#projectcress

Okay guys, give me your hot takes.

I'll go first: Lonnie Byers is the most mischaracterised character in the fandom. In nearly every fanfic he's an overt asshole who hurts his loved ones for sport. I don't think he's that simple, personally. For those who are working through their own traumatic childhoods and using him as a figurehead, I totally respect that! Don't let me stop you. Keep healing my friend. That said, for everyone else who just gets him so wrong: take another look. His abuse is quiet and complicated. No one seems shocked he was at the funeral. He comes back in the name of 'keeping the family together' and immediately gets Joyce drinking a depressant. He might push his kids around an 'acceptable' amount to make sure they're growing up strong and healthy. It's why he makes them hunt and kill, why he only nurtures their masculine interests (poor Will was doomed from the start). He still sets up a room for Will when he moves and lives out in the sticks, he's offended that the trunk of his car was checked. It's basically a given that he gets rowdy when he drinks too much, but I don't think it's nearly as drastic as people say. He abused the boys (and Joyce) physically and verbally, but emotionally is where he's truly a venomous person. He craves the validation, the idea of being the big protector... all he's protecting is his ego. Faux-manhood. I truly believe he may want to be better, he even alludes to that - but ultimately his own insecurity and self interest hurt him and everyone around him. He's horribly manipulative and a lot of fics seem to skip over that. I say all this as someone who had an abusive narcissistic father. I can forget the marks and the pain, but that kind of upbringing just damages your innate trust in people.

I think something healed in all of us when we got to see Will reach acceptance, when we saw those boys on the swings, when Robin had her first true experience of queer joy and she recited it so beautifully. A lot has changed since the 80's - but a lot of things have stayed the same or gotten worse. I remember being a kid and realising who I was, sitting in the living room, watching tv and staring at a pretty girl on screen. I remember having two thoughts, that were so consecutive they may as well have been one: "i'm queer/i can never tell anyone about this, i'll take it to the grave"

For little 6 year old me, who didn't even have a great understanding of time, I knew how far away that was. I imagined everyone coupled up, every adult I knew and told myself "it's not for you" and "you can never have that".

That is one of my most painful memories. I was born in '04, so really it wasn't that long ago... but religious family, small town etc. That stuff really shapes how you think. The feeling of everyone breathing down your neck. One of my biggest fears as a queer kid was telepathy. The idea of psychics scared me something fierce. Because they'd know. They'd know my dirty little secret.

Despite my efforts, people still knew there was something about me not to be trusted. People hurt me, screamed at me to change and left when I didn't.

Now, when I think back...

I'm glad I didn't.

. Will - deerling that wakes up with amnesia

. Mike - froakie that gets his treasure mugged by the minions of some horrific gothic shadow creature

. They venture into the caves together, retrieve the relic and get a glimpse of the beast

. Sign up as a team (or a Party rather)

. Keep working their way up the ranks and catching leads on this beast

. The ultimate fight is against a Hydreigon (inspired by the thesselhydra)

If you like cleradin or wisewheeler, then I recommend my breath of the wild fanfic :)