#but now that i've been actively in the fandom for longer i felt like i finally had a pretty solid vision for how i picture him

[account-name]

weewoo it's peepaw man behind the slaughter silly rabbit ect

[galedekarios]

seeing a post that basically confirmed the obvious disparity in content made me think more about a scene i would have liked to see with gale and that i've been thinking about for a while now.

i always felt a bit sad that his condition is so often treated as a joke by the fandom and to a lesser extent by the game itself. i always thought that this is partially down to the fact that we don't truly get so see gale actively be in pain due to his condition, other than brief glimpses and hints:

we do hear the urgency in his voice when he explains when and why he needs an artefact and the relief in his voice when the protag chooses to help him.

we see it, too, when he is afflicted by the arcane hunger condition:

we get glimpses of it when he consumes an artefact:

he mentions it, too, in his dialogues, but it's very much downplayed by gale or phrased in such a way that is meant to overplay it with humour, or perhaps even to distance himself from it by using metaphors:

that is until we actually get to see it through his eyes, if only for the briefest of moments:

*Its teeth, its claws, it's unstoppable as it digs through and becomes part of you. And gods, it is ever-hungry...*

gale also has an idle animation where he--quite often--reaches up to touch the orb, perhaps because it flares with pain, like an old wound is wont to do:

(gif by @bladeofavernus)

from the last conversation we have with gale, and after catching all of these little moments of things he says or does with how the orb affects him, we learn that consuming the magic from artefacts no longer has any effect at all. the only solution that tara and he were able to find no longer works:

it would scare him and imbalance him, and it would finally destabilise the orb, make it more volatile.

but what happens in the game after that? the orb becoming volatile enough for the artefacts to no longer have an effect has no consequences at all: you are able to do the tiefling party, all quests in the underdark, the entirety of the grymforge, and, should you choose to do so, the entirety of the mountain pass and rosymorn monastery without an incident at all or any mention of the condition itself/any discomfort or fear it might cause.

there's no urgency here, no follow-up, to what the narrative set up... and then we meet deus ex elminster and the orb is stabilised, and the urgency that came before literally is handwaved out of existence.

what i would have liked instead to happen--or at least to bridge the gap between the artefacts no longer working and elminster stabilising it to be used on mystra's behalf--is the following:

i think it would have been nice to have a scene with gale where we do get to see--on a much smaller scale--him losing control over the orb, have the protag and the companions see what he is trying desperately to keep contained within himself, what gnaws at him, what continues to haunt him.

it could happen perhaps after a particular gruelling and intense fight--and there are enough of that in the underdark and at the mountain pass. it could have been a ! conversation, providing both friendship and romance content.

have the orb act up after expending so much energy to manipulate the weave to the fullest of his abilities, have gale manage to reign it in, but barely, show that it takes a lot of power and effort for him to do so.

that it hurts, with none of gale's metaphors to hide behind or jokes to play it off.

have the audience truly see the gravity of what he is going through.

[venus-giirl]

"Confessions"

Gyutaro Shabana x fem reader.  

Fandom: Demon Slayer 

Word count: 1428.

Rating: morning sex, whispers, confessions, mentions of pregnancy, Gyutaro being tender and gentle.

N/A: I'm too active today so I wrote this scenario. I haven't stopped thinking about Gyutaro after reading too many fanfics about him, so I just wrote the idea that was running around in my mind. I know I'm late writing about him, but I hope you truly appreciate and enjoy it. 

The ground was wet. Some puddles were scattered in random areas around the house. The land that was not inundated by them was muddy and muddy.

The big overnight storm had cooled the vegetables in the small vegetable garden, with the relief that it was not spoiled by the strong wind that the storm brought. The trees were dripping with fresh water and the clouds were still cresting the sky, dumping a light downpour that fell on the wooden roof. The interior of the small cottage was in a mystical aura due to the enchanting sound produced by the raindrops.

The sun had not even risen. It would be around five o'clock in the morning still, and even if it were to dawn it would still be a gray and rainy morning all day long. The living room of the house emitted an aroma of charcoal and burnt wood after a night of intense fire. Some embers remained hot and red, while others had already turned to ash. Some blankets lay scattered on the floor along with several silky sofa cushions.

Up the stairs and turning left, was your cozy shared room. A nice room that you had christened your nest. The bed was too big for two people, but it was a perfect size if you took a few things into account. The hazel wood-framed canopy towered over the surroundings and from it hung pretty, light white curtains that fell to the bottom, adorned with a series of lace patterns and flowers in various pastel colors.

Under the soft sheets slept Gyutaro hugging your back. His hand hovered over your waist and held your hand without letting go. His other hand snuck under your neck, along with the pillow, making it easy for his nose to touch your bare neck. You had been half awake for a few minutes, though you were struggling not to succumb to sleep again. Occasionally his thumb would caress the back of your hand in an attempt to make sure that if you returned the caress you would be awake, so he waited patiently, enjoying a pleasant morning with the woman he loved.

You groaned and stirred a little from your reverie when you felt Gyutaro's pelvis grind against your bare bottom. The friction it created felt weird, but you loved how he could turn you on so easily. He was already hard and rubbing against you. You were both half asleep, but aware that it was happening.

"Pretty..." he whispers in your ear in a raspy voice. "Good morning, pretty." His breath tickles your neck and you laugh a little.

"Good morning, Gyu" you reply with a smile, even though you can't see it, he has the same smile as you.

"What time is it?" You ask and lean your butt more towards his pelvis, fitting perfectly. You feel Gyutaro curse some inaudible word.

His length slides over your ass cheeks. You were still lubricated with juices from all night, so it created a smooth, sweet slickness.

"Let's stay like this for a while longer, shall we?". His voice takes on a pleading tone. "I like these kinds of mornings, after I've made love to my wife, I wake up in her arms the next day to make love to her again." His mouth sighs into the shell of your ear and his claim makes your skin crawl with goose bumps, wrenching a small, soft chuckle from you when he notices.

His defined thighs wrap between your plush thighs. In the beginning, when you first met Gyutaro, he was much thinner than he is now. There's nothing wrong with being thin, of course, but his critical condition required him to put on a few extra pounds to overcome the anemia he had been suffering from, so for a few months you had to prepare iron-rich meals for him to keep the iron in his blood. You were so happy to see him well and healthy that he even looked happier.

"You're precious, Gyu" you confess in a whisper as you remember it all. "I'm so...proud of you." You moan with your eyes closed as the head of his cock strokes your wet slit to the tip of your clit.

"Don't tell me that...I should tell you." You know how much Gyutaro loves compliments, even though he always tells you that you're the one who should be praised. Still everything about Gyutaro seemed precious in your eyes and you were deeply in love with him.

"Oh, love..." you sigh as he thrusts inside you, reaching deep inside you with ease.

"You're still so tight after everything we did last night."

"Last night was wonderful."

"Always...we can do it again." He begins to move his hips in a smooth back and forth, no need to be rough. With each little lunge he almost doesn't even leave your insides, but moves his hips in a dance that coordinates with the movement of yours.

"Aah..." You moan open-mouthed, still keeping your eyes closed. "I hope you don't waste all the cream on... the living room carpet this time." You hold your breath and your walls flutter as you remember that scene.

"It's not my fault that...aaahgm...the jar fell on the floor" Gyutaro laughs and moans enraptured by your little noises of pleasure.

