#especially now I’m actively contributing to the fandom

[bapple117]

this has literally been me for the last two months I swear to god I go through this process several times a day

[queezleish]

The character of Alana Bloom: a not that coheorant ramble :3

I’ve always had a soft spot for Alana since my first watch for Hannibal. I think when I first watched I didn’t really think about her character but now after a view rewatches I’m entirely hooked by her character. Especially on the different ways you can view her when she’s “helping” people.

On the one hand all she wanted to do was help and she tried so hard to do so-- while rewatching season 1/2 u can see just how much she cares, especially as opposed to season 3 where u can see how getting caught up with these ppl and in hannibals life toughened her, turning her into the more ruthless and cold character we end the show with. And it's so tragic. It's SO tragic. This girl wanted to HELP PEOPLE but by the end she's so completely changed, so much that we see her actively seeking out to hurt and or kill different people more than once (to her credit those ppl were also murders but my point stands) .

BUT ON THE OTHER HANDDD

…..... Back in season 1, did she want to help those ppl for them or for herself?

Ive started to look back and view Alana's season 1 actions, specifically towards Will, with distain because It has always read weird to me. And I'm starting to think it's because even from the beginning she's been a very selfish person- I think she did care for Will but I think it can be read as more out of a selfish desire to help/fix/mother someone in a sense

Like that is a grown ass man babe……… idk especially considering the closeness or lack there of between will and Alana I think you can totally read Alana’s actions towards him stemming from a selfish desire to “fix”. (not saying being selfish is bad, sometimes that’s just how it be…(honestly I can make a whole another rant on the selfishness of Alana))

I don’t know if this is a hot take or not but, I feel like the two “sides” I’ve touched upon with her character are what her character gets boiled down to and I’m here to say…. Let’s not????

I understand not liking her for xyz reasons (which is so valid and me too) but I truly believe she’s so complex from a character standpoint and i think we should acknowledge this more as a fandom as opposed to boiling her down to one or two defining moments (this is especially important bc the few women of Hannibal are already given the short end of the stick and not explored upon enough as is…..but that is an entirely different rant)

While rambling about this I'm at the conclusion that maybe Alana Bloom is just a flawed character; she could’ve really wanted to help Will and Jack and with that came along the feelings of fixing/saving. And through this you can see that “fixing/helping" makes her personally feel good and that probably contributes to why she does what she does as well. Even if she doesn’t do it great either-- she definitely showed her subconscious biases and maybe ended up hurting more than helping along the way in her desire to fix/help...but that doesn't mean she never actually cared...i think u can see that she did because why else would she be constantly trying to do good ??? (At least season 1/2)

I mean it's rlly up to personal interpretation- there's a billion ways to read media, but as I was ranting to my friends about some of my gripes with her actions, I realized as I was talking, I was saying too little. I felt like I was misrepresenting. Hence my rambles

UGHHH she can just be read as SUCH a complex character and I really do think it’s an injustice to boil her down to one or two defining characteristics and the way she helps ppl is sosososo interesting to ME!

[sitp-recs]

12 fics I’ve enjoyed recently…

Last year I did a short-lived “weekly rereads” series to spread love for old favourites that kept me afloat when reading new things became a struggle. I was looking for ways to stay active and contribute to the fandom with minimal effort, and I found solace in revisiting fics that I hold dear in my heart. This year, spring brought the @dronarryfest to pull me back into reading mood. Fandom is starting to speak to me again after a very long time, and the euphoria hit me with inspiration to write this short rec post for my recent reads. I am joining the party a bit late but on the off chance these escaped your radar, here are some fics I’ve really enjoyed during my catch up moment in February/March, and a few I’m planning to dive into next. It’s so nice to be able to write comments and rec blurbs again! What have y’all been reading lately?

HP fics:

Wet Leather by @lqtraintracks (E, 492 words) - Harry/Sirius

I live for LQT’s rare pair drabbles especially when it’s for my beloved Sirry because nobody writes this ship like them. The A+ characterization always takes my breath away: so much tension laced with yearning, it feeds my horniest deepest Sirry cravings tripping between guilt and absolution. This short is full of heat, want and sweet indulgence, with the usual tenderness underneath driving me up the wall and making me soft and hot for these two. Also, “my drenched little pup” excuse sir I’m??? 🥵

Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w (M, 5k) - established Drarry, Dron, implied Dronarry

One of my instant faves this year, what a masterclass in tension building! As always, I’m so impressed by sweets’ short form. The brilliant banter and relentless sexual tension put me at the edge of my seat praying for MOAR. The atmosphere is so captivating I could feel the temptation on my fingertips, and have I even mentioned Ron’s spot on voice?? Superb bromance dynamics, late night drive aesthetics, an impressive amount of characterization within 5k and a teasing ending full of promise, come and feast!

Borrowed Time by @the-starryknight (E, 7k) - Dron + Harry

Another delicious Dronarry treat, now showcasing established Dron, body swap, the sexiest UST you’ll see today and an incredibly satisfying payoff. Once again Starry delivers peak romance with their “hot & sweet” trademark mixing compelling dialogue, witty flirting and uncomplicated smut full of want but also trust, understanding and intimacy. Forget the maddening anticipation, the domestic slice-of-life tone made me swoon - the characters are so clearly fond and familiar with each other it’s only natural for them to come together like this.

Heart to Hearth by @jtimu (E, 7k) - Drarry

This fic is a breath of fresh air and I still remember how excited I felt reading it for the first time. I’ll never get tired of seeing Harry get utterly horny confused at an attractive and carefully guarded Draco being competent at his odd yet surprisingly fitting job. Repairman Draco is indeed mouthwateringly efficient with his long hair and coveralls, and their tentative and awkward dynamics are just excellent. Love the subtle humour, the bits of repair magic theory and the earnest slow burn, with a smooth progression towards deliciously indulgent smutty times. Amazing concept, perfectly executed.

