#i don't have to work to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known i am bodily placed in the sheep vaccination conveyor every single day

[rubensmuse]

nothing more humiliating than being an extremely avoidant bitch who wears her heart on her sleeve. like ok all i have to do is keep this problem quiet and not let it show on my face and then i can handle it by myself and i won't have to deal with the emotional consequ"is everything okay?" NO NO IT'S NOT & ALSO IF I DON'T TELL YOU ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW I'LL FUCKING

EXPLODE

[walpu]

hey, hey, I don't know how many times I've read your post "pre-relationship" especially aventurine part (omg i love how you write abt him 😭). I wonder how it will be once they are in a relationship and the kissing part please :3 thank u and have a nice day!

THANK YOUUUUU

Hope you'll enjoy this post too💛💛💛

being in a relationship with Aventurine

characters - Aventurine notes - gn!reader, fluff, hurt/comfort (do I even write something other that hurt/comfort for him lmao), no beta

can be seen as a part 2 of this post but it can stan on it's own as well

Aventurine

It would take quite some time for Aventurine to move from the pre-relationship stage with you. Will dance around the subject, throwing hints and flirty remarks but as for making an actual move? Oof.

Would cling to your side and shamelessly say something like "aww, can't get enough of me? people may think we're dating <З unless that's what you want them to think haha"

Pathetic. /affectionally.

But seriously, he really wants to be sure that you like him before making a move. That you like him, not his money, not the idea of him. At least that's what he tells himself. And while this is part of the reason, the actual thing is that he's simply... confused. He's already more vulnerable around you than he ever was around anyone else. And dating means being even more vulnerable.

While he yearns for this genuine connection he's also a scared of it. Tim Kreider wrote the line "If we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known" about him actually.

It would take some time for him to get used to being in relationship. In the previous post I've mentioned that he, most likely, had some short flings in the past. I seriously doubt that he ever had any serious relationship before you though. It's so new to him. At first it would seem like nothing has changed between the two of you at all. Surprisingly, it looks like he even became a bit more distant.

Aventurine doesn't want to attract any unwanted attention to your relationship since it will only endanger you. Plus he doesn't want to overwhelm you. Plus he doesn't want to overwhelm himself. Plus he is scared shitless.

He can't help but feel that he looses everything he holds dear. After all, it's been like that for all of his life. And he simply can't loose you.

Mini spoiler for his leaked character story, but there is a moment there when he looks at the aventurine stone Diamond gave him and he realizes that despite the fact that he worked so hard for it, now that he has it, it holds no real value since it doesn't fill the emptiness inside of him. Logically, he knows that this won't happen with you. He loves you too much. But there's this subconscious fear inside of him that he's just so messed up inside that he simply would not be able to love you like you deserve.

Be patient with him, this mans doesn't know what he's doing. Don't give up on him and he'll crawl to your side, holding onto you for dear life.

Once he will calm down a bit, he'll make it up for all those times when you were the one reaching out to him. Texts you, calls you, arranges spontaneous dates.

In the beginning of relationship would spoil you with expensive gifts. He knows what it's like to have nothing so he doesn't want you to ever feel this way. And the best way to prevent it? To make sure that you will have anything and everything. Maybe it's a subconscious way to bribe you. Maybe. Not like he realizes it himself.

Once he'll feel more stable and more confident, his gift giving tendencies will get less overwhelming. He still like giving you gifts but now he picks and chooses. His sugar darling deserves only the best, after all.

Acts all clingy, playful and unserious but actually listens to your every word and is ready to fulfil your every need.

Is actually very caring. Shows his care by pestering you and easing you tho.

If you feel down, will sit stay by your side. May randomly start tickling you, if you're ticklish. If not, will find another way to touch you in a playful and somewhat annoying way. After you cheer up a bit, Aven will put his chin on your shoulder and hugs your waist, softly asking what happen and why is his dearest darling seems sad.

As for kisses. Aven will loooove covering your face with butterfly kisses. And not only your face. Will randomly grab your hand and kiss your knuckles and fingertips. If you've made a mistake of exposing your shoulder then be ready for it to be kissed endlessly.

Adores kissing those parts of your body that are usually covered with clothes. It feels fore intimate for him.

And if you have freckles or/and beauty marks. Oh well. Will trace them with his fingertips, connecting them with some invisible lines and sometimes gasp playfully, saying that he found his constellation. Just a silly little guy being a silly little guy.

So touch-starved it's unreal.

Has very mixed feeling about his tattoo being kissed. Would feel... weirs if you would kiss it during your casual cuddling session. He exposes it for the world to see, yes. But still, when it attracts attention of someone who knows the meaning behind it... Makes him a bit tense, it catches him off-guard. However, if you kiss it after a lovemaking session or when he shares some painful memories with you, he will feel reassured.

Will slowly start crawling out of his shell when he's with you. Before he only shared some brief memories of his past with you, now he'll start slowly opening up about other, much more painful stuff.

It still happens randomly and out of the blue. He remembers something, he tenses up. But now, instead of repressing this feelings, he shares them with you.

Don't push him too talk, he'll slowly open up on his own.

Loves waking up next to you. Especially if you're still asleep. Seeing the sun shining on your face fills him with love and tenderness. Only with you by his side he feels truly safe.

[featherquillpen]

Gained in Translation

I speak four languages (at varying degrees of fluency) and do translation both for smooth and peaceable family reunions and for fun, with works of literature I enjoy. It's practically a truism at this point that meaning gets lost in translation; in fact, I'm currently reading an excellent book, Babel by R.F. Kuang, in which there is magic powered by the meaning lost in translation. But a topic I hardly ever hear anyone discuss is how meaning can be gained in translation.

Example 1: References

A type of meaning that can be gained in translation is that when you translate from language A to B, you can make references to other texts in language B that the person who wrote the original in language A wouldn't have been aware of. Here is an example from a translation I did of a Pablo Neruda poem:

Yo te recordaba con el alma apretada

de esa tristeza que tú me conoces.

I remembered you with my soul gripped

by the tragic ordeal of being known by you.

These lines in Spanish reminded me a lot of the meme based on the viral New York Times article about how you need to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known in order to reap the rewards of being loved. So I decided to make a subtle reference to that quote in the way I phrased the English translation. This meaning, of course, doesn't exist in the original Spanish; I added it in.

Example 2: Meaningful Distinctions

Meaning is often gained in translation because the target language makes a distinction that the source language does not. The translator has to choose one side of that distinction, and so meaning is gained.

Here is an example from the Spanish localization of the Japanese RPG Fire Emblem: Three Houses. There are two unlockable scenes in which the character Hubert is given a gift as a romantic gesture. Now, I don't speak Japanese, but through reading the analyses and translations done by Japanese speakers, and by checking for consistency in the kanji, I can see that the same word for "gift" seems to be used throughout these scenes. However, in Spanish, there are multiple words for "gift" with rather different connotations, which becomes relevant in the localization.

In Spanish, there is no generic word for "gift" that applies in every situation. There is a distinction made between gifts that are personal, between people who care about each other, and gifts between people who are not close, such as charitable gifts and formal gifts given to a diplomat. The translators of the game had to choose which of these words to use in the Spanish, and they used the distinction to add some very interesting meaning to these romantic scenes.

