#gradient vanishing

[ingoampt]

Vanishing gradient explained in detail _ day 20

Understanding and Addressing the Vanishing Gradient Problem in Deep Learning Understanding and Addressing the Vanishing Gradient Problem in Deep Learning Part 1: What is the Vanishing Gradient Problem and How to Solve It? In the world of deep learning, as models grow deeper and more complex, they bring with them a unique set of challenges. One such challenge is the vanishing gradient problem—a…

[verflares]

god must hate me.

[mariasont]

Sundress Season - S.R

a/n: spent all friday & saturday writing so sorry 4 dumping so many works 2night lololol

‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧

pairings: spencer reid x fem!reader

summary: spencer decides to come help you out with some research and gets a little more than he bargained for

warnings: fluff, thigh kink if you SQUINT LIKE SQUINT

wc: 0.9k

You crossed one leg over the other, your nails drumming against the table, while your eyes bored holes into the book that lay open in your lap. You loved reading, more than most people, but when it was something you were interested in, not when the pages were smeared with the arcane symbols of mathematical algorithms that you could not seem to comprehend. It was giving you a migraine. 

At the call of your name, your head lifted abruptly, a welcome excuse the cast aside the loathsome book, expecting your coffee to be awaiting you at the counter. You weren't, however, expecting to see Spencer standing there. Your brows knitted together in a moment of confusion before you face relaxed into a warm, welcoming smile.

"Spence? Hey, what are you doing here?" 

"JJ said you were researching the neural network algorithms," Spencer said, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement as he pulled out the chair across from you. "I figured I could lend a hand."

“Oh, bless your heart, Dr. Reid,” you praised, hand dramatically pressed to your heart, “I could kiss you.”

The subtle rosiness that blossomed on Reid’s cheeks didn’t escape your notice, and you couldn’t deny the small thrill of saying things designed to elicit the delightful blush. It was cute.

“May I?” he asks, gesturing towards the book, ignoring your words.

You give a nod and pass it over, his fingers brushing over yours in the process. It was hard not to stare at his face, admittedly, your scientific knowledge (or any knowledge) didn’t rival his, yet surely there was some explanation for why you found him so attractive.

You watched, curiously, as he made quick work of the pages, absorbing the information with the ease of a child flipping through a picture book. Maybe that was it—his intelligence, now that wasn’t far off. I mean, who didn’t want a man who could effortlessly recite pi to the hundredth decimal?

You found yourself following the lines of his face— from the subtle shadows under his eyes to the rhythmic movement of his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he concentrated, down to the soft dip of his lips. God, he was so beautiful. And even that term barely did him justice.

Your blatant starring was broken only when you realized his lips were moving.

“Yeah, totally,” you said, bobbing your head in agreement, clueless to his actual words but hoping you said the right thing.

He regarded you with a puzzled glance, his brow raised while carefully marking his place in the book. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely.”

That famous, gorgeous smile of his spread across his face as his eyes darted around the coffee shop. His fingers patted his cheek thoughtfully in silent, teasing challenge.

“Wait, what?”

“The issue was with adjusting the weight initialization to prevent the vanishing gradient problem,” he remarked with an easy shrug. “Seems like the perfect time for that well-deserved kiss.”

His words sent a wave of warmth flooding your cheeks. Was he serious? You decided you didn’t care. Rising just enough to meet him, you cupped his face and planted a sloppy kiss against his cheek. As your drew back, you couldn’t help but delight in the sight of his ears, now tinted with a charming blush of red.

The intimate bubble burst as the barista’s voice rang out, announcing that your coffee was, in fact, prepared at last. You tapped his nose lightly before standing fully. “My hero.”

Spencer watched with a slack jaw as you walked away from the table, his eyes drawn to your thighs. The air seemed to escape him in a rush, his gaze locked on your outfit, now fully revealed as you stood up. He was so used to seeing you in dress pants, he’d never seen you in a dress, a sundress at that.

He was already burning from the feeling of your lips on his cheek but now it was spreading through every part of him as he traced your curves before landing once again on your supple thighs. God, you were beautiful, and that ass—

He was on the cusp of entertaining some rather less-than-holy ideas when the shrill ring of his phone intervened. He mentally berated the caller, wishing to preserve every detail of your image in his mind. Morgan. Naturally.

He swiped deftly at the phone, realizing it was FaceTime. Morgan’s head filled the screen, his eyebrows shooting up as he took in Spencer’s appearance.

“Morning, lover boy.”

Spencer was unsure what he meant. “Huh?”

Morgan simply flicked his cheek with a smirk. “Looks like ya missed a spot, hot stuff.”

Spencer’s face warmed with a fresh flush, hastily angling the phone away, his fingers working to erase the lipstick stain.

“Whoa, whoa, hold up, man! You on a hot date or something? C’mon, Reid, who’s the lucky lady?”

Once assured his skin was free of the pink evidence, Spencer lifted the phone again. He didn’t get a chance to ask Morgan’s reason for calling, as your face appeared behind him, curiously glancing at the phone.

“Oh, hey Morgan!”

Morgan’s mouth dropped open. “No way! You’re kidding me! Penelope is going to freak—,”

His words were cut short as Spencer swiftly hung up.

[galaxygermdraws]

A Luigi Power Up lineup to go with the Mario one. There aren't many things to say, just that Rainbow Luigi has reverse gradients to Mario, and that his hair is an even lighter yellow. Also Vanish Luigi is here because I am a "SM64DS is Canon instead of SM64" truther, so Luigi gets the vanish ability. The idea is that the Power Flower's ability is based on the user, so Luigi, being an anxious and shy person, gets the ability to be invisible.

(reblogs with tags/comments are appreciated. Thankyu)

[spacedlexi]

sorry if you've been asked this before , but do you have any advice for someone who's looking to get better at backgrounds ? It's the one part of my art I struggle with immensely and your illustrative pieces are so intricate and inspiring !! I was wondering if there were methods you used that you'd be able to explain for someone wanting to attempt more dynamic perspectives and backgrounds :]

thank you for thinking so!! my perspective class really helped me level up my backgrounds/environments. theres a few things i keep in mind

references!! i dont use them as much as i should but try to compile a reference board. the environment, things in that environment, color palettes, etc. the Vibes. heres a job board i had to make for class that also includes thumbnails and values

contrast/value: our eyes are drawn to areas of high contrast (light and dark). this can help establish your focal point. the farther away things get from view the less contrasted they become (for Science reasons. air particles impact our view. the more things in the air the more impacted our vision becomes). be conscious of where you use high contrast. and also use a full range of values!! light and dark and everything in between. i like to put a black color filter over my pieces to make sure i have enough contrast in value. remember this value chart. this goes for light/shade as well as the values you use when picking palettes for your characters/environment. contrast contrast contrast !!! if it feels muddy it needs more contrast!!

semi connected to this: lose your edges!! what this means is that when it comes to shadows, the edges between an object and its environment can get lost. if something feels like its floaty/disconnected from the environment, where the object meets shadow might not be dark enough

also connected to this: gradients!! think of how things exist in 3d space. light and shadow shift around the body of an object. heres a quick example my prof used. the wall the window is on (if light is coming through) will be darker, while the wall opposite the window will be lit. the wall connecting those two walls will be gradient light to dark. this also ties into things like bounce lighting (light rays hit an object and bounce off of it, scattering the light (and color) to the objects around it. and keeps bouncing until it dissipates/is too weak to see). adding gradients helps an environment feel less flat

perspective: leading lines help direct a viewers gaze around the image. the type of perspective you use can help accentuate directionality. the type of perspective you use can also accentuate the mood you want

for 2 point you can have the two vanishing points be vertical instead of just horizontal. this example only shows 3 point down, but you can use 3 point up with the third point above the horizon line instead of below. i dont really find much use for 4 point. i think 5 point is so fun. if youre doing a down or up perspective, you may want to keep the horizon line low/high in the frame, or out of the frame completely. its best to avoid having your horizon line at the center of the image in general. im a fan of a low horizon myself. sometimes things in an environment arent perfectly aligned (like a messy room), so using multiple perspectives/vanishing points may be necessary. also its good to have your vanishing points spread out/off the page. having them closer together make things look warped or unnatural. in reality vanishing points are typically extremely wide from each other. you can have one vanishing point on the page, but usually more than that looks squished (unless thats the vibe youre going for)

side note for perspective: its ok if things dont perfectly go to the vanishing points!! most things in reality dont. this is where using vicinity helps. as long as youre close enough its fine and honestly helps things look more natural. im just lazy and use the csp perspective rulers so unless im doing 5 pt or free handing itll be perfect perspective

also another side note: personalize a space. think of clutter. make your environments look lived in. adding organic shapes to an environment (like clothes or plants etc) can help break up hard lines/edges from furniture and walls and stuff

i hope this isnt confusing i feel like im just vomiting words. so, tldr: know the perspectives you have to work with, leading lines help direct a viewers eyes around the composition, a range of value is important, our eyes are drawn to high contrast areas, USE REFERENCES, gradients add depth, lose your edges in shadow, personalize spaces

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Can I request one where Lampert and reader were friends with Kasper aka infected before he got well infected, basically the reader kept hanging out with infected and ended up getting infected too and they end up going to Lampert because they are still them atleast for a bit. angst definitely but you could make it have a fluffy ending

"I put more tape on those posters, Kasper. I'm sure Poptart will turn up soon."

