#non-linear

[steddieunderdogfics]

ooh, for the december 11th nonlinear fics challenge, i'm calling out 'Give me one good honest kiss (And I'll be alright)' by ChristinMKay! it's omegaverse alpha/alpha and SO good!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60959554

Give me one good honest kiss (And I'll be alright) by ChristinMKay

@transmascsteveharrington

Rating: E

21,459 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags:

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Eddie Munson, Alpha Steve Harrington, rejection sickness, isolation sickness, Steve Harrington Whump, Secret Relationship, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Smitten Eddie Munson, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Knotting, Oral Knotting, Rough Sex, Tender Sex, They just have the range, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-Linear Narrative, no beta we die like steve harrington's heterosexuality, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary:

Dustin doesn’t seem to notice Steve’s trouble breathing, just whines, “Just move your date this one time, come on.” His inner alpha is back to panting. He likes the idea of moving the date that doesn’t actually exist, just quietly mumbles something along the lines of Eddie and alpha and mate into Steve’s ear. Steve pretends it’s tinnitus and a high pitched ring actually drowns out his inner alpha. Apparently, those concussions were good for something after all. “What, to hang out with you and Eddie the freak Munson? Yeah, I’ll pass.” or: Eddie and Steve have been dating for a while now but no one can know since they are both alphas. The secret has unforeseen consequences for Steve's health

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of our Birthday Celebration Challenge Week! The challenge for today was NON-LINEAR FICS.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[obnebulant-mogai]

Linear and Non-Linear!

[plain text: Linear and Non-Linear! /end plain text]

Linear and Non-Linear are terms I coined to serve as alternatives to queer and not queer, in case someone is uncomfortable due to queer formerly being a slur.

Linear - a term to describe a person who does not have a marginalized gender expression or identity, orientation (for any attraction type), and is not intersex or altersex.

[ID: A flag with five horizontal stripes. In descending order, there is a thin dark green stripe, a thin green stripe, a thick white stripe, a thin green stripe, and a thin dark green stripe. End ID.]

Non-Linear - a term for someone who has at least one marginalized identity or expression type, whether it be gender or orientation (for any type of attraction), or is intersex or altersex.

Obviously, I can't touch upon every type of identity, but those who are alterhuman, neurodivergent, or feel like they deviate from the societal norm in any way may also use this label if they wish! No gatekeeping allowed!! The only requirement is that you support other non-linear folks of all communities :)

[ID: A flag with five curved, diagonal stripes. From top left to bottom right, there is a thick purple stripe, a medium light purple stripe, a thick white stripe, a medium light purple stripe, and a thick purple stripe. End ID.]

I chose the terms "linear" and "non-linear" because linear is seen as straightforward, and non-linear deviates from this in a variety of different forms, such as quadratic, exponential, etc!! I'm a bit of a math nerd, as you can see.

P.S. These labels do not need to be mutually exclusive! Experiences are complicated, feel free to mix and match these however you wish!

[ID: A divider that consists of a thin white line with three stars on each side. End ID.]

Flags by me, tagging @radiomogai.

[thevoyagesofthefdfdanton]

a story told in scattered pieces about a strange encounter and its consequences

[theglamour-theterror]

haymitch/oc. drabbles compilation, no warnings applied.

alex's hunger won't reach him. he learns, in time, what haymitch is actually asking for.

[1]

Alex stands over Haymitch as he lies on the floor. He crouches down and grabs his wrist, checking for Haymitch’s pulses. He’s still warm. Alex sighs, and takes his time. Haymitch isn’t going anywhere. He doesn’t know why he keeps thinking about Haymitch’s death- a cardiac arrest, falling down the stairs, choking on his own vomit, maybe. When Alex reaches to touch Haymitch’s face, he stirs and mumbles something incoherent.

“Come again?” Alex says.

“Get off of me,” Haymitch groans.

[edelweiss]

Alex’s nail drags down on the side of Haymitch’s cheek. Haymitch slurrs and swears and hisses, but his hand rests on Alex’s shoulder and he doesn’t tell Alex to stop, so Alex gives it to him. The kind of love Alex reserves for Haymitch is a far cry from what Alex is used to. It isn’t servitude. Haymitch doesn’t want to owe him anything, and Alex gives that to him, too.

How difficult, devotion without acknowledgment, understanding without conversation. Once spoken, their words become games. A locked constant of back and forth, addictive, destructive.

Yet he wants nothing but to croon. To comfort, consort. He knows he isn’t allowed to, not when his sweet nothings are still poisonous, unwelcomed.