"And I hope next time you won't suck so violently on my center."

"You mean...your clit? Oooh, but it tasted sooo good to the strawberry jam...mmhm...that I poured all over it."

"Don't say it...so rough, you shameless boy" Gyutaro gives a little lunge amused that you feel ashamed of everything he did to you.

"That's what you weren't telling me last night when you were moaning my name for more" He croons in a mockingly proud tone, still moving. You were so close to getting to where you wanted to be that you are forced to hold back a growl that comes from deep in your throat.

His body hugs you tighter and he turns you upright towards him so he can look at your lewd expressions. He bites his lips, the tips of his sharp teeth digging into your flesh.

"Wait a minute, sweetheart." You loved it when he grabbed you from behind every morning, but today you felt like being closer to him. Gyutaro grunts when he feels you slide down his length and pull it out of your tight walls.

"Shit, no..."

"Sshh." You soothe him with a few slaps on his powerful shoulder and turn around in a quick twist. You entwine your legs between his again and grab his hard member to pump it a few times. He groans and brings his hand to your waist, tightening his grip. He loves it when you hold his cock between your pretty little hands.

"Aah...wait..." He fucks your hand while still moving his hips keeping the same rhythm as before. "Wait, wait..." His words are cut off by pleasure. "I want to cum inside...mmgm...you."

"If we keep this up it won't be long before I'm pregnant, Gyu" you hum his name knowing that this only incites him more. A few times he has fantasized aloud confessing to you that he would like to see your full belly, carrying his child in the future. After all a demon is too greedy. You simply can't put honey on his lips and expect him not to attack for the rest.

"Ooh...trust me, pretty girl, I'm going to impregnate you good." He pulls your hand away and thrusts back inside you. You had taken his pleasure to a much higher point than before. "I want you to feel too full when I cum inside you."

You laugh and reach up to kiss his warm, somewhat rough lips. "Sure, Gyu, you can cum all you want." You clench your rubbery walls as the tip of his member brushes against your cervix and you moan his name in pleasure. "Pretty boys will be scurrying back and forth soon enough."  You confess smiling over the corner of your mouth. He increases his onslaught and gradually lifts you to the peak of pleasure, falling gently into an intense orgasm. Gyutaro grunts and hugs you tightly. Thick strips of white semen fill your insides, some being forced to slide and slide down your thighs as you are completely filled with his seed.

"I love quiet mornings by your side..." He whispers, by the time you want to realize it you both have fallen asleep again. He is still inside you and you just want to squeeze tighter between his chest and sleep a few more hours, until the birds sing the first notes of dawn.

[aph-centric-fixs]

Zane with a fem reader he thought was a guy because of her avatar online headcanons or smth? :3 I think that'd be funee

Not at all like the game!!

Sure!! I've seen this trope in basically every fandom I've been in, and honestly I've got no problem with it as long as it's not made into a weird thing.

Zane x female! Reader (referred to with he/him in the beginning)

CW// possible ooc? & writing

In all honesty, Zane never thought he'd get so hooked on a game, he was never the type. It just sort of ran in the family, not being too obsessed over games.

The only reason he even got the game was so he could play it with Aphmau, she wouldn't stop bothering him about it so he gave in. And here he is now, playing the game whenever he has free time. It was honestly embarrassing, especially after he reached a higher rank than Aphmau- she had been playing so much longer than him!

It wasn't all as bad as he expected. The story was decent, the characters customization was great, and the community wasn't all horrible. He had found a small guild to join pretty quickly, not too many active members but enough to go on raids and such. The boss of the guild was a high ranking player, good gear and all, and yet he never fit the stereotype of other high ranking players.

He always welcomed low levels into the party, and easily carried anyone who needed it. Zane felt a little embarrassed at times, having to ask him to help him defeat this one boss but he never once shamed Zane.

Over time a great bond grew, Zane and his new best friend raided dungeons and castles almost daily. It didn't come to that much of surprise when the question of hanging out in person was raised. Chatting in and out of the game led Zane to know he was an adult and not some kid, boy would that be horrible for him.

Setting a time and place was easy, though it came to a surprise on both ends that they lived in the same state, much more the same city. A park was decided to be the best place, nice and public while also not too far for either one. Plans weren't exactly made after that, Zane just figured it would be a go with the flow type of thing.

The hangout date came quicker than he thought it would, leaving him to be nervous all morning and on the way over. What if he didn't like Zane? If his voice was too squeaky or something? God, this was high school all over again!

When he arrived at the park he looked around at everyone there, no one looked like who he thought he was looking for, so he sat down at a bench and waited. He basically stared a hole into his phone waiting for a message to pop up. While he waited some one came and sat next to him, and he couldn't help but take a glance at the pretty girl next to him. With a scoff, Zane went back to looking at his phone.

With a small vibration his phone notified him of a text. Quickly opening it he almost laughed with the seemingly worried 'where are you!!' message. He didn't wait to type out a response of 'on a bench' and waiting for a reply. Imagine his surprise when he got back a 'me too!'. I mean there weren't many benches at the park, and most were taken up by families or couples. The only bench without one was...

Wait a minute. Zane turned to look over, almost stiff as he watched the girl next to him type... And his phone go off.

"You're a girl!!??!" He said, watching the poor person next to him jump and drop their phone.

It was silent between the two, him staring at you, you staring at him. Slowly reaching down and picking up your phone, you looked down at your phone then back at Zane.

"Your avatar looks so like you" Zane's eyes basically blew out of his skull with how much he was surprised.

"Oh, I could say the same for you" He bit back sarcastically, only to be met with a laugh. Rolling his eyes he put his phone in his pocket and crossed his arms.

With that confusion out of the way, the two of you started to chat, mostly about actual stuff rather than game stuff.

"So why'd you choose a guy character anyways?" Zane asked out of the blue, closing the small silence that had just passed.

"Well, girls in any gaming communities in general tend to get harassed. And the armor just looks so much better on male characters!" You replied, smiling and pulling up google to show him what you meant. With a hum he looked over your shoulder to see.

After a small bit of comparing male and female characters armor, Zane's stomach basically screamed out in hunger. It was embarrassing, but you didn't say anything other than a small laugh.

"Y'know, I know a good burrito place down the street" You suggested, standing up and stretching before looking back at Zane.

"Sounds good to me" He replied, standing up himself and following side by side as you two continued to chat.

[merakiui]

MERA!!!! I have no one else to ramble/rant about this to since I fear it's a pretty uncommon experience, but have you ever read a wonderful piece of work by someone who unfortunately ended up deactivating/leaving most socials? ;ª;

There's this one darker Tweels fic called "Aphotic" currently listed on ao3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/27124492/chapters/66236443 link for good measure)- which if im not sure if you've ever read, but oh. My. God. It's such a great fic that really hits the spot for darker content of the tweels. The characterization of Jade and Floyd are absolutely my favorite in this fic as they're just *incredibly* mean to the reader but in a tasteful way. Bonus points also go to how the author wrote the mc(reader) as well, everyone in this fic is just equally fucked up and reading through this story is just one incredible rocky ride..there are only two surviving chapters and one of the two is Floyd focused, but I don't wanna spoil the main plot of the fic for anyone that may be interested in reading just please take the warning that when I say the tweels are mean, they are MEAN..

unfortunately the fic is not only unfinished but as I mentioned earlier, in a devastating turn of events the author of the series completely deactivated D: they were also on tumblr once I think they went by twstedworks? But there's no longer any way to see any of their works on this platform anymore which is just so unfortunate,, I get an intense feeling of past-felt-fomo knowing I wasn't able to see any of their other stuff while they were an active writer knowing that they seemed to be active in 2020(?) Which was a time I wasn't really reading any written works for twst... but regardless of whatever reason they chose to leave the platform I do hope they're doing well now.