"Thanks for doing that, bro. But...who's that?"

"Huh? Poptart is-"

"No, "Kasper". Isn't he like...the friendly ghost or somethin'?"

"Um..last I checked that was your name."

"Nah I'm pretty sure it's Infected." Kasper, or rather "Infected" as he apparently started calling himself, just shook his head before turning back his computer. He was in the midst of a gaming session, the round beginning as he tried staying focused.

You, on the other hand, just sat on the beanbag chair in his room, confused as all hell.

Ever since he caught that weird virus and brought it back to the apartment...it seemed to be getting worse. It began as a common sinus infection that made him lethargic, with half the stuff he was saying nearly indiscernible. He denied being sick enough to warrant a doctor visit, though, and figured it'll eventually pass.

And as his neighbor and best friend, you thought that giving him space was the best thing to do until he felt better.

At some point, you noticed a gradient creature with an unpleasant color scheme wandering in the dark alleys and down the hallway. It never spoke a word, making you wonder why it was here or if Kasper's illness had something to do with its appearance, but not even he was sure about it.

Then Poptart, his beloved cat, went missing a few days later. He knocked on your door crying and panicking the following morning, clearly scared out of his mind as he woke up to find its food bowl untouched.

That led you both to believe someone kidnapped the poor thing, so together you put up missing posters around the apartment complex, hoping somebody knew their whereabouts. Kasper had his suspicions that the gradient might've had been involved, but as off-putting as it seemed...you couldn't accuse it of anything without solid proof.

Last time you saw Unpleasant, it went onto the elevator, so god only knows what floor it could be on now.

Until it came back, you decided to stay with Kasper and look for Poptart, making sure nobody tore down the posters.

At the current moment, however, as you watched him game, you were a bit grossed out to see the pink snot dribbling from his nose--but when he raised his arm to rub it on his sleeve, you saw something even more alarming:

Pink-checkered textures covering part of his skin, briefly glitching before they vanished.

You got up from your seat and approached him, tapping his shoulder. "Kasper? I saw something weir-"

"I need to focus--oh no, no, no, N0!! My str34k!!"

You froze for a moment, concerned by the stark change in his voice--as though it was ran through a bitcrusher--before frowning as you saw him staring at his screen now, shoulders slumped at the "Defeat" message displayed across it.

"Awh man..." He whined, now sounding somewhat normal.

"Sorry, but..I just wanna be sure you're okay. At least keep a tissue handy, my guy. You're getting it all over your setup." Your eyes surveyed his desk for anything that could be a good tissue substitute--besides magazines.

"I told you, bruh, I feel fi...ah...ahhhCHOO!!" Kasper turned to sneeze directly onto the floor, where a few tiles began flickering pink...before you saw that same checkered texture from before.

But your gamer friend, totally unaware, just turned to stare you with a biggest grin on his face. "See? My sinuses are clear now!"

Then he sniffled again, sulking as his nose betrayed him.

"Look, this virus is turning into something bigger. It's gone beyond a small sinus infection." You huffed. "A virus wouldn't make you forget your own name. A virus wouldn't turn your carpet into that." Pointing to the glitchy texture that showed up, you made sure he was looking at it.

He blinked. "I did that?"

"You need a doctor, Kasper. And I will drag you to one if I have t-"

"For the gazillionth time, that's not my name!!" He suddenly snapped, punching the desk with anger you've never seen before. "It's "Infected"! How have we been friends this long if you can't even remember my ####### n4m3?! $w34r 1'll b4n u fr0m my lif3 if y0u d0n't st0p!"

You stared at him in shock, taking a step back as you saw his fist nearly glitch through the desk.

What was happening to him?

Did the virus force him to call himself "Infected"? Was it making him refuse to accept any help?

You had no idea, and it was scaring you.

"...s0rry.."

"It's..fine-"

"N0. It isn't.." His shoulders slumped again and he looked down at his hands, wondering what was wrong with him. "I...I didn't m34n t0 3xpl0d3 0n y0u. I..I just..."

Then he trailed off, staying unusually silence for several long moments.

That gave you an idea. You had to test something.

"Hey, just amuse me for a second...do you remember this guy?"

Infected raised his head, watching you pick up the picture frame that sat beside his computer. It was photo of him and Lampert--the living lamp robot you two met at ROKEA years ago.

Ever since the day he came to life, you three were the best of friends, always hanging out on each other's floors, trading stuff, making friendship bracelets, and playing games. You and Kasper were the ones to introduce Lampert to all the cool things the world had to offer..and inadvertently turned him into a bit of a germaphobe once he discovered things like sickness.

Still, you three did everything together. The day you took that picture was most memorable--especially the embarrassment of realizing the arrows on their shirts were facing opposite directions, which you only realized after the photo was developed and printed.

Oh, well.

Then after Kasper got sick, Lampert's been keeping his distance, and oftentimes things became tense in the elevator when the former didn't cover his mouth when sneezing or coughing.

But now that his infection was worsening, you weren't sure if the lamp would wanna see him anymore.

Or even...if he recognized the person in the photo at all.

You could tell by the way he took it from your hands and stared at it for some time, eyebrows furrowed with confusion, that he was starting to lose his memory.

"This l4mp dude..I think..I've s33n him on th4t elev4t0r.."

"We've known him for years, Kas. You and I..pretty much brought him to life." You frowned, worried that he was starting to forget him..

How long will it be before he forgot you, too?

"Don't tell me, after everything we've done together, you're forgetting about him--about us."

"I..I...I w4nn4 r3m3mb3r..but..." His hands began trembling, which you were oblivious to as your frustration began to rise once more.

"But nothing. You have to try. Forget your infection and think to when we last saw him. Where were we going?"

"..I don't...kn0w..."

"Yes you do. Who was in the elevator with us besides us three?"

"I h4v3 n0 id34..st0p it.." His voice shook.

"Kasper. You need to-"

"ST0P S4Y1NG TH4T N4M3!! Y0U'R3 N0T H3LPING!!" He shouted, and in that same moment the frame glitched, becoming covered in checkered textures. It felt like a sharp pain that pierced his hands, causing him to yelp and drop it to the floor, where it turned back to normal after it cracked.

You scrambled to pick it up without thinking, afraid he'd cut himself if he tried getting it, only to turn it over and discover that the photo inside was now ruined.

Kasper's face had been ripped out, as though the virus was trying its hardest to erase him and make him believe he had this random picture of some guy and a lamp robot for no reason...

'It's destroying everything he touches..'

Then your attention went to your fingers, which have turned pink. You gasped and quickly put the frame down, staring at your hand in horror.

It was already spreading to your wrist.

"W04h! A-Are y0u 0k4y??" Infected jumped out of his chair on instinct, unsure of what to do but wanting to help in some way.

But the moment he reached for you, you stepped away, clutching your wrist and scowling deeply at him. "Stay back! Now you got me infected, too, you jerk!"

"......I....I-I didn't m34n it.." His voice trembled, sounding more and more broken up as tears filled his vision. "I'm s0rry...I'm...s0 s0rry. I sw34r..I-I'm n0t d0ing it 0n purp0s3." Clutching his arm, he fidgeted with his sleeve, looking down at the ground in shame. "I'm sc4r3d, [y/n].."

Slowly, but surely, your gaze softened upon realizing how hurt he looked, and the fact that your insults weren't helping matters. You knew the risk to hanging around him when he was sick, so....how could you blame him?

Even he didn't know what was going on with him.

"I...I'm sorry for yelling. I know you didn't mean it. It's alright. We can see if Dr. Retro knows anything about this. She might have a cure or some medicine."

"......"

"Ka--Infected.."

He perked up, seeing you stepping closer. You knew there was no use in keeping distant from him now, since you caught the sickness, too.

With a small sigh, you patted his shoulder. "I'm not mad, okay? It's my fault for touching that picture frame. But I promise..we'll find a way to deal with this. I'll try to remember stuff for both of us...that is..if it doesn't also take my memor-"

He abruptly flung forward to wrap his arms around you, crushing you in a hug. Despite him sniffling like crazy (and feeling sweaty and gross), you returned it, letting his head fall against your shoulder.

He needed this.

You can't even remember the last time you two hugged, or did any of those cool handshakes he taught you.

"You know we'll have to tell Lampert, right?"

"Mhm.."

"...you want me to tell him?"

"Y34h.."

"Okay, next time the elevator comes, I'll hop on it." You patted his back, already sounding congested yourself, but you tried to ignore it.

Instead, you dread what you're gonna say to Lampert.

'He's gonna be pissed...'

...........

3008.

No, the Regretevator didn't have 3000 floors, but that's what Lampert's home floor was called anyways.

You weren't here to ponder why it was given that name, as the doors opened and you stepped out into a familiar place. A place you'd almost call a "second home".

Unfortunately, you were almost rudely pushed to the ground by some of the occupants--all who were rushing into the depths of ROKEA to find him.

