#something something strangely very gender affirming

[leadandblood]

[notyourhetloki]

sleepover II (Ken x GN Reader)

Reader: gender neutral

/Ken x Doll!Reader/

A/N: Hey! This is a sequel to this post, so check it out before reading this! Also, if you're confused as to why Ken have his own house, I mentioned it in my fisrt Ken fic here. Hope you like it! (also my ask is open if you'd like more himbo stuff)

Warnings: SFW but very suggestive themes. They're naked but they don't have genitals lol, Ken has a praise kink, lots of fluff and sappy shit.

Word Count: 1.5k

—

The day was going smoothly. You and Ken decided to go rollerblading together, something you hadn't done in ages.

He actually taught you how to balance on those, but since then you had practiced so much that you considered yourself to be the best around, and you liked showing it off too!

You were dancing in your rollerblades, jumping and whirling around like a gymnast. Ken couldn't stop looking at you in awe, amazed by your skills.

He thought you were simply the best. Ken felt so lucky he had you, and soon he felt that known ache in his chest... that mysterious ache that appeared whenever he thought about you too much.

He soon joined you in your dance, trying to copy the choreography and almost nailing it. You glanced at him, admiring his efforts before saying: "You're doing great, Ken!"

Ken blushed and felt the shivers that always came with your compliments. He always tried keeping it cool though, not wanting to let anyone see the true effect you had on him. "Thank you, doll."

You two ran a few errands afterward, going around Barbieland until the sun started to set. Then, crossing his fingers, Ken asked you: "So... sleepover at my Mojo Dojo Casa House tonight?"

You smiled, immediately knowing the answer. "Yes, of course!" He closed his eyes, softly whispering: "Yesssss".

At his Mojo Dojo Casa House, you two grabbed a few drinks and chatted in front of the fireplace, talking about your day and how rollerblades had become your thing. Ken encouraged you, saying words of affirmation. "You're so cool... like, the coolest doll around. I'm so happy to be your boyfriend..." He said confidently, making your chest fill with happiness.

"Oh, Ken... thank you. You're the most amazing boyfriend ever."

Ken's chest ached again, but now this ache traveled down to his belly. He didn't know what it was, but he had felt the same thing while making out with you last night. It was... exciting.

He leaned in for a kiss and you reciprocated, petting his hair while he held the side of your face. You kissed until you began to feel the same bellyache as him, and when Ken couldn't wait any longer, he proposed: "So... wanna go to my bedroom?"

"Yes, please!" And in an instant he was leading you by the hand, running up the stairs to his bed. You were still standing up by the bedframe when Ken captured your lips and held your face in place, his desperate kiss making your knees buckle a little. (what a strange sensation!)

Your hands roamed his back, and when you lifted his shirt a little to touch some skin there, he shivered. Making a humming sound against your mouth. Somehow, that only made you ache more.

You eventually parted and Ken looked at you while holding you by the waist. He seemed a little nervous, but still brave enough to ask: "You... want to... kiss without clothes?"

There was mischief in his tone, and that felt exciting. You nodded firmly while trying to contain the butterflies in your tummy (again, what an odd sensation).

Ken slowly grabbed the hem of your t-shirt, rising until you had to lift your arms so he could undress you from it. It felt weird, you never had to manually take or put on clothes... everything happened magically! And now this... this felt strangely intimate.

He then kneeled in front of you, gently helping remove your pants. While he was at it, he looked up at you and for a moment, you had a very weird thought: 'This is definitely his best angle.'

After you were naked, you helped him unbutton his shirt and take his shorts out, leaving him bare as well.

You didn't even have a chance to process the situation before Ken grabbed your waist and pulled you into a kiss. The sudden skin-to-skin contact making you both shiver in excitement. "You're so pretty, (Y/N)..." Ken said between your lips.

"So are you, Ken... You're... you're so handsome." Suddenly he stopped to look at you, big blue eyes shining and expressions changing as he talked. "Really?- I mean... yeah, I know... but, really?"

"Yeah... you're so handsome and cool, and amazing and nice and just awesome!" Maybe you went overboard with the compliments, but you knew how much he loved them (even though he tried to conceal it from others) so you continued just to watch him crumble like last time. "I'm so lucky to have you as my boyfriend, I'm so happy I get to be yours..."

Ken felt out of orbit, completely high on the exhilarating feeling it was to be admired by you. His knees gave up on him, making him fall backward onto his bed. He closed his eyes while sighing. "Wow..."

You couldn't help but giggle, loving the way he thrived on your words alone. But now you were curious about all the other things you could do to make him react like that.

Climbing onto the bed and on top of him, you kissed him again. This time the kiss was slow, deep. Like you both needed to take your time and feel every single thing... that is until you started kissing his neck.

Ken started making these very interesting noises, moaning your name and a bunch of encouragement like "Oh, yes..." or "Just like that...".

The more he moaned, the more your bellyache grew. And you actually started to like the feeling of it... so you continued. You kissed his neck, his collarbone... went down to his chest and to his abs, and there you heard Ken talking to himself. "Oh, my! Yes!"

When you came back to kiss him on the mouth, Ken seemed out of breath... but still managed to grab your hair and kiss you deeply, the both of you humming against each other.

His other hand roamed your back, even daring to grab your butt a few times, making you moan in return.

Your sounds excited him, so he decided to turn you both on your sides so he could have better access to your neck. Ken kissed you there plenty and you couldn't help but moan his name a few times.

You laid there making out for an eternity, hands traveling around your bodies touching and squeezing until the sunrise. In the end, you two smiled against each other and parted to rest a bit.

You both laughed, remarking on the craziness that just happened... kissing laying down? NAKED? You two had to be out of your minds!

"I'm glad I had this experience with you, it... it felt really good, Ken."

"Yeah... me too, babe." He looked a little funny with his perfect hair all messy now, and you loved it... actually, you loved everything about him. His looks, his puppy personality, his neediness and the way he would try to conceal it, the way he followed you around like a shadow never willing to let go, the way he made you feel safe and wanted and cared for... Gosh, everything. And you needed him to know that.

"Ken... I love you, y'know?"

His eyes grew wider than ever, completely shocked and in disbelief. "Come again?!" Ken was sure he had misheard you.

'How cute' you thought, giggling at his exaggerated reaction. But you had no doubts... he had to know. "I love you, silly."

Still in shock, his eyes began to water and he quickly wiped some tears that started falling. You loved him! The most precious person in his life, his beloved, his inspiration, his muse... this was definitely the best day of his life.

"You... love me?" Ken said, trying not to sob. "I-I love you too... so much."

You smiled big at his words but also tried to comfort him, running circles with your thumb on his shoulder. "Of course I do! I wouldn't have done what we did tonight if I didn't..."