In each scene, what happens is that Hubert notices the person has a gift and comments on it, thinking it's for somebody else. In these lines, in Spanish, Hubert uses the personal intimate word for gift. Then, when he finds out the gift is for him, and reacts very awkwardly, he switches to a formal word for gift, creating an emotional distance between himself and the romantic token. This is excellent characterization and adds a layer of meaning in translation.

Example 3: Meaningful Ambiguity

Sometimes, the opposite phenomenon occurs, where the target language does not make a distinction that the source language does, and that ambiguity or vagueness adds something to the translation.

I have a Finnish friend who has told me that fiction that plays with gender is often more meaningful for him in Finnish translation than in the source language, because Finnish does not have gendered third person pronouns. Where books like The Left Hand of Darkness or Ancillary Justice have to make a conscious decision about which gendered pronoun to use for characters that fall outside the Western gender binary (The Left Hand of Darkness uses "he" and Ancillary Justice uses "she"), the Finnish translations can just use the default neutral pronoun they use for everyone, and never have to resolve that ambiguity in any direction. My friend has told me that there are some books about non-gender-normative characters that he wishes he'd read in Finnish instead of English because the experience would have felt more authentic in some ways.

What It Means

The reason why I bring all of this up is that the concept of meaning lost in translation is tied to the idea of translation as an act of violence. Indeed, there is a saying in Italian, "Traduttore, traditore," which means "Translator, traitor." I agree that translation can definitely be an act of violence that destroys the intended meaning of a text and warps it to suit the needs of the speakers of the target language. But when we focus only on what is lost in translation, at the expense of what is gained in translation, then we deny that translation can be an act of liberation and power.

I was raised in a bicultural household speaking both English and Spanish, and when I translate between these languages, it makes me feel empowered and proud of my heritage. It feels insulting to me to claim that when I translate, I can only ever deplete the meaning. That is not true. Every translation requires a translator, and we are more than thieves and traitors. We are more, even, than archivists, trying to minimize loss and decay as much as possible. We are creatives and inventors who can add something beautiful and meaningful to the text via our translations.

[herotome]

Devlog #123

Hi-ho, Wudge here.

So... it's out! If you somehow haven't heard despite my modest-yet-incessant marketing efforts, Herotome's Super Demo is now out on itch.io!

People seem to really enjoy the game. My notifications are blowing up. Everything seems to be going really well - it's all coming up Wudge, one might say!

Which means it's time to talk about 𝓜𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓵 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼.~

Y'all weren't expecting that one, were ya? Boom, baby! Haha!!!

So, let me know if this sounds familiar: I spend most of my waking moments worrying that something bad is going to happen. I'm perpetually waiting for the other shoe to drop. (Thank you to @hummingbird-games for reminding me that idiom exists, and taking it in good humor when I excitedly babbled that "YES! It's like there's this giant centipede with shoes in my ceiling and I'm convinced I hear him walking around and someday, someday he's gonna throw all his shoes at me like that one guy did to George Bush--!"

...I'm worried that someone is going to find a reason to be rightfully angry with me. I'm worried that, through the mortifying ordeal of being known, I will be punished with the harrowing gauntlet of rejection and misery. I worry that, any day now, I'm going to get a random half-thought-out message that obliterates my heart into smithereens and kills me on the spot. I am a sea slug, cautiously edging a tendril into the light and praying not to be noticed by the eldritch fish above that will devour me in a single gulp.

I find myself flinching even when there isn't a blow coming.

Putting out a piece of yourself for the public to consume is really fucking terrifying. I did it anyway, which is cool of me, but I want to make it known that there is not eternal bliss and satisfaction and rose petals on the other side. Is this better than my cave of solitude and darkness I emerged from? I think so. But I'm still perpetually scared, as Toby Fox might once have described it, "like a small dog startled by a thunder storm."

I'm still really tired, too.

I don't write this to complain; I'm conscious that some people are now looking up to me and the way I do things, and I want to be transparent. I don't want anyone to think I'm perfect or have always been perfect and will always be perfect, or that I've ~found happiness~.

I'm not. I have never been. I will never be. I haven't.

But I'm okay, at least. I'm okay and I'll be okay, and I'm grateful to you all. Every single one of you. Thank you for not submitting me to the harrowing gauntlet of rejection and misery…yet.  :^)

Alright what's the takeaway here. Uhm.

Be yourself! Follow your dreams! Never give up!!!

That's sincerely what I'm trying to do. It's a challenge every single day; I have to choose Herotome every single day (something something married to my own game blah blah blah). It is worth it. And I believe in you - assuming you're not a cannibal or a murder or, worst of all, a plagiarist (gasp!) or anything else terrible and bad - I believe in you. (… But honestly, I'd believe in you if you were a bad person too, I'd believe in you to continue to do bad things but I'd hope that you'll stop and turn yourself in to the proper authorities lmao…)

… I went on a weird tangent again…

I don’t know if any of this is making sense. Maybe it will be insightful to someone out there, maybe it won't.

I uh, did some writing for the next part of the game, and I plan on working on some character expressions today in honor of my Ko-Fi donators.

Oh, and there's gonna be a stream on Wednesday 10pm Pacific. I'll be there! Come say hi and please don't squish me!

… Yeah that's all I can think of writing for now. I absolutely wish you all the best with every speck of love I have in my current flesh prison.

Tata for now. Stay safe and keep warm,

Wudge.

[bylertruther]

The end of the year is near! Give a shoutout to your favorite blogs and tag them to spread positivity before the year ends! (from: a secret anon)

an opportunity to gush over people? why, don't mind if i do :^)

this is in no particular order at all & i'm especially thankful for everyone that's been kind to me this year! <3 i DO see you all and i DO appreciate you sm!!!! thank you, thank you, thank you to you all! 🫂

(btw, you may have to ctrl + f to find your url unless you don't mind scrolling for five years lmao.)

@heroesbyler, my dearest most beloved wife 🤎 not to be a homosexual on main, but you constantly grab my face in your hands and submit me to the mortifying ordeal of being known and while that does make me feel stripped down to nothing but my gory insides before u there is a level of um. real safety and security in that and in you because i know that i'll always be safe there. you're such a genuine, sweet, funny, intelligent, and kind person. beautiful inside AND out!!! you ALWAYS make me laugh and you ALWAYS make me smile and i just . if i could, i would squeeze you n lift you off your feet rn 🫂 you're simply the Best, hogging all of the brain cells and talents and good traits (and good looks, hehe). i adore you and i am so thankful to have met you and you have a very berry special place in my heart. you deserve every compliment that you've ever received and more!!! literally where would we be as a byler nation without you and your inimitable genius tbh? i don't even want to think abt it. </3 ily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💞🥰🫶 and i am so, so, soooooo happy to have met you. @ everyone else, you will NEVER be stav!!!!!!!!! 😤💘😘🫂

