#one of them is from a niche media so not many people know it so I feels alone

[3r-tree]

Have you ever feel like, shipping two different characters from two different media (even better or worse, those two media don't even have any connection to each other) just because they look cute together romantically/platonically?

Aeough it feels guilty to enjoy it...

[anghimalaaynasapuso]

DISCORD BOYFRIEND KÖNIG

sfw + nsfw. this is just an amalgamation of all my ideas

könig has never been one for putting his face on social media. even before the scars that pull at the skin of his cheek, reshaping his expression in ways he’s never fully grown used to, the idea of being seen, really seen, has never sat right with him. there’s a certain comfort in anonymity, in keeping the world at arm’s length. easier that way. safer.

that unease, paired with what some might consider his more nerdy interests, means he gravitates toward spaces like discord rather than the highly curated feeds of instagram or facebook. there, he doesn’t have to worry about photos or videos— just a username, and a presence in text.

his handle is simple: king 👑. a nod to the name he’s carried for so long, stripped of rank, stripped of weight.

even in the server where he’s most active, he keeps things vague, blending into discussions about games, military history, or whatever niche interest has caught his attention that week.

every now and then, he’ll let something slip— a mention of deployment, an offhand comment, disappearing for months at a time, only to return with a sudden burst of activity. some put the pieces together. most don’t. and könig prefers it that way. it’s easier to let them think he’s just another guy with spotty internet.

your first interaction is rather simple in retrospect.

he’s back after weeks of recon, shaking off the mission like dirt from his boots, easing into the familiarity of a gaming server he’s called home for years.

it’s not a small server, so new people come and go. he does his usual routine— an automated, slightly impersonal welcome but what he doesn’t expect is the sheer enthusiasm in return.

“hi!!!!”

he stares at the message for a second, counting the exclamation marks. three. four. five? a small smile tugs at his lips before he even realizes it.

it doesn’t take long before you’re at his metaphorical side, sending a friend request before the conversation even shifts from your college courses.

the older members tease him. something about his last deployment scrambling his head enough to take a newbie under his wing. he lets them talk. he doesn’t mind.

soon enough, you’re in his private messages, dramatically lamenting your latest loss in a game he’s only vaguely familiar with. könig listens— well, reads— as you rant, words spilling out at a rapid-fire pace, interspersed with keyboard smashing and increasingly incoherent frustration.

he’s not much for new releases, preferring to sink his teeth into a single game for months on end, grinding away until mastery is muscle memory. still-

one evening, without preamble, he sends you a link. his profile. in your game.

the response is immediate. ‘king!!! 🥺’ you type, followed by an onslaught of keyboard mashing that takes up half his screen.

he exhales a short laugh, shaking his head. he wonders if you know how easy it is to make him grin like an idiot.

the calls are… an unexpected development.

könig doesn’t make a habit to join server calls. ever. it’s not even about anxiety, not really, just preference. too many voices, too much noise. he never expected to be comfortable enough with anyone to want to be in a call, let alone initiate one.

but when you start gaming together, it becomes a necessity. typing mid-match isn’t exactly efficient, and you’re the first to point that out.

“okay, listen, king, i am not about to lose another ranked match just because you take five years to type ‘behind you.’” he huffs, amused, but relents.

soon enough, calls become second nature— no longer tied to gaming, no longer requiring an excuse. you always ask first, polite thing that you are, and könig always agrees. sometimes it’s an unspoken invitation, a simple “call?” sent in the quiet hours of the night. sometimes he beats you to it, pressing the button before he can think too hard about it.

one time, it’s you who calls. he answers on the first ring.

“are you- wait.” you pause, listening. there’s a distinct, rhythmic thud-thud-thud in the background. not footsteps, but something heavier, more controlled. “are you on a treadmill?”

“mm.” his voice is steady, unaffected. a quiet confirmation.

you gasp, and he can practically hear the amusement brewing in your tone. “oh my god! you actually work out? i thought you were lying.”

he snorts, breath hitching slightly as he adjusts his pace. “why would i lie about that?”

“i don’t know! you just- i mean, you sit at your desk all day, playing the same game for hours, and you’re always online at weird times-”

“you are describing yourself,” he points out.

“shut up.”

there’s a pause, and then, with the kind of mischief that only comes from knowing exactly how to push his buttons, you add, “prove it.”

he slows to a walk, swiping open his phone. a moment later, you receive a picture. him, flexing. the lighting is dim, but you can still make out the cut of his forearm, the solid shape of his bicep. just to humor you, he throws up a peace sign.

“not stolen from pinterest.”

you burst into laughter so sudden and bright that he finds himself smiling before he can stop it.

you learn what it means to miss könig pretty early on.

it happens suddenly. one day, he’s there, active as usual, sending the occasional meme, idling in voice chat even if he’s not talking. the next? radio silence. not even a ‘typing…’ indicator.

at first, you don’t think much of it. maybe he’s sleeping in. maybe he’s busy. time zones are weird. it’s fine.

but then a whole day passes. then another. you check his status— nothing. not offline, not do not disturb, just… gone.

curiosity turns into concern, and before you can think better of it, you ask in the server.

“hey, anyone heard from king?”

the response is casual. unbothered. “oh, dude’s probably deployed again.”

you blink. reread the message. “deployed?”

“yeah, king’s military.”

there’s no warning for the way that statement knocks the air from your lungs.

military? as in, real-life combat? as in, war zones and danger and actual life-or-death situations?

you stare at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure what to even say to that.

he doesn’t resurface for weeks.

you don’t realize how much you’ve come to rely on his presence until it’s gone. his absence is loud in the quiet moments of your day, in the spaces where a message from him would normally be.

you check the server out of habit, catching yourself before you can search his username. it’s stupid, you think. you barely know him. he’s just some guy from a discord server.

but the worry lingers.

and then, one day, just like that— he’s back.

his return is as unceremonious as his disappearance.

no dramatic entrance, no fanfare. just a simple “hello.”

you see it the moment he sends it. your stomach flips.

before you can stop yourself, you send a private message. “you’re alive.”

a moment passes. then— “yes.”

you frown. “you were gone for weeks.”

“i know.”

frustration bubbles up. “you could’ve said something.”

“i couldn’t.”

you hesitate, fingers tightening around your phone. you don’t know what you were expecting. an explanation? reassurance? but it’s clear you’re not getting one.

but then, a follow-up message. one that feels heavier, more careful. “i’m sorry.”

and just like that, the irritation dissolves.

it’s strange, the way things slip back into place after that.

he doesn’t talk about it, and you don’t ask. but something shifts. after that deployment, könig starts telling you when he’ll be gone. nothing in detail, really. just a simple, “i’ll be away for a bit.”

(it means everything.)

slowly, you get used to it. the rhythm of his presence and absence, the way your conversations pick up right where they left off, as if no time has passed at all.

it goes on for months. this… thing between the two of you. könig doesn’t hesitate to call it friendship, though he knows, knows, it’s something else entirely.

something with edges softer than companionship, something that lingers in the pauses between conversation, in the way you had whispered his real name under your breath when he revealed it to you.

he doesn’t rush to name it. doesn’t push. he lets it simmer until it feels inevitable.

in the end, it’s you who breaks first. technically. not that he’s keeping score. not that he would ever rub it in your face, especially when he was a mere day away from asking the very same thing.

it starts with a message. no preamble, no buildup. just a simple: hey, what are we?

könig sees it and reacts before thinking. presses the call button so fast his thumb practically smashes the screen. it rings once, twice—

“you didn’t even ask.” your voice comes through, half exasperated, half amused.

“didn’t want to give you time to unsend.” his own voice is steady, but his heart is anything but.

you huff. “bold assumption.”

“not really.”

a pause. he hears you shift, fabric rustling, the sound of you settling in. something warm and slow uncoils in his chest at the familiarity of it.

“so,” you start, hesitant. “what’s your answer?”

könig exhales, tipping his head back against his pillow. “do you want the truth?”

“obviously.”

he hums, considering. in reality, he’s known the truth for a while now. probably before you even realized it yourself.

“i like you,” he says, simple, sure. then, because he knows you, because he knows your deflections, your habit of teasing when you get nervous, he adds, “and i’m very aware you like me back.”

you sputter. “that’s a bold assumption-”

“not really,” he repeats, smug this time.

you groan, but you’re laughing, and it sends something bright flickering through him.

könig doesn’t ask for nudes. not once. he flirts, he teases, but never pushes. he knows your boundaries, respects them, never even hints at wanting more. if anything, he’s careful. too careful, sometimes. like he’s afraid of crossing a line you haven’t even drawn.

so when you finally send something, it’s your choice.

the first picture is tame. barely anything. it's a shot of your thighs, soft and warm in the low light of your room. nothing scandalous. nothing too revealing. but the second you hit send, your stomach twists with nerves.

könig sees it immediately. you watch the typing bubble appear, disappear, then appear again. and then— “fuck.”

you grin. “good?”

“you have no idea.”

it only escalates from there.

könig never requests more. but when you send it, when you want to send it, his reaction is worth it. he worships you through the screen, tells you how beautiful you are, how much he wishes he could touch you.

“pretty,” he texts once, attached to a voice message.

you press play. his breath is ragged, like he’s just run a mile. “pretty thing,” he repeats, voice tinged with something almost reverent. “you’re going to ruin me, love.”

the first time he sends you something, it takes him forever to work up to it.

you don’t ask for it. wouldn’t dream of pushing him into something he’s not comfortable with. könig isn’t shy, necessarily, but he’s private. you know that by now.

so when, out of nowhere, a picture pops up on your screen, your brain short-circuits.

it’s cropped carefully, but there’s no mistaking what you’re looking at— bare skin, broad shoulders, his stomach flexed just slightly.

“you like?” he texts after a minute.

you swallow hard. “yes.”

“good.” and then— “more?”

you bite your lip. “please.”

könig gets bolder after that.

he sends more. never too much, always teasing, always just enough to leave you wanting. sometimes it’s his hands, sometimes it’s his abs, the sharp cut of his hip bones, the waistband of his sweatpants hanging just low enough to make your mouth water.

one night, he sends a voice message instead. you press play.

at first, all you hear is his breathing. then, slowly, softly— your name, whispered through a noise that makes heat bloom low in your stomach.

“wish you were here,” he murmurs. “wish you could see what you do to me.”

the actual nudes don’t take long. not ar all. you’re both desperate. buzzing. könig’s the one who caves first.

it starts with your text. 10 p.m., the hour where inhibitions slip through grasping fingers like sand.