I'm sad that I'll never be able to see the jade centric part of Aphotic, or be able to see any of their previous dribbles or works since they've all been completely wiped. I have followed good yan/dark twst writers and blogs in the past that have deactivated or moved on for whatever personal reason in the past but it does really suck in this case not being able to at least, in the slightest , have been able to experience other stuff this author may have wrote which im sure was delightful orz...

Reminder to readers and consumers of fanfic on here to always show support and motivation to your favorite writers!! You never know when you'll never get the chance to read anything from them ever again :( and thank you esp Mera for being one of my favorite twst blogs of all time on here!! Your interpretations of the tweels have always been my favorite from any blog and the way you choose to write these characters in general never disappoints ✨️

If this does get answered, being as this is my first ever formal ask, may I be 🪆 anon? Or 🍮🥄 if that's taken ^_^

Hi hiii, 🍮🥄 anon!!! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

I know that experience... >_< it's happened to some of the stories/authors I followed. It's always so sad when writers deactivate/leave the platform or fandom/etc, but everyone has their reasons. I can only be grateful I was able to behold such enjoyable works!!! :D "Aphotic" sounds like such an interesting story!! I love mean tweels. <3 I'll have to check it out!

I think I've read some writings from twsted-works before they deactivated! It was so long ago (before I even had a tumblr account), but I remember adoring the way they wrote Octavinelle. I hope they're doing well wherever they are!!

And you're so right!!! It's always important to show support and love to artists, creators, writers, etc! Most, if not all, writers love to receive feedback on their work. Even something like a keyboard smash or a dozen heart emojis is very flattering to us because it shows us that you've enjoyed the work. Whether you show that enjoyment by commenting, liking, reblogging, or sending an ask on here, it's always lovely to spread appreciation for the hard work and time that goes into crafting wonderful stories!!! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Thank you so much for your sweet words!! I'm just happy to be able to write and share stories!! It's a huge honor you would consider me one of your favorite twst blogs. I'm beyond flattered!!!! ♥️✨

[lonewolflupe]

I thought it would be fun to write a little bit about myself, so come over and get to know me! (As far as I know myself because I didn't come with a manual so I'm still figuring myself out..) If you have any more questions, feel absolutely free to ask them!

Expect a karkload of ramblings below the cut, this turned out so much longer than I intended I am so sorry, no one is probably going to read this but I'm just leaving this here anyway because I don't really have people to share my ramblings with

PERSONAL

My name's Julie (she/her)

Lupe is actually my OCs name, but I adopted it as a nickname here on Tumblr when I first started posting and I kinda stuck with it

Quickly approaching my 30s help

I'm from the Netherlands 🇳🇱 so my first language is Dutch

That obviously means English isn't my first language, so please excuse any errors in my writing

I am Dutch, therefore I love cheese 🧀 (like Gouda, NOT cheddar)

I am an archaeologist! I've been a history nerd all my life

I work in a museum (obviously one with a history collection)

My #1 all-time favourite animals are wolves

In RL, I am super introverted and people scare the kark out of me

I never got any diagnosises, but I'm pretty sure I'm neurodivergent

I prefer the internet over meeting people IRL, because I feel way more comfortable to be myself and ramble about the things I love online than IRL

I tend to switch between my several hyperfixations from time to time, but I really hope to stick around the Star Wars fandom for a long time <3

HOBBIES

Star Wars obviously ahahahaha what are you doing here otherwise?

Drawing, writing, photography, gaming, history, nature, collecting, listening to music

Drawing: has always been one of my favourite pastime activities. I used to draw wolves almost non-stop, until life happened I guess? I only recently picked up drawing again. Drawing humans is a struggle, but it's so much fun practicing with clones <3

Drawing: I'm currently drawing with my ergonomically irresponsible mouse in Photoshop CS6 (I've been using the same software for over 10 years now and I am too afraid to switch to something newer)

Writing: I used to write stories about wolves (shocker) but same as with drawing, life happened. Until I recently picked up writing again! I started writing fanfiction for the first time when I started posting on Tumblr around June 2024

Writing: publishing a book has been on my bucketlist for a long time but I'm not sure that's ever going to happen, so let's keep it with fanfiction for now (which I am REALLY enjoying)

Gaming: I prefer gaming on my PlayStation 3 and 4, but I occasionally play PC and Nintendo Switch games. I mostly play single-player games. Assassin's Creed got me into gaming and is still my favourite series. I also really enjoy The Witcher III, Red Dead Redemption I + II, LA Noire and Far Cry Primal. And others, obviously

Gaming: I play Pokémon GO! If you're a player as well, shoot me your friend code and I'll add you (:

Music: I'm a metalhead; metal is my favourite genre! But I also like (hard) rock and (folk) punk. My favourite metal subgenres are power metal and folk metal. But I can listen to movie/game soundtracks for weeks as well!

Music: Rammstein got me into the heavier stuff and is still an all-time favourite. I was a die-hard Volbeat fan for years, but I haven't felt drawn to their latest releases. My current favourite band is definitely Powerwolf (more wolves lol)! Other favourites are (among many others) Sabaton, Amon Amarth, Slipknot, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Real McKenzies, Heilung, Wardruna, Eluveitie, and some amazing older stuff like Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd and E.L.O.

STAR WARS

This is where the fun begins

I've been a Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember

My brother and me used to watch the OT and Ep I on VHS when we were kids and were lucky enough to see Ep II and III in cinemas

I missed watching EP I in cinemas this May (due to its 25th anniversary) because I was moving homes during that time and I am still crying about that, see you in 5 years I guess

What I like about the Prequels: everything? Obviously the clones ahahaha. But kinda everything. The setting, the plot, the characters, the tragedy. I know there's a lot of hate on the writing, but I grew up with them and I think they're awesome. Definitely not perfect, but (and please don't hate me) I would choose the Prequels over the OT anytime. Also the meme material coming from this?? Legendary.

What I like about the OT: the story and the characters! It felt less complicated back then, more about good and evil (there's a lot of grey area now, which is obviously more realistic; but as a kid growing up with the movies, good vs evil was less complicated)

What I like about the Sequels: BB-8, porgs, and the Somehow Palpatine Returns-meme, that's it. Maybe Poe Dameron, but that's probably because it's Oscar Isaac.

I also VERY MUCH like Rogue One; what a wonderful and sad story. I won't shut up about how much I love how this story blends into Ep IV/the OT; I think this was so well done, I- aaaaaaah I love it

What I like about the animated shows: CLONES. Clonesclonesclones. And Ahsoka. And a lot more, but at this time, the clone brainrot is real. I actually really like how some things are further explained in the animated shows (I think they're a real addition to the movies/story). And the angst and the tragedy, ugh my heart. Also the animation style of course! And clones, did I mention the clones?

