#Except Dear Billy

[orangeoctopi7]

I posted 1,860 times in 2022

43 posts created (2%)

1,817 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@eregyrn-falls

@spuddy133

@optimistic-violinist

@anistarrose

@krazycat6167

I tagged 1,846 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#gravity falls - 538 posts

#stanford pines - 310 posts

#stanley pines - 208 posts

#ninjago - 191 posts

#lego ninjago - 148 posts

#mabel pines - 114 posts

#pokemon - 102 posts

#dipper pines - 94 posts

#i lol'd - 94 posts

#animals - 64 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#as i got older i would occasionally call them grandma and grandpa [first name] but only if i was talking about them to people who knew them

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

You Don’t Have to be Psychic to Know Where This is Going

See the full post

29 notes - Posted January 8, 2022

#4

@mormonbatmanlover tagged me forever ago but I’ve been busy.

Rules: tag 9 People and answer the questions below.

Three ships: I honestly don’t care for shipping usually but I guess I can find some exceptions. Jaya, Katang, Shawn/Jules (Is there a name for that ship? IDK)

First ever ship: Like I said, I’ve never really cared about shipping. I guess Jaya is the first ship that I was ever really invested in, does that count?

Last song: Fantasy by Mariah Carey

Last film: Free Guy, can you tell?

Currently reading: I just finished re-reading an old Disney fanfic I found in my youth: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3159333/1/Crowns-of-the-Kingdom  

Currently watching: Craig of the Creek. That show is so stinking cute I love it! Also just finished Demon Slayer season 2 yesterday.

Currently consuming: Had some home-made tomato soup for dinner.

Currently craving: MILK.

And I will tag @optimistic-violinist @digikate813 @anistarrose @eregyrn-falls @rum-and-shattered-dreams @fastreader12 @krazycat6167 @e350tb and @desolateunicorn

33 notes - Posted March 26, 2022

#3

I feel kind of bad about that!

Stanford Pines had made mistakes. Severe, catastrophic mistakes. Perhaps not as numerous as some other people, but he knew this was a case where the quality far outweighed the quantity. 

But Ford was determined to do everything in his power to fix them.

See the full post

33 notes - Posted February 13, 2022

#2

So I just binge watched Romantic Killer and it was hilarious. I can relate to having more interest in video games and food and your pet than romance. And I just want to say as an aro-ace person I'm so glad that it ended with it kind of up in the air whether she'll end up dating any of them and they're all good friends who have grown because of knowing each other.

188 notes - Posted October 29, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I watched all three of these this weekend, but only one of them actually made me excited while watching it.

215 notes - Posted May 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[mikewheelerscloset]

max mayfield is so requiem coded

[animangalover-writes]

Just listened to "A Part of me" in the Dear Evan Hansen bonus tracks, and OOF, imagining the song being about everyone finding what Billy hargrove went through but only AFTER he died. Everyone wondering if they could have helped him in some way. Max being Zoe with their similar parallels. Hopper thinking about seeing Billy with bruises and just thinking he was just a troublemaker only to realize afterwards that Neil was doing that to him. Joyce wondering how she didn't see the signs whenever he'd come in to by cigarettes with a busted lip or black eye. The two of them both wondering what they could have done differently to help him, because he was just a kid. Even Eddie Munson, who could have been Billy's only real friend, or Heather Holloway(if she lived), who genuinely mourn him and wish they could have done something. Steve being Evan, when he makes a speech about Billy, a kid he was just starting to be friends with, that gains he a lot of praise and popularity. Except unlike Evan, he doesn't want it, hates it even. Someone, a guy(Eddie or Steve or anyone else) who was secretly dating him. Who goes to Max because she is the only person in his family that really cared about him, and aims to tell her that Billy was gay, just so she holds that secret part of him close to her heart. And before they say it, she tells them, "You make me feel closer to him." And they realize it's not their secret to tell, and that that secret will follow him to the grave. That he will never be allowed to truly own that part of himself, even in death. And Billy's ghost, watching the interaction at the end, with a solemn look on his face, knowing that some people are using his death for pity points, and knowing that most people never really knew him, and now they never will.

[ditzybat]

nothing in my head except for thoughts of bruce and constantine co-parenting billy.

like it could very well be platonic co parents bruce and john, but i think it could be a very tense pining situation - but doesn’t matter, however you interpret it just imagine how funny the dynamics would be

john: well i saw him first

bruce drafting up adoption papers: too bad

—

john: and if you trace this rune here you can summon trigon, although raven will get her knickers in a twist over it

bruce: no summoning powerful demon lords in the manor

billy: but bruceeeeee

—

billy: dad

bruce and john: yes? [glaring at eachother appalled that the other thinks they have the right to think of themselves of billy’s father]

billy totally doing this on purpose with a shit eating grin: dad?

—

teacher: so are you little billy’s father?

bruce and john simultaneously: yes

teacher: oh! just know we are a very accepting community and find your relationship heartwarming! now if you would head this way i believe billy drew a wonderful portrait of your massive families mr. wayne’s

bruce snaking a hand around john’s waist, grinding his teeth: of course, shall we dear?

john pinching bruce so hard he’s sure it draws blood: yes anything you say love

billy: aw man there goes my two christmases… :(

—

billy: this is why i like dad’s better, at least he lets me summon supernatural kings from other dimensions

bruce in tears: you don’t mean that

—

bruce: i’m not letting you keep a tiger at the manor

john: don’t be ass, let the boy have his talking tiger

bruce: oh well i don’t think you have a say in this mr. ‘soul tax evader’

john: oh fuck off you furry bat

billy: god, if you’re there, i really don’t wanna see them make out in front of me

—

damian and billy playing a board game while gossiping:

billy: my dad and your dad wanna smash, don’t they?

damian sighing: unfortunately constantine’s… rugged look has enamored my father

billy:…

damian: …

billy: ten bucks says they ‘consummate’ their marriage by the end of the month

damian: hm, twenty dollars that by the end of this week they’ve had preformed coitus

—

billy: i miss when you guys were at each others throats, no one wants to see you guys grope each other at breakfast

dick: i think it’s sweet

jason: they defiled the library, definitely not sweet dickhead, it’s practically child abuse to watch them basically on top of each other

—

idk i think it’s a neat au, even if there’s no canon whatsoever to make this even sort of plausible in the slightest.

[ghostfacesvalentine]

Princess treatment only - MultiMuse x Fem!Reader

Pairing: Multimuse x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Not many, some mentions of killing, but nothing graphic. Kind of fluffy

Type: HC’s

Request: N/A

Word Count: N/A

Prompt: Some HC’s as to how the muses would give the reader the princess treatment.

Notes: I don’t know where I was going with this, but this is mainly fluff, maybe sometime I’ll spice it up. I just had to get my writing juice brewing. Not proofread at all just go.

Jason Voorhees: Honestly, would treat you like a princess regardless. Will pick flowers for you when he’s outside. Always lets you borrow his flannels. Always walks in front of you to make sure there’s no danger, but looks back constantly to make sure there’s no danger behind you?? lmao. You won’t ever have to lift a finger when you’re with him. Literally at your beck and call. Will try his best not to kill in front of you, but sometimes it just ?? happens lol. Tries to be soft when touching you because you’re literally the most perfect thing that has ever crossed his path.

Michael Myers: Is your literal bodyguard. Will follow you anywhere and everywhere, you might as well call him your shadow. Lets you hug him and climb onto his lap whenever. Won’t hug you back yet, working on it. Nobody comes near you, no exceptions. Sorry. Stares at you most of the time. Can’t say it, but you’re literally flawless to him. Will use his body as a shield for you. Would kill anything for you. Eventually learns to put his palm against your cheek and that’s his second greatest accomplishment, the first being bagging you, literally and figuratively.

Tiffany Valentine: You won’t ever have to worry about a thing when you’re with her. Always gets her hands dirty for you. Lots of cheek and neck kisses. Praises your looks all the time. She will always brag about you whether it’s what you do, how you look, anything and everything. She would always make sure you have the latest clothes. She’d make sure you always had your staple make up pieces available. When it comes to killing, she’d get creative, that way you guys will never have literal blood on your hands, especially you, never you.

Billy Loomis: Lots of nicknames. Kinda only has a soft spot for you. Can never ever tell you no and stick to it. Won’t hesitate to kill anyone who makes fun of him for this. Drives you everywhere. Ties your shoes. Always makes time for you. Will help you pick out your outfits and tell you which one he likes and which one he doesn’t. Will wear the bracelets you make him. Anything in his closet is yours, help yourself. Always touching you, holding your hand, holding your waist, you’ve infatuated him enough to have him carelessly cover you in soft kisses, laying his head on your shoulder. Kinda creative with dates tbh.

