particular space, for this event, is meant to feel like a haven, a cozy fire-lit tavern where no one has to worry about stumbling into those wounds by accident. For many participants, even reading summaries or tags that reference these topics can break that safe atmosphere.

It’s not about censorship or judgment. It’s about drawing boundaries that reflect the tone and comfort I want to cultivate for this community during this specific week. This is a celebration of enthusiastic, consensual intimacy, and I want everyone who takes part to know they won’t have to brace themselves for something traumatic in the middle of their fun. I know that may be frustrating for some darker fic writers, and I hear and respect that—but I ask that people extend that same respect to those who need this event to remain a soft, safe space, even if it contains smut/spice.

Because I care deeply about the emotional safety, comfort, and joy of everyone participating in this event, Abuse, Rape, and Non-Con will be excluded from Spice Week.

Again, this is not a reflection on anyone’s personal preferences or coping mechanisms—there are many incredible events out there with a darker tone or more open content policy. But here, in this little corner of fandom, we’re creating something warm, spicy, joyful, and safe.

If these guidelines don’t match someone’s creative goals or vibe, that’s totally okay. Everyone has different preferences, and I’m sure there are plenty of other events or spaces where more extreme or cathartic themes can be explored freely. I truly wish everyone the best in finding or creating what feels right for them—and thank you again to everyone who offered thoughtful feedback and helped me shape this into something inclusive, fun, and safe. 💖✨

_ Bucky

[jazeswhbhaven]

Not the same anon

I love that whb is willing to tackle niche kinks and fetishes. There are so many games out there that deal with less extreme kinks (dom/sub, light bondage, etc). It's nice to finally have a game that's willing to have content meant for the freaks (affectionate) that find eroticism in the taboo. I mean... Glassy openly like necrophilia and his H scene was unbelievably hot. I don't get why, when the freaks (again, affectionate), finally get a game that openly admits what it is and openly states that it is catering to them, people act shocked and appalled at the content that they were told is in it.

Like, people got really upset at the Christmas cards for the angels because it was non/dubcon, and angry at Satan's tortured card for the same reasons. Some of us hide that shit hot/sexy. Sorry. But, like, the game doesn't hide that it will have dark content. The entire game itself is dubcon if you stop to think about the fact that Ra-on has no choice but to have sex with the devils and drink their best friend's jizz in order to remain in hell. And that's just one example that I see people talking about the most often.

I don't know. I wish whb was allowed to just be a freak game for the freaks without people being weird about the fact that it has kinks that some people like and don't get a lot of mainstream content for. I know that everyone has their boundaries, but no one is forcing anyone to play this game if it touches on a topic someone doesn't like. I have friends that stopped playing because of certain content and they have lived. There are so many other games out there that cater to standard kinks and fetishes if this one isn't for them. I want whb to remain just the way it is.

(In fact, compared to some of the shit I know, whb is still on the mild side. Until you get genuine monsterfucking, egg laying/oviposition, and/or guro, this game is still mild compared to the freaks I know and love)

There's a lot of points here that I agree with anon.

As a certified freak of the week with boundaries, this game is considered mild for me! I've dove into much heavier topics, that including egg laying, guro, the LI dismembering the MC so they don't ever leave (if you know you know where this is from). The way I process these themes are "yeah that's fucking horrible/weird/concerning but I'd like to see where this goes".

This is how I am with WHB.

Now, there are some gripes, and it's mostly with how one writes said theme. Satan's Torture card...sorry y'all for bringing it up again, I didn't care for it because I was expecting something entirely different and they made Satan seem like an idiot for getting caught in the first place the way he did so I was like...really? Lol But at the end of the day it's an opinion, and I just didn't care for it.

Just like how there's some H-scenes and some card stories that were 'boring' for me or lacking substance. It felt more like "we're pushing out content just because there's nothing else and we forgot our own lore and details"

But that's beside the point here.

The themes in WHB, I touched on this before but I did figure they would go into heavier things we normally don't see in a gacha game made for originally anyway women audiences. This is stuff I usually see in BL's.