Favourite characters (non-clones): Ahsoka Tano, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi (prequel era), Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, probably Darth Maul too, Jyn Erso

Favourite clones: Hunter (he started it), Fives (I cannot put into words how much I love and feel for this man I just need to wrap my arms around him and tell him it's alright and that he and the clones deserve so much better and that I'm there to listen to him and it's going to be okay I'm going to make all his problems go away and also some adult stuff I'm not going to write here), Echo (my beloved), Wolffe (awooooooo), Cody (good man that Cody), Rex (obviously), Fox (you matter but please stop drinking caf and get some sleep), Vaughn (my love, my heart, my soul; I would die for you) (> I get obsessed over a different clone pretty often but it's safe to say I love all clones)

Favourite droids: R2-D2, Chopper, BB-8, Gonky, K-2SO, (also BD-1 is super cute), the droids helping out Ahsoka during Shattered/Victory and Death (R7-A7, CH-33P, RG-G1), mouse droids, (I haven't played Outlaws yet but I have normal feelings about ND-5)

Favourite animals: loth wolf (duh), tooka, massiff, varactyl, acklay

I used to collect Star Wars LEGO and Hasbro and I would love to put those on a shelf/into a cabinet one day

I would love to go to some sort of fan con one day but I'm afraid I won't survive all the stimuli/amount of people there

I did visit the Star Wars Exhibition in Brussels somewhere in the late 2000s/early 2010s; it was kriffing majestic

I used to play Star Wars Battlefront II (2005) with my brother all the time. We played it so much the disc got damaged by the PlayStation 2 itself and obviously we bought it again to keep playing

I played Jedi: Fallen Order (2019) and it was awesome! I really need to replay it so I can play Jedi: Survivor (2023) afterwards (haven't played it yet, I need to get myself a PlayStation 5 first, RIP)

Since we're talking about PlayStation 5, I'm dying to play Outlaws (2024) help (I need to know what is happening between Kay and ND-5??)

I really want to play Republic Commando (2005) (I even have a PS4 copy laying around) but haven't found the time yet

LASTLY

So one of my other hyperfixations is Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002), the 2D-animated movie by DreamWorks. (I know, I'm super weird; I'm a metalhead switching between Star Wars and an animated movie about horses (and some other hyperfixations but let's not go there).) I even created a fansite, if anyone's interested (which has still lots of WIP-pages I'm sorry I'm into Star Wars at the moment)

Alright that was a lot of super random information no one asked about. If you've come this far, holy kark my utmost respect to you, please leave a comment so I can send over some cookies because you kriffing deserved them?? I might consider writing a ficlet for you.

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[aughtpunk]

On the subject of Disability and the "Forgiveness of the Lamb" series

It has been brought to my attention that there's a person (who will go unnamed) going around accusing my work of being ableist on the grounds that during the series The Bishops have their Narinder-inflicted injuries healed and therefore are no longer disabled. I wanted to take a moment to address this.

The Bishops are healed in the Forgiveness of the Lamb series not because being disabled is bad and they need to be "fixed". I am disabled myself and find that very concept horrible. The Bishops are healed because it's a literal manifestation of their and Narinder's relationships being fixed. He apologizes, they forgive him, and because of this the injury he inflicted on them is undone. The healing is symbolic, not a means to "fix" them.

(I even tagged the fic with 'The Literal Healing is also a Metaphor' to stress the point).

It's also worth nothing that The Bishops aren't fixed. While their relic body parts have been returned each of them are still disabled. Leshy's sight has been damaged causing him to be nearsighted and to have blurry vision. Heket has breathing problems making physical activity hard. Kallamar is still deaf in one ear. And Shamura now suffers from debilitating migraines. I have touched on all of these lightly so far but plan to go into them with each POV story.

I request that in the future if anyone has a problem with any of my stories you should contact me directly with them and, as long as you are respectful, I will gladly talk to you about it. Do not spam and bother other people on their own posts for enjoying my work.

To everyone who has been enjoying the Forgiveness of the Lamb series and leaving kudos, making art, or leaving comments: Thank you. It's been a long time since I've felt welcomed in a fandom like this. I hope all of you enjoy the rest of the series.

[stuckinapatriarchalbullshitland]

Dear Stuck, I hope you are doing well. Although I have never written on here and plan on doing so more, I'd like to thank you for all the work you've put into keeping this ship alive and supporting the girls both individually and together. You are one of the few people that stayed behind after everything that happened and for that I am grateful. In our eyes, Camren is just a love between two beautiful girls that are constantly being forced apart by forces greater than them. Their will to keep on fighting for that feeling that they first felt at 17 (yes, Used to this is THE Camren anthem to me) gives me so much hope for their future. As a young queer girl, they were the first couple that I encountered that I found a home in. Their love gave me courage to come out and say the things that I kept guarded in my heart for so long and for that I am forever grateful. Nonetheless, apart from expressing my deepest gratitudes to you and this incredible fandom, I'd like to say that I encountered something interesting the other day that I have never seen, in the 8 years that I have been in this fandom.

It's a radio interview from Ryan Seacrest, recorded around the time when 7/27 was released. The thing that intrigued me is that only Camila and Lauren are interviewed by him and although it is quite short, it made my heart soar when I saw it. Have you ever seen this? And I am very curious as to why only C and L were interviewed when the other girls (or what sounded like them) could be heard in the background. I am obviously aware that industry people knew of Camren, but it came as a bit of surprise that Ryan knew, as well. Here's the link to the interview: https://youtu.be/X_K8_lQafhM?feature=shared

As you can imagine, hearing them being interviewed on their own made me so emotional and gave me a tiny glimpse into their potential future as a free couple, a future that they deserve to have after everything they have been through. As a last question before I end this longer post than expected, do you think that they are still together?

I hope that you'll have an amazing day Stuck and to all my dear fellow Camren shippers, do not forget to keep the boat afloat! Sending much love to everyone.

Hey buddy! First of all, thank you for your kind words. I don't really feel like I deserve them because one: I'm not as active on CamrenLand anymore and two: I totally distanced myself from Lauren as a fan. I don't follow her anymore, but I still like Camren. I think that just like you, this fandom has filled my life a lot, especially because of the people I've met. Some are very good, others not so much. But they've been there and that's appreciated. I'm so happy for you, buddy. To know that the girls' love, as cute and chaotic as it has been, has helped you and other fans have the courage to come out of the closet. It's an achievement, not only for the girls, Lauren and Camila, but for yourself. That courage was always inside you, you just needed a little push and Camren gave it to you. It's amazing and really gratifying to know that they did help.

As for the interview, it's the first time I've listened to it and it's been great to do so. I didn't know her but I loved it. I didn't know how much I missed hearing the girls talk until now. They were always a good team in interviews. Whether it was making jokes or supporting each other when needed. The times Lauren defended Camila from the mockery of the interviewers I always found it very loving.

I don't know if the girls are still together, I hope they are. If they're not together, I've always wanted them to be happy with whoever they choose and now Camila... well, no. I'm not going to talk about this in your answer, buddy. Maybe later.

Thank you very much once again for your nice comments, and I hope you do well in life and with your loved ones ❤️ . Be safe, buddy.

[darkkitty1208]

on fic writing and fandom: where am i going forward?

So. It's a bloody dull Friday and I'm writing this post--have been meaning to, for a while--because I can't stop thinking about it. It's just a few (a lot, actually) thoughts I've had in my mind the past few days that I've decided to spill into a single post, which turned out far longer than it needed to be, but nothing too important. Under the cut.