@mlchaelwheeler SARAHHHHHH! my sweet & the robin to my steve. 🥺 resting my head on ur shoulder rn. <3 you were one of my very first friends in this space and one of my absolute favorites. platonic soulmates fr!!!!!! you're so intelligent, so sweet, so talented, and so funny. your love and appreciation for this story and these characters is so contagious and i love to read all of the connections you make. your brain is a goldmine and we're all so lucky to have u here. in all ways except physical, i am hugging u and squishing n pinching ur cheeks hehe<333

@wiseatom thea thea THEAAAAAAAAA! biting you and whipping my head from side to side like a dog with its chew toy (affectionate). <3 did you know... that i am obsessed with u? completely and totally. waving my pom-poms and doing a little cheer routine for u always. you are SO unbelievably kind and merciful and sweet tht it blows me away. not to be um. Peculiar^tm on main but every time u grant me ur usual thea on-brand kindness it makes my brain short circuit and i um. don't know what to do with myself or what i could say to show my appreciation which leads to me not saying anything bc every time i go back to reread and reply it just happens all over again and idk what i could say to "top" that and it makes me emotional and and and—[sniper finally takes the shot n puts us out of our misery, etc]. ur just........ !!!!!!!!!!!!! 🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎💕💞💓💗💖!!!!!!!!!!!! u know what i mean? like. i just. Do Not Have The Words to describe how happy u make me. you're SO kind and SO funny and SOOOOOOO talented it's actually insane. i read your writing and i FEEL the immense love that you put into it, that you have for the source material, and that the characters, no matter the nature of their relationship, feel for each other. no offense sorry to be #real but i feel like you have THEEEEEEE best grip on will and mike's voices, and this includes the duffers btw. i read your work and i'm like "oh my god.... that's will and mike, my best friends and best sons william and michael of stranger things fame oh my god...." i read your work and it's like ohhhhhhh so This is what love is, This is what it means to be understood and seen by another soul, This is what true human connection is okay #understood i See i Feel i Understand!!! i just. puts head in hands. i adore u and i am so thankful to have met you and existed at the same time as u. ur a fucking superstar idc sorry to sound like an elementary school teacher but i just Do Not Understand how someone can be so many wonderful things like HELLOOOOOO WHERE ARE YOUR FLAWS THEA.... WHERE ARE THEY!!!!!!!!!!!! smh. hugging u n biting u n also following u around like a puppy bc duality of man n such. nods at u and superglues us together while ur not looking bc i would follow you anywhere so long as u let me so plsdonteverleavemebutalsoifyoudowanttoleavethatsokayily <3

@miwism MAL MIWISM THE THIRD!!!! oh my god... what could i say that i haven't already... funniest byIer of all time award goes to you every year every time first second AND third place all urs and only urs or i blow this entire website up idc. you're so creative and talented (funny, a writer, AND an artist? mal for the love of god can you please leave SOMETHING to us plebeians... smh. AND UR A JOCK TOO?! SOMEONE PUT THE MANAGER ON THE PHONE BC HELLOOOOOO) and kind. how do u do it? pls, tell us where you're getting ur juice bc this is jus too much!!!!!!! you make my dash such a lovely n lively place to be and i am so thankful for u n ur contributions to this fandom<3

@willblogger IMA WHEN I TELL YOU I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF UR POSTS AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO READ UR TAGS NO MATTER WHAT BC I LOVE UR BRAIN SO MUCH...... I'M BEING 💯‼️ u just Get it!!! u Know, u Understand, and i am so thankful to be able to witness it hehe. ur another person whose contributions to this fandom are priceless & i selfishly hope that u have the byIer brainrot forever bc i can't imagine being here without you #rip </3 you're so, so, so effortlessly funny and real and i just. i'm obsessed with u and i am so so happy to have found you!! 🥺

@s2willbyers OMG ANOTHER BLOGGER WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SO UNIQUE AND PRICELESS...... HI ADRIAN HIIIII OMG HEY HI HELLO 🥺🤲💙 you are sooooo so so full of Knowledge and Understanding and talent and humor and kindness and and and. i jsut. how do u do it. how are you so nice and so funny and so talented at drawing and so talented at writing and so able to share your thoughts in such an eloquent and moving way i just . your passion is contagious and so is your enthusiasm and i love it sm!!! i want to read every single idea you have and i want to hear about every single connection you draw between these characters we love and the other works of art that you appreciate and what you think about these characters and how you see them through your eyes and your worldview. ur!!! so!! talented!!! and not enough people!!! say that!!!! even if someone told u this everyday it would not be enough, i think. i Love your blog and i Love your content and ur presence in this space makes me so so happy, adrian, rly and truly 🫶

@willandmichael IZA!!! you make such beautiful gifs and i love how you've always been so honest and unafraid to say what you mean. you're a true ByIer Warrior fr hehe n i just find tht so refreshing. happy new year!! it's been so fun going through this with you hehe :)

@notebooknonbinary VEE! tbh you're so sweet and kind tht i picture u in my head as like. a gumdrop. but also human. don't ask me how it works rly jus kno tht it does <3 bhdjfbdhj. BUT !!!! i just. 🥺 you are so so sweet and so talented and i am so happy to have followed you. you always put that Scrumptious content on my dash and every fic snippet and idea that you share with us always has me on the edge of my seat wanting more!!! you're so creative and i just love hearing everything that you have to say and want to share with us. <3

@lilacline001 LILAC QUEEN OF MY HEART AND CREATOR OF WORLD RENOWN CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED WORKS OF ART NOCTURNE AND RIPPLE EFFECT... I WOULD DIE FOR U (said while getting down on one knee like a knight before the throne ofc). seriously, i start thinking about your fics and immediately i feel like i have to stand up and take my hat off out of respect. i have goosebumps right now as i write this actually. i just. Your Mind. YOUR MIND!!!!!! it's insane and i stand by everything i've ever said about it tbh. my chest clenches just thinking abt nocturne, your mike (which is the most mike to ever be mike btw, including canon mike), and all of the lines that have pierced me and sunk all the way down into the meat of my heart. you're such a wordsmith... i just have no words to describe how your writing makes me feel. no words for you and your sweetness and your grace and your unique and oh so special creative genius. you're just!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! beyond words. i am so thankful to have existed at the same time as you and so thankful that you were generous enough to share your talents with us all. and actually i may have lied because now that i'm at the end of this blurb my mind just keeps repeating "you have bewitched me body and soul" so maybe there Are words to describe how i feel hehe. i am forever and always waving my pom-poms, doing cartwheels, holding up my handmade sign in the stands, and cheering you on in all of your creative endeavors!!!!!!!!! thank you so much for Changing Me with your works!!!! thank you so much for sharing your beautiful brain with us all!!! just thank you!!! for everything!!! AHHH!!!!! ❤️🖤🦇🩸

@ki-flor pLEASEEEEE you are carrying the byIer nation on your back tbh and i think i speak for all of us when i say we could not be more grateful hehe <3 your posts are ALWAYS so unbelievably funny and i LOVE your reaction gifs so much lmaoooo you never fail to get a giggle out of me. :') i love your enthusiasm and how Cool you are and how levelheaded you are even when the fandom is blowing up over smth. never change & thank u for making me laugh so much even through all the craziness!!