Long Haul by @wolfpants (E, 8k) - Drarry

Wolf is killing it lately, loved their Dronarry but this fic stole my heart with the long haul love premise. The image of their encounter - Harry holding his passport between his teeth, Draco with Muggle headphones around his neck - stayed with me the whole night. Harry loves flying and connects with NYC for the same reasons I do, so this fic spoke to me in a very personal way. I love everything from the title and bold flirting to the scorching hot and intimate smut with smooth daddy Draco! Not too long ago I prompted Florence’s “End of Love” for Wireless - unknowingly, Wolf wrote the NYC fic I’ve dreamed about when I thought of it 💜

Permanent by @citrusses (M, 14k) - Drarry, Dron

I’ve always been drawn to time travel and Citrus set up a thrilling, mysterious mood that’s impossible to resist. I was deeply intrigued not only by the plot but also by the complexity of these characters - a belligerent Harry with daddy issues and a saviour complex (yes pls!), edgy and focused Hermione, perceptive and kind Ron charming his way inside our hearts, and a lonely Draco trying to make sense of the plot, handle his feelings and find his foot in the post-war world. I loved being inside his mind - such brilliant characterization - and seeing the golden trio through his eyes. This fic has a wistful, melancholy tone mirroring Draco’s longing for Harry that hit me right in the solar plexus. It is also a great Ron study, and I’ll admit that made me fall even harder for Dron. Finally, it is tender and devastating as all good things are. A brilliant read and an instant favorite.

Dick Chicken by @oknowkiss (E, 15k) - Harry/Draco/Ron

Believe me when I say this is the Seinfeld AU you didn’t know you needed because you don’t wanna miss out on this. Hands down one of the most entertaining fics I’ve read in a while, this is hysterical funny, witty and steamy. The perfect mix of crack-y and casually horny vibes with a quirky Draco, a lovable and relatable Harry, and a hot Ron who’s 100% there for the ride, this chaotic trio will pull you into an unhinged journey and you’re gonna thank them for that 🤣 superb Harry pov, a warm and playful atmosphere that feels intoxicating, and a glorious shower scene followed by a fake orgasm competition. You’re heard it right. Run don’t walk!

Knot Your Average Coworkers by @thecouchsofa (E, 22k) - Drarry

Office romance is my kryptonite and I couldn’t stop giggling as I made my way through this wolf!Draco treat. I was instantly smitten with the charming characters, the delightful silly knotting jokes 🌝 and the good old oblivious friends/coworkers to lovers dynamics that always gets me. Pining Harry wooing Draco through cooking is SO my jam, the perfect mix of sweet comfort & unbearable UST that fills me with joy and anticipation while also wanting to smash their heads together “kiss kiss fall in love” style. Yum!

Cargo Case by @sleepstxtic (E, 23k) - Drarry

This was such an exciting ride, I love the inherent yearning & intimacy of break up/make up stories and this case fic kept me engaged and rooting for Drarry (and Pansy/Parvati!) the whole time. It was wonderful to see them not being antagonistic after a break up for a change - there’s delicious ust, fabulous Draco & Pansy brOTP, not to mention their super cool job. I was as invested in the plot as I was in the romance, and I’ve had a really fun time following them around. Undercover boyfriends for the win!!!!

Truth to Materials by @toomuchplor, lately (E, 54k) - Drarry

Another fabulous plor fic as per, this artist!Draco story immediately won my heart with the hilarious opening scene and the perfect combo of Draco’s “brazen gay” voice and Harry’s “bi panic” mind. What a delight! Love the clever dialogue, the mood so chaotic horny but the humorous tone making me giggle my way through the delicious loo sex scene. Unique premise, great pacing, fantastic cast and charming characterization - this fic is so easy to devour it doesn’t feel like a 50k journey at all. The story is great fun, very engaging but also delivering multiple tender and heartkick-y moments. It checks all my boxes including our king Ron Weasley putting a banana into Draco’s sculptural arsehole 🤣 what else could I ask for?

Skybound by @xanthippe74 (T, 61k) - Drarry

As a longtime fan of Ghibli’s movies, I was over the moon to see one my own faves adapted to fit the HP universe. This is the Howl’s Moving Castle AU we deserve, a light, enchanting and fun read with a lovely smooth Draco and a lovely earnest Harry making such a great pair. I love how Xan played with the original material making adjustments here and there, and giving life to Timpsy, the apprentice elf with a whole subplot involving mistreatment of magical beings. Very sweet and creative read!

Other fandoms:

a man—with human flesh by spqr (E, 14k) - Paul/Duncan, Dune

I love that this author writes for all of my favorite ships, I feel so spoiled! This is (yet another) banger following the 2nd Dune movie and a fascinating dive into Paul’s fractured mind struggling between his long-standing affection for Duncan and the intrusive thoughts under BG’s influence. So intense, vivid and thought-provoking. I was hooked from beginning to end and deeply immersed in this universe. Love me a fic about emotional implications and complications while delivering excellent character studies, this is the shit I live for right here 🤌🏼

Next up on my to-read list:

Home series by @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 22k)

In which Draco grows up hiding and finds out he doesn't want to do that anymore. And he doesn't want his son to hide, either. (…). In which Harry grows up in darkness, falls in love, fucks up, learns some things, and falls in love again.

Passing Stranger by @lettersbyelise (E, 53k)

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Star Splitter by @oflights (E, 219k)

On a routine time travel assignment to the past, Draco stumbles upon 7-year-old Harry Potter and witnesses his neglect and mistreatment by the Dursleys. In the moment, there is only one solution, even if it goes against all his training as a Time Agent: he has to bring Harry back to the future with him. In which Draco burns his life down for the sake of his former school rival.

