#Smart scroll note 5

[anisespice]

“ the fuck-it list ” || hq! pt. 5

one || two || three || four

synopsis: there’s a list going around consisting of hot guys on campus that are deemed “fuckable” with theories as to what they’d be like in bed. it’s all fun and games until somehow your boyfriend ends up on this list. 

pairing: various x gn!reader [ suna, aran, kita ]

warnings: mature content. MDI. cursing, suggestive language, mild objectification, atsumu slander/bulling (mostly from suna lol), mentions of soft dom/brat-taming, breeding-kink kita supremacy, not proofread so there may be some errors here and there, and I think that's it :]

notes: NO ONE LOOK AT ME THIS TOOK SO FREAKING LONG THAT WE'RE IN A WHOLE NEW YEAR SINCE THE LAST ONE WAS POSTED LOL But, I wanted to make sure I portrayed the characters as accurately as possible, and I've once again been hit with the burnout stick :'))) so thank you so so so so much for your patience, hope you enjoy!

tagged: @daedaep69 , @ahahadumbo , @viktoryn , @mdsb , @ourgoddessathena , @ushygushybaby , @hyori2 , @lumpywolf , @fantasycantasy, @captaincyberqueen, @tsukiran

SUNA's messy as hell, you bet your ass he knows about the list.

Most definitely clowned Atsumu when the whole mix-up between him and Osamu went down a couple weeks ago. He'd poke that dead horse out of pure boredom or just to document his reactions for a laugh later, resulting in some of the most unflattering, yet entertaining footage of your mutual friend that you were certain he'd keep for blackmail.

“You didn’t need the poor guy’s misery in every possible angle you could think of.” You shook your head at him, fighting the grin on your face. Sitting across from him at a booth in the canteen, you pass the time in between classes by letting him show you photo after photo, video after video of Atsumu’s latest performance.

How his storage managed to survive was beyond you.

Suna shrugged, taking a sip from his drink. “Sure I did. Need to have variety for when I make merch and sell it at his games. ‘m thinking tshirts, buttons, stickers, y’know. The whole nine yards.”

“You’re terrible.” You shook your head again as you sifted through blurry photo after blurry photo.

“Terribly smart.”

“Mm. Debatable.”

“Tsk,” he reached over to flick your forehead, “keep hating and you won’t get a cut of the profit.” Despite him softly glaring at you, he grinned at the giggle you graced him with in response, flicking his forehead back. “Anyway, wanna see the one of him throwing a chair at ‘samu for calling him the mid-twin?”

You paused, eyes widening. “He did not.” 

Suna lifted his arm to give you room to lean against his side. Despite your better judgment, and a smidge of pity for the blonde, you couldn’t deny he had some pretty priceless reactions that never failed to get a laugh out of you. Plus, it was all in good fun at the end of the day—No harm, no foul, right?

Immediately snuggling up to his side, he took the phone back to scroll right to said video, angling it so you could watch it together. You chortled at the sound of your boyfriend behind the camera, panting and laughing as he attempted to hold the camera steady while sprinting away from Atsumu before inevitably getting caught right before the recording abruptly stopped. You blinked in shock, mouth agape as you slowly connected the dots with the last few milliseconds you had. “Did he..Did he tackle you??” 

“Yep. Like a big, blonde buffalo. Life flashed before my eyes.”

“Oh my god,” you replied, hand coming over your mouth as you fought back your giggles. Suna squinted at you, arm that was curled over your shoulder coming down so he could lightly pinch your ear.

“You’re ‘posed to laugh at his expense, not mine.”

This only made giggling harder to contain, eventually morphing into cackles as the last few moments of the video replayed in your mind over and over. Suna pursed his lips, placing the phone on the table to free his other hand as it came to pinch your other ear. He tugged on them, not so hard to hurt but enough to get his point across as he pouted at you. “Quit it.”

More laughs bubbled out of you, now at his ridiculous retaliation as he pulled your ears far enough to resemble a monkey’s. You raised a brow, reaching up to grab at his wrists. “You quit it.”

“No, you.”

You squinted. “No, you.”

“You.”

“Rin-Ow! Stop it, you ass!”

This little back and forth went on for a few minutes, up until it eventually ends with you in a small headlock, biting his forearm in retaliation. It didn’t hurt at all, except maybe your pride, especially when you heard the familiar sound of his phone snapping pictures—When did he even grab it? You pulled back in shock, looking up and meeting your own gaze on the screen as he rapidly snapped away, even having the nerve to give a peace sign in some of them with the very arm you were latched onto.

You gaped in horror, “No you didn't! Delete those!”

He hummed in feigned thought, keeping his phone just out of reach as you struggled to snatch it from him. Rin smirked, “No way, now we both can laugh, babe. We'll call it even.”

With a glare, you opened your mouth to retort but he immediately shut you up by leaning down to capture your lips in a sweet kiss, lazily so, and swallowing any protest you tried to voice until you eventually melted into it. You could just feel his smug grin, and you were tempted to bite his bottom lip, but he pulled away before you could commit. He snorted as you still glared at him, although it softened more and more with every kiss he placed on your face to placate your sourness toward him.

Gradually, the kisses started to grow wet, making you squirm away with an annoyed whine, but he merely tightened his hold on you keeping you from getting far. Despite your struggle you couldn't help but laugh, "Ew! Ugh! You're so fucking gross!"

"Mm, gross for you." He placed another to your lips before releasing you. You gently pinched him in retaliation, muttering a small threat to his kneecaps if those photos of you ever saw the light of day.

After the two of you settled back down in a comfortable silence, your mind started to wander back to the discussion from earlier. With the abundance of guys who've been placed on said list so far, Atsumu of all people one of them, you couldn't help but wonder... Looking over at him as he played with his straw, you asked, "Hey...do you think you're on the list?"

Rin paused, then gave a small shrug, "Dunno. Never checked."

You scoffed, "I find that hard to believe. You weren't ever curious?"

"Not really, always thought it was kinda dumb. I only grew mildly interested after 'tsumu threw a tantrum about it, saw it as another way to get on his nerves. Other than that, it's never crossed my mind. Besides, as if I'd give him the satisfaction of knowing I'm on it, too." He blinked, then looked at you. "On second thought, yeah, check and see so I can dox whoever posted it before that knucklehead catches wind."

"Rin." You slapped his arm, knowing he was half-serious. "We can just report it."

He merely shrugged again, internally debating, but didn't say anything as you did some digging on the account to see if anything came up. It helped that the admins of the account started alphabetizing after posting so many entries, it made it easier to navigate through the endless sea of thirst and shameless threads. When you finally made it to the 'R's and noticed how short the section was, you had high hopes. Until, right there plain on your screen, paired with an off-guard photo of him you posted once on your story in past, was his entry.

‘Rintarō Suna. 6’1ft of malicious intent. A straight up walking red flag, but it’s okay—Red’s a sexy color. Definitely the kind of guy who’d call you “Bro” as a term of endearment, then make out with you while using your ass as a stress ball. He can’t keep his hands to himself to save his LIFE yet swears on it that he’s not clingy lol. But don’t let the cuddly side of him distract from the fact that he can be such a little SHIT ♡. He’d edge you for hours, rearrange your insides like furniture, then have the NERVE to tease you for walking funny. You’ll let it slide though…his mouth’s good at other things than just being smart. MASTER at giving head, treats it like an art form, would rather eat a pair of jeans that ever go a day without you on his tongue. 8.5/10. And he for sure takes pictures/videos of you for his viewing pleasure later. Say cheese!’

As you both stared blankly at your screen, him with furrowed brows and you struggling to hold down a smile. Rin eventually kissed his teeth. "Can't even be mad, read me like a damn book. Was this weirdo in the room with us taking notes, or something?"

You chortled, "Don't even joke like that."

"I'm just saying, tweak a few things here and there, you'd think I ghost-wrote this."

"Sooo, I take it you're no longer worried about Atsumu seeing this?"

Suna smirked, "Hell no, at least mine's accurate. Send him the link."

“Your bitch-ass ex is about to piss me off, bro.”

Upon your unannounced arrival into his dorm, courteous of the spar key he gave you for emergencies, you figured now was a good time to exercise that privilege because this was a borderline catastrophe. Granted, you could’ve approached it more delicately, but you were already upset from the nonsense you witnessed on your timeline during your doom-scrolling session.

ARAN gave you a look of disapproval, but decided to address one issue at a time. “First of all, we’ve kissed. Many times. I am well aways from being a ‘bro’. Second, language. Thirdly, when ain’t they pissin’ ya off?”

“Whatever, you better get’em before I do. You know I’m not above drastic solutions, I’ll steal their dog and hold him for ransom, I’m being so forreal.”

He snorted, shaking his head. Closing his laptop to give you his full attention, nodding at the chair across from him for you to take. “How ‘bout we talk first before riskin’ jail.”

You sat down and handed him your phone, “Read that and I bet you’ll be on board in seconds.”

Aran squinted at the screen in confusion, scanning over the contents before his eyes widened to the size of volleyballs and jaw dropping to the table. You nodded in triumph having predicted this reaction, smugly crossing your arms as you said, “Uh-huh. Bet dog-napping sounds pretty good right about now.”

“No.” He deadpanned, but still overtly shook. “What even is this?”

“It’s called ‘The Fu—” a small glare from Aran. You rolled your eyes, correcting yourself, “The Eff-It List’.”

“Ok, I can see that. But, what is it?”

You scoffed, “Basically a perverted forum that talks about strangers and their kinks or whatever. Purely speculative for the most part, but recently they started letting people send in their own entries. And yours came straight from the horse’s mouth.” You reached over to point at an all too familiar username, well aware of it being his ex’s burner account in their hopes to remain anonymous.

'Aran Ojiro. 6’0ft of tall, dark, and handsome. If you’re searching for a Service Dom with a heart of gold, then you’ve come to the right man. When it comes down to the dirty and flirty, this hunk would be an Olympic level threat to the bums in your timeline. Not only plowing a hole straight into your vertebrae but cooking you a bomb-ass meal afterwards that will have you wanting his pants around his ankles for a round who-knows-what. Truly a gentleman, won’t finish until you do at least twice. And aftercare of a God, we’re talking rose petal baths, oil massages, honeyed affirmations, and finishing off with warm cuddles in those beefy arms of his. Yum. Aran’s big on communication; tell him what you like, what you don’t like, whatever you say, goes. Will make you feel like royalty but rearrange your insides like a common concubine. This absolute King gets a 100/10 from us.'

The way his face was scrunched up, you would think he ate something sour. You’ve only ever seen him make such a stank face at the twins whenever their bickering escalated to physical violence. He was silent for a long moment as he analyzed the post, re-reading it again and again only to grow more perturbed. He exhaled deeply through his nose before handing you back the phone, reaching into his pocket to grab his own. Aran began to type while you were in the midst of conjuring up your revenge plan.

“So, I was thinking, they normally walk their dog in the morning before class, like ass-crack of dawn early-“

“Language.”

“-and they’ll most likely have their guard down, right? So I’m thinking you’ll hide in the bushes, ready to release the squirrel we’ll use as bait, and while they’re distracted I’ll sneak from behind with a shovel and-“

“There. It’s been taken care of.”

The words died in your throat, stunned to silence. You blinked a few times in bewilderment, and watching as Aran set his phone down to open his laptop back up and resume working on his assignment. Mentally floundering, you leaned forward with raised eyebrows, “Come again?”

“They’re gonna get the post deleted.”

“Wha—Who?” You squawked.

“My ex. I sent a DM statin’ that we know they’re involved and that I’m not comfortable with this being spread, so unless they want student affairs involved for sexual harassment, they better work on gettin’ that post taken down. Give it a minute, bet it’ll be gone.”

You blinked once more. Then, after a few minutes later of more stunned silence, you refreshed the page. Sure enough…his post wasn’t there anymore. Not a trace of it anywhere, as if it never existed. With a disbelieved chortle, you dropped your phone on the table and slumped back in your chair, staring into space. Aran grinned, eyes trained on his laptop screen as he cheekily said, “Ya did say get’em before you do.”

With a playful huff, you crossed your arms. “Damn killjoy.”

“Language.”

You slowly grinned, mischievously. “…Shit.”

“Oi.”

You raised your hands in mock surrender, relenting as you giggled. Aran shook his head at your antics, resuming his work. However, you leaned forward to push his laptop screen down a little so that his attention was on you once more, pausing his typing fingers. He raised an expectant brow, waiting for you to speak. You gave him a pointed look, “You blocked them after sending that DM, right?”

He snorted, reaching over to gently pat your head. “And reported their account.”

You beamed with satisfaction, leaning back in your chair. “Good. Fuck ‘em—Oop!Waitwait, hang on, it was a slip of the tongue, I forgot, I’m sorry!”

Aran immediately closed his laptop and began to stand, rounding the table to approach you menacingly, although fear wouldn’t be the emotion you’d describe as he closed in on you like prey. You didn’t even attempt to make an escape as he scooped you up in his aforementioned beefy arms, squeals following after your giggles as he carried you into the next room, ready to give you what he deemed a suitable punishment for your potty-mouth.

The king hath spoken.

You fought to contain your laughter at the sight of your boyfriend’s gears visibly turning in his head as he stared at your phone screen, brows furrowed and hands on his hips like a dad judging someone’s front lawn. KITA was at a loss for words, to say the least. Like Aran, it merely confused him upon the first read, and re-reading it over and over aided nothing. You could no longer hold it in when Kita eventually looked at you with a blank face and said, “Not true.”

Tickled, you decided to tease him by feigning ignorance. “Hm? You think so? It sounds pretty accurate to me.”

Kita frowned, leaning over your shoulder to re-read it again, just in case he was missing something you were seeing.

'Shinsuke Kita. 5’9ft of calm before the storm. At first, we chalked Kita up as a boring vanilla, someone that doesn’t like to step outside of the norm, and blends in with the mundane. However, what would appear to be a dreary missionary nightmare can easily be disputed when you take a deeper look into those carmel hues of his. As we’ve mentioned in a previous post, it’s always the quiet ones you need to be cautious of. Sure, he’ll invite you over to show off his beautiful garden, innocent enough. Well…needless to say, his garden won’t be the only place he plants his seed. With the right person, and the right amount of pressure, we believe Kita to be a closeted pervert with a RAGING breeding kink. Whether you can or cannot conceive, it doesn’t matter to him–Mating press, full nelson, prone-bone, you name it, he’s doing it. Then, he’ll tell you about what produce is in season as if you aren’t fighting for your life right after, continuing his day like he didn’t take his time molding your insides to the shape of him. Scary. 10/10'

He shook his head, opinion standing firm. “’s too vulgar. Have I ever been vulgar to ya?”

You pursed your lips, shrugging coyly. “Well…there have been a couple times.”

Kita blinked, then took a minute to think about it. And he thought hard. Slowly, he started to become concerned, contemplating the last time you were intimate in case this were a possibility. Surely you would’ve told him if he was acting out of line…

The act doesn’t last long, especially when he looked back at you and plainly said, “Yer teasin’ me.”

With a small chuckle, you gave up. “Fine, you got me. You have been nothing but a gentleman during sex, I won’t argue that. But, you have to admit, there were a few things in here that were spot on.”

“Like what?” He crouched down, continuing his task.

You gestured around, “Well…you did invite me over to look at your garden.”

Kita paused his pruning, looking around at your pointed observation. He hummed, then gave a small shrug. “Not to jus’ sleep with ya afterward. My intentions were strictly pure.”

“Ok, fair. But, you do want a family.”

“‘s a normal goal to have, and in due time, we’ll accomplish it. Once I’ve married ya, of course. That don’t make me a ‘closeted pervert’.”

You grinned, crossing your arms. “You didn’t deny the ‘raging breeding kink’ part-”

“Look at how well yer favorite sprout’s doin’, love.” He was quick to change the subject, beckoning you to come see for yourself. You humored him, crouching down next to him in the dirt, and happily gazing over his shoulder to watch him delicately handle your leafy little guy.

But, if you squint, you could see a little tinge of pink in Kita’s ears.

© 2025-2026 anisespice ッ all rights reserved. likes, comments & reblogs much appreciated!