@mikeandwillel SANDYYYYYYYY EVERYBODY MOOOOOVE AND MAKE WAY FOR BIG BRAIN THINKER SANDY MIKEANDWILLEL THE THIRD 📣 i love, love, loooooove reading all of your analyses. you've made me rethink what i thought i knew about so many things in this story sooooo many times and i'm so thankful for that. you have a very keen eye and i love how you stick to your guns and what you believe in, not letting other people sway you. you're a very strong figure and that's such a breath of fresh air here. :) you're very logical, very fair, and i'm always just so happy to read all that you have to share with us. thank you for making this a better place & i can't wait to see what this next year in wait will bring us!!!

@repression jamieeeeee omg i hope this is not weird and i'm sorry if it is, but i'd be lying if i didn't include u in my favorites!!! i seriously love all of your posts and reading your thoughts on fandom, the characters, and the stories. i especially love when you post your own art and make connections between these characters and other artworks. i just... your mind!!! your mind. i'm very happy to have followed you and i feel Compelled to say thank u for blessing my dash as often as u do!!! so, thank u !!! <3 :D

@padme-amidala OMGGGGGGG EVERYBODY MOOOOOOOOVE AND MAKE WAY FOR THE BYLER EDIT GOD!!! jeeeeeeeesus ur gif edits for them hit like no other. you're SO talented and creative and have such a deep and genuine understanding of these characters, their individual stories, and all that they represent. i am so thankful for all that you've shared with us and i can't wait to see what else you have in store!! following u is such a treat!! :)

@givehimthemedicine NATALIE OMGGGG ur such a big brained individual. i LOOOOOOVE your blog because you provide such an invaluable perspective that i feel is so needed. you're so observant and the fact that you can catch such tiny but Big details always blows me away and makes me feel like i need new glasses or smth dfbjhd. just so happy that you're here and that you're generous enough to share ur big brain with us all. i need to get better at replying to your reblogs to my posts but also i shan't because i can never think of anything funnier than ur addition so #rip me bhfbkdjb hehehe. <3

@blackdeathmamba MS MAMBA <3 you were my very first friend in the byIer fandom and for that you will forever hold a special place in my heart. this year was hard for us both, but i hope (and knock on wood) that this next one will be brighter and better. you're an insanely talented wordsmith and a true trailblazer in this community. your name and your works are popular on every site that this ship has a presence and it's so deserved! i've meant every single compliment i've given you and i'd repeat them to you every day if that's what it took to rid you of any doubt you may have about your abilities. i'm... admittedly extremely embarrassed and was too ashamed to pop in weeks later to reply to you, but... i just want you to know that i still thought of you and missed your presence here and hope that you're doing at least a little better. if you aren't, that's okay, too, because there's always tomorrow, you know? sending you all my love and light and warmth forever and always! you're irreplaceable & such a true gem. thank you for making this space so much better for us all. 💗🫂🫶

@estelinhabb hiii, friend!! thank you so much for always cheering me and my rambling tags on hehe. i associate you with light and love tbh with the way that you always amplify the words of others and call attention to their additions! you're always very sweet and very kind and very inclusive and that's just so lovely to see. you spread your positivity always and help to really make this space feel like a community. thank you for all that you do and all of the kindness that you've spread!! it's always a pleasure to see you on my dash. <3

@thranduel THEEEEEEEE BYLER WARRIOR OF ALL BYLER WARRIORS EVERYONE STEP ASIDE AND MAKE WAY FOR TUMBLR USER JASMINE THRANDUEL PLEASEEEE 📣📣📣 omg. seriously, your takes are smoking hot and 100% factual every time. i've never read any of your thoughts on this show and its characters and found myself disagreeing. you're never afraid to speak your mind and say what needs to be said and that's something that's so needed in this fandom. thank you for being so true to yourself and loving our boys as enthusiastically and passionately as you do!!! <3

@surferboypizzashirts CHRISTINA! omg. you've been here since before i even made a blog specifically for byIer!! if anyone deserves a veterans discount, it's you. <3 thank you so much for sticking with me through the hype, the wariness, the despair, the delusion, and the hopeless hopefulness lol. you've made me giggle countless times and offer a breath of fresh air to your followers whenever you're around. i hope that you're doing well & have a happy new year bc you certainly deserve it! :)

@stbyers SUZZIE!!! :D you're always soooooo sweet and make the cutest picrews and THE CUTEST ART EVER HELLO!! a true Artiste^tm. i love, love, loooooove your style and simply can't get enough of it. <3 thank you so much for sharing your talents with us & making my dash that much brighter with your presence here. <3

@finalgirlbyers sierra! we have been following each other for so long and i would have it no other way. <3 i love your jokes, i love hearing about your life, and i love whenever you share your thoughts with us. i think you're lovely just the way you are and i would change absolutely nothing about you or your content. we all follow you because of you, not solely because of whatever you may provide us, and what you do provide to your followers isn't lesser or "low-brow". you're really cool and really funny with good taste and i hope that you have a lovely new year!!

@crazycoven HAYDEN YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SO NICE TO ME AND I HAVE NEVER ONCE KNOWN HOW TO ACCEPT THAT BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN SO MOVED AND SO TOUCHED BY YOU AND YOUR KINDNESS EVEN AND PERHAPS ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THAT! sorry for the caps lock i jus had to get that off my chest <3 you're a miwi trailblazer and tbh where would we be without your countless contributions, hm? i shan't even think of such a scary au. you helped make this year in byIer history (lol) so much fun and i can't think of byIer tumblr without thinking of you, too. thank you for all the laughs, all the kindness, and for all that you've been generous enough to share with us all! <3

@aemiron-main em, em, em, where do i even begin....!!! i am genuinely forever and always blown away by you and your vast intelligence. seriously, i don't know how you do it. i think you have more thoughts in an hour than i've had in my entire life LMAOOO. i feel like you're a modern day sherlock holmes tbh. i bet my life savings even that you could probably crack every cold case out there if we just gave you an hour and some red bull. and this gift of yours is made even mooooooooore astonishing when you consider that not only are you so insanely sharp, but you're overall just a great fucking person!! like!!! HELLO!!!! how is that allowed. HOW is that allowed?! you're a damn genius, you're an insanely talented artist with a super unique and inimitable style, you're so funny, you're so SOOOOOO kind that it makes my brain short circuit and i have to immediately close the tab bc i get so flustered (i have issues<3), you're so unapologetically yourself, you're so HONEST, you're so... you're just. ahhhhhh!!!!!!!! (<- me screamin bc the Fan Behavior overcame me) i am sooooo happy that i came across you and followed you way back when. you've opened my eyes to so much and helped me reconsider certain things that i thought i knew and helped me to uncover things that i didn't even know i didn't know lol. i hope you have a happy new year because you very much deserve it, friend!! <3

@magentamee BREANNE! omg hewo 🥺 we have been mutuals for i don't even know how long at this point and you've always, always, aaaaaalways been so nice to me. thank you so much for being such a bright and bubbly person in this fandom. i always see you cheering others on and cracking jokes and in general just being so lovely. it's a treat to see you on the dash and i thank you very much for all the smiles you've gotten out of me and others i'm sure!! your halloween costume was BALLER and so are you and so will be your 2023 hehe <3