[loulou-land]

🎄 All I Want for Christmas is Lou! 🎄

As part of this amazing event here are some of my slightly personal and genuine feelings about Buck, Tommy, their relationship and this wonderful community! ✨

@alliwantforchristmasislou

As a bisexual woman in her 30s–Buck discovering this other side to his sexuality, to who he is (in his 30s) and Tommy, an older gay man who lived for so long in the closet, but was finally being himself–looking more comfortable and free, meant a lot to me. Especially seeing that on a tv show as big as 911.

I’m not in the closet but I’m also not completely out. I tried to tell someone very close to me I was Bi and instead was shoved back in the closet. Because they just couldn’t fathom or think about that in relation to me. Even though I was still the same person I always was. So the Bucktommy relationship meant a lot to me. From the beginning, the relationship was sweet and caring, communicative and so understanding. Also so completely normal and genuine. It was honestly very uplifting and hopeful to see. It made me feel like I could get my happy ending. Maybe not right now but one day. Especially because this person was also watching the show. And I hoped seeing positive representation for bisexuality and a same sex couple would help them understand me better.

Of course, bucktommy led me to this wonderful community. It has been truly life changing. I’ve been in many fandoms before, always a lurker, never an active participant. It always felt scary, some of the bigger louder accounts unapproachable. It’s honestly incredible how different bucktommy nation is. I felt so welcomed from the beginning. Even when I was just reblogging or commenting on people's amazing posts and stories. And soon I found myself feeling brave, being myself, contributing to the community by making edits and when I doubted I could even write (despite wanting to so badly) I got so much encouragement and support. And I’m so so thankful for that. I haven’t felt this motivated in such a long time. I’m creating again! And that’s a wonderful gift you have all given me, all of you and BuckTommy ❤️ Not to mention being there for each other as we went through that breakup and the terrible writing of that episode.

So for 2025, I hope we can see Tommy on our screens again. I hope he finds his happiness and love, because he deserves it. I hope we get to see him heal. And I hope we can continue to see Lou’s thoughtful portrayal of him and the love and care he puts into his acting, especially for a character that means so much to us. I also hope Buck can continue living his truth and above all that we get to see him fight for love and get his forever. Finally, I hope we get to see this amazing relationship flourish and grow once again ✨

As part of this event I donated to the Trevor Project because I’ve always been grateful for what they do 🫶🏻

And so, #alliwantforchristmasislou

And many thanks to the creation of this event. This is an amazing initiative and I’m happy I get to be a part of it.

[satorugojjo]

hiiii, i highly doubt you're super active anymore, but your pjo quiz was truly the BEST there was. Unfortunately, none of your links work. Is it possible to get a new link or access the questions? genuinely, yours haunts me to this day. anyway, let me know what you think!

hello!! thank you so much and omg it haunts me everyday too 😭 sadly it doesn’t work anymore cuz the website i was hosting it on went paid and then just went completely bust. I couldn’t even save my quiz but one day im going to try remake it in uquiz cuz I was so proud of that one :( I’m so glad that people to this day still ask me about it! it was and still is one of the things im proudest of to contribute to fandom, especially the PJO one while it was still a relatively small community in 2015. I still have the results page up over here so you can browse the answers and see if any of them fit you. May have changed the url now but I’m always poseidhn at heart 💛

[nekropsii]

Also that June post sucked I wrote it on sleep meds at like 6 in the morning I articulated myself like shit. Not an excuse, but it is an explanation.

Further rambling under the cut.

I was trying to make the point that it’s deeply frustrating to me how much of a big deal was made out of it (in a negative sense) and how much harassment ensued especially right in the moment when nothing had even really happened yet and still hasn’t really happened but I said that Badly.

The JKR comparison was not a statement of there being any bigotry present, it’s just literally the only example most people - me included - can think of when talking about an author confirming some kind diversity before it even happens, if we see it at all. I’ll admit part of why I’m so cynical is that I grew up in an era where queerphobic jokes and queerbait were just about the only thing you could get in mainstream media, and everyone would still tout that as if it’s real representation, so I’m always prepared for people to just be lying to me.

So, I see that June gets confirmed in 2019 because someone won a treasure hunt, and we still haven’t really seen her, and I’m just instinctively deeply skeptical it’s even gonna happen. Especially considering we got that fuckin’ Roxy Detransition arc first.

Another sticky point is the canonicity of Postcanon, period. I do not see any works outside of Homestuck proper to be canon, especially not in the way that Homestuck itself is canon. I’ve said this several times on my blog and didn’t feel it worth reiterating but it’s kind of important, especially given the JKR comparison. I think June is awesome, it’s a really cool progression of her character, especially considering Homestuck was once pop culture and she’s the literal main character. But part of why I kept saying it was “literally nothing” was because I was operating under the mindset of “it’s not even canon anyway, why are you harassing people for being excited about it?”. It’s stupid to act like a character or person coming out as trans ruins everything for you in general, but it was especially stupid to me for this to be such a federal fucking issue when basically all we had to go off of at the time was a Tweet, especially in a fandom that proclaims itself to be so progressive, and especially when so many people who were denouncing June as being “not real” due to being in Postcanon got so excited when Roxy was turned into a trans dude. It’s just stupid and unfair and transparent, and I hate it.

The Junecourse situation was super fucking messy and really hard to navigate, and it frustrated me a lot because a lot of people were being kind of silly or even just outright bigoted. It was strange that people got so mad about it, it was strange that some people acted like June was a real person, it was strange that people got badly harassed no matter what they did or said. It was stressful and weird, and it was dumb to me that all that warring and all those lies were circling around a tweet, for the most part, and plenty are still operating under the simple tweet confirmation.

I should acknowledge that there’s apparently more than just the lone tweet now. I’m sure I’ve seen all that before, but I’ve got pretty bad memory issues and, again, I was writing it at 6 am on sleep meds, so it genuinely spaced my brain. That is completely on me and I apologize for contributing to false narratives. The post’s been deleted. I’m not asking for forgiveness or anything, I’m just explaining myself. It was a bad post, but I wasn’t making it out of malice, though I do recognize that in situations like this, intent doesn’t matter nearly as much as actions and impact does. That was a failure on my part. I’ve since deleted it.

