#it's fun! and realistic! and the writing of

[2-steps-forward]

Nuances:

How It Happens: Kaneki falls slowly unintentionally. Hide is love at first sight, but falls deeper unintentionally just from becoming genuine friends.

Relationship Attitude: I don't know exactly what this means but,,, Kaneki’s pretty chill. Hide is casual but very affectionate.

Showing Affection: Hide is very initiative, Kaneki is selective when. Hide’s a good mix of verbal and not. Kaneki is only slightly more non-verbal.

Handling Conflict: Hide avoids conflict and forgives immediately. Kaneki’s in the middle. He’s petty but not mean. He might need a bit, but he’ll forgive.

Waking: Hide wakes first. Early bird. And he requires less sleep than Kaneki does.

Cooking: Hide cooks more by default, but Kaneki would offer to cook for him often enough.

Charisma: Hide is the more popular / charismatic one, but only on the surface. Kaneki is technically more popular if you're going by actual connections.

Better Caregiver: Neither one is "better", but Hide is the caregiver more often.

Planner: Hide is better at planning out of pure luck; things tend to go his way when it matters. And being ADHD he has fun planning things out. Kaneki’s just been vibing his whole life. Things usually goes wrong when he tries to plan so he tries not to make solid plans.

Penmanship: Hide’s handwriting canonically sucks. Kaneki’s a lit major and also draws well, so he’s gotta write well too

Notices Suble Changes: Hide and he’ll bring it up. Kaneki really only notices things regarding people he knows well (unless his super senses give him a tip off), but doesn’t typically speak it.

Dies Protecting The Other: Both offer, but I think as far as real circumstances, only Kaneki would. It’d be hard to kill off Hide in that sense. Like, a ghoul wouldn’t mind killing Kaneki in Hide’s place but I don’t think the CCG would kill Hide in Kaneki’s place even if they know he’s a traitor.

Tidy vs Disaster: Hide’s messy but not a disaster. Kaneki’s tidy unless he gets incredibly busy and overwhelmed or (Ghoul) Things Go Wrong.

Lends & Borrows Clothes: Kaneki steals them to scent them. Hide would genuinely borrow them. Neither mind lending the other clothes.

(In)Decisive: Kaneki is very indecisive. Hide’s decisive enough. At least where it matters. Meaningless things he might overthink and struggle with, though.

Takes Hint vs Clueless: Hide can take a hint, typically. Kaneki is oblivious and clueless.

Mature vs Playful: Kaneki’s mature and rather serious. Hide is usually playful and immature, but he knows when maturity is needed.

Straightforward vs Vague: Kaneki is so vague, man. On accident too. Hide is playfully vague, but he’ll be straightforward no issue if needed.

Confident vs Shy: Hide is confident, but it’s just an act. He’s actually so insecure. Kaneki’s not really shy per se, just guilty and insecure.

Realist vs Idealist: Kaneki’s a realistic and pessimist. Hide is usually an idealist, but knows in some situations that’s inappropriate and he’ll instead be like “Yeah man that sucks”.

Craves Attention vs Independent: Hide craves attention and he’ll take the initiate to make sure he gets it. Kaneki craves it, but doesn’t typically show it nor even know it. Though once Hide knows everything and gives his okay, Kaneki will ask for it more often. (Even when Hide says he doesn’t need to ask first. Kaneki still will.) Kaneki is independent in general, but not when it comes to Hide. He can be quite clingy.

Head vs Heart: Hide is absolutely the heart. And Kaneki is slightly more mind than heart? (Ig that makes Touka the soul? She's pretty firey, I like her in that role.)

I made a ship meme template! Feel free to use it, I pulled from some other ones floating around because I wanted certain bits but not others

[seireitonin]

“Grr you have to know how to write perfect stories and make a story gory and realistic to make the Creepypasta characters good! You all suck and are stupid! I hate fun! Creepypasta is serious! And there’s no goofy fun in it at all! It’s all the fandom’s fault that Creepypasta isn’t serious anymore! I hate different interpretations of characters!”

Meanwhile Delucat, bloody painters creator: makes a dating sim , a blood painter body pillow, and cute animations of bloody painter on their OWN YouTube channel

Meanwhile LJs: creator: posts LJ twerking / dancing videos in cosplay, posts LJ playing video games, makes a goofy comic called Creeps where LJ is a bum who can’t pay rent

Meanwhile Toby’s creator: makes goofy ask box panels, makes Toby goofy and evil, makes the waffle comic (which is where the Toby waffle thing comes from)

Meanwhile Nina’s creator: makes Nina the killer among us merch and jokes about how Nina doesn’t shower.

Meanwhile Delucat, Toby’s creator, clockworks creator, judge angels creator: literally shipped their characters together and they used to be in canon relationships until changes were made.

Ninas creator: said Nina x EJ was her favorite ship back in the day made a child between them called eyeless Alice.

Anyway, Creepypasta has always been about creativity and fun. Anyone who says otherwise is just lying or is full of themselves. The creators themselves participate / have participated In goofy stuff. Idk why ppl get mad on their behalf. Let’s remember that all these characters are OCs for a second and let people have fun. Relax bro. It’s literally meant to be fun.