Another game, though made for all genders, DOL (degrees of lewdity) also has some things in there where anyone who is having an issue with WHB would definitely have an issue in this game too.

I think players should be critical of the media they consume. However no one should force themselves to play something they don't like or try and rally others to agree with them just so they don't feel alone.

Everyone has their different tastes and their own thing. Granted some of those 'things' may or may not warrant a certain response and that's to be expected. As I've grown though, I've realized that life is far too short to be yellin' at folks for liking dubcon or noncon (in example). There's block buttons, unfollow, mute, tools to help you get rid of those 'icks'.

[knight--error]

Okay, so, this idea has been rattling in my head for years, and it's for the five or so of you who have read both Wheel of Time and Worm by Wildbow. For those who have only read one, I'll explain the mechanics involved on each side; feel free to skip if you've read one or both.

Alright. The gist: I think you could slot together these two universes pretty well if you assume that the True Source is, in fact, a pair of entities.

Lemme explain. First, necessary lore/mechanics for Wheel of Time:

The magic system in Wheel of Time appears simple/basic at first glance but deepens in complexity as the series goes on. For this, we're gonna stick with the basics. Magic in this universe flows from the True Source, which is divided into two halves: saidar, and saidin. Some people are born with the ability to channel/learn to channel the True Source; women channel saidar, while men channel saidin. The whole vibe is very yin/yang.

An important element of Wheel of Time's lore is that long, long before the story starts, the male half of the True Source was tainted by the Dark One (basically the devil, personified entropy, etc.). Now all male channelers will eventually go insane, destroy everything around them in uncontrollable bursts of magic, and then literally rot alive as the taint consumes them. Very fun.

That's most of what you need to know on the WoT end. For the folks who haven't read Worm, there are some MASSIVE spoilers for the end of the series here, so if you intend to read it, be forewarned.

So, in Worm, there's a race of gigantic space worms called the entities, who evolve by scattering fragments of themselves (called shards) on planets populated by intelligent life. The shards give individuals unique abilities (experienced on the ground level of the story as superpowers), and the experiences of these individuals are stored in the shards. Essentially the entities are outsourcing the refinement of their own abilities/powers; individuals will learn new tricks/ways to use their abilities, which the entities will learn when the shards is harvested at the end of the cycle.

End of the cycle being the destruction of the planet and the death of all life on that planet. Very fun.

Also important to note: the entities, or at least the ones we see in Worm, travel in pairs. There's the Warrior and the Thinker. The majority of the powers we see in Worm come from the shards of the Warrior.

Alright, you got the basics? Good. Here we go.

I think you could plausibly imagine saidar and saidin as less advanced forms of the entities; they only give out one ability to everyone, the ability to channel, but they still learn all the tricks that individual channelers come up with. (Big side note: time is literally a wheel in, er, Wheel of Time, and I'm not including that aspect of the cosmology here. We're just putting that aside.)

One of the reasons I find this an interesting idea is because the breakdown of people overcome by their shard in Worm, like Khepri, and male channelers in Wheel of Time, are very similar. In this hypothetical situation, the taint on saidin is basically a permanent jail-breaking of all male channelers' shards.

I find this specifically interesting because forever ago I had a parahuman OC who I wanted to universe hop to different canons, and when I sat down to think about her going to WoT, this whole thing popped up. Since most powers in Worm are from the Warrior, which in WoT would be saidin, I think a non-Cauldron cape being transplanted to WoT would essentially auto-connect to saidin, and be consumed by their shard/the taint. Also the OC in question was a Tinker and I find the idea of a Tinker being consumed by their shard very weird and almost funny. Mad scientist to the extreme there.

Anyway uuuuhhhhh I don't know if anyone else will find that interesting. But there you go. Also if you've gotten this far and you've only read one of the properties mentioned, you should read both. I honestly think these series share a lot of DNA and fans of one will like the other.

[vikings-til-valhalla]

Heyoo I'm Jay and I'm non-binary and follow Loki, Freya and Thor. Not quite great at it but still. One thing I'd like to know is.. is Valhalla pretty much a Ragnarok training camp? I'm hoping I go to be with Hel.

