#such a neat frosting effect

[em1i2a3]

Some Kind Of Love

Pairing: Bob/Robert Reynolds/The Sentry/The Void x Pregnant!Thunderbolt!Fem!Reader!

Summary: You and Bob find out that you’re expecting, and things get extremely complicated when you realize that the good news comes with its own set of interesting side effects.

Warnings: Fluff, Discussions surrounding pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms, Exploration of fear surrounding pregnancy, Scenes involving medical checkups, There are some supernatural elements to this

Author’s Note: This was a request by a cool ass anon, and it’s a two parter! I really enjoyed writing this first part and exploring the ideas that were brought up in the request itself, I really took the idea and literally dashed off with it screaming. Absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for the neat request and I hope I did it justice <3 (so far at least lol)

Word Count: 6,198

Four little pink plus signs greeted you that fateful morning.

They all sat in a neat, trembling row across the marble lip of the bathroom sink–each with a soft pink plastic cap, each window displaying the same quiet verdict in unwavering lines. The morning light slanted through the frosted glass window, shining down on them like a hand reaching out to caress it, as if even the sun understood the gravity of what was resting there.

You were only supposed to take one.

One test. One answer. One more gentle disappointment that you would tuck away like the others–stacked quietly in your memory alongside months of calendar calculations and hopeful silences. But the moment the positive result came up–faint but immediate–you froze in your spot. You weren’t relieved, or joyful, you were in pure disbelief.

Then, almost without thinking, your body moved quickly–muscle memory taking over your actions completely. You grabbed another box from the cabinet under the sink, ripping it open with shaking hands before opening up the plastic that the test was surrounded in. Your heart was hammering inside your ribs like it was trying to escape from the confines of your body–or like it was trying to wake you up from this dream. When the same result came back, you took a third test, doing the exact same thing.

By the fourth test, your hands were shaking with pure relief and excitement. You couldn’t stop staring at the results, as if it might somehow change if you closed your eyes for too long.

You needed to be sure that this was real.

Because after eleven long months of trying, hoping, and hurting together–you didn’t know how to trust good news anymore.

You and Bob had started the journey together with optimism. The kind that sits high in your chest and makes you whisper things like ‘this could be the month’ after every kiss, and every breathless evening tangled together in bed, sweaty and laughing and full of quiet wanting. He had taken the liberty to mark the dates in a small notebook, it was chalked full of ovulation windows, fertility reminders, and soft little smiley faces in the margins beside your initials.

It had been romantic, even magical at first.

Until it wasn’t.

By the seventh month, the intimacy had begun to feel clinical, timed, and mechanical. The warmth that once bloomed between your bodies–those breathless nights laced with quiet laughter and whispered I-love-you’s–began to thin under the weight of expectation. Sex became a checkbox, with each wave of hope that came crashing down with another let down. You’d lie tangled in the sheets afterward in a haze of silence, with Bob’s thumb stroking the back of your hand absentmindedly, while neither of you said what hung between you.

The tension settled into your bone like a second skin. You started visiting the med bay together after returning from missions, but it wasn’t just for bruises or being patched up–it was for answers. The techs ran every test they could think of. Hormone panels, sperm counts, uterine scans…Everything under the sun. You sat side-by-side on sterile white exam tables with your hands clasped tightly together while polite professionals told you the same thing, over and over again:

”Everything looks normal.”

But normal didn’t help, because no matter how normal everything looked, nothing was happening.

And that was the part that began to hurt the most.

Bob tried to hide it, but you saw the guilt spreading inside him like a quiet rot.

One night, after a particularly long debrief, you came into the bedroom to find him sitting on the edge of the bed in the dark. The lamp on his side was still on, casting soft golden light across the sheets, but he wasn’t moving. He sat hunched forward, elbows on his knees, hands twisted into his thick light brown hair, like he was holding himself together by sheer force.

You stepped toward him, wordlessly, and wrapped your arms gently around his shoulders. At first, he didn’t move. He just let out a quiet, shaking breath–one that you felt creep down your spine. Then his hands found you, pulling you closer to him, arms curling tight around your waist like he needed you as close as possible. His head dropped forward until his ear was resting against your stomach, and you slid your fingers into his ruffled locks of hair, smoothing them down as you always did when he was unraveling.

It took him a long time to speak, and when he did, it was barely a hushed breath.