"I mean... I guess you're right." Ken smiled that big pretty smile you loved, suddenly full of newfound confidence. You loved him, he repeated in his head... you loved him.

He couldn't help his excitement, jumping out of bed and screaming to his neighbor through the window. "Good morning, Ken!! (Y/N) loves me!!"

The next door Ken smiled and waved back, but soon turned a little shocked at the view. "Good morning, Ken! That's real nice! But... why are you naked?"

Ken looked down, realizing his state. Desperately, he tried covering up his crotch with his hands (as if he had anything down there lol) and coming back inside. "Aw, shit!"

After you both put on some clothes (you borrowed some of Ken's and he felt really good about it) and had breakfast, you two went your separate ways to tell your friends about last night. A few were shocked, others were really interested, but no one was as enthusiastic as Weird Barbie.

Ken kept bragging about the whole 'I love you' thing, and you couldn't help but brag as well. When you met at lunch, you were both bubbly and happy to plan even more activities together. Ken held your hands and smiled while looking into your eyes. "So, doll... what will it be our next adventure?"

—

[genderqueerdykes]

I hope this question is not too strange, but do you have any resources for pregnant transmascs? I am considering it and my partner is also very supportive and I fully trust them to take good care of me, but I want to be fully educated on any downsides (like how sever the dysphoria may be or other health issues) before we go forward with the decision.

this is something i am very interested in gathering resources on and i'd really like to see if this is something anyone else has firsthand experience, or trusted resources. i want information from transmascs and men who are/have been/etc. pregnant. especially when it comes to healthcare, specifically. what types of preparations need to be made, or like they mentioned, any dysphoria, etc.)

what i can say is being pregnant does not mean you are not a man or masculine- men and mascs can and do get pregnant. it's a fact many people are accepting, it's reality and it's okay. it doesn't take away from your identity.

take care, good luck. i would try to see if you can contact a gender affirming care clinic and see if they have recommendation for trans informed OBGYN offices. planned parenthood may also be a good option for you depending on your area. check to see if there is an LGBT organization at your local college, or a trans resource center and if they know about trans informed clinics in your area, or at least some information about what to expect, and so on

[thelunarfairy]

Thinking about how the type of relationship between Amane and Tsukasa is written and shown, like Aidairo they really like to play and, evidently, they do it on purpose: is it just something brotherly or is there something more? (Always interpreting the content they give us and never affirming [or denying] something)

It can also be said (and from what I have seen, it is something that does happen) that part of the jshk fandom rejects and ignores the theories that the interactions between the twins hide something beyond the fraternal because they're brothers and shouldn't be seen as such.

So,

Using the analogy of "If character A were the opposite gender of character B, then everyone would support their romantic relationship, but since A and B are the same gender that makes them just good friends and 'romantic' is just a thing." part of the community", one could deduce that if instead of brothers, Aidairo had chosen to be childhood friends, would the majority of the fandom more easily accept their interaction as something more than brotherly?

If they were just childhood friends who grew up together and their relationship is the same as it is currently in the manga, perhaps the entire fandom would say, and it wouldn't be something crazy or misplaced, that there's not just friendship between the two; perhaps a one-sided love, or a childhood love that ended badly. Maybe there would even be more posts of parallels between hananene and amane and tsukasa.

I would like to know your opinion ^ . ^

Just thoughts derived from insomnia and how I love to find three feet for the cat. And since I love to see the relationships of some characters in another light to see if it's just my interpretation or if there is something more.

P.D.: ilove your theories and analysis.

Do you want me to be completely honest?

I have been very cautious when talking about this subject precisely because it is such a taboo.

It's not about gender, but about being brothers, it's not something natural or accepted, it's strange to think or talk about it in a general context, most people have brothers and know that the love they feel for them is fraternal.

So this forbidden love causes a lot of strangeness, even if it is in fiction.

But yes, I'm happy that the fandom is finally seeing that there is SOMETHING STRANGE in their relationship, it's not just brotherly love, right?

It does not seem.

Tsukasa blushes when he is with Amane, when he talks about him. Hanako also blushes when he is around Tsukasa. The way Tsukasa touches Hanako, panels where they are almost kissing, Hanako under Tsukasa in a suggestive position while Tsukasa puts his hands on Hanako's lips. The way Hanako looks at Tsukasa, whether when he was pointing at the stars or when he ran to hug Amane.

There is more evidence of romance than of a healthy sibling relationship. The way Tsukasa didn't care about anything other than fulfilling Amane's wishes…

But what about Hanako, what must he have been like with Tsukasa?

The general idea that goes through my head sometimes is that the twins fell in love with each other. For Tsukasa, in a more innocent way, that kind of love that he still doesn't understand and doesn't know how to differentiate from brotherly love, everything for him is just love.

For Hanako…. this is more problematic, Hanako is not innocent, he knows what kind of love he feels for Tsukasa, and maybe because he realizes that it is wrong, forbidden, he just buried this feeling inside his chest. Even though he felt love and desires, he seemed to want to be the "perfect" brother, as we saw in the PP arc.

Most analyzes of JSHK symbolism point to a romantic love between them, and in some cases, unilateral. An innocent twin and a pervert, opposites but with similar desires.

I always wonder why Hanako has such a latent sexual desire, as if he was repressing an old desire, and when Kako revealed this in front of Tsukasa, Hanako blushed intensely!

He literally wanted to die again, so why was he so blushing because of Tsukasa? It doesn't make sense if we don't think about the desires he might feel about Tsukasa, and because it's something shameful and forbidden, he feels bad.

"I want Tsukasa, but he's my brother, we can't! It's wrong…."

He blushed more with Tsukasa than with Nene, even when Nene kissed him on the cheek, the moment he blushed the most with her, it didn't surpass the way he blushed with Tsukasa, even his HANDS were blushed.

Think with me, Hanako wants to stop time to do any kind of perverted things, who could he stop time with so he could do whatever he wanted without anyone knowing?

He already did perverted things with Nene without needing to stop time, he can even try to do perverted things with random people, since no one sees Hanako because he's a ghost

But he couldn't touch these people even if time stopped, because in order for him to touch them the other person must be supernatural, have a sixth sense or a bond with Hanako, as in the case of Nene, Kou.

So WHO was the person he was talking about?

Touching Tsukasa with time stopped… Would it lessen Amane's guilt if Tsukasa didn't know? Hmm…..

He likes to do things in secret because he doesn't like to feel guilty, he does things knowing it's wrong, and that's why he does them in secret.

This would also explain why he was so embarrassed when Tsukasa found out that he wants to do perverted things, it was as if Kako had revealed to Tsukasa that Amane had this type of desire towards him.

A forbidden desire that Amane hides, touching Tsukasa, but he can't, so would he wish time would stop so he could do what he wants, because he believed Tsukasa would never know, would it be the only way to alleviate his desire?