I've been a fanfic writer for a while now. Not a long time by any means, but a while nonetheless. My first fic--which is now orphaned like a few of its brothers for undisclosed reasons, though if you're an og you might be able to guess why--was dated back to the 18th of November 2021. 3 years later and I've got a humble 89 works and counting (the orphaned works and unposted wips unincluded). I can safely say I've improved quite a lot since then.

Where are you going with this, then, Kitty? Surely you aren't here just to brag about your writing progress?

Well. Not exactly. But I'll start with this: I guess what I'm trying to say is I've lost the spark.

You know. The old feeling. That boost of serotonin you get after you finish a piece you're proud of, or when you get lovely reviews on ao3, or when you get a kudos email, or a new mutual, or some wild tags under your silly post. The spark. I haven't felt it in a long time, now. The last time it's been so palpable was... I'm not sure. Probably last year's October. That was a lot of fun. I was most prolific in fic writing, that year. It shouldn't feel like a long time ago. Because it wasn't.

Don't get me wrong. I love all this. All that's going on right now. The comments I'm getting--even if fewer than I had before--and all the other interactions, I appreciate and enjoy and love them so, so much. And writing my newer fic projects are well exciting. But it just isn't the same anymore. I'm afraid it never will be.

(Maybe it has something to do with the lack of interactions lately. Maybe? I don't really know, either. I'm sure we're all well aware the fandom is past its peak, and with the current developments in the MCU I am frankly unsurprised, but I dunno.)

I guess that's part of the reason I've been less active lately. I've been inactive as a whole this year, admittedly, and disappearing far too often for far too long (and I notice some of my friends are, too). I just didn't get the same joy from being in a fandom like I had when I first started this blog, or my ao3 account.

In hindsight, I've probably been a little too dependent on fandom to provide me serotonin. The past few years have been hard, the years before that, too. Life just keeps kicking me in the arse time and time again. I guess I've been using fandom and fic writing as a coping mechanism, and once I've had my fill, the joy dies off to something a little more dull. Like a gum I've been chewing for too long that the sweetness has since worn off.

Honestly? I don't want it to be this way. I want to live without being so dependent on my presence online. I want to live without only knowing joy through internet interactions. I've got to learn to. It sounds silly, but it's true. (I think I may be slightly chronically online, oh no. x'D)

So naturally my first instinct is to distance myself a little. I contemplated quitting, but I can't do that. I don't see myself ever doing that, no matter how many times my brain convinces me that I might.

When this year started, I had set some goals for writing. One of them was to write for more whumptober prompts than I did last year or complete them all. I did like 21 prompts or something last year. Of 31. Within a little more than a month. While still balancing all the life stuff I had going on. This is, if not obvious, an extremely ambitious goal. I am not insane. I don't know what I was thinking. I can't possibly do that now, can I? Not with all the stuff that's been happening.

...

Can I?

...

Yeah, no. Definitely not.

See, that's another thing: writing. Probably the thing I'm trying to get at in this post but otherwise derailed completely from. Fuck my brain.

I'm sure many of you have noticed that I've been writing significantly less. I still post, obviously, but not as much as like, last year when the number of works I had went from a few to far too much. That had helped me improve quite a lot, actually, but those days I barely slept because I just insisted to replace my sleep time with Writing Shit For The Gays. It was pretty unhealthy now that I look back at it. My sleep schedule is still shit now but, yk. Some things just never change.

I was really, really caught up on wanting to be good at writing. Like, really good. I wanted to make awesome things. I wanted to write like a real fucking pro. Like all the more popular fandom authors I look up to. I want to be like the big dogs in fandom. It sounds so silly. I did everything; sprinting daily, setting a minimum of 500 words writing sessions every day, trying new writing styles, churning out works after works, writing for prompts and events and gifts and the like. I was enjoying it, yes, but was it really something I did for myself? Or was it because I wanted to please other people or impress other people for their validation, which is something I'm entirely too dependent of? Was it for the numbers?

Well. It was more for that than for me, I realised a little too late.

So yeah. Fuck wanting to be good. I want to write for the hell of it. I want to write something that's for me. Not what the majority of the fandom or other people want to read, but for me. Which is why I absolutely loved writing works like just a matter of time, how to kill a god, or how to become a god, because they're not meant for other people but myself. (Ironically that last work is a gift but, yk. I still liked it.) I know I joke about self-projecting a lot, but it's been seriously helping me rediscover the joy of writing that doesn't come from the incessant need to be good or perfect or focus on producing more and more and more. It makes me feel like a kid again. Also, I'm only realising this now but I'd rather get like 5 people who enjoy reading my works so much and express them to me rather than 100 people who silently thumbs up at me and then go away to consume another fic or demand more. (All this to say I still love interactions, it just shouldn't be my no. 1 priority to get them when writing fanfics.)

But yeah. None of those works are perfect. They're not meant to be. But they're mine. They're me. They represent me. And it's so, so great to feel that in writing. I've been so stuck up on being some sort of content machine. I'm doing this for myself, how could I forget? I've been saying this since the beginning, I don't know why I'm still struggling to do it. God. It's ridiculous.

Anyway. That's that. This has become a very long ramble. Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk. And for letting me waste your time, if you make it to the end of this post.

[misslisamiray]

Gonna write a longer post about this when I have more time, but I just need to put this out there: I love my Rick and Morty Tumblr mutuals/people I interact with regularly so much. ❤️

I am not joking or exaggerating when I say I didn't know it was possible to be this active in a fandom and also this happy. I've only really been active in the fandom for the past 6 months, and it's been SUCH an overwhelmingly positive experience.

I've been meaning to make a post like this for a while, but two recent things really drove home how much I appreciate you folks: First, I had A Week That Felt Like a Year of Sailor Moon Twitter making me miss being 12 & not knowing anyone else who watches the show. Then, yesterday I opened Tumblr to be greeted by a post that brought up one of the reasons why, after 20+ years, Cowboy Bebop is still my number 1 "I love this show and it means so much to me, but this fandom frequently makes me want to hit my head on walls" series.

Obviously I know there's no shortage of issues in this fandom, too. I mean, there's typically an assortment of them on display in the comments of any post on the official RaM accounts. 😅 And I'm not saying I haven't met some really nice, cool people in my fandoms I've been in forever - I definitely have!!!!!

But this feeling of... Community? Home? This is new territory for me. And it took me longer than it should have to get here, but I'm so glad I did.

I have already rambled longer than I intended to, so now I'm going to attempt to wrap this up by tagging some of the folks who inspired this post.

