#[Linear Time - Queue]

[funnel-webbed-au]

Wood smoke and Ashes

Riley's Notes: Kinda long one. Here's something from early in arc two that explains largely why Iron Fan and DBK don't show up much, in this AU. Based a bit loosely off of my own interactions with my mother, but let me tell you, she was already making plans with what she'd do with my room before I'd even moved out yet. It felt like I never existed.

Red Son opened the door of his workshop with a quick entry of a passcode to the keypad near the door. A chill ran down his spine at the prospect of the conversation that he was about to start, but it needed to be said. He had to tell them, this had to be discussed. There was no getting out of it if he wanted a better life for himself.

He had to leave.

The fire Demon came into the living room with his nails tightly digging into his upper arms. Any tighter and onlookers would have said he was going to draw blood.

It was a terrifying thought, the idea of having to leave this fortress behind, but it was one he knew would give him more freedom than his lawlessness and his power ever would. Sure, he could do whatever he wanted in the city without consequences because he was such a powerful fire Demon, but when he was in his own home, it was like he didn't matter.

He hissed, wiping a tear from his eyes as he remembered a day he might wind up bringing up in the conversation he was about to start. This wasn't going to be easy, he knew that better than anyone else.

How did you leave someone you love behind?

“Mother…? Father…?” His voice cracked with the unease that had sunk its icy claws into his heart. He was usually so bright and filled with fiery passion, but now, in the presence of his parents, it was thoroughly stifled.

How the Hell did you tell your own family you wanted to leave, after everything they'd been through? The idea of broaching the topic twisted Hai'Er's stomach into horrible, painful knots that he'd almost forgotten. He had almost missed this pain. Perhaps this was what it meant to feel alive.

Princess Iron Fan turned to her son, raising an eyebrow though her expression didn't change from a deadpan otherwise. The entire sequence opened up a bottomless void in the fire Demon's gut.

He hated it.

“I, er… there is something we need to discuss. It is… of utmost importance and I dread broaching it now, in such an informal environment…” Those words brought Iron Fan to her feet, and she approached Red Son with an intimidating, almost towering presence that instilled fear into the one of her children who'd stayed with her, her favorite child…

Hai'Er flinched, unable to hide the chill that went down his spine from her cold gaze, filled with more frost and more unfeeling nothingness than that of the Lady Bone Demon… or so the redhead might say.

“Red Son, my dear, you know you can talk to us about whatever you need to. This is our home, although it doubled as a wartime fortress.” Iron Fan glanced at her husband, who had turned to watch the scene from his seat. He was still distracted by Chang'E's cooking show, however.

It was then that Red Son snapped. Boiling emotions tipping over, the heat of his workshop, and of the core of the volcano, erupting from within him.

“No, I can't talk to you, and no, this isn't our home. It's your home.” The fire Demon stepped back after saying those words, sweat rolling down his cheeks. The fear that set in afterwards couldn't be overstated, but despite it, Iron Fan didn't raise her voice.

“Why do you say that?” She tilted her head as she spoke those words, and it wasn't long before the Demon Bull King loomed at her side, expression serious. He didn't even need to prompt Red Son before the words came gushing out.

“This- this isn't my home. It doesn't… it doesn't feel like home.” He took a few moments to gather himself, steeling his nerves. Yes, right, he was the current wielder of the True Samadhi Fire, he didn't have anything to fear from them.

”You weren't there when I broke my arm in a training accident. I had to find ways to express myself without the use of my dominant arm for months. Sleeping wasn't easy, either, since I'm most inclined to sleep curled up on my right side, but I didn't expect you to be aware of that.“ His harsh tone drew a growl from his father, but he didn't stop. ”You two are always busy planning to take over the city, planning to take what was once rightfully ours. I'm not so sure if that city is ours to take anymore…”

He stopped, swallowing the vitriol that had threatened to overcome him… and for once, he made a choice. One he hadn't made in his own home for a long time.

The fire Demon allowed his expression to fall, showing the centuries of hurt he'd endured in the past. The instability, the lack of support, it was all hitting him harder now more than ever.

”…I can't stay here. This isn't a slight against you, but I can't stay here. You're not there when I need you, and I hate to say it, but the damn noodle boy and his friends always are. Someone he knows, if not him, will ask the unpleasant questions you two just… don't.“ He swallowed, then raised his expression to face his parents.

The Demon Bull King had turned his head away, no longer able to keep looking at his son. He knew he'd failed him, but he didn't know how severely until now. It was a mighty blow against his ego, one he might not recover from easily.

“I understand, son. If we can't give you what you need, I'll help you move out. Don't be afraid to use some of the yuan we've gained over the years to find yourself somewhere stable.”

Red Son smiled weakly, and for once, couldn't help the way his heart swelled, feeling warm and full for the first time in a long time. He wiped the tears from his eyes, nodding gently as he approached his mother.

Iron Fan moved almost too fast for comfort, wrapping her son up in her arms. The day had finally come, eh? She wasn't surprised, but it still hurt. She ran her fingers through her son's hair, appreciating the silky texture that was only there when Red Son took care of it.

“…I'm sorry, dear. This is… all of our faults, isn't it?” Although Iron Fan's voice cracked, her expression was reserved, restrained. She didn't want anyone to see her cry just yet.

“…I think so. Yours for not being there, mine for not communicating. Time will tell if this is… salvageable. If it's any consolation, I have hope that it is.” He smiled weakly as he clung to his mother. DBK picked them both up, holding them close to himself. He was going to miss his son deeply, but maybe it was better this way.

Sometimes, hope was all you had.

[londonfoginacup]

Hey friends 🩷

If you’re still actively grieving Liam, still waking up and feeling that pain hit your chest when you remember, know that you’re not alone. I’ve turned my queue back on because it started to feel worse having it off, but know that things still hurt, and that’s okay.