@howtobecomeadragon DRAGON!!!!!!! 🐉💚 before i say anything, i want you to know that i am hugging you and squeezing you and twirling you around in spirit hehe. you are so SWEET and so FUNNY and SO TALENTED?! HELLO?! leave some crumbs for the rest of us like... 🙄 dfbdjhbfjdh. i'm kidding. if you hogging every good trait ever means that you'll continue to bless us with your presence and contributions to this fandom then tbh i think that's a more than fair trade!! but seriously, i consider you to be such an important part of this fandom. your memes, your analyses, the questions you pose, your writing, your headcanons, just everything that you post!!! it's all so good and so unique and soooooo scrumptious. truly you are an Understander and Knower hehe <3 i'm so happy that i found you and i can't wait to weather this pre-s5 wait with you!! i'm sure that you'll continue to spoil us as you always have. happy new year, friend!!! :) <3

@laozuspo IF NOBODY GOT ME WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING WILLIAM BYERS, I KNOW JAMES LAOZUSPO GOT ME 😤🤝🫡💪‼️ NOW CAN I GET AN AMEN LADIESSSSS 📣📣📣 BFJHDKJHFDB. but fr fr... james... my dear tumblr mutual... you Get it. you just Get it. i would die for you i would fight for you i am getting on one knee rn to swear an oath to you like a knight rnnnnnn it's Real u are my brother in byler (real) (not clickbait). you're so funny, so witty, so sharp, so Cool, so talented, just . i enjoy your blog and your brain so much. thank you so so so much for sharing it with us and for always speaking your truth, even when people really do Not want to hear it. thank you for not apologizing for being who you are and thank you for just. well. being you, i guess. this fandom would not be the same without you and i for one feel super lucky to have you here (so pls never leave me xoxo dbfhjdbjhf). thank you for everything and happy new year, james!! <3

@ice-sculptures RAE! where to even begin omg... you give so much to this fandom and i am so thankful. your beautiful gifs, your Real and True and Factual posts, your glorious au concepts, your thoughts, your endless kindness, and your pleasant presence—thank you so much for all of it!!! i'm Shocked that you don't write fic (yet...? 👀 hehe) because omg. HELLO... you're such a good writer?! even when you're standing up to the masses and clearing the byers brothers name or waxing showstopping poetic about byIer, your words and your message is always so moving. i'm so happy that you're here and that you're generous enough to share with us all that you do. thank you, thank you, thank you!! wishing you the happiest of happy new years to you, too, of course! :D

@willelfanpage sara!! :D oh my god. actually idek why i started this out all cheery like you haven't kicked me in the face and ripped my beating heart straight out of my chest 83409830 times with your Real and Factual and Very Canon angst 😭💔 EVILLLLLL. but so good! which leads us to our next point: just how do you manage to be so kind and oh so talented, hm? what's your secret? how do you manage to Understand and Know sooooooo many characters and speak nothing but the cold hard facts time n time again? truly a marvel!!!! you share so much with this fandom and i hope you know that we appreciate everything that your beautiful brain comes up with even if it leaves us in shambles. crossing my fingers that this upcoming year serves you back as much happiness as you've so generously given us!!! <3

@strangersynth time, dear tumblr user time strangersynth omg hey hi hello 🥺🤲💙 you've always been so unbelievably kind to me in the tags and i just want you to know that i See you and appreciate you sm. it makes me smile every time! you have such an eye for design and it really shows in everything that you do. your video edits are GORGEOUS! seriously, they're soooo good. i love how you're able to find all of these parallels and similarities between characters and their journeys and present it in such an awesome fashion. your dedication and passion for your craft really shines through in everything that you do, from your edits to your words to your layout and all!! you're very cool and very kind and very talented and i am so happy to have crossed paths with you on these e-streets. happy new year, time!! :) <3

@elmaxed lumi! yet another person with an eye for all things beautiful. you're such a sweet, funny, talented, and cheery individual. you share so much with this fandom—your ideas, your fics, your art, your edits, your jokes, and your thoughts—and i love and am so thankful for each and every gift that you give us!! i used to see your posts all the time even before i started a byIer blog and tbh i feel like your popularity is soooo deserved. you're always such a sweetheart and it's always a pleasure to see you on my dash. :) <3

@themacklemorebrothers hello, friend! :D i hope you're well!! you're a familiar n welcome face around these parts and i always treasure every comment and addition you leave to my posts or my reblogs. i especially love your dedication to making this a more accessible place for us all. you've made me laugh and smile countless times and i can't thank you enough for that. i hope this new year grants you the same smiles n laughter that you've given me and more!! :D <3

@toystoryfan hi, toy!! :) i always love reading your comments on the posts you reblog from me. you've made me smile n laugh so many times and blown me away with your insights, too. i always make sure to read anything you write when i see you in my activity tab & i especially love when you add on to headcanons or ideas. i hope you have a lovely new year and continue to share your thoughts while we wait for s5! :D

@chaserofstarsandtheabyss hello, hello!! i see you in my activity tab often and it's always such a treat! i love reading your thoughts on things and when you add on to any ideas or offer a different perspective. it's always so fun and refreshing and you never have to apologize for rambling! if anything, i encourage it hehe. :) i'm happy that we crossed paths this year and i wish you a happy new year, friend!

@gmaybe666 omgggggggg ngl i do be giggling n twirling my hair n kicking my feet whenever you prev me hehe. your art style scratches an itch in my brain that i didn't even know i had! it's just so.... [clenches fist] GOOD, you know? like, it just feel so Real, so Genuine, so True. i can feel your love pouring through with every artwork that you share. i look at those two boys and i SEE mike and will as they really are! and that's so special! your art, your vision, and your talent is so special. your comic series is so powerfully evocative especially. gets me right in my achy breaky heart with how tender and true it is. </3 thank you so much for sharing your skills with us! i wish you a very happy new year! :)

@emblazons TUMBLR USER EMBLAZONS!!! did you know that you're so very smart and observant and also witty and that i cherish you and everything that you so graciously share with us very, very much? well, now you do! i love your gifs, i love your careful and powerful analyses, i love the way that you speak about these characters and their journeys both individually and together, i just... i love your passion for this art form! i love hearing your thoughts and i'm soooo happy that i came across your blog. i love seeing you on my dash and gobble up everything that you share with us. you've made me reconsider so many things and really expanded my understanding in ways that i appreciate so much. thank you for all that you do for this fandom and happy new year!! 🥳🍾

@light-lanterne hi, angel! :) this isn't the first time you've heard this and it certainly won't be the last, but it bears repeating anyway!! thank you sooooo so so much for what you've done for the byIer fandom!! seriously, no one is doing it like you!! you're a true artist with such a lovely heart. your fic rec blog is such an unbelievably kind and generous thing to do. i can't even begin to imagine the amount of happiness you've likely brought writers by not only giving their works attention but also so much love!! your edits are fantastic!! and the fact that you actually take the time to read them to get an idea before putting something together? you have such a good, good heart. please, never change! again, thank you so much. not even just for that, but even your own works!! which are so unique!! i've seriously never read anything like them. your love for your fellow fandom friends, for your fellow creatives, for this show, and for art and community themselves shows in everything that you do. i hope and pray that this new year brings you just as much happiness as you've so freely given to others and more!! thank you, thank you, thank you! for everything! <3