I’m apologizing here not because there’s a fire being lit under me or anything - I’m not being pressured - but because this is a genuinely important issue to me. Sadly, I am merely an ally and still in the active process of reading theory, so I lack the general polish one acquires from lived experience and actual real learnedness. Transmisogyny is not a reality I have to live with every waking moment of my life, and as a TME man it is a systemic force that works directly in my favor, so I’m liable to accidentally perpetuate it, even if it’s something I do not believe in personally and am making strides to, for lack of a better, less cringe-inducing term, “be a better ally” about.

TLDR; I fucked up and made a sloppy post that contributed to false narratives surrounding a confirmed Transfem character and the discussion of her online. It sat around 77 notes as of deleting, though most were thankfully just likes rather than there being a whole lot of spread. Still sucks, though, and I’m sorry.

Thank you for reading.

[widebrimmedhatsblog]

Fic Writer End of Year Round-up!!

(belated but whatever) Answer and then tag 3 or more creators to keep the game going!!

I was tagged by @skyfallscotland and @littedidyouknow 🥰🥰🥰

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

365,883!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

16!

3. How many in-progress or currently ongoing fics did you start this year?

Only one WIP for me as of right now, my baby In The Heat Of It All. This is a good time to announce that there won’t be any updates during January in all likelihood.

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Show Me Yours. It feels the most mine of all my fics, and I absolutely wrote it for me.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

I’m not super experimental overall, since I generally know what POV/tense I like, and I don’t stray from that, but I feel like the International Incident series was pretty experimental in that it was actually erotica, and I’d never done that before!

6. Did any of your fics surprise you, either while writing or with their reception?

To Hate And To Hold had an insane reception that I was not expecting at all. I think a general rule is that the fics *I* like the most are not the fics that everyone else seems to like the most, but it was crazy to see in real time, especially with a one shot.

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

In The Heat Of It All has been consistently flying under the radar for whatever reason, which makes me so sad because it’s absolutely my best work. Foreign Affairs also definitely flew under the radar, but maybe this is an anti masturbation fandom, IDK.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

I love @essjaywrites drawing of Rhi and Vi’s fridge here! I haven’t quite gotten around to reading this fic yet, but I love the representation of their friendship, and I think about it loads!!

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

All my brainstorming over the last few months has involved the lovely miss @maethologies, and she inspires me so much. Genuinely, y’all would not have gryphon rider x without her, or the end of OTRA, or the latter half of kinktober.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

Literally all of you with when I joined the fandom, LOL, but special shout out to @justallihere. I’m so grateful for Storm In The Quiet and all the other wonderful writing she’s given us. SITQ was a really bright light last spring when I needed it ❤️

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Technically, no. However! @maethologies and I have been. pounding ideas back and forth for an AU we are co-writing via DM, and we both have written pieces of the full fic!! That counts, I think. I think I’ll keep how it started top secret for now, though…

12. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I was re-reading my journal yesterday, from around the time I wrote Of Mothers and Storms, and I said there how happy I was to be writing something more stress free after dealing with some of my original stuff. I’m so proud that I found that happiness again, and I’ve been really working on figuring out how to make that feeling more sustainable.

13. What did you learn about writing and creating this year?

Writing and posting are SEPARATE activities!

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Get words on the page!! My most practical advice is that when whatever I’m writing scares me, I shut my eyes. Do it scared. Also, sprints! Also, finding friends who you can send snippets to!!

15. What are you creative goals for 2025?

Top secret! 🤫

I’m not tagging anyone because I am so very late, but if anyone still wants to jump in, do it!! and tag me!! It was so lovely seeing everyone’s contributions. Happy new year!!

[leeningt0werofpizza]

My Hottest Owl House Take Is That The Whole Show Would Be Objectively Better If Hunter Were Black.

Bear with me:

The Owl House is at its absolute least fun when Hunter is onscreen because from the moment that mask comes off, he’s a passive character. You can see it in his first scene with Luz in Hunting Palismen; she’s asking him all kinds of questions, giving all kinds of material with which he could engage and have fun banter with her like he’d done previously, but instead he just grumbles. Luz is over here being her deliciously funny self and her scene partner is giving her NOTHING. I feel like I’m back in High-School Improv doing a scene with that kid who simply cannot Yes And. I feel like Chappell Roan yelling at the VIP section:

He’s not fun.

Hunter’s only appeal in the story is your curiosity about what the fuck his deal is. And when you find out, there’s nothing else for him to do but discover new hobbies like flyer derby and Star Trek. Now, this would be great if the story were about him and these new hobbies were ever going to amount to anything, but... it’s not… and they won’t…. So Hunter ends up contributing nothing to the story, or the other characters, in fact, he takes away screen time from more developed, more enjoyable characters (of color) and leaches off of their likability.

It’s like there’s a different show with a completely different protagonist trying to staple itself to The Owl House. The problem is, a big portion of the fandom wants that show. Prefers it, even. There are whole essays giving Hunter all kinds of characterization that isn’t in the show. There are entire rewrites out there that remove Luz as the main character and replace her with Hunter, giving him all of her development.

WHY??

Because he’s a white boy.

And fandom loves their white boys.

Look, there are a million characters just like Hunter. Just as underdeveloped, just as pointless, and just as Not Fun. But of those characters, the non-white ones are always derided for these traits, while the white ones become fan favorites despite them. It’s a trend we’ve seen for years and The Owl House fandom is no exception to it: If a character, especially a male character, is white, and happens to be poorly written, underdeveloped, or just unimportant to their story, the fandom will rewrite them to not be that way and pretend their rewrites are the cannon thing, and that therefore that character is actually great. Fandom does not do this for non-white characters.