[elodieunderglass]

There's a post going 'round about how it's important to let brains be bored every now and again and one of the suggestions is to take a bath without putting music on. So I did (though there were candles; I'm not a barbarian) and my bored brain came up with the scenario of Killie being dumped precipitously into a Formula 1 driver's seat. His team owners jovially insist cars are just like horses, really; Killie, hissing and spitting like a feral cat, that they're not even fecking close.

And *then* Bored Brain was rotating Charles and I thought about how evasive he was about himself. Not unlike Chilchuck, in fact, and isn't it funny that Chuck is a nickname for Charles? And isn't it even funnier that Killian Charles isn't that far from Chilchuck? But wait, Killian is a misanthropic stubborn cuss and Charles can talk the talk but he's evasive and please tell me that you did all that on purpose.

I am pretty sure I spend too much time on Tumblr.

Next time I'm putting music on.

(In reference to Killie the jockey OC)

No no this is a fine and normal thing to do, and what he’s used to. Killie exists to be rotated! To scruff him by the neck and drop him into situations he would Hate is an excellent hobby for doctor’s waiting rooms, tube journeys without signal, running (with or without music) and going to the gym. PUT HIM IN FORMULA ONE.

COME ON KILLIE. NICEY.

NICEY CAR.

NO I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THEIR NAMES THOUGH. The twins existed (to me) and were named prior to Dungeon Meshi, one being named specifically after a Breyer horse; but the coincidence of their names/initials caused me to dig them out again and try them on for a role in my writing plans. Unfortunately neither of them would work for piloting Weasel Heart as standalone fiction; not enough horses for Killie, too much hard work for Charlie, and the rescue says they have to be adopted as a bonded pair, spoiling the whole thing. But you can see why I thought of it! Especially the initials. Their original last name (Tiernan) might have to change anyway, as the names are in the awkward valley of being realistic enough to share with real people, but also mildly distinctive on Google. (Killie’s got at least one real-full-name-buddy, a promising young hurler.)

And once you start rotating Killie, it is definitely a fun thing to do, I think. Put Killie in a submarine. Put him in Antarctica. Make him drive a fast go kart that might burst into flames. Make him battle the horselessness. Lie about what horses are. A car is a horse. A spaceship is a horse. A dragon is a horse. The heat death of the universe is a horse. Nicey, Killie, nicey.

In conclusion thank you for this! Let brains be bored!

[hyperions-light]

How Do You Write a Long/In Depth Fic Comment?

First of all, let me say-- there's no 'wrong' way to write a fic comment (unless you are being rude or offering unsolicited concrit). Short comments are good, emojis are good-- all of it's good! Don't take me making this explainer to mean you have to write long, analytical comments. Express yourself however you want! Authors love hearing about how much you liked their work no matter how you choose to tell them.

This is meant to be a guide for people who want to do this, but don't really know how, because they find it difficult to express themselves, or don't know what authors like to hear. If that's you, let's continue below the cut!

EDIT: Also, here's a post by bourbon-ontherocks about how to add a floating comment box to AO3, in case you want to grab quotations you like as you go! Thank you @flowersforthemachines for finding it <3

Why should you do this?

because it's fun!

because you really like someone's work!

because it's motivating for an author, and can sometimes inspire them to post more, or re-post old stuff!

because it's usually a great conversation starter! Some of my best fandom friends have been made in comment threads on AO3!

What do authors want to hear about in long comments?

Many things, but primarily:

What you liked about their work

Why you liked it

You can show them what you liked by quoting their work back at them (I find it useful to put quoted text in an indented section; the html code for this is <blockquote>text</blockquote>), talking generally about which events or characters you enjoyed most, or, if you have thoughts about it, what you liked about the structural parts of their work-- i.e. plot, pacing, sentence structure, etc.

As for telling them why you liked something, getting into emotional reactions is great for this-- you can tell them where you laughed, or cried, or where you felt moved by something they said. If you found the way they had the characters talk or think realistic or relatable, tell them that! If you want to, authors love hearing that people noticed them foreshadowing events, or planting clues within the text.

You can also tell them where you were when you read it, or your overall experience -- did you read at 3 am? Do you have school or work tomorrow, but you just had to finish reading? Did you read their fic in the club? Tell them! And if you're feeling especially brave or you want to share, feel free to tell authors how or why you related to the text. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't worry about it, but those are some of my favorite comments to reread.

How do I comment on specific parts/lines of a fic?

Okay, a demonstration! I am going to pretend to analyze my own work here, for convenience:

He dreams of it, ceaselessly. It seems to echo throughout his days; he cannot let his mind drift too far, lest he fall back into it. He has to cling to this world, like a drowning man to a raft, though it rarely feels worth the effort.

Okay, so let's pretend I read this section and I really liked it. If you want to talk about that, stop and consider what about it was special, for you. Maybe I thought that the third sentence really captured what it felt like to be depressed, or the second reminded me of something that happened in my own life. I might say:

"I really loved this part! I found the way you wrote about [the character's] feelings in this paragraph so relatable; I think you captured exactly what it feels like to feel consistently hopeless."

You can also take a look at the way the author has written the sentences-- try reading them out loud. If I think the last line has a nice sound, I might say something like:

"I liked how you chose to structure the last sentence! The grammar you used gave it a really nice combination of phrases and stops. I loved how it sounded, and the rhythm the punctuation created."

