Nevermind all of the cruel, horribly-written, absolute bag of shit st5 they gave us. Yeah it was bad. But we still have our space and our community - which we've known for YEARS has brilliant writers and artists and analysts and creatives.

Go out there and get EXCITED. Go out there and draw or paint or write or drabble and make mistakes and don't lose that hope and joy that brought you to love byler and stranger things in the first place.

Cause I still remember last year when I waited for the email that signified "The end is here" had updated. I can remember finishing it and feeling such a profound sense of loss but also hope that we would have something like this next year.

And we ARE getting it- fuck CANON, who even cares anymore?? The show chose not to have any meaning. The writers did such an insane disservice to their story and their audience.

I saw we ARE getting it because that feeling is back, that excitement, that thrill of knowing in your bones you are going to read damn good stories.

@bookinit02 has started yet ANOTHER rewrite (and when I tell you I SCREAMED-) - it's already just so much better than what we got.

Of course, taking up a rewrite is a heavy project, and one she's doing for her love of this story and it's characters. I mean it when I say I'm going to have fun reading whatever she can find the time to enjoy writing and want to post. If ever she decides that she can't finish, I will still be grateful for what we got rather than anything else because she creates for the love of this show just like everyone else on here.

I honestly can't wait- I'm going to be rereading "The end is here" as soon as I can find the time to do so because that is my season five now. Also bury me in metamorphosis from @hiscleric, and To Hell and Back by @perexcri and "I know better (but you're still around)" by @andiwriteordie and MANY, many, many other authors like @astrobei and @wiseatom (speaking of whom - if you guys haven't read "a cruel summer with you", you're missing out🙂‍↕️) and I wasn't EVEN TALKING about camp whiteman, they're brilliant authors whose individual works I have loved as well. @smoosnoom (ALSO absolutely BRILLIANT fics) @miwiheroes "how could I be blind to it" is one that left me in tears!!! 😭

ALSO BEANSIE on ao3 on Tumblr as @byeler (I'm not sure if there's a Tumblr there I will find it just you wait) and of course @mikeslawyer who has written literally my favourite soulmate au in existence for these two. (Yes there are others too but c'mon you guys you can have more than one best friend)

THAT is Some of only MY FAVOURITES of the many, many, many brilliant writers we have. (And I primarily engage with fan content through reading otherwise i would be dropping art blogs too)

I'll maybe make a long post with all my favourite fics- but honestly for all your fic needs there's other blogs dedicated to this (shoutout to @light-lanterne for the @byierficrecs blog that LITERALLY had graphic designs for so many great fics)🙂‍↕️ (and some brilliant fics of their own too like HOLY SHIT that one fic where mike is in a time loop??? It had like 3 chapters and all three of them made me CRY. AND IT CAME WITH DESIGNS TOO THAT IS ONE OF THE COOLEST AUTHOR'S SKINS I HAVE EVER SEEN?!?!???)

They haven't been able to log in for a year ish now, what with life getting in the way, and I hope they're doing okay after how this trainwreck of a season went. Reach out if you can, I'm sure anything you can do to help would be appreciated.

Also of course you took my heart (I was sleeping) by lameparties - but all of you know that one already, with it being the top kudos'd fic in the tag - if you haven't read it already GO CHECK IT OUT IT'S SO GOOD)

We'll be alright, guys. One day maybe we'll get it. One day maybe one of us, of our community will have the chance. Until then, holding up will and robin and vickie and yes, even mike (especially mike) is important for those teenagers and for everyone I know resonated with their arcs.

They're our characters now. Honestly they always have been, so go crazy. God knows we'd go crazy together.

(WE CRASHED NETFLIX WITH CONFORMITYGATE YOU GUYS WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE)😭

I think we need more stories like this. I don't want to be told the only way out is death. I want to be told that we are human, and that to be human is to want to live, and love and find family if you're brave enough to step up.

I don't mean any disrespect to those who choose death. It is hard to live. Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes it feels as though everything and everyone is against you.

Maybe sometimes they are. Or maybe they've convinced themselves treating you like this is the only way. Maybe they're cruel, maybe they're not.

They don't matter.

You just gotta find something to live for.