#it is that these characters are mistaken for queer

[dubiousculturalartifact]

'blah blah aziraphale and crowley are so obviously subtextually queer that we don't NEED them to actually kiss or express their love or define their relationship as romantic or QPP or anything else that would actually make it queer representation.' I mean. I guess? if you want?

but let's be real: by y’all’s standards in the way you talk about Good Omens, BBC Sherlock is a bastion of gay representation bcs they made some gay jokes and there was yearning. Like: have more respect for yourselves than that. Please. Call me crazy but I just feel like we’ve simply evolved as a society past the time when ‘they looked at each other really hard’ is all queer people should hope for in terms of representation Let's go big or go the fuck home, we’re in a post-Our Flag Means Death world now, babey

[bi-dykes]

“What do you mean there’s still so much biphobia in fan spaces? Bisexuals are like some of the most popular characters!”

Yeah, and they either get treated like this:

Or like this:

“Biphobia isn’t real” neither are your braincells

[dotthings]

Okay. So let me sum up recent events (with the help from a friend who lives in Brazil): Destiel has gone canon again, this time in Brazil, at CCXP 2024. Misha didn't say anything we haven't heard him say on other con stages, but it's always delightful to hear it again. Also if I'm not mistaken, this is the first time it's been said in Brazil, and Misha said this at a huge comic con. Misha spoke about Bobo approaching him in S14 about the confession and how Cas would confess his love to Dean, "not like a brother, like a lover." Misha also talked about how proud he is of the scene for representation. Warner Channel Brazil uploaded the clip where he talked about representation to their profile, so Cas being queer and in love with Dean is right there on the profile of a big tv network in Brazil. Antis are very very angry about these developments and at Misha for speaking on the pov of his own character and actual things that actually went on behind the scenes. Denialists are in the replies on Warner Channel Brazil wailing how Dean is straight, even tho Misha only talked about Cas's pov. A Rogue Journalist at Folha Sao Paulo, which is a very major newspaper in Brazil, reported Misha's comments accurately, but then grabbed the ball and ran all the way down the field, with a headline saying "Dean and Cas became a couple" and that Cas "died in the beloved's arms." Which Misha did not say. Misha only spoke on Cas pov and did not say that, but his antis and the anti-destiels don't care so they're attacking a major Brazillian newspaper over a ship.

And that's what you missed on Supernatural season 16.

[alltimefail]

Okay so I have more thoughts on Dead Boy Detectives but this is less about scene analysis and more about my own personal interpretation of Charles as I truly believe Charles' inability to fully "reciprocate" Edwin's feelings is less about accepting his sexuality/lack of awareness about his sexuality and more about feeling unworthy of being on the receiving end of Edwin's love (and about bad timing - them being in an afterlife or eternal suffering situation on the literal stairs of hell, but I digress lol). This would explain, pretty seamlessly, why he seems to seek out fleeting or "fun" romances and flirtations. It would also explain why, immediately following the confession, there are micro-changes, blink-and-you'll-miss-it differences in Charles' behaviors and expressions. It's clear that our boy is reflecting, and he meant it when he said he intended to "figure out what the rest means..." even if it takes him forever (and I doubt it will, but again... I digress). This is why calling his reassurances to Edwin on the staircase a "rejection" and putting Charles in a box as default-straight is a complete disservice to his character, to the writers, to the queer brilliance that rings beautifully in every facet of this show, and to Jayden Revri who is an exceptional actor with a palpable, deep love and reverence for the character he's portraying.

As a repressed PTSD bisexual™️ myself, I can't help but connect Charles' history with abuse alongside his poor perception of self, people-pleasing tendencies, and his quickness to stifle and repress his own feelings and desires to his fear of being a "bad person." It would not surprise me if Charles would fear the possibility that he is capable of taking something fragile, beautiful, raw, and vulnerable (Edwin's love) and destroy it in the way his father did.

Charles has always loved fully and without caution; I would even say he loves recklessly at times, throwing himself in front of danger, even to his own detriment. But has anyone fully loved him back in the way he loves? Charles has always loved Edwin, but did he ever allow himself to humor the idea that Edwin might just love him back?

It's evident that Charles had very little kindness in his life. Charles' friends were conditional at best and violent/abusive at their worst, his father was a monster, and his mother (who, in all fairness, was also a victim of abuse) was quiet and complicit in the abuse Charles received from his father. His entire afterlife is intrinsically connected to Edwin's - his entire existence, and Edwin's entire existence, are so closely entwined to one another that to "screw up" the delicate balance they've struck would be more than unfortunate - it would be earth-shattering, a loss like no other. Charles is impulsive, but he is not careless...quite the opposite, actually. I truly think whether or not he's attracted to men is not the issue; it wouldn't surprise me if, at the very least, Charles is aware he is attracted to people regardless of gender and just doesn't have the language to put a label to that sensation yet (he might have never been compelled to put a label on it, frankly). The issue is that Charles is unsure if he is deserving of someone not just loving him, but being in love with him... especially when it's coming from someone he thinks is the best person in the world, the most important person to him, the only person he would deny heavy and defy hell for.

Honestly Charles might even already know he has feelings toward Edwin specifically that are not strictly platonic, but taking that gamble even though he struggles with feelings such as being undeserving of Edwin; that he would be selfish to take a love he's undeserving of; that Edwin might come to realize, at some point, that he was mistaken in loving Charles and that being with Charles isn't actually enough/what he hoped it would be and he regrets his confession all together. Or, perhaps worst of all, what if Charles finds that the nagging fear he's buried deep down was correct all along... that he actually is like his father and capable of hurting Edwin and bastardizing the concept of love as a whole?