Another thing you could talk about was how the sentence or paragraph made you feel about the character. If that section made me feel particularly sorry for them, or if this was the point in the story where I connected strongly with them, I might say:

I think this part worked really well to demonstrate how [character] felt! You communicated the pain they were in really effectively, and I was very connected to them, during this part.

You can also just express your excitement! I love great writing, and sometimes I just keysmash, or put a million exclamation points, or say AHHHHHHH!!!

Okay, that's all the advice I have for writing long comments, for now! If you have any questions, or would like to talk about similar things with me, please feel free to ask or DM me at any time! Thanks for reading, and happy commenting!

[lookitseddie]

oh em gee thank you for this <3

Favourite listener: darlin', honey and cutie. no one's surprised.

Listener i relate to most: oof, i often say i'm like darlin' but realistically, probably treasure? i'm not as cool and mysterious as i'd like to be

Favourite listener to write or read about: darlin' and cutie :D!!!

I want their life: Freelancer. They're traumatized but atleast they're having fun with it

I Have their life: non canon! freelancer. as in everything interesting in my life is made up and not real- i live in delusion

I want their powers: Darlin'

Comfort listener: Honey <3

Tags!!!

@venus-artist @localpigeon22 @damnbtway @hellodaekko and everyone else who would want to!

Get to Know Me- Redacted Listeners Edition

@starlitangels created a very fun tag game! Thank you, friend! I’ll tag @ejunkiet, @weightedblanketjoyfriend, @taelonsamada, @dominimoonbeam, @claracatlady, @teddybasmanov, @frenchiefitzhere and everyone else who would like to play along!

I am seeing how much nuance I lack when it comes to the characters I adore… I am one consistent Romi!

Favorite Listener Character: Sweetheart

Listener Character I Relate the Most To: Sweetheart

Favorite Listener Character to Write For/Read About: Sweetheart

I Want Their Life: Sweetheart 

I Have Their Life: Warden (minus Vega, though)

I Want Their Powers: Sweetheart (The stealth stuff isn’t what attracts me, but FULLY CERTIFIED?! Yes, please.)

Comfort Listener Character: Sweetheart, Angel, and Babe

[blackkatmagic]

Hello hi I love your Jaster because you don't paint him as the inventor of the, as you say, Geneva conventions. Jaster was a space cop, became a mercenary, and then became a space dictator. Those are the facts around which everything else is built upon. I feel like a large part of the fandom glosses over that, and there's a duality where "Jango is the space dictator because of his dad before him" (hereditary dictatorship) and "Jango is the space dictator because he fought and killed Tor" (thus Mace would go on to be Mandalore's space dictator, and it recons Jaster's title because Jaster never got the darksaber).

I agree that these characters are super interesting (and I know I love them, and the way you write them) but sometimes there's canon and fanon aspects that just aren't as romantic as they sound, or as realistic as they're presented. No judgement, of course! Different views and tastes and preferences and ideas are vital to fandom and make it all fun!

There's also the fact that "strict canon" and "Legends canon" (though like. they're not exactly clearly defined at this point) both have a lot of holes, so different people are always going to fill in the gaps differently. For Jaster, at least in legends, he was elected Mand'alor, which i think is another fascinating aspect to him - he didn't need the Darksaber to take the position of warlord that Tor tried to claim by birthright/right of ownership. It also makes Jango more interesting, because Jaster apparently appointed him?? though like. what does that mean. did the clans just go along with Jaster's will in the hopes that Jango would be like him and therefor voted Jango into office? Or was Jaster able to just....install his heir as the next mercenary warlord/king/dictator? And what would that say re: Jaster's beliefs and ideals and morals??? What does it say that Jango went along with it, and then won the Darksaber and never reclaimed the throne Jaster had handed him? It's so interesting.

Anyway, yes, you're very right in no judgement and multiple interpretations of canon, but even with that, I do think Jaster gets made very boring, unfortunately, and that's the biggest sin fandom is capable of committing in my eyes.

[capsizedskeleton]

heartstopper (a lot of the time) is the television equivalent to reading a fluff fic and having to curl into a ball at the parts that are too sweet. 10/10

[crab-people-overlord]

Ok, so I reread my last post about Stan's characterization in fanfics, and I realized I focused too much on just the Kyman community. The truth is, some of the most frustrating mischaracterizations actually pop up in Style fics (and I say this as someone who writes Style). These same issues show up in K2 and other ships too, but since Style is literally centered around Stan and Kyle's dynamic, it hits harder here. *Quick Disclaimer:* Again, this isn't calling out ANY specific creators - y'all are talented af and I respect everyone's right to interpret characters their own way. I genuinely love this community. Write whatever floats your boat! I hope to one day be a lot of ya'll, fr. The way I interpret characters isn't gonna be the gospel truth, and anyone can write characters how they want! That's literally what fandom is about. But can we talk about some patterns? Because... (*gestures vaguely at everything*)

The "Smart Kyle/Dumb Stan" Phenomenon

Look, I love a good "Stan is occasionally an idiot" moment as much as anyone (the boy has his moments, let's be real). But there's this weird trend of making him consistently intellectually inferior to Kyle and I'm just like... did we watch the same show for the past two decades??

Also, fun fact (and I fkn hate that I even have to say this): this whole "Jewish character must = intellectual first and foremost" stereotype we keep falling into? Let's maybe... not? Especially since the show gives us a Kyle who's equally good at sports and just as socially competent as Stan. Part of what draws me to this fandom is how multifaceted all these characters are! Because if you actually watch the show? Kyle is smart, sure, but he’s also athletic, socially competent, and rebellious. He’s not just the token brainiac. Characters can be multifaceted!