Stu Macher: You will forever be his princess. Will carry you across puddles. Lots of cheek and forehead kisses. Would learn how to paint your nails for you during class. Always makes sure you have a good grade on your exam, whether he has to swap out the papers after class or make sure you get the right answers, you can absolutely count on him. You don’t have to use your brain around him, no worries. Thinks you look adorable in his sweaters, especially oversized. Loves when you sit on his lap. Prioritizes you over anything and everything. Even if you don’t like horror movies, Stu would absolutely find something else for you to watch.

Patrick Bateman: Honestly, when he falls in love with you, it’s princess treatment only. Will give you a skin care routine and help you follow through with it. Kind of makes you feel dumb, but not like a stupid dumb, more like a ‘oh dear sweet baby you are a little dumb but pretty, but dumb, let me help you’ Same thing if you fall asleep with your makeup on, Patricks on the way with the micellar makeup remover. Will speak up for you if you don’t like a service, he won’t be mean about it unless he has to. Always makes sure you’re hydrated (also part of your skin care routine). You will be a housewife/girlfriend. Feel free to splurge, you are his trophy princess after all. Will take you anywhere you want. Will make things up for you if he has to be at work late.

Leatherface: I don’t ever see a scenario where Bubba does not treat his s/o like a princess. It’s like part of the deal. Either way, expect wild flowers all the time. It’s his favorite thing to do for you. He even makes you a vase and makes sure your flowers are always fresh. Will literally die and kill for you without any hesitation. At his knees for you. Bubba will crawl to you across pins and needles if you asked him to. He’s always making sure you’re comfortable and safe, never hungry or in your mind for too long. Melts at your touch. Would learn how to dance just to dance to your favorite songs. Always gets awestruck with you.

Harley Quinn: Will absolutely take you anywhere you want, no matter how random it is. Always dazed when looking at you. Keeps pictures of you all dressed up in her bag or car or wherever she goes. Selina gave her a heart shaped locket once and yeah, you guessed it, the cutest picture of you is in there. Doesn’t hesitate to shoot any man for you. Leaves your face covered in red kisses. She would do anything to make you laugh. Anything you want, it’s yours! Just point at it.

Poison Ivy: Pamela will always spoil you, regardless of how you act. You’ve heard of people growing gardens for their s/o, she would grow forests for you. She’s the most gentle with you, gentle caresses and soft kisses. Paints your nails, brushes your hair while adding flowers into the locks. Always admires dressing you up and putting make up on you. Almost never wants you to leave. Slow dances with you. She’d do anything to keep you out of danger. You think Michael is a good bodyguard? Pamela is the bodyguard.

Bruce Wayne: hhnnnngh. Ok. No but you are the Princess Wayne. Spoiling you rotten goes without saying. Anything your little heart desires is yours. Helps you get dressed. His favorite is helping you with your stockings. Gentle kisses everywhere. Brushes your hair. Lifting you up constantly when there’s a crack in the pavement. Always the driver. Your safety is always first, always. No because whatever you want means whatever you want, which is why there are hello kitty plushies scattered across the Wayne manor. You’ve somehow managed to get your own cozy theater in there too. Princess treatment also means Bruce having to lay back just a teeny bit on Batman just to guard you too while you sleep.

Jason Todd: nmmnnmf YES. I don’t see him treating his s/o any other way. Lots of pet names. Loooves to help you get dressed. Sits you on the counter as he cooks. Never lets you out of his sight. Anything you want it’s yours. Always buying you cute socks and letting you wear his clothes. Forehead kisses. Oh man it’s so disgusting how much Jason loves his princess. Always taking pictures of you, no matter the angle. Would 1000000% tie bows into your hair if you asked.

Billy Hargrove: Honestly if he’s in love with you, princess treatment is granted. Always giving you his jackets, especially when you wear skirts or dresses out. Lifting you over mud and puddles. Subtle kisses on the head while you’re out. Body guard mode activated. He kinda becomes your shadow, appearing out of nowhere and greeting you with a kiss on the forehead. Ties your shoes without asking. Wiping any tears or smeared makeup off your face. Winks at you all the timeee.

Steve Harrington: Kind of similar to Stu, he always makes sure you pass your class. Poor princess doesn’t use her brain in school, too busy trying to stay awake. Always gives you his jacket, even if you don’t want to wear it, he’ll wrap it around you. Finds any excuse to carry you or pick you up. So affectionate. Kisses on the cheek, lips, forehead. Sometimes he will miss and kiss your eye but ugh it’s so fucking cute. Only has eyes for you. Tying your shoes, putting your socks on, literally just dressing you in general is a must. Literally will take you wherever you want, whenever. Drops everything when you call. Such a sucker with the nicknames for you.

Steve Rogers: Ugh another one. Think of him as a body guard who you get to kiss and sit on his lap. Always drops everything to make sure you’re okay. Cannot take his eyes off of you. So smooth with the reassurance. Kisses on the forehead constantly. Always tucks you in. Would help you bathe if you asked. Pulls you onto his lap every time you both sit down. Whatever you want, you’ll get. If he can’t do it, he’ll find a way. Cups your face in his hands when you cry, kisses your tears away. Ugh he’s your literal teddy bear, if you don’t like to be smothered? Pick another muse.

Bucky Barnes: Similar to Steve, he’s your shadow, but he’s a little more … upfront with it. He’s constantly wrapping an arm around you, eyeing anyone who’s eyeing you. He’s so gentle if you’re sensitive. Kissing your cheek is his favorite. Always lingering his fingertips around your crevices. Makes sure you’re never hungry. Always up before you are. Lets you sleep in. If you fight, he will never raise his voice at you. Ready to carry you if you’re too tired to keep walking around. Slow dances with you just because. He’s always worried for you, making sure you’re okay, you’re not sick or hungry. Pet names with him are a must.

Loki Laufeyson: Okkkk and in what situation did you ever think loki was not going to give you the princess treatment??? You are literal Princess Laufeyson. Though he, and Sebastian maybe, are the only ones who can probably, maybe, say no to you, if you pout enough maybe he’ll come to a compromise with you. He never wants to upset you though. Would literally wipe out a small world for you. Or a few. Ok even betray anyone for you. Always cleaning your smeared makeup, fixing your hair, wiping you because you spilled your drink. He’s so devoted to you, im going to throw up. He devours you with his eyes from a distance, you’re never leaving his sight.

Cloud Strife: Ugh ok. Literal bodyguard, as he’s hired to be at times. At your beck and call, though he’d never admit it. Such a sucker and can never say no to you. Though it may take time, he can start calling you ‘baby’ ‘sweet girl’ ‘love’ he’s so infatuated with you and doesn’t know how to handle it. Your safety is his priority. Always listens to you ramble on and on. Brings you flowers for no reason other than he was thinking of you. He’s such a sucker for you. Follows you everywhere.

Sebastian Michaelis: He’s probably the most tame out of everyone but that doesn’t mean he’s not a sucker. There are rules he’s willing to bend for you, literally willing to kill anyone that has the slightest interest in hurting you. Always makes sure you’re fed and if you want a sweet treat, he’s on it. Listens to you talk, even if it’s silly. Dances with you almost every night. He’s so graceful with it. Dressing you and feeding you is his favorite but he might throw in a few teases “poor sweet baby, you haven’t woken up yet to tell your left foot from your right” as you rub your eyes with the wrong shoes on. Of course he’s willing to help, even if he has the idea that you do this on purpose, he's more than happy to oblige.

Spencer Reid: Though his job wouldn’t encourage it, he still drops almost everything to answer you. Always finds a way to share time with his job and his attention to you. Reads to you all the time, whether in person or over the phone. He’s always making comparisons of you being the princess in most fictional stories that you both come across. He’s so gentle with you. Caresses your face all the time. You lay your head on his lap or sit on his lap as he reads away. Always making sure to keep up with your well-being before his own. Would 10000% pick up a habit of writing you little notes or picking flowers for you or taking Polaroids or something to remind you of your everlasting presence in his mind.

[slaylem]

shit season overall tbh

[carigm]

MORE INSANE THINGS ABOUT THE VR GAME

Vecna tries to get into all of the boys’ minds but he’s unsuccessful except with Will.

He tries to taunt Mike by saying to him that it’s his fault that El is gone but this gets blocked out by Mike’s happy place/memory and it’s of him playing D&D. There’s a rainbow dice basically wiping Vecna away in that sequence lmao…and you also hear Will’s voice. (Some people have already posted about it in the tag so I won’t add pics).

