#it's just a blurry set of generic features...

[purityvalentine]

Random late morning spiral about my aphantasia and it's impact on my ability to remember faces

[vintagerpg]

This is the Vaults of Vaarn deluxe edition (2022), which collects material originally published in the first three Vaults of Vaarn zines by Leo Hunt. It is essentially a setting toolkit, but one that operates withing a set of clear aesthetic boundaries.

Vaarn is a post-human world — people are still around, but, they aren’t really recognizable as human anymore. The line between organics and machines is blurry. Ruined arcologies dot the desert. Petty gods and magic compete with science. It’s a very strange, very exciting world defined primarily through random tables that generate the things you find and the folks you encounter in the wasteland. The only conventionally firm details in the book accompany the character types (True-Kin, Synths, Newbeasts, Mycomorphs and Cacogen), some description of the city Gnomon and the handful of example adventure sites. Beyond those borders, Vaarn is infinitely mutable.

The game’s influences are quite focused, to the point that I feel like the era of the game is meant to be considered a late point on a timeline that includes the events of the Dune novels and Wolfe’s New Sun novels — there are archlictors and massive AI gods (all dead, thankfully) and other features that seem like direct references. There’s stuff firmly outside those novels too (what NPCs we encounter feel peculiarly Gormenghast-y; they are also accompanied by advice on how to run them as friends or villains, which is a nice feature).

Vaarn was conceived for Knave, but there is not a ton of system specific material here; you can honestly adapt it to just about any D&D-derived system, lite or otherwise. And you should! Vaarn is the most exciting world to come out of indie RPGs since the Ultraviolet Grasslands.

[giveafike]

omg ty that was sooo cute n well written 🥲 what about they’ve been dating for a little while n she’s got a great game but she gets stuck on her serve sometimes, so ben teaches her his technique and then she wins her next match - then i’ll leave u alone promise 😂

TLDR: Part 2 from Game, Set, Match (here if you haven't read the first part) Tennisplayer!fem reader x Ben Shelton LAUNCHING each other, triple date, overcoming insecurity and learning with each other <33.

Word count + info: 7.1k! SUPERRRR LONG!!! Dialogue, instagram comments etc.

Character Inspo: Once again, for tennisplayer!fem reader, I envisioned a bit of a bratty, sassy, cheeky, funny girl. In this, she gets vulnerable tho. Visually, I gravitated towards a mix of Tashi Duncan and Tyla. No specifications are mentioned (except a general "shorter" height than Ben).

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW (suggestive themes - nothing explicit/ NSFW) - no warnings

Azzie Notes ✚: heheheehee I'll blush! ask as many times you want! trust me there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing than writing my little fake scenarios and daydreaming <3 In saying that, I’m begging for my desi women to request a desi imagine 😞 Please, please give me some inspo so I can get into my element.

The support and attention pt. 1 got was genuinely so heartwarming, seeing the couple of reblogs and tags and comments meant sm to me, massive thank you for your support <333 kisses to all of u!!

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Game, Set, Match (Part 2) - B.T.S

Time with Ben flew by in a blur of stolen moments after your first date, before you knew it, it had been close to a year since you first started dating. Between matches and games, you both rearranged photoshoots and postponed interviews just for the chance to spend even a few hours together, sneaking in time wherever possible. Naturally, speculation followed. Paparazzi snapped glimpses of you at gas stations, and fans posted short, blurry videos on TikTok and Twitter of your late-night drives. One clip even sparked rumours of lipstick stains on Ben’s face while driving, barely visible in the shadows. What they missed were the hickeys trailing down his neck, hidden beneath his crumpled t-shirt, evidence of the stolen moments just before. You both laughed at the videos and sometimes interacted, keeping everyone on the outside guessing.

Truthfully, you wanted to savour this feeling for yourself a little longer before it became the latest headline. You had travelled the world, met some of your heroes, performed in front of thousands but nothing felt as exhilarating as this.

You felt young, carefree, and most importantly, yourself. With Ben, there were no PR restrictions, no expectations, just the thrill of being together. Running through hotel halls at midnight, sneaking off for food at ungodly hours like two big backs, lying down in closed parks whispering sweet nothings under the stars; it all felt so raw, so pure. You were smitten with puppy love for each other. You’d take long, aimless drives, rapping and singing bar for bar, holding hands while the world outside blurred by. With Ben, life felt like one endless adventure. You had broken the news to your close circles of friends and family, but not anyone outside. The hardest part though was resisting PDA at public games and events. You almost slipped up during an interview, calling him your 'boyfriend' before catching yourself, covering with 'boy-best-friend' and a sweet smile. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but not quite the truth either. You knew sooner or later, you’d have to make it official and that idea was both exciting and terrifying.

After some plotting, you decided on a soft launch first, acclimatising your audience to it. You and your team were pros at staying active online, and it fit perfectly with your social media presence. For TikTok and Instagram Reels, you posted a 'Day in the Life' vlog - clips of your skincare routine, a fit-check featuring a white, sleeveless high-neck tennis dress with forest green accents that cinched your waist, and a casual lunch. But for those paying close attention, there were clues, Ben’s cologne on the bathroom counter, his duffel bag in the background, his laugh echoing faintly in the background during lunch. Of course, some people picked it up after some time.

Ben couldn’t resist teasing either, replying under a clip of your lunch, 'Who’s taking you on a lunch date?'

You shot back, 'A big-backed loser who ate his own food and then stole from my plate .'

One fan commented, 'Wait, is that Ben’s gym bag in the shot?!?!' to which you cheekily replied, 'Where? that ugly, uninspired black bag?' Ben couldn’t resist adding: "That bag has seen more wins than your TikTok views."

Another comment pointed out the Polo 67 cologne in the background: 'That’s definitely not your scent, Y/N. Whose cologne is that?' You replied, 'Some desperate fanboy left it here. Sweet guy tho ig."

The playful back-and-forth only fueled more speculation, with fans buzzing, 'Wait, is this a soft launch!!', 'I'm tellin' yall, it's Ben', "Am I reaching or is Y/N pulling smth here? collab?"

You both laughed, curled up in bed, scrolling through the comments like a pair of idiots. Two weeks later, it was time for the hard launch.

Ben stifled a laugh as he leaned back on the bed, the duvet lazily draped across his hips. "Y/N, stop overthinking it," he teased, leaning over to plant a kiss on your forehead. Meanwhile, you sat cross-legged, agonising over which photos to post, what caption to use, and whether or not the launch would feel and look perfect; not nonchalant but not too much either. He made it look easy, Ben had his post prepped and ready to go like the sappy man he was, while you were knee-deep in hundreds of photos, searching for the right one to tell your story.

You scrolled through the shots, a smile tugging at your lips as you relive the memories, silly videos, 0.5x candids, live photos of him in goofy poses. Then, one image stopped you. A simple photobooth strip from a date you’d gone on together: four black-and-white shots, each capturing a different moment. The first one had you both flipping the camera off with cheeky smiles, his arm over your shoulder. The next, Ben was kissing your cheek, while in the third, you kissed his, making him grin wide with his gummy smile, his eyes crinkling in joy. The last photo was pure gold. You kissed each other, his hands cupping your face gently, tucking your hair back as he held your jaw while your fingers curled around his shoulders as if you didn’t want to let go. Both of you smiled into the kiss, eyes closed, fully in the moment. It was perfect, effortless.

You sighed, knowing this was the photo. It said everything, no need for several pictures to make a statement. You thought for a moment before you typed out a simple caption that summed it up: "Turns out I'm not the only one with game, @benshelton"

Ben, sitting opposite you, smirked and was the first to comment followed by a few others.

benshelton: "I love you so very much"

yourfriendusername: " 'bout time y'all launched"

ayan.broomfield: "Oh you ate with the caption. Me and Frances are screaming rn"

"Nice caption, loser" he chuckled as he beckoned you over to him. You crawled over to Ben with a shy smile, curling up on his chest as his post was uploading.

Ben’s post was a blend of personal, fun, and a little bit cheeky, a video recorded by his sister, Emma of you two playing tug-of-war with his dog Halo at his house, giggling uncontrollably as the dog barked, tail wagging furiously. A candid photo of you leaning over into his side of the car, his smile half-hidden as he laughed from the driver seat, one hand on the wheel. Then a shot of you both in matching hoodies, his idea, of course, followed by a serene moment of you standing on a seaside cliff, both gazing out at the ocean during a quiet getaway. Lastly, a photo of you two kissing on a picnic blanket, your hand on his face, and his smile beaming into your kiss.

You looked up at him and kissed his cheek as the likes and comments came flooding in.

His caption read “Her biggest fan, my biggest distraction”.

taylorfritz: "So nice of Y/N to take pics with her fans. So humble"

↳ Y/N.Y/LN: "Always a pleasure, this one was a little weird tho"

↳ benshelton: "shut up"

francestiafoe: "Finally upgraded from being the 5th wheel to being in the driver’s seat."

↳ benshelton: "Been driving this whole time, you just didn’t notice"

_emmashelton: "Wow, Ben finally found someone to put up with his snoring???"

↳Y/N.Y/LN: "The snoring I can handle, but the random sleeptalking tennis commentary at 3 AM?"

↳benshelton: "💀 I’m deleting this post."

morganriddle: "No more babysitting you with Taylor now!"

atptour: "Ben’s doing better off the court than on lately 👀"

↳benshelton: "No distractions, just love. But thanks for the shade, ATP"

↳Y/N.Y/LN: "His best ATP title to date: my boyfriend <3"

As you typed your last reply, Ben set his phone aside and gently wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer until your body was flush against his. He kissed the top of your head before his lips began to trail softly down your temple. You tossed your phone to the other side of the bed, locking eyes with him. His curls were messier now, and the glint in his eyes told you exactly what he was thinking.

"Y’know..." Ben murmured, his voice dipping lower as he traced his fingers along the curve of your jaw, then down your neck, sending a shiver through you. His other hand slipped under your t-shirt, resting on your bare waist, his thumb making lazy circles on your skin. "We don’t have anything planned until later… and you look so damn good right now."

His lips grazed your neck, slow and deliberate, before pressing soft kisses there. You tilted your head to the side and swept your hair back, letting him have his way as your fingers tangled in his curls, a small gasp escaped your lips as he nipped lightly at your skin.

"Shouldn’t we… celebrate?" you whispered, your breath hitching as he found the spot that made you melt, his hands guiding your body closer to his. "I mean, we did make some big news."

Ben didn’t reply with words. Instead, he hummed softly against your neck before gently flipping you beneath him. His lips captured yours in a heated, intoxicating kiss, his hand sliding up your shirt, fingertips grazing your soft skin. Your bodies pressed together, the heat building as you giggled into the kiss, knowing exactly where this was headed.

The rest of the day went in a haze of cuddles, stolen kisses, and binge-watching your favourite shows and movies. By evening, it was time to get ready for your triple date with Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle, and Frances Tiafoe with Ayan Broomfield. While the guys had bonded at ATP events, you were still the "newbie" among the girls, though Ayan and Morgan had taken you under their wing almost immediately, forming a tight trio.

You slipped into something special for the evening, a stunning black satin dress that hugged your curves perfectly. The backless design draped elegantly, the slit at the thigh adding just the right amount of allure, and the low cut bringing even more drama to the fabric. The soft fabric shimmered slightly under the light which you paired with black stiletto heels and a slickback ponytail.

Ben couldn’t stop staring when you stepped out of the bathroom. He’d matched your elegance effortlessly, wearing a button-up, the top two buttons undone to reveal silver chains around his neck, and his silver Rolex twinkling in the light.

"Wow," he said softly, taking in the sight of you. His gaze lingered on the curve of your back, the way the dress dipped and shimmered. "You’re killing me, babe."

You smirked, stepping up to him and straightening his collar as you teased, "And you’re not looking too bad yourself"

Ben leaned down, placing a kiss on your bare shoulder, his lips warm against your skin. "I’d say we’re a pretty damn good match."