There are stakes when it comes to loving Edwin - if he were to screw up what they have, the consequences would be disastrous, it very well might destroy him. He cannot be careless, he cannot be impulsive, he cannot risk destroying what he and Edwin have. I'm not sure Charles has ever not loved Edwin, but he probably never humored that his Edwin: touch-reserved, buttoned-up, logical, stubborn, beautiful, kind Edwin who brought a warm light to Charles in his darkest moment, could feel that way, too... especially about him. What is he to do with that?

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

Queer romance recs for the summer

Summer is here and I know many like to read more lighthearted books during that time, so here are some queer romances I've really enjoyed and that I think are perfect for the summer.

Anything by F.T. Lukens. Most specifically, those I've read are So This Is Ever After, In Deeper Waters, and Otherworldly. If you're looking for cute queer romantasy novels to read this summer, look no further. F.T. Lukens' books are fun and lighthearted even when they deal with heavier topics, and they contain mlm, mlnb, and nb rep.

Running Close to the Wind by Alex Rowland. I've talked about this book before and I'll probably talk about it many more times because I adored it. It's hilarious and refreshing even though it handles some heavy topics, so if you like pirates, accidental treason, and dirty jokes, this book is perfect for you. In terms of representation, it has polyamory rep, various sexualities, and intersex (if I remember correctly) and non-binary rep.

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher. This book is an adorable, fun romance set in a historical setting inspired by Arthurian times. It's perfect if you're looking for not one but two forbidden romances, banter and adventure, humour, and wlw and mlm rep.

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake. I remember I absolutely loved this book when I read it during the summer a couple of years ago, and my feelings after two years are still the same. This book is an adult romance novel (with one or two sex scenes) with vivid and complex characters, amazing sapphic rep, and a fantastic romance. Even better, it's a completed trilogy, and though I've yet to read the two other books, I'm sure they're great too.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. You've probably already heard of this one, and it is a book I've really enjoyed. Carry On is fun and captivating, and reads easily.

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick. A cute love story inspired directly from the real-life romance between the authors (who are married, if I'm not mistaken), and a great way to cheer yourself up.

Café con Lychee by Emery Lee. I read this book a couple years ago already, but it was super cute and it read so easily that I finished it in a day. If you're looking for a light-heared, coming-of-age mlm romance, then this is the book for you.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. Last but not least, one of my favourite books from last year. Boyfriend Material is a hilarious mlm romance that somehow manages to be a light read even though it deals with some dark topics. The characters are amazing, their relationship and how it develops even more so, and this book was an immediate favourite for me. Some people have disliked the sequel, Husband Material, but I loved it just as much, and the third and final book is due to come out some time next year.

[39472034658449305249465224devils]

i just have a really hard time calling this an 'upgrade in visuals' personally

i guess ill just always have a 'retro bias' but like... idk.

as much as im a 3ds era lover there is NO denying the art of earlier FEs (espessially 4 through 8 to me) just has such a soul filled charm that separates it so heavily from more modern titles. the trends of the time, the artists onboard, tighter understanding of aesthetics and identity all really end up making a strong and memorable visual style(s). older FEs seem to have a better idea of what they are, and thats not a new concept to the fandom at all. its difficult because the shift is not really something that can simply be 'undone'. its not 2001 so FE wont 'look 2001' anymore. but at some point, something distinct and valuable was lost in the chase of business over artwork.

[greenfiend]

Lonnie Byers

why he is far more significant in Stranger Things than we are led to believe...

“The scariest monsters are human beings and what we will do to each other.”

This post is very much inspired by @/kaypeace21's post on Lonnie from 2021. Just so you guys know, kaypeace21 theorized Byler LONG before most of us. She has a pretty good track record for predicting aspects of Stranger Things. This post will include some of her brilliant finds and will add even more evidence that was introduced to us in ST4 and TFS.

Warning: this post discusses some VERY dark and mature themes. I will allude to dark stuff at first but will leave the darkest stuff below the cut.

CW: Ab*se, CSA, substance use, DV...

The name Lonnie (nickname of Lawrence/Laurence) has two specific relevant meanings:

Lion and Oak tree. x

(Some symbolism examples: Nancy compares the Demogorgon (also titled: Deep Father) to a lion in ST1. In ST3, Holly notices trees (what looks like oak trees...) and looks frightened.)

For every mention of trees and predatory cats/lions I will add 🌳and 🦁 emojis respectively.

Keep both of these in mind as both predatory animals/cats and (creepy) trees are common occurrences within Stranger Things. I will touch on both of these throughout the post.

Anyway, lets start with the surface level stuff we know then I'll touch more on the darker subtext.

So, who is Lonnie Byers?

When we first hear the name Lonnie, he is brought up as a potential suspect by Hopper in Will's disappearance.

Joyce is quick to dismiss him as a suspect but does give us some important information about his character:

Lonnie "used to say [Will] was queer. Called him a fag." Whether or not he would say this to Will's face... he's obviously, not a great guy or father.

Joyce and Lonnie are divorced. She hadn't heard from him in about a year.

He doesn't like cops.

In The First Shadow, we actually learn that this is not the first time Lonnie is seen as a suspect in a case. (spoilers in next paragraph)

Lonnie was mistaken for Victor Creel and he was investigated for the animal murders by Hopper. This was not just a random choice, remember, Lonnie's name means Lion as in the predatory animal 🦁. Jonathan also told us that Lonnie made him hunt rabbits. This is a major hint! So, Victor Creel is innocent, and near the end of the play, Henry tells Joyce that she's so close yet so far from the truth (I'm paraphrasing). He's absolutely right though, the truth was right under her nose but unfortunately she doesn't see it (yet).