The part about the happy place/memory thing is super interesting because the writers decided to make Lucas’ happy place a memory of him and Max at the movies, even tho atp in the story they have not met. It’s set pre S2….which makes you wonder why they couldn’t make Mike’s happiest memory be one with El…

Another insane sequence is the moment where Will breaks out of Vecna’s vision…Will got a nosebleed in the real world and Mike is wiping the blood off his nose, and Will focuses on this to get out of Vecna’s hold and walk into that moment, just like Max did in S4. There’s a few interesting moments of dialogue from that sequence because as this is happening Vecna keeps taunting Will in the background. Lemme share some interesting screenshots.

The first is this quote from Vecna saying that through Will he will get into his friends’ minds…with Mike being heavily focused on….

This one is just crazy…Vecna saying “you’ll finally matter to someone, Will” and Mike’s all up on the screen lol

And this one is the most insane one imo. It’s the end of the sequence with Will coming back to himself, and Vecna is bothered that his friends (cough Mike) brought him back. At the same time he says “you are alone” Mike is asking him if he’s okay, basically proving Vecna wrong.

And that’s what he’s always been for Will, he’s always pulling him out of all his episodes, has always been his light.

I really don’t think Vecna is anticipating queer love to save the day but….lol

One last thing I want to mention if that even tho the game takes place pre S2, the characters are wearing clothes from all seasons, Lucas is able to see Max in a memory before he’s even met her, and Mike literally says to Will at one point “you look like a time traveller”

So I think time fuckery is basically a given in S5, be it inter dimensional time travel or whatever people wanna call it lol.

As for the canonicity of the game, they consulted Paul Dichter, who was a co-writer on a few episodes, including Will the Wise and Dear Billy. Make of that what you will.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Top 3 Are HEATING UP

Organized, in each category, by ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Dec 2023 Wk 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

Honestly, 3 are neck & necking for top position! They are all so good in different ways. But The Sign had me hooting with laughter this week, so it scooped #1.

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 4 of 10 - This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, paranormal, fated mates, mystery, suspense, slasher, and horror. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. I have no idea what I’m watching but I’m ON this ride. Is it a roller coaster? Is it a haunted house? Is it a twirl & hurl? Is there candy floss? Am I even tall enough? Who tf cares. All through the second scene, I was laughing. It was legit funny. Billy has great comedic timing. Guess he’s not just a pretty face.

Everyone should be watching this. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it.

Last Twilight (Fri YT) ep 6 of 12 -  Yech. August may be one of GMMTV’s least likable characters ever (and that is saying something). Meanwhile, MOAR language play! They spoiling me!

Mhok letting Day go then walking away at the party hurt so bad.

Argh this show is great!

Ep 6 so that kiss was right on schedule. I’m looking forward to the boyfriend eps before doom & pain in the new year. Carry on GMMTV. 

Speaking of...

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube) ep 2 of 12 - Oh they’re great. It’s great. It’s paced oddly, moving quickly through most of the key scenes of the original JBL in these first 2 eps. I think it’s intending to encompass more of the manga series than that one did. Which is good, cause that will get us all the way to The Library Kiss (TM). It's the best kiss in the manga. I also like the sides in this show (better than the JBL version). 

My Dear Gangster Oppa (Thurs iQIYI) ep 8fin - What a lovely slightly unhinged little show. Tew, can we talk? Un-ironic suspenders, that takes courage. Also, the revolver was a crazy gun choice. 

Final thoughts:

This show is just as ridiculous as its title. About a gaymer who falls in love with one of his in-game teammates, who just happens to be a IRL gangster. A real gangster, the kind that actually kills people regularly. The lead pair is doing their best with a ridiculous story and shoddy script, but I enjoyed it. Although I was grateful it wasn’t very long, what we got was oddly satisfying if, frankly, a little bit silly. Recommended. 8/10 

That said, what's important about this BL is not the show, but the production and style. Let me explain... no, too much, let me sum up.

This is a chimera BL. Regarding characters: it has Japan's style otaku + Korea's style gangster + Thailand's style friendship group. It used Thai talent + Korean money (Kakao) & IP (adapted from a manwha) but aired on a Chinese channel globally (iQIYI). I'm delighted by the eclectic insanity of this production and truly doubt that any other genre but BL could ever produce like this. It's like diplomat's BL and it's the great wonder of our age that it happened at all. This BL deserves its place in the history books on production alone, even if that place is only in the footnotes. A remarkable little monster.

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 3 of 10 - The sides are… messy. Using the same actor for the old bf is… odd. But in the end, this show leaves me smiling. Which means, I like it despite myself. 

Bake Me Please (Mon Gaga) ep 4 of 6 - It's decent. It’s basically what I wanted Antique Bakery to be when I first watched that way back when (not to mention Bite Me). But there’s been so much BL since then that, for some reason, this is falling flat. I think it’s moving too fast for a Thai series. Although, say what you like, Ohm has to be one of the best soft kissers in the industry. He's just good at mouth tenderness.

Ugh, that doesn't sound right. But you know what I mean.

Twins the series (Fri GaGa) ep 7 of 10 - I love how First is so upset when Sprite starts chatting and being nice to Koh. Sprite is just a sweet easy-going likable boy. I enjoy Sprite as a main character, he’s a bubbly little communicator. And they had a cute kiss.  

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 5 of 14 - Because there was more Alan and Jeff and they were more key to the plot I was more into this ep. I do compare it to green smoothie down the pants in the Trash Watch.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 3 of 12 - Look OffGun are truly great. But I’m just not sure we need them in BL anymore. That said, it’s nice to see Off as "the one with the crush" for a change. Also, this show is only good when OffGun are on screen together, otherwise it kinda, well, sucks.

Night Dream (Sat YT) ep 1 of 6 - Cafe setting featuring a cook and a writer. *Seems awfully familiar.* Except these two are exes and this is a reunion romance. It’s stiff and very pulp but not bad (no crap sound effects) and I am a sucker for a reunion romance. That said, Rookie Thailand is not to be trusted, proceed with caution.

Absolute Zero (Weds iQIYI) ep 12fin - I'm grateful this is over. It was tense but for the wrong reasons - sadness and confusion. This final episode was fine, but that’s because it was mostly them being together + flashbacks. Plus all the familiar actor faces of the grown-up friends (hi, Karn my lovely, still stunning I see). But 2 of 12 episodes is not enough for the 10 of suffering and confusion that came before.

In conclusion:

A man is killed on his 10th anniversary resulting in a time paradox, for which the only solution is him never meeting his childhood sweetheart until later in life. Both lovers cycle back to the past at different ages, so that they each become their own 1st & 2nd great loves, but every time it ends in pain, until each also endures 10 years of separation. Finally it gets fixed, but leaves them with multiple memories of time's failures like temporal PTSD, and everyone around them has chronic deja vu. Me? I got both. This is one of those BLs that is high-quality with great acting but poor story. If you like your BL dwelling, maudlin, and tense due to angst and suffering, then you might enjoy this. But I just regret it, 6/10. Recommended only if you like confusing time travel emo pain.

In which case, just watch Tokyo in April is... instead. Give over Thailand, Japan does it better.

Middleman’s Love (Fri YT & iQIYI ep 6 of 8 - While our main couple isn’t working for me... the side couple isn’t working for me either. I really wanted to give LeoTai a chance, this is the 3rd show I’ve seen them in, and still nope. I like Jade a lot more when he’s sad. He’s a much more pleasant screen experience depressed. I would like him to stay hurt for a couple of eps, just so I can enjoy this show a tiny bit more. But then he just goes unhinged again. Argh. I just don’t like it. 

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) Pisces of Me ep 17 of 24 - Codependent boyfriends in middle school planning for high school dealing with stuff. Including other boys being into them. 

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 5 of 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. DNF 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

VIP Only (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - It’s cute but I don’t think BL in this short format is Taiwan’s strength these days. And this is quite slow and dull. Perhaps they should have whacked it down to 6 eps, not 10.

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 3 of 8 - This is one of those JBLs that I should like on paper but is failing me. The drag bit was ridiculous but handled gently. The kiss was… well… something wasn’t it? It’s all very odd. I like the photographer cutie character. 

It's Airing But...

The Whisperer (Sun ????) 10 eps - Thai horror BL that ALSO involves cheating (what joy is mine). I don't think even the perfect single dimple can motivate me to watch. Word is... it's terrible.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 10 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes. I'm waiting to binge if it's safe.