@chirpsythismorning we've never spoken before, but i just wanted to say thank you for my life lmao. when volume two dropped, the byIer nation was in SHAMBLES until you came along. seriously, you dragged us just like this out of the deepest darkest pits of hell kicking and screaming and sobbing and wailing on the brink of death and for that i am so thankful lol. when i was ready to give up the crumb of hope that i still had left you were there to refill my plate and get me back on my byIer feet hehe. every time i see one of your posts on my dash i always take the time to read because i know it'll be good. again, thank you so much for everything that you've done for this fandom!! i hope that this new year treats you well!! :)

@frodohaven HADLEY!! i have never spoken to you because i am so Shy but just know that i admire u from afar. in a non-creepy way ofc. your posts are always so #real and true and factual and your st x lotr posts are especially chef's kiss. i've never seen a post of yours cross my dash that DIDN'T slap and tbh i don't think such a post exists? it's just impossible. you're so funny, so smart, and i LOVE seeing you in these byIer streets. i hope you have a lovely new year!!

@wibble-wobbegong hi! :) i've already said what i'm about to say to you before hehe, but it bears repeating anyway!! thank you so much for all of your contributions to this fandom, really and truly. your analyses are top tier and i'm always so fascinated by your perspective on things. i always make sure to read your posts when they come across my dash and i've seriously never come away from one not learning something new. i love that you hold these takes and beliefs so close to your heart and how willing you are to engage in conversation. you're funny, you're intelligent, and you've always been so kind to me when we have interacted which i cherish very much. i hope you have a lovely new year and i can't wait to learn so much more from you! thank u sm for sharing your thoughts with us as much as you have! :)

[girlstressed]

hi zo! thank you for being so kind to me last time! :) your posts about not being able to believe others when they tell you they like you sound like echoes of my thoughts. sorry if this is long, just spewing words! :) I'm a chronic overthinker and it's taken me an almost painful amount of time to somewhat believe people when they say they like me and want to spend time with me, because ultimately, I might not ever truly understand it and I can't control the whys and hows around their feelings. :) their feelings are their own and no amount of worry will change them. if anything, worrying about what they think/feel about me only puts me on edge when I'm talking to/being around them, which doesn't do our relationship any good. when really what I should be worrying about is if I like them. truly, the only thing I can and should have to do is be myself and figure out my own feelings and opinions about them, and let them do the same on their side. and always to believe their actions more than their words. and if they end up not liking me that much, that's okay. I am lovable, loving and loved, always and forever. but to reap the rewards of being loved, I have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known. which is exactly that, mortifying. but the right people will appreciate my vulnerability and fall head over heels for my honesty :) when I look back, I think I used to want to be loved but not known. I used to think something was seriously broken about me, because the idea of being known entirely was so scary to me, for exactly the same reason you mention – I was afraid they would change their mind and terrified that it would solidify my belief that I never stood a chance. I don't know it all yet, but I know that regardless of what life offers me, ultimately I want to be loved wholly, for who I am exactly, through to the bones, by someone I also love, in completeness. and for that I have to be known, again and again <3

omg ive kept this in my onbox for so long because i just like reading it its crazy that we have so many of the same thought processes (like wanting to be loved but not known)!! im glad u are working towards being able to accept love for urself <3 <3

[saintirulan]

1, 11, 21, 30 <3

hiiiii not me replying 3 weeks later im so sorry 💀 life has been lifeing but i still love these so thank you for asking <33

(these are from identity asks uenwuwh)

1. if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

this one is such a nice & complicated question!! submitting to the mortifying ordeal of being known etc etc <3 so difficult to narrow it down, but here goes!! as far as reading, i think the book that made me feel the most Seen™️ would be the lonely city by olivia laing; there is just something about the way she writes on loneliness and being misunderstood that really speaks to me. also!! my favourite poem is the love song of j. alfred prufrock <33 as far as watching goes i'd definetely name the banshees of inisherin and decision to leave for movies (2022 was a crazy year for me lol) and succession and arcane for series (fucked up siblings & complicated dad stuff my beloveds). also don't read too much into the similarities between these i swear im normal and have never been hurt in my life <3. and for listening, definetely to be loved by aurora. i can't talk about these lyrics ever. also what could have been by sting!

11. describe your ideal day.

sooo i'm not really sure i have an ideal day? my life has been kind of hectic, given the semester abroad, which is not exactly ordinary life, and also ordinary life will look different once i go back anyways. i would say an ideal day has to start with my usual coffee au lait, and then it would ideally include seeing and talking to the people i love, taking my dog out on a walk and explore/learn something. <3

30. pick one of your favourite quotes.

i have so many aaaa since i've been back in my dragon age feelings, i think i'll whip out one of my favourite quotes from inquisition (surprisingly not related to solas/solavellan). it's actually by dorian, another very very very beloved character <3 "my father never understood. living a lie… it festers inside you like poison. you have to fight for what’s in your heart." 💚

21. do you love easily?

putting this one under a read more because it got kinda long and a tiny bit depressing lol (& also because honestly i shouldn't still be dwelling so much on this, god knows its undeserved but alas lol)

a complicated question at a complicated time, i fear. if i had to answer without elaborating i would say no, kind of. i never had any sort of healthy love around me, & some traumatic things happened to me as a result, so i don't really feel too comfortable being vulnerable unless i know that i'm safe and the relationship is somewhat stable & enduring. i do try to be as kind, understanding and caring to anyone, no matter how close i am to them, but it has always taken me a long time to trust people and to open up and to really grow close to them. once i do, i'm loyal to a fault and very very very loving & caring & with a tendency to go above and beyond to spoil & look after people. but again, this question comes at a time where i'm pretty disillusioned with all of it, because i've been hurt immensely sort of recently, and a huge part of the hurt was that any kind & loving gesture of mine was turned into something so ugly and far from the truth, to such an extreme that honestly sometimes i feel very jaded and find myself thinking that it's just not worth it anymore. to think that you can want the absolute best for someone & try to make them happy as much as possible only for it to just... be so uglily misconstrued and thrown aside like nothing and not mean a thing to the other person is just something i wouldn't easily wish on anyone else, especially if they already have trouble with being seen. thankfully i've really worked on not closing off to new people & asking for support & so met amazing loving people since then, who in such a little time have helped me immensely - but underneath it all, sometimes i wonder if i'm damaged beyond repair. (which sounds very dramatic but it is what it is 😵‍💫)

[arcadekitten]

Hi arcadekitten!! I just wanted to actually express my feelings for your games!! I honestly really enjoy them, they’re so real to me. The way you write your characters feels so real, honestly everytime something bad happens to a character in one of ur games i cry because they feel like real humans to me, they’re so real to me and I just love your games. And I never really talked about this to anyone but your games make me feel a whole different level of happiness and I just feel so much more human and comfortable in my own skin playing your games. Thank you for making one of the best years in my life just by making simple little games.

You guys!! I'm gonna cry!! slash serious!!

Gosh now I feel like I've just found myself in a whole big compliment fest!! Don't feel pressured to give me any either!! But I do appreciate all of your kind words so very much.