Arriving just a bit fashionably late (thanks to Ben’s lingering hands and his desperation) you entered the rooftop bar together. He had one hand securely around your waist, guiding you smoothly through the entrance, his hand holding yours as you walked up the stairs in your heels. The city lights twinkled around you, setting the perfect mood for the evening.

When you made it to the table, everyone was already waiting, Ayan and Morgan squealed in excitement the moment they saw you, rushing to hug you.

"You look amazing!" Ayan said, practically bouncing on her heels as she pulled you into a tight embrace.

Morgan stepped back to admire your outfit with a knowing smile. "How's Ben behaving?"

"Trust me, he's already a challenge," you replied feigning annoyance, earning a playful giggle from the two of them before they caught you up on recent gossip.

The boys, of course, couldn’t resist teasing Ben the moment he arrived. Taylor clapped him on the back while Frances laughed, giving him a knowing look.

"So... you finally made it official," Taylor teased, drawing out the word with a grin.

Frances grinned. "Big Ben’s had this all under control, right? Didn't need a little push from us? At all?" He threw a playful punch at Ben’s arm.

"Yeah, yeah," Ben said with an eye roll, but his smile betrayed him. "Now you guys can all stop making fun of me!"

Settling into your seats with Ben beside you, the night was filled with laughter and conversation, the six of you effortlessly clicking as a group. You could feel the warmth from Ayan and Morgan, who made you feel like you’d been part of their circle for ages. The easy, fun, teasing banter between everyone only made the night more fun, and as you sipped on cocktails and shared tapas, you couldn’t help but glance over at Ben every now and then, feeling the pull between you two all over again.

The table was lively as usual, laughter spilling over from one side to the next. Frances and Taylor had already made it a mission to tease Ben relentlessly.

“You know, I’m glad you’ve finally got a date,” Taylor said with a smirk, swirling his wine. “For a while, we were worried you were just gonna hang around like a lost puppy.”

Frances chimed in, throwing a playful arm around Ayan. “Yeah, man, it’s about time you stopped being the spare wheel. Now you’re in.”

Ben rolled his eyes but squeezed your hand. “You guys act like I was suffering. I’m pretty sure Y/N was worth the wait.”

Morgan chimed in. “Oh, don't worry Ben, we tease because we care. But seriously, you were giving big lone wolf, single energy for a while. It’s nice to see you two together. You’re like, the new ultimate power couple.”

Ayan nodded, glancing between you and Ben with a smile. “Seriously, though. We all knew it was only a matter of time. And I gotta say, Y/N, you bring out a whole new side of him.”

You laughed, raising a brow as you turned to Ben. “A new side? Should I be worried?”

Ben grinned, shaking his head. “Nothing you can’t handle, I promise.”

As the night continued, the conversation drifted between shared stories of travel, upcoming tournaments, and off-court gossip. Dinner had been fun, the usual banter between your friends, but that one offhanded comment had sucked the air right out of the room for you.

“So, Y/N,” Frances grinned, swirling his whiskey glass, “you ready for the Open? It’s gonna be tough seeing Navarro again after she got the best of you last time, huh?”

Your eyes went wide for a moment before you laughed it off, taking a small sip of your drink and brushing it aside as if it hadn’t landed as a smack with the weight of a brick. "It was just one match," you said, trying to sound nonchalant. But the words felt hollow in your mouth.

But inside, everything collapsed.

Navarro hadn’t just beaten you. She’d dismantled you. Something over the past few months felt like a mental block, like you were slowing down but this match? It didn't just slow you down, it blew you out of the water completely. Her aggressive baseline play came with heat, her ability to push you wide on every shot, forcing you to scramble and defend, and it all came rushing back. You could rewind the entire match all over again in your head, watching points fly from you. You had no answer to her consistency, her precision. And her serve, you could still feel the frustration of trying to return them, each one faster and sharper than the last. Your own serve had crumbled under the pressure, double fault after double fault.

What was worse was you remembered how the crowd had watched you, narrow-eyed, the press merciless afterwards, dissecting every moment of your failure. You’d walked onto the court that day full of confidence, only to be torn apart and exposed, your weaknesses on full display.

That match haunted you, but you hadn’t allowed yourself to dwell on it or process it. Instead, you buried it beneath a whirlwind of distractions; endless empty hours of practice, late nights out at clubs, and drinks flowing as you tried to drown the doubt. Social media posts curated to show your best self, brand deals, and sponsorships filling your time so you wouldn't have to confront the anxiety gnawing at the edges. You hid behind the glamour, the glitz, pretending the loss hadn’t rattled you completely to your core. But sitting here at the dinner table, with your friends blissfully unaware of the storm inside you, the weight of that memory clawed its way back up and sat in your throat heavy. Every buried doubt, every insecurity, came crashing down, no longer masked by the carefully crafted image.

You smiled through it all and nodded along with the conversation, but your mind was lost, rehashing every single moment.

The taxi ride back was quiet. Ben, ever observant, didn't take long to notice the shift in your mood. He reached for your hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles on the back of it. "Hey, you alright?" he asked softly, his voice gentle, concern etched on his face.

You gave him a half-hearted smile, but it didn’t reach your eyes. "Yeah, I’m fine," you replied, but the quiver in your voice betrayed you. You bit the inside of your cheek as you turned away, facing the low hum of the city through the window.

Ben wasn’t buying it. He squeezed your hand a little tighter, his voice steady and tender, with a small smile. "Come on, baby. Talk to me. What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

You hesitated, your thoughts swirling in a chaotic mess. But Ben’s gaze never wavered, his eyes searching yours, not for the athlete, not for the public persona, but for you.

And just like that, the dam broke out from your lips.

“Ben... I—” You swallowed hard, your voice cracking under the weight of everything you’d been carrying. “That silly, stupid comment Taylor made about my last game, it just... It hit me harder than I thought-"

"Do you want me to get an apology?” he asked, his thumb brushing your chin, his expression caught between worry and protective anger.

You shook your head and sighed, shutting your eyes. "N-no, Ben. It's true, you know? I don’t feel like myself anymore. Tennis has always been who I am. And after that match against Navarro, well even a bit before that, everything just... fell apart. I don't even know who I am off the court.”

Ben turned toward you, his full attention on you now, his hands never leaving yours. He didn’t say anything, didn’t interrupt, he just let you speak, let the words spill out.

“I’ve always been so sure, so confident," you continued, your voice trembling. "I’d walk onto the court knowing I could beat anyone, or at least put up a good fight. I used to own that space. But then when it came to Navarro... she broke me. That match wasn’t just a loss. It was...embarrassing, humiliating. Every serve, every swing, it all felt wrong like my own body was betraying me. I could feel everyone watching me crumble.”

Your hands trembled as you spoke, your throat tightening, but Ben’s thumb never stopped its soothing circles on your knuckles. He was quiet, and patient, like he understood this moment wasn’t about fixing anything, it was about you finally letting it out, letting you be vulnerable and freeing your mind to him.

“I used to brush off bad days, but now... now I’m terrified. Every time I pick up my racket, I think about that match, how she exposed me, how I couldn’t handle it. I’m supposed to face her again, and I... I don’t know if I can do it.”

Tears pricked at your eyes as you tilted your head back, trying not to lose it completely. "If I lose tennis, Ben... I think I'll lose myself. It’s not just a game for me. It’s everything. Without it, I don’t know who I am.” Your voice cracks into a soft whisper as your lip trembles.

Ben leaned in, pressing soft kisses to your forehead, your cheeks, and your nose, grounding you in the moment. His hand slipped around your waist, pulling you closer until your head rested against his chest.

“Y/N,” he murmured, his breath warm against your hair. “I love you, so, so, so much. And not because of what you’ve accomplished, or your ranking, not because of tennis, or your titles, not because of your brands or sponsors. I love you. The person who’s real and flawed and strong as hell, even when you don’t feel it. The girl that keeps me on my feet, leaves me wanting for more and makes me feel like I have the whole world in my hands. Because you are my whole world, you've become that for me. I’m grateful that you’re open and raw with me, but seeing you so hurt and scared breaks my heart. I just want to hold you and make everything right again. You don’t have to face this alone, baby. You have me, I’m here for you, always. No matter what”

He gently cupped your face, turning you toward him so your eyes met. “You are more than a match. So, so much more. Navarro didn’t break you. She might’ve shaken your confidence, but that’s all. You’ve built your entire life on your talent, skill and hard work, and one bad match doesn’t erase that. You’ve been through rough times before, and you always come out stronger, baby”

You shook your head slightly, doubt still tugging at you, your eyes wide and watery, as you pouted softly. “What if I’m not good enough anymore?”

Ben smiled softly, brushing away a tear from your cheek. “You are more than good enough. I see the way you light up when you talk about the game, but I also see you. The Y/N who wakes me up with kisses, who dances around the kitchen, the Y/N who’s so smart and who cares so much about the people around her. Tennis is a part of you, but it doesn’t define you. You define you. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”

His words wrapped around you like a warm blanket, his presence comforting in a way nothing else had been. The tension in your chest loosened ever so slightly as you exhaled a shaky breath, resting your head against his shoulder, and squeezing your eyes shut.

“And listen,” he continued, his voice soft but sure, “when you step back on that court, it’s not just about proving anything to Navarro or to anyone else. It’s about showing yourself what you’re capable of. You’ve always been a fighter, Y/N. And I know, no matter what happens, you’ll come through and rise up.”

In the quiet of the taxi, you felt the weight on your chest begin to lift, if only a little. You curled into Ben, his hand still tracing comforting patterns along your back. For the first time in a long while, you felt seen, not as the athlete, not as the image the world expected, but as you.

By the time you got back to the hotel, exhaustion and emotion hit hard. You kicked off your heels at the door, plopping onto the sofa as the weight of everything finally crashed down on you. You let your hair down from its ponytail, feeling it cascade over your shoulders as you sighed and placed your head in your hands. The tears came without warning, silent, but heavy. They rolled down your cheeks as you sat there, your shoulders slumped, the muffled rush of your own breathing the only sound as you tried to hold it together.

Ben sat beside you, his arms wrapping around you like a lifeline. He didn’t say anything, didn’t try to fix it, he just held you close, his presence a quiet comfort in the storm of emotions. After a few moments, he pressed a kiss to your temple, the warmth of it grounding you just enough.

“You don’t have to carry all of this on your own,” he murmured softly. “I know it’s hard, but you don’t have to face it yourself.”

You swallowed hard, another wave of emotion swelling in your chest. His words felt like a release valve, a safe place to let go. “I just... I don’t know how to shake this,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “It’s like I’m drowning, and I don’t know how to come up for air.”

Ben pulled you onto his lap with his arms still holding you, his thumb brushing gentle strokes along your skin. “I’ve seen you do incredible things, Y/N. You’re not lost, you’re just stuck. And tomorrow, we’ll get back on the court. Together. I’ll help you, okay? We’ll figure this out, step by step.”

You looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of frustration or obligation. But all you saw was softness, sincerity, his deep, brown eyes full of unwavering care for you. A shaky breath left you as the idea of getting back on the court with him settled in. “You sure?” you asked, the vulnerability in your voice raw. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Oh please, you’re never a burden,” he said, his lips brushing against your hair as he kissed the top of your head a few times. “We’ll work on your serve, your shots. Whatever you need.”

You nestled into Ben's chest, your body still trembling slightly from the release of emotions, but now, with him holding you, the weight seemed just a little lighter. You sighed, his warmth surrounding you like a cloud, which made you plant a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek as you studied his face. Ben chuckled, a low, comforting sound that vibrated through you as he hugged you even tighter.

“You keep looking at me like that with those big puppy eyes, and I’m gonna think you’re trying to butter me up,” he teased, mischief dancing in his eyes as he looked down at you.

You shook your head gently, but a small smile tugged at your lips. “Maybe I am,” you murmured. “Is it working?”

He grinned, tilting his head as if pretending to consider it. “Hmm, maybe,” he said, leaning down to pepper your face with kisses, your forehead, your nose, your cheeks, until you burst out laughing, squirming in his lap.