@rickteacakes @thesoftboiledegg @hazelnut-u-out @dimensionduo @ajaynetic @fandomwe1rd0 @joycew-blog

[shellxrls]

babe r u okay we haven’t seen you for ages :/

SORRY NONNIE. i feel like i shld do a clarification post cuz i've gotten a few asks and i feel kinda bad for leaving u guys in the dark 😭. i've just been putting this off cuz i've been tired and stressed coupled with other reasons (that i'll explain) that make me not want to publicly interact on this blog:

recently i've noticed such a large uprise in hate on this app (ranging from pro-israel/anti-palestine posts to mutuals outside of my fandoms being called aggressive slurs to ppl within the obx fandom consistently expressing opinions of dislike and resentment to authors for simply writing what they want) - also largely made up of anon asks with the foundation of racial or sexuality based hate (which i won't go into depth ab but ppl definitely pick and choose who to send hate to based on those factors - pisses me the fuck off more than anything bcuz i don't come on this app to be bombarded with racism and reminders of my racial perception in this world, regardless of whether its directed at me or mutuals).

another thing, (which ik has been said forever but continues to remain important), the lack of support and interaction for/with writers on this app is definitely very discouraging. i no longer feel supported by the community i've created and the truth is i need that interaction to keep writing and engage my motivation otherwise i feel like what i'm doing on this app is pointless.

no one logs onto this app to listen to me rant ab personal issues, and so i wont' go into extensive detail - but i've consistently used tumblr to escape my personal life, and the burdens and stress that come with. ofc i'm a writer, but wayyy beyond that this is intended to be my safe space where i can enjoy and simply be myself and let go of personal stress as well as interact happily w like-minded ppl. due to this, i've made an effort to take time out of my own life and duties to write and to interact because of the community. recently however i find myself more and more anxious to even open the app and look at my notifs, and whenever i do open the app i make myself feel bad by comparing myself to other writers - which is completely normal occasionally, but at this point its not as easy to shake considering all the factors listed above. its unfortunate to say but it simply hasn't felt worth it to be on this app and interact for while now for me.

before anyone says i'm being too sensitive or its my sole purpose to write - pls remember that this is entirely my blog, i can choose what my motivations are for being on this app and its not a stretch to kindly ask for more in terms of stopping hate and simply being more supportive if u do genuinely like an author and their works.

ultimately i've been both a fan/reader and a writer on this app for multiple years atp, i can understand both perspectives but i've honestly never felt this disconnected and upset ab a blog before. I understand that not everyone is to blame, and i'm sorry to those who've been kind & active supporters, but my public interactions have been limited and may continue to be bcuz i feel v unsure & stagnant atm.

the only 'exception' to this is my mutuals, i love them all obv and their works, & so i'm continuing to interact w them as per normal, and so i am active on the app & i'm definitely not entirely gone by any means. if anything i just need a few more days to reconsider, but we'll see.

[voxofthevoid]

Hello! We haven't really interacted before but I reviewed a Bleach fanfiction of yours a while ago, and I've loved your stories for the fandom! I'm sad that you no longer write for Bleach, but you've shared some amazing work, so thank you for that.

Just wanted to ask if you have any tips on how to connect more with other readers and writers, as it seems your conversations with other people in your fandoms bring a lot of joy and inspiration! While I wrote fanfiction in my teenage years, I felt very much like a fandom hermit back then but I'm coming back to it now many years later and want to actively engage with more people. I've joined some discord servers and am posting much more to twitter and tumblr, but I'm still pretty shy about messaging people privately as I feel like I don't really know what to say. I know it will take time, but any advice on how to get the ball rolling would be much appreciated.

Good luck with the writing!

Hi! I'm very glad you like my Bleach fics, and hey, being missed isn't a bad thing either ❤

(I do have one 80%–finished grimmichi fic that I'll put up on Ao3 soon-ish. The last chapter won't ever be written, but there's still some 28k of fluff and porn that ends on a fairly conclusive note on the emotional end.)

You're right that interacting with my fellow fans is a large part of what makes fandom fun for me. The community aspect of fandom is something that comes up a lot in conversations about why people flock to fandom, why they stay, and why they leave, and although I'm an introvert bordering on a hermit, the social aspects of fandom are its greatest draw. I write because I need to or I'll burst, but I share for the people here with me. That's not an uncommon attitude or experience. YMMV, but many of us want to connect with people who share our interests, and the level of creativity and commitment fandom inspires often thrives in collaboration and community.

How to get that sense of community is a trickier matter though. You're already in Discord servers, which seems to be the main fandom social space(s) these days. You're also on social media platforms where people can reach out to you or vice versa. So that's the basics covered. After that, it's largely a matter of organically developing relationships. But I do understand the hesitance to just roll up into someone's DMs; even though I have no issues with people popping up in my DMs, I also find it harder to initiate.

Plus, I've found that some sort of existing rapport gives you a better foundation when you do take the step into private exchanges. This can be Ao3 comment sections, Tumblr notes, or Discord group chat spaces. I tend to avoid Discord servers these days, but back when I had more tolerance for group chats, the people I met there often became closer friends. Mostly though, my pocket friends are people I met via Ao3 and, less frequently, Tumblr—fellow authors and readers in a specific fandom.

I know my regulars, here and on Ao3, and I've been a regular many times. Discussions in comments usually start out limited to the specific fic, but they can also include general fandom/canon stuff or even personal talk. Many times, you build a degree of familiarity with a person that way, and if the conversation moves to more private channels, you already have a shared base to build further conversation on.

So my best advice to find friends and like-minded fandom folks is to be active in Ao3 comments and Tumblr notes (...and whatever the corresponding thing is over on Xitter):

Reply to the comments on your stories and try to really engage with what your readers are saying. This is very much a personal preference, but the reason I try to reply with more than a generic "thanks" for longer, more in-depth comments is that, like I said above, nerding out with fellow fans is a huge part of why I love fandom. If people are already expressing interest in your story and you have a shared interest in canon, there's a lot of room there for fun conversations, even if they never go beyond one-off exchanges.

Comment on stories you like, and if you find specific authors you really love, let them know without reservations what you like about their takes and why you like them. One of my favorite commenting methods when I'm well and truly in love with something is to read everything once, then reread and leave longass comments on every chapter/fic. It's time-intensive, but I've never seen the effort go unappreciated. I've also been on the receiving end of this many times, and that's how several of my fandom friendships were born; one of my closest friends is someone I virtually kidnapped because I loved their tags on my JJK fic posts so much.

The above habits can be applied to Tumblr/Twitter too. Plus, there are plenty of people on such sites who engage deeply with fandom outside of fic writing. Be loud and proud about what you love. Sending a DM is an intimidating step, and not everyone will be receptive anyway, but most people welcome encouragement and appreciation. There are a lot of people I'm friendly with and fond of whom I've never interacted with directly, only via Tumble notes or asks.

I think all of this narrows down to being pretty generous when it comes to expressing your love for fandom and fellow fans. Won't always work out for various reasons, but as long as you're having fun, it's not wasted effort or time.

[muraenide]

This miiiiight be oversharing personal sentiments a little bit but...

Ever since I changed my rules to include an explicit list of what I'm going to write on this blog instead of just a simple, brief statement saying "dark things will be present here" and started actively following people or mutuals of mutuals whose muses or writing I am genuinely interested in/have spiked my interests, I've grown a lot happier about the contents and people I'm seeing on my dash.

I felt like tum.blr rpers have grown incredibly judgemental and incapable of minding their own business. People all around me seem to have shifted their energy onto focusing on offending as few people as possible instead of trying to actually have fun, and the rpc has become a weird circle for activism when it shouldn't have been used as a medium for (false) activism in the first place. Not all of us are here to make a point or to establish a legacy. In fact, most of us are just here to have fun and scratch an itch in the brain or fill in gaps that canon source materials haven't been able to provide. But the idea of this is incomprehensible to some people who are actively ruining the rpc and making everyone fear that they're walking on eggshells while they spiral into a depressing state of existing to not offend anyone instead of existing to have fun.