STAN (Pls I BEG you he's more than just his depression and alcoholism):

Stan often demonstrates critical thinking, seeing beyond surface-level problems to deeper issues. This often expresses in a more critical thinking lens (emphasis on the word 'critical' and 'cynical', as demonstrated so often in the show such as the vote or die episode or when he tries saving kyle that psychic, etc). Stan often sees through bullshit- this is literally critical thinking at it's finest. And while again, you can characterize him as you see fit - I just don't get fics that characterize him as stupid when there's so much evidence to the contrary. While luckliy I don't see these fics as often, Stan characterized primarily as dumb genuinely makes me feel like I'm reading a completely different character as we have literally over two decades of him demonstrating a high critical thinking ability.

His cynicism isn't just him being negative - it's usually him being RIGHT and REALISTIC about shit

NOT easily manipulated (unlike certain best friends we know and love)

He literally leads entire movements when he cares enough

The fact that his depression and emotional sensitivity can sometimes get twisted into him being "less than" is honestly infuriating

KYLE (not just the smart one!!):

Kyle excels at moral reasoning and debate, but can sometimes get caught up in righteous anger. Hes the most consistent at standing up for society's greater good. This is something incredibly admirable, yet at the same time, can at times reduce him to seeing moral issues on an incredibly black and white angle compared to Stan and others in the show, just like Kyle's own mom.

He should be acknowledged for his backbone in standing up for what's right (he's so morally brave), while at the same time acknowledging that at times this causes him to lose some nuance and grey in situations that call for it

He's also known for being the intelectually and grade-wise best of the class. This is partially due to his own parental expectations of doing well in class as well as his own natural ambition and intelligence.

Top of the class but also the most consistently in the show not afraid to throw hands

Complex mix of rule-following and rebellion

Gets manipulated by Cartman more than he'd admit

Both show high ability to analyze complex situations, just through different lenses. Stan through a more critical, nuanced lens, and Kyle through a more consistently yet at times missing nuance lens. Neither are more 'right' than the other, so I hate any 'realistic' claiming fics (i fkn love crack fics lmao) that try to show otherwise.

The Depression Thing (🥺)

Here's what's actually infuriating to me: when works treat Stan's depression and emotional sensitivity as proof he's "less than." Like... my dudes... my buddies and pals... (me reaching out to my Canadian friends fr)... my fellow fans... that's not how depression works??

Stan's depression and cynicism sometimes get misinterpreted as lack of intelligence - something too many folks with depression get misinterpreted as. His coping mechanisms might be unhealthy (looking at you, alcohol), but they don't negate his ability to think critically or problem-solve. Using alcohol to cope isn't a sign of weakness (it's incredibly unhealthy, not saying otherwise)— but it's a sign of someone who's overwhelmed and trying to survive.

Society often equates emotional sensitivity with weakness, especially in men, and I'm so tired of it. Stan's emotional intelligence should complement his analytical abilities, not detract from them. There's a reason he gets called a "hippie" or "pussy," but these traits should be celebrated, especially when they're often mocked in boys.

Tropes I'm Begging Us All to Reconsider, in ALL representations of Stan and Kyle despite the ship:

Making Kyle the "rational caretaker" to Stan's "emotional mess"

Reducing Kyle to just the “smart Jew” stereotype rather than someone who equally breaks rules, etc

Both being smart in completely different chaotic ways

Stan's emotional intelligence as a strength

Their complex friendship that works BECAUSE they're equals

The classic 'sensitivity and addiction' = 'loser' and 'selfish idiot' trope that needs to die in a fire

Some things to remember:

Their friendship demonstrates equal give-and-take. This is canonical. And I would love to see more of a balance of this in fanworks as well.

kyle shouldn't just be the 'smart jew' with no flaws with stan being the 'sensitive' hippie'. they're both equally complex.

both are smart in different chaotic and different ways

Stan’s emotional intelligence being useful, not a flaw.

Kyle's moral compass spinning occasionally (because it does, just like everyone else on the show lmfao)

But seriously, write what you want! this isn't even me saying he can't even be written as an antagonist in a story just like any other SP character. Just maybe consider that Stan’s character is genuinely pretty complex (And Kyle's!). Reducing him to “the dumb/broken one” does him (and those who struggle with similar issues) a disservice. 💙

Understanding Stan Marsh: A Character Analysis and Response to Fandom Mischaracterization (Writing Depression/Addiction Responsibly):

I’m sure a similar analysis exists - but I haven’t found it so I wanted to make it. I’ve seen similar analyses about Wendy with her intelligence/tendency to serve as a villain in things like Style fics and Kenny with his own addiction as well as lower-class designations, which absolutely should exist. But I haven’t seen any about Stan in the same sense despite issues I’ve seen in fandom about his characterization and either blatantly disregarding and misunderstanding what depression is/or/trying to further their specific shipping agenda such as Kyman. And I think it’s finally time we fucking talk about it. This is due to me noticing a prolific increase in the ‘Stan Marsh is an asshole’ tag on AO3.