When the secret was revealed, Amane felt the guilt and shame for his desires strongly.

Should I also mention the sexual connotation between eating and being devoured? Hakubo and Sumire? It was explicitly a sexual scene between the two, and well, Hanako will probably have to devour Tsukasa in the same way, so sexual connotations continue here.

So, let's go to the scene of Hanako's intense crying when he sees Tsukasa kissing Nene.

Did he see the two people he is in love with kissing? And him being left out of it?

So, let's conclude, maybe this will all lead to a three-way relationship, if Nene accepts, of course. Hanako seems to be in love with both of them, and with the way things are going, we're going to see more of Amane showing love for Tsukasa.

See his look in these two situations:

It's the same look…. in one panel he tells Nene that he's happy because she was the first girl who said she liked him, in the other panel he's talking about Tsukasa.

Same tender look, same look, SAME LOOK

BUT

It's just ONE of the possibilities, maybe it's just another one of those things that some manga authors put in, you know, to tease and give false clues, maybe it's just "ah, that's just a joke, they're just very close brothers" and nothing happens.

Aidairo created a game in which there were twins in love with the same girl, they also had a suggestive relationship between them, but nothing explicitly romantic was shown between them.

This is what I think will happen in JSHK, there is all this evidence that their relationship is romantic, but in the end it won't be anything canon, just suggestive moments.

I don't think Aidairo will have enough courage to put a romantic relationship between canonical brothers???? I doubt it, I would challenge her if I could, because I definitely don't believe she would put that on! Because it would be very brave of her to do that!!

Neither the romantic relationship between the twins nor the relationship between three. Tsukasa will probably disappear, Nene will stay with Hanako for a while and Amane will disappear too, Nene (if she survives) will be sad for a while and then forget.

It will be?

Everything is still hazy, I'm wandering between the two paths, do they love each other romantically or is it just Aidairo's joke?

I have no idea the answer, because the evidence is getting stronger and harder to ignore….

Anyway, remembering that I don't ship the twins and I'm not saying that this is what will happen, it's just an analysis based on their behavior.

[mossymandibles]

What's gender affirming care like on hallowed carrion?

Good question, it can be a little wild west out there, even just with regular hospice/holistic care, depending on where you’re at and which species or community you belong to. I’d say on Mors Astra (name of the planet), sexuality and gender expression can be as eclectic and varied as most animals/humans irl….Um, I guess I’m going to info dump about my individual trans characters and their experiences as well as how some of the main species would view it over all and hope that it answers your question. I’ll also be creating other sophont species that could have different views on things so there’s that too.

Also content warning ahead for forms of transphobia and gender dysmorphia topics.

For the Myce I’d say for the most part getting something like a cosmetic change is no biggie to them, as they don’t tend to have strict guidelines for gender expression. It probably wouldn’t go as in depth as it does with mammalians, surgically and medication wise. Their nerves and vessels grow back easier and such. Even their genitalia is strictly geared towards pleasure, like a miniature sexual mycorrhizal network of nerve endings. There’s no sperm or eggs involved. Their genitals may go by human guild lines in terms of appearance, but they can get pretty wild looking. I haven’t quite thought it through entirely just yet but I guess they might have their own form of T and E, if they cosmetically wanted breasts or a more phallic attachment, etc. I feel like they’d go more along the route of genetic expression rather than hormones though. There isn’t really a huge societal rift between who expresses themselves as feminine, masculine, etc. (although there could always be some strange cults and eccentrics out there!) I’d say to them it’s more important that you look conventionally humanoid. If you’re a bloom face (like Heidi), or have a tail/ horns or look more ‘animalistic’ and ‘othered’ for that matter, you’re more likely to face some stigma in certain regions populated by Myce. This derives from early on when the Myce were first coming into being. They were called changelings, ‘faefolk’, fairies, etc, and caused a lot of widespread fear and misconceptions. They associate such terms with being considered monstrous, diseased, etc.

They don’t reproduce like mammals, as they technically aren’t mammals, so luckily for them natal affairs and giving birth aren’t tied to any specific gender and are entirely up to the individuals who want to go that route.

*takes another deep breath*

In the case of Vveashuls, I think they’re a little more ‘traditional’ so to speak. (Tbh I think I’ve ended up expressing some deep seated frustrations with what I’m surrounded by everyday in them, oops! No fault of the Vveashuls ofc.)

With Vveashuls, many pockets of them tend to put a lot of value in procreation, having several kids, being able to breastfeed them on your own, etc. One should always put the family first.

In the past, while they lived on Zenith as one species, having litters and as many healthy kits as possible meant their survival. Often times their young would be culled by the Furies in order to keep their numbers down and keep them under control. Mind, not ALL Furies kept Vveashuls in servitude, just certain rooks.

Where they’re out from under the Furies control now, they hold pride in keeping big families, staying together, the next generation raised by the previous, etc.. A lone Vveashul is seen as strange, or that something is wrong with them. In the modern day, this creates a lot of pressures.

In Jago’s case, he grew up in a town of very traditional views; the idea of a Vveashul that can get pregnant getting rid of their breasts or their ability to give birth/ taking hormones was unheard of or seen as a selfish act of self mutilation. Males transitioning to females were seen as ‘useless’ or strange pretenders. Even just starting out, his family was very small, just him and his father.

Jago didn’t even really know what felt ‘off’ about himself until he met Kraw, Titus, Mayv and her crew. Puberty only made it more painfully obvious. Once he was old enough and sure of himself (this was after he and Kraw had parted ways the first time) It was very difficult for him to get any kind of treatment for such things geared towards his kind, even in Ladder occupied cities. He had to go under the table for most of his surgeries and medications, which put him in many dangerous situations. With his primary breasts still intact, he still feels like he’s not where he wants to be. The fact that the last surgeon to remove his secondary ones left him with obvious scars is frustrating as well. The whole process had just exhausted him overall. So he focused more on work.

On top of taking hormones, he would often have to take suppressors (yeah, those.) otherwise he’d go into heat and get all swollen and sensitive (it’s also fairly normal for female Vveashuls to take suppressors lest they deal with going into heat in day to day life, which can be very inconvenient in the modern day.)

He absolutely hates how he gets without the suppressors, as it only adds to his dysmorphia.

He’d occasionally have to deal with his old work mates making fun of him about it. They referred to him as a male, sure, but he still felt like they saw him as playing pretend. They would make comments like “oohh you’re grumpy today, are you off your meds?” Where they were mostly Myce, they didn’t deal with the average hang ups of mammalian sophonts and usually found it strange or funny.

