#so now I'm just sharing it as is

[queenlucythevaliant]

The Weary World

For the colonists of Tycho-16b, Sol burned out on Christmas Eve night. This irony was not lost on the Mayphis sisters.

When Iza rose early on Christmas Eve, Emmy was already up and fiddling with the fuel cell settings. There were warm spiced buns on the table: not quite cinnamon, but sweet and goey all the same.

Most of the Christmas decorations from Earth had been lost, but they had managed to hold on to Mom's set of Dresden angel figurines. During Advent, they shared the shelf with Emmy's collection of model starships, which Iza privately found rather funny. Great big space angels towering over little metal ships, like in a pulpy sci-fi book. Still, the angels were beautiful: a small, lovely remnant of the home that no longer was.

For the most part, that Christmas Eve passed like any other. All afternoon, Iza and Emmy took turns retelling Christmas stories that they remembered from childhood: "The Gift of the Magi," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life," and so forth. After dinner, they prayed together and Emmy read the Nativity story out of the paper Bible. The pages made pleasant, nostalgic sounds as they turned.

Although there was a viewing party scheduled at the high school, they had decided not to go. It felt irreverent in more ways than one.

There was very little talk between sisters as dusk fell. Emmy just gestured to the backyard with a jerk of her chin, and Iza followed. They dragged travel cots out into the gathering dark and set them side by side in the dry, yellow grass.

It was Iza who broke the silence. "'It's the End of the World As We Know It' could be a Christmas song now, you know."

Emmy looked blank for a moment, but then she tossed her head back and laughed. "And the wise men said, 'We saw his star when it rose in the east, but then it went supernova and now we're lost,'" she retorted.

Iza chuckled, but the end of it turned into a sigh. "Why don't I make us a fire?"

"Yeah. That sounds nice."

There weren't many trees on Tycho-16b. Not like in upstate New York, where Iza and Emmy had spent their childhood, where the trees grew thick and dense and covered up the sky. On Tycho-16b, the sky was clear and endless. Picking out Sol was easy, once you knew which direction was which. Even though the fire was blazing hot now, Iza looked up and shivered. Soon, soon it would be gone.

Wordlessly, Emmy came over and arranged a blanket over her sister's shoulders. She moved to return to her own cot, but Iza grabbed her arm and held on. "Stay here," she said.

It was eerily quiet with everyone else in the neighborhood across town at the high school, so eventually Emmy started to sing carols. Her voice was high and sweet, if a little mournful: "They looked up and saw a star shining in the East beyond them far, and too the earth it gave great light and so it continued—"

After a while, Iza tucked her head into the crook of her sister's neck and slid halfway onto her lap. Emmy kept singing, softly. "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Holy Night." Somehow, she'd never noticed just how many Christmas carols mentioned the stars.

They were almost asleep when the flash of brightness appeared just where they were expecting it. Instantly, Emmy and Iza were both wide awake.

Emmy leapt to her feet, roughly shrugging Iza off her in the process. Bright silver lit up Sol's little twinkling diamond like the lighting of a match. Almost violent, really. The instinct to do something coursed through Emmy's blood, as though she could somehow stop it from happening.

Still on her cot, Iza made a kind of choked noise. "Maybe I shouldn't have watched it again," she whispered.

When the brightness dimmed a bit, Emmy flopped back down beside her sister, still looking up. "I never understood why you watched it the first time."

Light traveled slowly for the children of the FTL generation. It took light waves years to reach places that they could take their ships in a matter of months. For the children of FTL space travel, light was a thing that could be outrun.

Earth's sun had gone nova six and a half Universal Standard Years before, in June. It had engulfed the earth in flame. Iza had seen it from the viewport of the last ship as it fled away into the stars. Emmy had not; she'd hidden in their cabin with her reading pad and a cup of synthetic tea.

Now, the last of the light had caught up to them. Iza had cried all night, the first time.

She wasn't crying now. Her voice was almost a sob, but her eyes were dry. "It's not really the end, not yet. You know that, right?"

"'Rage, rage against the dying of the light,'" replied Emmy.

"'All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well,'" Iza countered.

Sol was silver-bright and dead. Six and a half light-years away, Earth and all its cities and mountains and oceans were nothing but space dust. And we're here, thought Emmy, suddenly bone-weary at the thought.

They laid back down after a while, Iza resting against the hollow of Emmy's body, radiating warmth. They stayed that way for a long, long time. Emmy's eyes drifted shut, but Iza kept gazing up and up. The fire burned down to coals, then went out.