Because of this, white characters never need to have as much put into them to justify the screen time they get. If Gus were as frequently present and yet grossly underutilized as Hunter is, I guarantee you the fandom would not love him the same way. They would rightfully be saying “why is Gus here if he’s not contributing to the story?”

This is why The Owl House would be an overall better show if Hunter were black. Because all those scenes where he’s taking up screen time without contributing to any other characters wouldn’t be there. He would be onscreen a lot less, giving other characters more time to shine, and when he IS onscreen there would always be a reason. Like showcasing how much of an abusive dick Belos is, supporting Willow in her flyer-derby plot, or just being active and entertaining as a character, because as a black character, he would HAVE to be all those things to justify existing.

(Of course, this problem would also be fixed by creators and audiences just holding white characters to the same standards of quality we hold characters of color to, but now I’m just talkin’ crazy.)

Actually, I can prove this thesis, because it’s demonstrated in the show. There are exactly two scenes where Hunter’s interactions with the other main characters are actually fun: His debut in Separate Tides, and his scene with Luz on the airship in Hunting Palismen.

Y’know what these two scenes also are?? His only interactions with other main characters that take place before Hunter is revealed to be white.

Whiteness in storytelling is often seen and utilized as a replacement for characterization, which is why audiences tend to notice a lot more when a non-white character lacks that characterization than when a white character does. Because of this, whiteness becomes a crutch in character design. And we’ve seen it evident that Hunter would’ve been a much more enjoyable, less invasive character without that crutch.

Moral of the story kids is to always ask yourself: “Are They Really a Good Character, Or Are They Just a White Boy?” And you can do this.. by making them black and seeing if they’re still your fave!

Anyway that’s my spiel and I am correct 🫶

[iphigeniainaulis]

Hello, everyone! 💛

Wishing you a happy New Year! It doesn’t really matter, whether it’s snowy or not, cold or hot — I just hope that you’re surrounded by people who cherish and value you for who you truly are.

I know, I’ve been very inconsistent with posting here on Tumblr. Without going into details, let’s just say that the reason behind it is tied up with some sort of technical issues rather than me being busy in real life (though, I am). 

To my surprise, I’ve also found out that I no longer follow so many of my mutuals I was subscribed to (or I thought so). Please, don’t take it personally. Probably, it’s just another technical issue Tumblr gave me as a present. Or somebody is simply about to activate Fish Dory mode (again). 

Anyways, don’t mind me if I appear on your dash with a friend request. Also, it’s completely fine if you’ve already unfollowed me. Life goes by, our interests and hobbies shift gradually. It’s fine.

Speaking of interests. For the last months I’ve posted almost nothing related to the Ikemen games, but it doesn't mean that I no longer associate myself with the fandom. 

(My interest in the Ikemen series, especially Ikevamp, has waned, though. And, to be honest, I put the blame for this matter on Cybird who'd been using the game as its cash cow up until the end of pandemic and then cast aside like an old glove. Ikevamp merely has new events, major of them are repeats. The so-called Act 2.5 is just a filler which contributes neither to the plot nor to the further development of characters. At the same time, Ikeprince, the game that appeared on the international platform later, already has Act 3 on its way and lots of sequels. Not to mention, the general quality of recent arts in Ikevamp is less than satisfactory. And we’re talking about the otome that once was the most popular among all Ikemen games.)

The main problem for me is the lack of available resources I can read and watch in order to stay in tune with the fandom news even during periods of inactivity. Sadly, I can no longer count even on Tumblr as there’s always this uncertainty about whether it’s gonna load or stop working for hours. I’m not trying to excuse myself or beg for your pity (I don’t need it, really). But I ask for understanding, if possible. I can’t write|reblog posts as often as I used to, but even those you see take a lot of time. It may seem unimportant, but I do pay attention to details. Do the posts correlate with each other in terms of color, meaning, message, atmosphere? Haven’t I forgotten to mix texts with pictures? Do the pictures reflect what’s been written by the author of the previous post? Is there a semantic, symbolic chain between the posts?

On a more positive note, during the last few days Tumblr’s been working without delays. So, I hope (I hope!) to be more present and thoroughly thank you for your hard work and endless support.

For you see, it’s such a strong yet fragile feeling — to feel and be loved. 

See you again!

With love,

Iphi

P.S. Please, take this picture of the cinnamon rolls I baked. Wish I could give them to each and every one of you in person, but as for now let’s have a small tea party here, the place where beauty brings peace and poetry wins it all.

[spicybylerpolls]

“Nobody does anything cool anymore, and everybody is afraid of everything,” Vinson Cunningham said in a recent roundtable about the death of the sex scene for the New Yorker. “We are in a decadent, post-excitement world.”

The widespread access to porn online, according to Cunningham, raised the bar for a sex scene from titillation to plot. It wasn’t enough to make people horny; a sex scene had to move the story forward or serve a stylistic purpose. Narrative momentum can in itself be a turn-on. As a teenager growing up online, I was significantly less interested in porn, which felt obviously fake, than in Youtube compilations and cuts of various sex scenes, which had the trappings of real characters, and thus real life. The scenes felt fascinating, shocking, spellbinding, adult. Maybe not actually realistic, but vibrant and vital, validation of my own capacity for eroticism. Sex is an essential part of humanity, sex scenes an essential reflection of the human experience. Perhaps the most frustrating element of this particular anti-sex scene argument is its fixation on a justification for sex on-screen, as if people wanting to have sex or wanting to be turned on is not character-driven or important enough. To deny the power of sex on-screen is to deny one of the core reasons to watch anything in the first place: desire, a basic human impulse and a gift.

from this article: https(:)//archive.ph/VqXbY

And as relates to byler and culture itself, another piece....