If I may be vulnerable myself, putting your work out into the world is real scary. You never know what's going to happen! But I always think about that one quote, "If we want the rewards of being loved, we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known". And I consider myself so very lucky that I have been able to feel so loved by you all!

From the beginning of all this, what I wanted more than anything was to create the kind of characters and stories that stuck with people the same way I had characters and stories that have stuck with me in my life. I think about the way all my favorite stories and characters have made me so happy and brought me such joy and how I can always find such comfort in them, and when I think about how it seems I was able to make those kind of stories and characters for someone else to find joy and comfort in in the same way...well, I don't think I have ever felt more human than in those moments!

Sometimes, it's almost scary. Because I think about you guys and how sweet and kind and respectful you've been to me, and I get so scared of messing up or somehow disappointing you in some way and that's just real scary! I never want anyone to form some sort of unhealthy one-sided relationship to me, but when I think of the kindness you have all shown me, it makes me in return always want to be someone you can be proud of and proud to enjoy the work of!

I hope to never take you all for granted, and do the best that I can!

GOSH I talked way longer than I wanted to and probably got way too sappy with it too!! But I guess this is just all a reminder to say that I'm very thankful for you all for showing me that my art means something, and I hope I can always be making stories you'll love just as much.

Thanks for sticking around ♡

[grapecaseschoices]

what form of love do you embody?

quiz here, tagging: @sustainably-du-mortain @ava-du-mortain @mt07131 @sunshineandviolets @serenpedac @queerdetectiveblue @galpal95 @writerray @icanmakewords @thee-morrigan @quinnorion

Aleena:

love as violence

[ love as bloodshed, crimson as a knife slipped between your ribs ] when ocean vuong said "to arrive at love, then, is to arrive through obliteration" and when franz kafka said "you are the knife i turn inside myself; that is love" and when ada limon said "how do you love? like a fist. like a knife" and when richard siken said "sorry about the blood in your mouth. i wish it was mine"

love as hunger [I think this is better]

[ love as ravenous desire, love as something fragrant and home-built ] when florence welch said "we all have a hunger" and when jenny slate asked "who will come into my kitchen and be hungry for me?" and when violet trefusis wrote "I want you hungrily, frenziedly. passionately. I am starving for you..." and when anne carson asked "what are we made of but hunger and rage?

---

Tristan:

love as tenderness

[ love as gentleness after a lifetime of cruelty ] when ocean vuong said "sometimes being offered tenderness feels like the very proof that you've been ruined" and when pablo neruda said "like a jar you housed the infinite tenderness and the infinite oblivion shattered you like a jar" and when anais mitchell wrote "all i've ever known is how to hold my own, and now i wanna hold you, too”

[xe also got love as being known, which as a concept does fit but the qoutes don't strike me as hard for xyr ships. But it MIGHT fit xyr friendships--- hrm..]

----

Richard:

love as being known

[ love is knowing all of someone and loving them anyway ] when tim kreider said "if we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known" and when joe wright said "The idea that these two people know each other, knew each other when they first saw each other. That they recognized each other from their future" and when micah nemerever said "it was a relief and a horror to be known so perfectly"

love as light [this works best]

[ love as a luminous force—warm, radiant, and golden ] when mary oliver wrote "light of the world hold me” and when charles bukowski said “I look at her and light goes all through me” and when david viscott said “to love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides”and when e. e. cummings said “lovers alone wear sunlight”

[dearlybelovedemilyko]

Hello! How about Oliver x Ollie?

Oliver x Ollie

i feel like i'm submitting to the mortifying ordeal of being known by admitting this, but when it comes to oliver x ollie i am their self proclaimed number one enthusiast, biggest advocate and leader of their fanclub. they just mean so much to me, okay? they're side characters who don't show up that often, so how invested i am on them can vary from "yeah i can see it" to "OH MY GOD YES", but it's always positive

i have lots, LOTS of headcanons for them, both silly ones and sad ones, as well as huh... a few half finished fanfics saved on my phone. i thought they were cute from the beginning, though i feel like they have more fanfic potential post ollie's unbrainwashing. he has a lot to unpack (the living doll trauma all the human kids in the manor have AND the additional of the bad situation he was in pre selection AND the fact that he has nowhere to go when he leaves the manor), and i just love how much oliver cares about him. ollie used to be so lonely and isolated before, i'm very happy that even among all this madness he finally found someone who not only doesn't judge him for his interests but shares them with him, someone who wants to he friends with him. he spent so long being that person no one wants in any way, and now he has someone who's afraid to lose him, it's just *screams* i don't care if they like each other romantically or platonically or a mix of both, i just love how devoted they are to each other

i really wish more people were invested in these two, i've never seen fanfics of them other than my own, it's just radio silence 😅 i don't know if it's the fandom that doesn't know what it's missing or if it's me that's being weird

i colored the t4t squared because i've seen at least two people have slightly different trans headcanons for these two, and now they live in my head rent free. also "unhealthy in a good way" because as much as i absolutely love the energy oliver gave off when he said ollie didn't do anything wrong (when he very much did) and redirected the blame to himself and i joke that he's ollie's biggest stan, that is something he needs to work on

in summary:

[the-antic]

Fandoms: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)

Relationship: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Language: English

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), Anathema Device, Nina (Good Omens), Maggie (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Omens Season 2, Fix-It, Post-Canon, Not Canon Compliant, Healing, Soul-Searching, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Conversations, Hurt Crowley (Good Omens), Hurt Aziraphale (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), In Which They Work It Out, Crowley Submits to the Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known (Good Omens), Crowley is a Mess (Good Omens), But He Gets Better, Crowley Gets Therapy (Good Omens), theoretically, Not Really But He Does Heal, Aziraphale Learns A Lesson or 6000, Basically They Both Become Better People (or Better Angel/Demon Respectively), So That They Can Work It Out This Time, No Beta We Fall Like Crowley (Good Omens), i don't believe in the coffee theory, so basically i have to fix it

there's no garden overgrown

rabbitual

Summary:

Crowley thought he would look different, somehow. Perhaps taller, harder, more asshole-ish. That's what all the other Archangels looked like, when you boiled them down to it. Crowley thought that's what Heaven did to angels. Plus, with that name - 'Supreme Archangel Aziraphale' -, Crowley was certain the angel he knew was erased forever. Supreme Archangel Aziraphale sounded like somebody Crowley didn't know, had never known, and never would. Honestly, he figured when the Supreme Archangel Aziraphale would brace his dignity to come grace the Earth again, that Crowley wouldn't even recognize him. He thought he would look different. He didn't.

Hi guys. I'm back. Cuz that shit hurted.

Chapter 1/5, 2,349 words.

[winterbonesthings]

Hey, I'm that keysmashing frothing at the mouth commenter from ao3... I just wanted to tell you again how amazing your works are. And I wanna give you a follow to see some more Winterbaron brainrot hopefully.

AAAAAAAAA! I legit squealed seeing your ask in my inbox! Hello! I adore you already, you've been absolutely fantastic!

Thank you so much for coming to visit my blog! It's really about nothing at all, and every little passing whim that goes through my head in queue, lol.