[its-avalon-08]

📣 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕖 📣

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10

🏁 pairing : Lando Norris x Piastri!Sister!Reader

🏎️ summary: she’s oscar piastri’s little sister — sarcastic, sharp, and completely uninterested in drivers. he’s lando norris — charming, persistent, and suddenly very interested in her. she came for oscar. she didn’t plan on falling for the one person she should’ve stayed away from.

themes : fluff, flirting, angst, over protective brother, anxiety

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

chapter 4: the slip and storm

The McLaren hospitality lounge buzzed with post-practice chatter. Engineers swapped notes, PR whispered over updated schedules, and Oscar lounged in a chair with a water bottle, scrolling aimlessly on his phone.

He looked up for a second and asked casually, “Anyone seen Y/N?”

It was a question tossed into the void. One of those throwaway sentences meant to be ignored or vaguely answered.

But Lando, too comfortable, too relaxed in his seat across the room, didn’t even hesitate.

“She went to get an iced oat latte. Should be back in ten, she said.”

The room kept moving. No one paid attention. But Oscar stilled.

Slowly, too slowly, his gaze snapped to Lando. “What?”

Lando looked up, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “She told me last night when I called. Said the coffee here is weak and she needed real caffeine or she’d combust.” He grinned a little, fond. “I told her to try that corner place I liked in Monaco—”

“You told her?” Oscar cut him off, voice ice-cold now. “Why the fuck are you telling her anything?”

Lando blinked, confused. “I—I don’t know, mate, we’ve just been talking—”

“Talking?” Oscar stood abruptly. “What the hell does that mean? You’re texting my sister now?”

Lando sat straighter, the mood changing instantly. “It’s not a big deal—”

“Oh, really? Because you knowing her coffee order, her exact location, and casually saying she texted you sure as hell feels like a big fucking deal to me.”

“Don’t do this,” Lando said, quieter now. “Oscar—”

“No, you don’t get to ‘Oscar’ me like I’m being dramatic. I told you, explicitly, to stay the fuck away from her.”

Lando stood now too, face tense. “I wasn’t trying anything! We were just talking. She's easy to talk to, alright? She's funny, and smart, and—”

“Don’t.” Oscar’s voice dropped dangerously low. “Don’t you fucking list things about her like you know her. You don’t. And you sure as hell don’t get to like her.”

Lando clenched his jaw. “I never said I did.”

“But you do.”

Silence.

That was enough.

Oscar let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Of course. Of fucking course. You couldn’t help yourself.”

“I didn’t plan it,” Lando muttered. “It just… happened.”

“Oh, like she’s a pit stop you didn’t mean to take?” Oscar snapped. “She’s not a detour, Norris. She’s not a casual little joke for you to flirt with on a Wednesday and forget by the podium.”

“Jesus, Oscar, I’m not like that—”

“You are. You’ve always been. And now you’ve got your eye on my sister?”

That’s when the door opened.

Y/N stepped in, iced coffee in one hand, a soft smile on her face—until she saw Oscar’s expression. The tension. The red blooming across his cheeks. The way Lando’s fists were clenched at his sides.

“Uh..what’s going on?” she asked, blinking between them.

Oscar didn’t even look at her.

Didn’t acknowledge the coffee. Didn’t meet her eyes.

He just muttered, “Fucking unbelievable,” pushed past her roughly, and stormed out.

She froze in place, stunned. The door slammed shut behind him.

The room had gone quiet. Too quiet.

Lando exhaled shakily and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Hey…” she said slowly, voice soft now. “What just happened?”

Lando met her eyes—guilt and frustration swimming behind his own.

“…He knows.”

Her heart dropped.

-

Y/N sprinted through the paddock, dodging camera crews and team members, her heart pounding in her ears louder than the announcements blaring over the speakers. She spotted the familiar McLaren driver's room door just as it slammed shut.

She didn’t even knock.

Pushing it open, she slipped inside, breathless. “Oscar—”

He was by his locker, arms crossed, jaw clenched. Cold.

“Don’t.”

She froze mid-step. “Don’t what?”

Oscar turned to her slowly, eyes sharp, voice like ice. “Don’t come in here and act like you don’t know exactly what you’ve done.”

Y/N blinked, trying to keep her cool. “Oscar, what the hell is going on—”

“What was my one fucking rule?” he snapped, stepping forward. “What was it, Y/N?”

Her lips parted, confused. “What—what are you talking about?”

He stared at her, breathing hard. “No. Dating. Teammates. No drivers. That’s it. That was all I ever asked.”

“I’m not—Oscar, I’m not dating anyone,” she said, incredulous. “Seriously? You’re flipping out over a conversation?”

“A conversation,” he repeated with a bitter laugh. “Oh, so the texts? The late-night calls? The giggling in the paddock? The way he looks at you like you’re the fucking moon? That’s just casual chat?”

Y/N’s face hardened. “We’re friends.” She was lying to herself and she knew it as well as Oscar did.

Oscar scoffed. “No, he doesn’t want to be your friend. He wants more. And you—you know it.”

Her voice rose, defiant. “Maybe he does. So what? I’m allowed to have people in my life who are good to me, aren’t I?”

Oscar stepped back, his expression unreadable. “You don’t get it.”

“Oh, I do. This is about control, Oscar. It’s always been about control with me.”

“Control?” he repeated, voice sharp. “You think I want to control you?”

“You’re sure as hell trying!” she shouted.

He shook his head, stepping past her like he couldn’t stand to look at her. “You wanna know why I made that rule?” he asked, quieter now but way more dangerous. “Because of that idiot ex who broke you. Because I had to watch you fall apart, bit by bit. You shut yourself off, Y/N. You doubted yourself. You stopped FUCKING eating Y/N. All that handwork you put into your job was going to crumble if I hadn't helped. And I swore I’d never let someone in this paddock do that to you again.”

Her jaw tightened. “I’m not that girl anymore.”

“Yeah? Then stop fucking acting like she doesn’t still live in your head,” he snapped.

Silence. Heavy. Suffocating.

Y/N crossed her arms, voice trembling. “You think so little of me.”

Oscar looked at her for a long beat. Something flickered in his eyes—something close to regret—but he didn’t say a word. Just grabbed his helmet from the shelf.

“Don’t come find me after quali,” he muttered. “I need space.”

“Are you serious right now Osc—?”

The door shut behind him before she could finish.

And she was left alone, in his room, the sound of the paddock muffled behind the thick walls… but loud enough to remind her that everything had just changed.

taglist: @landofotographyy @doofenshmirtzevil-inc @rd14 @stylesmoonlight12 @azuramicah @il0vereadingstuff @star73807-blog @sltwins @dustie-faerie @stylesmoonlight12 @lauralarsen @ayatotiddies @carey86 @hescrush @xnatqq @downsideup1989 @lilorose25 @henna006 @dustie-faerie @lewishamiltonismybf

[dayslily]

hi nic!! do u have a tutorial on making gif packs?? i've been trying to look for tutorials and i think i just overwhelmed myself so i dont know where to start :((

omg hi!! i know a tutorial for this method exists, but i cannot seem to find it 😭 i'll go ahead & make one for you ! beneath the cut, you'll find my gifmaking process + all my favorite gif resources. i think something good to note is that every gifmaker i know does it a little differently, so you may prefer other methods like screencap clipping or video-to-layers. i think these tutorials by pochunts would be super helpful if you wanted to explore other options <3 here's the gif i made in the tutorial btw :p

how to make gifs using photoshop's video timeline (+ extra resources):

(if you want to follow along directly, i'm using this video.)

1) download your video. i use this website (cobalt). for the cleanest final product, try to use videos that are 1080p or higher.

side note: if you're downloading something other than mp4 files, you'll need a file converter- i use handbrake for this. this tends to come up if you're downloading tv shows!!

2) open your video in photoshop. (not import, just regular file > open)

this is what mine looks like now. our layouts may look a little different because mine is tuned to my job too.

if you're new to photoshop, go ahead & pinpoint a few things: your toolbar (yellow), actions panel (pink), adjustments panel (green), layers panel (blue), and video timeline (red). if you don't see these panels, go to window in your topbar & click the names.

general photoshop tip... go to photoshop > settings > preferences and 'up' your number of history stats. this will give you more 'undos' if you mess up rather than hitting a wall :p i have mine set to 75!!

3) convert to smart object. with your base layer protected, right click > convert to smart object, or go to layer > smart objects > convert to smart object. this basically allows you to make changes while keeping the base properties in tact!! you'll notice your timeline change from blue to purple.

bc i use this so often, i made the shortcut cmd+f. you can do the same by going to edit > keyboard shortcuts if you'd like :p

let's focus on that timeline for a moment... get familiar with the split button (red), zoom buttons (yellow), work area (green).

the split button is how we'll divide the video into clips, which will become our gifs. the length of your clip will vary. i just try to fit a completed action into one clip if that makes sense!!

the zoom buttons allow you to move through the video a little easier. this will end up being a personal preference thing. i usually zoom until frames are broken up by 2's (02:00f / 04:00f / etc - shown 2 pics down) but it also depends on the length of the video

the work area defines what will export when you hit save. later on, you'll want to make sure your adjustment layers cover the entire work area.

4) clip your video. skim through your video and pick a scene you'd like to gif. split at the beginning and end by clicking the scissors, so you have something like this. i'll pick three clips for the tutorial.

as a general note, i will clip the entire video in one go, save as a psd, then move onto sizing/coloring/sharpening/etc

go ahead & delete the layers you won't be using as clips. i would rec saving as a psd at this point to save urself the grief of any photoshop crashes since u have now clipped a video to your heart's content!!

5) now, onto sizing your gifs.

first you'll use the crop tool (pink, toolbar). you can input your desired size to keep the scene in ratio (in the pink squared boxes). this is up to personal preference again, i use 260x150.

once you choose a size, you can click the menu the green arrow is pointing to, scroll down, and define a new crop preset.

adjust image size. go to image > image size and type the size you decided. make sure it's set to pixels and that you have the in-ratio button (pink) clicked.

6) next, sharpen your gif.

as you're just starting out, i would suggesting using an action. i have my favorite options in this tag! to keep us on the same pace for this tutorial, i'll use this one by svgarboo.

using an action: click into your actions panel (red), click the options button (yellow) and choose 'load action', use the arrow (green circle) to open your action's folder and choose the playable option (green box). with your layer selected, click the play button (pink).

NOTE: if your play bar isn't over your active layer it won't apply

your video should look a little better & your layer should now look like this over in the layers panel:

if you want to make adjustments, double click the options buttons (pink) and adjust opacity to your liking.

7) coloring your gif. i could not begin to make a coloring tutorial bc i hate how mine turn out 90% of the time </3 BUT there are some beautiful tutorials in here ... I WILL SHOW U HOW TO PLACE THE LAYERS STILL !!!

add a new group (pink) & drag it above video group 1. it will float above your clips on the timeline. this is where your adjustment layers will go! i'm including a screenshot of my adjustment layers so you have an idea.

8) exporting your base gifs. adjust your working area bars to the beginning and end of each clip. go to file > export > save for web. i'll attach a screenshot of my export settings.

WHEN MAKING ADDITIONAL GIFS, REPEAT STEPS 5-8 AS NEEDED. because you used smart objects, you can use ctrl+t/cmd+t on your gif layers to resize instead of cropping each time.

9) adjusting gif speed. open your exported base gifs. you'll see that your video timeline has changed to a frames timeline.

go to options (pink) > select all frames. with all frames selected, click the dropdown arrow (yellow) and adjust your time.

timing will depend on a case-by-case basis. i usually go 0.05, 0.07, or 0.09. play around with speeds until the motion seems fluid and natural. my gif is around 110 frames long so i'm doing 0.05.

10) export again, using the same settings as step 8.

YOU CAN SET UP ACTIONS TO HANDLE STEPS 9 & 10 IN BATCHES. lmk if u would want a tutorial on that :p

now i have 3 finished gifs!!

11) uploading your gif packs. i think hosting directly on tumblr is going to give you the best loading time. and by that i do mean, just uploading gifs to a tumblr page 🙂‍↕️ if you choose to use alternate hosting sites like imgbb or gifyu, make sure you back your gifs up with a zip file on google drive.

[cavegirlpoems]

Okay, let's roll up a PC for Black Death Rising

it will be a fun demo of how the system works.

Step one is to roll for Attributes - Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Perception and Charisma - in order, and note down each score's attribute modifier. We get 10 Strength (+0), 11 Dexterity (+0), 5 Constitution (-2), 13 Intelligence (+1), 11 Perception (+0) and 13 Charisma (+1). So, our character is smart and charming, but notably delicate.

Next up, we pick a Nature for the character - what other games might call a 'race' - that determines what sort of being they are. Are they a normal mortal human? Some odd variation on humanity? Undead? Some spiritual being? The available options are Mortal Human, Ghoul, Lycanthrope, Purified One, Petty Demon, Mimic, Homonculus, Grotesque, Revenant, Ghost, Waif and Vampire. Each nature determines how many Flesh Points (your first dice of HP) we'll begin with, and grants particular perks and drawbacks. Going through the list, let's pick a Vampire - an undead creature tainted by Plague, with a hunger for blood. A vampire gives us d6 Flesh Points, modified by our unfortunate Constitution of -2. We roll a 4, for 2 Flesh total. We're not getting any less fragile. A vampire comes with all the regular effects of being undead; they heal less effectively and are vulnerable to certain magic, but are immune to things that might hurt specifically living people. Lastly, a vampire gets a bite attack, and can heal themselves by drinking blood, which somewhat makes up for our otherwise fragile health.

After this, we need to pick a class, from the options of Cleric, Doctor, Knight, Libertine, Outlaw, Professional, Witch and Zealot. Our fragile health lets us rule out the ones the more directly combat-focussed classes (the Knight and Zealot, and probably the Libertine and Outlaw too). Meanwhile, our good intelligence and charisma lend themselves to classes that benefit from them, like the Cleric, Doctor and Witch. After a little deliberation, let's pick the Witch, and go for a Ressurectionist variant. A Witch only begins with d4 Grit Points (the rest of our HP), which we roll and add our Constitution modifier to, and end up with only a single Grit Point. Our Constitution also makes our Saving throw worse, going from 15+ to 17+. We're certainly delicate. However, a Ressurectionist Witch also begins with improved Translation and Medicine skills (2-in-6 rather than 1-in-6), which we can add our Intelligence bonus to, for 3-in-6 total. Likewise, our high Intelligence and Charisma give us an improved 2-in-6 chance at the Tinkering, Charm, Status and Rituals skills. Lastly, the big perk of being a Witch is the ability to cast spells. We begin with a spellbook containing an entire school of magic, and being a ressurectionist, we pick Necromancy, meaning we start with Revive Flesh (rank 1), Preserve Corpse (rank 2), Speak With Dead (rank 3), Putrefy (rank 4), Animate Dead (rank 5) and Zombie Plague (rank 6) in our notes. As a first-level witch, we can have up to two ranks of spells prepared and ready to go at once. Lastly, we can note that we'll need 2,500 XP to reach 2nd level.

With our class and its various details taken into account, we can look at equipment. We get ten items, up to two of which can be Rare. If we take on a Flaw - a disability, curse, vice or similar drawback - we can take a third Rare item, at the cost of a disadvantage to rolls when our flaw applies. As a Witch, the first thing we'll be doing is using our Rare items to have a pair of spell scrolls, adding another two spells to our notes; going over the list, we'll pick up Fleshcrafting (rank 6) and Sleep (rank 1). Then, there's the matter of combat. Frankly, if we get hit, we're probably going down, so our priority is not getting hit. Chain armour is the best armour we can get (since plate is rare), so we'll take Chain armour and a shield, setting our armour class to a respectable 16. For weapons, we mostly want to hide behind somebody else and poke at the enemy, so a basic spear (doing d8 damage) will do the trick. Five items down, and five to go. It makes sense to have writing materials - we are after all an accademic sort - and a surgeon's kit. It also makes sense to have a light source, so we'll go with some candles and a tinderbox. This leaves us with one item left. We also have the option to take various advantages - such as social backgrounds, physical adaptations, animal companions, etc - in place of equipment, but many of these are Rare items. Let's say fuck it, and give our character a Flaw - vulnerability to sunlight - that gives us a disadvantage to rolls in direct sunlight. This lets us make our last item a Rare item, and we'll pick a Familiar; a little magical companion that we can talk with, probably one of our undead creations.