So the short answer: it is that exactly, but also so much more.

Long answer is:

Valhalla is the land of honored dead who fell in combat. Yes, a majority of the depictions is explaining how the halls are full of battle and preparation for Ragnarok, and that Odin chooses the valiant slain during combat for the reason that they are powerful fighters and therefore worthy. But it's also about comradery and kinship, merriment, and celebration.

Other depictions of Valhalla portray it just as much a place of endless celebration where one who is chosen goes to revel with others in eternal glory and joy for the heroic warring deeds they did while alive. Everyone is together in these celebrations, and the sense of unity is immense. It's the place where legends never die, and tales are told eternally.

It's true that Valhalla is the place of battle and preparation for the ultimate fight, namely because those who died fighting are the chosen. But just as any warrior would do with their bands of siblings in arms, it's a place to celebrate your victories because, in the days of pre-Christian Scandinavia, death was seen more as a victory not a defeat. It was valor to die fighting for your clan and kin.

Hence you get things like the Havamal stanza 75 (pitt.edu translation): "Cattle die and kinsmen die, / thyself too soon must die, / but one thing never, I ween, will die, -- / fair fame of one who has earned."

Overall to understand the true purpose of Valhalla, you have to have an understanding of the life and facts of life that were during this time period. Much of the gods' tales across all accounts are about the inevitably of death and embracing it because nothing is eternal, and death is a given. Everything ends. Death is an end. But endings are a new beginning, and that new beginning can be beautiful. It's a chance for something better and greater to take the place of what was. And Valhalla as a concept shows us that we must revel in the glory of what was, and celebrate those who've done great things. And when the time comes for things to end, so be it. Joy and prosperity had their time and place, and a new life for other joy and prosperity will be born.

That isn't to say that Helheim and other lands are dishonorable and valor-less, though.

Just the same as Valhalla, it's often depicted that Helheim is a place where all others ascend who are not dishonored, and who Odin does not choose. This, therefore, includes the musicians, poets, artists, ethicists, scholars, anyone and everyone at all who simply lived an honorable life and died without being in combat. Legend lives elsewhere as much as it does in Valhalla, it's just simply in another form that isn't war and physical might.

I don't recall which sources I'd read from for this. But some folks choose to believe that the artistic people of Hel's realm are the ones who write songs and draw portraits of the legendary warriors of Valhalla. And others choose to imagine it holds the most intelligent of debates!

Whereas battle and merriment are the place of Valhalla, Helheim is the place of peace and honor. It was Christian depictions specifically which put Helheim in a poor light and made it seem like a desolate, torturous place akin to their land of hell, which, from what I understand, experienced a similar thing as a result of the crusaders, though I'm not Christian so I truly can't confirm or deny that.

But in the end, it's honorable to be chosen by either Odin or Hel, and if you have no desire to be a fighter in the end days, you have no obligation to be. Just as the skalds carried forth the legends, and scholars taught the wisdom sought by many, and crafters made the tools and clothes for survival, and cooks made the food and drink needed for sustenance, Hel understands everyone has a purpose and that this purpose isn't always living and dying to fight. She provides a place to keep those people after death where they, too, can be honored and together just as Valhalla, only without the violence.

So to sum it up: Valhalla is a place of celebration with combat. Helheim is a place for all non-warriors, and without combat and war.

I'm sorry this was so long, but I hope I answered your question well enough at least!

[sevensoulmates]

Buddie 7x04 Meta Part 4 (of 4)

Click here for part 1, part 2, and part 3.

This is the last part so it probably won't be as long (hopefully).

This entire conversation with Tommy includes a lot of references to Eddie. Whether Eddie's mad, how Eddie feels, why Eddie would like Tommy, how Eddie/Chris feel about Buck, how Eddie is such a great person and everyone would want to be friends with him, etc. Even when they're not talking about Eddie, they're talking about Eddie. And I love the idea of Tommy and Eddie being friends. Because honestly at the end of the day, it was Buck who was projecting more than friendship onto Tommy and Eddie's relationship. Queer men can have platonic friends that they like without wanting to be with them, and it genuinely does seem like that's what Tommy and Eddie are to each other. Their chemistry wasn't all in Buck's head, but how the two of them together made Buck feel? That was so real and super super telling.