In a culture of convenience, where values are understood increasingly through their digital imprints, things feel nauseatingly 2D because they literally are. Marshall McLuhan predicted this a long time ago. [in the 60s with his 'the medium is the message' - a concept which relates to ST as a whole!] I’ve started thinking of this quality as sexlessness. I’m using sex here as a euphemism for the natural arousal that attends life in 3D, sexual or not. It is the antithesis of the gamified pleasure we pursue online, which has now infiltrated our values offline too. Consider beauty, which is today often understood as a set of objective, imitable, purchasable characteristics, rather than a quality experienced through movement, context, subjectivity, mystery, actual presence. When I think of the dominant trends of the last five or 10 years, most of them engender this same lack of humanity: personal branding; biohacking; virtual reality; reality television; fillers and filters; botox and plastic surgery; being extremely online; corporate activism; minimalism; cancel culture; labels for every type of person and personality... One way to view the irritating state of things is as a kind of collective sexual frustration. '“Nobody does anything cool anymore, and everybody is afraid of everything."'

The above is from: https(:)//haleynahman.substack.com/p/89-the-death-of-sex

I see this page has died down a bit but wanted to drop this for any deep thinkers out there, because it speaks to the wider issue and shows how spicy byler tumblr (and indeed byler tumblr, and by extension ST fandom and all fandom itself) is part of this wider issue of being engrossed in the kind of culture that removes you from visceral, realistic pleasures and what this might mean for society.

Can we expect eroticism from Stranger Things? Not in an arthouse way, I don't think, but i'm fascinated to see how they position themselves in the zeitgeist of gay media, conservative media, and media that is willing to portray sex - especially considering that the portrayal of sex could and would indeed have narrative purpose for mike and will. the duffers might just have set up one of the best stories to portray this experience, and redefine the entire genre if they can pull it off.

Always grateful for your thoughts and contributions to the spicy byler fandom (and the byler fandom at large), scrunchietown. It's so true that there's a general sexlessness in media, even as people try to complain that everything's too sexualized when that's not true, especially not in mainstream movies. Last summer there were a lot of people freaking out about the (pretty tame) sex scene in Oppenheimer! Perhaps there are more sex scenes in Max shows like Euphoria, but even so, I do think the Duffers have the opportunity to do something truly special and redefine the sex scene. Byler has the opportunity to be groundbreaking in so many ways!

"One way to view the irritating state of things is as a kind of collective sexual frustration."

Society if Byler helps to heal our collective sexual frusturation:

[ddlockk]

Searching for mutuals!!

I will follow back anyone who comments/follows with the following :3

I’m trying to post more of my art related to these things as well, especially Pokemon, so that’s something I can also contribute to your dash!

My BIG two right now are

Valorant

POKEMON !!

Other fandoms I adore and am part of include

Team Fortress 2

Half Life

Portal (Valve)

Stardew Valley

Loosely, I’m also getting into Genshin Impact/Honkai Star Rail, and this Might push me into it if anything 👁️

I love having new friends and I am extremely active in reblogs, likes and comments :33 Feel free to mutualize me today!!

[elvisqueso]

Hi, Elvisqueso! I read your response in the lately ask for you AND WOW, YOU NAILED IT!!! I agree 100% with what you said. As a brazilian fan of Pocahontas, I can say with 100% certainty that this idea of 'Pocahontas is a racist movie, it’s a movie that romanticizes colonialism, etc.' has really grown within the Disney fandom here (not that the Pocahontas fandom is big here—counting me, I think there are like... 5 people, lol), but this idea that Pocahontas is a movie 'that glosses over colonization and that it was wrong for Pocahontas to get involved with a white, blond, standard guy and so on...' has started to gain attention here, and that Pocahontas is 'just a Native woman who got charmed by the colonizer who invaded her lands and now is all lovey-dovey with him,' completely ignoring the entire story, development, and message of the movie.

I think nowadays, people’s perspectives are very superficial and ideological. People don’t know how to separate fiction from reality anymore—only when it suits them. I totally agree with the part where you said the justification for all this hate is 'because they’re seeing an interracial couple on screen,' YES! And, as incredible as it may seem, this is what makes me love them and the movie even more—the fact that they are 'in the eye of the storm,' but still, they stay together and are stronger than ever in their love, DESPITE BEING TOTALLY DIFFERENT! The difference in ethnicity, in cultures, all of that is THEIR CHEMISTRY, it’s what makes them perfect as a couple. And, again, we’re talking about FICTION. (Interracial couples are amazing).

I’m not saying that these discussions aren’t valid—they are. But, to throw the whole story, narrative, and everything about the movie in the trash because it goes against your ideas without recognizing all the investment, work, effort, RESEARCH (a lot of research on Disney’s part), is unfair. It’s sad. You recommend Pocahontas, make art, a story, and people see it as something twisted and see you the same way... like, (?), this movie is a work of art, so beautiful... And as you said: at no point is Pocahontas portrayed as a victim, quite the opposite, she is SUPER ahead of her time and a very bold woman, she literally CHANGES John’s perspective, SHE drives the plot, everything revolves around Pocahontas, and at no point is John a jerk to her (well, maybe just a little bit before he learns how to paint with all the colors of the Wind...)

I'm not an expert on the subject, I just watched the movie (more than once) and formed this critique and perspective on my own. In fact, I was one of those people who watched Pocahontas for the first time with that completely distorted view that was spread on the internet about the movie. At first, I THOUGHT their relationship was SUPER PROBLEMATIC, but as I kept watching, I realized it wasn’t quite like that and now I abslutely love them.

That’s what I wanted to say... I really liked that ask and your response, and I wanted to contribute too. Let’s keep being the resistance of the Pocahontas fandom on the internet, LOL.

Hey there!

You're right; it's very difficult to get people to see past the racial dynamics and it's really concerning how that point of view seems to be getting more popular (especially in online spaces). It doesn't help that the usual portrayals of interracial relationships we see on screen are either fetishized or played for laughs.