I've lost count of the number of times people tell me that I'm on a DNI for "writing with pro.ship.pers" or "writing romantic ships with an adult and a minor" (<- said ship is between a 17 y.o. and a 19 y.o.) sometimes it's also ships about fake incest.

(Just as an aside, I've grown so desensitized by being on DNIs that it's no longer something to feel anything about. I'd just go through their rules with a very confused expression if to see what they took issue with. Most of the time I don't even know the mun personally.)

I've gotten more hate directed at me for writing fake in.cest rather than real ones, which is not only baffling but also incredibly ODD bc the fandom "decides" what is good and what is bad, which reeks heavily of manipulation and toxicity in my opinion. Fandoms aren't governed by a single party or a monolithic authority that decides its rules. Fandom rules are made by the community, and in every community, there should be different rules, made to ensure everyone is comfortable and feel inclusive. That is what makes fandoms special and detached from reality. Yes, you're entitled to not want to interact with certain content for reasons no one else is entitled to know unless they have your consent, but you're definitely not entitled to silence/stomp out everyone to cater to your whims or risk getting hate/harassment. Which is why I heavily encourage tagging content as-is instead of denying the nature of said content and praying that no one notices because that is the best way to make it difficult for people with different preferences and tastes to co-exist.

And ever since I changed my rules and actively followed people again, there has been a variety of content on my dash with varying tags. It's honestly very stimulating and uplifting, and if I firmly believe if a mutual were to take offense to anything I write or choose to interact with, it's on them as they clearly did not go through my rules when they followed/followed back. Additionally, I tag all my things.

A few months ago, my dash was exhausting, and boring, everyone (or most of my mutuals) was scared. Now I see posts getting tagged "necrophilia cw". I'm very happy for both my mutuals and their muses for striving for the peaks of how far fiction writing and the imaginative side of the mind can go.

I'd highly recommend anyone who has been in a similar situation to list down your dos and don'ts so your mutuals will know what to take to your tables and what to not. Personally, it felt like my dash had curated itself and it's been very pleasant to be on tum.blr lately even if I still have to vanish for a few more days due to inrl.

I think about my dash very often this week and I love all of you guys for being here and showing me your brainrots/muses! 💗💞💓

[philosophiums]

hi sam! ok i asked you my jjk ones already so here are some for aftg instead: 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 25

hiii mariam!!!!! <33333333

prefacing this with: i haven't been even remotely active in the aftg fandom in years so all of these come from my memories of it and what little i see of it from the sidelines

1. the character everyone gets wrong

sometimes i feel like i'm yelling at a wall when i say this but the amount of mischaracterization andrew suffers from is astounding to me. he's so rich and complex that so few people seem to be able to pin him down. the fandom default is "secretly a softy who pretends to be an edgelord so people keep their distance" and it makes me want to claw my fucking eyes out. i have ranted about andrew's fanon (mis)characterization in the past and i'm not going to do it again but from the little i do see of aftg fanon these days it's apparently still going strong 😒

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

.....kevin, just a little bit. i still like him but i don't think i've ever seen a kevin fan who is like. even a little normal about him. i don't have a lot to say about it because i don't hate kevin and never will (god the characters in this series are just chefs kiss) but there are certainly some kevin fans that make me just like. side step around him

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

i used to be in this boat too but have since changed my mind and i no longer think that andrew and neil say "i love you." i used to think they they sort of deserved to, i guess. that they went through their own individual bullshit and they deserved to have someone they could declare their love to without worrying that it would leave them bleeding out in the aftermath, but these days i've settled into the camp of They Literally Don't Need To. andrew and neil are not much for words or declarations of anything (remarkable considering neil's trigger instinct to let his mouth get him into trouble and andrew's penchant of living his life from one verbal agreement to the next). but i think that's like.... exactly it. they are each other's quiet space, a home they've built that they can rest in. andrew knows neil's habits better than his own and neil has mapped andrew's boundaries and their tectonic shifts with a tattoo gun in his head. they've both spent their lives surrounded by promises and declarations that have been nothing more than pitfalls. an "i love you" doesn't hold as much weight for either of them as, say, making a perfect cup of coffee or chewing out a reporter on the other's behalf or staring down the threat of a hitman and a mafia boss with nothing more than a knife and bared teeth. they don't have a use for "i love you" when their actions are achingly engraved with that love every single day

9. worst part of canon

the very first eden's scene. it was kind of a hard pill to swallow, and even now years later it still feels a little out of character on andrew's part. it's the only scene in the entire series where i thought any of the characters did something that felt a little out of their, i guess, lane, for lack of a better word

10. worst part of fanon

for a while back in The Olden Days there was this surge of an idea that riko could have been a Good Person™ if he had been raised under different circumstances and i was (and still am) like. yeah. sure. and that would make him an entirely different character and not at all the riko from the series???? like i think most characters you can kinda pluck from their circumstances and they will still be Them, but riko to me was always so intrinsically woven into his upbringing that it just.... that's who he is. and i think that's... the point of his character? because his purpose in the series is not just to be the world's most evil twisted 20-something antagonist, he's still telling us something, there's still something to take away from him, and i think it has to do with nature vs nurture and how sometimes the nurture is so fucking insidious that it snuffs out nature all together. yknow? also fanon's opinions on nicky and aaron were usually not great either but i always found that more annoying than downright baffling or borderline insulting SKDJCVBDKJFVB

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

AH. see above. aaron minyard. and not fanon's aaron minyard, but like actually aaron from canon. i love that little bastard he's such a fucking rude shithead but he's so complex i love love love thinking about him and his life and his situation and how everything he ever did just led him from being stuck under the heel of one person or another, how he loved his mother even though she hated him, how he loves andrew even though all andrew does is tighten the leash between them, how he is ready and willing to kill for the people he loves but cannot fathom anyone doing the same for him (andrew killing their mom). he's smart and keeps his honestly sometimes creepy cousin in check and is not afraid to remind people that andrew isn't the only minyard who has bloody teeth and bruised knuckles. he loves his girlfriend so much he's willing to fight andrew about it. he worries about andrew enough that he's willing to try and shove a wedge in between him and neil just to see how neil will react - just to make sure neil isn't going to hurt andrew the way everyone else has. GOD i love aaron minyard so much

13. worst blorboficiation

hhhhh andrew. genuinely andrew. see #1. drives me up the wall

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

someone came up with the minyard-josten rivalry way back in 2016 and at first i was like "yeah that's fun!" but it very quickly became something the fandom took as gospel Oh This 100% Happens and i was then and still am absolutely baffled about it. to the point where i made a post covering it at one point (i'm not gonna go find it. godspeed if you try looking for it). but like you're telling me that anyone ever thinks they actually hate each other? really? when all of their games are televised? when every exy fan in the world watched andrew book it out of the goal to save neil from riko? when neil looks at andrew so adoringly that andrew has to tell him to stop? when irl sports fans are actively, at this very moment, shipping real life athletes with each other? really?????? one "i hate him" from andrew to a reporter would be enough to disregard all of that????? i don't think so

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

none of it!!!! i read all three books over a friday night into all day saturday into saturday night into sunday morning with no sleep no meals just a couple snacks and some water. i was absolutely possessed and sucked into the story and there wasn't a single part that i felt was a waste of pages or boring at all

21. part of canon you think is overhyped

also weirdly none of it? i think all of the parts that deserve hype are hyped. and, rightly so, i think even the smaller parts have been getting more hype the more years have passed between publication and the present

25. common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

.......i honestly can't think of one at the moment. again, i haven't really engaged with the aftg fandom in years, so i'm sure there are some going around right now, but from my memories of it there really wasn't... a lot of complaining? it was such a positive and supportive fandom i really miss it honestly

hater hours ask game

[a-caterpillars-world]

So. I finished Homestuck.