There's a few final details. We can note down our Armour Class of 16 (from armour and a shield), our starting Damnation of 0, our starting Bounty of 0, and our basic Bleeding Time of 2 rounds. Now, all that's left to do is sort out the fictional details; who this person is and how they fit into the world. There's a handy table of character quirks to roll on. Let's give it a few rolls until something interesting emerges: 11: Weeps blood. 75: Crawled out of a shallow grave with no memory. And, bingo, that's a character hook right there. All that's left is a name: lets call her Jane Grey, and we're ready to start play.

and with that, we're good to go!

[f444wning]

The Plug (1/?)

Summary: Wanting to make a name for yourself, you find yourself in modern day King's Landing. Dealing with the weight of expectations, you find an unlikely connection.

Warnings: Drug/alcohol use (underaged and not), eventual smut, curse words. 18+

Note: Okay it took me a little longer than expected but here it is!

WC: 4.2k

"Virtue has a veil, vice a mask." - Victor Hugo

You always had big dreams, desiring an independent life. One that left you free to do whatever you wanted. While your parents were well-off and influential, you didn’t want to use their money to get you anywhere because you wanted to work for it yourself. “Stubborn girl,” they’d lovingly call you; they wanted to help you and see you succeed. While they knew you were smart and felt you were capable of anything, they believed it wouldn’t hurt to use their privilege to give you a hand. You always refused but understood their stance. You felt they did enough for you growing up—putting you in the best schools in the city, supporting whatever extracurricular activities you took interest in (mostly volleyball), and generally spoiling you whenever they could. Rumor had it they even paid the school to overlook any trouble you got into throughout high school.

You weren’t the biggest troublemaker, but you weren’t a goody-two-shoes either. You got good grades when you tried, but occasionally cheated on tests when you got too high on edibles or drunk on whisky that you’d stolen out of your dad’s cabinet that week to be bothered with studying. A bit of a party girl, one time taking a random pill given to you by a classmate that turned out to be Xanax. Afterward, you felt stupid for doing such a thing and vowed never to do it again. You knew how dangerously close you came to beginning a downward spiral. Your parents didn’t suspect your habits as you kept them well hidden, not wanting to ruin the idea of their perfect only child.

Well, to a degree. When the teachers busted you for cheating, they kept silent after contacting your parents, and it never escalated. Deep down, you knew what happened and felt guilty that it was most likely your parents’ money that kept you in that school; not everyone was so lucky. It was never enough to completely stop the habits, however. As an adult, while you were slightly more responsible, you still gripped to your vices as a baby grips their bottle. It wasn’t that you had a particularly hard life; you just found yourself wanting to escape from the pressures that came with expectations.

Having such supportive family and friends, you got through school and decided to jump into the working field, excited to move on to the next chapter of your life, wanting to prove to yourself that you weren’t a lost cause. Unfortunately for the past few years since then, the search was unfruitful. As you sat on the end of your bed, laptop in front of you, you clicked on the icon for your email to see if any jobs that you’d applied to had written you back. It seemed like a dud until you scrolled down a bit further, noticing you missed one from the large fashion magazine Gevives.

You had applied for a paid internship because you were always interested in the fashion industry and daydreamed about working your way up as a big-time writer. In slight disbelief, you opened the email to see that they were interested in you working for them and would like you to come by for an interview. Your mind raced in excitement for a few moments as you read the email until your stomach dropped when you saw at the bottom of the page that the location they wanted you to intern for was King’s Landing.

It was 5 hours away from Riverrun, your home. It had been your home since you were a child. It’s where you were born and raised, spending your childhood weekends at the country club your parents attended where you first acquired your love for volleyball. It held so many memories, like your first kiss, drunk in the closet playing 7 minutes in heaven with a boy from your grade after sneaking out to a friend’s house on a weekday, knowing your parents would kill you if they found out.

This was where you were comfortable; you didn’t know anyone in King’s Landing, you’d never even visited. You only ever heard things about it from acquaintances. Nothing too substantial, just that it was bigger with more shops and things to do. While that sounded wonderful, you knew you’d miss the nature and serenity that came with your smaller town. You loved it, and all the friends you grew up with as well as your family lived there. However, you knew jobs weren’t as easy to come by here as in the bigger cities, it was hard to make a good living. Your parents had driven at least an hour away for their jobs. You sat there staring at the screen for a few minutes, turning over the thoughts in your head before coming to a conclusion.

This was it. Deciding you couldn’t let fear get in the way of such a big opportunity, you sighed, hitting “reply,” and wrote back that you were still interested and would love to have the interview. While you knew they’d be sad that you were leaving, you also knew everyone would ultimately understand. Besides, it couldn’t be so bad, right? You’d finally have the opportunity to meet new people, experience new things. You’d finally get the chance to do something you’d only dreamed of. You figured you’d be a fool to pass it up. Besides, you heard they had better weed there. Closing your laptop, you lay down and texted your best friend, Abby Tully.

Y: Abbs, guess what!

A: What???

Y: I might have an interview with Gevives magazine

A: Omggg no freaking way, the internship?

Let’s talk about it over some cocktails on me this Friday, be there or be square

Y: Would rather die than miss it, babe

You set your phone down and snuggled under the covers, the soft fabric against your skin providing some comfort as your mind swirled with conflicting thoughts and emotions before sleep finally took over your body.

The next day you woke up to your alarm clock going off. 8 a.m. You groaned as your eyes adjusted to the sun beaming through your window, getting up to prepare for your day. Standing in front of the mirror in your room, you thought about how you were going to tell your parents, but you knew deep down they’d be proud of you. The day went by uneventfully, besides breaking the news to them, and they reacted just how you’d expected.

What you hadn’t expected, though, was your mother crying as you sat at the dinner table that evening. It was obviously a mix of both happy and sad tears. My little girl is growing up so fast, she thought. They knew the day would come, but it wasn’t going to lessen the impact of empty nest syndrome and having no siblings to soften the blow. Your dad offered to pay the first few months rent for a flat while you got on your feet, which you begrudgingly accepted. You truly didn’t want to, but you had no other choice. It’s not like you had any money to pay for a place to stay yourself. Not yet, and you couldn’t wait to change that.

The weekend rolled around, and you met up with Abby and her twin, Oscar, at the local pub. You were close with Oscar as well, the three of you being the same age and growing up on the playgrounds together, followed by the parties you’d all sneaked out to in teenage adventures that ensured you stayed glued to one another. You sat across from them, a cocktail in hand as you explained the email you’d gotten and how you’d be moving away.

“Girl, I’m so happy for you! But you better not forget about us.” Abby warned, jokingly pointing a finger at you.

Oscar nodded, “Yeah, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do while you’re there. We can’t chaperone you from here.” He laughed.

“Of course not,” you said with a cheeky smile, “and if you’re really worried, you guys are welcome to come babysit me whenever you like. I’ll have my own flat.” You winked at them.

Oscar and Abby groaned in unison, “Even worse!” Abby said with a grin.

“Look, I’m not the one who puked in the Lannister’s yard on summer break for drinking too much.” You said, raising your eyebrow and shooting a pointed look at Oscar.

He raised his hands in feigned offense, “Not everyone could make it past the driveway like you!” You all laughed. The conversation continued until late into the night as you three reminisced about all the memories you’ve had with each other. You all ended up getting decently tipsy by the end of it, and you decided to call it a night. Oscar called their older brother Kermit to drive you all home, dropping you off first. The twins got out of the car to hug you and wish you well, and even Kermit, who you had hardly spoken to despite being close with his siblings, wished you good luck before they drove off. You tried to quietly stumble your way up to your room. You could tell they were trying to hide their sadness, so you vowed you’d see them again as soon as possible.

Monday rolled around, and you knew you were going to have a busy day. Your interview was today, and you also had to go flat shopping with your parents. You got up at 4 a.m. to make sure you had enough time to make yourself look put together and get an Uber to King’s Landing before the interview. As the car began to drive through the city, you couldn’t help but stare out the window as the scenery changed. There were tall buildings and lots of people walking on the street, the city buzzing with activity. You noticed it was noisier as well. As the driver pulled up to the building located at the address you were given, it stood as possibly one of the tallest ones you’d seen. You looked up at it with slight awe. With a shake of your head to gather your courage, you headed up to the front desk to let them know you had arrived.

You feel like the interview went well enough as you watch the elevator buttons light up as it takes you back down to the bottom floor with a quiet “ding.” You’re not sure you’ll ever get used to living here, though. It feels so foreign compared to what you’re used to, and you feel a bit out of place. Chalking it up to bad nerves as you’re greeted with the bustle of the city, you walked away feeling a mix of relief and optimism. The energy of King’s Landing seemed to pulse with new possibilities.

Later, as you and your parents wandered through the vibrant neighborhoods, each corner of the city revealed something new: sleek cafés, trendy boutiques, and busy market streets. The search for a flat was exhausting, the sheer number of choices overwhelming. But amidst the confusion, a spark of excitement kept you moving forward. When you finally settled on a flat—a cozy space with large windows that overlooked a quaint park—you couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the start of something significant.

The property manager told you that you could move in the next day, which ended up working out perfectly as you got a call back a few hours after your interview to let you know you’d been accepted. They asked you to start next Monday and you agreed. Once you were back in Riverrun, you texted Abby and Oscar with updates on the interview and the flat-hunting adventure. They promised once summer break hits, they’d come and visit you.

 Staying up late to pack your things, you struggled to get up the next morning. Still, you got up and freshened up before taking your luggage out to your dad’s car. He shook his head, smiling at you struggling to carry your bags and grabbed them from you, placing them in the trunk and closing it. As he drove you to your new home, you two talked about your future and he expressed how much everyone was going to miss you, but that he was proud of you. He reassured you that they’d be alright and made you promise him that you’d stay safe and give them a call if you ever needed anything.

When you got to your new home, he helped you carry your bags up to your flat and you couldn’t help but look around it in disbelief. This was really yours. Your little corner in the city, home away from home. You beamed up at him as you thanked him, he hugged you in response before planting a kiss on your forehead and saying his goodbyes before heading back to Riverrun. You’d have to remember to call your parents soon to keep them from worrying themselves to death, you figure.

 You unpack your bags the rest of the day. Thankfully some movers had brought furniture up to your flat earlier that day, so it was fully furnished and before you knew it you were finally settled in. The stress of the day hit you, and you felt the need to use something to relax. Reaching into your kitchen cabinet you thanked yourself for remembering to bring a few bottles of wine with you and you drank them as your music filled the air and you danced around your new living room before passing out on the couch.

The sun streamed through the large windows of your new flat as you slowly woke up on your first full day in King’s Landing. The faint hum of city life below was a stark contrast to the quiet of Riverrun. Stretching and yawning, you reluctantly got up from the couch, where you’d spent the night amidst a mess of packing materials and empty wine bottles. Head slightly hurting, you popped a few pills.

After a quick shower and a hasty breakfast of cereal, you cleaned up before deciding to take a walk and explore your new neighborhood. You wandered through tree-lined streets and bustling avenues, taking in the lively atmosphere and the mix of modern and historic architecture. As you strolled, you marveled at the array of shops, restaurants, and cafés. The sheer diversity of the city was exhilarating, but you still felt a pang of homesickness.

You found yourself at a charming little café with an outdoor seating area. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafted through the air, tempting you to step inside. You ordered a latte and a croissant, settling into a corner table with a view of the street. The café was quaint, with potted plants hanging from the walls and soft indie music playing in the background. It seemed like the perfect place to meet new people.

As you sipped your latte and skimmed through a local magazine, a young woman sat down at the table next to you. She was absorbed in her phone but glanced over at you occasionally, seemingly intrigued. After a few minutes, she put her phone down and gave you a friendly smile.

“Hi there,” she said, her voice warm. “I’m Sara. I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new here?”

You returned her smile, feeling a bit relieved to meet someone so approachable. “I’m Y/N. Yeah, I just moved here a couple of days ago. I’m starting an internship at Gevives magazine.”

Sara’s eyes lit up. “Gevives? That’s so cool! I actually know a few people who work there. What’s your position?”

“Intern,” you replied. “It’s my first big opportunity, so I’m really excited, but also a bit overwhelmed. This city is so different from what I’m used to.”

“Yeah, King’s Landing can be a bit intense at first,” Sara agreed sympathetically, nodding. “But you’ll get the hang of it. If you need any tips or just someone to show you around, I’d be happy to help. I’m a graphic designer here and I know a few great spots.”

“That would be amazing, actually,” you said, feeling grateful. “I’ve been feeling a bit out of place.”

“Great!” Sara said, finishing her coffee. “How about we meet up this weekend? I can take you to some cool places and we can grab lunch.”

“I’d love that,” you said, feeling a genuine sense of relief. “Thanks so much.”

As you both finished your coffee, Sara started talking about some of her favorite places in the city. You found yourself genuinely enjoying the conversation, feeling more at ease. Before you knew it, she had to leave for an appointment, but not before giving you her number.

“Here’s my number,” she said, writing it down on a napkin. “Text me and we’ll set something up for the weekend. Oh, and if you’re looking for a recommendation for some good weed—I’ve got a guy. His name’s Aegon. He’s reliable and knows his stuff. Just let me know if you need his number.”

You were taken aback by the sudden offer but quickly appreciated her candor. “Thanks, I might take you up on that.” You smiled.

Sara laughed. “No problem! I’ll text you his number later today. Enjoy the rest of your day exploring the city!”

As she left, you felt a renewed sense of optimism. The move still felt overwhelming, but meeting someone so friendly and open was a huge boost. You spent the rest of the day wandering around, taking in the sights and sounds of King’s Landing with a bit more confidence.

Later that evening, as you sat on the couch in your flat watching TV, your phone buzzed with a text from Sara. Attached was a number with a brief message:

S: “Hey! Here’s Aegon’s number: 555-789-1234. He’s great—let him know I sent you. Hope the city’s treating you well!”

You saved the number, feeling a mix of curiosity and anticipation. With a smile, you picked up a wine bottle you had left out, poured yourself a glass, and sat back on the couch, already feeling a little more at home. Deciding to waste no time, you pull your phone out and shoot a text to Aegon.

Y: Heyy I’m y/n, Sara gave me your number

A: can I call?

Y: Uhhh yeah sure

Almost as soon as you responded your phone rang, “the plug” lighting up the screen. You giggled to yourself at the name you assigned him and picked up. You could hear people talking and music playing in the background before he spoke.

              “Why hello. What can I do for ya sweetie?” His raspy voice rang. Oh great, a flirt.

“Hi, I just moved to King’s Landing and I’m looking for something to help me chill out. Sara mentioned you might be able to help with that.”

“Well, aren’t you lucky you got my number?” You could tell he was smirking, even over the phone. “I’ve got just the thing you need. What’s your vibe—something to mellow out after a long day or something to keep you buzzing?”

“I’m looking for something to help me unwind,” you said, honestly starting to feel a bit flustered by his tone. “It’s been a bit overwhelming with the move.”

“Ah, gotcha. I’ve got the perfect strain for that,” Aegon said smoothly. “How about we meet up around 8? I can make sure you’re well taken care of. My place isn’t anything fancy, but it’s got a cozy vibe. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

“That sounds good,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “Where should I meet you?”

“I’ll text you the address in a minute. It’s at my place,” Aegon said with a chuckle. “And just so you know, I’ve got a pretty good setup. You might even say I’ve got a knack for making new friends feel right at home.”

A few hours later, you felt a flutter of excitement mixed with nervousness as you made your way to his place. You arrived at the address Aegon had sent, a slightly worn but lively building with other frat-type houses nearby. The bass from inside thumped so loudly you could feel it through the floor. When you buzzed the door, it swung open to reveal Aegon, his white hair a tousled mess and a grin on his face. He gave you a quick glance up and down before speaking.

“Hey there! You made it!” Aegon greeted you with an exaggerated enthusiasm that made you smile. “Come on in, gorgeous. Let me show you around.”