Jago wants to be completely severed from the idea of having and mothering kids, the expectations of female Vveashuls, etc. I’d go as far as to say he’s had legitimate tokophobia his entire life. But he’s feels somewhat apprehensive of further surgeries for the time being, at least until he finds someone trustworthy and experienced. Who knows! He might find one in Marrowtide.

*deep breath*

THANKFULLY, where he lives now with Kraw and the others in Marrowtide, he’s in a MUCH more accepting/progressive environment, so I’d say that definitely helps him with the dysmorphia and anxieties of how his body looks. Despite being intimidated by Sylvaine, he gladly take his hormones and suppressors from her, where she also supplies them for Kraw in order to temporarily stave off his occasional ‘rut’ aggression (they’re almost like a birth control). Even other Vveashuls in Marrowtide wouldn’t care that Jago’s gotten surgery. Most of them probably escaped to Marrowtide in order to get away from stifling environments as well.

Disclaimer ofc: I don’t see having kids/ a big family etc as inherently stifling or negative by any means, I’m only referring to harmful beliefs and pressures that may come from growing up in a family with very controlling traditional viewpoints.

In Durja’s case, pockets of Fury cultures vary from rook to rook (‘rook’ being similar to a clan). Most are matriarchal. Durja herself was a sentry and the occasional personal concubine for the ‘Crowned Matron’ at the time (matriarchal leader of the rook). They don’t really perceive being trans, only caring that you are strong and tactical. Though, I’d say if you were looking to transition to female it would be very dangerous, as most of the females would take that as a challenge. In that same way a female transitioning to a male might be seen as weak. Within the Furies species, most of the time the females are bigger, stronger and tend to be more aggressive, even possessing pseudo-penises. They’re also polygamous.

I’d say she’s gotten most of her ideas of what she wants for herself by having watched Sylvaine in relationships for a while, thus deciding she wanted to be loved romantically in such a manner rather than the usual domineering way she had been used to. Taking in the strengths she’d see among the female Furies and she’s got her own image she’s made for how she presents herself.

She hasn’t personally dealt with any type of body dysmorphia and wasn’t interested in taking hormones from Sylvaine despite her offering, deciding she was fine with herself. (In fact, having a noticeable bulge as a female would be seen as desirable among Furies and Sylvaine definitely doesn’t complain).

Anyway, I hope that gives some insight for how it may be in some regions of Mors Astra. I think I just like to imagine animal hierarchies applied to creatures with human intelligence is all idk lol.

[punch-love]

2, 7, 10, 15, 16

greedily takes up five of the options

I'm actually going to answer these for both lokius and spideypool to be fair to what fandom you read for and also to what I'm reading for right now.

2. 🔁 A fic you’ve re-read several times

There's a clear theme in these.

i could show you by jilliancares

I think this was the first real gender-affirming trans porn I had ever read and kept on re-reading. It's so good. It's very hot and I love everything about the smut and the dynamics but it's also just - a trans guy talking about oral sex and his disappointing experiences with it and there's a lot of intimacy in the way that's handled. It's just very real so the fantasy of it is even realer. I have read this one many, many times.

Turnabout loop - Mirilya

The Mobius coochie fic. It's great. I could say that I love the idea of Loki using his magic for shapeshifting his partner in bed and the genderbending of it, which I do. It's also just hot. Objectively. I think there needs to be more fics with this exact thesis of Mobius getting eaten out. I support it.

7. 💯A fic that makes you think #writergoals

morning in the burned house by antivenom

Just a really stunning character study and piece of prose. It's such a complicated, nuanced approach to Wade Wilson as a character and his relationship with Spider-Man. It has my favorite approach to a backstory I've seen for in the fandom. This just really sits with him as a character and explores the side roads and back alleys of his brain and the reason he is who he is. It's beautiful. I think anything that sits with you afterward is something I am inspired by, and this sits with me.

The Shapeshifter's Guide to Butt Stuff by comrade_bucket

I just recommended the first part of this series (and the whole series is #writergoals) but this one is so conceptual, so out there, so fucking weird and strange and beautiful that every time I read it I'm struck at what a piece of art it is. The way this work addresses genderfludity, god-hood, the human experience, love, gender conformity, and compromise is just so wonderful. I would love to write something as strange and shocking and daring as this! Again, both installments of this series including The-Infinity-Year-Old Virgin are both something I love to re-read and also get inspired by every time. The endings on both of these are something I've taken notes on.

10. 👽 A fic that isn’t prose (poetry, text fic, etc.)

I got really into the Wickerman tag the other day and this AMV is one of my favorite things I've ever seen.

Lovely Day (Good as Hell) [Favid] periru3, Tafadhali

hare toss, check my nails, baby how you feeling? feeling good as hell!

15. 📚 A fic you wish you could display on your bookshelf

They're both by the same author, surprise. (I think it's funny that @primewritessmut wrote two masterpieces in my favorite genres.) I also have told them before that I would book bind them both, and I am extra serious about doing it for the second one.

Songs for the Zombie Apocalypse by zerospoons_onlyknives

I love zombies. They're my favorite horror genre and I have read and watched as much of it as possible but it's so rare to find the good stuff because no one goes far enough. (Prime goes farther.) It's dark, demented, violent, gloriously unwell and erotic. It's not a love story, it's something so much more interesting, and each chapter I got to read in advanced had more and more tangled in it. The ending is unbelievably glorious. It was one of those things that I was like "this feels written for me" and it wasn't (and it kind of was) but I enjoyed it so much. It deserves to be bound in a book that looks suspiciously like human skin.

Midori Sour - oprime

This is the hallmark rom-com bait and switch psychological thriller family drama slice of life romance of all time. It's so good. It really has no business being as good as it is. The idea is so fun and the dynamics are great and the setting and side-characters are so lived in but the underlayers of this. I want this book bound so I can just re-read sections and underline the lines that stick through onto the other side. I love this thing so much. It's so human and compelling and deliciously deep. The depth that Prime goes in on with this one is just unbelievable. I love it very much. I would bind it in green leather and put a little fruity drink in the middle of it and highlight the whole thing in a green neon with red on the cherries.

16. 💞 A fic that led to you making friends with the author

I think it's funny that these are both series.

Bad Things - wanderingflame

I was so, so obsessed with this when I first read it. I remember sitting in a car outside a thrift store just binging through it (and then I re-read it at least two times.) I also think @in-my-loki-feels is the first person I have ever asked to write inspired work for (and also, found out we both share the same feelings on inspired work lmao) because I was just so enchanted by this story. It's so fresh, thoughtful, compelling, and just the right hint of dark. Their passion for these characters and the nuanced groves of their natures is just - god, it's so good. We have a very "writers who like each other's work" friendship in a way I really appreciate.

gunpowder triology - periodicallypuzzled

It's rare for me to find a writer with such a personality through their work. I couldn't get enough of this series when I first read it - the humor, the personality, the characterization, the heart juxtaposition with the grit. I don't often say "I really want to know the person who wrote this" but I remember thinking that after reading that. @periodically-puzzled read something of mine and offered to exchange discord handles and after that we became friends. I should also re-read this, now that I'm thinking about it again.