“wanna see your cock so bad, könig…” you murmur to your propped phone, cheek pressed to your pillow, another one stuffed against your chest like it might replace the hollow ache between your ribs. a distraction. a poor substitute.

on the other side of the screen, he exhales, dragging a hand down his face. fingers tensing, then flexing, like he needs something to hold onto. “love-” your whine cuts through before he can even think. instinctive. needy. his stomach clenches. “okay, okay. as long as you're sure.”

his heart pounds as he opens his photos. he doesn’t exactly collect dick pics, but there are a few kept locked away, private albums, a passcode he suddenly fumbles to enter.

three minutes. that’s how long it takes to choose the best one. the right angle. the right lighting. enough to make your breath hitch when you see it.

he hits send before he can overthink it, then leans back, phone balanced on his thigh, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

your phone buzzes. the photo pops up. you blink, breath hitching sharp in your throat.

“oh my god.” the words spill out of you before you can even think to stop them. “könig…” you stare at the screen, gaze locked on the thick, heavy length of him. the way it curves slightly, resting against his thigh like it’s weighed down by its own sheer mass. your breath stutters.

“you're so fucking big.” it barely registers that you've said it aloud.

“yeah? you like it?

“like it?” you shoot back. “i want it inside me.”

his breath leaves him in one harsh exhale. he shifts, hips rolling involuntarily like he can feel your words on his skin.

“can i see you too?” he sounds so polite. and then, as if that wasn’t enough to twist the knife deeper— “please?”

your stomach flips. you bite your lip, already reaching for your phone camera, the need to show him everything burning through you like wildfire.

your breath comes shallow as you slip your hand lower, phone steady in the other. the need is a pulse under your skin, throbbing, insistent. you pull the covers back just enough, the cool air prickling against the heat between your thighs.

the camera catches everything. your slightly parted thighs, your swollen clit, the wetness gushing out of your hole. it feels like baring a secret you’ve never told anyone. you hesitate for half a second, heart racing, then hit send.

the second the message disappears from your screen, it hits you— you just sent that to him.

on his end, könig freezes. the photo loads slow, torturous, and when it finally pops up, he feels his whole body tense, blood rushing south so fast it’s dizzying. “f-fuck, i need to be inside of you-”

sex with könig, if you can even call it that, at first, sneaks up on you. you never thought you’d be the kind of person who got into this. sending texts that made your face burn, leaving voice messages you could barely listen back to without cringing. but with him, it’s different. easier. less embarrassing because it’s him.

still, going from nudes to actual phone sex takes some time.

“gonna sleep,” könig texts you once, attached to a blurry photo of his bed.

“alone?” you send back, teasing.

the typing bubble appears. then disappears. then— “obviously.”

you grin at your phone, satisfied. but then— “but i could use some company.”

you stare at the message longer than you’d like to admit.

in the past, you hadn't told him how many times you’d dreamt of him because you thought you'd scare him off, kept your mouth shut about the images that haunted you at night, of his hands pinning you down, his mouth at your throat.

didn't tell him that you had woken up panting, arousal between your thighs, könig’s name on your lips too many times. didn't tell him that you had pressed your hand against your clit during your calls, to the sound of his voice, to his laugh, to the quiet, wrecked groans he sometimes lets out when he stretches after a workout.

but you wanted to.

and tonight, you would.

the conversation turns slow. lazy. heavy with something unspoken.

“you sound tired,” könig murmurs, voice warm. he’s always like this late at night. soft, unhurried, like he’s sinking into the sound of you.

you swallow hard. your skin feels too hot, too tight. “i’m not.”

a pause. then, lower— “what is it, love?”

you hesitate, pressing your lips together. it’s too much. too embarrassing. but he knows something is different.

“talk to me. tell me what you’re thinking.”

you let out a shaky breath. “i had a dream about you.”

the silence stretches.

you can hear him inhale. you bite your lip. force yourself to continue. “i think about you. when i-” you stop. you can’t say it. can’t admit it.

könig exhales through his nose, like he’s trying to steady himself. “when you what?”

your stomach is a knot of nerves. but you want this. want him. so you take a breath, close your eyes. “when i touch myself.”

his breath stutters.

“fuck.” the word is almost a groan. your pulse hammers, blood rushing through your ear as heat pools in your stomach.

“könig,” you whisper.

he exhales, whispers his next words like a beg, “say it again.”

you swallow. “i touch myself to you.”

“i do too.”

your stomach flips. “what?”

“i-” he cuts himself off with a quiet curse, like he's frustrated with himself for hesitating. “i touch myself to you too.”

your breath catches. heat blooms in your chest, spreading down your spine. “könig-”

“all the time.” his voice is lower now, raw, like he's aching with it. “when i can't sleep. when you're on call with me, laughing, teasing me. when i wake up hard in the middle of the night and can’t stop thinking about stuffing you full.”

your body is burning again, despite the aftershocks still rolling through you. you're about to choke out a reply when you hear it— the rustle of fabric, the faint creak of bedsprings, the wet slide of skin on skin.

“are you-”

a sharp inhale. “yes.”

“let me hear you,” you whisper, thinking about his pretty, pretty cock. uncut, soft skin stretched over the flushed head, the way it would slide back when he’s fully hard, revealing the deep pink of his leaking tip. the veins that wind down the length, standing out against the pale skin

there's a pause, a hitch in his breath. then, slowly— “okay.”

there's a small rustle, könig adjusting himself on the bed. the faint sound of him pumping lotion on his hand. a quiet sigh. and then, a low grunt as the warmth of his palm wraps around his cock.

könig looks down at his hand, eyes half-lidded, hips bucking up in small thrusts. he imagines your pussy instead of his fist, hot and tight and so fucking warm, fluttering around his length as he pushes in, spearing you open with a cock too big for your little cunny.

he knows you’d cry for him, little gasps and hiccupped moans, squirming beneath him as he bullies his cock deeper, past that tight ring of muscle into the slick, warm clutch of your cunt.

“a-ah- fuck, ah-”

your breath stutters at the sounds, hips grinding against your palm. “wish i could see you.”

“on cam?”

you groan, squeezing your thighs around the pillow in-between your legs, grinding your clit against the material softly. “yes, please..”

fuck, you're so polite.

[tealvenetianmask]

A lot of the discourse on The Full Moon/Apology Tour has revolved around the pedestals that our boys put each other on. But I think the pedestal Stolas has Blitz on in particular often gets misunderstood.

I've seen a lot of takes that says that Stolas can't really love Blitz. He just loves the idea of Blitz . . . the one he's built up in his head based on romance novels and rom-coms and soap operas.

I think the reality is more complicated, and that even though, yes, Stolas idealizes Blitz, he also very much loves Blitz for his true self.

Let's look at some times when Stolas saw "the real Blitz," as his quirky, resilient, innovative, low-class self, and very much loved that person, and not just the knight in shining armor version of him.

The Circus.

Some have used this moment to say that Stolas idealized Blitz as a fantasy of what it must be like to be free.

And . . . yes. BUT ALSO. He only falls more in love (in a kid-crush kind of way) when he sees Blitz mess up on stage, get booed by the crowd, and make a joke that's clever but quite dark and niche. Creatively, to work his way through a difficult situation. There is SO MUCH in this short minute that reveals to us AND TO STOLAS who Blitz really is.

Seeing Stars

Oh boy. Let's make a list. I'm too tired to make this exhaustive, but in this episode, Stolas sees Blitz

Being careless in a way that puts Octavia in danger

Using an absolutely stupid costume to disguise himself

Getting terrible stage fright

Going way off script in the sitcom in (again) a way that's niche humor and does not appeal to most of the audience

LITERALLY HAVING A BREAK FROM REALITY AND SHOOTING UP THE TV STUDIO

Okay, so when Via is in danger, Stolas is unambiguously peeved by the mistake, but he forgives Blitz because Blitz puts in effort to find Via and make it right.

And in the rest of these instances, Stolas EITHER affirmatively likes the cringy and silly side of Blitz's personality:

Or without the slightest hesitation, when Blitz shows a real weakness, focuses not on disappointment that this man is not his perfect soap opera hero, but puts that aside and tries to help Blitz get out of trouble.

There's also this moment in Western Energy where Stolas is absolutely unbothered by Blitz's atrocious spelling and is genuinely just happy to think for a moment that Blitz cares. I feel like someone COULD twist this to be about Stolas having blinders on about what's right in front of him, but I don't think so. I think he's fine with Blitz not having all the same strengths that his society clearly values, and just wants to be loved back by this person who he has genuine feelings for.

So what doesn't Stolas know about Blitz before The Full Moon/Apology Tour? He doesn't know that Blitz hates himself. He doesn't know that Blitz pushes away people he cares about. He knows that Blitz has walls up but doesn't know why. You can fall for someone without knowing their deepest darkest hurts-- you can even love them. But you do need to know these things to have a deeper relationship with the person.

His focus on romantic media is a problem because it forms his expectations about relationships, not necessarily because it blinds him to who Blitz is. He wants to be rescued. He wants to be chased after. He doesn't understand that good relationships take a lot of work . . . and he'll need to learn that.

But he doesn't just love Blitz for these ideas. He loves Blitz for being Blitz.

This, like many of these essays, was inspired by a conversation with @akirathedramaqueen.

[cripplecharacters]

Do you have tangible advice on *how* to research different disabilities for writing? How to find specific blogs beyond searching the name of the disability on Tumblr, forums, websites with good info, etc? I see a lot of advice that is basically just "research the disability and talk to people who have it" but with how Google has gone down in quality, I'm not sure where to look beyond the surface level info (plus how to find people with the disability who are willing to share niche details/answer really specific situational questions). Thank you for everything you do on this blog!

Hey!

I'd say that you should break the research process into a few steps.

First, figure out what you should actually look into. Think about the genre, intended audience, and role of the character. A background character in a comedy meant for elementary school kids and a main character in an adult romantic novel will have two different approaches. You don't have to (and probably shouldn't) overdo a character that doesn't need it - otherwise it can end up feeling like some sort of disability awareness PSA, and that's probably not what you want.

With that in mind, you can start the actual research. I think that the websites of organizations/foundations for people with that specific disabilities are the best, since they cover a lot of things from many different angles. They are also usually written in simpler language than medical websites (which are also great, but I get that not everyone can understand those, not everyone's fluent in English, etc.) and have more tangible advice for "how to function with XYZ" essentially. It also can give you a glimpse of what your character could specifically struggle with, especially in case of a recent disability - medical pages often won't talk about insurance problems, interpersonal issues, or actually coping with the new state one's body is in. Check the FAQs, or the most commonly visited pages, stuff like that to get an idea on what's important. For example, these are some of the most concise explanations of how someone with a complete spinal cord injury at a specific level might function and what they might need. Something like this can be a good start to figure out where your characters "is", so to speak.