You stepped inside, greeted by the lively energy of the party. The flat was decorated with posters, random string lights, and a collection of beer bottles that had taken on a life of their own. Aegon led you through the living room, where people were lounging and chatting. Smoke and music filled the air as you looked around, trying to ease your nerves.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Aegon said, guiding you to a spot on the couch. “I’ll get us something to drink.”

As he grabbed a beer for you from the fridge, you took in his appearance, noting that despite being a bit disheveled looking, you find he’s actually quite attractive. He returned with the beer and a small bag of weed, sitting down next to you as he began to roll with practiced ease.

“So, you’re new in town, huh?” Aegon said, flashing you a cheeky grin as he worked. “I have to say, it’s nice meeting a pretty little thing like you. Y’know, I could show you around and help you find the best spots in the city.”

You laughed, the beer you started drinking you started feeling more at ease. “I’m looking forward to it. This is actually my first time hanging out with someone from here.”

“Well, I’m glad to be your first,” Aegon said with a wink. “Here’s to new adventures and new friends. And who knows, maybe this is the start of something even more exciting.”

He finished rolling the joint and handed it to you with a mischievous smile, his violet eyes watching you intensely. “Let’s make sure your time here is one to remember. Sara has great taste, and I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy yourself.”

You feel your cheeks warm. You wonder if it’s just the alcohol starting to make you feel flustered.

“I sure hope so. I left a lot behind to be here, I might as well enjoy it.” You replied, taking the joint from him and taking a long inhale from it, feeling your lungs burn a little.

He raised an eyebrow as you passed it back to him, “Don’t tell me you have a husband and 5 kids back at home?”

You laughed as you felt the joint making you a little lightheaded. It’s been a few weeks since you’ve partaken and the rumors seem to be true, this weed is definitely better.

“Hell no! Just my parents. Some friends. Riverrun is all I really know.” You said, absentmindedly running your fingers over your beer bottle in your hand. You didn’t expect to be here, in a drug dealer’s flat beginning to tell him your life story on your first day in the city but here you are.

“That was a close one.” He said in feigned relief, taking another drag from the joint and handing it back to you, eyes twinkling with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “Sounds like you’re a long way from home,” he said, leaning back against the armrest and observing you with a relaxed demeanor. “So why did you come here? If I may ask.”

You pause and take what you deicide is your last hit, feeling the effects rush through you as you move to hand it back and he shakes his head. You put it out in the ash tray and grab the baggie to put it in, dropping it in your purse. “To prove myself. My parents worked hard to have as much as they do, and all I did was fuck off. I’m here to pave my own way.” You say, laying your head back on the back of couch and looking up at the ceiling. You smiled to yourself in amusement at the fact this was starting to feel like a fucked up therapy session.

You heard him laugh in a way that reminded you of a hyena before responding, “I can relate. Cheers to that.” He says as he lifts his beer up and you do the same, tapping it with your own.

As the night wore on, you found yourself opening up to Aegon, feeling surprisingly comfortable despite the circumstances. He listened with genuine interest, his violet eyes reflecting curiosity and amusement.

Figuring it’s about time you head home and enjoy your high in peace, you pull out your phone to order an uber. “I’m about to head home, thanks for the weed. You really helped a girl out.” You say as you turn your head to him. He’s still looking at you with those soft violet eyes as he’s leaning back against the couch, and you wonder if he ever stopped.

He smirks. “Of course, and don’t worry about payment this time.” As you prepared to head home, Aegon handed you another baggie of weed with a wink. “Consider it a welcome gift.”

Tag list: @p45510n4f4shi0n, @lysenni, @malfoycassimalfoy

[thesophistiicate]

hey im 20 year old female. recently i have recognised that i practice negative self talk a lot. any advices how could i stop or atleast reduce it?

how to cure negative self talk 🤍💭

the way we speak to ourselves can majorly impact our self worth and ability to reach our goals. i remember when i first tuned into my inner monologue… i was shocked and disgusted at how horribly i was speaking to myself all day every day. i had no idea! so i began researching how to stop it and implementing as much as i could. it definitely takes a lot of active work but i’m happy to say that years later i currently hardly ever have negative thoughts about myself (or others) anymore, and when i do it’s really easy to catch and deal with.

1. tune into your thoughts

it’s common for negative thoughts to run wild through our minds without us actually even noticing. the first step is to take some time to tune in and really notice what you’re thinking. the best time to do this is in “trigger” moments, like when you’re stressed, facing something challenging, looking at yourself, reflecting on a social interaction etc. how you talk to yourself in these moments will be very revealing.

2. actively reframe negative thoughts

flip any negative thought you have into an opposite, positive thought and/or speak to yourself with compassion and nurture. a common one for me when i was stressed while working and feeling stuck was “ugh i’m so stupid!” i changed it to “i’m smart and capable of solving problems”. it will feel silly at first but the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. with time you won’t have the negative thoughts at all.

3. journalling/writing morning pages

morning pages are from “the artist’s way”, which i recommend everyone read and try at least once in their life. but you write 3 pages of free flowing thoughts first thing in the morning (ideally). no self editing, anything that crosses your mind goes down. this is where a lot of your deep negative thoughts tend to spew out, and this allows you to see them, confront them, and view them as the silly little thoughts they are. your negative thoughts are from shame and fear; you need to express them and get them out. shame thrives in darkness but will shrivel under the light.

4. practice mindfulness and staying present in the moment

so often we spiral into negativity due to overwhelm. guided meditations helped me a lot (you can find them on YouTube, Spotify, insight timer etc). you’re essentially trying to re-wire your automatic brain response so you need to be able to stop running on autopilot and actually tune into what’s happening inside by gaining some control over your thoughts. it’s literally like training a muscle so is difficult at first, but you get better at it the more you do.

5. eliminate distractions and consider a dopamine detox

we numb and distract ourselves in a variety of ways. whether it’s constantly surrounding ourselves with people, scrolling social media, binge watching tv, over-using substances or other indulgences etc… these things are fine in moderation (and actually can be necessary to overall wellbeing, i think being constantly self aware can also drive you crazy and you’re allowed to have a break) but take note of how often you are actually numbing yourself out and promoting disconnection with your mind. you need to be able to face your thoughts.

6. notice how you think about others, too

i’ve mentioned before one of my worst qualities to overcome was the fact i could be very judgemental and arrogant. i actually found this was directly related to my negative self perception - after all, what we think about others is usually actually just a projection of how we feel about ourselves, our insecurities, our fears. so i also made an effort to stop judging others and instead find positives to focus on. this worked so well to overall retrain my mind toward positivity (and also started attracting much more healthy and positive relationships into my life too).

and consider tailored support if necessary

if you struggle with any of the steps on your own, a therapist, counsellor, coach, or other professional may able to be help with more personalised guidance 🤍

[brienneoftarth1989]

If we ever meet again

Larissa Weems x fem reader

Summary: growing up you were a student at Nevermore. You had a massive crush on your headmistress but due to your age and the fact you were a student meant you couldn’t do anything about it. 12 years later you got a job at the academy you attended as a child praying that the woman you had feelings for was still there.

Warnings: None

Requests open

———————————

Growing up you loved your time at Nevermore. You loved your friends, your classes but most of all you loved spending time with your Principal Larissa Weems.

It was safe to say you had a bit of a harmless crush on Larissa but obviously being a young student, there wasn’t much you could do about it other than admire her from afar. When you were a student there you were sixteen which meant she was about twenty-eight years old.

Did it bother you that there was a twelve year age gap between you? No it did not. You did try to spend as much time around Larissa as you could, for example you would help around her office and complete tasks for her.

To be honest you didn’t always want to do everything she asked but you just enjoyed the company around her. Over the next few years you spent as much time with Larissa as you could considering you were a student and she was your principal.

However the day you left Nevermore was the most heartbreaking day of your life. Saying goodbye to not only your classmates but Larissa was such a hard thing to do. You didn’t want them to know you were hurting down inside so you tried your best to disguise it.

I think Larissa could tell you were quite upset to leave as she told you before you left that it was never really going to be goodbye forever. You did always wonder what she meant by that considering you felt like you would never be returning to Nevermore.

However there was one thing that you were sure of and that was you wanted to get into teaching. After you left Nevermore you went straight to university to get your teaching degree and then getting a degree in botanical science. That subject always did have a way with you back at Nevermore.

You spent about 6 years at university and once you were finished you decided to go travelling for at least a year as it was something you always wanted to do but never got the chance. When you came back you found a small teaching job at one of the schools but it wasn’t teaching what you specialised in. However you needed a job.

In the meantime you did keep an eye out on the Nevermore school website to see if any job applications came about. However there wasn’t much going at all. That wasn’t going to stop you from finally getting a job at the school you grew up in.

After another 5 years and a number of different teaching jobs you finally decided to check to see if Nevermore had any teaching jobs for the upcoming school year. As you were scrolling through you saw one for a botanical science teacher. This was just your luck.

You spent that evening touching up your CV before applying to the job. All you had to do now was wait for a response. That week after a bit of waiting and hoping for a response was the longest week that has ever seemed to have existed.

You were at home scrolling through your phone when an email notification popped up. You were quick to open it to see that you had been selected for an interview with the headmistress. The email had been sent by the school’s office and it didn’t state who the headmistress even was.

Was principal Weems still in charge or was someone else running the school now? I guess there was only one way to find out. You accepted the interview and they later emailed you the details of your upcoming interview.

You had less than a week to prepare yourself for it. You made yourself look up all the relevant information and jotted down notes that you thought would be relevant to your interview. Now all you had to do was face the interview itself.

The day of your interview went great. You got dressed into a smart suit pants ensemble before grabbing all your notes and heading to Nevermore for the time you needed to be there.

Arriving at Nevermore brought you so many memories. It was like nothing had changed. You made your way to the office and waited for your name to be called. There were a few other people also waiting to be interviewed which only made you more nervous.

Knowing you had competition made you worry that you wouldn’t be able to bring something to the table that they might be able to offer. After about 20 minutes of waiting you were finally called into the office where the headmistress was conducting interviews.

You grabbed your stuff nervously before heading into the office that you had been in so many times before. Your heartbeat settled when you saw the one and only Larissa Weems. You sat down opposite her with the desk separating the both of you.

“Principal Weems, it’s so good to see you again” you smiled at her. “I told you it was never goodbye” she smiled as she looked over your CV. The fact that she remembered that was enough to make your heart flutter. “How have you been y/n? It’s been a long time since our days at Nevermore” she smiled at you.

“It’s been good. After my studies here I went to university to get my degree in teaching and botanical science. I then went travelling for a year and then spent the last 5 years teaching at a variety of schools” you told her.

“Aww that’s great to hear. Now, let’s get started with this interview” she smiled. The interview went well. She asked you a number of different questions which you were able to answer perfectly as well as adding your own touch to.

The interview lasted about 45 minutes but it felt like the two of you had been talking for all of 10 minutes. You still got that feeling when you saw and spoke to her which surprised you. Larissa said that you would hear from her in about a week once all the interviews had been conducted.

So in the meantime it was just a waiting game. That week seemed to drag but by the end of it you finally received a call from Larissa. “Hello” you answered the phone waiting for Larissa’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Morning y/n, I’m calling you today to let you know that after interviewing all the other candidates I would like to offer you the job” Larissa told you from the other end of the phone.

“Thank you so much Larissa. I would love to accept the position” you told her, trying your best to hide your excitement. “That’s great to hear y/n! I will email you shortly with everything you need to know. I look forward to working with you at Nevermore” Larissa said before you both said goodbye and hung up. This was the start of a new adventure.

Flash forward to a few months later and you were now finally settled in at Nevermore. You absolutely love teaching your classes and you love that you have onsite accommodation which means you never had to leave the place unless you wanted to go.

You have been getting on well with all your colleagues but there was one you wanted to spend a little more time with as you really got to know the woman you had a huge crush on many years ago. At the moment the two of you have had many chats in the canteen while having lunch and surprisingly you have learnt a lot.

Larissa is currently single which is great for you, she loves fashion as well as her love for Nevermore. It is clear she has such a passion for this school and she also loves going to this cafe called the Weathervane to get herself a hot chocolate most days.

Now you were just finding the courage to ask Larissa out on a date but you were just trying to find the right opportunity to do so. You were currently finishing up teaching your class before heading to the canteen to grab some lunch hoping you would also bump into Larissa so you could ask her a very important question.

You made your way down there quite quickly due to the fact you haven’t had much to eat at all today. You grabbed yourself a tray before helping yourself to the selection of food in front of you. You helped yourself to some pizza, chips and beans before grabbing some cutlery and heading to the tables reserved for teachers.

You sat there as you happily ate your lunch as you scanned the room for Larissa. After about 10 minutes you saw the tall beauty enter the room before grabbing her lunch. When she turned around it looked like she was going to head back out of the canteen but then she caught your eye. ‘

You immediately blushed and looked back down at your food. When you next looked up you found Larissa standing in front of you which only caused you to blush again. “Is it alright if I sit with you y/n?” she asked, waiting for you to answer. “Yeah, of course it is,” you told her. Larissa immediately took a seat next to you as you both happily ate your lunch in peace.

“So how have you found it here these last few months?” Larissa asked as she then took a bite of her pizza. “Yeah it has been absolutely amazing. I love all my students as well as my colleagues” you said smiling at Larissa. “Oh does that mean you love me as well” she teased as you felt yourself blush once more.

“Oh you do don't you, hence why you are blushing” she said laughing but getting more serious. You looked at her seriously for a second debating whether now was the right time to say anything.

“Alright Larissa, I will admit I have a slight crush on you. I have done since I was a student here. However I didn’t want to say anything even now in case I ruin our professional relationship” you sigh as you just looked at Larissa. “You have known all this time haven’t you?” you asked as she had this devilish grin plastered on her face.

“Oh of course I have darling. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure that one out. I understand why you didn’t say anything as a student but even then I could tell. Like who would really want to spend all that time with me? I am flattered though. I was just waiting for you to admit it to me” she smiled at you.

Did she feel the same way? “Ok well now that is out in the open then I guess I have something to ask you. Would you maybe like to go out for hot chocolate with me tomorrow afternoon?” you asked as you felt yourself blush once more. You really needed to get a hold of yourself.

“What? Like a date?” Larissa smiled. You couldn’t tell if she was still joking around or if she was being serious. “Yeah, like a date” you smiled trying to read her emotions. Larissa was quick to look around the canteen before looking back at you to make sure no one else had heard what you asked. “Yeah, I would love to,” she smiled.

You felt the excitement build up inside of you as you had finally landed a date with Larissa. “How does 14:00 sound tomorrow at the Weathervane?” you asked Larissa as you finished eating your lunch. “That sounds perfect. I look forward to it” Larissa smiled as she rested her hand on top of yours.

The two of you chatted for the rest of the lunch break before heading your separate ways for the rest of the day. The two of you exchanged your personal phone numbers before spending most of the day texting each other even though you both should be working.

Your date at the Weathervane went amazingly. The bond between the two of you got closer and closer and the two of you were already planning your next few dates. You couldn’t wait to see where this new adventure with Larissa would take you. The next step was definitely to ask Larissa to be your girlfriend and the thought of it just filled you with excitement.

[slushiesandshowtunesat3am]

Even as a pale, white, petite, always pink, and female myself which seems like all they seem to insert into these fics…. I freaking HATE reading that in a x reader fic. Because all I see then is those basic asș AI generated girls who all look the same, it becomes a joke. And the stupid description of pale snow skin and everything being pink, and I do mean EVERYTHING is freaking vomit inducing. We’re all asking for the bare freaking minimum.

1. Tag properly (Keep to who the main people are, side people not needed. That can be added to the author notes.) The goal is not to flood tags and having people endlessly scroll.

2. x Reader - No actual descriptions of what this person/character may look like (I would also say if the description of the clothes aren’t important to the scene, that can be left out. This might just be a me thing. Why the F are these people always just wearing a T-shirt, leggings, and a freaking messy bun… 🫤 cozy but EVERY SINGLE TIME! )

3. x OC / x Named OC - Go ham! Do all the descriptions, outfits, etc. No one should bother you then since you let them know in advance. It’s even super cool if you give an advance notice of what said character will look like.