Flowers that bloom on dry lands die when they are flooded. So, he holds back.

[sweet dream]

When Haymitch sees Alex cry, Alex is lying on the couch. He is curling into himself, like a ball, sobs coming in waves. Haymitch laughs him awake. He is rather drunk.

Then he offers him a can of beer, or a glass of wine, he can’t remember. Alex nods and downs the whole thing, but he doesn’t fall back asleep. As they talk, Haymitch can feel those eyes on him, unnervingly sober. Haymitch urges him to drink some more.

“Does that normally help, for you?” Alex suddenly blurts out.

“Help with what?” Haymitch says, narrowing his eyes. When he realizes how nervous Alex is, he tries to soften his voice. “With sleep? With the shaking? The nightmare? Nah, I just drink for the fun of it, obviously.”

Alex leans back, ignoring his sarcasm. He fiddles with the glass, letting the ice cubes clink together. Haymitch sees this, and he feels his patience losing. He waits, still. Alex is acting as if he’s more interested in watching ice melts, but he’s probably just deep in thought. It might be important- might be worth it, even.

���I know that if your subconscious is trying to remind you of something, you shouldn’t be ignoring it. That’s what dreams are for,” Alex says. “But it’s too much, sometimes.”

This grasps Haymitch’s attention. For a man whose mind is always buzzed and plagued with ideas, with memories, with visions that can never be realized, he understands. The urge to silence yourself.

“Then why indulge in nightmares?” He says, smiling. “They mean nothing. Have a drink. Relax.”

Alex shakes his head.

“They were only nightmares because they weren't real. I can't hide from the truth."

[expectation #1]

Haymitch has been careful. He isn’t anything less. But he has no one to blame but himself, when Alex managed to slip under his skin and crawl into his gut, leaving marks that go unnoticeable until they fester into something else. The man insisted in his own harmlessness, but Haymitch knows better. Not that it matters now. Somehow he finds himself shaking under Alex’s light touches, anyway.

Haymitch hates how light Alex is, even when they’re alone. As if he isn't really here. As if being with a ghost.

For that matter, it is an act without consequences. Alex probably doesn’t care enough, and even as he lets Haymitch do anything to him, he’s still unreachable, far away.

“Is this alright?” Haymitch will say. “Are you comfortable?”

Alex hums. He doesn’t say anything, so Haymitch watches for his reactions instead. Yet, nothing. Naked as he is, Alex remains guarded, and even as their eyes meet he doesn’t see Haymitch at all. Haymitch can feel those gazes picking him apart, analytical, a lump of meat. Not a person.

[expectation #2]

Alex thought he knew what love is. He had been taught that well enough. He knew to love the Capitol, to love the Games, to love Snow. Growing up, he was able to form his own kind of love, for the little things, see. It was not the same, conditioned as the chants and the classes, the poems and the songs - the kind that sneaks up on him and changes him and breaks him in the process. Clementia. The rubble ruins in the backyard where broken chairs are kept. His home that he left behind. The walk he takes through the city, its lights bright, discerning, unforgiving. Unconditional love tends to be fragile. A child, grown among his siblings, he worked his feelings considering so much as he was given. Fragility isn’t something that is allowed. Especially when they are felt deeply.

The vagueness of reality screams that he doesn’t really care about them, as much as he had wanted to, if he did he would have known, he wouldn’t have sold her out. So it was all a lie? Not exactly. Alex can no longer tell lies from truths, none of which any more comfortable to him than the other.

The victor is beautiful. Haymitch Abernathy, he reminds himself. He realizes that now he concerns himself with names too much, written and called and cheered on paper slips and drunken talks and celebrations and shakes of the hands, they are but sounds, farces. There are many victors in the Capitol, but their titles don't mean anything, see, or they let themselves be consumed by it and rot away. District Twelve’s victor stands alone with his wit and his strength, untouchable, unbothered, powerful. Alex finds himself more fascinated than he is terrified, and maybe, maybe- maybe- he doesn’t have to be so afraid of his own vulnerability. The victor has seen it all, anyway. He brought him down to it. The victor beat him at his own games.

But it’s only the beginning.

(Alex would allow himself to be just a little  selfish.)

Alex is no fool. He knows the Victor is also caught into this web of lies and deceptions, even worse than himself. Which is exactly why it will be a challenge. What Alex witnesses proved that Haymitch can be more. He yearns for more. Can this be his weakness? Can he force the Victor to come to his full, ugly, brutal, ruthless potential?