Some organizations for common disabilities might also have some sort of "media representation" page that's made specifically for writers. UK's Down Syndrome Association has one, Face Equality International has one, Phoenix Society has one, US Foundation for the Blind has one, etc.

This alone is more research than the vast majority of writers bother to do. If you actually understand:

what the disability is,

what symptoms it has,

how those affect your character in day-to-day life,

how to avoid the most common offensive stereotypes,

you are doing better than a lot of published writers, to be honest.

Okay, but what can you do to make it even better:

Since at this step you know what symptoms your character has and which ones you will actually show to the audience, you can start researching them one by one.

Here you might have to go read some medical studies, and learning how to get information out of those is a skill that needs some practice. But it is necessary to figure out if your blind character's vision loss is more likely to be total with no light perception or 20/200 (and, to figure out if your character's eye condition even causes blindness... because I've seen "blind characters" who are blind from eye conditions that... do not cause vision loss) so that you can actually research appropriate accommodations or aids.

Knowing specific symptoms will be even more helpful if your character's disability isn't very common - symptoms are very rarely tied to just a single disability, and you might have more luck researching a completely different one. For example, if you can't find info on something related to being a unilateral arm amputee, try searching for solutions that hemiplegics use. Not all will apply, but a lot of this stuff will be the same.

Make sure you understand what you do or don't do with those symptoms. There might be treatments, there might be some lifestyle changes to be done, there might be some strict limitation that you will have to put on your character for them to make sense. I think it's better to fit the character concept to the symptoms that you want and not the other way around - if you do the latter, you might find yourself writing an essentially abled character or a disabled character that is just inconsistent. Not every disability will be compatible with every role or concept, and there's really no point in trying to put us literally everywhere. If you really can't find a solution for something you need the character to do, it might mean that there just isn't one.

Once you figure out the technical stuff and have all the "dry" information laid out, start seeking the real life equivalents. Start widely at first so that you can narrow it down later, not the other way around (unless you don't mind changing the character around a lot). If you have already done a lot of technical research before, you will have more specific questions (which are easier to answer than "how do I write a disabled character").

Look up daily vlogs and day-in-a-life videos on youtube from people with that disability (and don't be afraid of only very-low views count videos popping up as that's almost inevitable - there are very few big disability youtubers, so try giving the smaller ones a chance). Watch interviews where people with that condition explain how their daily life is, how their disability affects it. SBSK is one of the best IMO. Check out AMAs on Reddit. Read personal blogs (you can generally find some by just putting "living with Name of Disability blog" into search). There's a ton of people who sincerely want to help others understand the realities of living with their disability and name their stuff accordingly so that it's easy to find.

At this stage you should have a decent idea of how the disability affects your character both in the technical sense, and in the more practical one.

Try to write out their average daily routine - from how they get up in the morning to when they go to sleep. Try to actively think "how would they do it" - how would they get from their bed and into their wheelchair, how would they dress up, how would they commute to work, how would they communicate with others, how would they get from point A to point B. If you realize that you're suddenly stuck, you now have a specific question ("how to put on pants with no hands", "how do totally blind people use computers", "shower accommodations C5 SCI", whatever) which is much easier to research than just a vague awareness of Not Knowing how your character functions in general. All of these questions have been asked before - newly disabled people will be going through them in their real life, and they use the same search engines and same social media as everyone else.

If you get this far, you're doing quite great! I'd say that this is enough effort to make a good and complex disabled character that's important in the story, though maybe not the POV character.

For a POV character, if you aren't disabled, you probably need a sensitivity reader/consultant.

There are a lot of those in writing spaces already - a lot of disabled people write themselves. If you just drop a "I need a sensitivity reader for XYZ" and use the general writing tags, there's a high chance you will get a response (assuming the XYZ in question isn't something very rare and/or so severe it would prevent someone from using the internet in general).

You can also try the disability's tag (don't get discouraged if it's not used a lot, a lot of people lurk without posting anything themselves) since you're looking for a real person and intending to pay them (very different from abled writers randomly posting their blorbos in disability tags).

Some of the places where you can try looking are r/SensitivityReaders, WritingDiversely, FireflyCreativeWriting, even sites like Fiverr could work. I've also heard some good things about Facebook writing groups, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

You can also always reach out to an association for people with the kind of disability you need - tell them that you are a writer and are looking to pay a sensitivity reader to help you, and they might be able to refer you to someone who would like to do that.

Another thing would be to keep intersectionality in mind - if your character is disabled, but otherwise part of the majority in every other sense (in NA or most of EU: white, rich, Christian, cisgender, straight, non-immigrant), you will have less things to consider than if your character has the same disability but is also a Polynesian transgender immigrant. If any intersectionality is particularly important to what you're writing, you should include that as well (you can also work with multiple sensitivity readers to try and get as close as possible).

My last advice is to only seek out sensitivity readers if you're able to pay them a fair amount for their work. Don't ask people to work for you for free (which is probably obvious, but a ton of fanfic and whump writers on Tumblr seem completely unaware of this).

Technical tips:

For specifically avoiding AI slop, I recommend putting [before:2023] after whatever question you put in, it will filter all results made after 2022, eliminating 99% of AI nonsense (works for images too).

If you're constantly getting a specific kind of wrong result, use [-ThingYouDon'tWant] after the input, it will remove everything that contains it.

If you're not getting a specific result, put the word you need in quotes ["Word You Need"] and it will force only the results who use that specific phrase/term to appear.

So if you're trying to find a blog about living with quadriplegic cerebral palsy as an adult and can't find any relevant searches by putting just that into the search, try ["cerebral palsy" "blog" quadriplegic -parents -spinal -SCI] and you should get more relevant stuff.

That's how I generally try to approach research for writing and I would say I've had good results (including now). Researching is a skill that requires practice unfortunately, at some point you can simply tell when a resource is bad or good since you've looked at so many already.

Follower input is welcome and encouraged :-)

mod Sasza

[communistkenobi]

Why are people who are so gung-ho about media morality on here also so incredibly inconsistent about it on here? It’s like ‘hey don’t even *mention* xyz game or show or whatever but several of my main interests are things that are even more egregious’. I’m not a fan of anything with that rep in the first place but it’s always been really silly to me.

Because I don’t think it’s a position that is reached systematically or scientifically (I think this is true of a lot of positions people hold - again I’m including myself in this). It’s hard to systematically figure out what your principles are. Nevermind the fact that there are irreconcilable contradictions embedded within these principles. But that aspect is less interesting to me, because I suspect that it’s not actually about the show/movie/actor/etc at all a lot of the time, but rather that mass media provides a set of common and mutually intelligible terms and modes of understanding for people to interact with strangers on the internet. 

This is going to sound like an insane tangent but I promise it’s relevant lol: I had to read Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Communities for a course recently where he talks about the emergence of national consciousness and identity in Europe through the invention of the printing press. The production of texts meant to be read by many people is much easier to achieve when language is standardised (this is prior to mass standard education), and so to print something “in German” requires a social agreement about what the German language “is,” something he argues wasn’t really a thing in Europe prior to this point in history. So while many people across vast distances may speak many different local dialects that are all roughly ‘German,’ they now all read a singular, standardised “German language.” Anderson argues that this produces an experience of ‘simultaneous time’ across space, where you now feel a sudden connection to anyone who also “reads German” despite them being complete strangers and people whom you will never meet. This is part of his argument of how national consciousness gets cultivated, and allows people to articulate a common identity and set of goals with others whom they share no other bond with (Anderson’s definition of nationalism being “an imagined political community” - imagined in the sense of socially constructed and produced, not as in fake).

And I’m talking about this because I think a similar thing is happening here, but re: mass media. I use the term ‘mass’ media in the sense that it is consumed by mass amounts of people through industrialised telecommunications technology such as internet, television, and radio (and we can include celebrities as mass media here for the sake of convenience). And the internet is an interesting place because you are constantly interacting with an incomprehensibly large volume of strangers, and often these interactions are not in your control (harassment, people ‘barging into’ your mentions or replies, people lurking your blog, etc). In order for this to not be completely overwhelming, even in a relatively niche space like “fandom,” you need some shared set of terms to navigate around.

I think this is what leads to the emergence of the terminology of “pro vs anti,” a universal set of discursive terms that cuts across all of fandom space that allows you to position yourself in relation to a large amount of people you don’t know. It acts as a sorting and filtering mechanism (“proshippers DNI”), it acts as a declaration of belief that can be intelligible to many other people (“fiction affects reality” - an objectively vacuous phrase that is nonetheless freighted with a lot of social meaning to anyone within fandom), and it allows you to “engage in fandom” broadly as an online social terrain, allowing you to move from one fandom to another yet retain common terminology to communicate with others. Everyone knows that each fandom has their own set of ‘local’ community terms, which takes time and energy to learn and requires you to likewise learn the social stakes of each of those terms. Sorry to bring up Supernatural but as an example, you can read someone’s entire orientation towards the show based on whether they spell Castiel’s name as “Cas” (destiel shipper) or “Cass” (wincestie/bronly/J2er) + all the attendant opinions that come with those positions. But that takes a long time to learn, and it’s hard, and it requires you to declare a lot of your own positions re: the local context of a given show or video game, but the pro vs anti divide is universal and therefore extremely helpful in social navigation.

So, much like pro vs anti, I think when people say “DNI if you like irredeemable media” and then you go on their blog and they’re like, shipping South Park characters together, I think staking these moral positions re: mass media has less to do with any deeper principled convictions regarding the moral impact of art or how one should relate to it, but rather that you are engaging in a common discursive terrain that allows you to navigate a basically infinite sea of strangers in order to rapidly locate a common community of people. Again Harry Potter is instructive here - it was popular for a while for terfs to put Hogwarts Houses in their bio, particularly if they are crypto terfs. The ‘common terrain’ of transphobia in online spaces being used here is mass media - if I say Potterheads DNI on my Homestuck blog, I’m not really staking my position on the moral consumption of media, I’m signalling my political allegiances via the common language of mass media. This is perhaps why these stakes are so bafflingly inconsistent, because mass media is serving as a proxy for articulating political positions (which can likewise be inconsistent) as a result of the fact that they are much easier shorthands to communicate belief than outright stating your ideological commitments. Nobody knows what neoliberal means, or socialism means, or white supremacy or cissexualism or capitalism or imperialism or blah blah blah, because these are not part of the common terminology of fandom spaces, so declaring your positions using these terms will not get you very far. but people know that Harry Potter = transphobia, so potterheads dni! 