Beyond The Star (Weds iQIYI) 8 eps - House of Stars meets Boyband. I was NOT impressed with ep 1. Been told I shouldn't bother.

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - I find this series more fun to binge, so I'm waiting until after it completes its run next week.

Dear Kitakyushu (Thai/Japan movie) in theaters in country only, I know nothing about distribution.

Behind the Shadows (Korea movie) this is a historical I was interested in, but I've been told they kill the gay so I'm OUT.

Next Week Looks Like This

Still coming:

12/23 Dead Friend Forever (Thai horror) iQIYI

Original 2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED). With the end of the year upon us I'll do an "announced for 2023 but never happened list" soon.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

He so pretty.

I forgot how likable TayNew are, and frankly I think New is a better version of this role for me, personally. I like him a lot. He's a conscientious sweetheart. And a good egg. (Cherry Magic)

Ah the rooftop my old friend. (Last Twilight)

I would like to point out that it's no accident the naga's sex dream happened in the shower, he's a water creature after all. (The Sign)

(Last week)

[munson-blurbs]

Hi Bug <3

Here’s my Tropes-or-Treat request😁

M&Ms, Butterfinger and our dear Eddie of course 🩵 smut would be amazing 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Friends-to-Lovers/Shy!Reader/Eddie Munson (also requested by @mopeymopeymouse & @lunamoons-things)

Warnings: smut (18+ only, minors DNI), oral (f! receiving), Reader wears a skimpy outfit, insecure Reader, Billy Hargrove is a douche, mentions of drinking, mentions of selling weed

WC: 1.2k

Divider credit to @saradika

“Hey.”

You almost don’t hear him over the sound of music pulsing through the stereo speakers and your own hyperfocus on the drink in your hand. Whatever’s in this jungle juice is strong, but not enough to loosen you up, it seems.

When you look up and see him, concern furrowing his brows, you only offer a weak smile and a soft, “hi.”

“What are you doing out here by yourself?” Eddie asks, leaning next to you, forearms pressed to the patio banister. “Hargrove’s inside.”

You wince at the mention of your boyfriend. “He’s mad at me,” you admit quietly, taking another swig from your Solo cup. Billy’s chastising words echo in your mind: no fucking fun, why can’t you be like the other girls? He was the reason you were wearing this ridiculous outfit–which was basically glorified lingerie poorly disguised as a witch costume. You feel uncomfortable and out of sorts, but Billy had insisted that you wear it, saying that he didn’t want to be the only guy at the party with a prude girlfriend.

He hadn’t noticed you before you’d started tutoring his stepsister, Max, but when he did start paying attention to you, he was a bloodhound. And after a month of secretly dating, he was finally ready to show you off.

Except…

Except the you he wanted people to see was just a facade. He didn’t want the introverted girl who preferred the company of her books and a small group of friends; he wanted someone he could dress up and parade around like a trophy. You were something he’d conquered, not someone he loved.

Eddie doesn’t ask for details; he just shrugs off his denim jacket and rests it over your bare shoulders. “I’m done selling for the night,” he reports, drumming his fingers on the tin box he uses to transport his stash. “You wanna head back to the trailer? Watch a movie and shoot the shit?”

You can’t agree fast enough, scrambling to your feet and climbing in his van. Things have been a bit strained between you two since you got with Billy, but the beauty of being Eddie’s friend is that you fall back into your usual routine without having to try. 

The ride to Forest Hills is fast, especially with Eddie driving like a madman. You both plop onto the couch, Eddie reaching for an open bag of pretzels on the side table and offering you some before taking a handful. 

“I’m so glad you’re done with that asshole,” he says with a mouthful of the snack. “No fuckin’ clue what you saw in him.” When you don’t respond, refusing to meet his gaze, he sighs. “Nope, no way. Do not tell me—”

“What other choice do I have?” you rebut. 

Eddie rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up in defeat. “You could be with someone who doesn’t treat you like crap!”

“Oh, yes,” you scoff, “let me just call one of my many suitors.” Making a big show of standing and traipsing over to where their phone hangs on the wall, you pick up the receiver with feigned exuberance. “That’s right—no one else wants me!” You slam the phone down and cross your arms over your chest. 

“Bullshit!” Eddie bellows, tossing the pretzel bag onto the couch and stomping towards you. “That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

“Then who—”

You don’t finish your sentence before his lips collide with yours; his hands on your hips pressing you up against the wall. You can taste the lingering cigarette smoke on his tongue; he drinks in whatever vodka-based concoction is on yours. 

He breaks away abruptly, mouth agape in disbelief. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have done that.”

“‘S okay,” you mumble. “Wasn’t half bad for a pity kiss.”

“A pity—no, that wasn’t pity. That was an, ‘I’ve been wanting to do this forever’ kiss.” His fingertips brush against yours. “Let me take care of you,” he murmurs, and when you nod, he leads you to his bedroom. He waits for you to lay on the bed before climbing on top of you, knee nudged between your legs and head nestled into the crook of your neck. His fingers dip below your lace panties, and you freeze up at his touch. “We, um, we don’t have to do this,” he says hurriedly. “Just say the word.”

But you do want this; no, you need this. You need him to show you what true passion looks like, not whatever feigned version Billy had offered. As soon as you give Eddie a breathless, enthusiastic yes, he’s tugging your tiny skirt and lace panties down your legs. The cool air barely hits your pussy before his lips are on it, tongue licking up the center before finding your clit. 

A whine catches in your throat, releasing as a pathetic whimper. You’re so sensitive, so starved for touch. You’ve become acclimated to the way Billy grabs at you, pawing at your ass or breasts as a means to take what he wants, leaving you feeling used and unsatisfied. 

Eddie’s touch is vastly different. Yes, it’s fueled by sexual desire, but it’s too attentive to just be lust. You prop yourself on your elbows and watch him, doe eyes looking up at you to gauge your reaction. “Keep going,” you sigh, flopping back down on the bed, and you can feel his soft laugh on your core. 

He works meticulously, holding a steady pace as you writhe against his face. Your hands grasp the bedsheets in your fists, nearly yanking them off of the mattress as he slides a finger inside you while continuing to lightly suck on your bud. 

A second finger joins the first, pulsing in and out of you eagerly but not frantically. The combination of him filling you up and the way he so desperately craves pleasing you has you hurtling you towards orgasm. Instinctively, you press your lips together to muffle your moans, but Eddie’s having none of that.

“Wanna hear your pretty noises. Pretty noises from my pretty girl,” he says quickly, wasting no time eagerly returning to the task at hand.

“Eddie, Eddie, I’m coming!” you cry out, arching your back as you finish. Eddie brings you down from your euphoric state with a few more kitten licks to your pussy, wiping your slick from his mouth and chin as he climbs up your body and kisses you deeply.

You run your fingers through his hair before it occurs to you: “I can return the favor.” Heat rises to your cheeks; how could you be so selfish and forget about him?

But a shake of his head and a bashful chuckle immediately quell your nerves. “‘S, uh, already taken care of.” And though his denim jeans are black, you can still spot the wet stain pooled at the seam. 

Needless to say, the thought of returning to Billy Hargrove doesn’t even cross your mind.

--

[billybatsonbrainrot]

Summary: It all started when Captain Marvel entered the Justice League meeting room with a baby carrier strapped to his chest.

“…Marvel”

“Yes?”

“Is that a baby?”

“Yes!”

“And whose baby is that?”

“It’s mine actually!” he beamed.

“WHAT!?!?!”

So it actually started around 2 days earlier…

OR

Billy and Captain Marvel are separated from each other! But that's okay because Marvel knows of a spell to fix it! Except, before he can, another spell hits Billy! Oh dear, Marvel thinks as dread fills him when he looks at the spot where Billy was just standing, That's a baby.

[marvelouslytrekking]

Meeting the Twins

Pairing: Wanda/Reader Summary: Your relationship with Wanda is progressing and she wants you to meet her kids Warnings: None Word Count: 662 A/N: This is a request from @xxxtwilightaxelxxx I did just realize that I didn’t actually use the dialog prompt the request came with but the concept is there so I hope you enjoy it anyway!!

You always told yourself that dating someone with kids was off the table. You weren’t someone who particularly liked kids, and you definitely wouldn’t say you were good with kids but when you met Wanda you immediately knew she’d be the exception. You fell head over heels for her almost instantly when you met her.

You were so much in love with her that you were standing in the toy aisles of Target trying to decide what would be something that would get two boys to not hate you immediately. You know how much her kids meant to Wanda and if they told her you had to go, you would be gone before you had time to blink.  