Everyone grieves at different times and different paces. Grief isn’t linear. It hits at weird times and times when we don’t expect it. I hurt more when I’m at the mall, it turns out, because One Directioj was there for me at a time when I would spend a lot of my afternoons aching for comfort and finding it by going through stores and seeking out hedgehogs and frogs, blue green yellow red and… Irish. Finding chevrons and microphones. Things hurt.

Things will continue to hurt.

But if you’re looking around tumblr and feeling like people have moved on and you feel alone, just remember that we’re all part of that same community. And for some, what they need is normalcy. And for some, what they need is acknowledgement. It’s different for everyone.

I am achingly petrified of what my country will be like for the next four years at least, and so I am taking refuge in taking charge of the only thing that I CAN take charge of— my silly little blogs.

Everything is a mess and I have felt like vomiting three times today. But just know that I’m trying to live. And I love you. I hope you find a bit of joy in your day. If there’s one thing we know about Liam, it’s that he would want that

[plaidos]

Okay I need a solid prediction from you on when HL3 is happening. Not wishy washy “sometime soon” but a genuine time frame. The least specific I’ll take is season and year (ex. Fall 2026)

i mean, sorry, but you can't get one. as i've said multiple times -- which you can check through the tag -- this is not information that anybody has right now. probably even Valve does not have this information, because unlike most other studios, Valve doesn't have like a "release schedule" -- the game is ready when it's ready. by the time there is a release window we will only be a few months away.

compare when Alyx was announced vs when it was released. Nov 2019 vs March 2020 -- and very famously, this game's story was reworked after being pretty much 100% complete because they weren't satisfied with it.

so sorry, i can't tell you. Valve isn't Insomniac Games, they don't have an internal MCU-looking timeline where they plot all their projects by months & years that can then leak for us to have that information: the information doesn't exist.

as i have said dozens of times before now, though, if you were to ask me to make a guesstimate (which is the best anybody on earth incl Valve can offer right now) i'd say that i think it's going to be announced this year/early next year for a 2026 release, probably not that long after it's announced. but it's really anybody's guess, because AGAIN, Valve doesn't have a schedule for this sort of thing (very very famously!!! you can look this shit up!!!) and they are known for reworking games from scratch in the eleventh hour.

tl;dr: even if i literally had an insider contact at Valve (which i don't), i wouldn't be abel to tell you this information because it doesn't fucking exist. i swear some of y'all don't really understand videogame development and just assume it's a Sims 4 action that you drop into the queue and it'll be done by XYZ. Videogames release during certain windows/go into crunch to enable those release windows in order to recoup costs for the next project, but that isn't why Valve makes videogames; whilst it's nice to get a kickback for a well-performing game, linear singleplayer campaign shooters aren't the big sellers any more, and besides, Half-Life 3 is a vanity project; it exists for there to be a Half-Life 3, not because it would be the Best Financial Decision for Valve -- because it wouldn't. the best financial decision for Valve would be to keep Steam relatively the same and maybe pump out a new steam deck every half a decade.

[mistydeyes]

the butterfly effect: you die because of their actions

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summary: The butterfly effect "the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. The concept is imagined with a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon." Everyone never believed the saying, that was until you died at the hands of your love.

pairing: 141 x fem!Reader

warnings: SWEARING, character death (previously established relationship)

a/n: my first angst piece for the rest of the 141!

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price

Price's mind raced as he shoved the doors open to the post-operation recovery wing. If he had known you would end up on the end of a gun, he would have never put you in this position. He never would have introduced you to General Shepherd.

When you met John, still known as a Lieutenant at the time, you were a First Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. You were an expert at planning travel and assault routes and the SAS used your skills to their advantage. You worked together in a joint-op in Canada, one that required you both to find refuge in a snowed-out cabin. No one was surprised when you both emerged as a couple. Now after 13 years of dating and a happy marriage, you lived a comfortable life together. You had two daughters, both away in college, and lived close to Price's home in England. You made sacrifices, dividing your time in the English countryside with an apartment in DC.

Price was away on a mission as you sat in your countryside home. Last you heard, he was in Amsterdam with Sergeant Garrick. He was unreachable but you knew there was a fair share of times when you had the same status. Laswell had informed you that something had gone on with his unit and after reassuring you John was safe, she encouraged you to stay low in your home. You informed your daughters and they would soon be escorted to your house. Laswell had arranged a security detail for you and you sat at your living room table with a concealed firearm for protection.

As you tried to drink some tea, a series of knocks were heard from the door. You recognized it and holstered your gun as you answered. You opened the door to reveal General Shepherd, an old friend that John had introduced you to at a military ball. "General Shepherd, what a pleasant surprise," you said as you ushered him in, "can I get you anything?" "Just some water if you don't mind, Captain," he said and followed you into the kitchen. As you turned your back to him, he made polite conversation. "Captain, you didn't tell John about the op in the Middle East, right?" he asked and you remembered providing input on a cargo route earlier last year. "Of course not, General," you answered as you finished pouring the glass." "Then no harsh feelings, Captain," was the last thing you heard before you fell against the counter, a bullet lodged in the back of your head.

Back to the present time, Price shoved past the queue and slammed his fists on the receptionist's table. Laswell informed him that he was needed at the hospital immediately as you were in critical condition. He had taken the first flight home from Chicago and was now helplessly begging to see you. "Where is my wife?" he roared as the nurse sheepishly asked him for the name of the patient. "Captain Y/N Price," he said and she quickly typed it in for him. "She's not here, sir," she said quietly as he shook with rage, "she's in the morgue."

Your funeral came with all the proper traditions for a Captain. As the decorated Marines played Taps and folded a US flag, Price held onto your daughters' hands tightly. As a soldier presented him with the flag and your dog tags, he broke down in tears as your daughters joined. The last Price saw of you was your casket being lowered into the Arlington dirt.