”M-Maybe it’s me…” You froze in your spot, “Maybe it’s the…The Sentry s-serum. It wasn’t properly tested…I–I don’t even know what it did to my body. To my cells…” His voice cracked, low and raw and ashamed, “Maybe i-it broke something inside me…Maybe it’s my fault.” Your heart shattered. You pulled back just enough to look down at him, your free hand coming up to the curve of his jaw to tilt his head up. You brushed your thumb across the soft skin beneath his eye–where tears began to well up in the corners–watching his lashes flutter at the touch. His face was flushed in the amber glow, lips parted like he was struggling to breath through the thoughts that plagued his mind.

”Don’t say that Bob…” You said gently. He swallowed hard, his lashes dampening.

”Everything came back fine for you. But for me…T-They don’t even have a panel that goes into d-depth enough. That’s probably w-why we don’t have answers.” You shook your head slowly, pressing your forehead to his.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not mine either. It’s just…” You paused, barely able to say it. “It’s just happening the way it’s happening. And I know that hurts. I know.” He curled his arms tighter around you, before burying his face into your soft stomach again. You could feel how hard he was holding himself back from breaking further. It was like being loved by someone standing at the edge of an earthquake, afraid to fall in too deep in case he took you with him.

Then some nights, Sentry would surface.

In the quiet moments between sleeping, and turning over to reposition yourself, when you were both too exhausted to pretend you weren’t hurting, his golden eyes would flicker and overtake the ocean expanse of Bob’s. He would lay behind you, with one arm slung protectively over your waist, palm pressed flat over your womb, like he could feel a future there, and he never stuttered or hesitated when he made his claims.

“I will make it happen, my love,” He whispered, voice like honey and heat curling against the shell of your ear, “Even if I must pull the stars from the sky and set the world ablaze to do it…You were made to bear my light…And I won’t stop believing that.” He kissed the back of your neck, his hand stroking along the softness of your stomach.

”I can already picture them…I can feel them in the ether…Yours and mine.” And for the briefest second–you believed him.

There were other nights like that. Quiet ones, where you woke to find Sentry’s arms curled around you like a shield, his forehead pressed to yours, whispering promises you didn’t know how to hold.

By the ninth month of trying, the emotional weight had started to wear thin. You’d stopped tracking your cycle. Stopped buying ovulation strips. You even started pulling away a little when Bob reached for you–not out of rejection, but exhaustion.

The joy was gone, and that magic and closeness ceased to exist.

One night, you lay on the couch together after dinner, half-draped over his chest, your fingers curled loosely in the hem of his shirt. You could hear his heartbeat in your ear–steady and strong–and it made you ache with love for him in ways you didn’t have words for.

So you finally said it.

“…Let’s stop trying.”

Bob went still beneath you. His arm around your shoulder froze mid-stroke, the fingertips that had been tracing idle patterns against your skin stilling in surprise.

“What?” he asked softly.

You looked up at him, eyes glassy but calm. “Let’s stop tracking it. Stop planning it. It’s making us miserable.”

He stared down at you, concerned. “But–what–if?”

You shook your head slowly.

“If it happens, it happens,” You whispered. “And if it doesn’t…Maybe we weren’t supposed to be parents.”

His face crumpled like you’d reached in and crushed something inside him.

But then he pulled you in tighter.

And replied, “O-Okay. I just…I don’t want you to think it’s your fault. Ever.”

“I don’t,” You lied softly. “Not anymore.”

You nestled against him and didn’t speak again. You didn’t have to. Because in that moment, the two of you silently agreed to step back, to take your hands off the wheel and let the universe drive–even if neither of you liked where it might go.

And now…Here you were two months later, with four positive pregnancy tests in front of you, beaming the news that you had been wanting to see since the beginning.

“Just one more…” You whispered to yourself, like it might bring even firmer proof that this was real, that you weren’t dreaming still. That the aching quiet of the last year had finally given way to something more.

But before you could tear open the packaging to one more test, you heard a gentle knock.

“Y/N…Is e-everything okay?” Bob’s voice asked, soft as a breath through the wood. You froze, your fingers tightening around the unopened test. Your heart thudded, and you glanced back down at the row of pink plus signs. Your throat tightened as you stepped toward the door, swallowing against the wave of emotion building behind your sternum. You cracked it open just a sliver, and the moment you did, your eyes found him.

He was already staring at you.