Here's callback number ∞ to the streetfighting arc. This line in particular borrows a very particular...word...from a very particular grocery store fight. In 3x05, Eddie is the maddest he's ever been at Buck because Buck starting the lawsuit meant "I couldn't even talk to you", "Do you know how much Christopher misses you? How could you you weren't around?", "because you're exhausting!" Exhausting has been a buzzword in the Buddie fandom for many years and most people use it as an excuse for overdone and unnecessary Buck whump, but it's an interesting choice here. Especially in conjunction with Buck's acknowledgment of "making everything about him" which is another thing that is mentioned in the same episode 3x05 AS WELL AS in 3x09. But now, it's being used in a different context. Buck is falsely ascribing all of his attempts to get Eddie's attention over the last however many days to trying to get Tommy's attention. Even Tommy's like huh? "My attention?"

Lou places emphasis on "my". "My attention?" So even Tommy knows that this whole time Buck has been trying to get Eddie's attention. He's surprised that Buck is suddenly saying it's been about Tommy the whole time when quite obviously, it has not been.

Even Buck himself is not so certain about that. He "guesses so" because in this moment he's feeling infatuation, a connection with Tommy, a warm feeling that maybe reminds him of how he felt in the early days getting to know Eddie. He "guesses so" because that's the easy explanation to a question that's been circling his mind non-stop the past few days. It's an answer, and as we know Buck is always seeking an answer. It's a "for now readily available easy explanation" that Buck can take at face value because it means he can sleep easy at night knowing that his place with Eddie is safe again for the time being.

Even just a couple of seconds before the kiss happens, Buck brings up Eddie one last time in case you forget who's always on Buck's mind. He then mentions Maddie's words "There are better ways to get someone's attention", before he's interrupted. But before I dive into the kiss, I want to mention the implications that Tommy believes the best way to get someone's attention when you like them, instead of getting jealous, is to kiss them. It's an interesting suggestion, that all of this time, instead of all Buck's stupid peacocking attempts to try and get Eddie's attention this episode...he could've just kissed him. Foreshadowing? Only time will tell.

And boom. There we have it folks. Tommy kisses Buck, and the lightbulb goes off. Buck is attracted to men, he likes men AND women. This is 911's definitive statement that yes, we were right, Buck is bisexual, has been this whole time, and will always be in the future. And no, it's not just in relation to Eddie (which by the way is an IMPORTANT distinction). Buck is attracted to men in general, he's a bisexual man, and the show is not doing a "gay for you" trope here. They're committing to Buck being a queer man and this opens a world of new doors for him.

And again, I've said it once and I'll say it again: finally letting Buck realize his bisexuality, and act on it ON SCREEN (not just a throw-away mention) is REVOLUTIONARY. This representation is incredibly important and Buck's bisexuality on its own, separate from any love interest, will always be a part of him. Whether you like Tommy or not, that's not what matters. What matters is that Buck is realizing he can find happiness with a man. And more than likely, he will end up with a man, not because he has to, but because his perfect partner in the show has already been proven to be a man.

Eddie Diaz.

With this kiss, we are officially on the path towards Buddie. Buck kissing Tommy, or having a temporary relationship with him does not negate that. Just like Buck was always going to end up with Eddie even through his relationships with Abby, Ali, Taylor, and Natalia. Tommy is no different. And if after four long essays explaining point by point why that is true isn't enough to open your eyes, then I simply can't help you anymore.

Some last tidbits:

This reminded me of the Lonestar crossover where Eddie begs Marjan to "for the love of God, please follow Buck back on Insta." Just interesting since Eddie x Marjan was another fake-out love interest coupling.

And finally, the last 3x09 callback. This reminded me of the line when Buck says Eddie wanted to throw punches at him, Eddie says "I wouldn't do that", gives him a seductive look, and then says "You're on blood thinners". To which Buck says his famous "I could still take you". Yet another verbal comparison of Tommy to Eddie.