[hellsgreatestbrainrot]

Hello, dearies!

I am now proudly presenting you:

Celebrity!Reader x Vees

Imagine being THE celebrity in hell. Everyone wants you. You're practically a god among sinners.

You have billboards everywhere in hell, your face for everyone to fawn over. You have advertisers fighting tooth and nail to have you in their ads.

Brands? Ripping each other apart and sending you their best products to have you as their ambassador. You're in every PR list.

Imagine you being able to influence trends. That niche product made by an small company? Yeah, people saw you using their product one time, and you singlehandedly saved them from bankruptcy.

Every movie you make is a box office hit. You're always nominated in award shows too. Best actor/actress? You. Not in the lead? Best supporting role. Cameo only? Fan favorite award then!

You're invited to everything. Parties, weddings, brunches, grand openings, practically every event that you can think of. Not sending an invite to you is practically a crime!

Now, Imagine The Vees being your fans too.

Imagine them wanting you so fucking bad because you're everything they could ever want.

Thinking about Vox buying all sorts of merch. Posters? Hanged and framed all around his floor, some with your autograph too. Those shirts with your face on it? Hidden in the back of his closet. Name it, he's got it. Has custom ones too. (Body pillow? There's four.)

Thinking about Velvette creating outfits with you in mind and blasting them on social media in the hopes it catches your attention and you'd want to collab with her.

She probably has exact copies of outfits you wore and has them displayed behind glass windows as her personal showcase. Who knows? Maybe Velvette even bought the actual outfits/costumes you wore during the many photoshoots you have.

Thinking about Valentino watching hours upon hours of edits of you, he can't stop himself from admiring you, and really can you even blame him? Those edits are delicious. He's also commenting absolutely filth on your edits and in your posts too. Might as well shoot his shot.

And since Valentino is crafty as fuck, as exhibited by him bedazzling his gun, he cuts out your pictures from magazines to make custom collages (that he also bedazzles) that he hangs up in his closet next to posters of him.

Vox, practically foaming at the mouth, sending you Voxtek products. He's sending the best ones! Latest ones! Products he hasn't even introduced to the public yet!

And just between the both of us, well, he might or might also be trying to find ways to ensure that there's always gonna be a Voxtek Ad on your phone, but you didn't hear that from me, yeah?

----------

Next post: Cannibal!Vees x Reader

Thank you for reading!

[bejeweledinterludes]

morre dean hc i dare you

anon are you living in my phone because how did you know i had a list in my notes app of my way too niche (and definitely self-indulgent) dean headcanons… anyways enjoy!

── .✦ ⌈ my headcanons for dean winchester. ⌋

『 part 6 of @bejeweledinterludes’ headcanons series. 』

consider this a little gift for y’all before i log off for finals hehe. see you soon! ily! <3

𖤐 ────────────────────────

> dean winchester has a hunting journal, just like his dad’s. he’d started one in his early twenties because of his dad, actually— mostly to store numbers, addresses, etc. and over time (along with the evolution of technology), dean wrote in it less and less— but sometimes when there was a newspaper clipping, ticket stub, or a flyer from a hunt, he slipped it between the pages; as a reminder. a memory. so he wouldn’t forget.

and on nights when he felt drunk brave enough, he flipped through the pages of both his and his dad’s journals, for the nostalgia— or maybe the fact that it used to be so simple back then.

> while dean is definitely a hardcore metalhead when it comes to music, he also is a secret avid enjoyer of yacht rock. michael mcdonald, toto, the doobie brothers, player— you name it, dean knew the songs.

and when sam had heard the tunes of christopher cross’ sailing pierce through the walls of the bunker, he raised a brow, searching the place— only to find the source was dean’s record player in the garage as he was washing baby.

> it’s canon in my head that dean still wore jewelry, even though we don’t see literally any (besides his watch) in the later seasons. yes, his watch is still there, but he still has that silver ring— and i’d also like to think that he has the samulet somewhere, too (cas got it back for him), even though he doesn’t wear it anymore.

> it’s also canon that dean is a patrick swayze fan— but what i like to believe is that his favorite movie of swayze’s when he was younger was roadhouse because dean saw himself in dalton (or just wanted to be like him too).

his favorite movie of swayze’s now, though? dirty dancing. because swayze always gets a pass (and nobody puts baby in a corner).

> we see this quite often in the show, but it has to be reiterated— dean always sits in the back of bars, diners, or offices against the wall in a corner, in view of every single exit. same thing goes for walking on the streets too. the man is always, always, always aware. because he has to be.

call it hunter’s instinct or just plain being aware of your surroundings— either way, he’s assessing every single place he walks into, hypothetical situations already rolling: along with how fast can we get out of here and scanning every head he can see as soon as he walks in the door.

> this is kinda random but it must be said: he’d totally belive ai generated stuff. and sam would just *sighs and pinches forehead in his sam way* “dean—”

> this is technically (?????) canon too, but dean has a lot of physical media. cassettes, cds, records, dvds, magazines, etc. some are from childhood and his early adult years, some are things he found at the thrift store. he also hates streaming services, and prefers watching the movies he owns (because then he knows what’s gonna happen already).

> dean likes sweet coffee drinks. yes he drinks black drip coffee most times, because it’s cheap, fast, and easily available in most places— but it’s not his favorite. he loves a white mocha most days and he’s a sucker for a pumpkin spice latte in the fall (not in front of sam though).

> and last but not least: dean winchester is as smart as a motherfucker. we’ve seen this many times throughout the show already as well, but i don’t care! i’ll shout it from the rooftops! dean is smart— street smart. because he knows how to talk to people and get what he wants out of them, knows how to read someone’s emotions / body language, and has some crazy quick critical thinking skills when it counts. which is what makes him such a good hunter.

buttttt don’t get me wrong, dean is book smart. not nearly as much as sam, but he can easily manage, because dean had to do all the research himself when sam was away at college— essentially forced to learn, and to know how to navigate old lore books and records.

now, though, dean lets that burden fall on sam (for the most part), since sam’s read all the books in the bunker (twice).

───────────────────────── 𖤐

my master taglist: @blossomingorchids @bluemerakis @ambiguous-avery @maddie0101 @titsout4jackles @deansbeer @sunsbaby @emeraldcrs @h8aaz @honeyryewhiskey @supernotnatural2005 @cowboysandcigarettes @soldiersgirl @bruisedfig @mostlymarvelgirl @amaris444 @kaz-2y5-spn @littlesoulshine @starzify @velvetparkerx @eggggggggggggggggggggsblog @fuckedupfate @liiiilsss @angelblqde @vmiina @mahi-wayy @viarasvogue @tinas111 @0ccvltism @plasticflowersinahistorycemetery @lunaleah @saintfaux @kimxwinchester @bettystonewell @honeyyxxbee @harlekin705 @megara0224 @ej13928 + if i missed anyone OR if you want to be added/taken off, please let me know! <3

[prlssprfctn]

Crack AU where all of Bruce's kids come from the circus.

Dick and Jason (Pre-Crisis) are already acrobats. Cass being a dancer has the room to fall into so many roles. Damian has knife throwing skills or could be an animal tamer. Duke does object manipulation/magic with the help of his powers. Tim could be the ring master or some weird niche like yoyoing.

And Bruce has to constantly tell the media that it's all coincidence, he doesn't attend circuses just to pick up orphan children, and he wouldn't attend as many if his children didn't want to go to every single one that comes to town (they want another sibling).

LMAO, THIS IS SO FUNNY

even more, Dick makes sure not only to additionally to teach his siblings some tricks but also some dialect and terminology thar is usually usable around people working in the circus; the press is going insane. Bruce, too.

Bruce, smiling awkwardly in the camera: i, actually, don't even know this happened, ah-ha-ha.

Reporter: but you shall agree, isn't it a strange coincidence that all kids of yours are fittable in circus? even these that had more public upbringing

Bruce: i have no idea, mate, ha-ha

*opposite side of the room*

pre-crisis!Jason, who is pissed at Bruce: well, yeah, he asked around the circus if there are any kids, orphaned ones, and took me in. later on, he said to me and Dickie, to teach new kids some tricks from circus, and to find them a fitting role, like, ya know, everyone has their individual role in the group—

Vicki Vale, concerned asf: i am so, so sorry to interrupt, but weren't you dead—

Jason, shrugging: another trick Bruce encouraged. i got in the box, Dickie boy cut me on half kind of one. you know, the audience should get scared that the performer actually died before the mega reveal...

Dick, standing behind Jason: *nodding*

Vicki: i... i see...

Reporter: what is your opinion on all of this, kid?

Damian, also mad at Bruce (he didn't allow him to take in a 938594 pet): my mom says that circus was one of dad's favourite place to visit with his parents before *that* night. obviously, he cannot visit movie theatres nowadays easily, so he copes by remembering the circus, instead.

[orfisheus]

The Problem With the Eddsworld Fandom's Depictions of Red Leader/Future Tord, A Disabled Perspective

Disability is a contentious concept for most of society, with most either treating us with disgust, confusion, refusing to treat us as human, or to see our struggles as what they are. Ableism affects all people in many different ways, but as someone who focuses a lot of my energy in fandom spaces, the pervasiveness of ableism with how media and their fans interpet and react to disabled characters is a very personal situation for me. While many may argue that an ignorance to these topics in fiction has little bearing on real life, the prevalance of these tropes have echoed and led to feelings of othering for many disabled people, and oftentimes support the same notions that lead to the day-to-day ableism in our own personal lives.

In recent years, I have experienced this most often with the prevalance of negative disability tropes perpetrated by fanfiction surrounding the character of Tord, also known under the alias of Red Leader in some fanworks. It is a problem not just common in the Eddsworld fandom. A more recent, and much larger fandom in Mouthwashing also shares a common trend of repeated ableism in fan depictions and interpretarions of disabled characters. Most fan creators are unaware of these tropes and the harm that they cause, but as a disabled person, I am unable to ignore it.