As Price prepared to finally kill General Shepherd, he clutched your dog tags and wedding ring close to his neck. He pulled out a picture of you and your wedding day and kissed it before heading to finally end the bastard.

soap

After months of waiting the day was finally here. You and Johnny were expecting your first child after trying for so long. As you rested in a recliner, he had decorated the nursery with all the preparations for a newborn. You decided on a space theme for their room and Johnny would call the baby "our little astronaut." For the last month before you were due, Price let Johnny head home to be with you as he had known this is when you needed him most. When your water broke that morning, Johnny quickly rushed you to the hospital. The baby was two weeks early and you could feel the painful contractions as you entered the delivery room. You were in agonizing pain as the doctors delivered an epidural. Johnny could only watch helplessly as you were in labor for 10 hours.

He held your hand tightly as you screamed. "I see a head!" the doctor exclaimed and the nurses encouraged you to continue pushing. Even with the epidural, you felt dizzy and your eyes watered from the torment of childbirth. The room smelled of iron and blood as it pooled around your body. The doctor's hands were coated in the red liquid as you continued to push. "Almost there, love," Johnny reassured you as his hands turned white from your grip. "She's coming out beautifully, Mrs. Mactavish," the doctor reassured. "You hear that, it's a girl," Johnny exclaimed, "she's going to have my charm and your looks." You gave him a weak smile as the doctor updated him on how far out the baby was.

Finally, as the child exited into the doctor's arms, you released Johnny's hand. You slumped back into the bed as a nurse tended to your sweating face with a washcloth. The doctor delicately wiped the baby and swaddled her in a fresh blanket. "You can cut the umbilical cord, Dad," another nurse said as your baby girl cried. "Hi little one" he whispered as he cut the umbilical cord. He held her small hands with his and went to give her to you. But as soon as he turned, he saw your face was ghostly white. The monitor loudly beeped as the nurses and doctor began to panic. "She's losing a lot of blood," the doctor said as the room was thrown into chaos. Your vitals were beginning to drop and a nurse screamed for a crash cart. The delivery unit's PA system informed other attending nurses of a Code Blue and a variety of new staff rushed into the room. "Sir, you need to leave," a nurse demanded as he saw someone perform chest compressions. "She's not breathing," someone else yelled and Johnny tried to fight his way to the front. Everything was happening in slow motion as he held the baby close and saw you convulse under the shocks of a defibrillator.

"What's happening to her?" he demanded before he was shoved into the hallway. The nurses quickly closed the curtains as Johnny pounded on the glass. His hand grew numb as he fell defeated with your daughter in his arms. After 5 minutes, the doctor emerged. "You better tell me right fucking now what's going on," Johnny screamed at her. "I'm sorry sir, she's gone," she said and he could barely hear her say that you flatlined after a tremendous loss of blood. When she finished, he broke down and let the entire hospital hear his cries and screams.

As he cradled your daughter's head, the baby wailed and Soap joined his heartbroken song. A new life in exchange for one lost.

gaz

"Kyle, I don't know about this," you said as you boarded the plane. "C'mon love, teenage recruits do this," he encouraged as you both strapped in. Kyle had heard about a skydiving experience and convinced you to go. He used the fact that it was his birthday and you swallowed your doubts about flying. As the plane ascended, you gripped his hand tightly. You always had a fear of flying and even had a psychic tell you that flying would be involved with your death. Kyle comfortingly drew circles on your hands as you approached the descent level.

“Alright, flyers! It’s almost time!” you heard the pilot announce through the cabin. Kyle helped you unbuckle and guided you to the tandem diver. He introduced you both and the tandem diver promised a safe descent. “This is my 1000th flight, doll, you’ll be fine,” he reassured and helped to strap you in. You smiled nervously as Kyle similarly strapped into his flyer. He insisted you take a picture together as you shakily gave a thumbs up.

“Here we go!” Kyle’s tandem flyer shouted and they leapt out of the airplane. You tried not to look down as you swallowed your fear. You then felt your legs leave the plane as you and your flyer jumped into the sky. As you felt the rush of air on your face, you kept your eyes shut closed. “Look at me baby!” you heard Kyle shout and you peeked through your fluttering eyelids to see him smiling widely and holding his arms out. You tried to emulate his actions but as you looked up at your flyer, you could see him panic.

Something was wrong as Gaz also saw that your parachute had not yet deployed. He saw the tandem diver struggle to deploy the reserve but that too seemed to fail. He screamed at you as you both flew closer and closer to the ground. You looked up at him in fear and tried to reach out before gravity and the lack of a chute pulled you forcefully to the Earth's surface.

Gaz could only watch helplessly as you and your guide plummeted to the ground. He let out a flood of tears and screams but they too fell and followed along with your deadly descent.

ghost

Ghost watched in horror as two people sat next to one another on a platform. From what he could see, one of the people was a clear head taller than the other and they squirmed in their bindings. Their heads were covered in burlap and they both were sporting matching jackets that hit their figure. "Make the choice, Simon," Makarov said as his voice crackled through the comms, "your wife or best friend." Ghost's eyes dilated in horror as he realized Makarov's implications. "Before you try to be the hero, just know that I'm watching you," he taunted and Ghost knew there was no way out.

His mind flooded with any possible solution but he could not find any. This was supposed to be an easy fucking recon mission that only he and Johnny had to handle. Now he was without allies, without options, and an alternative plan. He shakily put his hand on the sniper's trigger as he fluctuated between looking at you and Soap. Beads of sweat pooled at his neck as he tried to think of any way to get you both out of this alive.

"Time is ticking, Simon," Makarov spoke again, "If you don't choose, they'll both die." That moment, two fluorescent dots appeared on your heads and he knew that somewhere two snipers were ready to take you both out if he didn't decide. Ghost's mind was clouded, he wondered if there was any way to save both of you but came up empty. The deadline and the thrashing of the two figures under their restraints made him finally decide. He made the most difficult decision of his life, he would save you instead of Soap. He couldn't live without you.