You had found two small lego sets, remembering Wanda saying they had recently been really getting into them. While you had considered getting them one of the giant sets, you didn’t want to make it look like you were trying too hard, so instead you picked two different small Star Wars ship sets figuring those would go over well while not being too over the top.

You were sitting in your car trying to talk yourself up to going to the front door. You knew it was a little ridiculous to be this nervous about meeting someone’s kids but you just really wanted this night to go over well. You felt like you were a teenager again having to meet someone's mom and the panic that came along with that. You finally decided you had to go in when you noticed one of the boys peeking at you through the blinds.

Before you could even knock, he was ripping open the door. “Do you always sit in your car for 10 minutes before coming into someone’s house?” He asked you with a laugh.

“Sometimes, I tend to drive too fast and am always too early” You chuckle awkwardly, looking past him to see if you could spot Wanda.

“Dear, it’s not nice to tease our guest” Wanda scolded her son, turning to you she smiled. “I think it’s cute that you do that.”

“Thanks,”

“This is Billy,” Wanda gestured to the boy who had just been making fun of you. “Tommy!”

Suddenly the other twin appeared beside her, sliding on the hardwood floor in his socks.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” You smiled at them both.

“What’s in the Target bag?” Tommy asked

“Oh! Well I was doing a little shopping for myself and I saw these two lego sets and I thought you two might like them, so I picked them up!” You quickly started to pull them out of the bag to show them what you had picked out. The boys both cheered immediately in excitement, each rushing to grab one out of your hands. You were relieved that they didn’t immediately start fighting over who got which ones.

“You really didn’t have to get them anything,” Wanda said softly, a loving look in her eyes and her gaze shifted from you to the boys.

“Now boys, what do you say?”

“Thank you!” They both chimed in unison. You chucked at that.

“You’re very welcome.” You smiled, “Oh and don’t think I didn’t get anything for you,” You turned to Wanda and pulled out a bottle of wine.

“Oh wow, you know how to be a good house guest don’t you.” She smiled, taking the bottle from you and leading you to the kitchen.

“Well I want to make sure you keep me around.” You joked.

“Oh I have a feeling we won’t be getting rid of you any time soon,” Wanda smiled before pouring you both a glass of wine. You headed back into the living room to help the boys with their new lego sets that they were both already working on getting put together.

Your night was full of laughter, and while kids were always your thing, you could absolutely see this family growing on you very quickly.

[dearhargrove]

I have no idea if your reqs are open but if they are here’s an idea for a fic

Crybaby!reader x Billy. I will elaborate but like-

Just rlly sensitive and when Billy pushes reader away then their upset and won’t talk to Billy, leading to an argument at school and that night Billy shows up at their window like, “I’m sorry..” but he’s all bashful about it because he feels bad and it’s been nagging him all day.

(Feel free to ignore this lol, I just need some good Billy fluff to angst) - Fynix

Cry baby, cry baby

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: One of Billy's friends makes an offhanded comment about you and when reaching out for your amused boyfriend he pushes you away - leading to a fight and flustered Billy coming to apologize after.

𝔱𝔴'𝔰: insults (towards reader), none that I can think of

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱:

𝔞/𝔫: yep, title's inspired by 'cry baby' from Melanie Martinez! Don't listen to her as much anymore, but this was the perfect title :). Dear @fynixsworld , I hope this is what you hoped for. Very, very sorry that this took so incredibly long - I've been in kind of a slump and got nothing done :')

m.list ❐ navigation

Standing with Billy and his friends was one of the disadvantages in your relationship. Their conversations consisted of who they've slept with, who was going to throw the next party, and boasting around with the most ridiculous things (which oftentimes if not always shocked you that they were proud of some of the things).

Obviously, it wasn't obligatory to stand with them. But after school, there was barely a time you didn't want to go home with Billy - or have him come home with you - so you usually tended to stick around until he left, too.

Today was one of your bad days. A day, where everything got on your nerves and just about everything, as irrelevant as it could be, was going to make you cry.

You cried easily when you were angry, sad, or just emotional and you've grown to hate it. You used to be fine with it - you were just really expressive, there's nothing wrong with that, is it? -, until you cried during class for the first time.

Your teacher had yelled at you in front of everyone, completely humiliating you, and there was nothing you could've done to keep the tears from running.

You will never forget how everyone laughed at you - except some of the more civil ones that send you pitiful glances instead - and how embarrassing it was. The shame because of it didn't leave you for days after.

So when the bell rang, insinuating the end of your last period, you couldn't help the relieved sigh. Your teacher sent you a suspicious look and you flustered, carelessly throwing everything in your bag before fleeing the crowded classroom.

It was summer, only about three weeks left before the summer holiday, and it was hot.

The sun rose early in the morning and not a single cloud was in the sky over the day, the heat boiling you and everyone else alive. Summer meant short skirts and cropped tops wherever you looked, it was no secret that this was the jocks' favorite season after all.

You had decided to go a little out of your comfort zone, wearing a tight dress. It wasn't as colorful as some of the other girls' dresses were, instead a pastel blue that lightly shimmered, the silky fabric flowy and comfortable on your skin. Some delicate jewelry adorned your wrist - a small, silver bracelet that Billy had gotten you for last Christmas. On your fingers was one of his rings, a less bulky one, also silver.

With your bag secured you made your way through the other students that were crowding the hallway and out to the parking lot. There was smoke coming from Billy's group and you wrinkled your nose, smelling it from your place already.

When you walked up next to Billy you had pushed the bad feelings aside, simply leaning against him and waiting for a comment about your outfit.

Instead of doing so, he ignored you, proudly talking about his keg skills he'd proven a while back. Although his arm was secured around your waist you felt rather unwelcome, the missing greeting making you scowl a little.

Telling yourself to just push past it you straighten up and lean into him more, his body heat making the weather less bearable than it already was but lessening the impending feeling of uncertainty you felt.

None of the boys acknowledged you, which you were happy with until they did. It started with a simple comment about your dress and you didn't mind it too much as it wasn't directly an insult whatsoever. But then they continued and Billy just stood there, showing you off proudly. "That's a short dress, sweetheart. You got any plans with him tonight?" One of them asks and your insides crawl at the pet name. When Billy called you that it made you explode with happiness - the intimate name increasing your pulse by tenfold.

"She sure does," Billy smirks and steps on his cigarette to ensure it was out before getting back into the conversation. Now, this was one of the comments you didn't mind but didn't appreciate. This group was the last people you want to have knowledge about your and your boyfriend's sex life, as it ensured even more teasing.

"Dude, the dress is nice and all but she ain't got the body for it." This was a straight punch to your stomach. There was a lot you could take and wouldn't get mad over but you were easily insecure as it is, and in this dress especially. The already bad day just got horrible and tears shoot in your eyes when Billy doesn't even try defending you. Not caring about what they will think, you turn to him, "Will you not say anything? Just laugh with them?"

He looks confused and stays quiet for a second before replying, "What are you talking about?" His voice is slightly aggressive and you could cry - this meant he was in a bad mood or had no intention of even trying to understand you right now.

"You know what, I'll just go home now," you chuckle emptily and turn away.

He catches your wrist in his hand and squeezes a little, not hard enough to hurt but be uncomfortable. "Let me go." Instead, he just pulls you back against his body, the guys behind him laughing with each other while watching the scene.

"You're not going anywhere. Don't be dramatic," you scoff - was he serious right now?

"Don't scoff at me." He says angrily and pulls you back when you try leaving again, making you stumble a little. "I'll do whatever I want. Let go," the tears are still blurring your vision and you have to concentrate not to let them fall while the fight with Billy increases.

He had a short temper and even if his whole anger issues thing had bettered while with you it was still there and it would take longer to fix. You accepted that part of him and you knew well that right now this would lead to nothing, which is why you tried leaving instead of making this worse.

"Nah, you're staying until you explain what the fuck is going on with you," his voice is cocky but demanding and there's a dangerous flint in his eyes. You knew he would never hurt you, the grip around your wrist which you could easily escape proof of this, but this whole situation was too much right now and the fact he didn't even understand your side or stand up for you was close to breaking your 'don't cry in school' rule.

"Oh," it's sarcastic and you know he catches it, so you continue, "Did you even hear what he said to me? Are you, in any kind of way, capable of seeing what's wrong with that? How I feel right now?" He rolls his eyes and that's just about your final push and you rip your arm away.

"See where you're sleeping tonight, don't dare show up at my place." In hindsight it was stupid to leave and not wait for both of you to calm down, because here you were, crying while walking the seven-mile way to your home.