Messy hair from restless sleep, light brown strands sticking out like he’d run his hands through it a hundred times. His grey sweatpants clung to his hips from where he’d thrown them back on half-asleep, and his chest was bare–warm and flushed from the heat of the sheets, freckled skin rising and falling with each nervous breath. His eyes scanned over your face, and you saw the way his brow pulled–worried, tender, and afraid.

”…Y/N…What’s w-wrong?” He asked gently. That was the moment you realized you were crying. Silent tears rolled down your cheeks without fanfare, without permission–carved straight from disbelief and joy and exhaustion. You lifted your hand quickly, wiping at your face with the back of your wrist like it might erase what he saw.

“C-Can I come in?” You gave a shaky little sniffle and nodded, stepping back just enough to open the door wider. He didn’t hesitate. The moment there was enough room, Bob stepped in and reached for you like he couldn’t stand a second more of distance. His hands came up to your face instantly, gentle but urgent, tilting your chin so he could see you properly in the light. His thumbs swept across your cheeks, brushing away the tears that continued to fall.

“Why are you c-crying?” he asked, searching your expression like he was bracing for heartbreak. “Did you…D-Did you get your period?”

You shook your head immediately, the denial spilling from your lips in a breathless rush. “No. No, I didn’t.”

His hands stilled on your face, and you felt him pause–completely, fully still like he was afraid to breathe.

“That’s…That’s why I took the test,” You whispered. “I’m three weeks late. And my body’s been…” You faltered, eyes fluttering shut as you tried to explain. “It’s like I’ve been feeling these little…Pins and needles? All over. Especially in my stomach. I didn’t really think much of it until–until you said it.”

Bob blinked. “S-Said what?”

Your voice was nearly a whisper.

“That maybe it was happening.”

You saw the way his expression shifted then. How that sentence came back to him like a ghost. He had said it so gently, with that hesitant hope he always laced through his worry, like he didn’t want to jinx anything but couldn’t stop believing in you anyway. He had stood beside you in the kitchen just last week, watching you rub your stomach absentmindedly–trying to ease the discomfort you were feeling–and said it so quietly you almost didn’t catch it.

Now, with his hands still holding your face and your eyes glistening beneath the bathroom light, spilling tears, he looked terrified.

“I–I didn’t mean to get your hopes up,” He said quickly, stammering over the words. “I–I just…I thought maybe, maybe it was finally–God, Y/N, if I made you think–” You shook your head again, cutting off his spiral before it could build into something heavier.

“Bob,” You breathed. “You were right.”

His eyes widened slightly, lips parting as if the air had suddenly gotten too thin.

”W-What?” Your hands found his wrists gently, fingers curling around them as you guided him across the bathroom, his socked feet shuffling quietly across the tile behind you. The sunlight had shifted again, now casting a warm halo over the sink–and over the four test sticks aligned like sacred relics, their soft pink caps and double lines shining beneath the golden hue.

Bob followed your movement, as you stopped and tilted your head toward them, wordlessly telling him to see for himself.

He looked down.

And everything about him seemed to slow.

He hunched forward slightly, blinking hard like he didn’t trust his eyes, his hands still hovering in the air like he didn’t know what to do with them. His brows furrowed, mouth falling open slightly as he looked closer–at each plus sign, one after the other, as if he needed to study every single one before the truth could bloom fully in his chest.

“…Holy…” His voice cracked. “Holy shit.”

His eyes snapped back to yours.

“Y-You’re pregnant?”

You let out the softest breath, almost a laugh but caught halfway by tears, and nodded.

“I’m pregnant,” You whispered, your voice breaking mid-syllable.

And just like that, he crumpled into you.

He let out a laugh–a huff of disbelief, breathless and wild–and then wrapped you in his arms so tightly you felt like the only thing anchoring him to the earth. His face buried itself into the crook of your neck, warm and damp with tears as his arms closed around your back, curling in like he wanted to disappear into the moment and stay there forever.

You held him just as tightly, your fingers sliding through the soft mess of his hair, your chin resting on his shoulder.

He breathed against your skin.

“You’re pregnant…You’re really… Oh my God.”

You nodded into his shoulder, laughing gently through the tears. “We’re gonna have a baby, Bob.”

He pulled back just enough to look at you again, his eyes glassy, lips parted like he still couldn’t catch his breath. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to your lips—soft, slow, and full of wonder. The kind of kiss people write about. The kind that tastes like the end of grief and the beginning of something holy.

When he pulled back, he was smiling.