Alex is sick of the glamour. He knows Haymitch is sick of it too. There is no glamour here. The Victor will be a change of pace, so carefully wrapped that breaking him will be carthatic- it’s what freedom requires, after all, destruction, then recreation. To him, it will be freedom.

[drdamiang]

ONE AND ONLY

ONE AND ONLY

imagine

you are one

moment

naked in

the street

in Hamburg

the one before

in Strawberry Fields

with Yoko

the next

being introduced to

Paul

the next being blown

away by a jealous soul

with a snub-

nosed special

imagine a

world become

so non-linear

everything you are and were

revolving forever on a carousel

imagine that

Mr Sergeant Pepper's

one and

only Billy Shears

[hellcheerficdatabase]

all i need to hear

Author: @amandaashplease

Rating/Warning: Explicit

Chapter Count: 1/1

Description:

Chrissy thinks about throwing her phone across the room. It’s been days of the same articles repeatedly. Her publicist has assured her it’s best to handle everything by saying nothing. It’s just difficult when she wants to scream from the rooftops that it’s no one’s business.

Because she and Eddie are perfectly fine. It is just a rumor. She looks across the green room and smiles at him as he plays with their daughter.

Tags: Alternate Universe- modern au, Rockstar!Eddie, Popstar!Chrissy, established relationship, fluff, idiots in love, smut, angst, non-linear, Chrissy POV, one-shot, part of a series, status: completed

[linuxgamenews]

Step into the Mindcop: A Detective Adventure like No Other

Mindcop launches the non-linear whodunnit detective game on Steam Deck and Linux via Windows PC. Developer Andre Gareis brings his creative talents to life. Which you can play now on Steam with its 96% Very Positive reviews. So, after six years of hard work and passion, solo developer Andre Gareis and Dear Villagers have officially launched Mindcop. And yes, it’s Steam Deck verified and playable on Linux via Proton. This isn’t your typical detective title. It’s a unique, non-linear adventure packed with fresh mechanics, clever puzzles, and just enough time pressure to keep you on the edge of your seat. In Mindcop, you step into the shoes of a detective: you’re not just solving crimes — you’re diving into people’s minds. Since this murder mystery is all about making tough choices, uncovering secrets, and cracking lies as you race to catch the killer. With support for multiple languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. Which is due to invite players from around the globe to put their sleuthing skills to the test.

Mindcop - Launch trailer

Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect in this non-linear whodunnit detective game:

WHODUNNIT DONE RIGHT

Forget linear storylines. Gameplay is all about uncovering secrets and piecing together clues your way. Your ultimate goal? Identify the real suspect behind this town’s chilling murder.

MINDSURF MECHANICS

Ever wanted to peek inside someone’s head? In Mindcop, you can. Mindsurfing is a mini-game where you navigate a suspect’s "Sea of Thoughts." This real-time puzzle has you matching items in a fast-paced match-3 title. Win, and you’ll unlock different doors—Lie, Uncertainty, or Truth—that reveal vital details about your suspect’s psyche.

MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY

You’ve got just five days to solve the case, and every move costs precious time. Investigate smartly, decide what’s worth pursuing, and avoid dead ends. Your decisions lead to one of two possible endings, so choose carefully.

Mindcop is a Labor of Love

For Andre Gareis, this has been more than a game — it’s been a journey. Over six years of development, Gareis poured his love for detective stories and his creative spark into making a title he’s truly proud of. From innovative mechanics to heartfelt narrative writing, this is a rare gem that stands out in the genre. “I wanted to create something special, something uncompromised,” Gareis shares. “As a longtime fan of mystery stories, Mindcop let me explore the genre from a whole new angle. It’s been challenging but so rewarding. And I hope players enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.” So, if you’re ready to put your detective skills to the test, this non-linear whodunnit title is out on Steam. Dive into this thrilling mystery and show the world you’ve got what it takes to solve the case. Out now on Linux and Steam Deck via Windows PC. Priced at $13.49 USD / £11.69 / 13,49€ with the 10% discount.