4. Please edit your stuff. Even if you’re a beginner (nothing wrong with that, everyone starts somewhere) edit as best as you can. Storyboarding is so great too, to help remember things and look back.

5. PLEASE PUT YOUR AGE ON YOUR TUMBLR!!!! Especially if you write mature content!!!!!

We’re all well aware (like that racist POS, who I hope you blocked said..) that anyone can do what they want and how they want, but if you want people to read your stuff and start engaging then going about it in a smart way will do you wonders!! I think decline started once the cesspool of Twitter started coming here. People have become straight up asșholes on here. You can feel the shift. I miss old tumblr and even AO3 isn’t the same (and I refuse to ever go on wattpad… the horror ☠️).

Oh, I love you. Tens across the board with everything you said, and thank you so much for expressing solidarity with your opinion. You're amazing.

It didn't even occur to me that sometimes even white individuals can't relate to this content because not all of them identify as women, or look like the women who are often displayed or described in this content, which is very much catered to a pretty, perfect, docile, very much so male gaze esque ideology.

I really really agree with the shift. I could write a whole paper on this, but since Twitter has merged with us, I've seen a rise in dub-con/infantilization/overall inconsiderate culture. And I know it's out of left field, but I truly think this is all connected.

Almost all of the content now is not only incredibly drenched with smut, but also flooded with unhealthy dynamics where women are not only heavily degraded and taken advantage of, but made to fit this very, I had to say it, child-like dynamic. I mean, I had to block an author the other day because in the tags it literally said "sexualization of the word kiddo and I don't give a fuck."

All this to say, this archetype that more fanfics are leaning towards, submissive and cutsie, often fit this ideal of innocence and purity that people of color have never been included in.

And we're beginning to see this level of exclusion more and more. Not just in smut.

I get it. Everyone is in to what they are in to, and everyone can filter what they don't like.

But we have to face the fact that there are some serious issues effecting the fanfiction community on this app.

Still never going back to Wattpad, though.

[rexxmako]

raise the curtains! bring up the lights! the [EXTREMELY NICHE APOCALYPSE AU] neighborhood is coming to town!!

scroll for design notes and whatnot :D

i wish i knew how to draw Ray and Gobblette and Pearl and Gordon but i'll have to learn and practice as i go. these are all you get for now until i draw them decently

design notes below :]

Ricky

good god he's had so many reworks. he used to have a lighter skin tone and no dreadlocks and it was sooo off-putting to look at back then

i'm really glad i redesigned his human version

i took the color of his sock body and used it for his major hair color

also thought it'd be neat for him to have patches on his body. he's not exactly human because of this lol

he has earrings cos he's bonita as fuck

he has his bowtie undone but always has it on him because he never wants to forget abt his show days :(

Vi

my OC :D she's the baby of the group. she's human btw

also a child star of the show from the age of 3 or 4 to 8 years old

the main character of LDM (the name of the apocalypse au)

she's absolutely precious

her hair color is natural btw. fuckin anime protagonist ahh hair

Junebug

she is soooo the type to decorate her outfits with patches and decal

an absolute cutie pie gahh i love her

her hair's surprisingly easy to draw

girlie is the whole definition of pretty in pink <3

Lilianna

mother

tried to make her look older than the rest

her hair was pretty tricky to draw hh

also the flower pin on her collar - she does actually have a flower in her og design so thought it'd be cool if mb Junebug gave her the pin

a sunhat wouldn't be practical but a bandana would. decided to give it flower patterns because the hat has a flower on it too.

the color palette took so much trial and error. worth it tho

Lenard

SILLY GUY <3

idc he needed dreads they suit him fight me

one of his voice lines starts with "music? music! oh, i love it so much!" so why not give him music note patches

he also originally has a missing eye but i decided to make him half-blind instead? idk lemme know if this should be changed or not idk if im doing him justice

George

NAH MAN I COOKED LIKE???

i sketched him out on a sticky note in under 5 mins. best piece of trad art i ever made ong

and i've had his design in mind for a while but i didn't know how to sketch him out digitally so i went for traditional and it WORKED

i imagine him as the oldest of the Neighbors but not that much older than Lilianna

he has a missing eye in the game too but for variation i gave him an eyepatch (homage to the Stage 5 pirate variant of him)

his outfit was really easy i just referenced his usual clothing

his grey streaks gahh. he's so old i love him

popeye ahh mf

Norman

fuckin basic-ass bitchass white boy bitch /j

the most normal one of the bunch is the hardest to design. sobs

i need ways to enhance him / make him stand out more send help aaafhggk

EDIT 1: @witheringmascotmess had the suggestion to give him injuries since he's in a lot of warning/caution posters around the studio in the game. i think that's so smart like genuinely! so thank you for the idea fam :D i also tried to make his face a little rounder idk lol

[agathawellbelov3d]

Okayyyy I just posted like 5 “chapters” of the twt fic in the past 20 mins so if you’re reading it read those first ‼️‼️

If not that’s cool too, keep scrolling 🙂‍↕️

I don’t really write much so sorry if it’s bad. Trying to get into writing again so a twt fic with little written parts is how I’m doing that. Plus I don’t have much time.

This is a Baz POV. Reminder they’re in college because I hate writing teens. Simon has a tail in this bcuz why not

Simon is doing that thing again. Pretending to study.

His notebook is upside down and his pen hasn’t moved in ten minutes. And exams are in two weeks, which would be a crisis for most people. Not Snow, apparently. He seems to be more concerned with sneaking glances at me and trying not to combust.

I grit my teeth and keep reading the same sentence over and over. It’s not making sense.

Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll stop.

Or maybe if I snap at him, it’ll startle him so much he leaves the dorm with his tail between his legs and I can finally study in peace.

(And yes, he technically does have a tail. It swishes when he’s nervous. It’s swishing now, because of course it is).

(He has wings too, but they disappear sometimes. I figure Bunce has something to do with that).

I look up and he’s still staring at me.

“Do you mind?” I snap, slamming my textbook shut.

He flinches. “What?”

“What?” I gesture, mocking him. “You’re staring, Snow. And it’s obvious. And distracting. And weird.”

“I am not,” he protests, “I’m studying.”

“Your notebook is upside down.”

“Oh.”

His cheeks go pink. Not just a faint blush, but completely flushed. Like he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t be. Or thinking something he shouldn’t be.

He turns away, muttering something under his breath. His tail twitches behind him.

I hate that goddamn tail.

It’s like a lie detector for his thoughts, and it betrays him every time. It flicks when he’s lying. It twitches when he’s anxious.

It’s twitching right now. Which is fine.

He’s glancing at his notes - which are still upside down - brow furrowing.

I can feel the frustration coming off of him in waves. He’s clutching at his pen like he holds a dagger, as if he thinks if he threatens his textbook maybe it will start to make sense.

His tail twitches again.

It’s ridiculous how much it gets to me. I’m supposed to be irritated by him for being such an irate idiot, but instead I shift in my seat, turning to face him.

“Snow,” I say, “what are you even trying to study?”

“Um, Cryptozoology.”

“Your notebook is still upside down,” I deadpan.

His ears go pinker, if that’s even possible.

He mumbles and dramatically flips it right side up. “Happy now?”

“Not particularly,” I say. “I’d be happier if you stopped wasting your time staring at me and actually read your textbook.”

“The textbook doesn’t even make sense!”

“Then maybe try reading it instead of looking at it like you want to throw it across the room.”

He sighs dramatically, running his hands through his curls. “I’ve been trying, but the words just don’t make sense. I must have read this a dozen times, but I can’t piece the sentences together. It reads like gibberish.”

“Why haven’t you asked Bunce for help?” I ask. If it wasn’t for her holding his hand through practically everything, I doubt he’d even be alive. I applaud her for being able to deal with him, truly. It takes a lot of stress off my hands.

His tail flicks again. I hate that I find it entertaining.

“She doesn’t have time, Baz. She’s a TA, has like, four classes or something. And other smart people stuff.”

“Then ask your girlfriend,” I say.

“Girlfriend?” he snorts. “What girlfriend?”

“Agatha. The blonde one?”

“We broke up two years ago. We don’t have any of the same classes.”

“Ask Shepard.”

“I am not asking Shep to help me study.”

A beat.

“Why can’t you help me,” he asks.

“I’m too busy for that, Snow.”

“With what? Brooding and kicking a ball around campus?”

“I don’t brood, I just like spending time alone. And football is so much more than just kicking a ball around.”

“But you don’t hate me, right?”

“I hate you right now,” I say.

“Okay, but you don’t hate me. You said that yesterday.”

“I don’t,” I say reluctantly.

“Okay,” he grins. And I hate how hopeful he looks. He’s never grinned at me before. “Then help me study.”

I stare at him for a second, feeling a mix of irritation and fondness that utterly betrays me. It’s not like I don’t care that he’s struggling. It does bother me, but he’s also just incredibly annoying. And attractive. And I really don’t need more of him in my life than I do already because I think that would truly drive me mad.

“Fine,” I say, standing up and moving my chair to his desk, “but this doesn't mean we’re friends. I’m only doing this so you don’t flunk out and some poor bastard has to be your new roommate in two years.”

His tail flicks again, but this time, I can’t help but recognize the slight excitement in his posture. It’s pathetic how endearing I find it.

“So what do I do?” he asks, way too enthusiastically for someone about to read about Cryptozoology.

“You read the textbook, obviously?”

He flips through the textbook dramatically, trying to look focused. But I can see him stealing glances at me every so often.

“If I’m so distracting, maybe helping you isn’t the best idea,” I say without looking up from my notes.

“I’m not distracted,” he says, but a quick flick of his tail betrays him. “I’m just trying to process this whole vampire thing.”

I suck in a breath. “What vampire thing?” I ask, playing dumb.

“Don't be coy with me, Baz. I know you’re a vampire. That’s like, the only part of the textbook that made sense.”

“Vampires aren’t real,” I say.

“Then why is one helping me study?”

“Fuck off.”

Simon grins. “So you are a vampire,” he says. He leans forward a bit, “Can you see yourself in mirrors? Is it true you’re immortal? Can I see your fangs?”

“Christ Snow, I’m not a walking textbook. I thought you said you read that chapter, anyway.”

“I did, but I’m curious if any of it is true.”

(Most of that chapter is not, but I’m not going to waste my time explaining that to him).

I want to snap at him, but instead I say: “Is it true that you can breathe fire?”

He looks at me like I’m stupid. “Just because I have wings doesn’t mean I can breathe fire.”

“And just because I’m a vampire doesn’t mean I can’t see myself in mirrors.”

“Okay, so mirrors are a myth. Is it true you can turn into a bat?”

No. “Will I need to bite you to get you to shut up?”

“Will it hurt?”

Two minutes in and I’m already regretting helping him.

“Maybe instead of treating me like a personal search engine, you can shut up and read chapter two.”

[ladyaldhelm]

Making Gifs Part 2: Photopea

This is part 2 of my own personal gifmaking guide. Please read Part 1 to learn about how I capture the sequential screencaps to make my gifs.

Once you have your screencaps, open Photopea. They have a very simple guide on how to make animations in their help guide. I will be going into much more detail.

Note: ***Tumblr has a limit of 10mb for the filesize of each gif, and recommends no wider than 540 pixels. If your gif is wider than 540 pixels Tumblr will resize it, and it will cause the quality to be reduced, and also take much longer for the gif to load in your post.***

1. RENAME CAPS:

First things first. Rename all of your caps that you will be using for a gif to have the prefix _a_ on your computer. Select all and right-click on the FIRST file and select Rename (windows) and type _a_. Windows will add the numbers.

For most gifs, try not to have more than 60 frames as it will make the gif too large to upload to Tumblr. I usually aim for 45-50 frames max for most of my gifs.

2. IMPORT FRAME #1:

Drag and Drop _a_ (1).png into Photopea. Rename the layer from Background to _a_ (1)

3. IMPORT IMAGES:

Select all the rest of your images from the folder on your computer, and drag and drop ON TOP OF the image (not the layers section). Make sure the file you grab to drag/drop is the next one in the sequence (so _a_ (2).png in this case. Otherwise they will be out of order. If you do it right, you will see the layers section on the right get populated with your caps in reverse order, with 1 at the bottom and the last one at the top.

4. RASTERIZE:

Next, select all of the layers (on the right, by holding CTRL and clicking on each layer), go to Layer > Rasterize. They are currently Smart Layers, and if you keep them this way the sharpening will not apply (for some reason, I have no idea why that is)

5. CROP:

Next, crop your gif. This tool is on the left menu. You do not have to have all the layers selected for this, it will crop all layers together. Move the blue lines at the edges until the frame is cropped how you like. Be mindful of the character moving in other frames; you may want to check your other layers to make sure nothing important gets cropped off in another frame. Once the blue lines are where you want them, click the checkmark at the top right to finish the crop.

6. RESIZE:

Resize your gif so that it is 540 pixels wide. Go to Image > Image Size in the top menu. Make sure you choose "Bicubic Sharper" as the resample mode. Once this is done, you will see your image is tiny, so go to the Zoom tool (on the left menu, the magnifying glass near the bottom) and select Fit the Area at the top of the screen so you can see what you are doing.

7. SHARPEN:

Next is sharpen. Select all your layers again (on the right), then go to the top menu: Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen. The default settings here are for 150%, and that is good for most things.

8. ADJUSTMENTS

This is the tricky part. You now need to adjust the brightness, contrast, exposure, color balance, and saturation. This will vary from gif to gif how much to adjust these values. I will show how I adjusted this one and you can apply that to whatever gif you are making.

For starters, since this show is SO DARK, you will need to brighten it. There are many ways to do this, but I found the method that works best for me is adjusting the Levels.

First off, in order to make adjustments, make sure you scroll all the way to the top of your Layers panel and make sure only the TOP LAYER is selected. Otherwise the adjustments will only be applied to whatever is BELOW the selected layer. You want all of them.

8a. ADJUST LEVELS

Next, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer to pull up all your adjustments. For this first example we will use Levels, which is the second from the top.

You will see a histogram like this one:

This is a lot of information about the image, but pay attention to where the curve starts and stops. On the left, you see a "0". That is your dark point. This image is slightly washed out so I need to move that adjustment to the right so that the little square is just below where the curve starts. The third number is "255" and this is your bright point. The images are very dark so most of the graph is shifted to the left (dark) so in order to brighten, move the third square (the white one) so that the second square (grey one) is just at the edge of where the curve drops off on the right.

You can now see the numbers changed. Moving the first dark square will enhance your contrast, and moving the THIRD square will enhance your brightness. It is usually not necessary to move the second square, but you can experiment with this by moving things around and seeing how it affects your image. After this, it may be necessary to also increase the Exposure and Brightness if it is still not bright enough, but most of that can be done here.

8b. ADJUST COLOR BALANCE

Again go to your Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance to get this tool. This is a neat one with A LOT of variables, so play around with it to get the colors to look how you want. A lot of the raw video tends to have a bluish or greenish cast to it, so you just move the sliders to get rid of the cast and make the colors look how they are SUPPOSED to.

In this case there is a very slight greenish cast to the pictures so I will adjust that slider to compensate. The Range (at the top) you can select Shadows, Midtones, or Highlights, depending on where the color cast is located. Usually I stick to Shadows but sometimes will use Midtones if the color cast is really bad. Make sure Preserve Luminosity is checked.

8c: ADJUST SATURATION

Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation. This will brighten up your colors. This tool is VERY COOL in that you can select color families to selectively increase or decrease the saturation of. Under Range you can choose Master, which is all colors, or choose only Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue or Magenta. The slider at the very bottom (when a single color is selected) allows you to set the range of colors to. I chose Master and increased the saturation of all colors, but be careful as this can make skintones look VERY orange. So select other colors in the Range to adjust single colors only.

With this tool you can also change the HUE (which is changing the overall colors to a different color, like shifting all the reds to orange) and Lightness (which may or may not be necessary if you did the Levels correctly)

If you need to go back and change something in your adjustment layers, you can do so by clicking on the white box in the Layers section next to whatever you need to adjust.