He said a silent prayer for his friend as he lined his sights. "Just stay still, Johnny," he painfully whispered as you both fought against your bindings. He knew a bullet straight through the heart would result in a quick and painless death. He held his breath as the gun fired, making a direct target with the body. It fell back in with a sickening thump and Ghost dropped the gun before rushing towards you.

Makarov was always one step ahead of the team. Ghost ran to the scene to see that the chair's size had deceived his eyes. One of the people who Ghost had assumed was taller than the other, was sitting on an elevated crate. The other figure thrashed about but Ghost was more focused on the one in front of him. As he went to pull the bag over what he believed was Soap's body, he was horrified to discover it was you, a single gunshot through the heart. A bullet he had sent into you. You died choking on your blood because of his actions.

As Ghost clutched your body in agony, his tears and screams echoed in the empty lot. In his haste, he had killed you and was now alone again in the world.

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[usergif]

RESOURCE DIRECTORY 2.0 + HOW TO NAVIGATE USERGIF

Hello! We hit 10k followers! I want to take this moment to thank all our wonderful followers and the talented members of usergif! We created this blog less than 2 years ago and are constantly blown away by your support and beautiful creations. As a thank-you, we're proud to announce our new and improved resource directory!!! Shout out to arithemes' custom page which allowed us to create a more streamlined and organized directory for everyone to use. Under the cut, you'll find a guide to help you find exactly the resource you're looking for on our blog. Happy gifmaking! :)

THE UPDATED DIRECTORY

All resources are in alphabetical order first by the creator's URL (at the time of entry), then by the resource's title. Each title is a clickable link that'll redirect you to the original post. Beneath that, you'll find the creator's URL and the resource's relevant filter tags:

As always, whenever I add new entries to the directory, you'll see the last date listed on the right side of the blog here:

If you don't see one of your recent tutorials listed there, please be patient. I update the directory on a monthly basis, but only add resources that have already exited our queue.

THE FILTERS

Please note: the Source section has exclusive filters, meaning you can only select one at a time. In the Type and Effects sections, you can select as many filters as you want. However, if you select 2 filters in one section, like "animated" and "blending," it'll show results for any resource with either of those tags, not necessarily resources that include both of those tags.

Here's a breakdown of how we categorize our resources:

Source: ↳ all: posted by any creator ↳ usergif: posted by usergif

Type: ↳ all: click this to reset filter selections ↳ action: pre-recorded photoshop functions that can be replayed ↳ basics: non-effects-related resources to help new gifmakers get their feet off the ground (please remember usergif is not a resource for beginner-level gifs and focuses on intermediate to advanced gif effects. however, we thought it would be helpful to keep some basic resources available) ↳ brush: various brush shapes like ripped paper edges or intricate textures ↳ fonts: names and links to fonts or font packs ↳ template: pre-made, downloadable layouts and designs ↳ texture: overlays that add a different finish to a gif such as Ben Day dots (retro comic dots) or glitter ↳ tutorial: any post that provides an explanation for a gif effects process ↳ other

Effect: ↳ all: click this to reset filter selections ↳ animated: an effect that applies movement to an element such as rotating text or wiggling shapes ↳ blending: aka double exposure, this effect combines two or more gifs layered on top of each other ↳ color: specifically for color manipulation, an effect in which the original colors are completely different (e.g. a blue sky colored to look pink) ↳ glitch: an effect where color channels are toggled and layered over the original gif to give a flickering effect ↳ layout: multiple gifs on one canvas like a collage (e.g. hexagon layout) or poster-style templates ↳ overlay: an added element layered above a gif (excluding text) such as a shape, another gif confined to a shape, a texture, etc. ↳ transition: an effect that stylizes the passage from one scene/clip into another, such as a fade, glitch, linear wipe, or motion blur transition ↳ typography: any kind of stylized text added over a gif (does not include basic captions)

You can find examples of all these gif effects via their respective tags on our Nav!

THE SEARCH BAR

This search bar functions the same way as the search bar in the upper right corner of our main blog and the search function on Tumblr's mobile app.

Tumblr search allows you to generate results using keywords found in the body of the post or the tags. So, if you're looking for a post but can only remember it having the word "rotoscoping," you can type that in either in the directory's search or blog's search and find any post on our blog that mentions the exact keyword "rotoscoping."

THE NAV & TAGS

Tags function differently from search keywords as these relate to exact words and phrases found only in the tags, not the body of the post. Our members use tags to categorize original posts and reblogs. Some of our most frequently used tags are listed on our Navigation Page and saved in the mobile search function pictured below:

But if you ever want to quickly navigate a tag, simply add /tagged/word to the end of our url to find that tag! For example, if you want to see all the posts we've tagged as a #tutorial, just go to usergif.tumblr.com/tagged/tutorial.

BROKEN LINKS

Whether it's due to a creator frequently changing their url, the absence of an automatic blog redirect, or my own mistakes when coding the directory — you may stumble upon a broken link. Here's what to do:

If a creator has changed their username but their blog doesn't automatically redirect you to the new blog, check if they listed their new user name in the title of their old blog like I did:

In this case, simply replace the url you landed on with this new url. For example, https://sith-maul.tumblr.com/post/692130400398704640/how-to-make-an-animated-google-search-overlay-a → would become → https://cal-kestis.tumblr.com/post/692130400398704640/how-to-make-an-animated-google-search-overlay-a

However, if you can't figure out the creator's new url or in the case that I messed up the link due to human error, feel free to send us a message so I can help find the source or correct the mistake!

WHERE TO FIND THIS INFO AGAIN

If you ever need to access this guide while using the directory, simply click the "i" button here:

And that's it! We hope this revamped directory is a lot more efficient and helpful. Thank you again for all your support and for helping us reach this follower milestone!