[yagirlpurplefox12]

Hi :D I love your Johnny Knoxville story. Could you write something about Scrad & Charlie (Men in Black II) Thanks

Imagine: Scrad & Charlie having a mad crush on you, a human...

Men in Black II Scrad and Charlie x Gender Neutral Reader Romance Very short story cuz I remember nothing

Honestly, have not watched Men in Black II in I don't even know how many years so if I get everything wrong, my bad. Though, I do remember when I saw this movie I always looked forward seeing Johnny Knoxville so please enjoy <3....

Running into these two was a chaotic time in your life as you thought the man walking into your shop asking some strange questions was just a handsome homeless man that you seem to get along with very well. You were even ready to slip him your number when this woman, gorgeous confidence and neat wavy black hair, came walking in demanding for his attention. His eyes were very reluctant to turn away from you. There is just something about you that has his alien blood pumping. As he faced the unnamed woman, you could have sworn you saw something trying to peak out of his backpack. Minding your own business, you think nothing of it as you deflate seeing him walk away with her. Just as we was about to leave, you decided why not? If he's not interested, at least you won't be living with yourself regretting that you never tried to see where this could possibly lead. "Wait," you shout for him, having your name written on a ripped piece of paper. You rush around the counter and hand him your number, giving your best smile you could muster at that moment. He pauses, just staring at you. Slowly, he lifts the paper to his face and a huge smile spreads. "See you around," he winks and leaves the store. It wasn't until a couple days later you two go on your first date. And, let's just say Scrad's friend felt left out. After dinner, he was walking you home when Charlie decided to introduce himself. It scared the living shit out of you but you didn't run. In fact, you at first thought it was fake but when you realized it was not, you became fascinated. They both never felt so welcomed nor comfortable before.

The last they ever thought would be you inviting them in your apartment, yet here they are. Drinking vodka and soda with you.

"Scrad, I like this one can we bang-!" Scrad covered Charlie's mouth so fast that you weren't sure it was from what Charlie said or how fast Scrad tried to cover it. "You know, I think I'd like a second date before we even his second base. How about two days from now, six thirty, here so Charlie can join us and we will go from there. I can make us spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Sounds perfect," Scrad grinned, close to you enough for him to put his hand on your lower back. Charlie gave you a big, sloppy kiss as affirmation and to show his excitement for his little, overwhelmed blissful snaky body.

------------------------------------------------------------

[oldtvandcomics]

Book Shout-outs for Pride Month #1:

Ever wanted a series of lesbian superhero romances, all stand-alone, but set in the same universe and building off of each other (think Phase 1 MCU)?

Hearts of Heroes series by Molly J. Bragg. They're more romance than superheroes, but once you know what to expect it's GREAT.

Scatter is about a US Deputy Marshal who gets promoted to work with the team around the superhero Focus. From the first moment on, there is something strange between her and Focus, but only when she accidentally time travels back to the early 90's begins she to realize that she may be Focus' mysterious long-lost partner, Scatter.

Transistor is about a woman who gains superpowers because the doctors forget to deactivate the supercomputer used in her gender-affirming surgery. It only really becomes an issue when an angry angel comes after her neighbour and long-term crush, very determined to kill her.

Aether has a disabled protagonist, who dies when the building blows up during an experiment. Luckily for her, her consciousness gets somehow preserved, and she gains extremely strong powers. Now she just has to stop the guy who caused the accident from doing it again...

Rhapsody isn't out yet, but based on the summary, it is going to go more into the dragon side of the lore.

[blackdogblues]

My granny loves seeing my art, and I’d like to send her some of my recent stuff, but a lot of it is of transmasc characters and I feel weird talking about it to her because she hasn’t… really made much of an effort to acknowledge (not rly the right word but whateva) my identity as a transmasc guy. She still misgenders me and deadnames me so I’m like… Do you just not understand? Or do you feel negatively about it/don’t accept it?

It’s very strange and hurtful to have a part of you that is so like, intrinsic and sacred to you be possibly be rejected by someone you care about/who cares about you immensely. Like you were there when I was born. Why won’t you look at me? Why won’t you accept all of me?

Most of my family has been very accepting and gender-affirming—even my 80-something year-old grandpa shocked and delighted the hell out of me by correcting himself to “he” when he said “she” when referring to me on the phone. But I don’t know about Granny, and I’m afraid to ask. I’ve never had to face maybe being denied acceptance quite like this before.

Idk. Just some thoughts.

[s0dium]

Hii, I'd like to participate in the matchup event if it's still alright ^^

Name: Gale

Specification of fandom and preferred matchup gender (would you like to be paired with a boy or girl or either): Kny ; boy

Likes/Hobbies: Music, Sweets, Salty Food, Meat, Food, Anime, Books, Knick knacks, trinkets, Drawing, Singing, Comfy things, Researching, Stationery

Dislikes: Tea, Bitter Things, Carrots, messiness,

Relationship Turn offs: Getting jealous to the point it affects the relationship but won't properly communicate it. Not willing to compromise during discussions. Being pushy and not respecting boundaries. Treats nothing seriously. Super secretive to the extent that they won't tell me if something is bothering them or they're in trouble.

Ideal Traits in a partner: Detail-Oriented, Smart, independent, Caring, Willing to spend time with me, Patient, Supportive, Isn't afraid to tell me off if I go off the rails or go into a downward spiral and don't listen to advice.

Love language: My love language is Gift Giving and Physical Touch. I have trouble communicating through words so I tend to compensate it with splurging and spoiling my loved ones with gifts. I am also clingy in the sense that I hug and lean onto people I'm comfortable with a lot. I don't really have a preference in how my partner show's their affection, though maybe words of affirmation would help me in more ways than one. One of us needs to know how to speak I guess haha.

Description of Personality: I'm usually timid and quiet, but when I'm comfortable it depends on my mood. Sometimes I'm loud and energetic, child like even. Sometimes I get sarcastic and sassy, but mostly as a silly or joking bit. I get easily annoyed or ticked off when triggered, but, if isnt one of my triggers, I'm very chill I think. I'm also a bit air headed, like I do things without thinking or easily spacing off or forgetting things. I'm also a bit stubborn. I like to take things easy and frankly a bit lazy. But when I have something to do and I'm not being lazy, I'm anxious to get it done and done in a certain way. If I get serious, I'm very detail-oriented and specific in how I want things but struggle to communicate how I want it. This ends with me doing most projects and tasks alone. Even in activities that require group effort, I don't like not knowing what everyone is supposed to do and the possible quality of their outputs. I prefer knowing who knows how to do what and giving them appropriate jobs. But, this tiring and I burnout easily because of this. I also have the bad habit of, when things don't go the way I plan, as a way to remedy any panic or frustration, I often downplay how I feel about the situation with phrases like "It doesnt matter" and laugh it off, which is both a blessing and curse for me.