There are many other Adjustment Layers you can play with, so have fun and experiment!

9. ADD YOUR WATERMARK AND TEXT

Next, you can add a watermark if you have a premade file, by dragging and dropping it on the image. Then move it around to where you want it, resize it if needed, and change the opacity if it is too bright. Make sure this layer is the TOP layer.

To add text (for subtitles or effects) simply click on the Text icon in the left menu (the T) and click anywhere on the image and start typing. You can change the font, color, size, and style in the menu on the top. Move the text around by using the Select tool (arrow on the left) Again make sure this is the TOP LAYER so that it will be present over the entire gif.

10: EXPORT YOUR GIF

File > Export as > GIF

A pop up dialog will appear and you can change some settings here if you want. I usually don't. Pay close attention to the filesize (at the bottom) and make sure it is under 10mb. Keep the quality at 100%. And most importantly MAKE SURE DITHER is checked! This will prevent compression artifacts from ruining your gif.

Save the file to your computer and VIOLA! Gif!

Have fun!

[racergirl-112]

Push Me Over - Chapter 5: Caught or Caught up in You?

OOOO it's getting good. 😏

GIF credit to callmefirefly

The next morning, Hugh’s alarm blared, reminding him he had a movie to film, but then he looked down at the woman wrapped up in his arms. She looked so peaceful, he didn’t want to wake her, but he knew he’d get his ass kicked if he didn’t get to set. He nuzzled his nose into her hair and kissed her before slowly getting out of bed and into the shower. His thoughts of last night flooding his mind. She made him feel 25 again and their chemistry was off the charts. He wasn’t looking to jump right into another relationship so soon, but he wasn’t saying no either. 

He finished getting ready and Dani was still sleeping. He scribbled a message on a piece of paper and kissed her forehead before leaving. Keep it together man. 

Dani’s alarm went off a short time later. She opened her eyes and realized this wasn’t her place and that meant last night hadn’t been a dream after all. She rolled over to reach for Hugh, but he wasn’t there. Instead there was a note. 

Sweetheart, 

Had to get to set early, but you looked so beautiful sleeping, I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll see you later on set. 

           Love Hugh

Dani pulled the sheet up with the note in her hand, a huge smile crossing her face. She wasn’t sure why in the hell this man was making her feel like a High School girl and her crush finally falling for her, but he was. She knew she’d better get a move on and get a cab to her place and get to set. 

After a record time getting back to her flat and getting ready, Dani made it to her call time with 10 minutes to spare. 

“Where were you?” her assistant Kayla asked. 

“Sorry, my alarm didn’t go off. I rushed over as fast as I could.” 

“Well, time to get you into hair and make up, so let’s go.” Dani nodded and followed Kayla. 

Hugh and Ryan were waiting for the next scene to be staged as Hugh was scrolling his phone, a smile crossing his face. 

“What’s that smile, Hugh? Are you just happy to be in a movie with your best friend?” Ryan asked, mockingly. 

“No, just having a good day.” 

“That’s not just a good day. Is someone making your day good?” Ryan asked, eyebrow raised. Hugh stayed silent. “Ah shit, Jackman is already in is slut era.” 

“Keep it down, man,” Hugh said. 

“Who’s the lucky lady?” 

“Someone and that’s all you need to know for now.” 

“Ryan, Hugh, let’s get ready to shoot,” Shawn yelled out. As they staged the shot, Dani came walking on set, watching off to the side. She caught Hugh’s sight and he smirked at her, sending that heat wave feeling through her body. What they didn’t know was that Ryan had caught the interaction between the two of them and now was questioning if Dani was the someone Hugh didn’t want to mention. 

They had been shooting all day and it was now time for the scene where Dani entered the picture. She was one of the superheroes who had been banned to the void and was helping Deadpool and Wolverine get to the others to get out. 

“Alright,” Shawn began. “Stargazer, is going to find you two in the minivan and take you two back to the lair. There will be some witty banter and we’ll go from there. And action.” 

********************

Deadpool and Wolverine are lying outside the minivan after the fight sequence. The sun has begun to rise and Wolverine slowly begins to open his eyes. Above him stands a beautiful brunette and he thinks he’s dreaming. 

“Hey, hey, are you two dead,” Stargazer asks, standing over the two of them. 

“Wait, you’re real?” Logan grunts, clearly in pain. Stargazer feels down her body. 

“Last time I checked, I feel pretty real. Maybe it's because you’re 200 years old or something.” Logan snarls, but is fucking turned on at the woman standing before him. 

“Yeah darlin’, I’d say you look pretty real and so does your smart mouth.” Stargazer rolls her eyes as Wade begins to stir with a smartass response. 

*********************

“And cut,” Shawn yelled. “Ryan, want to come take a look to see if we need to re-shoot anything?” Ryan looked at Hugh and Dani and walked over to where the cameras were set up. 

Dani stood there, waiting for her next direction. All the thoughts of that scene and her being here were racing through her mind when she heard someone say something. 

“You did a great job,” Hugh said, breaking her from her thoughts. 

“Thank you. It was pretty nerve-wracking. Good thing I already have a smart mouth, or so I’ve been told,” she smirked. 

“You’re playing with fire princess,” he groaned. Shawn called Hugh over to look over something, but before he walked away, he heard Dani say something. 

“Good thing I love setting fires.” Hugh knew this woman was going to be the death of him. 

[indigosunsetao3]

Chapter 4

Yardwork and yearning.

AO3 (Full list of tags/warnings. Please check them.) Masterlist 5.6k Words

Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

No rain and a day off. Those two things had not coincided for Celeste since she moved in a few months back. While most people would enjoy that thought, Celeste couldn’t help but glare out her kitchen window at the sunlight. Her yard needed tending to; the bushes were overgrown, the grass far too long, and the flowerbeds were just weeds. It would be the responsible thing to take care of all those items while the weather permitted it but she certainly did not want to. Yardwork had never been her thing, the most she ever did was an herb garden on the small patio of their flat. When they came to visit the cottage, her husband’s parents had always taken care of it, or he did. She had never been asked and had never volunteered.

But now, the cottage was her place and her sole responsibility.

“Ugh damn it,” she muttered as she checked her phone to see if there was a chance of rain, anything for an excuse to avoid the work. If it was going to rain in a few hours, there was no point in digging out all the gardening tools just to put them back again. But as she scrolled, she found there wasn’t a chance of rain all day; it was supposed to be a wonderful spring day.  

Resigning herself to doing chores, Celeste finished her coffee and headed upstairs to get changed. If she had been smart, she would have looked into hiring someone to do the yard work for her, but it was too late in the season. The few landscaping companies around would be fully booked out, and she couldn’t afford to call the bigger companies. There was also the option to call her father-in-law, former father-in-law, to help her, and he would do it without question. But she wasn’t ready to face that. To face his quiet pain and for him to realize she perhaps wasn’t coping as well as she had let on the last time they all spoke.

“Oh, are you going to help?” Celeste asked Samson as he trotted out the backdoor after her. “Of course not,” she muttered as he broke off and made a beeline for an old stone wall to lay out in the sun.

The door on the garage squealed terribly as she grabbed the handle in the middle and heaved it up. She hadn’t been inside the garage since she moved in. The smell of gasoline, oil, must, and stale air hit her in the face as she lifted the door above her head and held her hand there to make sure it stayed. As the sun hit the space inside, Celeste watched the dust dance for a second before looking around for what she would need.

The garage was a mess. There were boxes lined up all along the back walls with handwritten notes on them labeling what was inside of them. Holiday décor, old pictures, books, a few with old labels crossed out and new ones added, and plenty of blank boxes. A worn-out billiards table was crammed up against the side wall, the felt bald in places and chewed up by mice in others. The dart board on the wall above it still had a lone dart barely hanging onto it, and Celeste glanced at the chalkboard for the score. Her husband had won the last round ever played on it, however many years ago that was now.

“Shears,” she told herself to break her mind out of the thought spiral. The one that wondered how many things she had done for the last time without realizing it. How many things did her husband think he would get to do again, not knowing it was the final time? “Shears and trowel,” she reiterated to herself as she stepped deeper into the garage, turning her back to the dartboard.

After a bit of digging, Celeste produced a wheelbarrow and piled in random tools she thought she would need for the work. She wasn’t going for best garden on the street, but she needed to get the growth under control at least and maybe put a flower or two in the beds. She wasn’t doing it for the nagging neighbor but instead, her mother-in-law, who tended to the gardens like they were her children. Her husband used to help her pick flowers and heave the heavier items to build up the walls. She didn’t want all that work to go to waste.

It seemed Celeste wasn’t the only person who had the idea to get started on spring yard cleanup. She could hear a lawnmower start up in the distance, and there was a strimmer going across the street. As she pushed the wheelbarrow up to the road, Celeste glanced over at her new neighbors. There seemed to be a rotation of different cars, motorcycles, and now a truck every time she looked over. She hadn’t learned much else about them aside from John’s name. It seemed there were four of them living there. The great mystery at the café solved as to where the two burly men on the motorcycles had moved to. Celeste hadn’t bothered joining in on the speculations and questions that still cropped up a few days later about them. She didn’t want people gossiping about her; she wasn’t going to feed the horde with the information she had figured out.

Dragging her trash bins from the bush’s clutches, Celeste rolled them to the middle of her driveway before standing and staring at the massive overgrowth. She had no idea how to trim it properly to give it a shape, or if there was such thing as too much trimming and would kill it. Grabbing the long shears from the wheelbarrow, she slowly walked over to it, looking all around it before deciding to start from the back. If she messed up the back, only she would see it. The first snip took out a large chunk and she grabbed it and threw it behind her before she went back at it again.

Before long, she had trimmed the bush back so much the pile of brush behind her was taller than the plant itself. She had definitely cut off too much trying to even it out. As she glanced between the two items, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, contemplating the next step. What was she supposed to do with the brush? She couldn’t just throw it in the trash, could she? Turning on her heel to see if there was some sort of indicator of what other people were doing, she spotted one of the neighbors at the newly arrived truck.

They had started on the demolition of the back deck the day before, working through the light drizzle into the night, which agitated her peace and quiet. It seemed they had already bought the new supplies to build it back up, and the man was lifting the lumber out of the truck bed. He paused in his work when he caught her looking at him and gave her a friendly wave, which she returned before quickly adverting her eyes to her own mess. She really should have thought this through. Was there a landfill to take this to? And how exactly was she getting it there, in her car? With all the potential bugs in there?

“Later,” Celeste decided to herself as she slid her gaze to the rest of the work that needed to be done.

Slowly but surely, she worked her way around the house. She pulled overgrown vines off the stone walls, chopped down overgrown plants, pulled weeds out of the flower beds, and had even fixed a few blocks of the retaining wall of the garden by her back patio. All the while, Samson lounged without bothering to even his head until Celeste stopped for lunch.

“I don’t think you deserve this. You were no help at all,” she stated as she handed him a small bite of ham as she sat at the kitchen table. He was sitting at her feet, pawing at her leg for his bite and meowing every time she didn’t give him a piece. She had run out of bread a few days ago; peanut butter and jelly had been dinner most nights, so the ham was just rolled up right out of the deli bag. “I have to mow next,” Celeste muttered to herself as she stared out the kitchen window at the garage. She had no idea how it worked, if there was gas in it, or if it worked at all anymore. The hunk of rusted metal was at least ten years old and gave her husband issues every year.

“No, you stay inside this time; I don’t need you run over by the mower,” Celeste said as she scooped Samson up and set him back in the kitchen chair. He moved to run after her, and she darted out the door quickly, snapping it behind her. She knew he was going to make a mess of something out of spite; probably shred the roll of paper towels or knock things off the living room table.

The mower proved to be a vexing thing.

She couldn’t get it to start, no matter how hard she pulled the cord. It would act like it wanted to start but splutter to a halt. She had checked the oil and gas, all seemed well there. Had googled the mower itself to find instructions on it and what to do if it wouldn’t start and tried the suggestions. Nothing worked. She had even resorted to trying to tilt it back and look underneath it, but the ominous swish of the gasoline in the tank made her stop. She didn’t even want to mow, but now it was a matter of principle and the fact the grass was up past her ankles.

“I’m about to throw you in the lake,” Celeste hissed at the mower as she fiddled with the choke and grabbed the pull chord again. “I’ll buy a newer, nicer one,” she huffed and yanked the chord hard and fast. Nothing. “That’s electric,” she finished pointedly as she tried again. The blades didn’t even whir on that last one, and Celeste let out a frustrated grunt. She let go of the handle and stomped off, pushing her hair out of her face as she closed her eyes, willing herself not to lose her temper.

“It may need a fuse,” came an amused sounding voice. “Be a bit easier to do than throwing it in the lake.”

Celeste jumped and whirled around to see who was speaking to her, stumbling a step. It was one of the men from the cafe. He was dressed in cargo work pants and a T-shirt, both of which were dirty, sweaty, and covered in sawdust from working on the deck. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed Celeste then the mower behind her, which was still sitting very unhelpfully in the middle of the garage.

“I already have one nosey neighbor,” Celeste answered as she wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts. ”And I don’t need another one.”

“Not nosey. Bit hard not to hear you out here fighting with that for the last thirty minutes,” the man answered with a smirk. “I can take a look at it for you,” he offered, gesturing to the hunk of metal, “or you can keep giving it empty threats. I wouldn’t want to take away your afternoon plans.”

Celeste glared at him for a moment before making a quick decision, stepping to the side and nodding toward the mower. She wasn’t one to accept help usually, fiercely independent to a fault because she never liked feeling like she owed someone something. But if it was a fuse, he could probably have it fixed quickly. Then he could go back to what he was doing, and she could finish her chores. Faster to just let him look at it and go away than to argue with him.

Stepping back, she watched him bend down and begin looking over the mower. He casually flipped the blue ball cap he had on backward so he could see better before he began prying on a small box with his fingers. The clips were old and seemed to be rusted, but he managed to get one side loose before going to the other one.

“Do you have any tools?” He asked as he rocked back on his heels and looked up at Celeste, where she had leaned against the billiards table.

“I, ah,” Celeste started as she pushed up from her spot to look around. There were plenty of tools all over the back worktable, but she had no idea what was actually there. “What do you need?”

 “A flathead,” the man answered as he watched her sidestep him and head around a small shelving unit toward the back of the garage. “Or anything I can wedge under this lip, it’s stuck on there pretty good.”

Celeste paused in front of the work table and stared around at all the items on the peg wall behind it. Some she recognized, and others she had no idea what they did. A quick glance at them, she didn’t see a screwdriver, so she started pulling open drawers. The metal squealed loudly as she pulled, the sound grating on her nerves as she opened all of them. She mussed around, knocking broken pencils, tape measures, scraps of sandpaper, and old rope out of the way, but couldn’t find a flathead.

“Ah,” she paused, realizing she didn’t know his name to address him. “I can’t find any,” she stopped short as she rounded the corner again. He had found something in her few minutes of digging around and had wedged the box lid off with it. Celeste could feel the blood drain from her face at the sight, and her eyes instantly snapped up to make sure he hadn’t moved or ruined anything else.

“This worked,” the man answered as he wiggled the lone dart that had been in the dart board between his fingers. “Fuses are intact, but one of them was loose,” he explained as he tapped it back into its little slots with the tip of the dart before looking up. “You all right?”

“Fine,” Celeste answered quickly. She knew she couldn’t be sure that the dart had been one her husband had thrown but if it was, this man had just ruined it. The few things she had left of his that hadn’t been touched. The first days after his death, people had touched so many things. Moved his crumpled up couch blanket so they could sit, shifted his papers on his desk looking for documents, dug around in his closet for what to dress him in for the funeral. She inhaled sharply at that last thought to keep herself from losing it. She crossed the space between her and this man and snatched the dart away from him perhaps a bit too harshly.

“Thanks for looking at the fuses; I can take it from here.” She needed him to leave. Now. Before she screamed at him to get out. Just like she had done to all the people who had been in her flat trying to help her but were just touching everything. Touching and wiping away all the last things her husband had touched.