Final thoughts: This episode was fucking amazing (I really liked Athena's story too). This episode was more than enough proof for me that Buck and Eddie are going to get together. Buck is bisexual and FREE!!!!!!!

We were right about that, we're gonna be right about Eddie, and we're gonna be right about Buddie. Just unclench and enjoy the ride.

And for my fellow warriors who've been in the trenches for years telling everyone that the story will get there eventually, I salute us all! I hope yesterday's episode was vindication for you all as much as it was for me. I had a blast working with you all. See you all again for our celebrations when Eddie comes out and Buddie becomes canon. For now, I hope everyone had a Happy Bi Buck day!!

Full meta: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

[why-bless-your-heart]

Had a funky dream (non-drug-induced)

Started out with a bunch of rowdy teenagers befriending a little ol' lady in a brand new development and her grandson came by to check on things. They let a couple of the teenagers drive her minivan and they did it the worst anyone's ever done it, to the point that they EXPLODED the tree in her front yard. The lady had been hiding in the back and detonated the charges once they careened, fishtailing, into the garage. This cemented their friendship for life.

Segue into the next part of the dream, the grandson is the main character of a ragtag team that are setting out to become professional caterers with a very cut-throat attitude. One of the team members is an atheist, raised catholic. Another team member, a young, consumptive woman, is a devout and practicing catholic from a large family. On the way to their first gig, the atheist starts singing an old song and, somewhat mockingly, invites the girl to chime in. She does with a will. The song is in latin so the grandson doesn't understand it, but the gist is that it's one of those folk songs where a boy engaged in a metaphor with a girl and then refuses to marry her. The atheist and the catholic get into a heated argument about this.

At this point I'm looking at the words on the pages of a book and reading all of the above as a story, with the grandson as a narrator. He clearly doesn't understand the technicalities of the argument, because the next passage goes a little like this:

She said that the interdictality (oof) of the textinalitiese (aah) of the parathenticolonesque (eek) made it clear that —

This makes me laugh and my dad asks what was so funny. I show him the page and ask if that was what it was like for him as a convert. Then went back to the story.

The dream went to the "fairground" setting — A canopy in the center of a large and low depression packed tight with crowds — and then to the "cable car" setting — a first-floor gift-shop type area with two parallel stairs that lead up to a landing with glass doors that leads out to a cable car — before returning to the main story.

The atheist was increasingly hostile to the catholic girl, who was weird and off-putting and annoying to everyone else, including the grandson, who had picked up that she couldn't go back to her family for reasons undisclosed but were implied to have something to do with abuse. They were going to force her to either recant or leave the team, both of which were intolerable to her. Quite literally backed into a corner, she told them to let her think, then said that she had it. St. Thomas Aquinas, when discussing the phenomenon of female suicide, had drawn a distinction between that and the pagan pride of throwing oneself upon ones sword rather than face defeat. Using that rationale, she seized a knife the size of a sword and cut her throat.

In Heaven, Christ approaches the throne of the Father hand-in-hand with the girl. The Father asks "Who is that?" And the Holy Spirit answers "It is the girl from today's wedding."

At this point I start to question the theological accuracy of the dream, and realize that no, suicide is not recognized as a type of martyrdom, and for good reason. I start to wake up, but not before there's some more literary stuff with a mouse in a cage on a hamster wheel and the narrator expressing regret over the waste of a beautiful body.

