#lsd's asks

||✶ come boy and bring your obsession with you

So do we wanna talk abt the keep moving forward thing or do we wanna be more character driven cus I think the messaging and plot beats of sfawtde are meaningful and kind as all get out. Because Both play a part honestly and it might be a disservice to talk about one and not the other just based on how Derek and Avery interact with one another and how their actions and hot-potatoing on whos saving whom and how their individual personalities inform the whole disasterous "keep moving forward" bit

I've been thinking about it all day. Avery being this person who says he gives up and never seems to actually do it. He says he gives in, he says he cant do it anymore, and he persists anyways. This directly plays into the theme. Avery's quite literally the heart and soul of this two-part series and its beautiful. The one time he genuinely fails to get out of a rut he's rescued by D3rlord3's compassion. You are real, you are special, keep moving forward

Also they both love so deeply and I mean this in the funky funny way. Avery's concern was purely for Derek, how human persistence can laser in on a single person, the fact that Avery was willing to abandon everything he knew just to save one person is an extremely human reaction. It highlights both his determination despite everything, he didnt know HOW he'd help but he was GOING to find a way, even if that "way" includes the deaths of billions. The destruction of life itself. As long as this single human being didnt feel so alone dying by himself. Here methinks this also reflects Avery's refusal to let go, and its what makes the final letter so impactful. Cus yeah you tried your hardest. You couldnt save the person you wanted to. Millions of folks have been in similar situations where they're putting their all into someone whos by their own definition "too far gone" sometimes you CANT help someone no matter how much you love them (both platonically and romantically, honestly what goofy style of love they have doesnt matter at all imo)

Its soooo fuckjng meaningful that Derek told him that his death wasnt his fault, that he wants him to continue moving forward through life and go and do fantastic things because he knows Avery is capable of it. In a way Avery's journey and dedication for a guy he doesnt even know can definitely be interpreted as Avery trying to find purpose through others. He crumbles and calls himself stupid for failing, he's trying so hard because he doesnt love himself enough to be okay with just existing. He needs to be of service. He needs to do some good.

Wifies said also that he's a very morally driven person too so

Avery needed to learn self-love too, along with his natural love of others. Which is why that letter is so tailormade for him and everyone else who can relate to being in his shoes, thinking they're stupid or useless or nothing. No, just because you failed doesnt mean you're worthless, you're gunna go on and do amazing things, don't blame yourself. Learn thst you're yes YOU are an incredible piece of the universe and you dont need to be "saving" anyone to be important.

Both of them have a very strong love of Others. Derek's is just more..... wiiidespread? I'd say? Derek appreciated being cared for but ultimately prioritized Avery and humanity before himself. Which is why he was quick to snap into savior mode and come to terms with the fact that yeah, he's going to die for the sake of everyone else. He didn't need to convince himself, he didn't want to talk it out. He knew it was just something that needed to happen. Hi folks we call this a social behavior where an individual puts the needs of the colony/pack/family in front of its own to preserve the species, this kind of love is generalized across every human that's ever existed and will exist. Its again, very fucking innate to everyone and its also so goddamn beautiful.

This song fits Derek rlly well in this sense btw:

Keep moving forward is used in the personal and the general sense in terms of yk. Personal in Avery's case and general in the case of Derek ensuring that there IS a future to move forward to.

And then. Ough. Derek's whole thing about wanting to be remembered. It breaks my heart. We can all go on about how much Derek deserved to be loved too despite being too far gone. He was someone worth saving, just like everyone else.

I wanna know your thoughts on smth. Been musing on slimeknight a lil bit. You think they’d fall in love if they were outside of the situation they’re were in in the videos? Like if they met in uni or at a bar or something and were just pals? Would that inspire the same kind of love? Or is it a situation-alone kind of thing?

I absorb thoughts please thank you

Been thinking about this. (Also thankyousomuchforaskjng i know this isnt your forte and I really appreciate it♡♡♡♡♡)

They'd definitely be friends but J don't think they would've fallen in love the same way. If we're going off of the idea that Derek, after being blasted with all the knowledge ever, fell in love because he then knew everything about Avery instantly, I feel that there's a different kind of emotion on something that was felt all at once vrs something built up over a friendship thats lasted years.

So inherently it'd be a different kind of buildup and reason for attraction, and I think then getting to just be friends honestly opens up a lot of Avery's thoughts and feelings on Derek that we dont get to see play out platonically in canon cus of. The obvious. Instead of the dynamic we usually see in this fandom we'd be getting something similar but different.