“You don’t look fine,” the man said as he straightened and glanced at the dart in her hand. “Look like you’ve seen a ghost…and I know Simon is busy keeping Kyle from trying to help.” He grinned a bit at the confusion that flitted Celeste’s face before starting to explain. “I’m Johnny; Simon was with me at the café the other day and...”

“I don’t,” Celeste stopped herself before she snapped out the word ‘care’. She didn’t mean for it to come across as cold or cruel, but she didn’t think she could hold it together for another second. “I appreciate all your help, but I do have it from here,” Celeste answered as she set the dart down gently on the billiard table. “I know you’re busy with your own project.”

“You sure you don’t need…” he started but at the look she gave him, Johnny stopped. He could see the panicked expression under the false, forced niceties. She was holding herself together, hands gripping hard into fists at her side that shook a bit, eyes darting around the room to keep in tears. What the hell had he done? His eyes snapped over to the dartboard before sliding over to the chalkboard next to it. There were two scribbled names there, and the final amount written in the winner’s column was right where he had taken the dart out of the board. He knew instantly. “Right, well, if you need any other help, just let us know. We’ll be outside.” Shit. He should have just sat on his heels and waited or gone to grab one of their own tools.

Celeste couldn’t muster up a goodbye as she watched him walk out, righting his cap on his head as he went. She stood still in her spot for as long as possible, trying to give him plenty of time to get out of earshot before she went back to the dart on the table.

She picked it up and ran the cool metal through her fingers, letting her thumb brush over the flight that had the Manchester United symbol on it. Her husband’s team. She knew it was his, knew he had thrown it. With shaking hands, she leaned over the table to pop the dart back to the place it had been before, glancing at the chalkboard for confirmation before leaning back again. It wasn’t him who had put it there; she knew that, but it felt slightly better that it was back in its place.

Celeste stared at the dartboard for a while, trying to recall the last time they had played a game out in the garage. It had been a few summers ago now. It was a warm night full of competitive taunts and casual wagers placed on games. There had been a large group of them drinking and playing well into the morning. When Celeste was pleasantly tipsy and tired, she had ventured down to the water for some quiet. It wasn’t long before her husband joined her in the other chair down on the dock, his chair.

“Fuck,” Celeste groaned as she pushed off the table that she had been gripping hard and turned back to the mower.

She snapped the cover back over the fuse box, and after a few more tugs on the rope, the ancient thing started up. The lawn was more work than she anticipated. While it was sunny, the grass was still wet, and having let it grow for so long, it kept jamming the blades. She had to stop and start multiple times, resorting to digging out chunks of grass with a stick and throwing them all over the yard as she went. She’d need to rake them up later. Maybe. She was too tired to bother with it and frankly no longer cared.

With an angry shove, Celeste put the mower away and yanked down the garage door before turning around to see the pile of brush still left to deal with. She had forgotten about it with all her work. And, of course, it was completely blocking her car, which she would need in the morning to get to work.

A break. She needed a quick break to sit down and breathe for a moment, get some water and reset her mind then she’d get back to it.

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

“Think she remembers she’s got to clean that up?” Kyle asked as he found John looking out the window above the now partial wrap-around porch. They still had to lay out the flooring and put in the railings, along with all the extra new touches, but it was a start.

Kyle had been relegated to glorified water boy, DJ, and the occasional tool fetcher. He hadn’t been allowed to help in any other manner. When Simon had caught him at the table saw and was about to cut a piece, he quickly unplugged it and glared at Kyle, who gave him a frustrated growl and stomped off.

“If she doesn’t, she’s going to have a rough morning,” John answered as he turned to look at Kyle. He was covered in sawdust despite not having touched a single piece of wood. That he was aware of anyway. Reaching out a hand, he brushed some off his shirt, fingers tracing up to knock away more that had caked on his hairline in the sweat that had since dried.

“Johnny stole my hat,” Kyle answered as his eyes flicked up to John’s hand before John quickly dropped it. “Said he needed to look a little presentable when he went over there.”

“Didn’t help much based on what he said,” John replied with a small smirk.

“He’s a bit like a kicked puppy, though. He’ll go back for more and charm her with his pitiful looks,” Kyle answered with a small laugh, stepping closer to John to peer at the mess of a yard Celeste had left behind.

“Tell me why you aren’t the one trying to get in her good graces then,” John asked as he glanced over, watching Kyle assess the area with keen eyes.

“I will,” Kyle answered, purposely not looking over at John, who he knew was watching him. “I’ll let Johnny make a fool of himself and figure out more about her. Then I sweep in, looking like the perfect savoir. It’s worked like that for years now. I’ve got it down to a science.” He grinned, twisting to look at John now, the other man’s face unreadable.

“Think she’s alright?” Kyle asked into the quiet as he leaned against the window sill, eyes narrowed on the dark windows across the way. There wasn’t a single light on. She had gone inside hours ago and hadn’t emerged again.

“Probably exhausted herself in her stubbornness,” John answered a bit stiffly.

He opened his mouth to say something else when Johnny’s voice called down the stairs that the shower was free. Simon had been the unfortunate one to figure out that the second shower had a rusted-out hot water pipe. He had been rinsing off when it finally exploded in the wall and plunged his shower into an ice bath. They still hadn’t had a chance to fix that one yet.  

“Go on,” John offered with a head nod at the stairs. “I’ll grab the mess, then clean up.”

“I can give you a hand,” Kyle offered. He had felt the atmosphere and mood change the moment he had joked about sweeping in to gain Celeste’s attention. He had been a jest, sort of, but John didn’t seem keen on it.

“I’ve got it; you’ve done too much as it is with that arm already. I caught you massaging it earlier,” he replied as he stepped toward the front door.

It was Kyle’s turn to open his mouth and then shut it again. It was rich of John to call someone stubborn when he behaved like this. With a shake of his head, Kyle headed up the stairs to shower, eyes darting down the hall as Johnny and Simon’s bedroom door snicked shut.

The sun was low in the sky, the pinks and oranges fading to dark blue. John only had a few minutes before it was solidly dark. He slipped his work gloves on and began grabbing at the branches in the driveway. It was relatively quick work, and he tossed the last few smaller branches into the truck bed before pushing the wheelbarrow to the garage. If his instincts were correct, Celeste was going to be grateful but mad as hell when she realized what he had done. He was also fairly certain his movements and truck pulling up had caught her attention. The curtains in the upstairs window had twitched twice, and it wasn’t the cat. The little orange tabby was watching him curiously from the downstairs window.

Kyle had showered quickly, well as quickly as he could, with his aching arm and the still not fully healed other wounds. The stitches had come out about a week ago because he couldn’t take the itching and pulling of his skin any longer. The doctors warned him against it since they weren’t fully ready yet, but it was either that or he accidentally popped them in his sleep scratching.

He skipped his clothes, not wanting to fight with them, and instead collapsed into his bed in just a towel and listened to the house around him. He was waiting for John to return, thinking perhaps they could figure out dinner since Johnny and Simon were solidly locked in their room for the evening.

When Kyle woke up a bit later, full night had fallen, and there was not a moon in sight. He shifted on the bed to get his bearings, hand reaching for his phone to get the time. Almost two in the morning. He must have been exhausted even after barely doing anything all day. But when he pushed to sit up, the sting of pain that jolted up his side told him he had definitely done too much that day.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered as he traced his fingers over the small lumps of his new scars to make sure none of them had popped loose. The shrapnel hit he had taken had shredded his arm to pieces and tore through his vest, peppering him all along the ribs and chest. That was after he had taken a shot to the shoulder trying to get civilians out of the way before the bomb exploded.

He shifted some more, his hand digging into his nightstand for the pain medication he tried to avoid when he heard it. It was soft and muffled, but there was no hiding in this cottage. He wasn’t sure which of them it was, but the stuttering gasp followed by a groan told Kyle enough. Pain medication or no, he wasn’t getting back to sleep now.

Kyle didn’t begrudge Simon and Johnny their time together. He was happy for them. Glad they had finally figured their shit out, but hearing them only made him realize more of his loneliness. It made the jealousy bubble up in his chest at the fact they had one another, and he was lying here alone in the dark, pining for someone who wouldn’t admit the truth to themselves.

Cursing his pain, he fumbled for a pair of pants and a shirt, not caring that they were his dirty work clothes from the day. He didn’t bother with doing either of them up, the denim hanging on his hips and flannel shirt laying open as he shuffled to the door. He dry swallowed his pain meds before closing his bedroom door as quietly as possible behind him. He’d go out for a smoke and wait it out for a bit before trying to venture inside again.

When he reached the hallway, the sounds were a bit louder, and he could see the soft light in Johnny and Simon’s bedroom leaking out from under the door. Instinctively, his eyes flitted to John’s bedroom door, and he found it slightly ajar but dark inside. He wondered if he was hearing this too. If he was lying in the dark listening, too polite to get up and snap the door shut. Or dead to the world, asleep and not aware.

As he hit the stairs, Kyle flinched when one step squeaked loud enough it may as well have been an alarm. The moaning silenced for a second, and Kyle held his spot, not wanting them to know he was out there. Not that it truly mattered. None of their sex lives were secret from one another, but there was a difference between willingly being invited and loitering. This was definitely a private moment.

Kyle continued to remain in his spot, flexing his fingers to stop the irritating tingling in them, when a soft hiss and low murmurs met his ears. He was in the clear. He was careful down the rest of the steps, and when he made it to the kitchen, he grabbed his discarded pack of smokes. Perhaps he’d smoke a few to be sure they were done and satiated before he went back to bed.

Hand on the backdoor, fingers moving to unflick the lock, Kyle found it already undone. That wasn’t like any of them. While all four of them could easily outdo and take out an unknowing intruder, they wouldn’t just leave the door unlocked. Hairs standing up just a bit, instantly on alert, he sidestepped to get a better look out the glass when he saw the flare of a lit cigar under the still mostly dead porchlight.  

“Couldn’t sleep?” John asked when Kyle opened the door. His eyes instantly darted to his half dressed form, taking in the undone button and zipper of his jeans and the open front of his shirt. He could see the cuts that littered the right side of his chest and ribs and the starburst scar by his shoulder where the bullet went in. Went in and then was dug out by John’s fingers as Kyle screamed, fighting against Simon’s hold before passing out from the pain.

“I was, woke up,” Kyle answered as he flicked his lighter and carefully stepped across the support boards to get over where John was. He took a seat within reach of him and bit back his groan as he used his good arm to brace himself to sit. “You been out here all night? It’s a bit cold for camping.”

“Most of it,” John answered. He was still in his work clothes, and Kyle eyed him as he lifted his tumbler to his lips and took a sip of whiskey. “Went up to shower and, well, I’m sure I know exactly what woke you up.”

“No, just my shit arm,” Kyle answered as he leaned his head back against the wood siding. “But I knew I wouldn’t get back to sleep after that. S’fine though, sort of what this place is for, right? Privacy to be together and get away from the rest of the bullshit?” He tried not to let the bitterness of the words leak out or laugh at them since John had said those words, and yet there he was. Less than an arm’s length away and still hiding from him.

Sounds of nature filled in the space between them as John didn’t reply to Kyle. He never did when it edged on anything close to this topic. It was fine really. John didn’t need to try to explain himself because Kyle knew none of his words would matter. He still burned for him, and any attempts John would make to let him down easily or explain his thoughts would hurt more. He’d rather sit in denial rather than let John hammer another nail into the wall he was putting up between them; hope was better than nothing.

“I’m going to head for a shower; if they aren’t done by now, they need to take a break at least,” John said, trying to make light of the situation as the silence continued to stretch uncomfortably between them. “Probably safe for you to go in, too; we can both make a bit of noise.”

“I’ll wait out here for a bit,” Kyle answered as he tilted his head back to look up at John as he rose. He was frozen, but he didn’t want to go in yet. He didn’t want to risk hearing what he wanted, needed, again. And he didn’t want to give into the temptation of knocking on that bedroom door and being invited in with a knowing look from Johnny.

“Take this then,” John said quietly as he shucked off his own jacket and draped it across Kyle’s chest. “Don’t stay out here too long.” And with one last lingering look, as if he were warring with himself, John disappeared inside. He had left behind his still half-full glass of whiskey, seemingly as a silent offer, though he had taken the bottle inside with him.  

Kyle downed it in one gulp, hissing through his teeth at the burn as it settled in his stomach and proceeded to warm him from the inside out. After a few more moments, giving John enough time to get out of earshot, Kyle finally let out an anguished sigh as he curled his face into the collar of the jacket. It smelled of John, of his sweat and soap, the heavy cherry scent of the cigar he had just smoked, and a vague whiff of his cologne he rarely donned.  

His eyes stung as he lit another cigarette to try and distract his thoughts. He told himself it was the lack of sleep, the pain in his arm, or the mix of medication and alcohol that had stirred up all these emotions. But deep down he knew the truth: he was mourning. Mourning what he needed to let go of, even though it was so close he could touch it; touch it but never truly have it. That realization hurt more than any of his physical injuries, and Kyle gasped into the silence as he fought to keep himself together.

[lavaflowe]

JTTW BOOK CLUB

CHPT 7-9

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

Chpt 7

•”All this was probably refined in his stomach by the Samadhi fire to form a single solid mass” I know other deities can use the fire but I’m wracking my brain for when it used before(this point) specifically- My understanding was the furnace refined the immortal elixirs and fruit- I’m going to assume Laozi is just theorizing and doesn’t know what actually happened

•Diamond body….👀

•Erlang gets absolutely DRIPPED out, he earned it FR

•eyes permanently irritated by the smoke churned up the the Xun trigram, someone get this man some eye drops

•he is extra pissed

•HE JUST BODIES LAOZI IM YELLING😂

•”this cosmic being fully fused with nature’s gifts passes with ease through 10,000 toils and tests”

•Big war form out to beat serious ass, he’s not jokin bitch

•” bright and luminous; ….illustrious pearl of mani he is indeed” MMMMM comparing him to a mani- a flaming (wish granting) jewel is hilarious 💀

•Tathagata bringing in the big guns (himself)

•”how tf do you know The Way and not know who I am?? And you’re so….violent” I can sense the side eye

•I wonder if Wukong has previous incarnations?? Buddha says he just reached human form this incarnation but if his rock was there at the beginning of creation, wouldn’t his soul be ‘baking’ (for lack of a better term) the whole time until he hatched?

•” and with a total lack of respect he left a bubbling pool of monkey urine” Iconic moment LMAOOOO

•smart for Wukong to leave a momento- too bad it didn’t matter lol

•ah so he was jumping to visit the pillars again, not run away(supposedly)- he’d rather prove he’s right than escape💀 that checks out

•monkey has been squished, it is now party o’clock

•are you allowed to give the Buddha drugs if it’s an offering? Like wine??🤔 “wtf is this allowed? Wtf”

•”Wukong is wiggling out”

“Dw, take this”

*slaps tag on the mountain like flex tape*

•enough room to breathe and move his hands- I would lose my mind

•Molten copper & iron pellets mimic punishments in hell (just learned this🙏), shedding the Karma like water -I feel like 500 years is pretty good tbh considering everything

Woe molten metal and iron upon ye

Chpt 8 + 9 under cut:

Chpt 8:

•lots of lovely poems in this chapter

•a paragraph recap of the past 7 chapters

•wonder what Feast of the Ullambana Bowl is? (the notes say it’s a mass for the dead and is also know as the Ghost festival, practiced by Taoists and Buddhists)

•”the Chan mind shines bright like a thousand rivers’ moon; true nature’s pure and great as an unclouded sky.”

Lovely poem, and I’m beginning to realize this book is very heavily focused on the Chan school, which I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on sooner? White-Robed Guan Yin is a Chan specific form, usually depicted in their bamboo grove

•Tathagata reveals his 3 baskets of scripture after everyone is done presenting their poems, feels almost like he suggested the celebration to announce these

•Each basket corresponds to scriptures of Heaven, Earth, and the Damned- a total of 15,144 FUCKING SCROLLS

•oooo Guanyin poem!! “ a golden body filled with wisdom, fringes of dangling pearls and jade, …dark hair piled smartly in a coiled-dragon bun. With brows of new moon shape and eyes like two bright stars, her jadelike face beams natural joy. …Her orchid heart delights in green bamboos; her chaste nature loves the wisteria. The living Guanyin from the Cave of Tidal Sound.”