[fairuzfan]

Almost done with witches by Brenda Lozano. Good book, I enjoyed it. Next up is "never whistle at night" and then "brothers Karamazov". I should probably formally finish "go tell it on the mountains" i do this thing where I read different parts of books randomly and I technically read the book already but my official stopping place was halfway through. Did that with witches. But I read the end and then parts of the middle at random times and the first half completely. I feel like i gotta sit down and finish it all at once to observe the linear storytelling rather than the way I usually read.... so I'll add that to my list. I'll read go tell it on the mountains and never whistle at night at the same time because I get bored easily if i only read one thing at a time and i think i need a break from "trinity of fundamentals". I also need to read "the queue" by basma abdel aziz and "hijab butch blues" but those are on my phone and not physical and i don't like reading digitally. i do that with posts often, i scan parts of the middle and dont read the beginning and i sometimes reblog things that i shouldnt so i go back to delete them when i realize. Idk i just dont like reading things digitally i prefer it in my hands. Also need to read "if beale street could talk" as well. And "salt houses".

I keep trying to finish "supplication" by Nour abi-nakhoul but for some reason I stop partway through everytime. It's interesting but idk what makes me stop.

Oh and I gotta read "the white book" by han kang because I told my friend I would tell her what I thought about it. I'll get that when the library notifies me.

And of course I'm slowly paging my way through the "trinity of fundamentals".... can't say i enjoy it but it's another important book.

Gotta find time read George Jackson "blood in my eye" and the palestine history books i have but I'm just not in the mood to read them right now. I really want to read them soon tho. Been reading palestine research papers for school so I think my brain is craving fiction lately.

I'm gonna turn on asks so send me your book recs for fiction especially magical realismmmm and things with poetic prose. Bonus if it has an audio book version I can get from the library since my job is. Really boring lol.

[the-s1lly-corner]

If you're still taking requests may I ask for your amazing writing skills to do the angst alphabet letters H, O, J (Heal opened and jealousy) for gigi and ginger

H J O w/ Gigi (angst alphabet)

Pspsps! I've already written this for ginger! It's currently in the queue as I write this opening soooo in case I forget to link it here when I finish writing this- you should find it in the master list!

Also also for alphabet reqs I only take 1 character per ask for masterlisting purposes </3 (rnd is the only real exception since they're already paired under the same section in the list)

Prompts: healed, jealousy, opened

Notes: gn toon reader, short and not very sweet, written on computer, pre game

CWs: none

HEAL

while one would like to think that she would put her all into trying to change and do better after hurting someone and actually change her behavior... she... tends to not do that. she does apologize and maybe try a bit to break bad habits but unfortunately her will to actually change isnt really there

whether or not thats something you want to deal with long term- depending on how severe things are- is completely up to you as her partner... but its going to take a lot for her to shatter her habits and actually commit to change

its one thing to say youll change and falter- change isnt linear. but its different to try and completely give up like she does, and settling back into patterned normalcy

JEALOUSY

i think she might have an envy problem when it comes to material possessions, and i do think it might bleed into emotional jealousy when it comes to you- shes not the kind of toon to get outwardly angry. not in a big and obvious way when you decide to continuously leave her be to go spend time with others or when someone gets too comfortable with you

gigi is a snarky jealous. she makes snide comments that dont exactly sound mean when you first listen to them but it definitely sinks in later. she pretends theres nothing actually bothering her- her? annoyed and hurt? naaaaah theres nothing making her skin crawl what are you talking about? youre the one being weird!

overall not a good... thing...

OPENED

despite everything else listed above though i dont think she would just throw something out into your face unprompted or in a fit of anger. she knows better than to do something like that... and she has a habit of clinging onto things- including information

but the second you throw something out about her that she told you in confidence? yeah no youre done. get out. she just shuts down right there- blocks you out. no. the argument is done and youve gone too far and theres no point in bickering now

genuinely so revolted over you stooping so low

[oneknightstand-if]

May I ask what your writing process is like? As in do you jump from one project(no matter how little) to another as to not get yourself burnt out(patreon content, future scenes, etc) or is your writing process very linear and you try to keep yourself in one straight line? I'd imagine with the size of your IF it isn't easy to stay focus very linearly if at all. I'd love to hear your approach to managing smth like this

It's very linear because I've already got enough jumping around in the coding due to the *gosubs and branching and whatnot, it'll be really easy to lose my place & momentum.

Generally, I make certain to do my daily quota of progress in the main game first during my free time available & then the daily Patreon update.

If I don't have any other time afterwards for the social media aspects of Tumblr or the CoG forums, oh well. I've pretty much limited myself to adding 4 entries to the Tumblr queue on the days when I have the time at this point.

If I've got one of the more time-consuming Patreon projects due (the drabbles, Q & A sessions), then I'll work on that first during the day (but I'll always stop with enough time to at least get a little bit of headway in the game).

I definitely don't due multiple creative projects at the same time. I don't want to split my time/attention between researching so many different things for different stories.

[turbo-tsundere]

You know what, fuck it.

It's not nearly finished, but I'm going to start uploading my Gonta fancomic page by page. This thing, that is.

Once the whole comic is made and published, whenever that'll happen, I'll just reupload it in one big post here and on pixiv, too, since it's better suited for manga format.

The first page's gonna launch from the queue tomorrow. Next ones, we shall see - I suspect the uploads will be rather spaced apart and irregular.

But hopefully it'll be nice read to y'all, all things considered ; ... ;

Ngl, I feel a bit stressed that this will force me to draw pages in chronological order - part of keeping myself motivated was based on the fact that if I get stuck on drawing any given page/panel, I can just hop onto any other bit in the storyboard.