They compliment each other nicely going off of canon. Avery is implied to have low self worth, quick to dedicate himself to a single person based on one good action (Derek's warning/the signs) can be interpreted in several ways but my personal favorite is that he's needed someone who cares about him and Derek here not only is the avalible person who's shown a shred of compassion but also already knows Avery inside and out. Infinite knowledge basically is a quick fix to clicking them together.

Avery wants someone to care? Fix! Derek cares and he already knows what his favorite color is. No struggle.

A lot of Derek's fandom characterization is based on a slew of tiny details that arent entirely spelled out as cleanly as Avery's arc about self worth, there's been a general consensus though. Would likes to draw attention to the whole "you dont even know me" schpiel, my friend @emmiecraft made a really good post about the hypocrisy. Derek can extend self-sacrificial behavior because he knows Avery and can feesibly feel protective because, by all accounts, this is someone he's familiar with, and in saying "you dont know me" as a means to convince Avery to drop it he's implying that Avery shouldn't care at the length that he does.

Which, may be a concept Derek is totally forgien to. The idea that someone could give a shit.

Same person different clothes really. Anyways. The infinite knowledge clicks them together and fulfills these needs or at least acknowledges them before either of them can organically cultivate this level of closeness.

So if we were to strip them of that a romantic draw wouldnt look the same because Avery wouldnt have that comfort of Derek already knowing all abt him, and Derek wouldnt be put in a situation where he's explicitly told he matters.

In a way I think this is a far more humane path for their friendship/relationship because the stress (both positive and negative, if Derek survived) of such an intense and immediate connection regardless if the outcome is healthy and worthwhile is a very fiesty breeding ground for a fuuuuck ton of PTSD and seperation anxiety.

I think they'd make brilliant friends honestly and its a shame we cant see them like that (👀) (mumblesmumbleswifieskeepsbeingmysteriousandithinkabouthisvaguepostingonoccassion) (hot take tho but I'm suspicious about any continuation with the both of them. Avery YouTube career sounds amazing to me but I do worry that adding Derek/d3rl0rd3 to the mix would kind of fumble lol)

If they met naturally, at uni or a bar or online, they'd be given the chance to Not know each other first. Esp in Derek's case. Avery would be given the opportunity to feel that connection and ALSO tag those feelings onto a person he's shared a bit of his life with, not just a stranger he recently learned the name of. The intensity is replaced with gradual building up based first on their dynamic as two people who maybe just enjoy each other's company more often than not. This would place significantly less highlight on them at their most desperate, not as much Avery begging to stay because Avery (at point of romantic feelings or other) already knows he's welcome to stay. Which! I'd really be in the front row seats for. I love post-canon slimeknight to ABSOLUTE BITS but I think seeing them at their least stressed in a relationship where they've been friends for years would be aaahhhh ♡

They'd deal with different roadblocks methinks. If Derek feels comfortable enough to have romantic feelings for a close friend he's not as likely to push back the same way he does in dawtde because his reasoning "you dont even know me" wouldnt exist here. Might be something different or might not even be anything at all. They're both implied to be incredibly lonely people so I think if they knew each other long enough to want to errr yk I dont think they'd have hardly any resistance getting into a relationship lol

- mod of @sfawtde-thoughts

Oh yeahh????? :3333 I am immsensely pleased. Me and my mutual @moonflowero1 were yapping about it yesterday oml I think your concept of toxic slimeknight is sooo interesting because yeaahh like... Avery doesn't actually know this guy, what if they get into a relationship and its all a crazy mess cus Derek has habits or traits that he finds unpleasant?

Yes. Can you tell I love them. Like. Like. Love them a lot.

Now imagine both him and Avery transferring to Gallaudet post canon, Derek to continue his degree in a way that doesn't kill him, and Avery to be with Derek and embrace the fact that he's HoH more fully as an identity rather than something he's struggled with and been shamed and isolated for. A fresh start in an environment where both of them can actually be themselves, together, and move forward.

(I got sent this I don't even know if I have 10 mutuals but I'm kicking it your way for fun LOL)

YAAAAYYY BE SUBJECT TO MY RECENT SONG REPLAYS

"THINGS WILL GET MUCH WORSE" Kill Bill: The Rapper, Rav, its a collab I think

"Here, Kitty, Kitty" Jai the Poet. Just because I made my friend listen to the first thirty seconds and he looked at me in astonishment/wild confusion and called my music taste weird lol

"How Many Boogie" SKRYU, WAZGOGG, & Fuma another collab

"My Name is Human" Highly Suspect

"GET OFF MY WAVE" FIDLAR