For context on myself, you can call me Fish. Get it? Or"fish"eus? I like to think I'm funny. I am a mentally ill, disabled, and neurodivergent creative who has niche interests in representation in media and the intersection of intersectionality and fandom spaces. I experience chronic pain due to a multitude of conditions, all of which are invisible disabilities. I am NOT an amputee or have a facial difference, like the character I am analyzing. I can only speak based on my own research in my attempts to portray him positively, but I want to mainly focus on the ableist tropes I see and the real life effects they have. That is something I CAN focus on, because I've been dealing with it for years from conditions that came onset later in my life. I will be speaking from that perspective, but will be doing my best to try to educate on what I do know from my research to help authors, artists, and creatives create a better portrayal of him in fanworks.

The most common tropes I see with him are what I will call "The Disabled Villain", "The Innacurate Disability", and "The Ignored Disability". There are a few tropes in each, but for ease of organization (and the sake of your (and my) time), I will be talking about them together in these sections. There are also overlaps in many, but I will define the main issues with them.

The Disabled Villain

James Bond, Wonder Woman, The Witches. You name it. You have most likely seen this trope at work in cinema. A malicious evil-doer is revealed to have a "horrid" face symbolic of the true evil within their soul, while the beautiful, able-bodied hero is meant to stop them. It's a trope as old as time, one that goes back to even Plato. Tropes are tropes, people subvert them, so a few cases down the line may be excusable. But that has not been the case For many years, the most prevalent form of representation for disabled people was in these villains. Imagine if the only representation you had for yourself was narratives surrounding how the way you look or what your disability is and have it only be equated to evil people. It leads to a villainization of disabled people. People react to facial differences with disgust, because they are "shown" that it is "evil", or "ugly", or equal to being a horrible person. As stated by The Nora Project, "According to the book Disabilities: Insights from Across Fields and Around the World, disabled students are two to three times more likely to be bullied in comparison to their nondisabled classmates. The disabled villain trope contributes to this phenomenon in overt and subtle ways. For example, the trope implicitly encourages fear of disability and difference, while validating, and even elevating, those who fight against the evil, Disabled Villain. Bullying based on fear and disdain is almost a natural consequence of the trope when viewed in this light". Another big issue is that disabled characters have not been given space to exist outside of villainy. There are not many complex narratives surrounding them. This leads to our disabilities being downplayed, us being dehumanised, and we are seen more like props in real life, or simply tools to achieve a message in a narrative.

Tord's disability is never explicitly shown in the show. It is something more prevalent in Fanon, specifically in fanworks that focus on the "Future" era of the show's timeline, where the narrative and outside discussions on the show implies a high tech society, potentially dystopian, potentially a consequence of his actions. These ideas have taken a life of their own in the fandom, with many creators fully expressing these ideas. The problem arises when Red Leader falls in line with this trope. In many works, he is the sole disabled character, a figure of pure evil, or given little nuance in the narrative. Artists illustrate his scars as bright red, crimson, or, in TBATF, green. For some reason. In this way, they attempt to highlight the villainy by equating him with common symbols of evil: facial differences and disabilities. Unfortunately, these are not just symbols. These are conditions and scars that real people have, which the fandom tends to ignore in favor of dramatization.

This was a trope I most commonly saw explored in fanfiction when I first joined in 2016/17. The show, unfortunately, subtly and accidentally perpetrated it by having the only character visibly and irreparably "damaged" by the giant robot fight be Tord, despite the fact that Tom, who had a whole missile directed at him and got buried under a house, was fine with at most a leg injury and a cut on his arm. Luckily, we have grown past the need for ableist tropes, and the faults of the show can be left in the past!

... Not.

Disability tropes have simply evolved in how the fandom treats Tord. Even if it is now done with more consciousness and sympathy towards his character, ignorance still prevails. Let's talk about common pitfalls people fall into when writing him.

The Inaccurate Disability

In fanon perception, Red Leader is an amputee with a high tech prosthesis and a facial difference resulting from burn scars. Like many disabled characters, he suffers from a collective fandom lack of research. But never fret! That is what I have subjected myself to for the past four years, so your friendly neighborhood disabled Fish can tell you how to right your fandom wrongs! Just kidding! Take this as a pointer, and do your own research.

As is common with fictional prosthetics, his arm prosthetic is treated as a perfect fix for his amputation. It acts just like, if not better than an actual arm. The issue with this is that is isn't realistic. Yes, I know, I'm criticising Eddsworld fanfiction for not being realistic. STAY WITH ME HERE. Once again, if it was one instance, or a few, that explored prosthetics being incredibly functional in science-fiction, then it could be a cool concept. But when every sci-fi work has it, then that is no longer a concept. That is a misconception. And I have interacted with people who believed that prosthetics were 100% functional! The thing is, like all disability aids, it does not suddenly make us able-bodied. For example, I have ear defenders that I wear when I experience pain within my ears. But that does not mean my hearing will now become normal, and I will no longer experience pain from the sound I'm hearing. What WILL happen is that I will straight up not hear you. Like, literally. Can you repeat that? I had my ear defenders on. Oh, you're saying that my ear defenders aren't prosthetics and are not a fair comparison? Well, that's fair, but take this as an illustration of a disability aid and how they differ from able-bodied experiences. Also, many prosthetic users do many things without their prostheses, and some even prefer NOT to wear them. Blogs that explicitly cover disabled representation, such as @/cripplecharacters, have posts that cover WHY many amputees are not fans of this trope. The problem comes with that it erases disability, and yet also treats us like we are given a space at the table of representation. It's just another way that authors avoid actually doing research.

Other things that people tend to ignore are how burn scars, or any scars, would not only appear on a character, but also affect them. I have seen, aside from skin tones that looked like they were picked out of a crayon box instead of what would appear on a person, teeth exposed, wounds that look as if they are fresh from the explosion YEARS after they occurred, and what I like to call "paper shredder" scars. Because instead of them looking like burn or shrapnel scars, it appears as if his skin was put through a shredder. Once again, another consequence of the show's at most-30 second scene with questionable decisions that made massive ripples in the fandom. With the injuries Tord received, it is most likely that he would have two kinds of injuries: a burn on 18% of his body (minimum, based on rule of 9s), and/or shrapnel scars from debris. While shrapnel scars would manifest as darker scars, the burn scar would likely be a hypertrophic scar, as "70% of patients develop hypertrophic scars following burns" (Finnerty et. al). The scars, when healed, are warm toned on the boundaries of their areas and cool in between. When on a pale skintone, they are not too dissimilar, and would therefore not have such a drastic color difference as seen on skin. They would also not go down to the bone or skin, as that would be a completely different kind of injury, and are also commonly done to make him look "scarier", which then aids the Disabled Villain trope. It also treats these scars and injuries more like a work of fiction, rather than something that many real people have experienced, adding to continuous misinterpretations of real life disabilities and facial differences.

For writers wanting to include consequences of burns, what would be more likely to be affected are his hearing, vision, and nerves on the right side of his face, as burn scars can go as deep as nerve endings. Also, burn scars, especially third degree burns, require treatments, such as burn-specific skincare. Scars, especially burn scars, can affect you and become disabling. For artists, the main thing I don't see artists do is draw him with damaged hair follicles. Burn scars damage the scalp and eyebrows, preventing hair growth. I am sorry, but he would not still have fluffy, luscious hair. Do not kill me. He just wouldn't. And if you are saying that he had it in the show, I can't hear you because my ear defenders are on, but I hope you heard me, as we've gone over that the show is inaccurate and we should do our own research.

Even well intentioned authors and artists ignore many aspects of the disabilities he would likely have!

Which brings us to the last trope...

The Ignored Disability

Many well meaning people intend to give him nuance by trying to avoid the Disabled Villain trope. Accidentally, however, they end up completely ignoring his disabilities instead.

Just like the high-tech prosthetic, the real disabling aspects of having a disability are at best rarely mentioned. I have seen, in some fanworks, that he goes straight from amputation to having a prosthetic. And that is where his disability ends. Because the prosthetic ends up being a fix-all situation. Authors refuse, or forget, to include aspects of amputation, such as the healing process, stump or phantom pain. Artists will cover up his scars with a helmet or a mask, another trope that undermines his disabilities and attempts to brush it under the rug. I understand that there is a discomfort for able-bodied authors in thoroughly exploring how a character feels about their disability. That is something I think we should. Avoid. If you're not familiar with the experience of being that minority, you do not need to add commentary on it. And if you do, and it just falls into more negative tropes, I will send a salmon cannon at you (/j). However, I do not agree with brushing every disabling aspect of his life under the rug.

People can assume it's not a problem, like it isn't something blatantly apparent. But, if you assume that disability and being disabled is not a "big thing", you end up where your medication is denied because your insurance refuses to see your common procedure as not a necessary medical intervention because you're "too young". And that is not fiction. That is what inspired me to write this essay, because the day that I got that news was the same day I sat down and told myself that I needed to share my perspective on the perception of disabled characters by honing in on one of my favorite characters and how the fandom treated him.

Disabled characters deserve to be included in media, disability and all, with care given to how their life would operate as a result and what they would experience with their specific disability. That's why many people recommend sensitivity readers who can give proper insight upon that disability and can advise people to properly portray it.

But if you cannot afford or access that resource, what can you do?

Fish's Non-Cohesive List of Ways I Tried to Write Tord as a Non-Amputee Without a Facial Difference

Do research!! The more you are to try to understand what you are writing about, the less you are to misinterpret or misrepresent it.

Look into resources that focus on portraying disabled characters, especially with those you wish to write about. Read blogs, research tropes that are common in disabled characters, and hell, read medical journals. They can provide great insight (<< nerd who likes reading medical journals)

Include more disabled characters. Make the other boys be disabled! Want to be canon compliant? Create OCs who have disabilities! I have a bunch! It's 2024! Be cringe and be free! The character's disability would go against the traditional narrative form of "usefulness"? I'm an animator who can't wear headphones and a theatre performer who can't physically handle the volume of a band. And yet, we find ways to persist, to exist. We will always find our way to live in the way we want to, in whatever way we can.

Look into disability activism. Learn the difference between the Medical Model and Social Model of disability. Know what an invisible disability is. Listen to us when we say that we don't want to be treated as special or an inspiration for simply living (inspiration porn). The more you are aware of what we struggle in real life, the more aware you will be to not repeat those mistakes in your fiction.

Write what you can. Highlight little talked about aspects of having a burn scar or being an amputee, such as the recovery, or treatment for the chronic pain, or how different he would be in battle due to decreased depth perception. As a disabled author, I have personally touched on the experience of gaining a disability later in life, and how he copes with it. Now, not all of y'all can do that. But that is a personal experience I do have, and it is something I have highlighted in my own work. So, while I couldn't tell you the ins and outs of having a burn scar or a prosthetic arm, I could describe the shock and frustration that comes with suddenly experiencing difficulties, or even being unable to do what you had done before.

