take heart

also I LOVE how much Fourteen is allowed to express himself. He’s letting himself vocalise the things that Ten never could. Sure, he still struggles to open up and talk about his past, but at the same time he gets to say “I love you” to Donna, and he gets to actually scream and shout and hit and kick the walls. The satisfied little “good” after his mental breakdown really said it all. He needed that, and I’m glad he got to have it.

14 is definitely different from 10, 10 would never say he loves anyone out loud. like there are two whole scenes about it, at bad wolf bay. even when he does manage to say it, the audience doesn’t hear. the only way 10 knows how to say “i love you” is “goodbye.” meanwhile 14 is out here saying he loves people several times in episode. i’m super into the idea of 14 being 10 but with an emotional vulnerability that the others built up while he was away, and being absolutely horrified and overjoyed by it

rtd is sooooo funny. he has made us wait 15 years in agony and anticipation wondering how donna will survive the metacrisis and then he just waltzes in for the 60th and says "oh donna has a child and they just decide they don't want to do that anymore" and by funny I mean I'm going to strangle him with my bare hands

I can see, Donna, what you're thinking. All that attitude, all that lip, because all this time you think you're not worth it. Shouting at the world because no one's listening. Well, why should they?

Journey's End // The Star Beast

In loving memory of Bernard Cribbins 1928-2022 ↳ 14x01: The Star Beast || 14x02: Wild Blue Yonder

every day i am percieved™️

There is a reason for this though!

The original tweet summarizes it pretty well. Fanfic tends to be popular among certain types of neurodivergent people (aka people most likely to read excessively as a child, and have burnout as an adult) for the same reasons that we tend to hyperfixate–neurochemical signaling (I hope I’m using that phrase correctly). What I mean is, for people who are really dependent on changes in dopamine/serotonin/neurotransmitter levels, who have low levels or wonky neural reward systems (perhaps the most common types of neurodivergence)…people like us rely on dependable external sources of those neurochemicals. In order to function, we spend a lot of our free time trying to level out our brain chemistry using things that can reliably bring us a steady stream of joyful moments (rewards) without costing too much of the mental effort that is already in short supply. 

significantly: the investment of reading has to be balanced with a steady “return on investment”–and this return has to start fairly quickly. because again, we don’t have a lot of attention/energy to invest on tiring things. we have perpetual “low batteries” in that regard.

that doesn’t mean these stories are “simple,” or that they lack complexity or value–only that the reward has to come in short regular intervals, and it has to have a low “upfront cost.” these stories are only “easy” to read in the sense that the effort we put into them is rewarded in a timely manner. which is why fanfic stories are so perfectly formulated for neurodivergent readers–they are often beautifully written, but skip a lot of the upfront costs (of introducing new characters, of world-building, of getting the audience emotionally connected to the story elements).

the nature of fanfiction is that the reader has a pre-existing relationship with this world and these characters. that–combined with the shorter average length of fics–means that fan fics very quickly start rewarding the reader in a way that traditional fiction struggles to. that’s not a bad thing! and maybe it’s something more traditionally published writers should be paying attention to.

Fanfic, as a genre, has been uniquely helpful and accessible to many neurodivergent readers who would otherwise struggle to immerse themselves in stories. I’m glad so many of you have found a way to love and enjoy reading again! The important thing is that you are spending time inside stories you love–the way those stories are published or presented to the world is just one detail. The fact that you find joy in the process of reading (or listening!) to stories–that is what matters.

I feel understood 🥰

a bunch of people have reblogged this with the default “i feel called out” reaction….and i know when we say that we mean it tongue-in-cheek….but this comment sorta blew my mind & shifted my perspective up and to the left a little thank you♥

My favorite thing about Merthur is that they did a speedrun of enemies to lovers. Arthur and Merlin meet, hate each other for one episode, have a tense rivalry for two more episodes, and then immediately almost die for each other and spend four and a half seasons being hopelessly in love. It’s so fucking funny

DOCTOR WHO (2005) I Vincent and the Doctor

Turns out being on the receiving end of Henry's royal authority is an extreme fucking turn-on.

#Somewhere out there, Obi-Wan gets a force headache.

AHSOKA 1x05 (2023) | RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)

#Anakin Skywalker + Flashbacks