And oh man is it tough being in such a little fandom. I'm pretty sure I'm the only blog that shows up as "recommended" in any of the fandom tags (not counting the general tag bc it's a minefield). I've been hoping to drum up a little activity around here. It's still pretty dead in terms of new fanworks 😅

But Yes! Let's keep enjoying what we love without guilt or anxiety about what other people think!

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

Anon I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Fandom loves a fictitious underdog story, but in reality people like winners. They like Trump and Musk, and they like Harry Styles, Billie, Drake, Taylor, etc etc. They like to jump on a wagon that is oiled by their money and by the power that money confers.

Like I said before, they’re like most people who support the Make America Great Again agenda. They’re not in the social bracket that benefits from MAGA policies, just like Harry Styles really doesn’t think two minutes a year about his fans, but nonetheless fans like the feeling of being on the winning side. If they can buy a Pleasing nail polish and show their friends, if they carry an HSLOT tote, well then they’re part of the winning tribe, right? At least it temporarily feels that way.

This trolling always happens when Louis isn’t active. People, especially Harries (but also other 1D-adjacent fandoms), are cruel to Louis and his fans. The tragedies in Louis’ life intensify the cruelty— that’s the nature of trolls. They find a wound and make it bleed. They contributed to Liam’s mental health issues and accelerated his death. But it doesn’t bother them— they just move on to the next target.

If Harry or his team cared about his fandom’s trolling Liam, they certainly never showed it. I have to assume they don’t care whatever is being done to Louis either, unless it starts to affect sales of Harry Styles.

I have to say that I’m very happy and proud of Zayn for starting his tour. I wish him success. I don’t think Zayn’s fandom and Louis’ cross over that much, and now that he’s active, the Zsquad probably will focus on Zayn.

In any case, it’s not Louies’ job to defend Louis. I don’t think it really does anything. It certainly doesn’t introduce Louis to any new listeners: Louis’ team has that responsibility. As long as they don’t really want to promote him, that’s that. We wait until the next new works of music.

[blizzardsuplex]

You don't know what you've unleashed El <3 Sappiness in 100 words or less each under the cut!

In general: After being on the outside looking in with Tumblr for a long time, I finally joined somewhere around the midpoint this year. I was kind of active for a month before major events in both my family and long-standing hobbies made me disappear. The me from even a few months beforehand probably would have never come back…but I did, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. It’s just really fun to be on here, in a way I haven’t experienced for a while—so, if you're reading this, whether we actively talk or not? You’ve contributed to that. Thank you.

Drea @shes-a-voodoo-child: I knew you first as a brilliant writer, but little did I know that you were also a gracious member of fandom/Tumblr, even to someone like me who blundered into a cold call (thank you for not immediately blocking my empty blog, haha!) Nowadays, though, I know you first and foremost as someone I’m glad to call my friend—even if I must admit I still look up to you with stars in my eyes. I only wish I had more interesting things to talk about with you, because I really enjoy whenever we chat things like music or wrestling!

El @spaghettisaurusrex: Honestly, at first I thought you were too cool for me—you teach swordfighting, for God’s sake! But you’re also an incredibly chill, incredibly nice person, who I’m always glad to see in my notifs on Tumblr or Discord. And, of course, thank you so, so much for writing and talking the fairy tale AU with me; it was a fraught journey on my part, but it also turned out one of my fave pieces I’ve ever done. We should write together again next time!

Izzy @limbreaper: So much to say, so little (self-imposed) space to say it. I never thought I’d have a friend like you, honestly, especially considering everything’s that happened. Forever grateful that you’re in my life (if only for now), and I hope you have as much fun talking to me as I do talking to you—and if we drift apart one day, though hopefully later rather than sooner…I won’t forget your kindness sending that message to a stranger. It really did mean a lot. Hopefully there’ll be authentic PH food options where you are some day.

Jackie @tekkers: I’ve admired your GIFs/ZSJ content from even before I was active on tumblr (yeah, I was a tag delver), so to find out that the person running the blog is a really cool person on top of everything? Chef’s fucking kiss. Thank you for listening to me for a couple of hours that one time and offering to finagle with Highspots TV for me. Also, you have great taste in music! We should start swapping recs again (though I don’t know if I’ll ever give you something that I loved as much as Emotionalism!)

K @onlyposersfallinlove: We don’t talk as much as we might be able to, but I hope you know that I’m thinking of you and hoping for you always. Whether your goals be in the spheres of fandom or private life, you deserve to achieve them, because you have the right to be happy. May whenever you read this be wonderful—at least just that day.

Kerri @sublightsleeper: You’re a thief in the night, except you both bring the day when you pop up and also are not a thief in the slightest (unless you want to be, because thief classes are cool). Either way: you’re a very nice, creative person and talented writer, and I always smile when you take the time to say hello!

Pastel @zsjbrightensday: It takes a lot of bravery to post a creative work to any sort of public—and now you’ve done it twice, with even more on the way! I’m really, really glad that you feel safe enough to do so, and I am excited for whatever is next in your WIP list! Also, you’re just a very nice person and I always am happy to get asks from you.

Poke @theaerialassassin: I hope you liked your present! Joking self-aggrandizing aside, you are a great friend and a great person to exchange ideas with and be around. I hope that school and life treats you well, and that you know that, whenever or wherever doubts may creep in, you know you have people to turn to (including both those around you physically and the people in your phone, if you’re so inclined). You’re there for us, too, after all.

Rosa @rosabellebelieve: As I’ve told you recently, I’m so very glad you were active in the notes of Drea’s posts and were receptive to the virtual post-its I left on your desk, haha! You’re wonderful to talk to, and though I wish once more when DMing you that I had more interesting things to say because I just enjoy when we converse, I know that whenever we do it’s a great time. Thank you for being my friend!