[totesmccoats]

Strange Darling revives 70s horror

As with American filmmaking overall, the 70s saw a resurrection of the horror genre. Movies like The Exorcist, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween, Dawn of the Dead, and Alien, among so many others expanded the purview of the genre. Beyond introducing new designs and subgenres to the wider audiences these films attracted, they also proved that horror could be undeniably about things in the…

[steddieunderdogfics]

Hi! I think this is a good one for 11th December Birthday Fics

I know I've kissed you before (Can I try again)

By ChristinMKay

https://archiveofourown.org/works/41596026/chapters/104332968

I know I've kissed you before (Can I try again) by ChristinMKay

@transmascsteveharrington

Rating: E

164,732 words, 11/11 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exes to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, at least in one time line, Secret Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Protective Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington-centric, Guidance Counselor Steve Harrington, Teacher Eddie Munson, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, this fic has an idenity crisis and doesn't know if it's a rom-com or steve whump, Eventual Smut, as in eventual explicit smut there is some m rated smut sprinkled through this, Anal Sex, Top Eddie Munson, Bottom Steve Harrington, Overstimulation, Light Dom/sub

Summary:

“Still not graduated, Harrington?”   It’s something Eddie would have said teasingly when they were teens. Steve would have smacked him on the shoulder, affectionately calling him an asshole before being pulled into an apologetic kiss. But they are not teenagers anymore and Eddie’s voice lacks any of the warmth that used to be reserved for Steve. Now, it’s just loaded with resentment, which, yeah, is a fair reaction.   “I…eh…work here now,” Steve says lamely and points at his office door. “Guidance counselor.”   or: 14 years after his first big heartbreak, Steve's life is relatively stable. It's been two years since the tragic incident that led to him becoming Dustin's guardian, both of them slowly healing. He is doing amazing at his job and his social life is great. Of course, that's when a person from Steve's past has to come and shake everything up.

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of our Birthday Celebration Challenge Week! The challenge for today was NON-LINEAR FICS.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[tribalephemeral]

Transient Formation of Flock of Multiconsciousness’ Islets

they are interconnected and interdisciplinary beings who navigate complex conceptual and physical landscapes while formulating theories and manipulating time. The narrative is abstract, fragmented, and filled with symbolic and philosophical expressions.

Transient Formation of Flock of Multiconsciousness’ Islets We the People [citation needed] ate lunch together and alone with one anotherWe the People [citation needed] went slightly off to the side & concocted theoremsWe the People [citation needed] thanked ourselves for the brilliance of our gathered together multiconsciousnessWe the People [citation needed], in between where ourselves were…

[www-yin]

"In the beginning I wanted the end pictures to be as close to real photographs as possible, with little clues and awkward moments to tip off the viewer. But recently I have been working more to accentuate the crappiness and make them awkward - a whole new world made from photographs that are weird and absurd."

Robert Shore, 'Post-Photography: The Artist with a Camera', 2014, p.60

[cutter-kirby]

getting into both of these games at the same time is pretty funny

[drdamiang]

ONE AND ONLY

ONE AND ONLY

imagine

you are one

moment

naked in

the street

in Hamburg

the one before

in Strawberry Fields

with Yoko

the next

being introduced to

Paul

the next being blown

away by a jealous soul

with a snub-

nosed special

imagine a

world become

so non-linear

everything you are and were

revolving forever on a carousel

imagine that you

are

have become

none other

than

Mr Sergeant Pepper's

one and

only Billy Shears

[imagine-too-many-books]

Imagine Annabeth and Percy have a kid early, unplanned and it kinda fucks with their finances so Percy drops out of school to get a job so he can care for the kid and support Annabeth in school. At first he gets a job teaching kids sword fighting but then he hears about underwater welding which pays well because it’s dangerous but Percy is a child of the sea so it’s much less so for him. His boss is even willing to give him flexible hours which means Annabeth doesn’t have to take their kid to class anymore and they can actually afford daycare (why does is it the price of a mortgage nowadays???). A huge financial burden is lifted and Percy doesn’t mind the work so it’s good all the way around.

Fast forward to when Annabeth is done her masters in architecture and lands a job at a top firm. They’ve got savings and have Annabeth’s income to rely on. Percy heads back to school and finishes a degree in marine biology, going on to research some really niche topics like how underwater welding impacts the environment and shifting from there until he’s a well known expert in the field.

Just them finding their way. Supporting each other and landing on their feet no matter what

[shivroy]

kendalling in oil

[aventurineswife]

Time traveller reader, who can't seem to keep things linear. Always meeting out of order, sometimes knowing stuff that will happen and other times not knowing who they're with. (Kinda like River Song's backwards timeline from Doctor Who)

I'm sure everyone gets somewhat annoyed by it in some form...anyways, reader goes on to be all sappy saying something like "I'm glad you're a constant in my life" or something to that degree.

Semi-established relationships, with Boothill, Dr Ratio, Aventurine and who ever else might fit!