Then he laughed–really laughed–and looked down again at the row of tests before glancing back up at you with wide, teary eyes.

“W-Who takes four pregnancy tests,” He said, breathless with awe and amusement, “When the first two should be perfect confirmation that it’s happening?”

You let out a small laugh and swatted playfully at his chest. “I was in shock!”

He caught your hand and kissed your knuckles, then pressed it to his cheek like he couldn’t bear to let go of you.

“I’m only joking…I-I probably would’ve done the same…” Bob’s laugh rumbled low in his chest, soft and breathless, the kind that bubbled up from somewhere deep and warm. He leaned forward again, unable to resist the gravitational pull of your joy, your eyes, your mouth–and kissed your cheek. Then your nose. Then another to your brow.

And another.

And another.

You giggled, trying to wriggle away from the onslaught, but he held you fast with both arms, kissing across your face like he was tracing the constellation of his entire future.

He pulled back just an inch, golden warmth shining through the tears in his eyes. “S-Sentry is g-going to flip his lid.” You snorted, forehead resting lightly against his, your smile tugging at the corners of your lips like it had been waiting to return for months.

“I’m glad I got to have this moment with you first,” You whispered, voice softer now. “I feel like…Now that this is really happening, he’s going to be even more protective of me.” Bob brough his hand up to his chest, eyes wide in playful mock offence.

”A-And I’m not as protective as h-him? Is that what y-you’re saying?” You gave him a teasing smile, poking your fingers against the muscles that lined his stomach, leaning your weight towards him.

”You’re just the right amount of protective,” You said sweetly, “But…Unlike you, he would destroy the entire planet if something were to happen to me…So…” The corner of Bob’s mouth twitched up into that crooked little grin you loved.

”T-This is true…” He murmured, nose brushing yours. “Won’t fault you for w-wanting him to be a bit calmer…M-Maybe I can talk to him about that.”

You raised your brows. “You think he’ll listen?”

His arms slid tighter around your waist. “He listens to you m-more than he listens to m-me.” His voice was quieter now, like the truth of it was something he didn’t quite know how to say louder. “A-Always has.”

Your eyes flickered over his face, studying the curve of his mouth, the warm flush in his cheeks, the awe still settled in the crinkle of his brow like he hadn’t fully come down from the miracle of it all.

“Are you flipping your lid too?” You asked.

Bob let out a low laugh and leaned into you again, burying his face against your neck, his voice muffled but full of that same breathless wonder. “I-I already did, sweetheart,” he said, kissing the hollow of your throat. “L-Lid’s long gone.” You laughed, tears slipping freely again, and you reached for him–both arms looping around his neck as you pulled him into a real embrace. No more shock. No more waiting. Just you and him, wrapped in the truth you both thought you might never hold.

He squeezed you so tight you could feel his heartbeat pressed against your chest.

“We’re gonna be okay,” He whispered, almost to himself.

You nodded, closing your eyes. “Yeah,” You breathed. “We really are.”

———————

About five and a half months later the couch had practically grown to match the shape of your body. It groaned beneath you like an old friend as you shifted, the fabric warm from hours of lingering and the soft cream blanket wrapped around your legs knotted somewhere at your knees. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the ceiling vent and the occasional scrape of Bob’s pen scratching against a mission log from down the hall. Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains in lazy streaks, painting everything in muted golds, the kind of light that made the world feel soft-edged and far away.

Your eyelids were heavy. Not just from the long day–but from everything. The weight of your limbs, the steady ache in your lower back, the constant fluttering exhaustion that had been clinging to your bones like static for weeks now. The med bay techs said it was normal. “Just your body working overtime,” They’d chirped. “Perfectly healthy. Nothing to worry about.”

Still, it didn’t feel normal. It felt cosmic. Like something else was siphoning your energy on purpose.

Your hand slid across your belly, fingers tracing the curve that had blossomed so quickly over the past two months. The baby had started kicking last week–gentle taps at first, like your stomach was tapping back whenever you pressed your hand there. But now, the little one responded to everything. A shift in temperature. Bob’s voice. And most of all, cravings. The second one popped into your mind, you immediately felt the odd sensations of taps against your stomach, like the baby was telling you to get up and get it–and right now was one of those times.

You let your head fall back against the cushion, palm warm on the swell of your bump, rubbing gently.

“…Just give me five more minutes, kiddo,” You whispered, voice hoarse and affectionate. “Mommy just needs to rest a bit longer…”

As your eyes slipped shut, the room dimmed–but not from your eyelids.