I ask that, if you are willing to do better, or to start on the right foot, you take what I have written, reflect on it, and treat disabled characters, and in turn, disabled people, better from here on out.

Fiction is not reality, but the way we deal with it is reflective of who we are and what we believe. The boundary for our own personal being does not suddenly stop within fiction. When we interact and interpret it and create for it, it is integral that we remain conscious that bigotry runs rampant, albeit often as an unseen force, within fandom spaces, and do our best to counteract that.

I have doubts that the new eddisode will treat this topic with the same respect. I hope you can all go forward with what you have read in this WAY LONGER than I expected essay, and do what those grown British men cannot. Even if they erase it, retconn it, or do not treat it with respect, let's all go forward and do better!

As for always, you can discuss more in the tags or my inbox!

I hope you have a wonderful life,

Fish

[vivziepopcriticalconfessions]

I tried watching Hazbin Hotel with my mom, because I was interested after watching the pilot and she heard me talking about the show. For context, I had watched the pilot, but no live streams mentioning lore outside of it. My mother hadn't even watched the pilot because it was so long that she couldn't stay focused long enough (ADHD runs in my family, and although she was interested, it was extremely difficult).

It seems like a third of the plot is in the pilot, a third in the live streams, blog posts, and interviews, and a third in the actual show. My mom was constantly confused, looking to me and asking me questions to things she didn't understand and getting frustrated. "Why'd a guy like Adam get into Heaven? He's a horrible person and one of the three people who are the Forbidden fruit." Then, I'd simply shrug and go "I don't know. Maybe they'll explain it later?" Then, they didn't. She'd ask "Wait, who are these overlord people? What do they have to do with the current plot?" or even "Why are Husk, Angel, Niffty, and Sir Pentious in Hell? Where are they from?" And, again, I'd be like "I know about Angel and Husk, but I have no real clue why or where Niffty and Sir Pentious are from." And that's me having about 2/3's of the plot. My mom has only the show to go off of. If it weren't for me telling her, she'd have no clue who Alastor is outside of "Radio guy with ears- OH WAIT THOSE ARE DEER EARS I THOUGHT THEY WERE DOG EARS BECAUSE OF HIS SHARP TEETH". Or Angel Dust, who would've just been "Fluffy creature with extra arms who is a gay guy that likes sex" to her. She had no idea he was a spider, or that he did drag, or any of that.

Hazbin is a show with an interesting idea, but it's just... it's too scattered. It seems to be made only for super fans that know it from all pieces of media it's been in. From blog posts, to live streams, to interviews, convention appearances and the pilot which is like an hour long. I don't mind the fans being fans, because they can like what they want to like, but I can't see many new fans entering the show's fanbase. Either that, or they'll enter and be confused about all these odd plot points they haven't heard about from just watching the show. This fanbase seems to think that it'll become big and change the way we watch adult cartoons forever, gaining South Park levels of fame, but I think it'll inevitably become a niche show just because Viv did not put essential, worldbuilding plot points into the first season. New people are probably going to see the first half, and if the jokes don't land hard enough for them to stick around through the confusion, they'll leave and maybe even leave a bad review, resulting in the die-hard fans harassing them and ensuring they won't give it a second chance.

Ok, I'm not turning this into a pic because it's so long but GUYS LOOK AT THE THESIS ANON WROTE HOLY SHIT-

[enemymine2000]

It's official, US TikTok is going dark right now. Lives vanish bit by bit, East to West.

So time for the Tumblr house rules for those few, who'll find their way here:

Before everything else, personalize your blog! Put a different picture up, write a bio and/or make your first individual post, or people will think you are a bot. Then it's on sight. We block and report those immediately, thanks to the great porn bot wars.

Once that's done:

1. Speak clear and freely. Say what you mean, we don't do that 1984 Newspeek and emojis instead of words here.

2. Tags are a way to sort your stuff AND to communicate. But stay on topic. No spam tagging. And no censoring words or no one will ever be able find anything. Search system is shot enough to hell as is.

3. Don't like, don't read. The block button is your friend.

4. Reblog, don't repost. We don't steal content here. Always give credit. Which is also the reason for...

5. AI is not liked here. It is trained on stolen content. Just don't.

6. There is no such thing as a Tumblr influencer. Even our big names are just normal people, who just stick out due to longevity and/or weirdness.

7. Follower count doesn't matter. No one can see who has what amount of followers and we don't care.

8. Our "viral" posts are our heritage posts. Some might have breached containment and have been shared to other sites. We keep them going because we genuinely like them or want to keep the ancient magic alive.

9. Which leads to likes. They are nice and you obviously are not supposed not to give them, but they don't really matter apart from spamming the notifications of the OP. Reblogging keeps Tumblr alive.

10. We have our own holidays. Don't worry, you will not be forced to partake, but you will be confronted with them. Unless there is another round of The Boopening. Sorry, but no one escapes The Boopening! (Many prefer it to the Mishapocalypse, but this the SPN site, so never discount a Mishapocalypse. Or getting your news via Destiel meme.)

11. Our lore (Tumblr history) is wild. Stolen bones, human pets, dashcon, crucifix nail nipples, the bullying of John Green off the platform (the totally unrelated intern of a coffee company has forgiven us), female presenting nipples, Goncharov, crab raves... This site has been around for a very long time and a lot of us have been around for most of that. We are proud to have remained "ungovernable" and are unapologetic about it, thus we celebrate our history. Even the failures.

12. You can use the "discover" feed of course. But we basically only ever use the "following". No algorithm, just an endless reverse chronological scroll.

13. There is no verification system. We know that people like Wil Wheaton, Lynda Carter and Misha Collins are the real deal, because they verified themselves through other official means. Otherwise everybody can be whoever they want to be. Meaning also that you always should use common sense before chipping in with donations.

14. It's your blog, not some social media account. If you change interests (however often you want), just post about those. Your followers mostly won't care. Hell, about 90% of the blogs I follow have changed names, themes and topics so many times, I don't even remember why I followed in the beginning. (The amount of second hand knowledge about shows/movies I obtained...) If it gets too much, unfollow or block relevant tags.

15. Pixelated icons indicate that the blog has been flagged/self-reported as containing adult themes, mainly nudity. Goes back to great porn purge (see female presenting nipples). It's also why sometimes posts have pictures removed for going against Tumblr's content policy. There is still enough nudity going around.

Welcome, have fun, look around, find your niche, and don't worry. We don't bite. Much.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

I know it's such a highly popular dinosaur but are they any interesting facts about the Tyrannosaurus Rex that isn't well known? I still love the Rexes wishing more dinosaur media treated it in the same way nature documentaries treat modern carnivores as animals just trying to surive and not just ripping up every living thing they encounter.

T. rex is actually one of the best studied (non-neornithine) dinosaurs ever, period. In fact, writing all the interesting facts we know about it is... more work than I particularly want to do right now, lol.

some things off the top of my head:

it wasn't built for moving fast in terms of miles per hour or whatever, but they were built for extreme cursoriality in other ways. Essentially, T. rex and its relatives were built for turning, quickly, on a dime. And they moved faster than the herbivores they were chasing. So these were animals built for short, surprise attacks on their prey. And ballet dancing

T. rex had the best sense of smell... ever. Like, ever ever. And its eyesight and hearing were good too. It had a fairly large brain for where it is in the dinosaur family tree, as well. Essentially, this was a dinosaur built to take in as much sensory info as possible, to pinpoint prey as quickly as possible.

T. rex aged kind of like people! IE, the process of going from infant -> sexually and skeletally mature adult takes about the same amount of time, with similar stages happening at similar times. So, T. rex had an awkward teenage phase! They were tall, but very skinny and lanky, and many researchers think that different ages of Tyrannosaurus filled different niches, with bigger rexes eating larger prey and the teens eating smaller faster dinosaurs.

That said, there's lots of evidence for familial groups and social life in Tyrannosaurs, based on fossilization patterns and footprint records. So it's very likely they took care of their young, and hunted in groups.

did they have feathers? no idea. they're big enough to have lost them for thermoregulation like many other dinosaurs did. they are in a group that have some big feathered animals, though, like Yutyrannus. Maybe babies had feathers and adults lost them. Maybe adults kept them some places and not others. We do know that there are parts of the Tyrannosaurus adult body that had scales. Beyond that - whether feathers were present too, or not - we don't know.

it was not skeletally sexually dimorphic. however, we do know that some tyrannosaurs were female because the fossilized when they were in the process of making eggs. during this process, dinosaurs - including living birds - deposit extra tissue in their bones called medullary bone. This tissue stores calcium to make eggshells from later. It's only present in actively ovulating female dinosaurs. So, we know some of our fossils were making eggs when they died!

the arms were small, yeah, but they were VERY strong. these weren't vestigial organs, yet, though their shortness was mainly due to the strengthening of the neck muscles. T. rex interacted with the world primarily with its head and jaws. The arms would have been helpful with holding on during mating, or possibly for display.

it wasn't a scavenger. it was an opportunist. No predators today avoid easy meals - life is all about minimizing energy spent to get more energy. But obligate scavengers tend to be flying organisms, ones that can cover huge distances, in order to find enough carrion. T. rex was definitely a predator, and had to hunt occasionally, but wouldn't turn up its nose at an easy meal.

T. rex lived all over western north america, right at the end of the age of dinosaurs. It was one of the most successful nonavian dinosaurs, ever, and would probably not have gone extinct so quickly if there hadn't been an asteroid.

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

ok for real though i go so insane for the fact that Lucanis owns a pet snake. i'm a real life snake owner and soooo few characters in media have snakes... like i went through some Elaborate headcanons to justify giving Dorian a pet snake in DAI... and veilguard then just dumped a man who canonically has one straight into my lap!!!!! i was doomed from the start

kicking my feet twirling my hair imagining what types of snakes the various crows all own... it really is the standard assassin pet apparently. Viago obviously has venomous snakes that he keeps for their venom (for poisons, making antivenin, and to build his own tolerance). i don't think he'd consider them Precious Pets but i think he would enjoy that this is an animal where interactions are very clearly transactional and build to trust. like a snake will never Love you the way a pet mammal will (their brains simply do not produce/uptake oxytocin) but you can still form bonds with them and i think he would appreciate that this process happens in a very logical way you can predict. And he keeps them in absolutely PRISTINE care (his quote in Eight Little Talons about the one he picks up there is "He deserves my respect. And a good home—with all the mice he can eat”).