The Problem of Character Flanderization

Character flanderization (the tendency to focus only on a character's weaknesses) has always existed in fanworks, but the current treatment of Stan Marsh reveals a particularly troubling trend in how mental health and addiction are portrayed. This isn't about calling out specific creators - many (even most) write Stan beautifully, even in ships like Kyman. Rather, this analysis addresses a broader pattern of mischaracterization that does a disservice not only to his character but to real people struggling with similar issues.

Please note this analysis is not directed at any particular creator at all! I see SO many good characterizations of Stan, even in Kyman fics (I’d argue a lot of them do!). But I also see very unfair portrayals of him in some fics which at the end of the day show a complete disregard to addiction/depression and ignore his good traits in favor of furthering their own agenda. I’M NOT OKAY with this, and I think it’s time we talk about this as a fandom. 

 This trend often manifests in two primary ways:

Depression Mischaracterization:

Some of fandom's handling of Stan's depression reveals a profound misunderstanding of clinical depression that goes beyond simple character misinterpretation. The "You're Getting Old/Ass Burgers" arc isn't just about Stan being "negative" or "selfish" - it's one of television's most authentic portrayals of how depression manifests in young people. Stan doesn't CHOOSE to see everything as shit; his brain chemistry literally alters his perception of reality. This isn't character weakness - it's a medical condition that he fights against while still trying to maintain his relationships and sense of self.

What many fanworks miss is that depression often coexists with deep empathy and care for others. In fact, Stan's depression might partly stem from how deeply he feels things - his awareness of environmental destruction, animal cruelty, and societal hypocrisies. He continues to fight for causes he believes in and protect those he loves even while struggling to find meaning in his own life. That's not selfishness - it's remarkable resilience. The show demonstrates this complexity brilliantly: even at his very  lowest points, Stan still:

Tries to maintain his friendship with Kyle despite literally seeing him as shit

Continues to stand up for what he believes in when he realistically thinks it can make an impact

Attempts to understand and help others, even when he can barely help himself

Fights desperately to stay present in a world that has lost its color and meaning

When fanworks reduce Stan's depression to mere selfishness or use it as a convenient plot device to make him the villain, they not only mischaracterize Stan but potentially harm readers struggling with similar issues. They send the message that depression makes someone unworthy of friendship or love - exactly the opposite of what people with depression need to hear.

Alcoholism Mischaracterization:

Stan's relationship with alcohol deserves particular attention because it's portrayed with a nuance rarely seen in either animation or fanworks. The show presents a complex web of factors that contribute to Stan's relationship with alcohol:

First, there's the genetic component - Stan comes from a family with clear predisposition to addiction, particularly through Randy. But crucially, Stan never sought out alcohol on his own. He was introduced to it by adults who should have protected him, making his initial exposure a betrayal of trust rather than a character flaw.

What makes Stan's arc so powerful is how it captures the insidious nature of functional alcoholism. He discovers that alcohol makes an unbearable world bearable - it literally changes how he sees things from "shit" back to normal. STAN HAS NEVER EVER BEEN ABOUT getting drunk for fun; it's always been about self-medication to seem 'normal' to others in response to genuine mental health struggles. The show demonstrates how someone can be both struggling with addiction and highly competent - a reality many fanworks seem unable to grasp.

Even in the "bad timeline" of the Post-Covid episodes, Stan maintains his fundamental characteristics and ability to function. He becomes what's known as a "functional alcoholic" - not because this is healthy, but because it reflects a tragic reality that those who seem most adjusted often hide the deepest struggles. He learns exactly how much alcohol makes him functional versus dysfunctional, developing the kind of careful management that allows many real-life individuals with addiction to hide in plain sight.

When fanworks reduce this complex portrayal to "pathetic or asshole drunk Stan," they miss the point entirely. They ignore:

The environmental factors that led to his alcohol use

The relationship between his depression and self-medication

The reality that addiction often coexists with high functionality

And especially, and something I think a lot of you need to fucking understand - the way addiction can stem from trying to feel normal rather than trying to get high. Stan never ever tries to feel ‘high’ or even drunk. He ALWAYS is just trying to feel fucking NORMAL. 

This oversimplification doesn't just do a disservice to Stan's character - it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about addiction that make it harder for real people to seek help.

Stan's Core Character Traits

Stan consistently demonstrates practical morality alongside emotional depth. His quiet leadership often goes unnoticed - he's frequently the instigator of group plans alongside Cartman, but without the manipulation or need for credit. His relationship with Wendy shows realistic pre-teen awkwardness while maintaining genuine care and respect. These aren't the traits of a "simp" or an "asshole" - they're the complex characteristics of a well-written character dealing with real challenges.

Just rewatch the show for evidence of this - Stan at the same level of Cartman instigates things. And at the same level of Kyle, he tends to do it for the greater good of society. He’s just not as attributed to his actions because he’s naturally more quiet about it than both Kyle and Cartman are. 

TLDR- /Mental Health and Responsiblity in Writing:

The show's handling of Stan's mental health offers a masterclass in nuanced characterization that many fanworks ignore. His depression and struggles with alcohol aren't plot devices - they're part of a larger narrative about growing up in a world that often doesn't make sense. Writing Stan as a "pathetic drunk" or "selfish depressive" isn't just bad characterization - it's potentially harmful to readers who share these struggles

His depression on the actual show is shown as a legitimate struggle, not a character flaw

His relationship with alcohol is portrayed as functional and carefully managed - something maybe some of you would be surprised to learn that some of the most functional folks in your life actually are pretty good at hiding. Stan in his depression arc is ultimately meant to be shown as someone who is a ‘functional’ alcoholic rather than a ‘dysfunctional’ one. That’s not to say it’s healthier to be functional. But it’s ultimately the whole point of that goddamn arc - that even those who seem the most well-adjusted may be hiding a more sinister addiction. So I don’t really see the fucking point of writing Stan as someone who is so alcoholic to the point that it fucks up his entire life. 