You cracked one eye open again just in time to see the lamp beside the couch begin to flicker. Not a casual bulb hiccup. A slow, pulsing flicker. Like something breathing. Or responding. Your brows pinched faintly, heart skipping a beat.

”Sentry,” You called out, eyes locking in on the lamp, “Can you stop please?” There was no response–only another pulse of light. Then another. Then the faintest hum, low and glassy, vibrating somewhere behind your ears like a tuning fork deep in your skull.

Footsteps padded out from the hallway, and Bob appeared in the common room, damp hair curling slightly from the heat of the shower he had taken about two hours ago before he started working on the mission report, with a towel slung around his neck to keep his hair from dripping onto his shirt.

“H-Huh?” He questioned, surprised at the sight of you sitting upright on the couch. You turned your head slowly toward him and motions toward the flickering lamp.

”Stop flickering the light.” Bob glanced over to where you were gesturing, then brought his gaze back to yours.

”D-Do you see Sentry h-here right now?” He joked, pointing at his eyes, which were shimmering their normal deep blue. Your brows furrowed, your fingers still splayed protectively over the gentle curve of your belly as the lamp pulsed again–once, twice, slow and drawn out, like the rhythm of a second heartbeat.

“Then…What’s happening–” You began, but you didn’t get to finish the thought. Because just as the question began to leave your lips, a soft, undeniable movement rolled beneath your palm. A shift. A stretch. A little thump against your palm.

The light flickered again.

Your lips parted, eyes widening just a little as your heart stuttered in your chest. You looked down, then back at the lamp. And that’s when your pulse spiked with something other than fatigue.

“…Bob?” You said slowly, not taking your eyes off the softly pulsing bulb. He stepped toward you, towel now loose around his neck, one brow arched slightly in concern.

“Y-Yeah?”

You swallowed and turned toward him fully.

“Can you…Go grab me some chocolate ice cream?” You asked. “And crush up some potato chips onto it?”

He blinked. “R-Right now?”

You nodded, voice even and quiet, eyes drifting back to the lamp again. “Yeah. I need to try something.”

Bob didn’t question you further–just gave a soft little hum of acknowledgement, a small smile, and padded into the kitchen, leaving you with the low, steady flicker of the lamp and the strange thumping in your belly that had synced to its rhythm like a song only the two of you could hear.

The hum in your ears didn’t fade. If anything, it deepened the longer you sat still.

He returned quickly, careful hands cradling the bowl like it was precious cargo. The clink of the spoon against ceramic echoed through the quiet room.

“Crushed the chips in nice and good,” He said softly, still clearly trying to read your face. “L-Like you like it.”

You nodded slowly, lips pressed together in something between gratitude and concentration as you took the bowl, your gaze never leaving the flickering lamp. You dipped the spoon into the ice cream, scooping up a messy, jagged mound where crushed chips poked out like salt-dusted glass. You brought it to your mouth and took a bite–cold, crunchy, sweet and savory all at once–and chewed slowly, watching.

Bob sat gently on the edge of the couch beside you, towel still draped across his shoulders, eyes shifting between your face and the lamp.

“You okay?” he asked, voice low, fingers brushing your knee through the blanket.

You nodded again, slowly swallowing. Another bite. Another crunch.

Then the light stopped flickering.

Everything went still.

You paused mid-motion, the spoon still hovering near your mouth as you stared across the room.

No hum.

No pulse.

Just silence.

Your tongue flicked absently over your bottom lip, catching a bit of melted ice cream. Then you slowly dragged the back of the cold spoon across your mouth, down to your chin, and turned your head toward Bob.

“…I think we may need to go to the med bay.”

His whole body tensed. His hand stiffened against your knee. “W-Why?” he asked immediately, voice rising an octave. “Is everything okay? Are you n-not feeling good?”

Your eyes searched his, calm but certain. “I’m fine,” you said gently. “I just… I have to ask them something.”

Bob’s brow pinched, his free hand gripping the towel now like he was bracing for bad news. “O-Okay. What…What do you think it is?”

You hesitated. Your fingers brushed your stomach again–this time slower–as the tiniest tap fluttered beneath your skin. Then you looked at the lamp, still quiet and dim. The air around it no longer vibrated and it was no longer looking like it was flickering Morse code at you.

Your voice was barely above a whisper.

“…I think the baby was doing that.”