The fact that they made a very obvious comparison of Lonnie Byers to Victor Creel, the suspected murderer of his entire family... lets just say... it tells us A LOT.

Anyway, back to learning about Lonnie in season 1.

Joyce tries to reach out to Lonnie about Will, but is unsuccessful. He doesn't pick up the phone. His girlfriend does and says he's unavailable.

In a flashback, we hear Joyce and Lonnie argue about Lonnie not coming to play baseball with Will. She says she's "so sick of [his] excuses" which obviously means he has frequently made false promises/let Will down. He obviously does not prioritize Will.

To further prove that point, we later literally see him close Will off as he hammers wood right in the entry way for Will to return. The comic about Will's time in the UD gives a heartbreaking look into Will's POV. He cries to his father to not shut him out, but Lonnie ignores Will's cries...

Paralleling El's flashback to when Papa locked her in the dark room and ignored her cries... (the existence of that scene and many other flashbacks with El and Papa make me strongly believe that El's memories of Papa are altered version of Will's memories of Lonnie... I won't go into that much though in this post).

Just look at that obvious bright light in the closet behind Lonnie. Same light Will stared at prior to vanishing… That accompanied with El’s flashback of being locked in a room alone, paints a rather grin image. He’s trying to shut Will out.

Just from these clues so far, he’s not a good father.

To stay or to go…

(a bear (Will) vs. a tree branch 🌳)

If you pay close attention, you’ll see many references to this song within the show… and they even specifically made the association between a father and son when Steve called Dustin “dad”. Which father and son pair are the most associated with the song? Will and Lonnie… as that song first played in the scene where Lonnie tells Joyce he won’t be taking Will to baseball practice.

We can tell from these moments (and more) that dad wants Will to stay put and not go anywhere. We even have Dustin (the one symbolizing “dad”) telling Will to “get back here… I’m going to kill you.” Those were also the last words spoken to Will before he vanished. This is significant.

Suspicious Evidence...

When we see Jonathan visit Lonnie's looking for Will, there's a small bike behind him.

We know Will left his bike in the forest 🌳 when he vanished. Why does Lonnie have a child's bike?

Demogorgon also means "The Deep Father". I talk more about this here. Will is telling Mike in code that his father "got [him]".

Joyce is yelling at "Papa" that he took her son away.

The line of God (aka a father) taking "someone so young, so innocent" at Will's funeral with the focus on Lonnie.

In TFS (spoiler), Lonnie admits to stealing baby Jesus from the Nativity scene.

(GIF credit to @/kaypeace)

This specific shot tells us what we need to know. Lonnie is responsible for Will's disappearance. He is hammering the nail in the wall and it directly cuts to Mike representing the gate being opened with a pencil and paper. Lonnie is the reason the gate opened in the first place! Now, when I say that I don’t mean he literally opened the gate, I mean that the a*use he inflicted onto Will had caused all the monsters within the show and the creation of the Upside Down. Bold claim to make, I know… but bear with me here. As I will now go into the darker clues…

Lonnie's "Type"

Joyce refers to Lonnie's girlfriend as a "teenager". This is significant! Because (spoiler for TFS), Lonnie dated Joyce when he was 25 and she was 17!

This is a pattern for him. He not only preys on animals 🦁, he preys on teenagers... and it gets even worse.

Look, the implications here are, unfortunately, very clear. We see Lonnie look at Jonathan walking away, then he looks down at the photo of Will with the dialogue "He's kinda cute, hmm?"

"Maybe I'll trade you in for the younger model?" is said while Lonnie looks in Jonathan's direction.

Trading someone for someone younger. He likes them young.

He is a predator. You may not want to believe the truth here but as we know with this show... everything is intentional.

Let’s continue on with even more disturbing clues…

When Joyce and Hopper find Will in the UD, he is in a library (a place of archives, of documented history) And he appears like this...

He's being violated... by the vines. Vines, that grow on trees. 🌳Lonnie means oak tree... This is a representation of documented history that he had been se*ually assaulted by... the tree with vines... Lonnie. Also if you look into the full lyrics of “Should I Stay or Should I Go”… let’s just stay it’s disturbing how that song is associated with a young boy and his father…

Also... keep in mind that the vines are preventing Will from speaking. Will is being silenced as well.

Next season we see the MF force itself into Will. Again, another violation, this time by the MF (yes- the mother fucker, that is what Lonnie is after all). This was done on a field. A baseball field. We know Lonnie is associated with baseball.

And again, the MF (father) is silencing Will...

In this scene in ST3, we get yet another reference to Will being violated in the past. We are shown a flashback of the MF possessing Will, and we are given the comparison of non-consensual sex and the gate/door opening. We know this due to the term “penetration” being used in relation to opening the gate…

Murray states "the door had been opened once" while we are shown Joyce with a look of horror on her face. "It was still healing", as experiencing that does require a lot of healing.

“Larry the construction guy”. Larry is a nickname for Laurence. Lonnie is another nickname for Laurence. This line by Jonathan has multiple meanings.

Lonnie is in Will's head.

“Stuck up your nose”. Lonnie is, again, represented as violating Will.

When Jonathan confronts Lonnie we can see this Evil Dead poster behind them. Not only is it very visible but… Lonnie draws attention to it. This poster is significant! This woman is being attacked and choked by a tree. 🌳 The tree goes inside her… it violates her.