“Ben!” you giggled, trying to push his face away, but he just held you tighter, his laughter mingling with yours as he planted one last, exaggeratedly loud kiss on your cheek.

“There we go. That’s the smile I was waiting for,” he said softly, brushing away the remnants of your tears with his thumb. Then he added with a teasing grin, “God, you’re a pretty crier, you know that? Am I this whipped, or is your crying actually so beautiful to me?”

You laughed, feeling a blush creep to your cheeks despite the lingering sadness. “Really? You can’t give me a break from my beauty even when I’m a mess?”

His expression softened, and his voice dropped to a tender whisper. “You’re my beautiful mess, baby. You're stronger than you think. Tomorrow’s just another step, and I’ll be right there with you through all of it Y/N. But tonight... let’s take it easy, okay?”

You nodded, the vulnerability in your chest easing as you nuzzled into him, letting his reassurance sink in. “Okay. But only if you promise to keep the kisses coming. I don’t actually mind them that much.”

Ben raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his lips. “Oh, trust me, I have plenty more where those came from.”

You laughed again, feeling lighter as the weight of the day was lifted and shared. With a final few kisses, he shifted, pulling you closer into a cocoon of warmth, your head resting on his chest as his fingers gently played with your hair.

“Let’s order room service—some sweet little treat or whatever you call it. I know you’ve got a weakness for ice cream.”

You tucked your face into his neck, hiding a smile. “Alright, but only if you promise to share.”

“Deal,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to the top of your head. “We’ll have some ice cream, watch the fuckin' dumbest movie we can find, and tomorrow, we’ll tackle the court together.”

You nestled deeper, his warmth surrounding you as the heaviness of the day slowly faded. He stroked your hair gently, his thumb tracing calming circles on your back.

“How do you always know exactly what to say and do?” you mumbled against him, your voice soft, exhaustion still lingering at the edges.

Ben chuckled, pressing another kiss to your forehead. “It’s a talent,” he teased. “But you’re easy to read. I’ve got my boyfriend role down to a T. Ice cream and kisses are my foolproof pick-me-up.”

You lifted your head to look at him, a smile on your tear-stained face, finding him unbelievably sweet. There was something timeless about his words as if twenty years down the line, he would still have you like this. You held his face and kissed him deeply, feeling his giggle in the kiss. Overwhelmed by his love, you wanted him to feel it too.

The two of you shared ice cream and silly banter, the tension of the day slowly dissolving into warmth, laughter, and love. As the night deepened and the movie ended, the ice cream tub empty, you drifted off into the most peaceful sleep you had in a long time, safe in the knowledge that whatever tomorrow brought, Ben would be right there beside you, helping you every step of the way.

The next morning, Ben stayed true to his word. You hit the courts just as the first light of dawn brushed the horizon, the air crisp and cool. Though you were still shaking off sleep, Ben seemed full of peppy energy, tossing you your racket with a grin. “Alright, superstar, let’s see what you’ve got!”

You lined up, feeling the familiar weight of the racket in your hand, but the first serve fell flat, hitting the net. You frowned.

The next few tries weren’t much better, either flying out of bounds or clipping the net. Frustration bubbled up, and you let out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t get it right.”

Ben walked over with a few more balls, calm as ever. “You’re tense,” he said softly, his hands finding your waist again. “You’ve been in your head too long, baby. You need to feel the court, not force it. Breathe, take it easy and try again.”

You rolled your shoulders, trying to loosen up, but your mind was still spinning. “It’s just not coming back,” you muttered, frustrated.

Ben didn’t respond right away, just came up behind you, his presence a steady comfort. “Let me help,” he said, his voice soft. His hands guided yours on the racket, adjusting your grip before sliding down to your hips. “It’s not all in the swing. It’s in how you use your whole body, how you shift and follow through. Let the court come to you.”

His hands lingered, his chest pressed against your back, steady and sure, as he tilted your hips slightly, helping you find your balance again.

“You know this court, star,” he whispered, his breath warm against your neck. “It’s yours. Remember how it feels under your feet.”

You nodded slowly, closing your eyes for a second, trying to push the frustration away. Ben’s voice, his touch, helped as both a guide and a distraction. When you opened your eyes again, you focused as tension had begun to ease. You served, this time letting the movement flow through you. The ball cut through the air cleanly, landing near the baseline. There was no power struggle, no overthinking, just instinct.

“That’s it, baby” Ben murmured smiling, watching you. “Feel that? You’re not forcing it. You’re moving with the court.”

You started again, focusing less on hitting a hard serve and more on control, allowing the court to guide you. Each serve felt more natural and precise. Ben stood right beside you, offering gentle corrections, praise, and soft, reassuring touches. His hand rested on your lower back, his fingers brushing against your arm, sending tingles through you. You’d be lying if you said coach Ben wasn’t just a little sexy in his element, the way he moved with confidence and authority, every glance filled with admiration and encouragement. He noticed the blush creeping up your cheeks, and a knowing smirk spread across his face, making your heart race even more.

As the session went on, you felt yourself loosening up bit by bit, your body remembering what it was capable of. The court started to feel familiar again, like an extension of yourself. The frustration melted away as you explored each corner, reclaiming your space, and rediscovering the rhythm of your game.

“You’re getting it back,” Ben said softly, stepping closer to brush a light kiss on your temple, his eyes filled with pride. “Little by little, you’re taking control. Good job, star.”

With each swing, you felt more confident. The serves landed deeper and accurately, and you were no longer second-guessing and stalling yourself. It was like the mental block that had blocked your game was lifting. You were in control, not just of the ball, but of the court and of yourself. The sensation was exhilarating, like finding something deeply familiar yet long forgotten.

Ben grinned, watching you get into the groove of it. “That’s my girl,” he nodded, walking over to plant another soft kiss on your forehead. His touch was gentle, his presence grounding. “See? You’ve had it in you all along, babe”

You smiled back, feeling the warmth of his encouragement seep into your skin. The court was yours again, bit by bit. Each serve became more fluid, more instinctive until you weren’t thinking at all, just playing.

By the time you finished, your muscles were tired, but your spirit was light. You collapsed onto the court bench, breathless but smiling wide. Ben sat next to you, tossing a towel over your head with a playful chuckle. “Not bad, star,” he teased, his arm slipping around your shoulders, pulling you close.

You pulled the towel off, laughing softly, leaning into him. “Not bad? I’m just getting started.”

Ben chuckled, pressing another kiss to your forehead, his voice low and full of pride. “You’re ready, babe. Navarro won’t know what hit her.”

You tilted your head up toward him, your heart swelling with the warmth of his support, his belief in you. “Thanks, Ben,” you whispered, feeling lighter than you had in weeks.

He smiled down at you, brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Don't thank me, you're my star. You always had it in you, you just needed to be woken up. You’ve got this.”

As you settled into the comfortable silence, you couldn’t help but smile at him a little. “You know, you were kind of, well really, hot when you were coaching me back there.”

Ben raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh really? Didn’t know you were into coaches,” he replied, leaning closer with a playful glint in his eye.

You felt heat flooding your face as you tried to maintain your composure. “What can I say? I guess I’m a little hot and bothered by a guy who knows what he’s doing.”

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Hmm, maybe you should forget more moves so I can show you how to do them, and some more,” he teased, winking.

Feeling a rush of flustered energy, you tossed the towel at him playfully. “Shut up, Ben!”

He caught the towel with a laugh, his eyes gleaming with amusement. Before you could react, he leaned in, grabbing you by the waist and pulling you closer. His lips brushed against yours in a teasing kiss, warm and lingering.

“Just so you know,” he murmured against your lips, a playful smile dancing on his face, “I won’t tease you... for now.”

You rolled your eyes, a smile breaking through as you quickly picked up your bag and darted away, glancing back at him with a cheeky grin. “Catch me if you can!”

Ben laughed, instantly springing into action, his competitive spirit kicking in as he chased after you. You could hear his footsteps pounding behind you, and the thrill of the moment sent your heart racing.

You knew what lay ahead, your work was cut out for you, but this playful exchange filled you with renewed energy. With only a matter of days left to tighten up your game, you were ready to tackle it head-on, and with Ben by your side, you felt unstoppable.

The roar of the crowd felt distant as you walked through the tunnel and set your bag down, it was like background noise as you stepped up to the baseline.

You bounced the ball a few times, steadying your breath, closing your eyes and remembering to feel the court. For the first time in a long time, the nerves weren’t overwhelming. The fog that had clouded your mind for so long had finally lifted. You could feel it, the control, the power, the pure joy of being here again.

You looked across the net at Emma Navarro. She was focused, her eyes sharp, but you weren’t intimidated. Not anymore.

You tossed the ball up, your body moving fluidly. The serve was powerful, and precise, landing just inside the line. Navarro barely managed to reach it, her return shaky, and you pounced on the ball with ease, sending a clean shot down the sideline. Point, yours.

As the game continued, you could feel yourself loosening up even more, the flow of the game taking over. You were back to being fluid. Each serve was strong, each shot deliberate. The crowd's cheers grew louder with each point you won, but your focus was laser-sharp. You were smiling, actually smiling, because, for the first time in a while, you were enjoying the game in full. Truly enjoying it.

Navarro, on the other hand, was starting to crack. Frustration etched itself onto her face as she missed returns, her shots hitting the net or flying wide. You could see it in her body language, the stiff movements, the clenched jaw. She screamed to herself after missing a particularly crucial point, her racket bouncing once on the ground in frustration. You remained composed, feeding off her energy but not letting it affect you.

You’d been there before, the frustration, the doubt, but today, you were on the other side of it. Calm. Confident.

The last point of the match came fast. Navarro’s serve was weak, and you returned it with a backhand that forced her wide. She scrambled, barely making it, sending a lob over the net. You didn’t hesitate. Stepping into position, you smashed the ball down with a powerful overhead. The crowd erupted, but you barely registered the sound. It was just you and the court, and that sweet feeling of victory settled over you like a warm glow.

Game, set, match—yours.

Navarro offered a tight, forced smile as you shook hands at the net. She was clearly upset, her frustration barely contained, but you didn’t linger on it. You had won. Not just the match, but the battle with yourself.

As you walked off the court, your body thrumming with the adrenaline of victory, the weight that had been hanging over you for months felt lighter. The pressure was still there, but now, you felt in control of it.

The tunnel to the locker room was quiet compared to the roaring arena. You rounded the corner, towel slung over your shoulder, your breath and heartbeat finally starting to steady. As you approached the locker room door, you stopped in your tracks.

There, sitting on the bench inside, was Ben.

He stood as soon as he saw you, a wide grin breaking across his face. He didn’t wait for you to say anything before he crossed the room and pulled you into his arms, holding you tight.

“You did it, baby,” he murmured into your hair, his voice warm with pride. “I knew you would.”

You buried your face in his chest, the exhaustion settling in, but there was also this overwhelming sense of relief and joy.

“I haven’t felt like that in so long,” you whispered, your voice muffled against him. “It felt... so right.”

Ben pulled back just enough to cup your face in his hands, his thumbs brushing your cheeks gently. His eyes were soft, filled with so much love that it made your chest tighten in the best way.

“That’s because it was right. You were incredible out there. I’ve never been prouder of you, my star.”

You smiled up at him, your heart swelling at the nickname.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” you said, your voice soft but full of truth.

He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulled back.

“I’ll always be here to help you get on your feet,” he said quietly, his eyes locking onto yours with a sincerity that made your breath hitch. “No matter what. I’ll be right here, cheering you on, every step of the way.”

You closed your eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of his promise settle deep within you. It wasn’t just about tennis anymore. It was about everything, the future, the ups and downs, the challenges and victories. And you knew, without a doubt, that Ben would be there through it all.

“I love you,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.

Ben’s grin softened, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he pulled you close again, his lips brushing your temple. “I love you too, star. More than you know.”