Sweat was mixing with tears and you were soaked through when you finally arrived at your house. Quickly running up the stairs to your room - locking the door of it - you pull off the stupid dress that had ruined your day and throw it in the corner of your room before jumping on your bed, head in the pillow that infuriatingly smelled of Billy's shampoo and cologne.

With a curse falling from your lips you turn to your side and stare out of the window.

This wasn't how today was supposed to go.

-

Back at school, Nancy who had heard the whole exchange due to meeting up with Steve was lecturing Billy angrily. She was a close friend of yours and when she saw you cry she immediately went to set the culprit straight.

So, flustered and with a hurt ego Billy sped off, flipping Nancy off at the same time. He would make you call her later and thank her for making clear why you were upset with him and how to fix it, while simultaneously apologizing for his inappropriate behavior. Usually, he wouldn't care at all, let this random girl be hurt or not - it's whatever.

But if you found out you'd have his head.

The rest of the day was spent preparing a perfect apology, including your favorite shirt of his and those expensive flowers you loved.

Styling his hair took, admittedly, longer than usual as he kept finding stray hairs that weren't sitting right. He'd stopped putting as much effort into his appearance when you started dating, especially when you stopped doing so, too.

Seeing you in your sleepwear, hair messy, made him realize how much you trusted him and he wanted to show you he trusted you too. It was an unusual and secretive way of showing it but it worked for you two, so why not?

Climbing into your window was one thing he'd mastered by now. On the garage roof, rain pipe, and lastly, your window sill. Your window was unlocked at all times for which he scolded you before, it could be just anyone coming into your room after all.

Situating himself he opened the window and silently jumped in, the flowers still undamaged to his luck. Without a sound, he closed the window - locking it - and turned to your bed. You were staring at him, eyebrows scrunched in distaste and tears having left your face red and puffy.

He bashfully smiled at your state and kneeled in front of the bed, the flowers held close to your face. "Came to apologize and make up for what I did," he explains and lays the flowers on your nightstand - making a mental note to put them into a vase later.

"So now you know what you did wrong?" You question and throw him an unbelieving glare. His smile shrinks a little at his stubbornness earlier and he hangs his head, "I'm sorry, princess."

You could fold right then and there but you keep yourself together, waiting for more. "I should've defended you from the stupid comments of the guys. I didn't and started an unnecessary fight instead. Forgive me?" He has his puppy eyes out, and you just melt.

Tears spring into your eyes again and you scoot back a little to make space for him when he settles down next to you - shoes laying in a corner where he discarded them to. "You're an idiot."

He chuckles at that and agrees, playing with your hair. "That I am. Yours though, right?" It's teasing and you softly punch his chest before nodding.

That's when he thinks back to the comment that started your fight. "You looked amazing in that dress, by the way. Got me horny in public," he snuggles his nose against your cheek and places a kiss there before inching closer to your lips.

"Could've said so," you say, still salty about the whole thing.

"Should have, could have… how about I just show you now?" You fluster but comply - who could say no to that, after all?

[taeiris]

okay guys here’s my crazy unsupported st5 theory that is mostly just me projecting my need for madwheeler bonding and drama and angst also byler duh

disclaimers: i never make theories so this is extremely messy probably, i know jack dookie abt writing shows i think of this as my own little version of what i would think would be very cool to happen, if this has loop holes dont ask me anything bc idk either

OKAY LETS GET ON IT

so first things first here is what i am taking into consideration for the theory to happen:

• mike pov, self reflection and introspection (he is gay and in love with will byers okay)

• madwheeler bonding, theyre both complex n misunderstood

• the upside down isnt just one dimension, i came up with this bc of how different the ud looks now

compared to when henry arrived.

to me theres like an umbrella dimension (yellow one) and others under it (blue one/hawkins ud, the void, etc)

this is also lowkey supported by the silly boobie diagram the writers posted abt

OKAY PREPARE FOR THE WORD VOMIT

in this silly theory of mine, a new dimension variant of the ud will be revealed in season 5, serving as a parallel to the void. this is where max is

OKAY another thing is this is also heavily based on those “leaks” that were going around twitter (for me at least) earlier when the strike first started. i remember a few of them claiming that we would get a deeper insight into mike and his own things, so this is my interpretation

this would serve as another vanishing, not really bc its shorter, but this time mike will be getting stuck in this other dimension, eventually finding max BOOM madwheeler serve

i mean look at them. the potential is insane

ANYWAYS

this dimension is like a combo of all the other ones, picture it like the hawkins ud, with the void’s wet floor maybe

lets go back to the fact max is here, this is her coma nightmare, its like this purgatory dimension vecna put her soul in

in this dimension inhabit your ghosts

this overwhelming, haunting, tormenting realm in your mind where you are constantly confronting all your bad memories, maybe this is kind of how vecna keeps max under his grasp, no happy memories allowed

okay so, mike gets there. how? when? i dont fucking know this is honestly just word vomit fanfiction to me

at first hes confused, scared but mostly confused, picture him screaming for wills name (the parallels) at first it’s empty and eerily quiet, but as he accepts it, the ghosts start coming in.

he gets BOMBARDED with these bad memories, some of them he cant even remember because come on, bro is always neglecting his internalized feelings/monologue in fear of what they say about him

this is where we get his pov on the whole will and eleven situation, amongst other things (like the way he’s constantly stressed thinking about the safety of the people he loves)

for a moment we see him break, bc these ghosts are LOUD and MANY

but it stops

max is here, she’s like “MIKE?”

“MAX?”

shes been here for a fat minute, she knows how to handle these ghosts in fact shes been going thru them one by one ever since, because shes done hiding. and she suspects that the only way to get out is by confronting them.

max saves mike from his ghosts, explains that this place is seemingly a purgatory with levels of memories and ghosts to overcome

this is how we get our madwheeler bonding we so graciously need, as they are part of eachother ghosts since theyre so similar it makes the other mad

this is how our complex misunderstood characters are broken down, explained to the audience, while also discovering the mystery that is this new dimension where at the finish line they might just figure out how to defeat vecna.

because they will

after overcoming the ghosts they find the place that vecna didnt think they would reach as he was so sure they would break and collapse on their own madness

think of it as how el found the source in season 3

or how max found vecnas lair after running away in dear billy

except this place is vecnas actual mind, they can see hear and feel what vecna is thinking, his plans and everything

mike wonders how will feels being able to feel this all the time

will feels this all the time

will is always connected to this piece of vecnas mind, to this source

he can always hear vecna

until he suddenly hears max… and mike and theyre calling for help

theyve figured out key clues on how to defeat vecna, and they have an idea on how to get out. this is how will’s connection comes in handy

mind walkie-talkie

maybe thats what this theory should be called, idk

-

so thats how we get our byler confirmation, madwheeler bonding like never before, mike focus, and the key to defeat vecna

at least in my head

i know this was messy and all over the place but it was very fun to explain and drop all my thoughts ive been vomiting on the gc for months now

let me know what you think, what you would add, if theres anything you think will support this theory?

its all just a theory, for fun! pls keep that in mind

thank you if you’ve read this far🫶

[aurorabyler]

Flashbacks in Stranger Things: When, Why, and How They Are Used (Long Analysis)

sit back and relax everyone. this is gonna be my longest post yet.

disclaimer before anyone proceeds--i have not tagged this post with any relationships other than byler so if you do not like this pairing please just scroll past this post! i never cross tag because i truly want a safe fandom space for everyone. this is just my analysis of the show and my own brainrot.

I’ve thought about the usage of flashbacks in Stranger Things a lot over the past few weeks. I saw a post by user @girlskth on Twitter (HUGE shoutout to them for this very eye-opening post, please go check it out their tweet and give them all the love!!), who mentioned the contrast between Max’s scene in Dear Billy (running up that hill → from Vecna), versus El being trapped by the vines in 4x09.  First: we need to talk about flashbacks as they have been used throughout film and TV history as a key literary device. Here are some articles that I found that explain why flashbacks can be so important to understanding characters:

This quote is vital:

"Flashbacks are really a function of character, not story…the visual image we’re seeing is what the character is thinking and feeling at that present moment…it illuminates a character’s point of view.”

Flashbacks are never pointlessly placed. There is always an intent behind reverting back to the old material to demonstrate something about the character’s current mindset. 

These two scenes are clearly parallels (complete credits to @girlskth for bringing this up), as both Max and El are encountering the same situation–being trapped in Vecna’s lair and hearing a monologue from him. The scenes are not only plot parallels but visual ones.