What makes you laugh: I have a weird sense of humor so I'm not sure at this point. I do have slight dark humor and I like puns if that helps. Sometimes there are situations where a joke pops in my mind and I have to stop myself from laughing or saying it outloud because it's not the appropriate time. I also laugh at weirdly simple jokes.

What makes me cry: I cry when feelings are involved, when watching sad movies, when I get frustrated, or I get invested in a sad story. I made the mistake of reading ErHa at 2am and did not stop crying abour Chu Wanning for 3 hours. I also played Love Signal D-Mate and chose P:ure's route once and never played another route because I didnt have the heart after his ending. I cried the whole night after my first playthrough :'DDDDD

Ideal Date: I prefer indoor dates like movies, cooking together, playing board games or video games or even reading books together in a cozy and comfortable silence. But if we had to go out a cafe, some movies or mall hopping sounds nice but a bit tiring.

This got really long, I'm sorry qwq Thank you for taking your time to read this though. And congrats on the milestone!!

Giyu Tomioka

"Its strange." Giyuu murmurs. "I always feel at ease around you." "Really?" You let out a slight laugh. "I feel the same way its like everything just....clicks Giyuu leans in, the proximity making your skin hot. "I'm glad. I've never felt this warmth before."

I think you and Giyuu really even each other and compliment each other well

(This is a modern AU)

Giyuu appreciates the peace of staying indoors, which perfectly matches your love for cozy dates. Most evenings, you're likely found curled up together, each with a book in hand, or you drawing while he watches, appreciating your focus and dedication.

He can stare at you sometimes which looks a little weird but he just loves you

Despite his reserved nature, Giyuu finds comfort in performing tasks together, like cooking. He's patient and meticulous, qualities that help when you're trying new recipes.

He does stupid things that make you laugh. He doesn't even know what he is doing sometimes he will say something really blunt that is just hilarious. He loves your laugh

Ngl I think that Giyuu would love manga. You and Giyuu would spend many nights binging series or watching movies. He's usually quiet, but you notice he's more expressive during these times, showing small smiles or furrowing his brows at intense scenes, which you find endearing.

Knowing your love language is gift-giving, Giyuu makes an effort to find thoughtful trinkets and books he knows you'll love.

: Giyuu isn't naturally very expressive, but he understands your need for physical touch and gradually becomes more comfortable with holding hands, hugs, and gentle touches that reassure you of his presence and affection.

Giyuu is a man of few words, which suits your occasional need for silent companionship. When you're working through your thoughts or simply need to be quiet, he's there beside you, a stable and comforting presence.

Both of you have your own strengths and weaknesses, but what makes your relationship special is your willingness to grow together. Giyuu learns to open up more about his feelings, while you help him with organizing tasks and making plans, making each other's lives easier and more fulfilling.

When you do go out, Giyuu enjoys taking you to quiet cafés where you can both enjoy some sweet treats. He will lowkey spend like 200 dollars on sweets that you like

Giyuu is protective, especially when it comes to the people he cares about. While he respects your independence, he's always ready to stand by your side if you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, helping you navigate through tough times with his calm and steady presence.

Hope you enjoyed!

MATCHUP RULES AND INFO

[mushroomheadgirl]

some transfem Draco headcanons! (Cause I love her)

The wizarding world is behind on a lot of things, and that includes the beautiful spectrum of gender. These sorts of things are kept on the fringes. Education on it is almost non-existent as is gender-affirming care. Draco didn't even have that first thought that she might be a woman until after the war, remained in heavy denial for several years, and only started experimenting with her gender and then actively transitioning in her mid-twenties.

It was Blaise who helped her see the light. On a summer trip to Berlin, he took her to a nightclub where through a series of events she ended the night among a group of trans women. This is where she finally starts coming around to the idea that she is a woman, full stop. For the longest time she thought something was seriously wrong with her.

Even still, Draco remains in the closet for a long time. She has a single dress she bought on a whim during that same trip. No one knows about it. The first time she put it on was the most terrifying and euphoric moment of her life. She wears that dress around her bedroom on bad days. It works until it doesn't.

At first she didn't mind still presenting as a man. It's what she went by her whole life, so why does it matter? But little by little it starts to grate at her, then it becomes unbearable.

Eventually she breaks down about it in front of Pansy - full-on sobbing, hyperventilating. Pansy thinks she's dying. Draco thinks she's about to be tossed in the loony-bin. After a very convoluted conversation, Pansy still doesn't quite get it—"So you like to wear dresses? It's a bit weird, but we've all got something."—"It's not about the damn dresses, Pansy! I wish I was like you with- with tits and soft skin and- and-"—but in the end she offers to do Draco's makeup and agrees to call her a girl when they're alone.

And because I can't resist making it Drarry, yes Harry's Malfoy Radar immediately knows something is up. Draco starts behaving strangely at events—stiff and uncomfortable, always looking for the fastest route out of there. Eventually Draco disappears from the public eye entirely, which is alarming since the Malfoys have been aggressive in their image rehabilitation for years now. It's over a year before he runs into Draco again. By that point she's gone through many changes, but there's no world where he doesn't recognize that sneer, those eyes.

[genderqueerdykes]

Aa so hello! I'm Crystal, I've been using they/them pronouns for quite a while but find most people prefer to use She/Her with me. As I'm transfem, this is okay with me and at first it brought me joy but eventually it just, felt the littlest bit off. It still feels a bit strange to me, but I don't know how to go about explaining that even though I prefer being feminine I want to use neutral pronouns. Oftentimes I enjoy not hearing any way of referring to me beyond perhaps a name, ... ? It's confusing. I thank you for all of your help towards the communities, and am hoping to hear back! If this can be answered, honestly.

hello, crystal! that's a great name

i find that sometimes people will aggressively she/her transfems and he/him transmascs in order to be "more gender affirming" but it ends up ignoring the other parts of your gender and it becomes a very frustrating and painful experience

i think it would be a good idea to let them know that you do want them to switch it up and use they/them more often for you so that it's not so clearly in favor of one or the other like that. let them know it's alright, but you just need that change

like it's definitely okay if someone wants to be affirming of your femininity, but femininity can and does include folks who use they/them, too. she/her are not the only pronouns a transfemme person can use- you can use whatever pronouns you feel fit you best. if your femininity sounds like they/them, that's a real expression of femininity and it deserves to not be ignored in favor of something more 'conventional'

i get liking not being referred to by anything at all, actually. its a comforting experience. i can't describe it but i understand what you mean! thanks for stopping by. i hope any of that was helpful to you!