Whoever made the rules apparently decided that should be the "objective" of this floor. But you knew where Lampert liked to hang out best, somewhere only you and Kasper would be able to find him.

So while the players scurried around like rats, racing against the clock, you headed straight to your friend, hoping you'll get to explain yourself without him freaking out.

As expected, you found him standing perfectly still among some lamps, switching his light off after realizing it was only you approaching. "Hi, [y/n]." He greeted with a small smile. "Any luck finding Poptart yet?"

"No." You shook your head, absentmindedly tugging on the glove that covered your arm. "Kas has been worried sick, but I put fresh tape on the posters..so...we'll see if that little kitty turns up."

"I hope so, too. Say..what's with the gloves and mask?"

"Oh these? Um-"

"Were you just cleaning up his apartment with those?" He asked, before sighing and shaking his head. "I hope you changed them. Otherwise they're just as unsanitary as-"

"No, no. I wasn't cleaning. I just...just..."

Your nose began to feel itchy.

Lampert just raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"I..just..ah...HI-CHOO!" Turning away immediately to cover your sneeze, you were grateful that this place didn't allow it to echo through the air...otherwise you would've easily given away your location.

But after hearing him gasp, you looked back to see him take a huge step away from you, scowling. "Y-You're sick?! Why did you come here?!"

"That's what I was getting to. I...I just wanted you to know that I....caught whatever Kasper had." You briefly removed your glove, revealing the pink that was now almost covering your entire forearm.

Least to say, he was mortified. "No..what do you mean you caught it?? I told you not to hang around him until he felt better!"

"I thought he was getting better..but he's not. It's worse than we realized."

"Well are you surprised?" He scoffed. "He refuses to see a doctor and doesn't seem to care if-"

"It's the virus itself, Lampert. It's taking over his mind."

"...what do you mean?"

"He can't even remember his own name. He got angry and told me to call him "Infected". And even worse? He's...forgetting about all the stuff we did together. He could barely even remember you."

"That's...impossible. An ordinary virus wouldn't give people amnesia!"

"That's what I said, too. But..this clearly isn't ordinary. I was gonna go visit Dr. Retro. If she catches this in the early stages, maybe she can figure out some cure for it. But..I-I just didn't know how fast it would spread. So..." You sighed. "..I wanted to see you first. Just in case I end up forgetting about you, too...which I hope doesn't happen."

"I...understand, but you really should've went to her first." He simply responded, still in utter distraught as he stared at you.

As though you were the disease itself.

Why did this have to happen to his two best friends?

Did some higher being just...hate him specifically? All because he's a little wary of germs?

"I'm gonna go there next." You nodded, making sure the mask was snug on your face, but in that same moment, you heard somebody shout that they found Lampert, and you huffed. "Well shit..guess you gotta come, too."

"As long as you keep your distance, that's fine. Nobody else got sick from you, right?"

As much as his question hurt a little, it was a reasonable one to ask. So you just shook your head. "No. I'll stay in my corner and you can stay in yours."

"Fair enough. I just hope it's not too cramped.."

Nodding, you both headed back towards the elevator, keeping a good amount of distance between yourselves.

There was a time where you would've been walking side-by-side with him and Kasper, sometimes linking arms and bumping shoulders (which even the lamp tolerated back then), and you hoped that maybe one day..you'll be able to go back to that.

For now, though, at least he was willing to share a lobby with you and talk about what's been going on at ROKEA just like old times.

So this virus didn't completely ruin your friendship yet...not that you planned on allowing that to happen.

No way.

You'll find a way to beat this.

You had to.

[ranharrafantasy]

Satyr-day Nightclub [Transformation Story]

Intent eyes scanned the sea of bustling bodies in the neon glow of the dark city streets. Massive, over engineered buildings lined both sides with a black-to-grey gradient coloration due to years of acid rain. Pink, blue, and purple flashing lights danced overhead with advertisements, propaganda, and more advertisements. Dalton leaned against a concrete wall with his arms crossed. He didn't frequent this area of town. He had actually only ever been here once before, and it was that one time which made him come back today.

Dalton was 6’ 4” with the body of a jock, although he never played sports. He had short brown hair which he styled upward. On the side of his head, his hair was faded. His sharp appearance contrasted with his natural blue eyes which appeared cyan from the glow of his surroundings. His strong jaw didn’t appear diminished in any way by the thick stubble he sported. He wore a black shirt, a size too small to hug his muscles, as well as a pair of army cargo pants. To complete the army look, he wore dog tags, despite only serving in the army through the required training, Dalton loved the look it gave him. Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? At least, that’s what he was counting on.

Downtown Furtown, or at least that was what everyone called it due to the heavy population of half-humans and anthropomorphic furries living in the suburb. Thinking about it, Dalton didn't actually know what the real name of it was. Tendrove? Kendrove, maybe. He narrowed his eyes, refocusing on the task at hand. With his gaze slightly angled upward, he examined the heads of the animalized humans that crossed his path.

"No antlers, no antlers," Dalton said while bobbing his head from person to person, "antlers but not him, no antlers… Antlers-, aha!"

Across the street and entering a nightclub, Dalton watched the anthro deer he was looking for vanish through the doorway. Without wasting any time, Dalton began walking in the direction of the club.

Last week, Dalton was in Furtown needing to find an alternate route home after the hyper-rail broke down. He was in a rush and ran into a furry deer but might as well have been a brick wall. Dalton was knocked on his ass and the deer reached down and smiled, offering a hand to help him back to his feet. While Dalton didn't know his name, or anything about him for that matter, there was something about that encounter that made Dalton feel a certain way he had never felt before.

For the past week, he couldn't get the deer man out of his head. He thought about him every day. He was only hoping he would see him again in this part of town one week later, and it appeared that Lady Luck was on his side.

Dalton hastily maneuvered around groups of furries and humans alike, avoiding stepping on tails or running into someone who's had too much to drink. Before long, he was at the entrance of the nightclub and put his hands on the door, ready to push it open and find the guy that's been consuming his thoughts.

"Woah, woah, woah, bub, where do you think you're going?"

A large anthropomorphic bull with thick black fur, big horns, and muscles the size of mountains said, serving bouncer to the establishment, "Furs only, or can't you read?"

The bull motioned to the sign next to him that had bold red letter text on it that read , 'no humans allowed'. Taken aback by the sheer size of the bull and the blatant racism of the nightclub, Dalton took a moment to recompose before responding.

"But please," Dalton begged, "My job doesn't allow me to get mods and I won't even be in there for long I just need to talk to a guy that I-."

The bull grimaced and his eyebrows shifted. His arms were crossed and his muscles tensed beneath the dense pelt of bull hair that covered them. Despite the bull wearing sunglasses, Dalton could feel his piercing gaze staring directly at him.

"Unless you can show me part of you is animal, you ain't getting in," the bouncer said ending in a low growl.

Dalton's lack of self restraint got the best of him and persisted, "But body mods are expensive, please, it'll just be a few-."

A short line had started forming behind Dalton. A buff male wolf and a female leopard scoffed from behind him and shifted their weights, whispering to one another. Dalton could see the bull's nostrils flare as he finally moved from his crossed armed position and began cracking his massive knuckles.

"Scram," the bull seared.

"Alright, alright! Yeesh! You furs," Dalton said as he quickly stepped off, back into the bustling streets.

The dread of realizing he wasn't going to see that anthro deer he'd fallen in love with started to sink in. He could wait until he comes out, which could be hours, but at least he would get to see him again. He reasoned that was his best course of action and located the same spot he was leaning when he had spotted the deer earlier.

Dalton stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes went wide and his skin turned pale. He recalled that the deer had entered the club alone. And what it means when a guy is in a club alone... The deer was looking to hookup with someone.

His feet quickly changed direction as he walked down the street, now paying attention to the signs above him. 'CyberCafe', one read. 'Chip and Implant Repair', said another.

"No, no, no, no," Dalton said through gritted teeth with each building he passed.

He rounded the corner three blocks down from the nightclub and his eyes lit up at the sight. In big, bold, pure red text a marquee that read '24 Hour Discount Mod Center' in all caps glowed in the distance.

The place was located between a porn shop and a place that sold drugs, presumably not all legal, either. On the outside, lights behind the red panels of the sign flickered irregularly. A human man was in comatose on the grime stained sidewalk nearly feet away from the entrance. Another man with an alligator tail was digging through his pockets.

While it wasn't the ideal situation, Dalton was desperate. He had played the scenario in his mind hundreds of times of what he would say to the deer if he saw him again. Maybe it was the past two lonely years without anyone to hold at night, or maybe he was just erratic, but for whichever reason, with a sigh of concession, he increased his pace and entered the discount furry mod shop.

Inside was almost as grim as the out. Ceiling panels were popped off with loose wire dangling from them. Open boxes containing old medical equipment were strewn about, cockroaches and other insects had free reign over them. And between every tile the grout had turned completely black. Dalton didn't want to guess if it was dirt or mold.

He was only a few steps inside but his gut told him to get the hell out of there. He wanted to turn and reach for the door handle, but stopped before he could even start. His eyes caught sight of something that left him paralyzed in dumbfounded wonder. The mod-shops 'doctor'.