Lonnie wants Jonathan to take down the poster. This is important. He wants Jonathan to stay silent. More on this later…

If this isn’t enough symbolism to convince you, check out kaypeace21’s post where she goes in even more depth around the music/musicians Jonathan references, and even more background details that add to this. They intentionally painted the picture of him being a s*xual a*user, as the existence of all these clues all add up to the same conclusion. A very uncomfortable truth.

Dad, you’re choking me

Speaking of being choked, ever notice how this is something that seems to occur frequently within the show?

That Mike and Ted moment in particular stands out because it occurs right after the Jonathan and Lonnie confrontation with that Evil Dead poster in the background (being choked by a tree 🌳)… so the “dad” doing the choking here is absolutely Lonnie.

Yet another case of being silenced as well...

The Trunk

Probably the most concerning moment to many on the surface. Remember how “dad” said “don’t go… anywhere” and the symbolism of him shutting Will out? Well, let’s just say that it’s not a stretch to think he put Will in a trunk before.

It’s also worth noting that when Billy opens the trunk to see a tied up Heather we get a flashback of him choking her. This William is likely replaying the ab*se Will went through… he was possessed by the MF (father) after all.

Also, remember in ST2 they tied Will up and he shouted several times “why am I tied up?” Yeah… Also all those being suffocated references…

Substance Use

While everyone can struggle with substance use and it doesn’t make them a bad person, the use of substances causes the lowering of inhibition. “Lowering inhibitions means reducing restraints against behaviors that might normally seem inappropriate, dangerous, or taboo.” x This is why people under the influence of alcohol, and harder drugs can become more aggressive and a*usive.

When we see Lonnie's house, we see many cans of beer. We also see him drinking while he visits Joyce. He also encourages Joyce to drink too to help her "think straight". Hmm... strange choice of words I must say.

Now, I don’t think Lonnie just has an alcohol problem, I think he also has a stimulant use disorder. Stimulant = drugs like cocaine and crystal meth.

Kaypeace21's post goes into the details of the possible crystal meth use and how when Will was possessed by the MF, he was showing symptoms of a child on this specific substance (sweating, trembling, seizures, etc).

Another stimulant use reference, but cocaine this time. Remember Larry = Laurence = Lonnie.

There are many subtle references to drug use throughout the entire show from Papa forcibly injecting Terry Ives, El, Henry etc, to Reefer Rick and Eddie and plenty more.

Although we don't have much information on this, I think it is implied that Lonnie is a drug user. Not only does this mean that his impulses were less inhibited, but this also puts into question the possibility of further neglect. The Byers are not rich by any means, and if Lonnie is so focused on obtaining substances... that leaves barely any money for anything else.

"He made me do it…"

So as Jonathan told us, Lonnie made him kill a rabbit. The lion 🦁 forcing his offsprings (lion cubs) to hunt and kill, just like him.

This is something we have seen quite frequently within the show:

El being forced to harm a cat by Papa

Henry being forced to harm a rabbit while influenced by the MF (father)

(In TFS) Henry being pressured to harm animals by Papa

Will saying "He made me do it" in reference to the monsters attacking (he being the MF = father)

Billy saying "He made me do it" (again he being the MF = father)

D'art killing Mews

What's interesting to note is the fact that many characters are associated with rabbits and/or other small animals.

This likely also connects with the reoccurring theme of survivor's guilt within the show. Specifically, of the survivor blaming themselves for the death of others.

Max blaming herself for Billy's death

Mike blaming himself for El's death

El blaming herself for the death of the lab kids

Nancy blaming herself for Barb’s death

Lonnie forced Will to cause harm and/or blamed Will for the harm caused. We know how Will is, he's incredibly sensitive. This absolutely would weigh on his conscience.

Where’s mom in all of this?

We know she has been working a lot, but there could also be something else going on here. Could the allusions to her mental health issues come into play here as well? It's possible...

During "the source" scene with Billy's memories, Billy cries out because his mother is gone. Keep in mind, Billy's memories parallel Will's A LOT (the baseball, father calling him a "pussy"... etc), and the song "William" plays during this whole sequence.

It is likely that Joyce was separated (or emotionally distant) from Will for some time in the past...

Domestic a*use

To make the assumption that Will had witnessed DV between his parents would not be a stretch. We have already seen Lonnie and Joyce fight and it was not pretty.

We also see Billy's father slap his mom hard in the face (like I said, Billy's memories parallel Will's memories...)

We also have seen Lonnie gaslight Joyce already, trying to make her think she's "crazy" and we've seen them fight about Will and finances. This was no stable household for a young child...

Fear of the Truth

It isn’t discussed enough, but there’s a reoccurring theme of the fear of telling the truth. And no this isn’t just about coming out of the closet.

This is especially true when it comes to telling mom the truth.

El repeatedly preventing the boys from telling Mike’s mom what’s going on… specifically about the “bad men”. She fears the repercussions (demonstrating a gun pointed to her head… implying a threat… “I’m gonna kill you!”).

Mike and Nancy unable to tell their own mother what’s going on with them.

Jonathan unable to tell Joyce about “what’s going on with [him]”.

Lonnie telling Jonathan to take down the poster showing a*use and telling him to “behave” for his mother’s sake… he’s trying to silence Jonathan…

Nancy telling Mike “no more secrets”

Joyce telling Will he needs to talk to her (about what happened with the MF)

Dustin hiding D’art from his mother/the kids in general hiding the supernatural stuff from their parents

Billy unable to explain to Karen what had happened to him

Max telling Billy he needs to talk in the sauna scene

and plenty more…

Will frequently communicates in a code. We see this several times:

"It was a seven, the demogorgon got me"

Communicating through the lights

Drawing pictures instead of talking/explaining

Morse code

"Sometimes it can be scary to open up like that. To say how you really feel. Especially to people you care about the most. Because what if... what if they don't like the truth?"