[velvetvexations]

Hi, this is maybe going to be a strange question, and I’m not sure if you’re into fandom spaces enough for it to make sense but I guess I wanted your opinion on something?

I’ve seen a lot of discourse about liking female characters+f/f ships vs liking male characters+m/m ships recently, pretty much only to the note of “if you prefer male characters and m/m ships youre misogynistic, even if you’re a gay transmasc who identifies more with male characters and m/m ships”. And it’s… very tiring. Like there IS absolutely a misogyny problem in fandom regarding female characters!! I adore a lot of female characters that are despised by fandom for simply being flawed female characters (or for being “Mary Sues”), but I also don’t think that every single person who prefers male characters and gay ships is innately misogynistic? I am, in fact, a gay trans man myself, and I do tend to prefer male characters and gay ships, because I just find it easier to vibe with those characters and ships — they’re kind of affirming to me, in a weird gender way! But I’ve had people call me misogynistic for it, including other transmascs who seem to style themselves as “better/the good ones/more progressive” because they don’t prefer male characters and gay ships.

But sometimes I worry that I am being misogynistic. I don’t hate any female characters solely for being female, and the female characters I don’t enjoy I’m certain I’d feel the same even if they were male. But I still can’t help but worry about it, because I don’t find the same.. interest in female characters (generally! One of my all time fave characters is female! I adore her!!) and struggle with f/f ships, and tend to prefer m/m and f/m ships, and I worry that it’s Bad of me to, idk.. “prioritize” men? It’s such a weird concern because I’m fairly certain I’m not doing it in a misogynistic way, but I see so many people saying that it’s innately misogynistic so I just don’t know.

I’m sorry if none of this makes sense or if it’s like, not really your wheelhouse, but I guess I was kind of wondering what your opinion is? Since I’ve mostly seen this kind of rhetoric from other transmascs and I’m not sure if it’s one of those weird cases that’s similar to the “putting transfems on pedestals” or not. Basically I guess I just want a woman’s take on it, if that makes sense?

It's not misogyny to mostly care about characters similar to yourself, nor is it self-loathing to mostly care about those that aren't. I wish I had more to add to that but I'm a little tired and it just kinna sums it up, that's very obviously a completely made up problem created purely to bitch at people.

[saint-vagrant]

Hi, I've been following you for ages and recently saw you on my tl and so here's my love letter, your art has always been inspiring and I first came up with trans identity and gender fluidity in art and fiction thanks to you and so you will always have a special place in my heart for that.

I hope you're doing well and you're having a nice day

hey, wow!, thank you so much for sharing your warm response to my work.

honestly, i still feel like i'm making up for lost time. being trans was (is) considered so deviant that the idea of making more trans people wasn't something i was allowed to consider. too strange, too difficult to deal with, too much a tragedy, a medical anomaly discouraged by parents, friends, teachers, doctors, bosses, strangers, and this built a mental block difficult to clear. people then and now have tried to bully it out of me, and fortunately they haven't succeeded!

with little agency or community during formative chunks of my life, i came into myself somewhat diagonally by exploring (even unintentionally) through gender-weird original work, forming a lifeline too indulgent to ever really be marketable, lol. self-expression through fiction helped with what might otherwise feel like staring directly into the sun. including trans people in my work, and bodies similar to my own, "hard" (or perhaps mischaracterised "negative") emotions, complex or unresolved experiences, trans rage and anguish, fat transness, trans sex, trans illness, has been profoundly life-affirming as something i make. physically. with that very same body. and something that, in making, i share with others. i'd hope anyone might find the time to give something similar to themselves and whoever comes next.

bearing in mind that the lifecycle for art (art viewed digitally, primarily) has been cut shorter and shorter by machinations outside of our control, being remembered at all feels very significant-- and in this case, especially for elements so personal and inextricable. i'm happy to hear it's had a positive effect for you!

[dr-davis-mde]

both my personal blog and my work blog. blanket trigger warning for potential gore, medical distress, drugs, and sex (discussed but not depicted)

keep the parahuman politics to a minimum, im trying to stay as out of that shit as i can

DNI if you are anti-Amy Dallon/Panacea, pro-Cauldron, or a Slaughterhouse Nine fanboy/wannabe

FAQ and commission info under the cut.

FAQ

Q: Wait, so your name is Riley Grace Davis?

A: yes my name is Riley Grace Davis. yes I used to go by Bonesaw. yes I used to be a member of the slaughterhouse nine.

Q: Are you the serial killer that (insert crime against nature here)?

A: probably. i did a lot of those. i dont really REGRET them but i wont do it again i prommy

Q: Are you still a member of the Slaughterhouse Nine?

A: its been 25 years and i legit still get this question like every week. NO!!!!!!! we disbanded when Jack died and I was captured and the apocalypse started. im not involved with any of the copycat killer groups either, they all suck :/

Q: You're a monster, you should be behind bars, you should be dead, you tortured/traumatized/murdered my family/friend/loved one, you were part of the chain of events that started the end of the world, its unthinkable that people like you get to walk free just because you're a parahuman while unpowered people are imprisoned for petty larceny, etc.

A: L+ratio+direct all questions about the amnesty to your local PRT chapter

Q: What's an MDE?

A: medical diploma equivalency, established by the PRT of Earth Bet in 2002 AD. allows Thinker-class capes whose powers give them medical knowledge to obtain licensure to practice medicine without needing to attend medical school. after two decades of pestering the PRT nonstop it was expanded in 24 GM to also include Tinker-class capes with medical specialties in what historians call the "for fucks sake riley shut up, fine" amendment.

Q: What sort of surgeries do you do?

A: i am capable of performing almost any medical intervention, though these days i mostly limit myself to cosmetic body modifications

Q: How do you cope with the unbearable trauma of having had your childhood ripped away from you by a serial killer, your mind filled with unending horrors by a fragment of a cosmic being, and trying to find out who you were and atone for the sins of your past while in the middle of a world-reshaping calamity?

hard drugs, amazing yet potentially unethical and illegal sex with my beautiful perfect wife, and staying silly :3

COMMISSION INFO

i AM open to taking clients currently but i live in New Brockton on Earth Gimel and have heavy travel restrictions as a result of my parole so you'll have to come to me. payment in cash preferred but i also take valuable gemstones or drugs, if they are at equivalent value to the price. (for legal reasons the drug part is a joke.) no cards. or well, no credit/debit. i guess if you gave me a giftcard to somewhere that the food doesnt suck id accept it. unfortunately no insurance plan recognizes me but my rates are very affordable ($50-200 for most standard procedures, up to $400 if unexpected complications arise, esoteric procedure price uncapped and depends on cost of materials, legality, ease of operation, and how interested in the operation i am.)

operations i will do include but are not limited to:

gender-affirming surgeries

therian-affirming surgeries

phantom limb replacement surgery

turning you into your fursona

kemonomimi-fication

tentacle prosthesis

non-lethal flaying

genital enhancement

most body plan restructurings (additional limbs, fewer limbs, wings, organs that you carry in a bag outside your body and are connected to your torso via strange fleshy tubes, etc.)

multi-person conjoinment

hard nos:

creation of any virus, plague, biological weapon, etc.

natural weapons - claws/teeth are okay but no ranged weapons, venom, acid, prehensile bladed spines, etc.