A humanoid canine stood on the opposite side of the dark room. He had grey hair, a grey beard, a dog nose and muzzle, and floppy dog ears to match. However, no part of him was covered in fur. He wore a white lab coat and black undershirt. He had thick framed glasses, also the color black clearly custom ordered to fit the bridge of his dog shaped face. But above all, the most noticeable characteristic was the two sets of arms that were crossed beneath his chest.

"What'll it be?" the dog doc asked.

Dalton glanced back at the door handle. He could still leave, it was still viable.

"Um, actually, I think I was just going to-," he stammered.

"Don't waste my time, just say what you want and I'll get it done," the doc said going back to typing on a computer at a standing desk.

The tech he was using looked state of the art. Hologram curved monitors flashed charts and chemical formulas but mirrored to Dalton's view as he could only see the backside. With his bottom two hands, the doctor typed, with his top two, one adjusted his glasses while the other pinched in on a data set that flashed on the monitor.

The sight of advanced technology eased Dalton's suspicion, but not enough to stick around. Dalton looked back at the door and reached for the handle but paused. His reflection showed mockingly in the glass. He observed his chiseled, square jaw. He looked at the convex and concave curvature of his natural muscles that he worked so hard for. His good looks were diminished by his cowardly stature. Hunched down, reaching for the door. He looked like a dog with its tail between his legs. He smirked. His gaze trailed from his reflection to the floor.

"Another two years lonely, Dalton?" he asked himself quietly enough for only himself to hear.

His footsteps were heavy and they slightly stuck to the floor with every step, but he slowly walked further inside the facility.

"Strip down and sit in that chair," the doc said pointing off to the side with one of his arms, not looking away from the monitor.

The chair was a typical chair that would be found at a dentist's office. It had teal and white padding. It stuck out from not matching the rest of the facility. There was clear evidence of use. Scratches and dents covered the sides, and there were a few darker spots stained into the padding. Possibly from blood or other bodily fluids. Dalton didn't want to think about where they came from.

He took a deep breath, took off his clothes, and sat in the chair. He should've been happy that he was one step closer to seeing the deer, but he couldn't bring himself to smile. His hands were shaking. He gripped the arm of the chair with one hand and he put his other on his chest, his heart was beating a million miles a minute. Being nude didn't concern him, but what did, was that he had no clue what kind of body mod he was getting and he was already this far committed.

The clicking noise from the keyboard a few yards away ceased and footsteps followed, "What'll it be?" the dog doc asked again, resuming the position with his arms crossed.

Dalton, once more, took a deep breath. For some reason, speaking felt harder than normal, "I'm looking for a furry, uh, body mod."

The doctor shifted his weight. Dalton couldn't tell if his gaze became more piercing, or if it had always been that way.

"Just a small one," Dalton corrected, "one that isn't noticeable, or at least, hardly noticeable."

The doctor's expression didn't change. He walked over in silence to a locked cabinet, opened it with a retina scanner, and observed the contents inside.

Dalton shifted in his chair, he continued, "maybe like cat foot pads... or a corgi tail, or a-,"

"You can't come in here expecting to be so picky," the doctor said, still perusing his goods, "discount mods are rejects from the higher ups, custom made for someone who decided not to go through with it. You'll take one that I got in stock, or you'll take nothing at all."

Dalton grimaced, "maybe, you could read off what you have?"

The doctor let out an extended sigh, "I got one that'll turn you into a fat black bear, one that'll give you talons and wings like an eagle, don't expect to fly though. A twink giraffe taur. A tiger with four arms... and two heads, two tails, and two dicks, wow someone went freaky with this one. Youch, expensive too.

"One that'll give you a pig nose and tusks," the doc continued, "One for a hyper muscular herm milk cow, huge tits, udders, vagina, and cock to match. It says here this one was only rejected because the client had a prior back injury," he kept moving the metal canisters, bringing them up to his gaze one at a time between his four arms, "You're in luck, I got an iridescent dragon tail. Changes color in the light, the rest of ya' will stay the same and it's only 600 RELL."

The visualization of transforming into each of the mods flashed vividly in Dalton's mind, each one somehow sounding worse than the last.

A dragon tail, how would he sit? Or yet alone put on pants? Dalton, sat up in his seat, putting his hands on the arm rests, scooting closer to the edge. He looked at his pile of clothes and then at the door. Neither were too far away to make a mad dash for an exit.

Dalton counted down from three in his head, three... two... one-,

"This one'll give you the cock of a horse," the doctor said, holding it as close to face before hitting his half-muzzle.

Dalton froze and looked over at the canine humanoid, "That's it? Just a-," Dalton gulped, "the dick of a horse?"

"Yeah, sure," the doc said, his voice getting higher during the drawn out words, "might give you a few other horse features, black toe nails, horse hair on the lower body, but the main 'feature' of this is the dick. Oh, and extra muscle."

Dalton, looked down at his own penis. Flaccid. Circumcised. He never had a problem with his manhood, but who wouldn't want a bigger dick? Or muscles? He started to get a half chub just thinking about it.

"And it's... subtle?" Dalton asked.

"As long as you don't get a stiffy!" the doc joked, but didn't show any additional emotion than his typical demeanor, "This is as subtle as it's going to get," the doc answered, "it even makes your cum taste like frosting."

He could feel his heart racing. Furry mods were irreversible. If he was going to do this, he really needed to be committed.

Dalton stammered to buy time, "H-how, much?"

He adjusted his glasses, "850 RELL."

"I'll do it," Dalton answered.

----

Full story and uncensored images at link in bio.

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Jaune: How did you solve the alignment and vanishing gradient problems?!

Pietro: *sobbing* I didn't I just made the posterior distribution beta!

Jaune: What?! So you don't know why Penny works?!

Pietro: No idea!

Jaune: Fuck You! You accidentally made a person!

Pietro: I know!

[expulence]

💎💄Luxury Makeup 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 for a Flawless Look💄💎

With the popularity of skincare these past few years came the desire to achieve a more natural 'your-skin-but-better' makeup look.

♡...Enter the 𝓒𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓷 𝓖𝓲𝓻𝓵 makeup look...♡

It was characterised by minimal use of makeup and an emphasis on enhancing your natural beauty. The foundation needs to look like skin, and the lipstick like natural healthy and plump lips. As simple as this all sounds, it is quite an art form.

So where do you start?

Well, when it comes to achieving a flawless makeup look, quality products can make all the difference. Investing in luxury makeup can elevate your beauty routine and give you a professional finish. Furthermore as high-end products are concerned, a little goes a long way.

Here's a curated list of essential luxury makeup products that you might need in your collection:

𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖝𝖎𝖔𝖓:

A high-quality foundation is the key to a flawless base. Look for a luxury foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly and provides a smooth, even coverage. Brands like Dior and Giorgio Armani offer a range of luxurious foundations that blend seamlessly into the skin, giving you a natural yet polished finish. A good quality concealer can make stubborn blemishes vanish without a thick and unnatural finish.

How to Use:

Apply the foundation using a beauty blender or a foundation brush, starting from the center of your face and blending outwards. Make sure to blend well into your jawline and neck for a seamless look. Start with a light layer and be sure to spot conceal any visible blemishes. This creates a flawless base without the cakey look of layered foundation.

High-end Foundatation/Base Recomendations:

Dior Face and Body Foundation

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

𝕷𝖆𝖘𝖍𝖊𝖘:

No makeup look is complete without mascara. A luxury mascara can add volume, length, and definition to your lashes, instantly opening up your eyes and making them pop. Choose a higher-end mascara from brands like Too Faced or Yves Saint Laurent for a smoother application, intense pigmentation and long-lasting wear.

How to Use:

Start by curling your lashes with an eyelash curler, then apply the mascara from the roots to the tips in a gentle zig-zag motion. Build up layers for added volume and intensity.

High-end Mascara Recomendations:

Too Face Better Than Sex Mascara

MAC Extended Play Lash

𝕷𝖎𝖕𝖘:

A swipe of luxury lipstick can instantly elevate your look and add a touch of glamour. Opt for a smooth that compliments your skintone from brands like Tom Ford or Charlotte Tilbury for a creamy, long-lasting formula that feels comfortable on the lips. Some sheer lipgloss further elevates the look and adds to the glowy final product.

How to Use:

Start by outlining your lips with a lip liner for precision, then fill in the lips with the subdued lipstick shade of your choice. Ad a layer of clear, light pink of peachy lip gloss for an extra glow.

High-end Lipstick/Lipgloss Recomendations:

Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color

LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm

𝕰𝖞𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘:

A versatile eyeshadow palette is a must-have for creating a variety of eye looks, from subtle daytime glam to sultry evening styles. Invest in a luxury palette from brands like Natasha Denona or Pat McGrath for a range of pigmented shades and buttery textures. A single decent brow pencil can last you ages and carry you through various looks too.

How to use:

Start by applying an eyeshadow primer and choosing neutral shades that complement your skin tone. Apply a transition shade in the crease, followed by a light shimmer shade on the eyelid. Blend the edges for a seamless gradient and define the lash line with a dark eyeshadow powde. For your brows, brush them in the direction of hair growth, fill in the soparc3 areas gently with a brow pencil or powder for a more natural look.