The Shipping Problem

The rise of ships like Kyman often comes with an unnecessary cost: the villainization of Stan. This ignores the show's complex web of relationships - Stan's deep friendship with Kyle doesn't need to be erased or twisted to explore other relationships. The best Kyman fics prove this by maintaining Stan's character integrity while exploring new dynamics. Additionally, Stan's relationships with other characters, particularly his often-overlooked friendship with Kenny, deserve more attention and respect in fanworks.

Complex relationships can be written without villainizing other characters like Stan

Good Kyman fics prove you can write the ship while maintaining Stan's character integrity. 

Both Kyle and Stan canonically view each other as super best friends and equals- and this is because they literally ARE equals, even in a moral sense. Neither of them is better than the other. They have a deep connection to each other. Any fic written about either of them HAS to accurately represent this without making Stan to be a primarily weak selfish villain. This is so incredibly unfair to Stan’s character, and a massive representation of him. Same if it’s vice versa for a fic for Stan misrepresenting Kyle (though I’ll be honest - I far more often see Stan as misrepresented in recent works as a selfish asshole over Kyle). 

When writing Stan, consider:

His actions, even negative ones, should stem from established character traits

His struggles with mental health and substance use should be treated with nuance and care. Writing him as an asshole or complete loser (he can be a lil bit of a lovingly designated loser lol) is a slap in the face to those who do function quite well in the real world but with this particular struggle of depression and addiction. Don’t ignore Stan's many strengths, such as adjusting well to things in the moment both physically and intellectually. (He absolutely can be dumb about some things to the extent that it's humorous, but he is not actually dumb - he consistently shows some of the most complex critical thinking in the entire show, even compared to Kyle. And it makes no sense to disregard this aspect of his character.) 

His relationships with other characters should reflect their canonical complexity.

If writing him as antagonistic, ensure it serves character development rather than plot convenience.

Stan deserves better than reductive characterization. His struggles with mental health and addiction make him more relatable, not less worthy of respect. Writers who reduce him to his lowest moments not only do a disservice to a complex character but potentially harm readers who see their own battles reflected in his story. We can and should do better - both for Stan and for each other. He is literally meant to be written as the person most relatable to general society, after all.

[jwisun]

your stuff is soo amazing!!! i've got nothing to req (unless u wanna do chenle bf texts :p /hj) but i've binge read all of ur text scenarios in one sitting, keep it up!!! <3

FANK YEW!!! im so glad u love it. and NO need to joke about chenle w me i am crazy and in love w him so Anytimeeee baby

silly bf chenle x gn!reader sfw <333

[auriidae]

the amount of em dashes i use when writing ethubs is frankly embarrassing

[reachexceedinggrasp]

The very first set photos are feeding my delusions hopes

[tuttle-did-it]

Hmm. I don't practice death of the actor. You're welcome to it, great that that works for you.

I value the context actors (or writers, or whomever) bring to the projects for this reason. As far as I'm concerned, the Trek actors are far more interesting than most of their characters. Also, the few characters of Trek who DO have any growth at all are usually because the writers were bringing in traits from the actors themselves. The Doctor's annoying obsession with Opera, for example. Or how much Jadzia was changed because Terry played her with a playful and cheerful personality instead of the Yoda-like character they originally envisioned.

Or taking advantage of Kate Mulgrew's crazy resemblance to Kate Hepburn to give her more scenes where she is channelling a 1930s or 40s film star. Avery's insistence that he have emotional and important connections with Cirroc's character had a massive impact on DS9. Avery was in the position to demand this. When Gates asked for it, she was fired. And when they rehired her, she told them it was only if they give her more scenes with her kid.

If the production themselves are going to bring in aspects of the actors, going to bring in suggestions from the actors for their characters-- like Beltran's insistence on being paired with Borg Barbie-- then yeah, I'm going to bring in what they say, too. Because these aspects dramatically changed the shows.

The biggest problem with that and Trek is that the majority of Trek characters are pretty 2-dimensional. A few of the characters manage to become more-- but the vast majority of the characters are intentionally quite flat. They were intentionally designed so that it doesn't matter if you didn't see last week, you don't need to see last week because the characters are basically the same every week.

Even if they "go through something," there is very little call-back to their traumas and storylines. For the most part, whatever traumas they go through don't matter at all-- because next time you see them, they are still the same people. Nothing bothers them from their previous traumas unless it's in the script-- and it is very, very rarely in the script.

The exception is DS9 because the show had to show development and connection every week. And even then, there's not nearly as much connection there should be. O'Brien should be in an institution by the end of the series.

These shows rely on the charming and fun personalities of the ACTORS to shine through the very two-dimensional scripts. So the actors' positions on things, the way they feel about the characters, about the show, does, for me, certainly come in to play.