The painting itself

The painting speech... using "El" instead of himself

Usually a*use of a child is not immediately obvious. Parents often think that they will immediately know if their child has been a*used, but often, the signs stay hidden. Remember that most kids are a*used by adults they know. X

Some of the common reasons why child stay silent:

They worry about being blamed, or mistakenly believe they caused the abuse.

Their a*user has threatened them in some way.

They know and maybe even feel close to their a*user and don't want to hurt them.

They think no one will believe them or help them.

Babies and children under 5 years old—who make up nearly 40% of maltreated kids—may not have the words to explain what happened to them, making it difficult or even impossible for them to ask for help. X

This is just important information that everyone needs to know. Child a*use isn’t obvious, the kid may even seem alright with spending time with their a*user… this does not mean the a*use doesn’t exist. That is a very harmful claim to make.

When it comes to a*use, especially child a*use, we must be vigilant. Because the child likely won’t tell us but they will show us the signs.

Some signs to look out for:

Any sudden, continued change in behavior.

increased anxiety

unexplained injuries x

Repressed memories

I’m just going to outright say it: the NINA plot line is important because it tells us a lot about repressed traumatic memories.

“Our brains have a defence mechanism in place to protect it from bad memories. You buried these memories long ago.”

Then in the last episode of ST4, we learn something VERY telling about Will.

Remember… Larry = Laurence = Lonnie.

They basically told us that Will only vaguely remembers Lonnie. This is an incredibly important clue to what Will is going through. Will’s trauma was so intense that he has been repressing the memories of his own father.

In ST5, this is absolutely going to be an important aspect to his arc and to the story as a whole. Will must come face-to-face with his traumatic past. Unlocking those memories will be key to finally defeating the monsters for good.

The Destroyer of Worlds

So, I’ve mentioned this many times before, but Will is compared to “Little Boy” the first atomic bomb. (Click here and here for posts about it).

He is a bomb that went off on Nov 6, 1983, freezing time, and forever changing Hawkins. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the creator of the real atomic bomb, and he was known as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.” He was also known as “The Destroyer of Worlds”. Because Will is “Little Boy” and Lonnie is his father…

Lonnie is The Destroyer of Worlds. A perfect term for someone who inflicted such horror onto an innocent child. Because trauma like this has an incredibly profound effect on a young mind, in more ways than you can imagine. His actions are the catalyst for the chain reaction of this entire show. He pushed over that very first domino.

Why is all of this evidence so hidden? Why do we barely know anything about Will’s past with Lonnie? Because… instead of telling us his past, they’ve been showing it to us through the horrors. You have to look very deeply into the show to see the truth start to add up like a puzzle. There are many themes that reoccur/are alluded to within the show for a reason. And it’s all from one single source.

Demogorgon is The Deep Father, MF is the mother fucker (father), Papa is father, and it was Vecna’s father who was convicted of the murders.

It was father this whole time.

[saetiate]

WELCOME TO CORA AND AVE'S FORTUNE TELLING BOOTH

❥ get a love reading! this valentines, cora @saetiate and ave @venustrvck are taking requests! event status: open

send in: a character + one or more tarot cards (listed tropes) from below + sfw/nsfw preference + any other details! extra love heart! you can also send a kink from below the cut too. received requests here

you'll receive: a short drabble/fic based on your request :)

fandoms: blue lock, naruto, one piece, honkai star rail, genshin, love and deepspace

queer character hcs/reader and polyamory welcome too! please specify gender neutral/fem/masc/trans reader. no specifications will default to fem or gender neutral reader. this event is (n)sfw and dark content friendly!

example req 1: "hi! can I get a sae x f!reader, with the lovers - mutual pining? please and thank you!!" example req 2: "can i have oliver aiku x gender neutral reader with strength: arguments and add petplay please?"

PICK A TAROT CARD BELOW

❥ the fool: innocence, playfulness, recklessness; blind date, games, pick up lines, childhood friends to lovers

❥ the magician: transformation, beginnings, good omen; first meeting, meet/cute, meet/ugly, artist and model

❥ the high priestess: magic, dreams, knowledge; dream sharing, fortune telling, magic au

❥ the empress: passion, nurturing, fertility; motherhood, pregnancy, children with your f/os

❥ the emperor: authority, discipline, stubbornness; royalty au, power play, enemies to lovers

❥ the hierophant: community, learning, rituals; domestic life, university au, family traditions, religious observances (e.g. christmas, pouring sake for ancestors, tying the mangalasutra)

❥ the lovers: love, harmony, mutual attraction; soulmate au, confessions, mutual pining, first kiss

❥ the chariot: travel, action, ambition airport meeting, work-related au, summer/vacation fling, ceo au

❥ strength: courage, overcoming obstacles, urges; arguments, forced proximity, conflict resolution, proposal

❥ the hermit: solitude, withdrawal, introspection; hurt/comfort, unrequited pining, awkward flirting

❥ wheel of fortune: optimism, success, luck; chance/fated meeting, koi no yokan (knowing you will fall in love with someone), matchmaking

❥ justice: karma, honesty, decisions; returning a favor, relationship talk (e.g. talking about moving in together), mistaken identity

❥ the hanged man: suspension, potential, indecision; trust issues, infidelity, caught between two f /os, asked out as a bet/dare

❥ death: destruction, change, new beginnings; lost love, break up to make up, exes, grief and mourning

❥ temperance: communication, healing, moderation; comfort, wound-tending, drunken confessions

❥ the devil: desire, lust, temptation,; incest, any smut (see list of kinks below), omegaverse, supernatural elements