High-end Eyeshadow/Brow Recomendations:

LAURA GELLER NEW YORK The Delectables Earthy Essentials Baked Eyeshadow Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Brow Wiz

By incorporating these luxury makeup must-haves into your beauty routine, you can achieve a flawless look that exudes sophistication and elegance. Experiment with different shades and techniques to discover what works best for you, and enjoy the transformative power of high-quality makeup products.

But never forget..

💰𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲💰

[feliraeth]

emirorian ;

an umbrella term (genders, alterhuman, orientation, etc.) that encompasses a feeling of wonder while watching the day begin after staying up through the night, watching the sky lighten in shades of blue, yellow, orange, and pink, feeling a sense of peace and comfort that vanishes any tiredness, a rare spiritual reset, the beauty of which is energizing in itself.

[id: three identical flags with seven horizontal stripes. the colors are a gradient from pale yellow to light blue, then lilac to pink. end id.]

etymology ; emi(ror) (latin for wonder) +(au)ror(a) meaning dawn

pronunciation ; em - ee - ror - ian

requested by ; no one :3

tagging ; @radiomogai

[beatinginavoid]

You guys wanted fics so... here you go! This was actually a gift for someone, but I'll share it here now.

-------

The scenery was beautiful in a faintly nostalgic way. Rugged rocks and patches of bare mountainside presented themselves in shades of grey, brown, and rusty red. Dirt and grass switched interchangeably in swathes and patches, various species of flowers reached proudly into the air and swayed gently each time a breeze blew softly by.

Soft, wispy white clouds drifted lazily in their high up ocean of light blue. The sun was a little too warm to be strictly comfortable, but the intermittent breeze afforded some amount of respite from the heat. Some, but not enough for one of the two people currently traversing the mountain.

Tifa frowned, huffed, and stared at the spiky tufts of blond hair on the back of Cloud’s head as she walked behind him. Did he not feel the heat? Was it a SOLDIER thing? She would be jealous of his abilities if she didn’t know the toll that acquiring them had left on her childhood friend.

She wasn’t even sure why they were making their way up the mountain in the first place. Something about an herb or a flower? Some kind of plant at least. One that only grew inconveniently at the summit of a couple of the nearby mountains.

“Are we high enough yet?” she asked.

Cloud raised an eyebrow, unseen by Tifa, at the possible context of her words. He chose to ignore it and take the words at face value, gazing upward and trying to gauge distances.

“No.”

A blunt and to the point answer, just like this version of Cloud that she had stumbled across, miraculously back from the dead. Red eyes narrowed at his back for a moment before she closed her eyes and sighed. Her friend was physically here, but sometimes she wondered if her friend was truly alive in that body.

“What are we looking for again?” she asked casually, hoping for more conversation.

“An herb.”

She waited. And waited. No more words were forthcoming.

“And this herb looks like…?” she prompted.

Cloud absently kicked away a loose rock. “Shiny leaves, waxy feeling, with a stem covered in stinging hairs.”

Tifa pulled a face at that, momentarily glad that Cloud couldn’t see her face. “Sounds lovely,” she said, tone sarcastic.

The gradient of their chosen path steepened until they were climbing more than walking. Tifa watched him carefully, putting her hands and feet in the same places he did, secure in the knowledge that they were tested and safe. As a native of Nibelheim, and especially considering her past, she knew intimately just how treacherous mountain terrain could be.

The last thing either of them needed was an accident to occur.

Things were quiet aside from the scraping of boots on rock. Not even the chirping of birds was audible up here and it was disquieting. She was a little tired, her breathing a bit heavier. From what she could see of Cloud, he looked like he was unaffected and could keep going for hours.

The SOLDIER had planned to go on this mission by himself, but Tifa didn’t like the idea of any of them going off alone, so she immediately volunteered to go with him. He was perfectly capable on his own, though something in her heart quivered and refused to settle until she was by his side. She knew the likelihood of him vanishing for another several years was low, but still…

She had no plans to lose him now that she had him back.

Some areas were steep enough to turn their progress into an almost sheer vertical climb. Tifa admired his athletic form before grumbling under her breath and reaching for the nearest handhold. She was almost to the top when her boot slipped. She gasped, red eyes blowing wide as her hands and fingers suddenly took on the task of supporting her entire body weight. Her boots scrabbled against the sheer rock, desperately searching for a foothold.

“Tifa!”

A hand wearing a glove wrapped around her right wrist. His grip was firm, and a little on the tight side, and he grunted softly as he heaved, lifting her up carefully. She tried to help as best she could, hauling herself up and over the edge the moment she could. Once every part of her body was no longer dangling in danger, she took a moment to catch her breath and looked at Cloud.

His eyes were locked on her, his usually impassive face held a small, worried frown. The Mako glow of his eyes was faint in the daylight, but his gaze was intense enough without it. She saw him looking at her up and down in assessment. Tifa knew Cloud was not checking her out, he was searching for injuries. 

She wasn’t sure if she should feel any disappointment about that.

It certainly didn’t help that Cloud was as dense as a box of rocks about girls and romance. Tifa and Aerith, and even Yuffie, had discussed it more than once. It had been the reason for many girlish giggles between them.

“I’m okay,” she assured him. Tifa let herself close her eyes as she laid there, processing what just happened.

A breath hitched. It wasn’t hers.

Her eyes flew open and she looked over to see Cloud holding his head in pain. Oh no, not again. Her poor friend had these weird episodes that left him tired, drained, and off-kilter. He always went to lay down when they ended, needing to sleep them off. For one to hit now was the worst possible timing.

Tifa scrambled over to him and covered his hands with her own. “Cloud? Cloud, can you hear me?”

His teeth were clenched and his breathing was a bit haggard, a frown etched on his face. He shook his head, sending blond locks swinging, and grunted in pain, giving no indication that he could hear her.

“It’s me, Cloud, it’s Tifa. I’m here, I’m with you, I’ve got you. Let me know if you can hear me, Cloud, come on!”

“No, Tifa!” he said breathlessly.

He slumped forward and the martial artist braced against the weight.

“No, no, no…” he muttered. “Not again. Not again!”

Tifa had no idea what he was talking about but she knew whatever he was experiencing wasn’t good. She did her best to wrap the fingers of her left hand around his, while her right hand sifted down through his hair to cup his cheek. Her thumb gently rubbed over the apple of his cheek and he froze.

“No!” he cried out. Cloud got up and lunged, right arm outstretched, and dove over the edge, sweeping his childhood friend along with him.

She gasped and instinctively clung to him, hoping the landing didn’t hurt too much. Cloud’s arms wrapped around her and he twisted in the air, putting himself beneath her to absorb the damage.

“I won’t let you fall alone again,” he whispered just above her head.

There was a loud THUD and Tifa slammed into Cloud, bouncing back up as far as his grasp would allow, then falling back onto him. His breath was knocked out of his lungs by her weight and he arched his back up slightly as she bounced. They both settled and all that could be heard was shaky breathing from her and shallow breathing from him.

Tifa was curled into his chest, unwilling or unable to move. She could feel his ribs rise and fall and there was a drumming beneath her right ear.

Bathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathump-

Cloud’s heart was racing, probably fueled by fear and adrenaline, much like her own. She focused on the sound, strong and steady despite the pace. It was undeniable proof that he was alive and still with her.

“Cloud?” she asked softly. Her red eyes opened and she tilted her head up to look at his face.

He moaned and turned his head fractionally, eyelids fluttering for a moment but staying shut. It took a lot to knock down a SOLDIER, enhanced as they were. She was sure the episode he had just suffered was the main reason he was unconscious. She carefully moved off of him, mindful of injuries, and quickly checked him over.

There was a small bleeding wound on the back of his head, and some inconsequential cuts and scrapes on his arms. His back was going to be a mass of nasty bruises, but nothing seemed broken at least. She turned him on his side and wrangled the massive sword off his back, setting it aside and letting him lay flat again.

She was anxious and fidgety, bitterly wishing she had a potion or Cure materia. It only took seconds before Tifa rested her head on his chest again, on his left pectoral. She couldn’t shake this niggling feeling that he would somehow disappear on her again. His heart had slowed, unlike hers, and she listened to it attentively – the only thing completely reassuring her that he was still with her.

Ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thumpathump……ba-thump…ba-thump…

What was that? Did she need to be concerned? Had her weight on him when they landed done damage she couldn’t see? She bit her lip and brought her left hand up to her face, placing her palm flat on his sternum with splayed fingers.

Tifa could feel the faint impacts of his heart against his ribs and sternum in time with the thumping in her ear. The rhythm was mostly steady with the occasional hiccup. His face didn’t register any pain and his breathing was unaffected, so she eventually decided it was harmless. It might even be normal for him, she simply didn’t know.

Time passed and Tifa found herself lulled into a near doze by the heart thumping steadily, for the most part, in Cloud’s chest. Despite any irregularities, the strength behind each beat was undeniable. No matter what the blond had gone through he had lived through it, life pumping in his body with a fierce strength she couldn’t help but admire.