Syb @fang-revives: How does your garden grow?—well, it’s almost winter, as you said. But I’m always glad to see your gardening pics cross my dash! I hope that the last of this year’s tomatoes were good, and that when the world wakes up in a few months for spring your plants will be the most verdant verdure this side of the US-Canadian border. Also KENTA is cool I guess (I kid; he definitely is. Have I sent you the KENTA/Marufuji hour long match my friend compressed to sub-8 MB?)

Vera @scissormedaddyass: On top of being super duper cool, you’re a very level-headed person and I deeply appreciate that. You’re also a great writer and just…so fun to talk to/participate in fandom with (let’s go sailing the internet’s seven seas, haha). Very glad I met you. I hope your walks remain pleasant and that the yar-harr fandom you’re a part of isn’t too sad about what happened. ;)

[forumsdackel]

!!Newbie alert!!

Hello there #benthan fans! Just wanting to get myself introduced— so y‘all have a new face here!

I‘m forumsdackel (or caprisc, just as you please) and I think I have the perfect timing for getting here! Right after benthanweek 2023. Currently working my way through 19-23, and gosh, what you guys produced is AMAZING!

Still can‘t believe I just got trapped here after not being in much fandom activity for years and - gosh beware - fanfics at all. But after watching Dead Reckoning and (re)watching all M:I movies so far (haven‘t seen M:I1-3 until a few days ago, got into this series with GP in 2014 when we were on a class trip to italy and that‘s what was shown on our small bus screens lmao I just loved it) I was sucked into this fandom and especially this part. Thanks Ao3, thanks Benthan-Week (it‘s so pure I can‘t)

Soo uhh yeah. I love what you guys do here,,, and I do want to contribute as well! I have a lot of ideas and notes and sentences I want to make into (some longer and shorter) fanfics. Bear with me, I haven’t written a long text in English since school times— and especially not prosa. Also.. yeah my first time I’m so darn interested in a fandom… so these will be my first fanfics.

But I have ideas! And I’ll post them! And once I get an Ao3 acc, it’ll be so much easier

(and if you‘re wondering who ‚soonwithanaccount‘ on Ao3 is, here you go. It‘s me. Soon I‘ll have an acc!)

But well, now that you‘ve read so far, thank you. Any good tags and blogs I should follow? Maybe even some discord servers or spotify playlists? I‘m still pretty new to that part of the fandom (and the fandom in general) and I appreciate any recommendations!

Soo,, uuh,, yeah! You guys are amazing! See you soon(er or later)!!

Also P.S. - just for you, who‘s still reading this gibberish

Some ideas include.. Benji having a thing for Ethan‘s hands (I mean come on, it‘s Ethan. He‘s been through a lot and it shows), maybe even Benji and Ethan watching the Top Gun movies (but Tom Cruise looks a lot like Ethan, who would‘ve guessed! and Benji does see some similarities, but Ethan doesn‘t), aand hopefully something about Ethan getting kidnapped by the Syndicate— and coming back 2 years later as a broken man. I mean.. oh shit, he‘s still alive after 2 years of no communication (and Benji‘s just sad)! Alive, well, kind of at least, because he‘s not the Ethan he used to be! Also... Benji and Ethan in a small northern German town going grocery shopping. Fite me.

[juniemunie]

Hey! I'm loving all the rotbtd content! I was wondering if you knew any really good fanfics or have any recommendation posts for the fandom! I'm dying without content!

.... tumblr ate whatever I was trying to say before and it destroyed me. I'll try again sdfkjgbdslfkjbsl

Hiya! Glad to see you're enjoying the rotbtd I've been reblogging haha!

As for post content, it's been a long time (YEARS) since I've last been active in the fandom so idk any recent fanfics or posts lately but I'll scroll and reblog and tag any I can so you guys can enjoy if you go through my blog! You can also check out those I've reblogged, especially those that do edited gifs and fanart! I’ll try to contribute myself when I have the time!

-//-//-//-

As for fanfictions, I'll put links for the old fanfictions I've saved in my old Fanfictiondotnet that should earn me a veterans discount kdsjgbsdkf

These are really old, and honestly, I’m too lazy to check if they are any good to current me. My tastes and opinions of the characters have evolved and changed for all the characters, but younger me enjoyed them so I’ll add it here.

All of them I think are either Guardians of the Season AU, or a Hogwarts AU

Here they are, starting off with the Hogwarts AUs:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9490838/1/The-Big-Four-and-the-Wizarding-School

This is one I remember clearly because the clashing of opening narrations was hilarious

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9248460/1/The-Big-Four-Rise-of-the-Brave-Tangled-Dragons

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9710308/1/The-Big-Four-and-the-School-for-Witchcraft-and-Wizardry

Idk if this happened to any of the fanfics I linked but I remember this one Hogwarts AU fanfic where Jack, Merida and Rapunzel fight Pitch alone recklessly, and just as they were about to be defeated, Hiccup comes in to clutch because he’s the only one with the brain cells to go “Hm, maybe, just maybe, we need to go get Sandman and the others, you know, the ones that are better equipped to deal with this” and it made me laugh so hard that I still remember it today

Guardians of Seasons/Guardians AU:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9417735/1/Guardians-of-the-Seasons

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9658154/1/The-Four-Spirits-of-the-Seasons

MISC/Modern AU:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12155701/1/How-To-Tangle-Four-Brave-Guardians

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11259884/1/Lord-Of-The-Bots

-///-///-///-

Now for AO3, I’ll add along any fanfic I come across that is good to me, but currently all of them are quite old and very Hiccup centered, because I have extreme tunnel vision for my favorite characters!

seasons die before they are born    

https://archiveofourown.org/works/744682

the only one I think that gives everyone equal screen time but in angsty ways, as you can read from the title

it is the still and silent sea that drowns

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1360195

Sail

https://archiveofourown.org/works/802157