However, there is one thing lacking in this parallel, and @girlskth brilliantly points out what it is—their emotional connection. Max relies on flashbacks of her happiest memories to free herself from Vecna’s trance and come back to reality. There are MANY flashbacks of her platonic relationships (her friendship with El being the most significant), and her romantic relationship with Lucas, which is ultimately what gives her enough time to run away from Vecna.

Now, going into El’s scene, I as a viewer was EXPECTING that they would show flashbacks of El’s happy memories with Mike during his monologue. This is coming from someone who does not ship these two characters together at all.

I like them as friends, and I was still waiting for them to show us moments from their kiss at the snowball, from Mike giving Eleven the name “El,” from Mike calling her for 353 days in season 2, from Mike saying “No, El, you’re not the monster–you saved me,” from El saying she loves him at the end of season 3…but nothing. 

Absolutely no flashbacks were shown apart from the scene of the boys finding El in the woods. This is extremely odd for a couple who has supposedly been the centrepiece of Stranger Things for four seasons, or, in the words of people who ship these characters, have been “built up for four seasons.” But no. Nothing.

This is an INSANE contrast to Max’s Dear Billy scene, which went out of its way to show her history with all of these characters over the 3 seasons her character has been in the show. 

The concept of “show, don’t tell,” is critical in understanding this parallel. Take Max’s relationships that are highlighted when she is in Vecna’s trance: these flashbacks all occur because she knows they will give her strength. She is never verbally prompted to think about these memories because she has confidence they will help her fight in her darkest moment. Here’s some more information on show don’t tell and how it is used in media:

If we apply Max's unconcious logic to El’s scene in Vecna’s lair, being able to pull from her happy memories with Mike should have been something that came relatively naturally to her. Except, this didn’t happen. What did happen? El’s memories with Max DID come naturally, and those memories ultimately saved Max’s life.

Zero Flashbacks to Mike/El's Past Seasons' Dynamic

While waiting for volume two, even as someone who likes this pairing platonically, I was excited to see flashbacks to season 1 Mike/Eleven once they reunited at the Nina Project. I’ll always be nostalgic for seasons 1 and 2 and I wanted to see some of their friendship dynamics from those seasons come back. I was literally expecting there to be some sort of “still pretty?” flashback, or some other cut back to season one. Again, I am saying all of this entirely as someone who 100% believes in a byler endgame for this show. I was still very surprised by this, and it is clearly intentional on the writer’s part.

Some would argue that the lack of flashbacks is due to the varying perspectives in Mike’s monologue scene. We see Mike’s, Will’s, El’s, and Jonathan’s POVs switching between each other in this scene. When peeling back the layers, we learned that Mike's monologue utilizes the miscommunication trope in a big way. Let’s analyze:

Mike is under the impression, because of Will, that “these past few months she (El) has been so lost without you…You make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all–like she’s better for being different. And that gives her the courage to fight on.” —Will, 4x09

First and foremost: Mike’s monologue would not have happened without Will’s veiled confession in the van. He believes Will’s feelings are El’s, and it is these feelings that make him think that what he says is what El needs to hear. 

Mike is TOLD (not sure if he entirely believes it especially after the final scene in the cabin when El walks away from him, but we’ll have to wait for more scripts to see the truth), that El has been “lost” without him and that she “needs” him to be able to fight.

This is what he is TOLD by Will about El, and this is not true, as NOWHERE during any of El’s scenes at school in California, or once Mike comes to visit, or during her time at the Nina Project, or during her battles with the military + Vecna does El EVER give the impression that she somehow needs Mike in her life to keep fighting, or that he gives her courage. In fact, given all of the parallels El draws between Mike's "what did you do?" and Brenner's "what have you done?" I would say what Mike gives her is the opposite of courage.

El keeps fighting because she has come into herself and she is powerful and strong, not because she needs Mike there to help her. And Mike, prior to Will’s confession, knows this is the truth, as seen by the line in the official script that was cut out from the show: 

If El truly needed Mike to “fight on,” as Will implies with his own feelings, I believe that more flashbacks would have been utilized, regardless of the multiple perspectives in the scene, to show how Mike has supposedly helped El “fight” in the past. But none of this was shown BECAUSE El’s battles have always been about her personal arc and growth. In the past seasons, El has never relied on or needed Mike to help her fight–he has been misled because of Will’s veiled confession. 

Perhaps the best example of El’s battles being about her own growth is in the 2x09 scene where she closes the gate: you'll see here that all the flashbacks she has during this critical battle have to do with her personal growth and past trauma. The same is true of her fight with the Demogorgon in season 1, of learning from Kali in season 2, of fighting Billy and the Mind Flayer in season 3--her relationship with Mike is not critical to any of these battles. It is her friendships and familial love that motivates her as well as her own coming of age.

The miscommunication about El "needing" Mike to be able to "fight" explains a lot of things, including, at least to an extent why Mike VISIBLY HESITATED when saying “I love you” for the first time in his monologue. There are obviously other reasons to this that have been analyzed by many other people, but I feel this miscommunication is critical.

This is something that has really been annoying me ever since season 4 came out: the whole plotline about Mike not being able to say he loves El should be extremely clear to audiences about what it implies. I love romance and I KNOW that the Duffers can write amazing love stories (Lumax, Jancy, Jopper…).

Lucas and Max never once say they love each other but it is clear to audiences–they SHOW it in their own ways. 

True love is shown, not told–especially in media.

That is how the most popular romantic pairings are so believable to audiences. Showing, not telling your love for someone, makes it feel real. And boom: ever since season 3 and ESPECIALLY after season 4, there have been hundreds of thousands of people saying that Mike/El's dynamic seems "off" somehow.

My point here is that if you love someone unconditionally, if you are truly, deeply in love with them, you would not hesitate for a moment to say that you love them, especially if they practically beg you to say it while crying about that very fact. You would also not call them “ridiculous” after they start crying and then you proceed to deflect blame about a situation you caused onto other people. 

Love is powerful. To me, it’s one of the most powerful things that exists in this world. And I believe that the writers of this show feel the same way: Love Conquers All. I’ll insert one of my favourite quotes from Avatar: The Last Airbender to display how I feel about this topic:

"You have indeed felt a great loss. But love is a form of energy, and it swirls all around us. The air nomads' love for you has not left this world. It is still inside of your heart, and is reborn in the form of new love." -Guru Pathik, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Real, romantic love is never something that should be questioned at critical moments. Let me emphasize: I do not question that Mike platonically loves El. He clearly loves her a great amount as shown by what he has gone through with her over the course of the show, just as he loves Lucas, Dustin, Max, Nancy, etc. 

Millie literally said in an interview for ST4 that “Mike is not loving Eleven the way she wants to be loved.” This situation for El is honestly extremely heartbreaking because she truly deserves so much better than what she’s been given. El is one of my favourite characters and I love her dearly, and seeing her suffer because of this relationship as well as the bullying at school hits very close to home for me. She deserves so much happiness and I hope she gets to have endless amounts of it by the end of season 5. 

How else have flashbacks been used in Stranger Things? 

The article I cited earlier holds true to the Stranger Things writer’s perspective on flashbacks. Remember: "flashbacks are really a function of character, not story…the visual image we’re seeing is what the character is thinking and feeling at that present moment…it illuminates a character’s point of view.” Utilizing flashbacks as a literary device in this manner has been seen multiple times in the show at key character moments. 

Will and Joyce

This flashback is key to showing Joyce's relationship with her son and how much she loves him. It holds true to the article in that it SHOWS that while searching for Will, she thinks back to the time they spent together in Castle Byers.

Jonathan and Will

Jonathan's relationship with Will is key to season one and remains one of the most beautiful parts of Stranger Things. This flashback, just like the ones with Max and Joyce, happens naturally. Jonathan associates The Clash with Will and can't help thinking back to their happy memories together once he hears the song play. This simple scene shows the depth of their relationship.

Hopper and Sarah

In my opinion, this is by far the most effective use of flashback Stranger Things has used to date. When I watched season 1 in 2016, this was the scene that made me cry my eyes out. I still think about it to this day as the catalyst that started my long-running love for this show. While trying to revive Will, Hopper is reminded of his daughter Sarah's struggle with cancer which led to her death. This flashback is a perfect representation of Hopper's development.