For a few moments, the two of you just stood there, wrapped up in each other, the world outside fading into the background. It was just you and Ben, your hearts beating in time, the promise of something stronger, something deeper, wrapped around you like a blanket of safety.

With his arm draped around your shoulders, the two of you walked out of the locker room, your heart lighter, your spirit soaring. The future felt wide open, full of endless possibilities and with Ben by your side, you were ready for all of it.

And just like that, the world melted away again, leaving only the two of you in that tiny bubble of love and safety, where nothing else mattered.

[practically-an-x-man]

ok y'know what. I'm tired of all the same questions in ask games so I'm taking matters into my own hands

OC/Writing Art Asks

For the character:

Pencil: does this character have any "sketchy" habits? Have they ever broken the law? Do they regret it?

Pen: what's one minor moment your character regrets? A small mistake, but something they "can't erase"?

Paintbrush: How often does your character "brush over" conflict instead of facing it head on? Is there something specific they don't like to face, or do they avoid conflict as a whole?

Marker: what's one thing your character would never tattoo on their body, even if they were paid a million dollars for it?

Crayon: what was your OC like when they were four years old? Were they loud? Shy? Were they the resident "weird kid" or did they get along with others their age?

Colored Pencil: if given the choice, would this character splurge on an expensive (but potentially worthwhile) branded product, or buy a low-budget alternative even if the quality suffers?

Copics: what is this character's most expensive habit or hobby? Do they ever feel guilty about the money they spend on it?

Graphite: what's something decently common that your character does in a unique or different way? (like how graphite is present in all pencils, but not everyone uses pure graphite)

Charcoal: share any unique physical features about this character that are not scars or tattoos.

Tortillon: does your OC "blend in" with the people around them? Physically? Metaphorically?

Pastels: Give me three colors that best represent your OC. Now give me three colors that your OC likes best. Is there an overlap?

Chalk: what was one activity this character enjoyed with their sibling(s) as a kid? If they don't have siblings, what they did with their neighborhood friends

Eraser: what's one way this character has changed over time? Either over the course of their story, or over the course of designing them as an author.

Palette: list four of your character's primary skills, then share at least two ways these skills might blend or overlap

For the work:

Starry Night: are there any scenes in this work that take place at nighttime? Is this significant, or just the passing of time?

Mona Lisa: oh, it's the fanfic writer's favorite word. Do a find-and-replace on the word "smirk" and share any lines that pop up.

The Scream: are there any moments in this work that you think could scare a reader? Are there any moments where the characters themselves are profoundly scared?

Persistence of Memory: are there any moments in this work where a character's memory plays a strong role? Either an individual memory, or simply a character's ability to recall the past.

Girl With a Pearl Earring: are there any moments in this work where a character's clothing or accessories play a major role?

The Kiss: share your favorite kiss scene from this work. If there's no kiss scene, share your favorite moment of intimacy (romantic or platonic)

American Gothic: what's one relationship between characters in this work that you think people wouldn't expect? (i.e., how the people in American Gothic are not married, they're the painter's sister and dentist)

Guernica: look through a few of your imagery/descriptions in this work. Are they generally straightforward, or are they more "abstract"?

Wheatfield with Crows: are there any scenes in this work that involve birds? Do the birds play a definitive role, or are they simply part of the setting?

Woman with a Parasol: are there any moments in this fic that feel "blurry" to you? Is this a stylistic choice, or would you go back and clarify the descriptions if you were given the chance?

A Sunday Afternoon...: pick one "little moment" from this fic. How representative is it of the fic's tone and story as a whole?

Creation of Adam: choose one character that is not present at the beginning of this work. How did you introduce them into the story?

The Swing: are there any moments in this fic where the characters get to slow down and have fun? If not, why is that?

The Last Supper: does this fic incorporate any symbolism based on religion, theology, or mythology? If so, give an example.

For the author:

Paper: Who do you feel is your most two-dimensional or underdeveloped OC? Why is this? (including those that are still in development/haven't been written about yet)

Canvas: Do you ever "prep" your fics with outlines or warmups before you start writing, or do you just dive right in?

Graffiti: Have you ever had to research something that felt illicit or illegal for a fic? What was it?

Photography: What's one moment from any of your fics that you feel is preserved in your memory?

Clay: Do you usually take time to "sculpt" your OCs before you write them, or develop them as you write?

Film: Which one of your fics do you think would work best if turned into a movie? Who would direct it?

Adhesive: when you write, do you usually "stick" to one character or story for a while, or bounce around various characters and ideas?

Cricut: are there any characters you've had to "cut" from a story? Are there any moments/chapters/stories you've had to "cut" entirely?

Felting: how often do you include soft moments when you write? Do these moments play a role in the main plot, or do you include them as an escape from the rest of the story?

Weaving: are your works typically similar to one another? Pick two works, and share one similarity and one difference between them.

Finger Painting: share a small snippet from your earliest work (or the earliest that you can get back to). How would you rewrite it today? Either share the rewrite itself or just describe how you'd do it.

Creative!: free space! share something you've been dying to share about your writing! Could be an OC that never gets the limelight, a moment you were proud of, or anything else you'd like to share

[mikoishere]

Alpha jing yuan x Omega male reader

Type: Smut | some angst

Kinks: Breeding kink | belly bulge kink | praising kink

Nicknames: pretty boy | Cockslvt | Daddy’s little b!tch

Contains: M!preg | Abortion | possesive jing yuan | omega verse | alpha x omega | creampies

Part 2

[Time skip] it was the next day, you woke up in Jing yuan’s bedroom..he wasn’t beside you since he probably went to work earlier than you, you got up dressing in the same clothing from yesterday, then quietly rushed out heading back to your house as you opened the door you head to the bathroom taking a quick shower changing into new clothes you then put on a black cloak heading out your house going to a nearby store “Hiya! Whatcha looking for?” The worker asked “your boss, he’s someone I know tell him I’m here for the pills.” You spoke quietly the cloak covering your features “ah so it’s you..right away.” The worker rushed at the back of the store coming back as quickly as possible setting the pills down on the counter “there ya go.“ he spoke, You sent down a pouch of gold coins it jingled. You then took the pills leaving the store, You then went to the Xianzhou luofu taking a glass of water drinking it down with the pill then I quickly threw the package that held the pill away going back to where everyone was, I helped out with yanqing and the others before You dropped to your knees coughing out blood as yanqing was taken by surprise but quickly taking action kneeling beside me holding my shoulder “[Name]..?!” He spoke panicking my vision getting blurry as jing yuan saw the current scene before his eyes as he rushed to carry you on his back rushing to his room as yanqing followed [time skip] it was the afternoon You woke up with Jing yuan sitting beside my bed looking at me worried, You then broke the silence speaking “it’s done for,” You held your belly “the life inside me.” You spoke looking at Jing yuan as he looked terrified his eyes was tearing up breath getting ragged as he leaned closer holding both my shoulders yelling at me as tears left his eyes “O-Our child..?!” The scene before you was heart breaking, but you knew you two wouldn’t work out..you were afraid of having a child. “I didn’t ask for you to knot me jing yuan..I was in heat and couldn’t think straight so even if the alpha weren’t you I probably would’ve let them have their way with me anyway.” You spoke coldly. Jing yuans face, was devastated he lowered his head his tears dripping on the sheets “we- we could’ve talked about this..” he spoke swallowing his own saliva, “it’s done for general, you know we can’t be together.” I spoke “so what exactly do you want from me?” I asked sternly as jing yuan looked at me tears filled his eyes “another child..!” He still held my shoulder as his expression was still the same, devastated and heart broken “w-who would want anything like that happen to their child..?!” Jing yuan spat out I clenched the blanket on me “you know we can’t conceive another child it would just die again anyway.” You spoke. His world shattered with those words “don’t say that!” He yelled back “of course we can conceive another child! So don’t think about anything like that!” He spat out tears rolling down his cheeks “so please..” he cried out “let’s conceive another child..” he pleaded

Yes reader is toxic in this😚

THIS IS SO SHORT IM SO SORRY I GOT LAZY ASF BUT PART 3 WILL BE OUT IN A FEW<3

[show-us-kaidenshenandoah]

i was watching the movie again and went "...wait a second" at the designs of The Gammas (or Gamma Mu Mu). i looked up trivia and couldn't find anything to confirm (or deny, i guess) my thoughts, so i guess?? this is a theory? (someone with a DVD/Bluray version, please check the Special Features for me to see if anyone mentions this. i have no idea) i'm surprised i haven't seen this parallel thrown around more but yeah, i think im onto something if this is a new thought in the Goofy Movies fanbase lol

sorry for the low quality of the image, ill type the transcript up in the post to make up for how blurry my text is. there just isn't a lot of pictures of these guys, period, much less that i could find of this specific scene so i could make my point

but yeah, my theory is The Gammas are all based off the classic villains in the Mickey-Donald-Goofy multiverse (plus Bigfoot, but i know many people noticed the redhead member of the Gammas is just "a shaved down version of Bigfoot" from the first "A Goofy Movie" lol)

(also, im a novice at learning about this extended Mickey-Donald-Goofy multiverse, im still new to the Carl Banks comics and havent seen all the media. so forgive me if im wrong at any point and please kindly correct me ♡)

so there's:

named: Bradley Uppercrust III — no idea if he is based off of anyone

named: Tank — based off of: Pete / Peg Leg Pete (but make him unrelated to PJ, basically) (hence, why he looks the least like his source, if im correct. he has a shirtless scene where he's revealed to have a farmer's tan, that i think you could argue is a very subtle nod that would have been slightly closer to a Pete-like coloration. but yeah, if im right, they had to make Tank's pallette lighter ao he wouldn't be mistaken as a relative of PJ's)

unnamed bearded member — based off of: the main Beagle Boys trio (Babyface) (Bigtime) (if you don't know the lore: there's a lot of Beagle Boys as the gag is they're a BIG family, but the main trio in the original "Ducktales" show is the first set of parentheses. the second set of parentheses is their names in the classic Ducktales comics. both the original "Ducktales" show and the reboot "Ducktales" show features both sets of the trio/s though. though the Carl Barks version of the comics preferred the route of "they go by their prison-numbers rather than their names". also, inbetween the two "Ducktales" TV shows, a lot of Disney media just merged the two trios into one kind-of-amorphous trio, as far as i can tell, like with "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy: the Three Muskateers". but still, they're part of a HUGE family who tend to be clones of said main trio. but i digress. they're a confusing family lmao rip)

unnamed member wearing sunglasses — based off of: the main Beagle Boys trio (Bankjob) (Bouncer) (i like to think his sunglasses (and i guess also the unnamed bearded member's glasses, but mainly these sunglasses) as a homage to the Beagle Boys' black masks lol)

named: Slouch — based off of: the main Beagle Boys trio (Bugle) (Burger) (also: im entirely banking off differentiating Bugle/Burger to Slouch and Bankjob/Bouncer to sunglasses-guy on how Bugle is commonly reffered to as "a hipster" and i personally associate fedoras with a similar type of crowd. i could have those mixed up tho, idk, neither of these guys even have any lines lol but i do like the idea that maybe the fedora is flipped like that as a reference to the Beagle Boys' billed caps? idk, that might be a stretch) (i would also like to mention i hc these guys are The Beagle Brats now in college-age, who are an unnamed trio that goes by "1, 2, and 3" in the comics but, from what i can tell, that the Beagle Brats in general (not 1, 2, and 3 specifically) were first seen(?) in the "Ducktales" original show (who also have a v small cameo in the reboot) that were meant to parallel the triplets Huey and Dewey and Louie; these specific ones im talking about the nephews of the general-amorphous-main-trio of Beagle Boys, but it is possible to call any Beagle Boy who is young a Beagle Brat. but, yeah, i have no basis for why i think Slouch and the other two are specifically the Beagle Brats 1, 2, and 3; that's entirely headcanon)

unnamed member that's a redhead — based off of: Bigfoot in "A Goofy Movie" (again, i know a lot of people caught this one lmao)