[bangtannism]

Lol speaking of other shippers being jealous of what JK and JM have and blaming the company for why their fave pair don't have it, I recently came across a reel from a Jinkooker page, showing moments from AYS and captioning it "this is what a friends vlog looks like so the company didn't mind showing it" and compared it to those pictures where JK and Jin took a trip together or something and JK was carrying his camera around, and of course they made the excuse that "the company" is gatekeeping the footage because they couldn't hide how they were a couple😅

I laughed so hard when I saw that. It's really all the same arguments from different subgroups of the fandom, they all cry "Bighit is hiding my ship/Jikook is fanservice". It looks like it's solely a Taekooker narrative simply because they are the loudest and most unhinged, but really, all non-Jikook BTS pair-that-has-JM-or-JK-as-one-half shippers are keeping their ships afloat with this narrative. Yes, including some Vminies (I've seen this lot parroting Taekooker narratives when the joint enlistment of Jikook was announced, and mind you they are the same people who were also so smug about Vmin definitely enlisting together)

I know deep down these people know that even if it was their ship spending so much time around each other and orbiting one another, it still wouldn't be the same. They'd never come across as suspicious. Jungkook was openly spending time with Taehyung and there had been an uptick in Taekook moments since 2022 compared to the few years before then and not ONCE did I see other shippers cry about "Bighit forcing Taekook down our throats" or accusing Taehyung of being a "fanservice king" (those accusations were only coming from toxic Jikookers) and "feeding his minions" the way they've always accused Jimin and still do to this day even though he doesn't mention JK nearly as much as Tae does.

Jikook as a ship was on a little bit of a "break" and Taekook had Taekookers convinced they were doing a soft launch and would become official quite soon & not once did I see Jinkookers, Vminies or Taejinners talking about "Taekook is hiding my ship". Even during that time, still, it was Jikook getting those allegations.

No, what makes the Jikook ship so polarizing was never about the quantity of their interactions but always about that special chemistry, that special tension they share between them. And everybody and their mama knows this - the only difference is that most of us hate it.

"the company" is gatekeeping the footage

yes, yes, a very popular assertion. bh/hybe is apparently sitting on a mountain of tkk, ymn, vmn, and jnkk content. (side note, i usually do not judge peoples ships at all but jnkk .... brother eugh.)

It's really all the same arguments from different subgroups

yup. 🙃 everyone is weirdly obsessed with calling jikook fanservice because it hurts their feelings that jikook not only spend time together, not only enjoy the time they spend together, but also come across more couple like than any other duos. it MUST be fanservice that theyre acting like that! it MUST be scripted!! (the cognitive dissonance goes hard in some of these folks.)

It looks like it's solely a Taekooker narrative simply because they are the loudest

nothing to add to this, i just agree. there's more tkkrs than other sub-groups so of course we would see it more often from them.

there had been an uptick in Taekook moments since 2022 compared to the few years before then and not ONCE did I see other shippers cry about "Bighit forcing Taekook down our throats" or accusing Taehyung of being a "fanservice king" (those accusations were only coming from toxic Jikookers)

to be fair, the uptick happened during ch2, so it wouldn't make much sense to say bh was forcing them (not that some other sub-groups ever feel the need to make sense, but that's a them problem). tkk are good friends and had more time to hang out and i love that for them and i do think most jikookers readily admit that tkk love each other. fuck the ones who don't, because it makes them no better than the people they criticize.

No, what makes the Jikook ship so polarizing was never about the quantity of their interactions but always about that special chemistry

that's exactly it, anon. jikook is viewed as a "threat" to all other ships that have jm/jk in them and therefore they take the brunt of hate. they simply would not get the hate and attention they do from other sub-groups if people were not so hellbent on "disproving" them. (weirdo behavior fr.)

i saw someone asking what shippers actually have some sus proof and underneath the comment mentioning jikook, there were tkkrs trying to tell everyone that jk never wanted to be on ays, doesn't like being around jm, etc. you would never catch me behaving like that or even thinking like that, because it simply does not worry me when jm or jk hang out with other people. it reeks of jealousy and insecurity.

no matter who jm and jk spend time with, it simply will not be the same as the moments they have together. whether friends or more than friends, their bond and chemistry is just special and anyone who doesn't want to admit that is lying to themselves.

[reimenaashelyee]

Creator's Guide to Comics Devices: November 2023 Update

The first newsletter since launch came out a few days ago! It summarises all the updates I've made in November, which includes 2 (!) new devices, a sub-device, and other site changes.

Subscribe to the newsletter to get these updates direct to your email.