❥ the tower: drama, catastrophe, pride; hate sex, best friend's sibling, miscommuniation, yandere

❥ the star: renewal, hope, rest; easy love, at peace, coming home, first love

❥ the moon: emotion, fantasy, confusion; friends with benefits, late night/pillow talk, fantasy au, defining the relationship

❥ the sun: joy, friendship, prosperity; friends to lovers, fluff, love realization, praise kink

❥ judgement: awakening, resurrection, absolution; fake relationship, second chances, arranged marriage

❥ the world: fulfillment, experience, completion; marriage, growing old, aftercare

if you'd like, you can add or request a kink from this list: oral f!receiving, orgasm denial, body worship. 69, vanilla and sweet, omegaverse, size kink, lingerie, aphrodisiac, threesome, dirty talk, cockwarming, yandere, overstimulation, aftercare, face sitting, fingering, praise kink

get your love reading now! inbox either ave or cora with your req!

extra info

you can add dealer's choice at any point and we'll decide for you <3

you can send any req to either of us! blue lock can go to either of us, and by default it would be better to send one piece asks to ave and genshin+hsr+lads asks to cora, but we'll both receive them either way and make sure to get yours written :)

if you've already sent a req to either of us before, feel free to send it through again under this event

all drabbles will be a written collaboration by us <3 don't worry, we're very good friends and have been for years! cora specializes in dialogue and ave specializes in beautiful imagery and emotion-charged scenes, so it should be the best of all worlds

we reserve the right to deny any req we're not comfy w, we don't think this will happen but just in case!!

[lansangprincess]

What I Want to See in HBH S3!⋆·˚ ༘ *

note that this is a list not to be mistaken as things i expect to see in s3

the introduction of a new trans character !

the introduction of a new character who will have a cutesy and fun lovey storyline for quinni <33

harthony uno reverse card—harper starts to realize she has feelings for ant but is scared to confess bc she's still dealing w her trauma and doesnt want to lose him

ant main storyline !! we find out a lot more about his home life (this is for the bitches w religious trauma, it's me im bitches) and find out what his ethnic background is bc i realized that ive been assuming he's wasian this whole time but it's never actually been said

i miss a parent-child storyline actually (like darren and their dad had in s1). i think quinni would be great for this

chook in jail jfc

sasha home life—could be redemption, could be not. im chill either way, i kinda enjoy getting annoyed at her (just no more ableism pls). if she does get redemption tho could she pls tap into more of her succulent chinese meal, dinussy side like she is so hilarious when she's not being a performative activist lmao

less spider screentime im sorry like hurrayy he's been redeemed but i want to highlight the other characters now

missy&darren storyline. i dont even know what kind of storyline but i just feel like theyd be so entertaining together constantly roasting people

verbally canonizing that ant and harper are queer/pan (established) and spider's demi (new revelation)

ca$h/darren & missy/spider double date could be fun and random. maybe they bump into each other at a carnival or smthn and compete against each other at ring toss idk

another classic hbh mystery to be solved BUT THIS TIME, amerie isn't a main character of it

✧˚ ·the entire main group doing karaoke✧˚ ·

A few more thoughts...

i miss malakai already but i think it would be too narratively convenient for him to come back at the start of the season so i dont want to have any expectations for his (and the amerie/malakai) storyline. imma let the writers take me wherever they want me to go

what i dont want to see is a new love interest for my amerie like i feel bad for the new plot device dressed as a white blond boy that will be tossed away once the amerkai endgame is done cooking

no more darren&quinni angst no more darren&quinni angst no more darren&quinni angst no more darren&quinni angst 😭

what i want to hear in a new season of hbh is some chappell roan like imagine HOT TO GO! playing in hbh it would be amazing

[billerak]

Read the fucking Avatar novels

Written by F. C. Yee, they follow the adventures of the avatars 2 and 4 generations prior to aang, Kyoshi and Yangchen.

It's two duologies, as you may be able to infer.

They offer some incredible action, maturity beyond the shows, different takes on the role of the avatar, and are incredibly well written. Also have canonically queer characters and THEY'RE FUCKING AMAZING.

Legacy came out like a week ago and I think it may be the last novel, at least from Yee's writing, but these four books are up there with some of the best content Avatar has ever offered.

I always see people say they want to see more of past avatars, complaining about Korra losing that connection to her past lives, etc. Well HERE IT FUCKING IS. TWO STORIES ABOUT TWO AVATARS, ONE OF WHICH IS A FAN FAVORITE. It's so fucking frustrating. These books are so good I wanna cry.

Also don't be fooled. If you think Yangchen's gonna be similar to aang because she's an airbender you are sorely mistaken.

[barblaz-arts]

ok hii, so i (obviously) saw the chaggie fanchild, and OH MAH GOOD LORD I LOVE HER SO SO SO SO MUCH. shes precious?!?!! anywayyy, per usual, just wanted to make some fanart if thats alright with you! (I know you said people didnt have to ask, so this is more just a 'can i have a little more on her so i know what to do because creativity is dry and artblock is eating my ass'… heh.

Id love that!

Mm i dont have a lot to say about her appearance because I'm still figuring it out myself... Clothes wise, i mean. I think im perfectly happy with her actual physical characteristics. I definitely drew a lot of inspiration for the Beautiful Prince archetype for female characters in anime, like so

Or just the androgynous girl who gets mistaken as a guy quite often and just... Doesn't really give a fuck

Except all of the people Dani rizzes is totally by accident. Not a lot of confident bones in that body, I'm afraid. Her nervous lamb energy just bewitches every dom queer in the vicinity ig

I guess I could also tell you that one of the reasons why she's so insecure is because of her big sister. Dani loves her a lot, but she's also a little bit in her shadow. I'd known I wanted to make two children for Chaggie because I wanted their relationship and dynamic to be a meta commentary of the Hazbin fandom, where the demon citizens of Hell's view of each of the royal heirs heavily reflect how the fandoms view the largely favored characters versus the ones that aren't as popular.