A Constant in My Chaos

Tags: Boothill x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Ratio x Reader, Time Traveler!Reader, Non-linear Relationships , Emotional Moments, Fluff with a Hint of Angst, Slow Burn (Implied), Character Introspection, Found Family Dynamics (Implied).

Warnings: Mild angst, Themes of time travel confusion (non-linear narrative), Reader feeling lost or unsure of timelines, Ambiguity in relationship progression due to non-linearity.

The bright lights of a bustling spaceport flickered in the distance, casting an eerie glow on the cold, metallic surface of the docking bay. Boothill adjusted the brim of his hat, his teeth glinting as he smirked. He was waiting, but for who, he wasn’t sure.

“Boothill!” your voice called from behind, breathless but full of excitement.

He turned, his eyes narrowing, the in his pupils reflecting the dim light. You looked different—again. Time had a funny way of twisting you into knots.

“Now, ain’t that a sight for sore eyes,” Boothill drawled, though his posture tensed. “What year is it this time? You know me, or am I just another stranger to ya?”

Your face fell slightly, and he hated how it tugged at something deep in his mechanical chest. “I know you. Of course I do,” you said, stepping closer. “I don’t know what year it is for you, though. For me...you’ve always been there, somehow.”

Boothill’s smirk faltered, replaced by a rare moment of vulnerability. “Always? That’s a mighty big claim for someone who keeps poppin’ in and out of my life like a ghost.”

You reached out, placing a hand on the red scarf around his neck. “I’m sorry if it’s frustrating. I never know when—or where—I’ll end up. But no matter where I go, or when I meet you...you’re a constant in my life, Boothill. And that means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

For a moment, the cyborg cowboy was silent. Then, he tipped his hat slightly, his teeth flashing in a lopsided grin. “Guess I ain’t all bad if you keep comin’ back, huh?”

The sprawling halls of the Intelligentsia Guild glittered with intricate designs and cascading lights. Ratio sat at his desk, wavy hair falling over his face as he scribbled notes furiously. He didn’t hear you enter until you dropped into a seat across from him.

“Back already?” he asked without looking up, his eyes briefly flickering toward you. “Or should I say, forward?”

“Depends,” you replied, leaning your elbows on the desk. “Do you know me yet?”

Ratio finally set his pen down, his skin glowing faintly under the lights. “Oh, I know you,” he said smoothly. “You’re the one who comes and goes like the wind, spouting riddles and truths you aren’t even sure of yourself. Of course, it’s maddening.”

You smiled faintly. “That’s fair. I must be frustrating.”

“Unbearably so,” Ratio said, but his voice lacked venom. “Yet somehow, you always manage to pique my interest. I’ve yet to determine why.”

You leaned back, a soft sigh escaping your lips. “Because you’re one of the few people who doesn’t treat me like a puzzle to be solved. You let me just...be.”

Ratio’s sharp gaze softened, his fingers steepling under his chin. “Interesting hypothesis,” he murmured. “But why bother coming back here, to me, when there’s an entire timeline out there waiting for you?”

“Because,” you said quietly, meeting his eyes, “no matter where I end up, you’re my constant, Ratio. My anchor in all this chaos.”

For once, Ratio didn’t have a clever retort. He simply nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The luxurious casino shimmered with gold, a symphony of laughter and the clatter of dice filling the air. Aventurine lounged at a card table, his eyes lazily scanning the room. When he saw you approaching, his ever-present smile widened.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite little enigma,” he purred, gesturing for you to sit. “What brings you here this time? Or should I say, which version of you am I getting today?”

You slid into the chair across from him, your gaze flickering with uncertainty. “I think I’m late,” you admitted. “You already know me, don’t you?”

Aventurine chuckled, shuffling the deck in his hands with practiced ease. “Oh, darling, I know you better than most, but that’s not saying much, is it?” He dealt you a card. “How about you tell me what’s on your mind?”

You hesitated, fingers brushing against the edge of the card. “It’s...hard, sometimes. Not knowing when I’ll see you again. Or if you’ll even recognize me. But somehow, you always do.”

“Of course I do,” Aventurine said softly, his tone unusually sincere. “I never forget a gamble worth taking.”

You smiled, though your voice wavered. “You’re more than that to me. No matter where—or when—I end up, you’re a constant in my life, Aventurine. I’m not sure what I’d do without you.”

For a moment, Aventurine’s confident mask faltered, a flicker of genuine emotion crossing his face. Then, he grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Well, aren’t you sweet? But don’t worry, darling—I’ll always be here. After all, what’s life without a little chaos?”