Hopper's arc in seasons 1 and 2 was one of my favourite things to watch: he starts as someone cold and isolated who drowns himself in drugs and alcohol to cope with his past trauma. Eventually, he learns to love again in all sorts of ways once Joyce comes back into his life. Hopper's drive to find Will and his love for Joyce inadvertently led him to El, and as he says in season 3:

"For so long, I'd been stuck in one place...And then, I left some Eggos out in the woods, and you came into my life. And for the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again." -Hopper's Letter, 3x03

In summary: flashbacks are used with intent and to SHOW the audience a character's internal struggles and thoughts. Stranger Things follows the textbook way to use flashbacks effectively, and has clearly been selective for a reason when it comes to which moments they choose to remind us of, as well as when, how, and why these moments are used. They have juxtaposed two very similar scenes and how the characters have escaped from the series' antagonist, Vecna, using these flashbacks/memories to their advantage. The final battle between El and Vecna was driven by El's love for Max. Mike was under the impression that what he said was what El needed to hear because it was veiled in Will's feelings. While these ideas have been widely discussed, showing how flashbacks have been effectively used throughout the show and comparing them to their usage (or lack thereof) in season 4 gives us excellent insights into El's headspace, as well as what the future holds for these characters. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into this analysis so I really hope you enjoyed it! Please give it a reblog if you can and leave your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to know your interpretation :) Thank you so much for reading! <3

[xoxoladyaz]

When Stevie Harrington was nine years old, she wrote her future self a list on the front page of her diary. The title of the list read

RULES FOR STEVIE’S FUTURE HUSBAND

and it felt necessary to her nine-year-old self to have this list. Sure, she was young, but she wasn’t dumb. Her parents weren’t like Tommy’s parents who had date nights and kissed each other every time they said goodbye. Stevie’s parents never hugged or kissed each other (or her). And sure, they spent all their time together, but they never looked happy. No, they were always angry, and no matter what Stevie did she couldn’t figure out why. 

(At least, not until Tina Kline’s birthday party.) 

And as soon as she returned home from the party, she ran up to her room and started her list because Stevie Harrington wanted to fall in love someday, she wanted to have a house and a husband who was nice like Tommy’s dad, so it was important that she remembered the Rules.

1. He couldn’t be too old

(They’re ten years apart in age, she heard Mrs. Kline say. That’s just such a large age gap. It’s no wonder that it’s not working, they’re clearly at two very different stages in their lives.)

2. He couldn’t travel all the time for work

(It’s not the age gap that’s the problem, dear, Mrs. Hagan had scoffed back at her. It’s all of Richard’s frequent ‘business trips.’ It’s hard to have a family or a relationship if your husband is never around.)

and most importantly,

3. Any guy who dated around too much before was BAD NEWS

(Girls, we all know what the real problem is, and it has nothing to do with how old Richard is or how much he travels, Mrs. Perkins spoke with determination. Richard has never had a serious relationship in his life. We all know that he made it abundantly clear he was never interested in settling down. He had a new girl every week and she was one of them, for god’s sake! A tiger doesn’t change his stripes and Victoria was a fool to think a baby would change that.

Maybe if they’d had a son, Mrs. Kline had offered, but then they noticed Stevie was there and they stopped talking.)

It was a short list, but it was a good place to start. And as Stevie grew older she added more on to it, like make sure he wears deodorant and has to be a good dancer and never date a guy with a mullet (looking at you, Billy Hargrove.) And that’s not even to mention her large period of self-growth after college when Robin finally convinced her to go to therapy to talk about her family issues, at which point she added on you deserve someone who loves and appreciates everything about you and doesn’t just use you for sex (and fuck, that was a hard and painful lesson to learn. It also put a bit of a damper on dating in her early-twenties but, well, seeing the quality of man that was out there? It was probably for the best. She didn’t want to be Victoria Harrington, after all.)

So why, if Stevie had this list, if she’d had all of these years of preparation, if she knew exactly what she wanted – and more importantly, what she didn’t want – then why, at the age of twenty-six, was Stevie Harrington falling headfirst into a relationship with a world famous rock star who was

1. Twelve years her senior

2. Currently on tour and

3. Had a long, long string of famous (and infamous) ex-lovers?

(And why was her heart telling her that despite all evidence to the contrary, Eddie Munson was going to be the exception to all her rules?)

A/N: LMK if you want to see more of this!

[givehimthemedicine]

house arrest and boarded up homes

I was thinking about how the only times we ever see Vecna anywhere except at the Creel house (I mean literally in Vecna form) it's in visions, right? which he's conducting from the UD attic, really? can he leave the house?

so then I got thinking about all the "trapped at home" themes on ST and especially the boarded up exits in visions. far from a new revelation, there's not really gonna be anything "new" in this post - but I never realized how extensive it is (this isn't even attempting to be a complete roundup due to photo limit) or thought about what that means for him

OKAY Creelers, your homes are prisons... we got it... smth smth Karen trying to trap her kids at home and in turn being trapped there herself by allying with Brenner...

anyway onto the actual horror boards thing - not all Vecna visions have them.

Fred's visions, Chrissy's clock and bathroom visions, and Max's clock, mom and Billy visions do not have the boards imagery. those are also all the ones which happened outside of or not involving their homes, both in terms of the vision's setting and where the victim physically was while experiencing it.

but the visions set inside of homes got boards [and those are all also the ones experienced while inside of homes irl, though not necessarily those same homes] - the Cunningham house in Chrissy's final vision, the lab in Nancy's (not a house but was technically his home for most of his life, and is referred to as home by Brenner), and ofc Max's in the Creel house.

(honorable mention for Victor's war vision, which wasn't boarded up in the sense of the others, but it was both experienced from and set in a home, and there is some very similar blue-lit-boards imagery in the bombed house. I know there's some question as to who actually did this one but it sorta works)

and when we get to the actual Creel house, whoooboy do we go hard on the boards thing. both in the sense of the IRL house being all boarded up so that the kids have to pry plywood off that door to get in, and of the actual horror boards vision being so much more extensive than Chrissy's or Nancy's.

btw guess how many different boarded up exits Max encounters in her vision? 4. teehee get it

ok, any more homes/boards stuff outside of the st4 visions?

this is kinda Will trying to escape his house, the UD of it anyway. and depending in what way Will's UD experience was affected by what went on in the RU, consider the impys of Lonnie "repairing" that hole, from Will's pov. even if Will didn't literally get the horror boards treatment in there, as a result of this, still. Themes TM

and then much later we have Jon and Nancy boarding up the broken cabin window. yeah I know this is to stop bad guys getting in, not good guys getting out. but is it giving "horror boards but from the wrong pov" again? is this any support for the idea of the final scene being Will's Vecna vision?

and then of course there's the way that that cabin was El's former home, yet also very much a place she wanted to escape from - as was every other place El has ever called home, however briefly. in most cases the word "prison" actually does pop up eventually:

and then there's the mind lair being the fubar Creel house, and the fact that in no mind lair scenes do we ever see Vecna set foot outside of the bounds of the house, right?

in the Dear Billy vision, when it was Vecna in Max's head, he was able to chase her all around the graveyard when she ran. but when Max somehow got into his head, and then Kate Bushed it outta there, he just stood there looking grumpy and tried to stop her by making house parts fall on her, like he couldn't follow her.

[side note: if he HAD scored a direct hit, what then? send a vine out to drag her back? he stopped her that way before, why didn't he just do that again? can his vines not reach beyond the bounds of the mindscape house either?]

even the Piggyback moment where El comes-to and sees him carrying Max in (which. WHY?) he's already well within the house area.

thematically it makes sense that he would be trapped in his own mindscape. psychologically stuck in his trauma... prison of his own making type of thing.. etc etc

image limit. go on without me:

"they're still with me (taps head) in here"

Vecna getting trapped against one of those pillars in his own mindscape by El

boarded up doors imagery vs Flayed Billy and VecnaChrissysmom "open the goddamn door" (not to mention a trillion other instances of "open the door" and door imagery)

Victor telling the story of their home and his trauma from in an actual prison cell (nvm the whole Hopper prison plot)

Kali / Brenner / festering

Pennhurst "can't they just escape?" "they could, but the vast majority choose to be here"

leave your train station

and the only time I can think of that we see Vecna physically outside his house in the UD is when Nancy shoots him though the (boarded up) attic window, after which he disappears somehow. was whatever happened there (at least in part) a consequence of having gone out-of-bounds?

lab duels / if you leave your circle, you lose

Terry stuck reliving her trauma in her dream circle

you have already lost / no you have... etc etc

on first watch I figured he could do whatever and go wherever he wanted but chose to stay at home (like how Will hid at home in the UD)(actually ig I'm basing that on a lot of assumptions) but actually I don't see support for that unless I'm missing something huge.

anyway. just me rolling in the themes like a dog in poop 👍