EDIT: I FORGOT TO ANSWER THE LAST QUESTION! Vaggie was the one who got pregnant :D

[dribs-and-drabbles]

I'm in a dodgy hotel with bad wifi and somewhat bored, so I thought I'd come up with a list of things that I wish I could get from GMMTV but I know I won't.

A reveal towards the end of a series that two friends of the main couple have been dating the whole time (think Warm/Cop from Perfect 10 Liners or Mick/Beer from We Are).

Fourth and Gemini in something more serious like Moonlight Chicken.

POLY. DAMMIT.

Lift and Papang playing father and son. (Look at their beautiful faces!). And let them both have romances.

Older queer romance as the main storyline - and when I say older I mean actual 40+ and not a 'second chance at love because first love left/died' but just two people who never really found their person meeting later in life and clicking.

Dance themed but with actors/actresses who can actually dance - and preferably contemporary dance (I don't know if you realise how homoerotic that can be) but it could also be traditional Thai dancing (rather than tpop/idol style).

Short-haired/butch Sapphics.

Produce Jeab's swansong series.

A character/storyline which makes AMPLE use of Phuwin's Mandarin and English (or any other actor proficient in other languages) - shows include thai subtitles for northern dialects so why not more than the usual token foreign language.

In fact, I'll go further to say: Utilise the different languages of the foreign actors who play supporting roles rather than make them speak English and try to fob them off as American. If they're Italian, let them speak Italien. If they're Dutch let them speak Dutch. Etc.

MIX-UP BRANDED PAIRS. Book/Drake. Fluke Nattanon/Inn. Or Fluke Nattanon/Ohm Thipakorn. Jimmy/Mix. (You see my vision). Satang/Title. Victor/Great. JOONG/OHM PAWAT. (They might be TOO powerful). Etc, etc etc.

Take Max from Be My Favourite as a foundation for a lead character for Aou.

GIVE PEPPER A FAEN.

Nanon and Mark Pakin leading a bl. Look I'd even take a bromance if Nanon doesn't want to do bl. Better still if Nanon is in drag/cross-dresses/is a trans woman. This must be serious though. Not played for laughs. (I'm thinking an aged up version of the sides in About Youth).

MORE POSITIVE ASEXUAL REP.

DEAR GOD let AJ and JJ lead a show together. Maybe a comedy bl/het with either mistaken identity or deliberate confusion because they're pretending to be one person but fall in love with different people/genders.

Jus Justina in another show. Preferably leading. (She screenwrites and directs, so might not act again).

More Ployphach…maybe with Jan in a GL if she'll do one.

Peaceful Property Our Skyy 3 edition with their friends-to lovers story set 6 months after the end of the show.

An unhinged female ensemble show - I don't care if it's romance or not, I want badass women working together or in support of each other other. Maybe with JoJo directing.

POPPY.

Please and thank you 🙏🏽

[bestosunglass]

I'm usually not one to send Asks or whatever this is but thank you so, so, so much for your AU with Alastor and Vox. I have been looking for someone who genuinely sees them as just platonic! I adore the idea that they are platonic partners or just friends that are so close they can be mistaken as more than just that. Just- Goodness I wanted to say thank you so much! Your artwork is melting my brain in the best of ways

As someone who has been in platonic relationships, I really wanted to represent Al in one with the Radiostatic but I also didn't want to go over the character's established sexuality as I've seen many people ignore that he's Aroace, so I decided to explore it with them being a queer platonic marriage which, dare I say, can be a thousand times more interesting than a romance ksjdksk thank you! all these messages rlly mean a lot to me! (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)

[olderthannetfic]

the reason bbc sherlock was called queerbaiting was all the jokes in canon they made about the characters being gay. i would personally consider that queerbaiting even if i never thought it was an intentional false promise, because it felt like an intentional bid for queer/shipper attention, or at least exploitation of the existance of the queer headcanons for the source material. and later they were literally baiting in the troll sense by mocking fans. or perhaps i just spent too many years reading this tjlc blog i accidentally followed??? house md had a similar sort of "theyre basically queer but not" thing going but the tone was more oblivious to the idea that actual gay people might be watching. my point is, in my experience, "queerbaiting" doesnt literally mean the producers were definitely trying to get gay money, its more of an exploitative representation thing.

--

LOL.

Dude, that's every show that finds its m/m shippers annoying. Mistaken-for-gay jokes where the "funny" part is "Ha ha, that would never happen" are all over media.

This isn't exploitative representation if you look at it from outside the echo chamber of tjlc land: It is bog standard homophobic jokes that shows for cishet dudes make all the time.

Yes, one of the creators of Sherlock is gay, but this type of humor is so standard that I cannot read it on Sherlock as anything but the usual where the presumed audience of the joke is mostly cishet dudes. I really do not think it makes sense to read it as a bid for queer and/or shipper attention.

Look at how S1 of Sherlock relates to Holmesiana: there's a gag about the nature of Watson's wound. Later, we get Schrodinger's Irene who may or may not be dead. There are tons of these blatant references to older Holmes fandom that were instantly recognizable.

Given that, I would expect a joke aimed more squarely at Holmes/Watson headcanons to make at least some reference to Watson Was a Woman.