Lucanis on the other hand, I think would understand the snake does not love him but still be more attached to his emotionally anyway. maybe because he's used to loving people who don't actually care about his well-being 😭 But I think he'd appreciate a pet he can actually freehandle more. House Dellamorte is not known for poisons the way the de Rivas are, and they might still have an adder on hand for venom reasons but it's more likely they just borrow some of Viago's if needed... poison's just not their niche. If Lucanis was the one picking out a pet I think he would go for a non venomous or rear-fanged variety (aka, some venom but unlikely to bite a human) so he can actually hold it without being on high alert (i mean, in our world, you should never freehandle hots, but people do anyway & would in fiction too. but its a very fuck around/find out scenario). I feel like he and Illario would probably have the same type of snake since they grew up as brothers--Illario also clearly had an emotional attachment to his own pet snake since he got mad at Lucanis irl for a dream he had where Lucanis threw the snake out the window [EDIT: I misremembered this part, it was Viago's dream. Though I think I do remember an in-game reference to Illario also having a snake..?]. So i think both of them having a pet they play with/dote on a little more than is actually needed for a reptile fits really well here.

now as for specific pet snake species headcanons. We have VERY little detail in the snake lore in Dragon Age, despite Tevinter using it as a symbol of the country alongside dragons. i PRESUME there's many kinds of species around but who knows what... the only one we ever get mentioned by name* is in Eight Little Talons, where the writer refers to the snake Viago picks up there as an "adder" or a "death adder" but never anything more specific. Unclear if this is just writers thinking an adder is a specific species and not a class of snake or if there's only one type of adder in Antiva. I mean there's like 200 species of snake in North America and 100 or so in Europe and SOOOO MANY MORE in the tropics/asia (to be fair, there's only like 3 species in England and none in Ireland, but that's sad and those countries are tiny islands and exterminated wildlife/wildlands on purpose so we're not applying that to Thedas). Antiva has coastline and is warmer and I'd roughly classify it as similar to the Mediterranean in terms of climate, with colder winters farther inland and more humidity/closer to subtropical up north. Without the benefits of modern electricity they'd probably be keeping animals that can do well at ambient temperatures for the region. Treviso is on the coast of a bay (not full oceanic) and not too far south of Rivain, so I think we can guess at fairly mild winters & hot summers, probably tending towards drier but with monsoon-influenced humidity.

(*technically an earlier character in Tevinter Nights refers to a "venomous drake-adder" but he was lying about it being there, and we have no way to tell if he picked a real snake to pretend was around OR just made up a scary sounding snake name. alas.)

Now... given the Crow's general penchant for aesthetics I think both Dellamorte boys would be drawn to a dramatic looking variety, like a mexican black kingsnake or white-lipped python. sadly both of these absolutely stunning species are both a bit outside the climate preferences I specified (mbk live closer to true desert, wlp true tropical). I also am charmed by the idea that they caught the snakes themselves in the wild vs purchasing them, becuase that's such a childhood animal-lover thing to do (my grandma used to tell horrified stories of my dad/uncles bringing home "wagons full of snakes" they found playing outside). SO i think my top choices are either the European Thedosian cat snake (Telescopus fallax), which is a rear-fanged beauty with a grey and white checkerboard pattern. OR a Mediterranean Antivan Grass Snake (Natrix natrix, astreptophora, or helvetica), which has the added bonus of badass keeled scales . While the grass snakes come in many beautiful color morphs due to the aforementioned crow drama I am inclined to give them the melanistic color variant, for the beautiful dark black appearance. Although I am also happy with the greener varieties :) All of the above average a little over 3ft in length as adults, so reasonable pet sized. Some of the Natrix genus are more aquatic than others so would be fed on frogs rather than (or in addition to) mice, and I do enjoy the mental image of Lucanis & Illario going out once a week to hunt for dinner for their pampered pets, falling into ponds on whatever estates they're currently being trained at :) as a lighthearted contrast to, you know. every other aspect of being raised as a Crow.

Left to right: Telescopus fallax, melanistic Natrix natrix, and Natrix astreptophora)

[akookminsupporter]

I'm from a country where mainstream media speaks basically nothing of Kpop. And the only two groups I've ever seen mentioned are BTS, multiple times over the years, and Blackpink a couple of times. That is all. Every single other group out there is viewed by our mainstream media as part of the niche that kpop is for people around here. And as such, every group other than the two above are nameless and faceless to regular people. That said, before BTS, there was only ONE specialized magazine, which was talking about all types of Asian originated music (Jpop, Kpop, Jrock...), but now you have way more. So mainstream is basically ignoring the very existence of Kpop except for BTS, but specialized magazines for young people have never talked about it more than they do now and have never been as big in numbers.

I don't know if that answers your question perfectly, but for me we're a state of "BTS has "made it" in terms of international popularity and outside of the niche they were from, but from 99% of the rest of the Kpop groups, I'd say : wait and see. Give it 10 more years and let's see where we stand, notably in terms of longevity. Multis used to tell us we were stupid for even thinking BTS would still exist as a group after they were over 25, then they used to tell us that each members would go do their own thing and that would break the group (actors, solo career, TV host...), then they used to tell us that military service would 100% bring the end of the group's success, and then they've been telling us that once the members get families, then it'll be all over (so I'm assuming that these things used to kill a group before... which yeah, no comment). But all I'm seeing is that it's still going to be near impossible to get a ticket to any BTS concert when they decide to tour again. So yeah, since BTS is *still* breaking the mold, I'm not sure we can ever say that any group issued from Kpop can even dream of ever achieving anything close to their success, but I'm sure that a few groups will still manage to achieve some relative "high" success in comparison to the rest of Kpop before BTS though.

Hi, Anon. How’ve you been?

 Yeah, I agree with you. In my country, some K-pop groups have performed, and the press hasn’t reported on it—I only found out through social media, which I think says a lot.

I’ve noticed how BTS has become almost interchangeable with the term “K-pop.” Many people immediately think of BTS when K-pop is mentioned. You see it everywhere: in the press, across social media, and even in casual conversations. It’s not something I’ve noticed with other groups—not even with BP.

BTS stands out in so many ways, both within the K-pop industry and beyond. But if we’re talking specifically about the KPOP industry, I think they’ve shattered a lot of the norms and expectations around how long a group can stay relevant and successful. From what I’ve read, they’ve redefined what longevity looks like in K-pop. Most groups tend to peak early and fade out over time, but BTS is still at the top after more than a decade. They’ve not only maintained their influence but expanded it, which is almost unheard of.

Another thing that sets them apart is their solo careers. It’s rare for every single member of a group—especially a group as large as BTS—to have such incredible success individually. With BTS, all seven of them have proven themselves as solo artists and their debuts have been successful and I think this isn’t just unusual in K-pop; it’s rare in the music industry as a whole.

Something that definitely sets BTS apart is ARMY. Sure, other groups have big fandoms, but none are on the same level as ARMY. It’s not just about the numbers, though those are undeniably huge—it’s about how organised and strategic they are. Beyond the usual streaming and voting campaigns, ARMY knows how to play the game and adapt when the rules change. I don’t see that same level of adaptability or cohesiveness in other fandoms.

What’s even more interesting is that ARMY isn’t just about supporting the group—they’ve created a community that operates almost like its own ecosystem. Whether it’s charity projects, trending hashtags, or defending BTS online, they’re always active, always mobilised. It’s one of the reasons BTS has been able to achieve what they have. Their fandom isn’t just along for the ride; they’re actively shaping the journey. And thanks to that, the fandom has become just as famous as BTS.

Tickets for their future concerts will definitely be hard to get, especially for the first one they hold. The fandom keeps growing every day, even though the group has been on pause for a while. That’s impressive as well.

I think we can conclude that no other K-pop group is on BTS's level. Many of them have been successful to a certain extent, and surely many will manage to break barriers outside of South Korea, but I don’t think they’ll reach the level BTS is at.

What will also be interesting to see is what BTS will do when they return. What kind of music will they create? Will it reflect their personal growth and experiences during their time apart, or will it stay closer to the sound and themes that first brought them worldwide recognition? It’ll also be fascinating to observe how their solo projects influence—or perhaps don’t influence—their group dynamics and future releases.

Another intriguing aspect will be how the K-pop industry and the global music scene react to their comeback. Most importantly, it’ll be worth watching how their fandom, embraces them after this pause.

BTS’s return has the potential to be a pivotal moment—not just for the group, but for the industry and their fans—and it’s exciting to imagine how it will all unfold.

The least I expect is that the new songs they’ll surely release will be longer than three and a half minutes.

[lyracarvahall]

HeartBeat Sync PART 1

Soulmates Explained

   In this world, there is a chance that you are destined to have a soulmate, or multiple soulmates in rare cases. These bonds are realized by tattoos unique to the bonded pair which in the light had a reflection like oil-slicked water. The tattoos were more of random symbols and patterns that were never duplicated. When the tattoos are first acquired, a sensation coincides with them. Common examples include a random taste or seeing a random flash of light. Some way the senses notify you that your lives are forever changed.

However, there are many who do not have soulmate bonds, or maybe they just simply do not find them. This was the case for Y/N. In her youth she had been so sure that her soulmates had to be out there. After years of hopeful dreams, however, doubt began to creep in. As she now entered her third decade of life, she knew she belonged to those who had to make the dream for themselves.

This is what had made her want to pursue music. It was her soul’s way of crying out what her words could not express. This is where our story begins….

Chapter One: Exposed

The beats thrummed through her headphones, having her subconsciously swaying to her created beats. Music had become her soulmate when life had failed to provide her one. At her age, Y/N just accepted that wasn’t in the cards. Romantic dreams of her youth had turned into angst-powered fuel for the songs she made. After recording a few of the songs and uploading them to the internet, she had drawn a relative amount of attention. Her music’s heavy beats and heartfelt lyrics mixed with obscure instrumentals were not to everyone’s taste however. She had developed a niche following including, unknown to her, a few from overseas.

Y/N chose to use an alias with her uploads as her family had told her many a time she was too old to pursue such things and that she should just settle down and start a family. Her passion for passion and for life showed in every creation and it was her one area of pride, even if very few knew about it. Those few who did included her friend Lexi, who’s feet currently rested on Y/N’s coffee table as she flipped through her social media feeds on her phone.

Y/N just smiled contentedly at her friend’s antics as she stepped up to her microphone and began to sing powerfully into it. Lyrics about longing strung over dance beats. Checking on Lexi again, she saw her friend’s phone camera aimed at her face.