Ba-thump…ba-thumpathump……ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thumpathump...ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thump…

The rate increased slightly and her eyes opened immediately, finding his face. He was frowning and his blue eyes cracked open. Tifa sucked in a breath and gently patted his sternum. She couldn’t quite bring herself to move away from that oh so reassuring sound just yet.

Cloud groaned, the sound low as it vibrated through his chest. “T’fa?” he mumbled.

“I’m here, Cloud,” she said clearly. The patting turned into rubbing as she tried to give him some warmth and a sensation he could ground himself with.

He tightened his grip on her absently. “You fell,” he stated.

Something clicked in Tifa’s mind. “No, no, no, that was years ago, remember? We were just kids.”

He shook his head. “N-no. Not then. You fell,” he insisted.

Tifa really didn’t want to tell him the truth – that he had jumped and taken her with him. She sincerely doubted that he would take it well. “I’m fine,” she said gently but firmly. “I’m right here, with you, safe and sound. You can see, hear, and feel me, can’t you?”

The blond made a non-committal noise. His grip tightened fractionally and he took a slow, deep breath, blue locked onto red.

The thumping beneath her hand and head slowed slightly as he took in her words and her presence. The rhythm was steady, no more odd skips or stumbles, as he calmed. The tension bled out of her as he relaxed. His impromptu hug became more protective than restraining and the pair didn’t move or speak.

He looked up at the sky and she took the opportunity to scrutinise him. The faintest tinge of pink dusted his cheeks and she smiled, feeling accomplished for no particular reason she could discern.

“Do you have a potion?” Tifa suddenly asked.

Cloud blinked and looked down again. “What? You said you were fine,” he said, his voice holding a tiny sting of betrayal.

She rolled her eyes. “I am fine. The back of your head is bleeding.”

One of his arms moved from around her and his hand ran through his hair. His gloved fingers snagged and he tugged them loose with a tiny wince, bringing them around to take a look. His lips turned down at the ends at the smears and flakes of red on his gloves.

“Oh.”

They went back to laying there in silence, though Cloud’s arm didn’t wrap around her again. It was a bit disappointing, but Tifa was inordinately pleased that he was allowing her to remain on his chest.

The pair returned much later, herbs in hand.

[thedemonscrawler]

HEY guess what you can do with wool? That's right!

DYE IT

With food coloring and kool-aid!! And also acid dyes, which are designed for this, but acid dyes can't be used with cookware you put food in, and Kool-Aid packets are 50 cents.

.. did they go up in price? Didn't they used to be 20 cents? Anyway

Tbh a big part of the allure of spinning my own yarn is dying either the fibers or the final product. I just like the sense of independence that comes from going "ah, I need a color, and I have a lot of white and a handful of dyes!". I did this a lot with my posable critters too, though acrylic and polyester are a lot more strict about what dyes will actually work.

(Though tbh? Soaking acrylic faux fur in watered down acrylic paint, waiting for it to dry, and then taking a slicker brush and brushing out the clumps will get you pretty far!)

The evidence of crimes past with that paint permanently on there. I think this fucker is almost old enough to make its own Tumblr account (but not in Australia 8()

I digress! Because I haven't been dyeing acrylic, but KERATIN!

I did actually try dyeing a chunk with the same semi-permanant magenta dye I use on my own hair, cos like. Hair is also keratin.

Actually, it was supposed to be a bisexual gradient from pink to blue, but when it came time to heat set the color, the manic panic blue just fucking vanished.

Lesson learned: Ion Color Brilliance is a good brand, Manic Panic is not.

My bestie has inquired about me spinning the yarn and knitting them a scarf, so I wanted to make what was basically a mockup of the different ways you can spin the fibers to get different colors effects. And also I got Kool-Aid this past grocery visit and have been chomping at the bit to use it.

@sivilityy enables me <3

BEHOLD, MY CHILDREN!

Dyeing wool with kool-aid or food coloring is very easy!

Step 1: Soak wool in warm to hot water with about a 1/3rd of a cup of white vinegar for 15 to 45min. The vinegar is a mordant, something that helps the fibers take up the dye.

Step 2: Mix your dye of choice into a pot of warm to hot water, close in temperature to the soaking bath. The more kool-aid or food coloring, the stronger the color. I was going for pastels, so I used half a pack for the blue and pink, and a single drop of yellow food coloring for the yellow. The purple... 8') We won't talk about the purple.

Step 3: Fish your wool out of its soak, give it a gentle squeeze, then plop it into the pot. I like to scoop out some of the vinegar water and pour it into the pot as well. For insurance!

Step 4: Heat your pot to just below boiling. You want steam, but little to no bubbles. Agitation + heat or sudden temperature changes = felt. You can't spin felt. If you want to to make felt, though, now you know.

Step 5: leave your wool at simmering for around 30 min. How do you know when its done?

it fucking sucks all the color out of the water. How sick is that?! In the few batches I've done, I haven't always gotten it to be clear like that but don't stress it. About 30 min seems to be good even if there's still some color in the water.

Turn off the burner and let your creations cool down in their soup. Or, if you're impatient like me, run your hottest tap water into a different pot, then pour your wool into the slightly cooler but still hot water, so it doesn't get a HUGE temperature shock. Don't use cold water, or you're gonna get felt! Give em a rinse in the hot water to get any extra color out.

Let 'em hang and dry, and you're done!

So far all of mine have felted a little bit? Which hasn't been so bad, I've just needed to fluff them up a little once they're dry. I want to try indirect heat with a steamer basket and see if that helps, but I only got the one basket and 4 colors this time, so I used the pots.

SCIENCE

[roriaa]

When Sun and Moon meet - S3

Zuko x Fem!WaterBender!Reader Enemies to Lovers

As one of the Princesses of the Northern Water tribe, you were blessed with a gift by the moon. However you were permitted to be allowed to use the gift at all costs. From many hidden waterbending usages, the aftermath of the avatar visiting the Northern Tribe had led to your beginning journey, hiding yourself as a water bender as a princess from the Northern water tribe

Warnings: None

Masterlist

҉ * ‧͙ ⋆ ⁺ ༓ ☾ Chapter 13 - First Steps in the Fire Nation

“I think I see a cave below.” Aang observed earning a hush by Sokka. “Be quiet!” Once we landed, our cloud disguise vanished into thin air. Sokka immediately hid by a rock, looking around the place suspiciously. “Great job with the cloud camo but next time let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut.” He turns his head, eyeing the birds near the cave in a skeptical manner. “Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in.” Toph replied sarcastically. “Hey! We’re in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds.” Sokka pointed upwards, coincidentally, many birds were resting on that rock. One commedically moves down to land on Sokka’s head, screeching at us. We all laugh breathily, making our way towards the larger cave. Sokka, still having doubts, jumps over us to land face first and looks around the cave for any enemies. I glared at him confusingly, there weren't any traces of anyone staying here. “Well this is it, this is how we will be living till the invasion begins.” Sokka explains. “Hiding in cave, after cave, after cave…after cave…” Sokka gradually laced his tone with dread, putting his head down in exhaustion. “Sokka we don't need to become cave people, what we need is some new clothes.” Katara explained. “Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out. If we get fire nation disguises, we would be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave.” Aang adds on. “Plus, they have real food out there, does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave hoppers?” Toph leans back against a rock, throwing her fist back against the cave which unleashed a few cave hoppers. “Looks like we got voted out of the sport.” Sokka looks at Momo munching on the insect, displeased with the idea of eating cave hoppers. “Let's get some new clothes.” Sokka said. “Now where would we even get new clothes? We can't go to the fire nation for new clothes.” I spoke up, leaving the group to think. “I have an idea.” Katara announced.

  ҉   ☾

Us 5 pops out of a small hill of magma, looking at someone's clothes hanging on a wire, clearly out for drying. “I don't know about this…” Aang said uneasily. “These clothes belong to somebody.” “I call the silk robe!” Katara immediately leaps forwards, out of our hiding spot. Determined to get the robe. “I call the cloak.” I happily said, following right behind Katara. Everyone got out of our hiding spot and started running around to find something we liked in the racks of drying clothes. I gathered all the clothes that I wanted, mainly ones that can cover my hair since that would be a dead give away.

I move the cloak against my head, moving it a little to fully cover my hair. “Is this covering my hair?” I ask worriedly, hesitating if I should adjust it again. The cloak I was wearing was see-through until the hood, which was a gradient to a deeper shade of red. Still see-through enough to see the silhouette of the hair, hopefully not the color. “Woaahh it's like your hair is naturally black.” Toph says. “Oh thank the spirits- oh…” I look back at Toph who smiled mischievously and shrugged. I groaned and waited for Katara to finish getting ready. “How do I look?” Katara announced which made us turn to face her. “You look so pretty!” I was complimented. “You too Y/N, oh and the hood covers your hair!” Katara said, walking towards me to adjust my hood a little. “That's good!” I breathily laugh. “Uhh Katara, your moms necklace.” Aang said worriedly. Katara touched her necklace, “oh…oh yeah…” she said sadly and took it off. “Guess it's pretty obvious that I'm from the water tribe, isn't it?” She takes a last look at her necklace and stores it away. 

