⛥♱ Mexican Byers⛥♱

Tw: implied child abuse

2025 Byler Big Bang Fics & Art Masterpost

Now that January is here, that’s a wrap on the 2025 Byler Big Bang! We welcomed 17 fics and even more art into the fandom over the course of December, and now we want to celebrate everyone’s hard work one more time with this masterpost of all the fics and art links completed for the challenge. A huge thanks to everyone who took part or otherwise supported the fics and art of the creators!

We will be back in summer 2026 with info about next year’s event.

[The full fic collection on Ao3]

Dancing Is a Dangerous Game by @liminalgayhorror with art by @strangerpringle

nightwalker by @jediwill with art by @faevont

Without a Flame, There’s Just Smoke by @obsessionatthemoment with art by @bluepeaaa

six feet under (I’m still walking around) by racinggoats with art by @shubaoven

Date With Fate in a Black Sedan by @swingthesameway with art by @faaremi

Knowin’ I’m Half of You by @the-third-waterfall with art by @khiquii

Andromeda by @pearyaoki with art by @liminalgayhorror

The Impossible Wish by @jabberwockymoreau with art by @cherrishnoodles and @bluepeaaa

Heaven Knows I Can’t Change If I Wanted To (You Cut Me Open, and I Look Exactly Like You) by @jasperthejester with art by @klowtales

The Cleric and The Frog by @fresh-and-funky with art by @katimanki

One Last Kiss by @dogdaysareover365 with art by @thenomadicfox11 and @amurderlesscleric

The Joy of Christmas by @biigiiiii with art by @fluffyfangirl

son of man by @willelworld with art by @wonderwoman326

You’ll always be my favourite idiot by @willtheartist with art by @soapywaterjuice and @voidcrumbs

forsooth, it was strange and terrible by @howtobecomeadragon with art by @jabberwockymoreau and @6000yearstogether

i gotta stand up (i gotta face it) by @djemsowhat with art by @lesbianerdd

to love in forbidden times by @morganee with art by @thenomadicfox11

ep7 was bad and it deserves it's low ratings but review bombing--both extreme negatives and extreme positives--does not help. if you don't like the episode, great, it was objectively bad. it was not a 10/10 and should not be treated as so. nuance is lost in the discussion and paints the outrage as a monolith of deranged shippers instead of people rightfully speaking up about misrepresentation.

the community pats its back on being the most media literate of the viewership and yet cannot remember there is another two hours left in the story. immediately creases like paper and discards four and a half seasons of hints because the slow burn is going through literally all the slow burn tropes.

that said, protest the writing. it should be better. this story deserves to be told better. but it's still being told.

have better faith in yourself and the story you have picked up on. i said this elsewhere: i may not have faith in the duffers but i have faith in me. i know what i watched. writing is hit or miss but the story is a completely different thing. said story is not finished yet.

canon is not the end all be all. shipping is not tied to solely canon pairings. we can still ship and love this duo long after the show no matter how it ends.

interviews are timed to be released after each volume for a reason. perhaps some of you don't remember but after st4 v1, we were told in interviews that will is simply "growing up" and confused. but after v2, interviews dropped stating will is indeed gay and in love with mike. in no interview so far have we been told how mike feels about will. this is being left for the show to tell us for a reason. are you picking up the hint.

finn wolfhard is going to be hosting snl in january after the finale. why would he have presence on a show that thrives on skits from the media their host is in if his character has nothing to reveal in the finale.

the duffers stated a good twist is one that makes you realize it was there all along. guess what. this community has realized it is there all along. this is the final stretch, the finish line is right there. keep your head up.

i'm not saying this volume was the best of stranger things. it was not. but there is one thing stranger things is pretty good at doing and it's sticking the damn landing. even with the seasons i don't like, the last episodes are pretty good. v1 stuck the landing of part 1 of this final chapter. there are fumbles and fuck-ups along the way, and there is sure a lot left to be desired this go around, but the landing has not come yet for part 2 of this final chapter.