•5 Talismans: Embroidered Cassock that will protect him from falling back into the Wheel of Transmigration, a 9 ring priestly staff that will protect him from poison or harm, 3 tightening fillets- the Golden, the Constructive, and the Prohibitive Spell.

•Guanyin thinks this will take about 2 to 3 years💀 hooooo boy….

•FLOWING SAND RIVER!!! MY 2ND FAV BOY!!!

•Green and Black complexion, Gleaming eyes like the lights beneath a stove, forked mouth with teeth like knives and swords, and disheveled red hair

•like that Wujing is using a priest staff he def took from one of the monks he ate lol

•Wujing fighting Moksa for his life only to drop everything to apologize and talk to Guanyin LMAO

•MOKSA PICKS HIM UP BY THE COLLAR AKFKAKDJDJ

•ah, so Wujing didn’t reincarnate, he was changed, STABBED OVER 100 TIMES EVERY 7 DAYS AND FORCED TO COMMIT CANNABILSM SO HE DOESNT STARVE AS PUNISHMENT- THATS JUST LOVELY😭

•I like the interpretation that he could have been trying to signal a coup by breaking the crystal cup

•Guanyin hearing about Wujing’s string of skulls: it’s a surprise tool that will help us later

•BAJIE TIME

•this idiot bro “HOW DARE YOU TRY TO GET FLOWER PETALS IN MY EYES!!” “IDIOT THAT WAS GUANYIN” “…Guanyin is here??” “LOOK UP”

•Wuneng is reincarnated, he got beat to death in Heaven for hitting on Chang’e LMAOOOOO GET REKT

•ah yes, casually mentions killing his pig family and then his life of eating humans. Lovely.

•AO LIE TIME

•I committed a little accidental arson, please bail me out

•Damn, he got a really short intro

•interesting that Guanyin id’s the Peach Banquet as Wukongs fall from grace. I would def agree with this- eating the peaches like he did was extremely reckless and the beginning of the end imo

•”who tf is talking shit up there”

•No one has ever visited Wukong, I’m guessing the Guards were horrible company

•I like how both Guanyin and Sanzang try to give Wukong a religious name- Guanyin is very happy to hear he has the Wu- prefix as well lol

•arrived in Chang’an, let the hunt begin

Chpt 9:

•Chang’an bb, all blooming flowers surrounded by 8 rivers (DAMN, that’s a lot of water)

•Guangrui got first place in the examination, good for him UwU

•SURPRISE WIFE

•”gave the girl to Guangrui as his bride” UM I THINK SHES THE ONE WHO GRABBED HIM LMAO

•Guangrui has some fated beef with these two random boatmen, Liu Hong and Li Biao- states that he was destined in a previous incarnation to be enemies with them, is this a result of bad karma?

•NOOOOOO MY GUY GUANGRUI

•Liu Hong reminds me of Liu’er Mi-*gunshot*

•since they’re at the bottom of the Hong river, which Dragon King is this?

•Golden Carp coming in clutch, nice

•LADY YIN IS SO METAL LETS GO “she hated the bandit so bitterly that she wished she could devour his flesh and sleep on his skin” DO IT GURL, KILL HIM

•damn, too bad she’s pregnant with Sanzang….dw Girl I know you would kick his ass otherwise…

•there goes his toe…

•get named River Float idiot

•damn bro chill, that wasn’t very monk-like of you

•homie got called an orphan and cried JAKDJSJFJ I FEEL BAD

•she didn’t even check the toe I THOUGHT SHE DID- WHAT WAS THE POINT LMAO

•nvmnd

•I guess licking the eyes is better than spitting on them…sigh…

•GODDAMN THEY RIPPED LIU HONG AND LI BAIO APART….good for them, deserved in fact

•Lady Yin committing suicide even after she was reunited with her husband makes sense, as there was a trend where wives whose husbands died or they were assaulted, killed themselves. This was show loyalty to their husbands and add weight to their claim of SA- Lady Yin’s husband coming back does not change the fact that everyone knows she was forcefully married :((

(I use the term ‘trend’ only as a way to describe the rise and fall in wife suicides tied to either a husbands death or as a response to SA)

[dankdungeonsrpg]

FF X MtG Revised

Recall Illus. Richard Kane Ferguson

First of all, a big shout out to @uncleasriel for really digging into my last design post on this! Sorry it took so long to put this next post together. I hope to answer (most) of your questions.

One line in particular really stood out to me from their post: "Does this lead to fun gameplay? Or does it slow down the game? I feel I'm trying to make Magic: the Gathering with RP elements rather than a Roleplaying Game with MtG elements"

This is an important design decision that is so easy to lose sight of. Do we want Magic to be central to the game (ie, all characters use it, this is a game about dueling sorcerers) or do we want it to a sub-system within the RPG (ie wizards have this spell mechanic, rogues and fighters have their own things going on)

Personally, I like it as a sub-system. That behooves us to be slim in our design for risk of making the game overall too cumbersome.

Buckle in. This is a long (and somewhat disjointed) post.

Fighting Fantasy Skeleton

Kjeldoran Dead Illus. Melissa Benson

I spend a lot of time in these posts talking about Magic, but let's talk about Fighting Fantasy. I did a whole video series breakdown on the system if you're interested.

But actually, let's not talk about Fighting Fantasy. Let's talk about TROIKA. As I've said before, Troika makes one extremely smart mechanical change that fixes a lot of Fighting Fantasy's issues. It reduces base Skill. This ends up making rolls matter more because in the original game a high Skill (by and large) ensures victory. Let's adapt that.

Sidenote: I've done this before with my game AZAG

So here's our stat generation:

Skill - Roll 1d3+3

Stamina - Roll 2d6+12

Luck - Roll 1d6+6

And how we determine starting spells:

9 minus your Skill Stat are how many Ability Points you have

There are 5 Colors of Magic: Black(B), Blue(U), Green(G), Red(R), and White(W)

Distribute your Ability Points among them. Putting a point in a color allows you to cast it. Also, for each point you may choose 3 Common Spells of that color

Another very good thing to look at Troika for is flavor. Troika is a weird science fantasy rpg. It communicates this through it's backgrounds. They are delightful. Ranging from Burglar to Fellow of the Sublime Society of Beef Steaks.

from TROIKA! Numinous Edition

We could make all sorts of character archetypes inspired by MtG's multiverse. Or we could just do one per color. Lots of options in this framework. Plus both settings have multi-planar themes, they just approach them very differently.

Also worth noting that Troika advises 12 Ability Points when creating a custom background. This makes sense, but I just want to dial that back a bit for testing.

Testing Set: 5th Edition

It's not just the most popular D&D edition, it's also a great MtG Core Set.

For testing, I think a core set is important to keep things simple and avoid expansion specific gimmicks, but why use 5th ed in particular? Mostly personal preference. I think it represents a good cross section of the early days of the game, which are the days I'm most interested in.

Maybe it would make the most sense to use a starter set...

Banned Cards, Rarity, and Finding Spells

So what cards do players have access to? The basic rules are:

Remove the Creatures

Remove the Artifacts

Remove the Lands and land dependent cards (Enchant Lands mostly)

Remove Bounce (Unsummon/Boomerang)

Low cost creature destruction bumps up in rarity to Rare (Terror, Pyroblast/Hydroblast)

Remove Reanimation (Raise Dead/Reanimate)

When players choose their three spells on character creation they're looking at commons.

When they find spell scrolls or spell books? Random cards! Maybe not even in a color anyone can cast. Really make it feel like opening a pack. If they're easy to find then maybe just Commons, but if its the archmages study? Gotta be Rares.

Multiple copies of Commons are fine, a couple copies of Uncommons, maybe okay. More than one Rare? I wouldn't recommend it.

Monsters

Chub Toad Illus. Daniel Gelon

As I talked about in my last post on this topic, summoning creatures slows the game down to a crawl!

They're great as enemies though! (as long as an NPC isn't summoning them)

So right now that's all I'm using them for, but in future play tests I may introduce (very) limited use of them as summons.

In terms of creature abilities, particularly those that cost mana, I'm currently ruling that GMs get a Mana Die (see A Round of Combat with: The Mana Cube below). So creatures can activate or do more later into combat.

There are obviously a bunch of edge cases, even in a core set. Honestly I'm just flying by the seat of my pants on a lot of these.

Players fighting spell casting NPCs is something I've tried a bit. Still not super worth it for enemies to be able to summon creatures but starting with minions is fine.

An evil goblin sorcerer with a Flame Spirit, a couple Mon's Goblin Raiders, and a small deck of spells was a great boss encounter!

A Tale of Two Decks

Here's a thing that may change, each spell caster has two decks: One for combat, and one for narrative.

A wizard can decide which spells from their repertoire go in which deck at the start of the adventuring day.

Combat Decks are similar to MtG

We'll get into Combat later, but you're basically just casting these spells as written. You draw, you have a graveyard, the whole thing. One rule I'm not sure on yet is what happens when this deck runs out. In some instances we've reshuffled the graveyard back into library, in others we just view the casters as depleted for spells for that combat...baring a Feldon's Kane.

This deck lends itself to the crunchy cards we may see as better outside the narrative. I'd rather have a Brainstorm in here than in deck number two.

We just don't really care much about color symbols. If you can cast Green spells and Red spells than any mana you generate (outside of an artifact) is Green or Red in any combination you choose.

Outside combat cards are Narrative Decks

This is all about flavor and role playing. You're taking about taking a card name and interpreting it.

Flashfires creates spreading flames

Stasis holds objects or creates in place

Giant Growth makes a creature big

Portent gives a sign of weal or woe

Tsunami summons a wave

Flight...well you know

In a previous post I referred to this as Miltonian Casting, citing the way spell effects work in Ben Milton's Maze Rats, although unlike that game, we're not really generating spell names on the fly, just what they do. Also, pretty sure Milton is not the first person to do this. So I'm just going to call it Narrative Casting for now.

There are some limits, most obviously that if spells are in your Narrative Deck they can't be in your Combat Deck. Also, Narrative Casting is fire and forget. This allowed me to justify Armageddon. Ongoing spells last a number of Turns (10min intervals) equal to their Mana Value. Saving throws isn't something I've tried yet, but tying that to Mana Value in some way also feels like a good first step.

A Round of Combat with: The Mana Cube

Mana Vault Illus. Mark Tedin

I tried out the Hearthstone mana method mentioned in previous posts. It worked pretty well! We used a d6 (since it's the only die type in FF) that ticks up each round to track mana for casting.

Here's how Round 1 of combat currently breaks down:

Place character sheet, any artifacts or other items you control, your Combat Spell Deck, and a d6 (Mana Die) in front of you.

Set the Mana Die to 1

Draw a card

Take an Action (This can be casting any spell, activating an Artifact, or swinging a sword. Tap cards as normal and consider yourself tapped when you're done. Remove the Mana Die if you spend your 1 mana)

Pass Turn

Subsequent Rounds:

Untap

Increase Mana Die to 1 higher than it was last round (it's like lands, so spending your 1 Mana on Round 1 doesn't mean you're starting over at 1 Mana on Round 2)

Draw a card

Take an Action

Pass Turn

You can do things like activating abilities or casting Instants whenever, as long as you have the Mana.

We were worried this would be slow, but actually the narrowing of choice helped a lot. When players started with a multi card hand and could cast with Stamina it was overwhelming. Remember, it's still an RPG. You can use your action to attack with a sword or climb a way. There's still plenty to do while you wait for your Mana Die to increase.

You may also have noticed that the Mana Die (being a d6) means players cap out at 6 mana. Yes. I may change that later but for play testing right now. It's a workable limit. Get your hands on a mana generating artifact, play a Dark Ritual, or just play Green if you want more.

Misc Rules

Pentagram of the Ages Illus. Douglas Schuler

Artifacts: They're basically just items. Find them in the word and use them as written in most cases. They're not spells so you don't draw them. They're just on your character and thus "in play" when combat starts. Outside, as with any card, we interpret narrative-ly.

Enchantments vs Auras: Currently Enchantments are what you cast on yourself and Enchant Creatures are what you cast on others. Sometimes you can cast Enchant Creature cards on yourself too...its a bit squishy right now.

Lands: Still not involved. Not that there weren't some great ideas thrown out about them, but it's just an element I don't feel comfortable incorporating yet.

Attunement: I really liked the Attunement ideas in @uncleasriel's post. It's something I want to mess with in my next play test.

What even is Banding? Scientists just don't know.

End Step

The next thing to do here is just to write this up as a play test rules doc. That probably would have been quicker than writing this whole dang post...whoops. Anywho, that's my next thing, along with another play test.

[angelaness]

020325

First of all, and most importantly :

Alright then friend 👏

I saw other's march resolutions and added them to mine!

1. Find my thing –

Maybe it’s calligraphy, maybe it’s journaling with my bougie burgundy ink, maybe it’s playing chess in random places like a movie character… IDK, but I wanna start doing one of these consistently.

2. Upgrade my self-care, but in an “I barely tried” way –

Dry brushing before showers? Adding a lil’ dusting powder to my routine? Romanticizing my nail care? Just small tweaks to feel ✨ put together ✨ without effort.

3. Make my breakfasts pretty –

No more sad meals. Oat bowls, chia pudding, cute little clean girl plates; I deserve to wake up to aesthetic nourishment

4. Be mysterious in public –

Take a book or notebook to a café, maybe even write something cryptic. No phone scrolling, just pure main character energy.

5. Actually post on my website or YouTube at least ONCE –

No pressure, no perfectionism, just one thing to keep the creative flow going. I've already posted on my secret YouTube channel in both January and February; hopefully, I won't forget this month. However, the website...

6. Own ONE beautiful pen & make it my entire personality –

Maybe it’s a fountain pen, maybe it’s deep burgundy ink, but it has to feel

✨ significant ✨.

7. Find my signature scent & commit to it -

No more being indecisive. One perfume, one body oil, one dusting powder, I want people to associate a scent with me.

8. Buy ONE cool nostalgic gadget –

A flip phone, a Walkman, a Gameboy; something that makes me feel like I exist in my own timeline. I'll start with a flip phone but the ones I desire aren't available in my country 💔.

9. Get into a “smart girl” activity –

Sudoku, crossword puzzles, chess, calligraphy, collecting physical newspapers… something that makes me feel like an intellectual femme fatale. And no, it's not because the TikTok girls are yelling at me to be a 'smart girl'; I'm just genuinely tired of seeing myself like this. I want to be smarter, back to the old me.

10. Romanticize my grocery shopping –

Only buying food that fits the vision:

fresh bread, fancy butter, crunchy greens, avocados, dark chocolate, fancy salt (I’m eating like a Parisian poet.)

11. Be That Girl™ at the library –

Engage with specialized literature, take notes in the margins, and perhaps leave a tasteful anonymous note in a book for another reader to discover. 🤭 (I may be somewhat out of touch with reality).

12. Curate a tiny aesthetic corner in my room-

It could be a pretty tray with perfumes, a quick arts setup, or a candle-lit nightstand with my current reads. Just something that feels intentionally like me. Oh, I think a cute workout corner would be so me and motivational.

13. Get better at money but make it cute –

Set up a cash binder or start saving for one special thing (a new piercing, a luxury tea set, a really good pen? Who knows, most likely a piercing).

14. Wear something intentionally beautiful, even at home –

Silk pajamas? An old-money bathrobe? A delicate lace top? The standard for me is romanticized comfort.

15. Leave my house looking effortlessly elegant at least ONCE a week –

No more 'I just threw this on' when I actually just threw something on; a planned, unbothered but stunning outfit.

16. Sit outside for 10 minutes a day & just exist –

I am choosing to observe life without distractions, romanticizing the gentle wind, and letting others speculate about my thoughts.

17. Write one poetic sentence every day –

It could be in my journal, on my website, in the Notes app, or even just a phrase I think to myself.

18. Become an enigma (my friend's favourite word) –

Less talking, more observing. Text like I've got a secret. Smile like I know something they don't. Mwhehehe x.

Motto of my March:

Live at a leisurely pace while being attentive; we all share this beautiful earth and the same 24 hours, no more, no less.