Finally, with a yawn, Iza roused and shook herself. "We should go back inside," she said.

"You don't want to sleep out here?"

"Not really. It's Christmas tomorrow, remember? Gotta be up early."

Emmy squinted at her watch. "It's after midnight now, actually. Merry Christmas, Iz."

"Merry Christmas," Iza replied. Then, after a moment, "I wonder how much wearier the world can get before Christ finally comes back?"

"Oh, c'mon, you know it can always get wearier. But then, I think you were right before. All shall be well."

[lgbtlunaverse]

The world exists in such a baffling state of simultaneous sex-aversion and sex-hegemony. Every social platform on the internet is trying to banish sex workers to the shadow realm but I can't post a tweet without at least two bots replying P U S S Y I N B I O. People are self-censoring sex to seggs and $3× but every other ad you see is still filled with half-naked women. Rightwingers want queer people arrested for so much as existing in the same postal code as a child and are also drumming up a moral panic about how teenage boys aren't getting laid enough. I feel like I'm losing my mind.

[hinamie]

in spite of everything, I had fun <3

[iamanartichoke]

I don't know who needs to hear this, but as a creator -

I am fine with "the audience" -

downloading my fics

printing my fics

copy/pasting or screenshotting my fics

sharing your saved copy of my fics with anyone else who might want them in the unlikely but never impossible case that my fics are no longer available on ao3

making a book of my fic(s) and running your fingers across the pages while lovingly whispering my precioussss

doing these things with anything I create for fandom, such as meta, headcanons, au nonsense like 'texts from the brodinsons,' etc

I am not fine with "the audience"

doing any of the above with the purpose/intent of plagiarizing my work or passing it off as their own in any capacity

feeding my work into ai for any reason whatsoever

Save the fandom things. Preserve the fandom things. Respect the fandom things.

Enjoy the fandom things.

[night-orchids]

the fact that you can see the exact moment tears appear in his eyes

[unproduciblesmackdown]

just visiting ❤ pic.twitter.com/njIiHb4HBM

— tim (@FlamingButtWind) July 14, 2024

[simandy]

It has been so long since I posted any wip! This is the hair i was working on for Halloween (along with other stuff). It was supposed to be a test for a blender add-on I got, but it turned out to look so good I really want to give it to you guys. I regret not updating blender earlier or looking for add-ons, this one really does make it much easier to create hairs! It's not free, unfortunately 😖 but it was worth it for me, it will make the hair making process much easier (and fun!) than what it was! To me, the best part is that I finished meshing the curves and solidified them as meshes and when i went to check the poly count it was 10k. FOR THE ENTIRE HAIR. COME ON.

I'm making this post because i believe real artists don't gatekeep! Here is the link of the video and download, in case you're interested. Posting the video link because of the promotional code ^^

*** IMPORTANT ***

This add-on is magical and i can prove it since I'm staring at sims4studio now with THAT hair (in the post above) imported with the hat chops and it's at 10k vertices and 14k polys and i didn't make a singular effort to reduce it yet. And if you work with hairs you know how this sounds like sorcery.

ANYWAY I have stuff to say. This add-on creates a thing in your mesh called COLOR ATTRIBUTES. I don't know exactly what they're for (because my blender knowledge is restricted to making cool crystals and custom content for the sims 4) but SIMS4STUDIO CANNOT READ THEM. FOR LIFE. They will cause various errors that will make you spiral forever because they're extremely UNCLEAR. I found them by accident so, if you bought the add-on and is now making beautiful hairstyles and struggling to make them to sims4studio, here is the culprit:

Located in: DATA. Delete every other color attribute besides "color0" and your hair will import to s4s normally!

[uncanny-tranny]

I recently had to do a project in one of my psych classes, and man, I knew that CBT was used for every little thing, but seeing over and over, "do CBT! CBT is the best for every mental illness!" was so jarring. I'm absolutely biased because of my own experiences, but I just don't think it's as universal a treatment model as it's touted.

If you didn't benefit from CBT, it's not because you're lazy or didn't try hard enough or lacked intelligence or foresight into your own needs. Frankly, it's a therapy model that (I think) shouldn't be the only readily-accessible model and among the only therapy models covered by insurance. Some of us should not be treated in a CBT model and that's okay. It's not a sign of poor character or unreasonable demands, and if you don't think it's a model that works for you, then it's your right to express that!