Disagree on Miles/Keiko - I don't think they're boring at all. First of all, I would argue that they are not heteronormative, because there is so much subtext with a polycule that I cannot see them as het, even though the writers clearly did. Kira and Bashir are in this polycule-- they literally wrote out Keiko for like 2+ seasons just so they could write more on the relationship between Bashir and O'Brien.

Second, I think they're certainly the most realistic Trek relationship in the entire franchise. Their problems are not solved in 44 minutes. They have fights, they have moments where they're not even sure if they can be with the other person, they have moments of jealousy, where they love each other but they don't like each other, where they talk things out, where things get built up because they didn't talk things out.

I never bought Troi/Riker, Picard/Crusher, Worf/Troi, etc. The only relationships (for the exception of Miles/Keiko), I buy on Star Trek at all are the ones that, as far as most Trek franchises, are the ones that are not canon- Quark/Odo, Bashir/Garak, Jazia/Kira, etc.

That's why I don't believe in the death of the actor or the death of the writers/producers/etc. As far as I'm concerned, any and all information about media is important. With death of the actor, we don't get Bashir/Garak because they don't have a canon confirmation of their relationship for 30 years-- and even that was an animated alt-world version. We don't get Spirk-- whether the actors ever meant to make it anything more, they did. We don't get Jadzia as playful, easy going. We don't get Quodo. We don't get Ben and Jake Sisko. We don't get Rom or Nog-- the actors did such a good job and brought so much more to their 2-d characters the writers brought them in more and more. I'm personally not a fan of Lwaxana Troi, but she is a fan favourite and without Majel being the lover and then later husband of Roddenberry, there is no Chappell, no Lwaxana. Hell- we don't even get O'Brien in the first place, because he was never supposed to be anyone important in TNG. He was a Red Shirt who refused to be one because COLM brought so much more to O'Brien.

Death of the Actor is fine. It's an absolutely fine way to look at things. But if you just look at the characters on the page, the vast majority of the entire Trek Franchise would be a completely different world without the actors bringing themselves into the roles, without the writers/production bringing in elements of the actors into the roles, and without that extra context. Sometimes it can go very well! Sometimes, we get the shithead transphobic homophobic racist MAGAt Robert Beltran pushing to snog Borg Barbie.

Does anyone remember that episode of Star Trek: Voyager where Tom Paris commits a traffic violation in alien space and he has to go to alien remedial driving school? I have no idea which episode it was, but it's such a great concept. There are so many episodes about high-stakes encounters with crazy alien legal systems where death is on the line, but I wanna see more alien planets with very mundane legal systems. I wanna see an episode where there's a big dramatic trial, and our heroes lose, but then find out that they have misunderstood what was going on and will simply have to do community service for a week or something.

[caterpillarinacave]

Using the computer as a babysitter for Jed and Octavius is all fun and games until they figure out how to use Larry’s credit card

[necrotic-nephilim]

For the ask game

How do you think the batclan and the league of assasins would react to a consensual rastim au where because of this tim becomes the heir therefore the next demon's head

for the ask game!

heir of Ra's!Tim my BELOVED. i don't care how realistic it is it's real in my heart. i love when they're consensually fucked up together.

i think it's fun if it's sort of a slow descent, for Tim. like he goes into this completely confident he's going to backstab Ra's and come out with clean hands, but he's falling deeper and deeper. Ra's is a far more complex man than everyone has told him, and the longer Tim is entrenched in the League, the more he's drinking the kool-aid. it doesn't help he's already in a grief spiral full of self-isolation and Ra's is showing him all kinds of attention. Tim can't say when it went from "i'm going to stop him in the back" to "huh Ra's' bedroom has more of my stuff than his" bc it was so slow and gradual. maybe the search for Bruce takes longer, maybe Tim finds Bruce but sticks with Ra's for a totally rational reason with a plan he definitely plans to follow through on, eventually. but he gets closer and closer to Ra's and his lack of identity without Robin makes it easy for him to latch onto all the ideas of grandeur Ra's gives him about building a better world. Tim isn't *completely* sold, but he's able to meet Ra's in the middle for most of it

on the side of the League, i think there are a lot of divided opinions. Tim is a hit with younger League members like Prudence, but the more senior members who've been with Ra's for decades are a tad incensed at getting so quickly outranked by a teenager who doesn't even believe in murder. a lot of what Tim believes goes against the very nature of the League but. at its core, the League is loyal to Ra's. any of them would die for him or his cause and they have wholehearted faith in his judgment. because he has a point, the kid is smart, a brilliant strategist, and with some more work, won't be too half-bad in a fight. when Ra's names Tim as his heir, everyone knows it's a very distant future thing (Ra's still has a few more centuries in him and he makes sure they know it) so there's still time to work out the kinks in Tim Drake. Ra's has gone so far as to share the Lazarus Pit with Tim, so *clearly* this isn't some ploy and Ra's is dedicated to him. there's pushback, and i do think there would be some schisms in the League, smaller groups fracturing off and attempting a few coups of the League. even if Tim goes over relatively smoothly, there will be some fights that break out. and Ra's leaves it to Tim to handle, proving a point. making it clear Tim is an equal leader to the League and is more than capable of handling conflict with brutal efficiency. that wins over the last bits of support for Tim, some through genuine respect, some through fear. either way, Ra's is quite proud his choice of partner and heir has proven himself.