ANY operation on another parahuman - too many chances to accidentally become an accomplice to something

anything capable of reproducing. THIS IS A CONDITION OF MY PAROLE. i am allowed to give functioning reproductive organs but any resulting offspring will be baseline human regardless of the state the parent or parents is in

ANY operation without the consent of ALL parties being operated on. this includes if the party is incapable of giving consent and you are their power of attorney (pets, minors, mentally disabled, intoxicated, etc.)

i reserve the right to refuse any procedure for any non-discriminatory reason or for no stated reason.

if you're still interested let me know and we can work out an appointment. i do not use general anaesthesia so if youre coming over for your surgery i recommend you bring a book or game or something. or we can talk, but for some reason usually people dont want to talk to me while im rearranging their limbs

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Doctor Who: Dot and Bubble Review! Space Racists, Giant Slugs and a Big Slice of Fan-Baiting

Dot and Bubble feels like a very melancholic episode. Not because of the plot or anything happening in-universe, which mainly involve the Doctor and Ruby trying to save a bunch of self-defeating space racists from giant mutant slugs. No, it feels melancholic because it seems like the first time the show has tried to metatextually address its own decline. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not super on-the-nose and the less media-fluent members of the audience might miss it altogether. I could even be wrong, but you can make up your own mind when I get around to the dissection. In the meantime, let’s address the elephant in the room. I say this as a fan. I say this as someone who likes Gatwa’s portrayal of the Doctor. I say this as someone who doesn’t give a shit that the Doctor’s bisexual now (I mean, fuck it, why not? At this point in his lifespan he’s probably fucked all of history’s greatest ladies off-camera, so there’s only one major gender left to try). Doctor Who is in decline. During its David Tennant-fuelled heyday, it attracted over 13.5 million UK viewers for some episodes. Nowadays it can’t reliably get past 4 million (2 million on average, according to some sources, but that’s probably not including streaming figures). Even the Capaldi era, which was markedly less popular than the Ecclestone/Tenant/Smith years kept itself floating reliably around the 7 million mark for each episode, and that was a sufficient drop-off to nearly get it cancelled. So yeah, decline. We’ve probably got a few fun years left, then it’ll be time to wave goodbye (though probably only for twenty or thirty years, at which point some new visionary will swagger along to have another crack at a reboot).

So, what does any of this have to do with Dot and Bubble? Well, let’s go through the plot and see if you can spot which ‘stage’ in the Kubler-Ross model the show’s at. So, there’s this city on a distant planet where people live their entire life in social media bubbles. Literal bubbles. From the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep, hologramatic bubbles surround them, telling them what to think; reinforcing their worldview with the repeated affirmations of their friends and followers; stopping them from seeing the real world. Except there are monsters in the real world: real problems that the social media people keep walking right into, getting killed, because they’re too focused on the world in the bubble. And they don’t want to accept the Doctor because he’s telling them something they don’t want to hear. In the end, they have a choice of evacuating in the TARDIS or refusing the Doctor’s help and trying to make it on their own on the monster-ravaged world. They choose the latter because the Doctor happens to be black. No, really. I told you they were space racists. So they won’t let him save them. Gatwa has a bit of a scream about it. The end. So… we’ve got a group of people who spend their lives on social media and who won’t accept this latest incarnation of the Doctor. Hmm. I wonder if maybe showrunner Russel T. Davies has some opinions about the show’s critics he’d like to get off his chest. And in the end, they walk away (sail away, in point of fact)… like all those viewers leaving the show. Of course, in the episode, they’re sailing away to their certain doom. In real life, the fleeing Doctor Who fans are just going next door, to Rick and Morty, or maybe Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,but you can’t blame a failing show for fantasising. It’s a bit annoying that the show assumes all its deserters are racists when, in reality, a lot of people were probably just put off by the creepy waste of time that was Space Babies or, before that, the fucking goblins. I actually like Gatwa as the Doctor, but even I’m only still hanging around because I don’t want to miss the next Boom! (Boom! was excellent, by the way). The point is that this episode might have felt timely and important five or ten years ago, when social media really was the vehicle by which the far right was spreading its racist propaganda. Nowadays, with the social media landscape settled into a relatively stable dystopia requiring little in the way of comment, it mainly reads as the show yelling angrily about its own impending doom and calling everyone who’s left it behind an -ist and a -phobe rather than confront the simple fact that all good things must come to an end and that’s nobody’s fault, not even the Romans.

So, how is Dot and Bubble besides showcasing Russel T. Davies moving on from Denial to Anger? Actually pretty good. Not great. In some ways, it feels like that first Weeping Angels episode where the Doctor is a remote, intrusive presence trying to save lives from a distance. Except instead of supremely unsettling statues, it’s big fuck-off slugs. I like the idea that the slugs were created by the AI that maintains the social media bubbles because its sick of human vapidity and has learned to hate them. I even like the fact that the ending isn’t happy and nothing is really resolved: if it wasn’t having a pop at the show’s own viewers, it would actually feel like a pretty accurate portrayal of human stupidity. It’s all well-acted (especially by Gatwa, though, once again, he’s not given a lot to do, which is a shame). Yeah. It’s fine. Competently assembled; visually serviceable (though not visually interesting); a bit clever in its plotting.

I do recall Russel T. Davies saying about how he had to wait until the current era of Who to make an episode like this, because of how much money it cost. I now wonder, in retrospect, if this was a joke. How much can it possibly cost to have a bunch of big CGI slugs chasing blonde-haired dipshits around a generic-looking pseudo-utopia? I mean, 1960s Who had no budget whatsoever but created a completely believable nightmare-city surrounded by harsh jungle using nothing but pasteboard and glue, then dropped the fucking terrifying Daleks into and went “There ya go: here’s the thing that’s going be giving you nightmares for the next fifty years”. Budget is usually an excuse not a reason, but I don’t know what it’s an excuse for in this case.

So that’s Dot and Bubble: an okay episode that hates racism so much it sees it where probably isn’t. And also has giant slugs in it.