But in the end it actually might be a better option to enforce a more strict, structured and linear approach - jumping around so much created this daunting illusion of nothing ever truly progressing despite pouring tons of time and effort into drawing; Plus one of the problems I created for myself, is that the second half is more completed than the first one, because I was too afraid of touching it and messing up lmao. As a result I keep working on it a bit, then putting it away for a while, because it's just too intimidating as a whole. ("It's gonna be easy now that script/storyboard is all done, and I don't have to figure out anything no more, it's just mechanically completing one panel after another! (' 7 '✿)" famous last words)

Meanwhile finishing one page at a time at least feels like completing a concrete step, giving a boost to keep on going? This is how it worked with my old webcomic at least, and at this point I'll do anything to force my very much unwell sponge of a brain to work at least semi-consistently.

And while I can't promise any regular schedule, neither weekly nor bi-weekly, it starts to feel like posting rarely and irregularly, but still posting anything bit by bit, is a far better option as opposed to working on the project for god knows how many more months/years while stressing out over how much more time it will take, breaks included, without me showing anything. At first I wanted to avoid this, but, well, that was a few months ago, so whatever, change of tactics XD.

[madameoni]

Alright- I figured I might make a lovely long post detailing my commissions options to link to over here.

I want to start with pointing out that my main pride and joy is communication and feedback loops to archive just what you want. The commission process can be long due to the back and forth, but good communication makes great results!

If you're curious, this post shows some of my sketches in the feedback loop stage!

My usual time from start to finish (might depend on the time it takes you to answer) is around a month.

Lets break down the options and prices!

prices are in $usd

prices are for personal use only (ya' know, you can print it for yourself, a friend, but not sell it or use it for business promotion!)- commercial use can be discussed (:

contact me to melinamnovelli@gmail.com

These can be taken as guide, if you'd like something that doesn't fit here- feel free to contact me to discuss it.

CHARACTER DESIGN

Full character design. Detailed wings, anthro, animal and highly complex designs can change the price.

BASE PRICE: $170 2 full bodies - front view 1 nude or underwear + 1 complete outfit.

Extras Extra outfit: $50 each Weapon: $50 each Extra body: $70 each (alternate version, extra pose, etc) Back view: +50% of the total

OUTFIT | WARDROBE DETAILED

For characters that already are designed. Detailed wings, anthro, animal and highly complex designs can change the price.

BASE PRICE: $120 2 full bodies - front view 1 nude or underwear + 1 complete outfit.

Extras Extra outfit: $50 each Weapon: $25 each Extra body: $70 each ( alternate version, extra pose, etc) Back view: +50% of the total

NEW! | OUTFIT EXTRA: GARMENT DETAIL

Detailed front and back view of a single garment. Its an extra to the outfit or character design commission.

BASE PRICE: $50 front & back view of a single garment a few close ups if needed

NEW! | WARDROBE SKETCHED

For characters that already are designed. Detailed wings, anthro, animal and highly complex designs can change the price. Clean sketches of several outfits instead of detailed finished pieces.

BASE PRICE: $200 full bodies - front view 1 nude or underwear + 3 clean sketches of different outfits

Extras Extra 3 outfits: $70 Weapon: $25 each Extra body: $70 each ( alternate version, extra pose, etc) Back view: +50% of the total

WEAPON | PROP DESIGN

Fully rendered and detailed design of prop or weapon on its own.

BASE PRICE: $50 1 full view 1 close-up of detail

Extras Extra view: $30 each

PORTRAIT

From only face to waist up (showing arms).

$170

one character

double price for extra character

includes simple background, and decorative elements like flowers, jewels, etc.

FULL BODY ILLUSTRATION

BASE PRICE: $250

for one character

+100 each extra character

includes background, props and decorations.

extra charges might apply depending on the complexity of the scene- feel free to ask!

Lovely, right?

Now, some basic Terms of Service:

I won't accept any work related to NFTs and I don't allow my work to be used as NFTs.

Credit is very appreciated when reposting but not necessary as long as you don't claim the work is done by anyone besides myself.

The character designs & adoptables can be resold and gifted with proper credit (link and @), those are the owner's responsibility.

Since I'm a breathing human being, I have the right to reject a commission for whatever reason.

I take payment via PAYPAL. I'll make an invoice once the order is settled. I only work with full payment upfront.

For big pieces (+400usd) we can discuss signing a contract or doing payment plans for everybody's comfort.

I don't have a linear queue and I don't work with deadlines, but I will keep you updated regularly and have no problem with showing progress as anytime. Just ask!

Given that I show updates regularly and request feedback during the whole process, big changes once the work is past its sketching stage can require an extra fee.

I don't do refunds past the first sketch.

I guess this covers everything- feel free to contact me with any questions!

Please contact me via email for an easier and organized process: melinamnovelli@gmail.com

[funnel-webbed-au]

Dark Matter

Red Son stopped as the time on his phone shifted from 11:59 to 12:00. A sigh escaped from the fire demon despite the familiar flow of unnatural Diyu magic that swirled around him, the herald of a friend's arrival.

"Have you found Nezha yet, Dai Xie?" The fire Demon asked the shadow Demon. He didn't have to look to know that the mayor was behind him.

The shadow Demon's tail nested itself in front of him, lying on the pavement almost dejectedly, the sharp edge unaffected by the asphalt. The former right-hand man of the Lady Bone Demon shook his head, then pinched the bridge of his forehead, sighing.

"No. I found something worse, sir. A husk of your dear friend... He saw me, and didn't recognize me as... one of the men who would take care of him when he needed it the most. I... sincerely apologize, my liege."

Red Son could hear the bow, and the forced smile on his face. The fire Demon clenched his teeth as a pit rose in his stomach, followed by almost palpable nausea. He wanted to know... but something told him he'd regret knowing.

"...alright. Mark the location on our digital map of the city and its surroundings, I'll investigate when I can." Red Son wiped sweat off of his face. He couldn't fathom what had happened to the Deity he'd come to appreciate so deeply. He didn't need to know yet. He knew that whatever Nezha was enduring, he'd make it through. He was a tough, stubborn bastard, after all... but his curiosity still got the better of him.