the Batfamily on the other hand is a complete shitshow. i think the most positive reaction would be Jason, not necessarily because he approves, but because i think he'd find the ironic joy in watching Tim finally get out from Bruce's thumb and cause absolute chaos. in a way, Bruce really has no place to talk with his history with Talia, so it's not like Tim's completely ex-communicated. they're all constantly trying to get Tim back, trying to convince him how bad of an idea this is and how terrible of a person Ra's is. i think Tim would keep close to the Batfam, partly because he *does* still care about them. Dick, Helena, Cass, Bruce, are all still some kind of family, for Tim. but there would be a clear rift. obviously it'd be the worst for Cass, who has the strongest opinions on morals and was so close to Tim and has to deal with feeling deeply betrayed. i'd have a lot of long conversations between them, where Tim talks about how he's trying his best not to compromise his morals and he's really doing this for the greater good he believes in, while Cass tries to understand his point of view and cope with the betrayal. Steph would also feel pretty betrayed, even when they break up there's a deep love between Tim and Steph and this change for Tim feels out of nowhere. they're all constantly reaching out to Tim, sometimes for serious conversation but sometimes just inviting him to hang out, hoping to get through to him slowly. they still care about each other, but the trust is what's gone. especially from Damian, who never trusted or liked Tim in the first place and would be the most furious he's replaced as an heir by Tim of all people. it's messy, but it's complicated.

for the rest of Tim's social circle, the Titans and whatnot, it's a similar reaction. the more distant of Tim's hero friends have no issue cutting him out, but people like Cassie and Bart and Kon would try to talk to Tim about it because it feels so uncharacteristic of him. they've known Tim a while, sometimes in more personal ways than the Batfam, so this switch up is sudden. i think he'd feel the most guilty about hurting them, just because they're genuinely his oldest friends in the superhero world. but he sticks to his guns and makes it clear he's happy with Ra's, and he's doing this whole League thing, like it or not. they'd still come to Tim's aide if Tim needed it, and god help anyone who hurt Tim's friends bc he'll raise hell for them, but emotionally they're distant from him. it's hard for someone like Kon to reconcile a person willingly working with Ra's given Kon's own parentage. there's still love, but it's messy and complicated. i do think slowly though, Tim would try to get them on his side. it starts with innocuous side comments made about the state of the Justice League/Titans, him not holding them back from going too far in a fight the way he usually would, as sensible team leader. it'd take a slow, long while, but i do think Tim could slowly get at least a couple Titans to be his allies, even if they're not full League members.

all in all, Tim rlly does get to have his cake and eat it too. sure, trust is lost and people aren't as close as they used to be, but Tim loses very few people he genuinely cares about. either they love him too much to abandon him, or he slowly talks them into agreeing with his new moral code. because he's still anti-murder at the end of the day, and it's clear with him at the helm, the League is slightly shifting. even Ra's seems more agreeable these days, far more open to working with heroes without instantly stabbing them in the back like he usually would. Tim can't change who Ra's is and he honestly doesn't want to, but that's the fun of it. the way they're always so opposed and arguing half the time, yet still managing to make it work because they love the chase.

[blindmagdalena]

Homelander & Yulia "Empress" Bellam. art for my planned homelander x oc fic, The Hand You Wanna Hold is a Weapon. 🖤 ( art by Toyryla )

[padfootastic]

snippets! more snippets! snippets for days!

“So, first major event was Halloween. Somehow, a troll got loose in the school, intent on causing mischief and mayhem.

“A troll?” Sirius paled. “Please tell me that’s a—a euphemism for something.”

“Siri, ew, oh my god,” Harry gagged, turning his face away from his unrepentant godfather and his ‘it’s still better than an honest-to-Merlin troll, Harry James’

“Suddenly, I’m very glad that there troll was not a—was just a troll. It was during the Halloween feast—“

“I do wonder about that day, you know. It feels so cursed.”

“You have no idea,” Harry muttered bitterly before continuing. “Anyway, so, it was the middle of the feast, Quirrell comes to warn us about the mountain troll in the dungeons before doing a dramatic faint right there, in front of everyone, and Dumbledore sends us all off to our dormitories.”

There’s a beat of silence before—

“The dormitories?”

Harry looked up to see Sirius staring at him, aghast. A small smile tilted his lips on one end. “Mhm.”

His godfather takes a deep breath. “Let me get this straight. You have a mountain troll in your school, which is supposed to be warded to high heaven and back, and your Headmaster tells you to wander through the hallways, where said troll could be lurking, to get to your dormitories??”

Harry nodded. “Yes.”

“What about the damn Slytherins? Their dorms are literally in the dungeons. They might be annoying but they don’t deserve to be killed by a thirty feet tall idiot with bad breath.”

“You know,” Harry mused, head tilting in thought, “you might just be the first, and only, adult to consider that. I’m not sure it ever even hit me until now.”

“What.”

“No one cares about the Slytherins, Sirius.”

“What—“

“I mean, I’m not saying they shouldn’t, just that they don’t. Don’t look at me like that, c’mon.”

“Harry, I have no idea what’s going on right now. It feels like I went on a weekend bender and never woke up, you’re literally two minutes in and there’s a mountain troll, a weird professor, a latently homicidal Headmaster, and still no Voldemort. How do I even react to this?” Sirius’ hands moved around frantically as he spoke, getting daste and more erratic with each word.