unnamed member that has black hair — based off of: Mortimer Mouse (who was once also known aa Montmorency Rodent/Rodawn, but they've been retconned into being the same character by now, but that'a a tangent.) (if you don't know the lore: Mortimer is a bit complicated to describe? but the tldr is that he's basically Mickey's love-rival for Minnie. to go more in depth though, uh, he's more wealthy, usually, and claims to be "in love" with Minnie Mouse but is also a jerk and she generally does not have any interest in him (well, unless the plot the writer wants includes a love-triangle). Pete is usually considered a more recognizable villain, so Mortimer rarely shows up, esp since Pete can be easily be written as also harboring feelings for Minnie. so sometimes shows re-write Mortimer from this personality so he is more distinct, sometimes as a toxic friend of Mickey's or overall bad influence but well-intentioned; so the character has some flexibility. but i know him best, as do many others, via his "House of Mouse" recurring role where he'd show up just to try to break Mickey and Minnie up or otherwise flirt with any female guests. i think he works well in competition wirh Pete, who has more of a Goliath-and-David relationship with Mickey when Mickey and Pete are antagonistic, as Mortimer is an antagonist that is just as clever and capable as Mickey (if not more so, since he is clever, competent, and generally wealthy enough to have more resources than Mickey) but does not have Mickey's sincerity or good intentions. though i dont mind how kid shows re-write him either, i think toxic friends and bad influences are good lessons for children to learn. i like Mortimer being a frenemy who has good intent but bad follow-through lol but anyway, thank you for allowing me this debatably-overexplanation of Mortimer since he's my favorite and also, uh, the only one here where #1 he isnt in the Goofy Movie series and ergo may not be known to others, #2 has a consistent personality beyond "bad guy in story" i can talk about unlike the Beagle Boys trio/s and their huge extended family of might-as-well-be-clones, and #3, again, he's my favorite if you couldnt tell lol) (also, i do think you could argue this unnamed character's quiff is a nod to Mortimer's mouse-ears tho, since there's a curve and all. and then the idea he has some stubble as a possible ref to Mortimer's whiskers is hilarious to me if my theory has water and he was intentionally designed after Mortimer lmao)

anyway, i apologize again if this idea has been discussed before. i really did try to google if anyone was spreading the same idea that The Gammas are just a fun College AU-Variant of these guys already

+ bonus, since i mentioned them, The Beagle Brats:

please let me know if you think the idea has merit, and especially let me know if Bradley is a reference to anyone (tho i can also fully buy Bradley being original to this movie!) thanks so much for reading ♡

ps. i am dyslexic so do forgive me for any misspellings. i am editing this unseriously from my phone ✌️

[iskander-tm]

Hi! first of all i just want to say that i love your art sm!

secondly, how do you get your art to be so not-blurry when you post? sorry if this is annoying but your formatting is so perfect i just had to ask! is there a specific image size you use? is it a settings thing? tumblr seems to hate every size i try :,)

tysm! -izzy

Hello!! Thank you!

It's actually funny that you said that my art is not blury as I add a blur effect on all of them heh. But I get what you're asking. Generally if you're looking for a good quality for raster pics use png. It's heavier than jpeg but contrary to jpeg it has a higher quality and there's a lesser chance to run into artefacts

also if you're working in photoshop( I do) I found that the best quality with the best color accuracy can be achieved through export -> quick export as png. Or export for web (in this case its like super duper good quality plus your image coded in such manner that any web page can read it easily and not fuck it up) I think other programs may also have this feature so look for it

good luck!

[speculativepages]

I recently started world-building for a new story idea (I know—bad when I'm supposed to be in the middle of revising my current project) and in trying to figure out the level of technology and feeling of my new world I got lost in google searches about the different punk genres.

So I decided to make a master list.

According to Wikipedia (a highly reputable source by all accounts) a punk genre can be described as “a world built on one particular technology that is extrapolated to a highly sophisticated level (this may even be a fantastical or anachronistic technology, akin to retro-futurism) a gritty transreal urban style, or a particular approach to social themes.”

There are so many (so so many) and some people roll their eyes at every new addition but I think the names and distinctions are interesting and fun (I mean, Magicpunk may just be regular fantasy, but it sounds so much cooler). I love the idea of scientific fantasy, and of blurry the lines between the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Who’s to stop you from mixing the culture of the Japanese samurai with an epic space opera in the stars?

This is an incomplete list. I've organized it by time period (loosely, because some overlap or can go anywhere). I've also provided an example of a published work (for those that have them).

Established Fantasy Punk Genres: An Incomplete List

Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk: Fantasy punk genre where the “one particular technology” that the world is build on is magic. You have trains running on lines of sorcerer-fueled energy and ships powered by wind magic and computers running on sub-dimensional energy from the demon realm. Popular examples include The Sleeping Dragon by Jonny Nexus and The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams.

Aetherpunk: Subgenre mix of Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk where the magic source of the technology is specifically the element of Aether. Often, if not always, also has Steampunk elements. The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is the only example that comes to mind.

Mythpunk: A punk genre that is inspired by or incorporates myths and legends. These aren’t usually a retelling of a popular myth, but rather one that includes elements of the myth, or twists and changes the story around to it’s own ends. Popular examples would be American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Deathless by Catherynne Valente.

Stonepunk: Set in the stone age, this genre is characterized by the use of non-technology as technology, creating pseudo-tech and modern inventions with natural, basic resources like stone, wood, water, fire, clay, and rope. The Flintstones would be the best example.

Sandalpunk: Sandalpunk is on thin ice as a punk genre. Rather than being inspired or defined by a technology, it instead focuses on the period of time of the ancient world before the Middle Ages, often set in Greece or Rome. There aren’t many examples of it. But the name is cool.

Steampunk: Arguably the most popular punk genre (after Cyberpunk) featuring science fantasy stories set in Victorian era, with advanced technology powered by steam engines and clockwork mechanics. Doctor Who perhaps described it best, “The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam.” There are many examples, both in literature and film, including His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves and The Parosol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.

Clockpunk: Close-cousin subgenre of Steampunk, characterized by a lot of clocks and inspired by the pre-steam energy period of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Pasquale’s Angel by Paul J. McAuley is more Clockpunk than Steampunk.

Silkpunk: Silkpunk is another subgenre of Steampunk, one generation removed. While steampunk is defined by it’s Victorian era brass and steam aesthetic, Silkpunk is inspired by East Asian culture during the period of the Silk Road. Examples include The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu and The Tea Master and The Detective by Aliette de Bodard.

Cattlepunk: Yet another subgenre of Steampunk, Cattlepunk is the across-the-ocean-bastard-cousin set in the wild west of early America. Cowboys, bank robberies, and train heists meet robots, warmechs, magic, and super-weapons. The Wild Wild West and Firefly verse are classic movie examples. Book examples would be the Mistborn Era II series by Brandon Sanderson and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. (And I didn’t realize until I just did all this research but based on examples this is like my favorite punk.)

Dieselpunk: This genre is set in the aesthetic of the 1920s-1950s era and is characterized by the use of diesel-powered technology. Commonly incorporates alternate history elements, as well as themes surrounding the Great Depression and World War II. It’s been called the darker and dirtier version of Steampunk with an emphasis on air travel and combat, dirigibles, and air pirates. Examples include The Iroon Dream by Norman Spinrad, Dreadnough by Cherie Priest, and Pirate Utopia by Bruce Sterling.

Atompunk: A retro-futuristic punk genre set in during the Cold War and characterized by atomic nuclear technology, ray guns, robots, hover cars, and interdimensional travel. Atompunk often deals with the themes of nuclear power gone wrong and alternate versions of the Cold War. The most popular example of this would be the Fallout games by Bethesda.

Capepunk: Capepunk is just superhero fiction set in the modern-era world where people have powers. Example would be any superhero story ever. I just think the name’s cool.

Gothicpunk: Gothicpunk is also usually set in the modern-era, but incorporates The Goth. Generally characterized by an underworld of supernatural creatures lying in wait and secretly controlling the workings of our world where humans are but cattle. This is basically dark Urban Fantasy, but it’s popular enough to get a distinction. Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire is an okay example. The movies Priest and Daybreakers are much better ones.

Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk, the grandfather of all of the punk genres. Characterized by dystopian and cynical future world in which technology has brought about cultural nihilism and a crap society. Often combined with Film Noir or detective fiction. (Fantastic Noir is a fantasy version of Cyberpunk). Heroes are most prone to be some form of hacker, rebel, or antihero fight against a totalitarian police state or corporate empire oppressing the people. Examples Neuromancer by William Gibson and the movie Blade Runner.

Post-Cyberpunk: This is Cyberpunks chipper, more optimistic sibling. It has all of the vision of a scientifically advanced cyber-culture without the gritty, dark, and edgy world elements. It still share’s the Cyberpunk elements of analyzing how technology interacts and impacts with society, just without such a grimdark view of humanity. Examples would be Agent G by C.T. Phipps and The Peace War by Vernor Vinge.

Biopunk: Biopunk is Cyberpunks genetically engineered half-sibling. This punk centers around organic technology with a healthy smattering of bio-augmentation and biotechnology. Examples include In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling, West of Eden by Harry Harrison, and Wolfish Nature by Vladimir Vasilyev.

Nanopunk: Also a subgenre of Cyberpunk with characterized by the use of nanites and nanotechnology as the predominate form of technology. Examples are Tech Heaven by Linda Nagata and Micro by Michael Crichton.

Solarpunk: Solarpunk is a genre characterized by it’s environmentally friendly technology meshed with African and Asian cultures and an emphasis in community, art, and a bright solar future where humanity has found a balance between technology and nature. Can also include many elements of Biopunk, but with a much more optomistic, for-the-future-of-species-and-environment outlook. Example works include Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor, Maurai by Poul Anderson, and Songs from the Stars by Norman Spinrad.

Apunkalypse: This genre is defined by the collapse of civilization where society is replaced by lawless bands of roving scavenger gangs or cities collapsing into decay or the rise of punks overthrows the rules of the past. Examples include Mad Max and Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves (which is also Steampunk, so it’s a good example of book incorporating more than one punk genre).

Desertpunk: Punk genre characterized by sand. Who doesn't love a good desert planet? Often features roaming tribes, wandering heroes, desert bandits, and sand storms. Can be combined with Cattlepunk, for a Western desert, or Apunkalypse, for an-after-the-end-of-the-world setting. Examples include Dune by Frank Herbert and Railsea by China Mieville.

Oceanpunk: This punk is set on the high seas. Often features floating cities of wood and iron lashed together and mighty nations fighting for dominion of the watery world and may also feature civilizations and cultures below the waves in underwater cities. Sometimes called Pirate Punk, because nothing breed pirate stories like ocean cities and sailing ships. Examples include The Scar by China Mieville, Tranquilium by Andrey Lazarchuk, and Dark Life by Kat Falls.

Did I Miss a Punk? Can you guys think of any other punks to add? Either ones you've thought up, or any you've heard of that I don't have listed. I'd love to keep this list updated. I find it's useful to look through when creating a new world to get the overall feeling of what I'm going for with the story and world-building.

What punk are you writing in for your current WIP?

[peccatulum-b-gone]

Introduction

After a few run-ins with the Seven Association, I have decided to follow suit with the social media presence as an additional form of advertisement of my services as a fixer. Word of mouth can only carry so far.

Though unaffiliated at the moment, I am capable of carrying out a variety of requests at a reduced cost (-25%) compared to fixers of the same rank. However, should the total cost be lower than the travel fees required to carry out the job, the cost reduction does not apply.

Though I specialize in extermination of non-human threats, other kinds of requests will be accepted as long as they are in compliance with the laws of the City. To submit a request refer to the "Make a request" form located on this blog.