You'll also always find my latest work pinned at the top of my page, like the one I posted just past midnight last night. I usually post around midnight to 4 am, then schedule it to reblog at 3, 6, 9, noon, then 3, 6, 9, midnight that day. #Hi, and #I'm the problem it's me, are my personal and writing tags, because Taylor Swift's album Midnights was just right for what I've been posting.

Winterbaron and pictures of Frank Grillo are my current brainrot, and I've been considering submitting myself to the mortifying ordeal of being known by actually posting some of my own random thoughts on topics, but mostly my brainrot is limited to tags currently, when I remember to add them.

(I'm shy in general so it's hard for me to say all the unhinged things I think, even online.)

@zsparz, and @six-demon-bag are two fun and friendly folks that I can remember off the top of my head who share the brainrot, and @emptymidnight does amazing art!

As for HTP flavors and folks who have Frank Grillo/Rumlow on the mind, may I introduce you to @ex0rin, who is absolutely the reason I got my own ao3, @5ummit, who has amazing metas and gifs, and @the-ravening who is very kind!

Always feel free to send me asks or message me privately. I've been wanting someone to talk about my stories with, and I'm more willing to do that here, because I won't be spoiling anything for folks who don't want spoilers like I would be in the comments of the fics themselves.

AAAAAAAAA! I'm so excited you're here!!

[turbo-toast]

Writerly Thumbprint Challenge!

Rules: look back on your work, both past and present, finished and unfinished. what are five (or more!) narrative elements, themes, topics or tropes that continuously pop up in your work?

@thana-topsy tagged me, and I'm happy to indulge in some self-reflection!

I tag @tafferling, @moriche and @expended-sleeper. Submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known. C'mon.

Monstrous Is Who Does Monstrous Things - I really like writing characters with some aspect that makes others afraid of them, or hate them because they pose an apparent danger. Be it vampirism or having been kidnapped and turned into a killing machine, I like writing characters who through choices and their own principles prove that just because they're capable of atrocities, it doesn't mean they have to conform to the prejudice leveled at them. Yeah, you're a monster, but you're not a monster monster.

You're Lovable - This goes hand in hand with my protagonists often having "monstrous" aspects: They just as often don't think they're capable of love or being loved. I like to make them see they're wrong by pairing them with someone who, either slowly or immediately, goes full-on heart eyes for them (and vice versa).

Power Couples - While we're on relationships - usually, both parties of my couples are highly competent in their fields. Sometimes I think that kneecaps my ability to write character development or throwing actual challenges at my characters, but I think even if a character is nigh unkillable, there's still a lot of anguish they can be put through that isn't mortal combat, for example. I just like the dynamic of a couple kicking ass and figuring stuff out together a lot.

Romance Isn't The End Goal - A famous idea about the Romance genre is that as the author, you have to answer the question "Why can't they be together right now?" until the very end when they finally get together. The story usually ends when the main couple (and it's usually a couple, not a polycule) finally admit their love for each other and get their happily ever after (or something along those lines). The journey to get there is the whole point. This usually leaves me a bit unsatisfied though: I want to know what they're like when they're comfortable with each other. I want to see domesticity and solving problems together. Show me how they work when they can fully rely on each other. So... I write that. The chase is fun, yes, but let me eat the cake I have too, please.

Found Family - Look, I just like this one a lot, okay? It's extremely common in narratives with queer protagonists, and I'm here for it. It crops up in my writing a lot not necessarily because my protagonists have a bad relationship with their blood relatives. As a matter of fact, most of them just don't have any of those anymore. But in any case, they make their own families. Because that's what you do, I guess.

[officiallycake-blog]

Hey friend, I'm sorry to hear things aren't getting any better by themselves. Since they aren't, do you mind if I make a gentle encouragement?

I really think you should come regularly to church. Whether that’s by masking your family and stuffing everyone in the legacy room (and/or bridal suite if you want to go to first service) (I promise that my family has been the only ones doing it for months), or whether it's by taking turns with your wife, I really believe you need to hear the word preached regularly and that you need to surround yourself with people who will build you up.

As I understand it, just about all of the interactions you have with others are (a.) work (which doesn't count); (b.) your family or your wife's family (both of which are incredibly emotionally draining right now); or (c.) D&D (good, but too infrequent and not a primary source of meaningful conversation).

Insular communities are not the only kinds of echo chambers, friend - the heart itself is also an echo chamber, and without others (and particularly those who repeat and affirm God's word) to redirect the murmurs of your heart, you will naturally continue to fixate on yourself, your problems, and all the things you can't control. It is not good for man to be alone.

I don't know what the relationships you have with others at church are like. It seems likely to me that they're lacking, but community is something you have to invest in before you can reap the benefits of it, and no one can know you if you don't submit to the mortifying and inconvenient and potentially really difficult ordeal of being known.

I had dinner with a bunch of church friends on Tuesday night and literally cried to my husband before I left because I couldn't help but fixate on myself, my problems, and all the things I couldn't control. But being with my friends really made a difference. They didn't solve anything at all, but they reminded me that God is good and that others love me, and I dunno, it really helped. I want the same for you, and I imagine that in the ideal future you envision for yourself, you have such a community that you support and that supports you.

Your wife needs such a community, too.

If there are practical concerns with childcare, truly do consider that my husband and I have been holing up in rooms with our kid during the services and only talking to others in between. If you are concerned about your children roaming between services, your wife and I could take one shift before the service to be secluded with kids, and you and my husband could take one shift after the service to be secluded with kids (or vice versa). And if you're concerned that you won’t be able to listen during the service with children present anyway, then we can also alternate shifts during the service so that you can be in the service half the time and the other half at least able to chat with a non-family-member adult. We'd genuinely love to help you make it work, however you might think it best for your family.

Anyway, friend, hang in there. I know you're burnt out, and I am praying for your burden to ease soon. Either way, I really appreciate you. I hope to send you session impressions by Friday, and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

[mrmasksalesman]

Blog Post #9: Submitting Work

The idea of submitting my work is... difficult.

It feels awkward to actually have eyes on my work. People looking at what I've done feels strange, even when it's positive. I don't know if or when I'll submit my work. Eventually, probably, hopefully. But I mostly know what to do when the time comes. To format it in plain text, and leave it to the editors to decide how they want it on the page.

Submit, receive approval, have it shared in the publication, so that people can read it, and hopefully enjoy it. But that means having eyes on my work. To quote from Tim Krieder, "if we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known."

[weepylucifer]

(Oh to be clear i wasn't meaning psychic damage in a mean way, just like give prof the lite version of the type of "psychic damage" you give to friends by showing them something theyll have fun being like "i cant unsee that why would you do this to me" but theyre actually glad to be included? Kind of like submit your prof to the Knowledge that he is Known. Alarming and enticing, both. A mortifying ordeal, but potentially a positive one? Or neutral and funny. If not funny (lol) then funny (peculiar.) Something he can wonder about or mention to friends later.)

oh yeah i get that don't worry. we're good here 😄

honestly it's wild to consider what kind of Known that would be. bc i'm sure in certain circles this dude is very known. his list of published works is 10 pages long. i have, however, no earthly idea if he knows what a meme is