[excali8ur]

Weird dream.

[hussyknee]

I know some dickheads have now decided that Judaism is the "bad, violent, terrorist religion" and Islam is the "good, peaceful" one, which is only to be expected of white people, but how much of an issue is it currently? Like I've seen some USAmericans sharing how the Islamic faith shapes Gazans values and perseverance (good) except with that distinct white hippie "I'm about to imprint on this like the world's most racist duck" vibe (bad), but I didn't think they're already turning on Judaism in numbers.

Do they realize that Christianity is also the same kind of comfort to Christian minorities in Asia and Africa? That it was Buddhists that genocided the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Tamils in Sri Lanka? That Hindu fundamentalists are even now trying to ethnically cleanse Muslims in India? How Hindus and Christians are terrorized and persecuted in Pakistan? That Muslims have a history of persecuting and ethnically cleansing Jews too?

Really tired of asking y'all to be normal about people's religions man. There's no religion that's inherently violent or exceptionally peaceful. It's just like any other ideology that becomes a weapon in the hands of ethnic power. Interrogate power, not religion, and respect people's belief systems insofar as they aren't in your business.

Edit: I've amended the "long history" of Muslim persecution of Jews because it might be misleading in the current political climate. Zionism and antisemitic Arab nationalism are twin births resulting directly from Christian colonization, and Islamic empires tended to actually be more tolerant of other religions compared to Christianity, especially Judaism, which was considered a sibling religion. Antisemitism wasn't ideologically entrenched in Islamic tradition. It's simply that ethno-religious power will lead to ethno religious domination and intermittent cleansing of minorities, and Islam is no exception. Humans be humaning always.

[kettlefire]

As Good as Good Gets (DP X DC Snippet)

Richard "Dick" Grayson is the golden child. In the eyes of the public, and in the eyes of the league. Dick is a sweet, caring son, a man who went from being a sidekick to being a hero. The pipeline from Robin to Nightwing had many people applauding his dedication to keeping Gotham safe.

No one knew the full story, not truly. No one but Bruce Wayne himself. And maybe a certain butler. Many don't know that Dick only became Robin to stop him from hunting down and killing the man who killed his parents.

No one really knows about the harsh fights and arguments he has had with Bruce. The times when Dick would find himself cut off from the Wayne name for a week or so. No one knows that the first person Dick warmed up to was Alfred. Having been bribed with cookies.

Things weren't always this good, trusting, happy relationship between Bruce and Dick. It had been a rough ride, a complicated one. But that was okay, because it got better.

Dick stopped being so moody and angsty. He grew up, he learned, and he changed. He became an older brother, found people that needed him. Needed him in a way that the citizens of Gotham didn't need him.

His brothers like to call him annoying. A goody two shoes who Bruce trusted more than everyone else. They couldn't fathom how someone like Dick could be so stupid and bubbly at all times.

All times, except when shit hits the fans. Despite the name calling, despite coining Dick as the stupid Wayne. They all knew better. They knew that when it mattered, Dick Grayson always pulled through. He was a force to be reckoned with when needed.

The whole Wayne family was a force to be reckoned with when called for. It didn't have to be under the guise of costumes and vigilante acts. Whether he was Officer Grayson or Nightwing, Dick was a man with his morals and values.

One night on patrol as Officer Grayson, Dick found someone who needed that force. A force willing to protect and care for the innocent. The hurt. The damaged, yet still good.

It started like any other night. A call of shots fired by an empty warehouse. There was no sighting or knowledge of any rouges being there, so Dick took the call. Told the team he'll contact them if it seems more than just a civilian incident.

The warehouse was dark, reeked of copper and oil. It didn't take long for Dick to find the trail. The liquid he found looked like the person had been dragged before walking. There was a clear struggle, even with the mess and emptiness that was the warehouse.

That wasn't Dick's biggest concern. The concern lay in just how much blood there was. Too much for any normal person to lose and still manage to stumble through the warehouse.

It wasn't just blood. It wasn't that much, but Dick could spot the strangeness in the liquid. The mixed in green that had an eerily similar color and glow as a certain pit.

Without thinking, Dick followed the trail. Barely remembering to make contact with his family. Give them an update on what he found. Words telling him to stay put for backup went in one ear and out the other.

Something in Dick's gut was telling him he couldn't wait. He needed to find the source. Whoever was currently bleeding out in this warehouse. He silenced the comm, moving further through the dimly lit building.