I'm sure they were aware of past speculation, but I don't think they were engaging with it all that deeply. The jokes just seemed like the usual Hardy Har Har My Lead Would Never Be Gay stuff.

The problem with TJLC analysis was that it always made me think the blogger's first experience with Holmes—and possibly with any media at all—was BBC Sherlock.

[thelostgirl21]

I really can't believe we are still having this discussion!

Do you guys not understand how easy it is, for flamboyant pansexual and bisexual men, to be mistaken for gay, and see their chances with the ladies (unless pansexual, bisexual, omnisexual or polysexual themselves) become nearly non existent?

Flamboyantly bi/pan men do not walk around expecting to eat pussy on a regular basis! That's not how their world works!

Straight women tend to avoid them (even when they explicitly state that they enjoy being in a relationship and/or having sex with women as much as they would any other gender) because they are perceived as still being in denial about being "so obviously gay"!

And gay men will typically go "Oh, you are so cute! Don't worry, I was where you were once, too. You'll figure it out!"

And the more "stereotypically gay" they look and behave, the harder it is going to be for them to convince monosexuals that they genuinely enjoy being romantically and/or sexually involved with women.

The pansexual / bisexual man stereotype, is them doing all they can to avoid letting their queerness show, and changing the label they give to their sexual orientation depending on the gender of their partner.

Because most cisgender gay men won't care if you don't "look gay enough" or fail to give them clear "gay vibes". They'll just trust that you're genuinely into men if you put their dicks into your mouth while looking very into it!

Straight cisgender women, however, are conditioned to fear the idea that "even if he's currently enthusiastically eating my pussy while sporting an erection, there's a risk he'll be leaving me for a man".

The pansexual / bisexual stereotype is invisibility. It's passing as straight when you're with a woman, and passing as gay when you're with a man.

Or, when you're not invisible, being disproportionately popular with the men, and only able to "occasionally get some" with pan/bi women.

It's not being flamoboyantly artistic with a melodic higher pitched voice and talking with your hands a lot, while having many powerful lords wanting to kill you because you can't keep your dick in your pants and you've been sleeping with so many of their wives, daughters and nieces that you've lost count!

Jaskier is one of the least stereotypical pansexual characters you could ever find on television! Because he's a freaking walking gay stereotype that doesn't get mistaken for being gay, and whose open pansexuality doesn't appear to harm his chances with the ladies one bit!

Prince/King Radovid belongs to the gay community. If you want to criticize the show's queer representation of gay men, and say that they're too heavily leaning into gay men stereotypes by having made him this sensitive, highly empathetic and emotionally intelligent man that shows great consideration for the needs of his partner, knock yourselves out!

But Jaskier's portrayal is meant to represent the non-monosexual a-spec community. He's been officially labelled as panromantic/sexual, sapioromantic/sexual.

He's not, and never has been, a gay character.

Arguing he's "bad queer representation", because he's heavily leaning into "gay stereotypes", is yet another example of bisexual erasure in society.

You are denying the unique experiences and relationship challenges that pansexual, bisexual, omnisexual and polysexual men are facing in how they present themselves to the world, and the impact that passing as either "straight" or "gay" is having on their romantic and sexual relationships.

If you're a flamboyant straight man fearing to be mistaken as gay, trust me, the flamboyant pan/bi/omni/poly men fully agree with you!

They keep being mistaken for gay all the time, and it greatly tends to ruin their chances with the ladies, too!

Thankfully, Jaskier is showing the world that being flamboyant should not hurt your popularity with women, and that it sure as hell doesn't make you gay!

So rejoice, he's arguing the exact same point you are!

Being flamboyant doesn't make you gay!

You could also be straight, bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual, etc.

Flamboyantly masculine men love romancing and having sex with women!

We keep saying it, and thankfully they've finally listened to us with the portrayal of Jaskier on "The Witcher"!

I call this a huge win for all flamboyant men that love women out there, regardless of orientation!

[maybe-boys-do-love]

Only Friends Dream On trailer proving some of my firmly held beliefs about the original series.

The narrative and writers didn't hate or punish Boston. His friends did. Monogamous cultural standards did. His father's prominent political position did. But the narrative never did. When a story's ending is thronged by a character's absence, to lift a phrase from Marilynne Robinson's final sentence in Housekeeping, the absence was not signifying condemnation. Interesting that the Dream On trailer uses Romeo and Juliet, because I had just been thinking about that play as an example to parallel with Only Friends where the characters deaths and absence at the end signify the wrong-headedness of everyone else. All this is to say, the bitch is back! Neo's appearance as Boston in the trailer tells us that yes it's gonna be messy but also that Boston is beloved (Jojo has stated as much explictly).

Only Friends was a commentary on the BL genre in relation to queer media genres. I won't go into the particulars of my theory about the allegories here, but Dream On is diving deeper into the commentary by being directly about the drama behind the scenes of BL dramas lol.

Only Friends did not depict or view committed partnership as a happily ever after. Dream On is about to give us a bunch of couples in messy established relationships rather than the original series arcs around coming together *wink wink*. The EarthMix casting is beyond exceptional, since they are the most highly rumored to be an actual couple. Then we get Ohm Pawat and Gawin who both have sorted through BL partners like few others in the business, and Ohm's especially have been associated with scandal and mess. If you think the ending of Only Friends with the three established couples opening their business was the writers' idea of a happy ending, the Dream On trailer is here to tell you that you're sorely mistaken. The mess continues well beyond saying let's be exclusive.

The writers of Only Friends did not see monogamy as the perfect answer or sustainable for everyone, and Dream On is about to show us how wonderful and messy that can be.