New Devices:

Aside

A short comment that sits outside of a balloon or character that is not perceived by anyone except the comment maker and the reader. An aside may come from the author, usually placed outside of the panel or near the edges. (Page with examples)

Topper

A secondary row of panels or single panel that goes 'on top' of the main comic. They are typically removable and non-essential, and usually contain the comic's title. (Page with examples)

Sub-device

Markers in Code Switch

Languages are assigned flags, pictographs or other iconographic symbols. (Page with examples)

News from the Curator and Site Changelog

I'm delighted over how well-received the library has been -- thank you to everyone who has shared, commented and provided feedback! I really appreciate the enthusiasm and generosity. <3 As a comics creator taking my first formal steps into the arena of comics studies, there is still a lot to do and to read for the library. Even with 63 devices catalogued, it's only still the beginning! 

From the Interwebs

‘The Creator’s Guide to Comics Devices’ Is the First of Its Kind, an Incredible Resource for Comics Creators & Readers Alike (The Mary Sue, Joan Zahra Dark) Lovely roundup from my fellow Cartoonist Cooperative co-founder Joan setting the historical context for Comics Devices and why an accessible resource is like this is due.  

Kibbles n Bits (Comics Beat, Heidi MacDonald) An enthusiastic feature of the library in Heidi's roundup.

Shout Outs

Thank you to Ritesh, Tan Juan Gee, Samantha Philipps, Blue Dellinquanti, Ted Anderson and Hannah Pallister for their contributions. (I really need to get that credits/curator's notes page set up. That's this month's to-do) Once again, thank you to the Sequential Artists Workshop Teaching Fellowship for supporting the development of the library this month.

Updates to the Site (Nov 2023)

Added the Store page and dedicated a subsection for it on the homepage, if only to direct people to the already-existing zine that’s currently distributed by Sequential Artists Workshop and myself. I might use that page to hold things like signing up for workshops and panels if they ever happen. Added the Newsletter page so it’s easier to link to across the site and elsewhere. Opened up the page that displays all the devices on one page. Added ‘Contribution’ ‘Newsletter’ ‘All Devices’ to the sidebar. Fixed the 404 page. It suggests the Site Map for advice. Finally opened the Links page! Check out all the resources in there! Thank you to folks who have submitted feedback/contribution! I have added new example pages for Harmonious Juxtaposition/Time & Space/Pictorial Lettering/Colour Coding and a longer definition for Map Panel. Added two new devices – Aside and Topper. Added ‘Markers’ and ‘Balloon Styles’ as a subdevice to Code Switch. Finally set up the Gallery page: this is where comics pages featuring the relevant device will be catalogued. Now for the slow work of filling up the galleries…..

New in Store: The Comics Devices Quick Reference Zine Before the website launched, I produced this zine as a promotional thing + quick reference. This is a 12-page zine showcasing the devices in this library as of 2023 (not including the Topper and Aside). Perfect for students, teachers and anyone who needs a quick, in-person reference if there's no wi-fi available. Sequential Artists Workshop is selling copies for North Americans in their online store. Folks in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia can directly contact me to get a copy. An ebook version is on the way. I will announce it via newsletter.

[aziraphales-library]

TW for mention of sexual violence.

Do you have any recs for rape recovery fics? I have read Repossesion by dreamsofspike, and it was good, so I am looking for something similar.

Mind the tags on ALL of these, folks! Here are some rape recovery fics...

Put It On A Shelf by mix_kid_ao3 (M)

Hands holding him, scratching him, hurting him. Pulling and pinching, taking things Crowley never wanted to give—still doesn’t want to give. And he supposes that was the point, wasn’t it? Everyone wants to give and take this particular something. Everyone except him. It‘s a natural part of being a demon, there’s a reason it’s one of the easiest forms of temptation. Crowley wakes kicking.

It goes like this, the catch, the grip by Anonymous (E)

Crowley goes to a party in Hell, and has a traumatic encounter with a powerful demon. Two-thousand years later, Aziraphale tries to understand.