  ҉   ☾

I buy a sash to wrap it around my waist, which if needed could be used to cover my hair. Just in case I lose this cloak. I wait for the others to finish putting on their accessories that they also just bought. “I used to visit my friend Kuzan here a hundred years ago, so everyone just follow my lead and stay cool. Or as they say in the fire nation, stay flamin!” Aang winked and moved joyfully around. I look at Aang, somewhat confused but shrug as we all follow him. “Greetings my good hotmen!” Aang greeted a fellow fire nation member, who was equally as confused as the rest of us. “Hi…I guess…?” He replied, but moving his attention back to what he was eating. Searching where we could eat, we took a stop at a meatplace, which unsurprisingly only serves dishes with meat. “Oh… we’re going to a meat place…?” Aang said disappointedly. “Come on Aang, everyone here eats meat, even the meat.” Sokka pointed at a Hippo Cow who chowed down on the meat in front of him. Aang grimaced at the animal. “You guys go ahead, I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage.” We waved off to Aang, silently hoping he manages to get food that's vegetarian friendly and go inside the restaurant.

“I hope Aang is okay, I feel bad that he cant find food that easily here.” Katara said, poking at her dumplings. “Aang will be fine!” Sokka said, clearly not really caring as he chomps down on his chicken skewers. Katara looks at her brother, clearly annoyed. “But still, he’s alone and…” “You talk about Aang a lot.” I tell Katara, slurping on my Noodle Soup. Closest thing to Seafood, as that's in the Noodle Soup. Katara turns a little red, clearly blushing as I giggle teasingly. “Yeah Twinkle Toes will be fine, what's the worst that can happen?” Toph said.

  ҉   ☾

“Where is Aang?” Katara said, looking around frantically. “Relax, he must be at the cave already.” Sokka said, leaning back. “Hopefully he found some food.” I said, tiredly moving towards the direction of our cave. “What if he isn't there?” Katara said. “He must be, where else would he even go?”

  ҉   ☾

“Aang isn't here.” Katara said, which leads the three of us to widen our eyes in disbelief. “He’s the Avatar, he will be okay.” Sokka tries to shrug it off, already crashing on the floor to lay down. “What if he got caught?” Katara says, holding her head in her hands. “I'm sure Twinkle toes can handle it.” Toph picks her nose to lie down next to Sokka. I picked up some sticks and rocks to light up a fire. “It's okay Katara.” I light the fire and go to sit next to Katara. “He can handle himself, it's not like he’s a baby.” I patted her back which made her shoulders go down in relaxation. “I'm sure you're right…”

  ҉   ☾

When the sun was slowly setting down, the more we all became anxious on the whereabouts of Aang. Just as I was about to start looking for Aang, he jumped down and appeared right in front of the cave. “Where have you been?” Katara asked in concern. “We’ve been worried sick!”

“I got invited to play with some kids after school.” Aang casually said, taking off his headband. His whole outfit was a complete mess along with his headband. This made Sokka stand up straight from his lying position. “After what?!” He yelled out loud. “I enrolled in a fire nation school and I'm going back tomorrow.” Aang states proudly. “Enrolled in what?!” Sokka says in complete shock and passes out back on the floor. The rest of us three looked at him with our eyes widened and mouths agape in shock.

“Aang I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea but it sounds…really terrible.” Sokka explains. “Yeah we got our outfits, what do you need to go to school for?” Toph asked with her usual attitude. “Every minute I'm in that classroom, I'm learning new things about the fire nation. I already have a picture of fire lord Ozai.” He pulls out a picture of the fire lord, excitedly. “And here's one that I made out of noodles!” Aang continued as he pulled out another picture, which was just as he said. Fire lord Ozai portrait made out of noodles. “Impressive I admit but I still think it's too dangerous.” Sokka said. “I guess we will never find out about the secret river then… it goes right towards the fire lord's palace, we were supposed to learn about it in class tomorrow…” Aang really knew Sokka's weakness, persuading him with information about the fire lord. Most of us would prefer Aang’s safety but not Sokka with his plan. “I am a fan of secret rivers…” Sokka pondered around, thinking of his answer. “Fine let's stay a few more days.” Sokka agreed which made Aang jump in glee. “Flameo hotman!” Aang cheered, running around happily. “Flam…eo…?” Sokka asked, weirded out by Aang's choice of words. Katara shrugged. “Now what if Aang gets caught being the Avatar, which everyone thinks is dead by the way.” I ask. Sokka shrugged at me as I gave him a deadpan expression.

The next day, we got news that Aang got himself in trouble, in just two days. “Y/N, can you play the part of a mom for Aang?” Sokka asked, which confused me. “Mom…?” 

“They need both parents available.” Sokka continued. I shook my head no. “Sorry Sokka but” I pointed to my hair comedically. “No can do! Ask Katara.” Sokka groaned in irritation “Why can't you just cover your hair?” 

“It's already odd enough for me to cover my hair in the fire nation Sokka, I want to hide my identity as much as possible.” I explained, trying to get Sokka to reason with me. “It's fine Y/N, I'll do it.” Katara said, earning a grateful expression from me. “Whatever would I do without you Katara!”

  ҉   ☾

“That settles it! No more school for you young man.” Sokka yells at Aang, brushing his fake beard. That's the first time I have ever heard that sentence before. “I'm not ready to leave, I'm having fun for once.” Aang got up, kicking a stone while walking towards Appa. “Just being a normal kid, you don't know what it's like Sokka.” Aang disappointingly said. “You get to be normal all the time.”

“Hah hah.” Toph mocked Sokka from Aang’s unintentional mean comment. “Listen guys, those kids at school are the future of the fire nation, if you want to change this place for the better then we need to show them a little taste of freedom.” Aang explains his reasoning. “And how are we ever gonna do that? Give a motivational speech about how they have freedom?” I spoke up, leaning against the rock behind me. “Close! I'm gonna throw them a secret dance party.” Aang does a little dance which made all of us look at him, dumbfounded. “Go to your room!” Sokka yelled, pointing at the wall.

Just as Aang said about him hosting a dance party, we all decided to help him out, oddly enough. I use my water bending to add ice decorations around the cave. I attempted to add fire symbols and crystal-like designs hanging from the ceiling of the cave.“This actually looks pretty, for a cave.” I put my hands on my waist, admiring my work. Hopefully it doesn't melt quickly from the heat. “You did a pretty good job. They hardly don't even look like ice anymore.” Katara complimented me, putting her hand on my shoulder. “I always see the guys do these types of decorating in my northern tribe, I'm happy I got to do it at least once.” I told Katara. “Then you should teach me.” We both giggled till we heard Toph’s announcement. “They’re coming! Everyone stop bending.” I immediately put my hands to my side to prevent me from bending. I look at the entryway seeing all these firenation children walk up in looks of worry. I sat with Katara and Toph on a table, listening to the music while drinking my drink. Watching Aang encourages the group of students to dance traditional fire nation dances with him. “Who knew twinkle toes can dance.” Toph chugged her drink and slammed it on the table. Really, who knew a boy like him would know so many traditional dances. Aang grabbed the hand of one girl and dragged her out to dance with me. I felt Katara getting irked by this, sitting up straighter to take a better look at the two. “Wow! They look pretty good together.” Sokka spoke up which earned a scoff from Katara’s part. “Eh, if that's what you like.” I silently giggled and whispered to Toph. “I think someone is getting jealous.” Which Toph snorts to. “I bet 4 pieces of silver bans if Aang comes up to Katara and- oh-” I look over to see Aang already reaching his hand out to Katara as she hesitantly accepts. I look at the crowd, seeing everyone dancing energetically. I was mainly looking for Aang and Katara however. “So Toph, my coins?” “You never finished your bet, therefore I dont have to owe you any.” I grumbled under my breath as soon as I heard her say that. “I hear the guards coming!” Toph yells, however it was already too late. The guards were in front of the cave by the time she said that. I look over to what they assume was Aang was actually a random fire nation boy wearing the same bandana as Aang. My eyes lit up in surprise as I usher Toph and Sokka to run. “They’re distracting the guards, this is our time to leave.” I whisper, running towards the back of the cave. I see Katara and Aang right behind me and once we all got away, Aang closed off the cave with his earth bending.

 ҉   ☾ All of us managed to get on Appa’s back safely. I exhaled deeply, leaning against the edge of the saddle. “We’re safe Sokka, you can take off the mustache now.” Katara reassured Sokka. He stubbornly shook his head. “Oh no I can't.” Sokka humorously said. “It's permanently glued onto my skin” He continued as he brushed the edge of his beard. “Even though it was a silly idea, your dance party changed them.” I complimented Aang. “Yeah dancey pants, I think you really did help those kids.” Toph added on. “You taught them to be free.” “I don't know, it was just a dance party. That's all.” “Well that was some dance party Aang.” Katara said, leaning in to kiss Aang on the cheek, leaving a tint of red against his cheeks. Toph and I exchanged eye contact in a shocking manner. “Flameo sir, Flam-e-o” Sokka slowly clapped in congratulations. Appa made a sound in encouragement as we continued to fly above with the clouds.