~SnakeHead~

THE AO3 ACCOUNT peccatulum_b_gone IS NOW ACTIVE

//I would have used Snakehead, but variations on that were taken so I went with the second best thing for the name of the account

//The stories will be Snakehead/Fantabulous Five POVs, but will still feature the characters of other blogs´ characters in this roleplay, due to the collaborative real-time story-crafting and interactive nature of the roleplay. I don´t intend to encroach on other blogs´ narratives, I just want to make it easier for new people to get at least a general grip on the story without reading through all of the rp blogs (of which there are quite a few now). If any of the bloggers take issue with this plan, please let me know through DMs so we can resolve this without any unnecessary drama.

//UPDATE(22th August 2024) - tagging system (bellow cut)

//OOC: This is a roleplay blog for an original character within PMverse. If "//" is present in the tags, it is the blog mod speaking out of character. Strictly in-universe roleplay, no crossovers. Anyway, I hope everyone has a fun time :)

tagging system:

I finally got around to properly set tags in place after making decision on how to tag what.

Snakehead's lore - lorebuilding for Snakehead. Some details may be bit more hidden/obscure. Involves things that pertain to backstory of the OC.

Snakehead's notes - slice of life stories and shenanigans that don't have a uhge impact on the overall plot

Snakehead's reports - cases that Snakehead is involved in but aren't "paid cases" in the story lore

Snakehead's requests - explicit request cases

Snakehead's canon - any story bits that aren´t canon posts to Snakehead´s blog, but are canon to the story arc. Main difference being that only characters involved in the scene are aware of what was being communicated unless they shared the information otherwise.

Fantabulous Five - new tag, in regards to the five kids. Older posts concerning the kids lack this tag, instead being tagged with Snakehead's notes.

Note that Snakehead's cases and Snakehead's reports are somewhat blurry area so the description isn't 100% accurate. In some cases it was hard to decide which tag to use.

case-specific tags(chronological order from oldest to newest):

The K Corp Adventure

Chicken Wing Detour

En Pointe Request

Tenth Scholar

Eisen und Blut (not a "case", but chronologically it makes most sense here)

Peccatulum Sweep (as addendum in Eisen und Blut report)

Doublicates ("self-request")

The Growling Shadow

Rampaging Horseman (NEW)

misc tags (related tags separated by a comma):

- these tags may repeat in the future

Snakehead's warnings

Snakehead's artistic endeavours

Snakehead's wallet

crow acquisition, Geryon the crow

shi colleague, delivery for Seiko

bug fixer friend

Differing characters' colors :

bold + black - Onyx

green - Beryl

blue - Agate

orange - Feldspar

red - Jasper

no color distinction* - Snakehead

*a few older posts don't have the color specifics

Anyway, that's all for now, keep your blades and minds sharp, friends.

[lyssaterald]

Take Flight, Lesson 1-3: Mammon, Avatar of Greed

In which nothing makes sense and the trials begin.

Content Warning: General spoilers for the main story. Minors and ageless accounts do not interact! Named character, and slight mentions of character’s past and history which are not expanded on as they are not important to this chapter. Weirdly, I switch between past and present tense. Sorry, not sorry. Unbeta read.

Masterlist

--------------------

Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, glancing towards the source of the noise. "Well, you've got that done now, and it seems the idiot has arrived as well."

Idiot? They had gone through so many things that I couldn't imagine who they were speaking of.

The doors flew open with a distinct crash against the inner assembly walls and someone with white hair barreled through towards me. I was bracing for an impact when the male skidded to a stop two inches from me, indignation written on every part of his face.

"HEY!" he yelled and I took a step back. He followed and I stopped. "Just who do you think you are, human? You've got a lotta nerve summoning the Great Mammon! Listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once. If you value your life, then you'll hand over all of your money now! And anything else of value, too!" Money? This person was trying to...rob...me? "Otherwise, I'll wipe that stupid, happy-go-lucky look right off of your face...by eatin' you! Starting at your head and working my way down, until-"

I was growling beneath his rant, the beginnings of a Shift starting to shiver through my bones and make my skin squirm. The bones in my arm Shifted wrong, scraped against themselves, and blinded me with pain for a breathless moment.

"Mammon!" came a sharp voice through my blurry vision. "Shut up or I'll punch you!" There was a smack and then a yelp and I blinked the tears of pain away to see that Lucifer had partially placed himself between me and the white-haired male.

The other-demon-was rubbing the back of his head and glaring at Lucifer. His shoulders were hunched forward and he had shrunk away from his brother. "GAH! OWW! Hey, what's the big idea?! I thought you were gonna actually give me a chance to shut up before punching me!"

Taking two careful steps back and to the right put me squarely behind Lucifer. Let him deal with the irate brother. My shoulder bumped into something solid and I glanced back to see that Satan was standing behind us and smiling insincerely down at me.

"Lyssa, Mammon here is the Avatar of Greed," Satan was saying as his brothers bickered in the background. "He governs and oversees all forms of it. Whenever he takes a liking to someone, they suddenly find themselves awash in money. But from what I hear, if he decides to break it off with someone, that wealth evaporates. They're left without a Grimm to their name."

The information slid through one ear and out the other. Too much was happening all at once, there were too many threats, too many people, too many scents, too much new. Instincts were rising to the surface that had been long buried.

Run. Hide.

The thought was pervasive as the other, smaller demon crowded into Satan's personal space and forced me to step away from them again. His honey-like eyes were shimmering with power. Everything inside me crawled and stopped for a second, entranced and then sound was rushing around us again.

Bones shifting, sliding, flowing. Reshaping to the sharpened claws of defense. Skin hardening, beginning to crack and split-

Something wrapped around my waist and yanked me back, turning away from the others and setting me on my feet to the side. "That's quite enough," Diavolo's husky voice washed over me, power slithering through my veins and making me shudder.

The Shift gently reversed itself and my human features became the only thing visible. It wasn't even directed at me and his power was calming my heart, bringing my racing thoughts to a slower state of being. Warmth was seeping through the haze of panic that had been setting in and I had to shake myself and hop away from him like a startled rabbit.

He was a Power, and he knew it. The others knew it too as they stepped back and away from him, giving us space where there had been none before. His power slipped over my own and flowed away, not touching anything else. Golden eyes settled on me and I narrowed my own at him. He might be a ruler, but he wasn't mine and I had been taught not to bow before anyone else's authority.

Diavolo reached a hand towards me and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear with a chuckle. I was digging deeper into myself than I had thought I could go just to not move away from him again. "Quite different from Solomon," he murmured and then the pressure on my shoulders released and I could suddenly breath again. I hadn't even noticed when I had stopped breathing. His attention turned to the blonde who had tried something. "Asmo, do try and not enchant our guest while she is here. It won't be a very good look for the exchange program if one of our humans were to became enslaved to one of the Avatars."

The way that Asmodeus was pouting at the reprimand and Satan was eyeing me thoughtfully just set my teeth further on edge. "She overcame me," Asmodeus said with a sniff and I had to check the growl building low in my throat.

Diavolo's gaze landed on me again and I met it with as steady a gaze as I could muster. Strangely, the longer I held his gaze, the less unsteady I became. It was Lucifer that broke our odd little staring contest.

"I just so happen to have a job for my masochist of a brother," the eldest broke in, gesturing at the white haired demon beside him. Unlike before, Mammon was quiet as he watched me. "Mammon, you are going to be in charge of seeing to this human's needs during the whole exchange. I expect you full cooperation."

Mammon's gaze whipped to his elder as he protested, "What?! Why me?!"

"Aww, lucky you, Mammon! I'm so jealous..." Asmodeus began.

"Alright. then why don't YOU do it, Asmodeus?" Mammon growled back.

"What? Hell no, too lazy."

"I thought you said you were jealous of me?!"

Satan was shaking his head at the bickering of his brothers. "Just give up, Mammon. There's no getting out of this. You know you can't refuse a direct order from Lucifer."

"But why does it have to be me?! What about Beel. Why can't he do it?!"

We collectively looked over at Beel, the large red-head, and saw him munching on part of a chair and it didn't look like he had broken it apart when he had started on it. Hell fucking no. I wasn't going to be left alone with that one anytime soon if I could help it.

The whining was beginning to get on my nerves. At this point, I'd have grabbed any one of them just to get out of this room. As it stood, Mammon's loose, yellow tie was a convenient leash to grab when I stalked towards him. He, still being focused on his brothers, yelped when I snatched his tie and proceeded to drag him by it towards the doors he had flung open earlier.

"Hello, babysitter, you're going to be showing me around this place you call home," I growled at him. "First, we need to stop somewhere and get medical tape to immobilize my arm. My bones seem to have had a disagreement with the stone wall I ran into and lost the bet."

"You're all useless, you know that?!" Mammon yelled over his shoulder. "I hate you guys, every last one of ya!"

I caught Lucifer covering a smile with his hand and Diavolo grinning openly at my treatment of the Greed Avatar. Mammon continued to complain at me, but allowed me to pull him along, out of the assembly room, and away from the other demons. Just getting out of that room allowed me to breath better.

It was eerily silent when Mammon stopped complaining suddenly. Anxiety began to build in my stomach as the only sound continued to be our footsteps. I stopped and Mammon stopped behind me as I tried to center myself. A few breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth and I caught the scent of fresh air. Just beyond that was the rustling of some sort of plants. In that moment, it didn't matter if I was showing myself to be more than just human. I needed to get out of there.

"Alright, human, listen up," Mammon said as we continued to walk towards what I presumed was the entrance. "As much as I don't want to look after you, I've got no choice. It's a huge pain in the ass, and I'm too important for this kind of thing, but Lucifer told me to do it, so I will. But in return, you better make sure you don't cause me any trouble, got it?!"

Silence was my answer as I released him and picked up pace once the huge, grand double doors came into sight. I wasn't running towards the exit, but I was certainly moving more swiftly than my demon babysitter.

"Hello? Earth to human! Seriously what's wrong with this one...?" Mammon muttered as he lengthened his stride to catch up with me.

The doors responded to my light touch when I reached out for the wood. They opened seamlessly and allowed me passage into the darkness beyond them. I didn't hesitate before I left that building and made my way swiftly down the steps and onto the paved path beyond. We passed a number of buildings and manicured lawns with well kept ornamentations, but those held no interest for me as I followed the path away from those other demons.

"Earth to human," Mammon said when I finally paused at a fork in our path. He waved a hand in front of my face and I suppressed the urge to bite him. Who knew what demon blood would do to me?

"Which way?" I asked.

"Oh, now ya want to talk to me," Mammon grumbled. I released his tie to rub at the headache forming between my temples and wondered, just for a moment, if it wouldn't just be better to unVeil my draconic features and just fly somewhere far off to figure out a way home on my own.

But no, this was a completely different realm. I could tell just by the scent of the place that this was not home. Home was pine trees and oceans, stone and musk, the laughter and delighted screams of my less-mature siblings. This was rot and sulphur, darkness and a wind that sounded eerily like the moans of the long tormented.

Hell was an apt description of this place, even if it was not the realm itself. Its denizens certainly didn't smell anything of humans or dragons, if the small sample size of my exposure was to be trusted. They each carried a personal scent with an overlay of something burnt and sickly sweet and the magic of this place that thrummed through the ground held a feeling of twisted, broken, and wrong.

Mammon's touch on my shoulder startled me into looking at him. His expression could almost be described as worry as he studied me. At the very least, I was glad that he had ceased his complaints for a moment.

"Our home is this way," he said gruffly and pointed down the right fork. My feet automatically took me that way and Mammon fell in behind me.

For now, at least, I had to find a way to survive here and it began with arriving at the home where the brothers lived.

[nobleriver]

Your richonne gif sets are everythaaaang! As Rick would say. ;) I am currently working on new gifs and they somehow look blurry due to the coloring. You are so talented and I thought I'd take my chance and ask for your advice. You are a true artist! Marlene x

Awww! Thank you so much, Marlene! 🥰 You’re so kind! Also, love the little Rick nod. Please forgive my delay in responding. I try to give people my full attention when they ask me a question, and I was quite busy yesterday and today. So, I am a day behind schedule in answering this.

First things first, if you make gifs, this tutorial by redbelles breaks down the entire gif-making process from software to sharpening to the best time to post. I would recommend it to anyone.