Then Dick found it. Or more so, he found him. It was just a boy. A boy that reminded Dick too much of the youngest Wayne. A boy sat against a wall, looking pale and weak.

Red and green coated the front of the boy's shirt, arms wrapped tightly around his middle. An attempt to stem the bleeding. A puddle had already started to form beneath the boy, and Dick moved without thinking once again.

He quickly found himself kneeling beside the boy, hands carefully reaching out. Before Dick even touched him, the boy flinched. Eyelids suddenly opened, wide and terrified blue eyes landed on Dick's.

In just that one look, Dick knew what he had to do. The haunting, terrified, and pained look in the boy's eyes told Dick everything he needed to know. The boy was in danger. Someone had hurt this kid, and it was clear it wasn't the first time.

The boy struggled weakly against Dick's touch, terrified whimpers, and barely coherent pleas spilled from the kid's lips. It had Dick's heart aching, clear as day the poor kid has been through hell and back.

It took a lot of reassurance, gentle touches, and promises of help before the kid let Dick take a look at the bleeding wound. A promise on Dick's soul had been the final thing that earned him any semblance of trust. A strange promise, but Dick was willing to make it.

That concern turned to pure anger the moment Dick managed to pull the sticky shirt away from the wound. The sight of a Y-incision cut perfectly into the skin, stitches tight on the skin, but blood still leaking heavily from the wound.

It didn't take long for Dick to realize why. Despite the perfect surgical care of the wound, a good couple of stitches had broken. Leaving gaping spots for that red and green liquid to pour out of.

The boy was deathly silent, tears streaking down his cheek as wide blue eyes stayed trained on Dick. In that moment, Dick knew he had to help. Had to get the kid to safety, patch him up, and find out what kind of monster would do this.

It didn't matter if the kid was human or not. It didn't matter if the kid had special abilities or not. No one, absolutely no one, deserved to be vivisected.

The kid was shrouded in mystery, but that mystery only seemed to grow and become clearer when Bruce had entered the scene. The boy had tensed, eyes flashing a bright glowing green.

Lazarus pit green.

It set a pit of dread in Dick's gut. His mind brings forward memories of Jason. Jason, after his revival, after his dip in that cursed pit. The same flash that his brother would get if he got too angry. Too emotional.

As much as Dick wanted to focus on finding who did this, if it had any connection to Ra's al Ghul. He couldn't. Not when the kid tried to get up, to pull away as Bruce and the others made their way closer.

Right now, Dick only cared about making sure the boy was okay. Fixing those stitches, getting him a meal, and a warm bed.

He needed to get this kid someplace where he felt safe and secure. Comfortable and protected. Dick wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the promise he had made, but he wasn't letting anyone get to the kid.

That included his family. As strange as it seemed, Dick put himself between the others and the kid. Shooting them all a glare that they had only ever seen a handful of times.

Dick lifted the poor boy up in his arms, cradling the crying child close as he led the way out of the warehouse. Ignoring the questions or confusion coming from Bruce and the others. As Dick walked, feeling the trembling boy clinging to him, he made a rather obvious realization.

Maybe the eldest son really was more like Bruce than he expected. Just a few short moments the the boy, a boy that Dick didn't know his name, and he was ready to pull out adoption papers. To give the boy a safety he so desperately needs.

Give him the chance that Bruce had given him all those years ago.

[royalarchivist]

Pac: I'm not going to say anything to you guys [Chat], I'm not going to say anything to you. I'm not saying absolutely anything, I'm not going to comment. Man, you broke me here, you broke me in 3 parts! I'm not going to- no no no no no, I won't fall for your game, I won't fall for your game.*

Pac's chat allows viewers to make music requests, which led to this very well-timed moment today where Careless Whisper started playing as soon as Pac met back up with Fit.

* [Approximate translation. I'm not a native Portuguese speaker, so as always, please feel free to let me know if there's a better way to translate things!]

[ohitslen]

Sketch dump :)

[fenrisdefender]

The Ship of All Time

Commission for my friend Andi. Supposed to just be line art, originally, but I couldn't help myself. I had to put some color to it. Might end up adding a little more color in Hawke's clothing later, but for now I like how it turned out!

[demaparbat-hp]

Almost

[sculkshrieking]

A short introduction comic to a Last Life AU i've been rotating in my mind where Scar is a ghost only Grian can see :)

Part 2