"...what... what happened to him?" Red Son's voice cracked, coming dangerously close to breaking as he turned around to finally look at his legal expert. The way his brow was furrowed, and the way he pinched his lip between his fangs, it gave away the desperation that had burrowed itself into his heart. It ate away at his guard, and at his rationale like maggots into an old carcass.

Dai Xie forced a smile for Red Son's sake as he raised his head to make eye contact. The words he was going to say next would be devastating... but Red Son couldn't say he hadn't warned him with how cryptic and vague he'd been before.

"Stella got him."

Red Son's vision swam as everything in his line of sight became hazy and clouded. The Demon fell to his hands and knees as the pit in his stomach turned into a bottomless void, and the nausea reached a fever pitch. The mere thought that Nezha now had eight limbs and four eyes made the fire Demon's insides churn as if possessed, as if they needed to be ejected from his body to avoid sepsis.

The mayor shook his head, then kneeled down, setting his hand on Red Son's shoulder before he entwined his tail around his boss's, gladly offering the comfort.

"Breathe, sir. Breathe." Dai Xie pulled the fire Demon into his arms, holding him in a firm, familiar grip. Red Son could almost hear Nezha's voice, telling him everything would be okay... that they'd be home soon, reassuring him with that gentle, loving smile that only a real friend could deliver.

Hai'Er hiccuped as liquid rolled down his cheeks, staining the mayor's upper sleeve with the transparent liquid. Dai Xie hardly moved in any form of protest from this.

Red Son only tightened his grip.

[cyberstudious]

what's it like studying CS?? im pretty confused if i should choose CS as my major xx

hi there!

first, two "misconceptions" or maybe somewhat surprising things that I think are worth mentioning:

there really isn't that much "math" in the calculus/arithmetic sense*. I mostly remember doing lots of proofs. don't let not being a math wiz stop you from majoring in CS if you like CS

you can get by with surprisingly little programming - yeah you'll have programming assignments, but a degree program will teach you the theory and concepts for the most part (this is where universities will differ on the scale of theory vs. practice, but you'll always get a mix of both and it's important to learn both!)

*: there are some sub-fields where you actually do a Lot of math - machine learning and graphics programming will have you doing a lot of linear algebra, and I'm sure that there are plenty more that I don't remember at the moment. the point is that 1) if you're a bit afraid of math that's fine, you can still thrive in a CS degree but 2) if you love math or are willing to be brave there are a lot of cool things you can do!

I think the best way to get a good sense of what a major is like is to check out a sample degree plan from a university you're considering! here are some of the basic kinds of classes you'd be taking:

basic programming courses: you'll knock these out in your first year - once you know how to code and you have an in-depth understanding of the concepts, you now have a mental framework for the rest of your degree. and also once you learn one programming language, it's pretty easy to pick up another one, and you'll probably work in a handful of different languages throughout your degree.

discrete math/math for computer science courses: more courses that you'll take early on - this is mostly logic and learning to write proofs, and towards the end it just kind of becomes a bunch of semi-related math concepts that are useful in computing & problem solving. oh also I had to take a stats for CS course & a linear algebra course. oh and also calculus but that was mostly a university core requirement thing, I literally never really used it in my CS classes lol

data structures & algorithms: these are the big boys. stacks, queues, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting algorithms, more complicated algorithms… if you're interviewing for a programming job, they will ask you data structures & algorithms questions. also this is where you learn to write smart, efficient code and solve problems. also this is where you learn which problems are proven to be unsolvable (or at least unsolvable in a reasonable amount of time) so you don't waste your time lol

courses on specific topics: operating systems, Linux/UNIX, circuits, databases, compilers, software engineering/design patterns, automata theory… some of these will be required, and then you'll get to pick some depending on what your interests are! I took cybersecurity-related courses but there really are so many different options!

In general I think CS is a really cool major that you can do a lot with. I realize this was pretty vague, so if you have any more questions feel free to send them my way! also I'm happy to talk more about specific classes/topics or if you just want an answer to "wtf is automata theory" lol

[icearts]

I feel like there's a Chekov's Gun rule somewhere that says Angeal and Sephiroth are gonna fight sometime in Ever Crisis. Masamune crafted his sword and, according to Alissa's questionable narration, the townspeople became greedy and tried to take the sword so he killed them. I think this is false, Masamune's blade was probably forged from a Jenova meteorite or some shit ant it just told him this so he'd snap. The same thing is gonna happen to Sephiroth, and it's gonna be a crazy boss fight.

Angeal's buster sword gets brought up once by Alissa, giving it literary significance. "You never use that sword". We've all seen Crisis Core, if there's really that big of an emergency, and those brittle Shinra swords break, he uses the buster sword. First time in Crisis Core to save Zack, and the second time in Crisis Core (technically prior bc lon-linear narrative but shhh) to block Sephiroth's strike.

We're gonna see him use it again, I just know it. That flimsy Shinra issued sword cannot hold its own against Masamune, it's gonna snap when he's fighting Sephiroth (because I convinced myself that's a given), and it's gonna be buster sword vs masamune. Queue the FF7 animation references

[ch4rryc0smos]

YOUR MOUTH IS VICIOUS AND YOU'RE PROUD OF THE SOUND YOU MAKE EVERY SECOND I'M AWAKE / EVERY SECOND I'M AROUND ! — NOW IT'S OVER | DOGPARK.

── . ✶ ❝ B L A I R E F L O R E N C E C A L L A H A N . ❞

☼ — xvii | cancer | infj | british-australian 🪐

appearance ; slightly tanned skin on exposed parts with freckles over shoulders and face, mole under the right corner of her bottom lip, forest green eyes, 5'10 [177 cm], athletic [or sleeper] build with thinner legs, barely noticeable scars over arms, thighs and back, scars over most of her body, dimples when she smiles hard. dimples on her lower back when she stretches. ombre [brown-blonde] hair, prefers her hair short [in a jellyfish cut], but isn't allowed.

beliefs ; materialistic wealth doesn't define anything but your worth in the eyes of capitalism. humans are made to express individuality, not succumb to capitalistic beliefs and submit to slave-like treatment.