There a few things that can make a gif look "blurry". The file could be grainy, the image could be low contrast, or the gif just hasn't been sharpened enough.

I will address all three scenarios and demonstrate how I would manage them.

Grainy HD/Pixelated Video

Depending on the size and definition of your source file, the video itself may be pixelated, which will show up even the more once you start brightening, coloring, and sharpening. In general, the higher the GB, the higher the resolution, the more you can manipulate and stretch the gif from its original appearance before it starts to disintegrate.

I have learned not all 1080P files are made equal. Some are pixelated and will just give you grainy gifs (which you then have to compensate for).

Usually, I lean towards very bright, vibrant gifs. However, for videos that start out pixelated, I sometimes brighten it less or manipulate the colors less. For example, check out the gifs below.

The original looked like this. Incredibly dark with a ray of light coming from the left (how can they be outside in the daylight and the scene be this dark??).

Then I start brightening.

The innocuous light coming from the left is now making the pixels stand out even more, washing out the color.

When a gif looks grainy, I will often switch to smaller dimensions such as 540 x 270 or 540 x300 to compress the image and (hopefully) minimize some of the graininess. The graininess remains, but the gif and therefore the most offensively grainy areas are also smaller.

Example: 540 x 400 v 540 x 300 (Brightened to show contrast)

Yet, for this particular gifset, I wanted to do 540 x 350, so I had to find other means for decreasing the graininess.

Tip: If the source material is not the problem, usually, the culprit for grainy/pixelated gifs is overmanipulating. If you make everything too bright, you start to see the individual pixels, especially if the original scene is very dark. Same thing can happen if you oversaturate or over sharpen.

Therefore, I tone down the brightness. Though still there, the pixelation is less noticeable. Nevertheless, when I add Selective Color to make the greens more vibrant, the pixels go haywire. Green and cyan pixels across her face, on her lips, in her hair.

So, I add a mask to the Selective Layer to remove the green/cyan from her hair.

This is the final PSD.

Turning Low Contrast to High Contrast

Take a look at this picture. Beautiful scene, but a gif-makers nightmare. Her entire face is covered in a blue-green wash. The highlights and shadows have also been grayed and tinted, drastically lowering the contrast, making the gif duller. The first action I take is to remove the wash and blacken the shadows.

Now, the blue film that was clouding her face has been stripped away and I can see her features more clearly. However, the base color scheme still isn't neutral. I can still see the yellow-green wash, and the gif is slightly darker now.

So, I now select the brightest area to be the whitest (here I chose the bright spot on her hoodie on the far right). If you look at the screenshot below, you can see her the yellow-green wash has now dissipated. There are still hints of blue at the top and bottom, but it looks more natural (imo), and it's not over her face, which is the most important part of the gif. SHE has been returned to a neutral color scheme. Also, the contrast between the shadows and the highlights have been increased, making the gif look sharper. The overall brightness has been restored too.

To summarize: Using the curves eye dropper works as a color correction. When a scene is covered in a color wash (blue, green, or yellow filter), the shadows and highlights also become tinted. By selecting the darkest shadow to be black, the curves layer strips the gif of the color wash (this works best when there is a wide range of shades). When you do the same with the brightest highlight, it removes the wash even further. Using curves to color correct is usually my first step in the gif-making process. Then, I start brightening.

I use most of the brightness options. I rarely use exposure. The order in which I put them in changes all time, and often, I move the layers around throughout the process. This time, I started with Brightness/Contrast first. I left it on Normal and moved the brightness up by 50. A lot of people use the Contrast on Brightness, but nowadays I prefer to use the Curves eye dropper and Levels Contrast options instead. Again, it's all a matter of preference. There are a thousand ways to get a satisfying end result.

For your first brightness layer, you can do another Curves layer. It's honestly my favorite brightening tool. You can manually adjust your Curves or you can use the Auto feature, and let it self-adjust (I usually still tweak it even if I use Auto as a base).

OR you add a Brightness/Contrast layer set to Screen instead of Normal, and you would get similar results. For this one, I adjusted the opacity to 40% (or whatever the gif can withstand. Sometimes, it's as low as 15%). This brightens the mid tones and shadows as well, so I rarely ever leave it at 100% on screen.

For this gif though, because I'm a brightness lover, I used both lol. Instead of manually adjusting the Curves, this time I pressed the Auto button and let it self-adjust (I think I just find pressing the button fun lol). The gif is already so bright, it only moved the brightness up a smidge.

Technically, at this point, I could call it quits and be done with the gif, but I never finish a gif without some color manipulation. So, I immediately turn to color balance.

There were still hints of the original blue green/yellow green wash, so I adjusted the color balance away from green and away from cyan (cyan also affects green).

Then I added a 2nd Color Balance to adjust the highlights. You can do this on the same color balance but I like to keep them separated (just so I can play with the colors freely without worrying about ruining the previous color balance I liked).

I also decided to lower the Brightness/Contrast layer which I set to Screen to 30% instead of 40% because I was seeing too many pale, grayish pixels (because they had been lightened too much). I also replaced the 2nd Curves layer with a Levels layer (see below), so I could have more control over which area was being brightened. I only adjusted the midtones by .05 in Levels and left the highlights and shadows alone. The result makes her skin glisten just a smidge less.

Sharpening Your Gif

Last step: Smart Sharpen. If done properly, sharpening your gif should completely remove any blurriness. In addition, the Smart Sharpen tool further enhances the contrast and brightens the highlights. I sharpen my gifs twice. I got this method from another gif-maker, and I've been a fan of it ever since. The gifs just come out crisper. If I feel it's too sharp, then, I can just remove the 1st smart sharpen filter (the 10%, 10 pixels), but I rarely do that.

See steps below:

Convert Frame Animation means convert frame animation to timeline. If you do not have timeline, see this tutorial on sharpening without timeline.

The blur has been removed. However, the highlights are too bright now.

As a counter, I turn off the 1st Brightness/Contrast layer and push the 2nd Brightness/Contrast layer which I had set to Screen back to 40%.

Side note: I got rid of the 1st Brightness layer because Brightness/Contrast set to Normal affects highlights more, whereas set to Screen it affects the midtones more. By removing the 1st and increasing the 2nd's opacity, I mitigate the glare of the highlights without sacrificing the overall brightness of the gif.

Final version (sharpened):

Original version (sharpened):

Original version (unsharpened):

As demonstrated, sharpening, contrast and color all play a role in making a gif look sharp and crisp. Hopefully, I addressed your issue somewhere in this tutorial. If not, DM me a gif or a screenshot of one, so I may offer more specific advice.

[bardic-inspo]

Okay so I also happen to know nothing about BG3, other than what several characters look like and sorta...general D&D knowledge? if that counts?

but "Blood in the Mortar" sounds veeeerrrryyyy interesting 😗

@krokaxe Thank you both! <3 <3 I think general D&D knowledge definitely counts!!

[Ask me about a fic on my WIP List]

This fic features an Vampire Ascendant Astarion (a powered up vampire lord is the short of it) with a vampire bride Tav. The Tav I'm using (Naomi, a bard) is the same main OC from my multichapter with her and Astarion, Midnight Chimes, but this fic is very much a standalone and a sort of "what if they both ended up evil" AU occurring post-game. It's just a smutty one-shot for now, but I might end up writing more of their "evil" versions at some point if I have enough fun with it.

There's a lot of different interpretations of Ascended Astarion out there, but some concepts I'm playing with in Blood in the Mortar are:

Tav has been made into his bride and not just his spawn. This is a concept a lot of folks have played with and is based heavily off this excerpt from what I think is an old monster manual talking about vampire bride/groom rituals.

In the rendition of this I'm playing with, a bride and a spawn is really similar. Astarion could compel Tav if he wanted to. But, they have a really intense/intimate mental/telepathic link and he's gonna take a buttload of psychic damage if he did anything to hurt or really upset her.

It also works as a sort of perpetual feedback loop. They feel each other's happiness and affection for the other as if it was their own (and other, less pleasant feelings, too). Who the emotion originally started with starts to get a little blurry. Their individual wellbeing is really tied up in the other's happiness. It's intense and probably toxic but for the most part, they're both happy about it. (As Wyll comments in-game, they are the "unholiest union")

I wanted to toy with the protective/possessive streak in Ascended Astarion, but also, some text I saw in an epilogue that I think was ultimately unused in the game. Something about him hosting grand masquerades at his palace while Tav bolts the doors behind the party guests.

So, some uppity nobleman (or maybe another true vampire, I haven't decided yet) starts talking shit about Tav at one of Astarion's masquerades. It's clearly an effort to get a rise out of him, or to poke at what this nobleman perceives as Astarion's only weakness (Tav). But instead of getting the desired result, Astarion takes the "have you met my wife?" angle:

“Do you know what they call her? Other than mine, of course?” “The hero of Baldur’s Gate." Astarion waves a manicured hand irritably, as if swatting away a stray fly. “One of them, true, but isn’t there another name that comes to mind?” The man swallows thickly. “The Siren of the Sword Coast.” "And yet here you are," Astarion sneers with a curled lip, "ready to dash yourself upon the rocks like a little wayward ship blown astray. I can hardly blame you." His eyes soften, just past the shoulder of the lordling's gaudy doublet. In the low flutter of candlelight, he spies the sheen of sapphires set amongst delicate feathers wrought from silver. He'd had the mask made for her, with the likeness of a swan in mind. Still, as pretty as it is, his favorite gleam is those eyes, set between the glittering finery. She still kept the kiss of violet in them, even in death. It mingles with the red in her irises, like a rich, deep wine. "She is captivating, isn’t she?," Astarion sighs, a faint smile grazing his lips. "My beautiful bride." At long last, it seems, lord what's-his-name has found the decency to shut up. Astarion draws a long draught from his goblet, drawing a dark glare over the sheen of sweat that's started on the other man's brow. “You see," Astarion drawls, as the vintage seeps sweetly down his throat, "my beloved, oh, she’s a monster too. She so does love the taste of blood in her mouth, now that she’s supped of mine.”

And then they do murder and steamy (if wildly impractical) sex together. I think there's a grand piano involved. 👀

[evr1thing]

Creating a Bumbleby-inspired wallpaper with Midjourney

tl;dr - Here are the 3 final images. If you like them, feel free to use these images as your phone wallpaper. Let me know if you do, I’ll be happy to hear from you!

If you’re interested in how to generate such images, I wrote a simple step-by-step tutorial below these images.

Image generation via Midjourney - tutorial

I’ve been a bumbleby shipper for the past 10 years and the recent bumbleby kiss got me screaming (literally!!!). Hence, I was inspired to generate a wallpaper to commemorate how beautiful the scene was.

Cue Midjourney.

Quick background: Midjourney is a generative AI tool, and its main feature is generating images from text prompts. It is accessible via discord.

Too lazy to think of specific prompts? No problem, just ask Midjourney to generate prompts based on the bumbleby kiss concept art with the /describe command.

/describe <upload bumbleby concept art image>

From Midjourney’s documentation: 

The /describe command allows you to upload an image and generate four possible prompts based on that image. Use the /describe command to explore new vocabulary and aesthetic movements.

/describe generates prompts that are inspirational and suggestive, it cannot be used to recreate an uploaded image exactly. /describe returns the aspect ratio for uploaded images.

This produces 4 possible prompts to generate images of a similar vibe/style.  Note: --ar is the aspect ratio of the image.

Next, use the /imagine command with each of the 4 prompts (with small tweaks) to see the types of images generated.

1st prompt:

2nd prompt:

3rd prompt:

(I did not try the 4th prompt.)

After some trial and error, I decided that I liked the images generated from the 1st prompt the most. I also added "white lilies blooming in the background" to the prompt since lilies were blooming during the bumbleby kiss (so romantic omg).

However, I didn’t like the tower in the middle. Hence, I decided to just focus on the blooming lilies in the foreground.