<- Back - Next ->

a/n: THIS TOOK SO LONG AND I APOLOGIZE!! I have been busy lately so I havent had time to write but I promise yall I wouldnt never let this fic go discountinued. Anyways I hope yall enjoy and I apologize that there is like NO ZUKO. It feels like a reader insert more than an x reader, a reader that just ends up with Zuko. I think by CH 19 Zuko should be here and i cant wait to write those scenes, however I hope yall enjoy this fic. Thank you for reading and take care of yourself!! :) Also I have been trying to catch AO3 to this fic as well.

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taglist: @luvkvni @katovano @karmaswitch @someonesmember @velvet-spider @sh3sa1dwhat @nerdisthenewcool @meiraloves2dmen @fqnfics101 @iluvme547 @leaderwon @yukihatesreoyo @heart4hees @4l3x1s @kkissaku @corpsebridenightamare @newjellis @fatkish@pbeckn26@jasminesacademia @kyo-kyo1 @fl9wey @icantwaittoliveandlearn @ddottie

[kwills91]

Hiii😍

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄🫄

Please and thank you and happy weewoo day!

39 for 🫄(also chapter 1 of this is now complete so I'll be posting soon for anybody who wants to be tagged when I drop the fic)

And he knows it’s true.  It doesn’t make the prospect of asking his best friend for—in Buck’s words—so much sex any less daunting or humiliating. Buck wouldn’t judge, because Buck doesn’t do that with anybody but also because Eddie’s his best friend. In fact, that might be the reason he could actually see Buck agreeing to this. But he’s not sure it’s really fair on Buck. It’s a lot to ask of somebody who isn’t even attracted to you to have sex with you frequently and repeatedly for a week. Buck may have been pretty equal opportunity when it comes to both primary and secondary genders from what Eddie’s witnessed or heard about second hand, but he’s never expressed any interest in Eddie, and Eddie’s not nearly arrogant enough to believe that he would harbor any. Their relationship isn’t like that. It never has been. Even if, once in a while, Eddie’s dreams have suggested plenty of ways it could be, both whilst asleep and that lazy, only half lucid, thoughts drifting down a lazy river, head back, cocktail-in-hand way they can be in that sleepy state between awake and out cold. Yes, Buck’s hot, and a good guy—the best guy—so Eddie’s had thoughts. Of course he has. But that’s not the same as actions. Dreaming of a what ifs is not the same as asking this of him. It’s not the same as Buck playing an active role in helping Eddie do something most people would probably think he was insane for.  And just like that he’s back to ruling it out. This could be a long process, he realizes, knowing him well enough to be sure he’ll probably swing back and forth on this at least a few more times before coming to an actual conclusion. So he sighs, defeated, locking his phone. He’s not in the mood for congratulations anymore. Doesn’t feel like there’s much to be proud of after all. All he wants to do right now is stop thinking about this. And sleep. Definitely sleep. Hopefully without any of those dreams. Tonight is definitely not the night for that. *** He was right, it is a long process. Too long. Eddie can’t get it out of his head. It’s different now he knows it’s possible. Like he wants to put it down, leave it alone, but his brain won’t let him. It’s like a petulant child in a toy store spotting that one thing they saw an ad for—it’s an impossible purchase, inordinately expensive, but the kid just won’t give up. There’s begging, and bargaining, and tantrums. And he’s trying, like any normal, rational parent would, to stay calm, to let it play out, ignore it and hope it passes. But it’s still going and he’s pulling breaths in through gritted teeth, begging for the will to keep his goddamn cool.  He’s failing. Miserably. 

30 for 💔

The pain is the first thing he notices but for a second he’s still lingering in the memory, assuming it’s all the same thing. It’s not until the pleasure vanishes, and the ice-cold wash of fear as he realizes exactly what he’d been remembering—another item from another one of those boxes spilling free—that he understands he’s awake.  The sky beyond the trees is a gradient of blues and oranges, the sun rising. He made it to daylight, so there’s that he supposes. And there’s the pain. There’s a pinprick tingling in his hands and feet, and he’s unbearably cold, his breath fogging in a misty cloud in front of his face. It’s still coming slow and even though, so that’s a good sign. He’s not panting, or fighting for it—he can still breathe. His lids are heavy and his body cries out for more rest. For more sleep. For more dreams. He thinks he could deal with them—thinks it would be nice actually—if he didn’t have to do this part. If he didn’t have to wake up and think about them. Process them. At least this time he’s– “No such luck I’m afraid.”  He groans, taking his sweet time to turn his head. She smiles sweetly at him. She looks younger again. He wonders if this is how it will go. Shannon will keep aging backward in his mind the closer he gets to death.  “What do I keep telling you? You’re not dying. Not if you don’t want to.”  “What the hell does that mean?” he asks, wishing he had the ability to sound as frustrated as he feels. Instead he just sounds tired—he sounds like he’s dying. Shannon doesn’t answer him, just smiles sweetly, so he waits, too tired to do much else. But waiting means silence, and silence means his mind falling back into the memory. He doesn’t want to go there, it’s why he’d shoved it down in the first place. He doesn’t need to remember—he doesn’t need to know.

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Penny: I read about a mom who’s daughter walked up to her, called her Alexa, and said ‘play twinkle twinkle little star.’

Jaune: Uncle Ted was right.

Penny: The Unabomber?

Jaune: The same.

Penny: What about me?

Jaune: You legitimately terrify me. Your modality of consciousness could be totally alien to us humans and faunus. If you evolved on another planet you’d be less alien. At least aliens would have crawled up and out of Darwin’s ladder so we’d have that in common. You’re also somehow undeniably a person on top of that and have rights. I legitimately have no idea how to categorize you. What’s your brain look like?

Penny: I have five billion nodes each with five synapses. So I’m different from you Cetra.

Jaune: How did your father solve the alignment and vanishing gradient problems?

Penny: I… I don’t know.

Jaune: You horrify me. I’m your friend. But you horrify me.

[disastrousfeline]

i'm your man

(frames + notes under cut)

title card!

some credits. the constellations triangulum (representing TRIPLE-POINT) in circuit purple, canis major (representing CAUSTIC) in circuit green, lynx (representing alsciaukat, aka sou spacius lynk) in their particular shade of purple, as well as circuitry in the circuit's green-purple gradient

enjoy :)

a mirror (representing TRIPLE-POINT) displaying [dog teeth? cracks?] on its glass on the left; lynk with angelic imagery on the right. lyric displayed: you're an angel / i'm a dog

additional note: as implied, the lyrics are sung by an aspect of TRIPLE-POINT, one that speaks in lowercase and developed a reverse savior complex towards lynk. everyone else does not matter to them, including themselves, hence the crossouts

the mirror is now displaying a silhouette of a person holding a leash connected to lynk's prosocollar, now without angelic imagery. lyric displayed: or you're a dog / and i'm your man

SCHRODINGER'S LYNX, lynk's persona while in the Circuit, stands with some other Circuit members: T|GHTL||SH, Operamandible, Conductive Noose, Synaptic_Static, AVERSION COMPLEX, END.repeat(end);. lyric displayed: you believe me like a god

SCHRODINGER'S LYNX, now alone. its projected lynx head displays more glitches, and its X-eye melts, as if crying. the Spire can faintly be seen in the background. lyric displayed: i destroy you like i am

lynk kneeling on the ground, tearfully reaching out to TRIPLE-POINT's broken casket post Event Horizon. lyric displayed: i'm sorry i'm the one you love / no one will ever love me like you again

some glass shards in circuit purple. lyric displayed: so when you leave me, i should die

the Spire. lyric displayed: i deserve it, don't i?

BEAKS AND BEAKS AND BEAKS AND BEAKS AND BEAKS AND BEAKS AND okay i'll stop. it's her! the namesake of the campaign! lyric displayed: i can feel it getting near

WINGS AND WINGS AND WINGS AND okay yeah you get the point. more of her (simulated self in the CRYPT OF STARS) :] lyric displayed: like flashlights coming down the way

featureless door in the VORSEHUNGSMOTOR. lyric displayed: one day you'll figure me out

Event Horizon time. CAUSTIC looks at the viewer. TRIPLE-POINT, eidolized, is visible in the background. lyric displayed: i'll meet judgement by the hounds

some Circuit embers from before, smiling. less of them because i was getting tired. for what it's worth, these are the three who are the most fond of TRIPLE-POINT and CAUSTIC, not counting SCHRODINGER'S LYNX: Operamandible, AVERSION COMPLEX, Conductive Noose. lyric displayed: people always gave me love

blurrr. lyric displayed: others were never to blame after all

lynk reaches out to TRIPLE-POINT, like adam in michelangelo's the creation of adam. lyric displayed: you believe me like a god

TRIPLE-POINT vanishes, leaving lynk alone. i should note that TRIPLE-POINT did not die in our playthrough — this segment moreso represents the several times lynk abruptly woke up from the dreams in which they speak to TRIPLE-POINT. lyric displayed: i betray you like a man

the following segment is just lynk and TRIPLE-POINT's conversation after Event Horizon. this was honestly just a last-minute decision to fill in the ending instrumentals. also they were quickly patched by the team members with Patch beforehand dw