Reading Homestuck in 2024, over a decade since it started, was definitely an experience. There was a lot that i was spoiled for, but a lot that took me by surprise, even though "spoilers" are just about everywhere. I'm glad I was able to go in blind, there's a lot that wouldn't have felt nearly as impactful had i known about it beforehand. I'm not great at just directionless rambling, so I'll organize it in the form of an FAQ of a sort, under a read more since I'm expecting this to be a longer post.

Did you enjoy yourself?

Honestly, yes. I know Homestuck has a kind of negative reputation, and now that I've finished I can certainly see where it comes from, but even considering all of that I can't say I had a bad time. I think Homestuck has a lot to love, even if there's also a lot to hate. Personally I think there's several elements and characters of Homestuck that deserve a better rep, there was a lot I read that was very funny or very narratively compelling even through all the obvious flaws. I had a good time, I don't regret picking up Homestuck.

Do you plan to read anything else related to Homestuck (eg Homestuck 2)?

Maybe! I'm not entirely sure how much I'm missing out on, or how much the various side stories impact the main canon. If one of them seems particularly interesting to me, I'll look into it, but right now I'm good. I'm not even entirely sure how deep the Homestuck rabbit hole goes, though I suppose I could look it up and find out for myself.

Do you have any favorites/what do you think about [character]?

This is a hard question to answer, as Homestuck is a series with a loooot of characters to talk about. If you want to know a more in-depth opinion on your favorites, send me an ask! I love conversation and even since I started my liveblog I've been open to asks being sent in even if we've never spoken. Maybe I'll make a tierlist to organize my favorites, that could be fun.

Should I read Homestuck?

It depends. Homestuck can be a very good and interesting story at times, but a lot of what makes it a great story is hidden behind layers of questionable-at-best humor and casual ableism. I think if you can approach it as it is and understand the flaws inherent to it, it's definitely worth at least checking out. And then if it isn't for you, then it isn't for you, but it did end up being for me so take it as you will. Even if you're just looking at it as a part of internet and webcomic history, I think it's not a waste of time to give it a read. Via the downloadable archive though, not the browser version. Homestuck suffered greatly from the death of Flash, so it's best to read on a version that can better support all the unique elements it utilized without much risk of it crapping out on you (like it did to me, in several key points including the finale.) I also recommend reading with a friend, preferably one who's read Homestuck before so you can talk about things as they come up naturally.

Final thoughts

Homestuck is a fascinating piece of internet history. It's a near-perfect capture of the humor and culture of the late 2000s and early 2010s, largely dependent on a web service that is now entirely defunct. Were it not for the actions of archivists and fans, it's entirely likely we could've lost massive chunks of an incredible piece of webcomic and fandom history. It certainly isn't for everyone, its flaws have been talked about with regularity by essayists and internet historians with the whole spectrum of opinions on it. Even with its flaws, though, it still puts together a quite lovely story, with several compelling characters and scenes that grab your attention and hold it tight. Not only do I not regret reading it, but I completely understand how Homestuck created such a storm of a fandom especially when it was being actively updated. I'm glad I read it, in the end. It brought me a lot of joy in the best moments, and even at the times when I was most frustrated with the story I can't say there was ever a point where it was too much for me. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to check on the liveblog, whether you're one of my friends or a stranger checking in from the Homestuck fandom. It has certainly been an interesting ride, and I'm glad that I got to take it, even if I am in fact several years late to the party. Until next time, everyone!

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I'm very late to the party it seems, because only after getting more weird asks than usual, and a few explicitly naming the bloggers involved did I learn today of the ugliness that went down a short while ago. Storm has already said her bit and I respect her choice to quietly step back so this isn't me resurrecting a dead horse to bludgeon. I'm writing this because I've been on the receiving end of this sort of campaign before, have seen it play out too many times with the same types of people, and because I want it on record somewhere that I don't know anybody here personally (a conscious choice) but that all my dealings with Storm showed her to be a forthright and thorough person. And even if she wasn't, that wouldn't excuse any of this bullshit.

Normally if this were a private matter I'd keep my opinion to myself after all I don't know any of you. But the moment anybody brings this shit into the public then anybody gets to have a go at it. We've all seen these sorts of takedown posts before, and I'm not always opposed to them because sometimes they're for good reason. If someone is actually racist, or idk a serial killer, it's good for the public to know that shit. Differing opinions on jikook being real, someone cussing you out, or blocking liberally do not meet that threshold for me, but everyone's different.

When I see these takedowns happen, including when it happened to me, I've observed it usually involves HCP personalities in this blogging space that take certain actions extremely personally and nurse grievances until it festers into fuel for drama that they gratify in because in their heads they believe they’ve been scorned and therefore are right. They usually think in a very tribal sense, rope other people in and force people into camps of friend, neutrals, and foe, and wear their egos on their sleeves.

In my case, I'd only been blogging here actively for less than 5 months before a pair of bloggers and their followers accused me of feuding with them, using them for clout, and that my opinions on my blog somehow prevented them from running their own blog and speaking freely. They'd been nursing that grievance for months with the followers who felt as they did, while I was oblivious, blogging with abandon so to speak, even interacting with them, until the call-out post. And my followers had been receiving messages about how much of a horrible bitch I am (I mean, I can be a bitch but hadn't been to anyone here at that point).

Thankfully I hadn't been blogging for long so most people could go through my blog to read what I actually think, see how I actually engage, and decide for themselves if anything those bloggers said made any sense. Storm has a longer blogging history and the campaign against her more widespread since she was very active in jikook spaces, plus she legit needs a break so I get why she's decided to take one now. I still get weird asks from people who claim to be devoted to those bloggers and that shit, that behaviour, that mentality is ugly. The point here is too many people take shit personally and then try to make it everyone's problem. Some HCP people can't help it if they have those sorts of personalities, but that doesn't excuse it. Seeing shit like this just kills the vibe for anyone who doesn't get high off that nonsense, and it further frays whatever community people are trying to build here. I usually keep my distance but I admire the people who have tried, even if only in public, to connect with people here and build community. Not everyone has to like everyone else, but there's enough abuse and BS to jokers from outside the community and fandom, for anyone to think their momentary satisfaction is worth poisoning this space, or character assassinating someone else.

Apparently anyone who has voiced support for Storm, has themselves become a target, and that in itself should tell you how weird this all is lmao.

For the people flooding my inbox who think we're in kindergarten and I should declare where my loyalties lie, get a fucking grip. If you have a problem with my arguments or views, I'm always happy to engage on that basis. But if you think me liking Storm and interacting with her posts is reason enough for you to act a fool in my inbox, you must be high out of your goddamn mind. Take my advice and block me because nobody here has time for all that. Vous pouvez vous attendre à être complètement ignoré par moi à partir de ce moment. J'ai entendu dire que le sexe anal peut soulager la pression sur la tête, vous pouvez l'essayer et me dire si cela fonctionne. Ça, je le posterai sur le blog. Tout le reste sera supprimé.

Borahae. 💜