Here’s the final prompt I used (I also tweaked the aspect ratio so that it is suitable to be used as a phone wallpaper: --ar 18:39):

/imagine a painting of white lilies blooming in the foreground, with violet and gold sky, in the style of magical girl, sunrays shine upon it, i can't believe how beautiful this is, colorful animation stills, love and romance --ar 18:39

I like the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th image.

Note: I was able to do the above in Midjourney with the basic $10/month subscription. If you prefer using an open-source/free tool, you can try experimenting on other tools such as Stable Diffusion.

Post-generation

The generated images look good, but after setting it as my phone wallpaper, I noticed that they were a little blurry.

Hence, I used Let’s Enhance to upscale the image. This service is free for the first 10 images.

The enhanced images are much clearer now. 

Success!

[tf2-oneshots]

I would send in an ask for heavy’s parents but we don’t know anything about them

Leave that to me!

Warnings: past death mention

Rating: General

Zhanna sets several boxes in a living room, careful to bring each one to their corresponding rooms. Dishes to the kitchen, clothes to the bedroom, and so forth until she reaches the last box in her pile. This one contains a single photo album comprised of what little photos her mother has of their family. There were more years ago before they were taken away. The memory is still vivid as if it happened yesterday.

“Zhanna, is my matryoshka in there?” Nadia enters the room and sets her purse down on the couch Heavy assembled the other day. He bought this home for his dearest mother now that she lives in the States. All that’s left is to furnish it to her liking, and she can enjoy her retirement.

“Nyet, mama. Just photos.” The book is set on the floor and opened. None of Zhanna’s childhood pictures survived. In fact, the earliest photo is long after they had escaped the Gulag. From the pictures, Yana appears to be in her teens. As she flips through the collection, she lets out a sigh.

“I cannot remember papa. Not anymore.” Its there, she knows it, but its blurry. She can’t make out the features or even recall what color his eyes were. Brown? Green? What did his hair look like? Its a frustrating turmoil that leaves Zhanna gripping the fabric of her pants.

“My poor child, your father was a kind man. He wanted nothing more than to give us the world.” Just like Misha. He takes after the man both in love and strength. Still, Zhanna knows so little. What did he eat for breakfast? How did he sing? She closes the album and looks to Nadia.

“Will you tell me about him?” There’s so much to know, but they have plenty of time. Nadia sits Zhanna on the sofa and brings two cups of tea. She takes a sip and joins her daughter, eyes full of reminiscence.

“He loved art. When we dated, he painted a portrait of my cat.” A giggle. It was odd how often he wanted to visit and play with the feline before Nadia received her gift. She adored the painting for years, hanging it in their bedroom. She misses it with all her heart. If only she could see it one more time.

“Your papa would cradle Bronislava to sleep every night. Even if she refused to close her eyes.” He wanted nothing more than to do anything he could for his youngest. Nadia recalls waking up in the late hours to find them both asleep on the couch. Bronislava laid on his chest with a protective arm securing her. One time, he even climbed into her crib and didn’t move until the next day!

“I hope to see him again, mama. Someday.” Whenever it may be, Zhanna will be overjoyed to have him in her arms. To know his eye color, to hear his voice. She envies Misha’s memories of papa, but she knows that in the end, their family will be whole again. Even if it takes time.

“You will, my dear, and he will adore the woman you have become.” They finish their teas, empty cups set in the kitchen sink to be washed. Zhanna places the photo album in a closet before moving to finish the rest of the unpacking. One day, papa will hold her again.

Crying in the club rn -H

[blogberthday]

Chapter 3 - Taliesin

This one came out a little longer than the first two chapters, coming out to just over 1,000 words - wow!

You can read the previous chapter at this link -> Chapter 2: The Hands of a Healer

I've made three small changes for this chapter and future chapters:

1. The fic will be posted under the cut, so click 'keep reading' if you want to read it! The hope is that this will allow me to respond to reblogs without forcing everyone to scroll through a full chapter again.

2. To help differentiate between 'present day' and flashbacks and to clearly communicate time progression, I've started including a date and location at the top of the chapter and when a time change takes place. (Chapters 1 & 2 take place on the same day and in the same location as this chapter - on 27 Sun's Height in Falkreath.)

3. New chapters at first release will be tagged 'chapter update' if you want to follow this tag for your convenience.

I hope these adjustments improve everyone's reading experience! It's the weekend for me, so expect to see another chapter or two coming soon. :)

To read this chapter, click the 'Keep reading' button below.

-----

"Taliesin?" The Breton asked.

"Taliesin," he confirmed. "And before you ask, yes. It's an alias. To ensure my safety. And yours, if you know what's good for you."

He looked at her, trying to make out her features, but blood loss had made his world blurry. Keeping his eyes open made him dizzy, so he closed them and continued. "Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you're a fine, upstanding citizen of the realm, but... well, one can never be too cautious when there are traitors and murderers about."

"I see." She stood up, stretching her back and brushing dirt and debris off her knees, taking a few steps back to survey the carnage from the battle that had occurred but an hour earlier. "You're one to talk. Didn't you murder all these people?"

"Murder? What a clumsy way of putting it! It was clearly self-defense!"

"Mm-hmm. I'm sure." There was a knapsack leaned up against one of the benches surrounding the shrine, just a few steps away. She walked over and knelt down again, picking up the bag and emptying its contents onto the grass.

Taliesin carried on. "A contingent of Thalmor, lead by none other than yours truly, set out on an inquisition to weed out Talos worship in Falkreath. When we first laid eyes on these... backwoods savages, I thought it was only decent to question their reason for being here. Agent Sanyon had a whole speech prepared and everything. He was only halfway through when one of them struck him from behind and wrecked the whole thing!"

As he talked, she took inventory of the items from the bag: a small coin purse, a dagger, a tunic and set of trousers, some bread and cheese, and, as luck would have it, a magicka potion. She picked up the potion and uncorked it.

"I see. And that's when you murdered them." Leaning against the bench, she put the bottle to her lips.

"Oh, gods no!" Taliesin exclaimed, his eyes still closed. "I have a three strikes policy. One spell usually does the trick to paralyze the victi- I mean, convert. Agent Sanyon fell, and I resumed, in rather eloquent diction, the speech he failed to finish."

She swallowed the magicka potion and moved on to the bread and cheese. "Charming," she replied, her tone acidic. "So why did you murder all these people?"

Taliesin felt her judgment. She was a healer - of course she would be bitter towards him after what he had done. But she didn't understand! He was no victim, this he knew. A killer, maybe. But a murderer? Well... Not this time, at least. While he wasn't fond of Talos or Talos worship, he had always disliked killing innocents, especially over something as minor as a difference of opinion.

"They wanted to attack me next. I managed to dodge out of the way, but then one of those bastards mocked my dagger! It's been in the family for generations!" Another cough, another small trickle of blood. "Correct me if I've miscounted, but that's three strikes. So, I put my dagger to to good use and carved his heart out with it, then showed it to the lot of them before eventually killing them all. Like I said. Clearly self-defense."

She couldn't argue with that. As much as she despised murder, both the math and motive checked out: if what the mer said was true, and it seemed that it was, then he had truly acted in self-defense. Taking a moment to process, she finished her snack and returned her gaze to the elf.

"Funnily enough, I believe you."

He opened his eyes and tried to meet her gaze, though his splitting headache and blurred vision made it incredibly difficult. It was unclear if it was blood loss or sheer surprise, but he was speechless.

"I... don't know what to say. Thank you?" The pain in his chest was increasing again. He inhaled sharply.

The Breton made her way over and resumed her position over him, removing his hand from the wound in his side and replacing it with hers. The magicka potion had replenished her enough to heal him the rest of the way, if things went well.

"Why are you still here?" Though his tone was effrontery, Taliesin was shocked. After confessing to having killed the Talos worshippers, he had expected her to leave him there, not heal him further.

Losing focus, she dropped the spell. "Because of the scenery, of course," she retorted. "I delight in spending time surrounded by corpses, don't you?"

"Aren't you just the embodiment of wit?" He barbed back. "You're persistent. But the moment I'm healed, what makes you so certain that you won't suffer the same fate as them?"

She looked at Meeko, who had given up on watching for skeevers and instead opted to take a nap. It was said that animals had a good sense for people. If Meeko had deemed the elf trustworthy enough, who was she to question his instinct?

"My dog trusts you, and so do I. But if you try it anyways, expect me to smear what little blood you have left all over that statue of Talos."

Taliesin's jaw dropped. "You're basing this on what your dog thinks of me? Wow. A terrible decision, really."

She glared at him, and opened her mouth to respond. "D-"

It dawned on him that the more he critiqued her, the less likely she was to stick around and finish healing him. Anxious to keep her from changing her mind and leaving him as he was, he cut her short. "It would seem that we are at an impasse. Very well. I will cooperate."

She sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes. "Good choice. Now would you please keep quiet so that I can concentrate? I know I make healing look easy, but these wounds are deep. If you want to be able to talk without coughing up blood, it will take a lot of focus."

With great difficulty, he honored her request.

Author's note: fic updated 2023/08/02 with link to previous chapter. Thanks for reading, and a big thanks to the mod author, dynamite124; the vast majority of dialogue in this chapter is pulled from her mod with minor alterations.💕

[jogos-maneros]

Kamera GCam

GCam is a camera app that has gained popularity among Android users for its impressive features and capabilities. It was developed by Google, but is not a default app on all Android phones. This means that you'll have to manually install it if you want to give it a try. However, the extra effort is well worth it, as GCam offers a host of benefits for photographers of all skill levels.

GCam's features and capabilities

One of the standout features of GCam is its Night Sight mode. This allows you to take stunning low light photos without a flash, using advanced algorithms to improve the overall quality and clarity of the image. GCam's HDR+ feature also helps to enhance dynamic range and detail in your photos, making them look more vibrant and lifelike.

In addition to these impressive features, GCam also offers a Portrait mode that allows you to take beautiful bokeh shots with a blurry, soft background. Astrophotography mode is another unique feature that allows you to capture stunning photos of the night sky, including the stars and galaxies. Finally, GCam supports raw image capture, giving you the ability to edit your photos with professional-level control.

How to install and use GCam

To install GCam on your Android device, you'll need to search for it on the Google Play Store or a third-party app store. Once you've found the app, simply follow the installation instructions to get it set up on your phone. Once you have GCam installed, using it is easy. Just open the app and select the mode you want to use (Night Sight, Portrait, etc.) and start taking photos.

In detail, you can follow these steps:

Open the Google Play Store or a third-party app store on your phone.

Search for "GCam" or "Google Camera."

Locate the app and click on it to open the details page.

Click the "Install" button to begin the installation process.

Wait for the app to download and install onto your device.

Once the installation is complete, click the "Open" button to launch the app.

Using GCam is easy once it's installed on your device. Simply open the app and choose the mode you want to use. The app offers several different modes, including Night Sight, Portrait, Astrophotography, and more. To switch between modes, just tap the icon at the bottom of the screen. You can also adjust various settings, such as exposure and white balance, by tapping the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen.

To take a photo with GCam, simply point your phone at the subject you want to capture, tap the shutter button, and the app will automatically take the photo for you. You can also use the timer feature by tapping the timer icon in the top left corner of the screen. This will allow you to set a countdown before the photo is taken, giving you time to get into position or set up your shot.

Comparison to other camera apps

GCam is a great option for those looking to improve their photography skills, but it's not the only camera app out there. Many Android phones come with their own default camera app that may offer some similar features. However, GCam is generally considered to be more advanced and offer better overall results. When compared to other popular camera apps such as Lightroom and ProCamera, GCam also holds its own and is often preferred by photographers for its ease of use and impressive features.

Conclusion

In conclusion, GCam is a camera app that is well worth checking out for any Android user looking to up their photography game. Its Night Sight, HDR+, and Portrait modes, as well as its Astrophotography and raw image support, make it a powerful tool for capturing stunning photos. While there are other camera apps out there, GCam is definitely worth a try for its impressive capabilities and ease of use.