⋆ ─ living isn't a linear experience, take it with grace, give it time, and maybe it'll learn to love you too. so, live. ⋆ ─ good and bad don't truly exist, the world is not black and white, it's grey, it's a canvas, and you're the artist.

personality ; gentle, intuitive, charismatic, vigilant, observant, meticulous, boisterous, collected, diligent, loving, realist, nurturing.

positive traits ; compassionate, selfless, empathetic, kind, accountable, notices other's emotions & fluctuations in behaviour[s].

negative traits ; anxious, bottles up her emotions, skeptic [has trust issues], struggles with boundaries, overworks, cares too hard, thinks she has to always be the one to rely on, can't accept her negative emotions, has unhealthy coping mechanisms.

quirks ; fidgets all the time | stutters when nervous | bounces from heel to heel when waiting in queues | gets louder and faster when talking about passions | has an oral fixation | tilts her head when she's focusing | taps her foot unconsciously when waiting for people.

likes ; nature, psychology, sociology, anthropology, freedom of speech, anarchy, deep conversations, late-night car rides, coffee, biology [many branches of it], museums, gardens, aquariums, deers, red pandas, art of living, knowledge, economics, connor murphy & evan hansen.

dislikes ; arthropods, heights, loud noises, narrow-mindedness, extreme temperatures, snobby people, arrogance, dishonesty, being under pressure, confrontation, disorganised places, normalising shitty behaviour and attributing it to mental illness.

deepest secrets ; wants to be seen for her true self, wishes her worth wasn't determined by productivity, wishes her parents would've seen her as more than a trophy daughter.

⋆ ─ she just wants actual connections, the one thing she somehow barely has. ⋆ ─ she doesn't want expectations to be placed on her, she doesn't want to be a prodigy, she wants peace, and calm, and people who actually care.

── . ✶ ❝ B A C K S T O R Y . ❞

ONE of australia's greatest kids, a prodigy made to wow the southern hemisphere, when blaire callahan moves to us, a whole world and hemisphere away, she doesn't know what to do, where to start. living in an esteemed society, high art culture surrounds her everywhere she goes. she's never truly known what friendship is because status is what determines who she is, what she is, even.

she hates how stuffy her life feels, how lonely she always feels, and how she lets her worth be decided on whether she performs well or not, what is this, a circus? she feels like the clown, that's for sure.

primary and middle school pass by as breezes, decent enough as long as she doesn't engage with anyone, ignores the one kid that goes to a nearby school and apparently threw a printer at his teacher in second grade. little blaire didn't know that mentioning that would just be the start of her meeting the murphy family.

one faithful day, she makes the mistake of mentioning this unknown kid to her ever nosy mother, and she somehow finds out it's connor murphy. some guy she'll have to meet now because his family is apparently rich! and oh, they're nice too, but it doesn't matter. and did she mention connor has a sister?

when she finally meets the family, the first time, it's awkward, zoe, connor's sister is a lively kid, she clings onto blaire the second they meet, and connor is, to say the least, out of it. he doesn't want to be there.

blaire resonates with it. and that's how they bond. the two run from the snobby dinner party, they sit outside, on the porch. they're awkward kids, don't speak, but they do know that they understand each other better than the adults ever could.

and that's how it started, few visits occasionally, until blaire moves to connor's school. it's the most public school-esque school she's ever done so much as seen. but connor is okay with it, well, as okay as he can be while hating it viscerally.

he gets bullied, blaire finds out. she hates it, she doesn't care who these people are, she doesn't like them. she spends a while defending connor, and then she meets evan. an anxious wreck, someone who doesn't want to be noticed, but of course she notices him.

so does connor, well, he notices before she does. but she's quick to follow. connor isn't big on befriending him, but she is. she wants him to feel seen, because she never has, not until him. she gives evan the best version of herself, and they form a friend group, a little trio, just them. and no one can hurt them, or can they?

── . ✶ ❝ C U R R E N T . ❞

LAST year of high school, on the path to be valedictorian, or whatever it is in american's high school, blaire callahan is looking to do what she was meant to do when she was younger, back at australia. she's friends with alana beck, a prodigy, but no one knows what these two go through. only connor and evan know blaire better than she seems to know herself.

but connor has been falling apart recently, and even if he acts "rad" and says it's just the usual, she knows. she always will, and evan does too. he's much more observant than he lets off. and blaire likes it. these two are scared for connor, they're worried, but blaire feels empathy. she's been here before, and it hurts.

it hurts bad to see him like this. it hurts so bad to see him like this, and have zoe be so angry. she's always been friends with zoe, and she doesn't like what connor has done to her, but now she's torn. and evan has to help her steer this ship away from this path, the one that'll lead them to their demise.

she's torn between two people, no, three, and three worlds that she'll have to navigate. and her parents too, and it's just so draining, so draining. she has to learn how to live, with herself, and with them, and with everything.

she hates high school, she says.

but she doesn't, she just hates how everyone she seems to care about is struggling, but she's ambitious, she will do anything to keep them afloat. and she will, no matter what, she doesn't care what happens to her, she's going to do it, for herself, for, connor, for evan.

she's been close with cynthia and heidi, connor and evan's mothers (respectively), but she doesn't know if she should tell them, maybe not yet, she thinks. the time will come.

and the universe will let her know, she believes in it. she believes in time, or does she? she hopes she does.

it doesn't matter though, she's going to figure out. this is blaire callahan the world is talking about. she's going to rock it.

── . ✶ appears in a little closer [complete], to be seen is to be loved [complete].

★ ; decided to make this post before actually putting the fic up (i haven't even finished the fic, i'm sick). i fell ill so i'm much slower, but it's okay, meet blaire everyone! one of the girls <3 i've got some works with her in it in the plans, so!

ch4rryc0smos © 2024

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