In the Afters by OneofWebs (M)

Aziraphale has been enduring Sandalphon's abuse for centuries. He's become so used to it, he's almost gotten himself to believe that things are fine. When Sandalphon does the unthinkable, and Aziraphale finds himself pregnant--he finally decides that it's not fine. In a sudden rush of freedom, Aziraphale tells Crowley everything. In the aftermath of it, he finds that Crowley doesn't care about the past: only the future that they can share.

What I Am by Anonymous (E)

Aziraphale knows what he is, in Heaven. He’s dirty, and tainted, and easy. He’s good for working off stress. He’s a lower angel, a demoted Cherub banished to Earth and forbidden from saying no. He’s Gabriel’s favourite, though he doesn’t understand why. He knows all too well what he is. But it doesn’t matter. Because Heaven is good, and all that they do must be good in return. No matter how much it hurts, no matter how much he hates it. Heaven cannot possibly be wrong. Right?

I'd Do It Over Again (To Keep You With Me) by the_sinnamon_roll_writes (M)

Crowley has some bad (and repressed) memories of some of his time down under, and Aziraphale wants to help when he finds out. I struggled a bit with the rating here- there are no graphic descriptions of non-con (nothings even actually stated, really), but it is implied that it might've happened in the graphic descriptions of torture. I'm not sure that it warranted that tag, but I decided to play it safe and include it.

Stress Relief by Fanlan (M)

Gabriel likes to use Aziraphale to work out pent out frustration and anger, often leaving the Principality bloody, bruised and psychologically scarred.

And the one you mentioned...

Repossession by dreamsofspike (E)

Crowley and Aziraphale's clandestine love affair has spanned the past fourteen years, with Heaven and Hell none the wiser. Or so they thought. Angel and demon alike quickly learn that Heaven can be far crueler than Hell.

- Mod D

[the-fujoshi-thesis]

I've been rediscovering BL and yaoi recently as someone who is 35 and who read their first yaoi (Gravitation) in high school almost 20 yrs ago. And I really appreciate your knowledge, research, and analysis of the genre and Fandom. I feel some times the younger fans have a hard time letting themselves enjoy the inate fantasy of it vs. Having to flagellate themselves and others for it existing. It reminds me of an article (which I need to find) about how under capitalism in the west, we only feel empowered to control what we consume, so we assign some moral value to what media we consume or not consume. It's sad because some folks are ok with NSFW bans that will target queer folks and sex workers. They are okay with bans if it means that the things they consider indecent or problematic are gone but conservative and right wing parties think the existence of queer is indecent. I fear they'd ban themselves in the public sphere because of this mindset.

Ha! Gravitation was also the first BL anime I watched and read!

And yes to the younger fans but I think there are many, many things that fall into each other to create the current fandom climate in addition to what you said about capitalism and assigning moral values to your consumption.

Things aren't as separate as they used to be, now everything falls into a big fandom hub and fans of different things with different boundaries and preferences have to see each other constantly. 15+ years ago everything was more sequestered and you had the easy option of noping out of places without having the feeling of falling out of fandom. Not to forget that having different accounts was also more widespread, sth that people forgot for a while and tried to put everything under their one and sometimes real name account.

The US, the main driver of anglosphere fandom spaces and unfortunately main influencer of other language spaces, straight up without a doubt had a huge right-wing shift in many, many aspects of its society including their culture. Some time ago you could be reasonably sure that an online queer person would be pretty leftist in many things they said and did. Now you have gays, lesbians, bisexuals and more just parroting Christian conservatism with their entire chest and that's reflected in fandom as well.

Again the US but this time their failing school system also in the last 20 years. You have one, one and a half generations of American children, teenagers and young adults who have trouble reading and understanding a text. And as sad and devastating that is for them they make it everyone else's problem and that constantly.

There is so much that goes on here and I as a non-American, non-Christian fan feel like the American cultural Christians and their teenagers are suffocating queer fandom even if they're queer themselves but it's not like we're forced to engage with them when we don't want to (most of the time)

But in my personal experience that fandom climate is on the down actually, like a pendulum that swings back and forth after reaching its high point. Unfortunately, American society itself, with its crumbling status as an Empire, is not doing well or in the path of recovery.