“Lexi, cut the shit! You know I don’t like my sessions recorded.”

Lexi leaned forward and twirled her chocolate hair in one hand while balancing her phone in the other hand. “Well….then good thing this is a live stream instead then, hmm?”

“WHAT?!” Y/N immediately yanked the beanie off her head and threw it with laser precision, knocking the phone out of her best friend’s hand. Dashing over and narrowly beating Lexi to recover the phone, she hit the button to end the live stream.

“What the hell is wrong with you Lexi?! Literally ONE RULE! Keep me anonymous! How long were you recording? How many were watching? I need to brace for impact for the amount of damage you just caused!”

“I know I know! I’m sorry! I just think you need to get out there with your music. You are so talented and you deserve to be performing other places besides your home office, Y/N!”

“Thank you and I love you but I am still mad at you. How….many….Lexi?”

Lexi began to nervously twiddle her fingers together, looked up at Y/N through her eyelashes. “About 3,000?”

“Three thousand people?! Oh my god! It’s over! It’s all over….” Y/N sank to the floor dramatically, slowly sliding down the wall and placing her head in her hands. “What have you done?” Her voice sounded small and pitiful but she didn’t care. Her dreams were ruined. There was no way she continue now that they tied a face to her work. She was a 30 year old curvy girl who currently looked like a bum in sweatpants and a giant anime shirt.

Her family had always overlooked her and never taken her seriously. Her dream “wasn’t a real job” and “arts were a hobby and not a career”. Anytime she explained about it being her outlet and why she needed to release this emotion, they told her soulmates are obviously not meant for her and she needs to get over it. Her sister Riley had been particularly cruel “I mean obviously no one is destined for you. Look at you!” Over time she had gotten over her insecurities. Distance from her family had helped, but occasionally all those emotions came rushing back to her. This was one of those times.

Lexi noticed the panic in Y/N’s eyes and immediately crawled to her side. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I am so sorry. I mean maybe this isn’t a bad thing, you know?”

Y/N simply scoffed at that.

“Seriously, bestie, this could be a huge opportunity for you! I imagine agents will start messaging ASAP. THINK about it!” With almost comedic timing, Lexi’s phone vibrated from where it lay across the room. Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Lexi smirked and quickly ran to grab her phone. Upon looking at the screen, however, she nearly dropped it again due to the shock with what she was reading.

“Y/N…It is a message from Eden.”

“Am I supposed to know who that is?”

“Dum-dum ma-goo goo! Eden is the main producer for ATEEZ? Remember, those dudes you were drooling over their edits from Coachella?”

“Oh! Eden….Eden-ary production team! Shit shit….what did he say?”

“He invited you to ATEEZ’s next show. Says he has a proposition for you.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I admit this is my first ATEEZ fanfiction and it is more a fun writing exercise than anything else. I hope you enjoy it so far despite that. Sorry this is so short so far! <3

Part 2 Here

[scvrgrl]

strawhat crew modern!au headcanons

a/n: as someone who recently graduated from high school, there are lots of categories of people/tropes that i can see some of the strawhats falling into if they attended high school in modern times! soooo here are some completely unserious and random modern!au headcanons that i came up with!

THIS IS ALL SATIRE AND FOR FUN!!

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆

LUFFY

never wears actual shoes, strictly crocs and slides

he loveeees the pajama pants/hoodie/tank top combo, it’s a staple fit (nami gets on him and wants to wear “real clothes”)

lowkey a cart demon 😭😭😭 but only during his freshman and sophomore year (jr and senior year he locked in thanks to ace’s influence)

being a cart demon made him fail most, if not all, his classes during the first two years (he ended up in credit recovery and graduated by the skin of his teeth)

never has a pencil and will ask you for one before class starts

his pens are chewed up and dry

HE GOT CHICKEN SCRATCH ASS HANDWRITING

loves school lunch and makes his friends use their lunch codes to get seconds and thirds

not afraid to ask a random for their lunch code to get more food

backpack is a tattered, beat up jansport bag that hangs on by two threads (an ace hand-me-down), has no actual school supplies just crumbs and crumpled up worksheets

usopp definitely posted something adjacent to this on his instagram close friends about the state of luffy’s backpack

as a recovering cart demon, luffy got hooked on geek bars (courtesy to sanji) and will ONLY get the sweet flavors

always offers a hit to sanji (he refuses)

**L.A. KID NICHE** he’s on lots of girl’s spams but isn’t interested in any of them (lowkey a red flag for any girls actually interested in him)

ZORO

a relatively good student, put in enough effort to have good grades but never took honors/AP courses

doesn’t ever mention his grades or studying, just shows up and takes the exam (does surprisingly well)

is very reserved and only ever socializes with his friend group

gets SOOOO many girls, but they’re too scared to approach/confess to him

only follows back girls he knows (aka nami, robin, perona, etc), will not go out of his way to follow any girls’ spams

isn’t entirely interested in social media, occasionally will scroll on insta reels (usopp and luffy begged him to get tiktok and he would not cave)

has good penmanship, cannot read to save his life

definitely wears reeboks that he’s had all throughout high school, luffy and usopp tear his ass up for it 😭💔

got his license as soon as he could (16), will drive himself and only himself to school

lots of people beg him for rides and he asks that you give him gas money (will give free rides only if they really need it, mainly for his homegirls)

will hustle you for gas money (nami refuses to pay and will give him gum instead)

SANJI

LOVESSSSS HIS GEEKBAR (but is strictly a cool mint enjoyer, none of that sweet shit cause it gives him a headache and makes him feel like a bitch😭)

everyone’s chauffeur and drives a huge white mom van with the sliding door (the crew fits in nice and snug so it works out)

never charges nami or robin for rides, but will over charge the guys for gas money

style is heavily influenced by tyler the creator, styles polos and dress shirts with baggy jeans/shorts with loafers

smells goodddduhhhhh cause he’s a cologne connoisseur, no matter the occasion

an AP/honors student but will struggle from time to time (receives a C here and there but not afraid to ask his teachers for extra cred opportunities)

has okay penmanship, nothing too extra

had a girlfriend during his sophomore year but they had a bad break up, still not over her years later

follows a lot of girls from school (which appears as a huge red flag) — the girl-to-guy ratio in his following his concerning and nami makes fun of him for it

has lots of situationships but they never last, feels bad so he still talks to them but usually leads them on (can’t get over his ex)

USOPP

is HILARIOUS, which strangely attracts lots of girls (sanji doesn’t understand the hype)

first in the friend group to have a spam, everyone followed suit after (he wanted the followers)

everyone wants to be on his spam/cf for the funny content, but will occasionally post an aesthetic photo dump

wears athletic gear (lots of tracksuits and slides — doesn’t put much effort into his outfits)

will bust out the graphic tee/baggy jeans combo once in a blue moon and it looks fire

your average class clown

his grades are average (C’s and some D’s), was in credit recovery once for a class during his senior year (didn’t bother showing up)

smokes strictly bud, will only hit luffy’s cart if he’s feining

will hit peoples geek bars on occasion, usually at a function when people pass it around to look cool

has chicken scratch handwriting but is more legible than luffy’s

NAMI

she’s in her own little world, luffy and usopp have to explain brainrot to her or else she’ll never understand their references

definitely touches up her makeup in class, her lip combo is NEVER off

treats school like a fashion show, her fits NEVER disappoint and is always receiving compliments

HYGIENE ON 10!!! always smells delicious but will lowkey gatekeep her perfume

always has gum and hand sanitizer (the cute ones from bath and body ofc)

took honors courses and the occasional AP course (only for the GPA boost)

her grades consist of As and Bs (she did get one C but she was able to negotiate with her teachers)

best friends with all her teachers, always spends lunch with them and asks them about their day

has amazing penmanship and lovessss writing in cursive

she don’t play about her snapchat streaks but will only use snap for that — no guys getting snaps but her friends

mainly posts on her insta story and has sooo many highlights (friends, food, fits, herself, you name it)

doesn’t have a spam but is a close friends warrior

doesn’t have a roster but will entertain guys occasionally (doesn’t actually care to have a boyfriend)

many people are surprised that she is a party girl/lovesss her liquor

not huge on tiktok brainrot but is surprisingly well-versed in lolcow lore (ash trevino, tophiachu, daniel larson, etc.)

films tiktok grwm’s and has gained some popularity from it

ROBIN

very involved in school activities (extracurriculars, on the women’s track and field team, etc.)

takes all AP classes but does it cause she genuinely enjoys the rigor and workload

has never touched a drug in her life but she would never judge her friends for it

HAD AN EMO PHASE!! grew out of it but parts of it stayed with her

the tutor of the friend group (mainly usopp and luffy will be the ones to ask for help — complain when she gives them “homework”)

never had huzz and will have the same boyfriend for years at a time (very committed to her relationships)

has social media but is never active on it (you can only reach her through text messages)

phone always on dnd tho so good luck 😭🕊️

LUFFY & USOPP

these two are completely inseparable, always sitting together when there’s no seating chart (always end up being separated anyway)

definitely participated in the “devious licks” trend and had a competition on who could steal the most obscure items (luffy stole a bathroom sink and got suspended)

they’re the type of kids who never cared to learn the last names of their teachers so they strictly call them “miss” or “mister”

ended up on peoples close friends for doing random, stupid shit

they’re the type to pick on the kids who can’t read (zoro) for popcorn reading OR will pick on each other cause they know they can’t read either

INSTAGRAM REEL AND TIKTOK DEMONS (not afraid to show you the brainrot that consumes their feed, expects you to be on their level of humor)

participated in axe bombing the locker rooms after PE

everyone wants to be their friend, which is why they have lots of followers on their socials

luffy is more likely to get down for you/protect you at a function, but he’s gotta be there when something goes down or he’ll miss it completely

usopp, on the other hand, will not 😭😭😭 but he will console you

SANJI & ZORO

will pick on each other and get into heated arguments in the group chat (makes it a little awkward at first but will eventually make up by asking each other to hop on a video game)

the fighting in the group chat scares luffy so he sends this photo

had a bit of an academic rivalry after sanji found out that zoro is actually an exceptional student

sanji will reluctantly give zoro rides to the functions — makes him cover nami and robin's share of the gas money

not the best of friends but will get along for the sake of everyone else

will share a good moment or two once in a while, usually when they’re out and having fun with the whole group

the two of them would DEFINITELY have your back at a function — making sure you’re safe, watching your back, will get down for you if needed no matter what

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆

hope you guys enjoyed! lmk what you wanna see next ;)