Bob blinked. “The…The lights?”

You nodded slowly. “It stopped when I gave in and ate what I was craving. Right after I told them to wait.” He stared at you, eyes wide, and you could see the gears turning in his mind–sifting through possibilities, logic, science, the unknown. His lips parted as if to speak, then closed again. You could see the flicker of gold rising just faintly behind his pupils.

“S-So…Our kid…Might h-have Sentry’s abilities?” He said, stunned.

You looked down at your belly, brushing your fingertips gently over the fabric of your shirt.

“I think they already do.” You replied.

————————

The med bay was unusually quiet for midday.

The sterile hum of overhead lights buzzed faintly above, softened only by the muffled whir of machines in the background and the occasional tap of booted footsteps down the hall. You sat perched on the edge of one of the exam room chairs, an old grey hoodie stretched over your bump, the sleeves pushed up as you spooned another mouthful of half-melted ice cream and chips into your mouth.

It was more soup than sundae at this point–cool and salty-sweet–but you didn’t care. The moment it hit your tongue, the baby gave one tiny, satisfied kick. You exhaled, easing back slightly, your eyes drifting across the room to where Bob sat hunched on the edge of the medical table.

He was picking nervously at the bandage on the inside of his elbow–the cotton ball barely hanging on beneath the crinkled tape where the lab techs had drawn a fresh round of blood.They’d also asked for a sperm sample, just in case.

“I-I didn’t think it could p-pass on like that,” He murmured now, eyes still fixed on the loose edge of his bandage, his voice soft with guilt. “The Sentry stuff. I mean…” You sighed quietly, resting the bowl of ice cream on the counter beside you.

“We don’t even know for sure yet,” You said gently, licking a bit of salt from your thumb. “Let’s just wait for the results.”

Bob gave a slow nod but didn’t look up.

“I-I’m sorry,” He said quietly.

Your hand stilled, and you looked over at him. “Bob, I’m not mad at you.”

His head lifted slightly, eyes flickering to yours. “I-It seems like you are.”

You groaned under your breath, pushing up from your seat. “I’m not.”

Crossing the room, you moved to stand between his legs, resting your hands on his knees first, then sliding them up to gently take his hands. He resisted for a second–unsure, sheepish–but let you guide them forward. You brought them to your stomach, pressing his large palms against the gentle curve of your bump. The baby shifted almost immediately, a subtle little roll beneath your skin like they were saying hello.

Bob’s lips immediately turned up into a smile, as his fingers twitched against the spot that had flinched beneath his touch just moments ago.

Then you reached up, fingers curling softly against his jaw as you tilted his head up

“I’m not mad, Bob,” You said again, quieter this time. “Look at me.”

His eyes finally met yours.

Soft and heavy-lidded, lined with something old and aching–guilt, maybe, or worry dressed in too many layers of silence. You could see the shimmer of doubt flickering behind the blue, the way he was already bracing for worst-case outcomes before anyone had said a word. The way he always did when it came to you.

“All I want to do,” You said gently, voice low and even, “is make sure I don’t have to be doing something extra to keep both of us happy and healthy, okay? That’s all this is.”

Your thumbs stroked along the curve of his cheek, slow and patient.

“This isn’t about blame. It’s not about anything other than making sure we’re safe. All three of us.”

Bob let out a short breath, his jaw shifting slightly beneath your touch. “Y-Yeah, but… what if this makes it harder for you?” He murmured, his voice cracking just a little. “W-What if this causes problems further d-down the line? If Sentry is u-unhinged with me sometimes…I-I can’t imagine what a baby could do…E-Especially when it’s relying on you…” You let out a quiet huff, somewhere between a breath and a laugh, and your hand slid up to the soft mess of his hair.

“Well, that’s exactly why we’re here, isn’t it?” you said, arching a brow playfully. “We update the techs, and they figure out a plan. That’s kind of their whole job.”

He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but stopped when you leaned in a bit closer.

“Bob,” You whispered softly, your fingers tracing just beneath his eye, brushing over the faint circles that had deepened in the past weeks. “We’re a team. Me, you, Sentry…” Your lips tugged up slightly, “…Even the Void, when he’s behaving.” That earned a barely-there smile from him. But it was real. You felt it twitch beneath your palm.

“We’ve gotten through worse. We’re managing all of this together just fine,” You continued. “And we’ll manage this too. Whatever it ends up being…We’ll figure it out.”

He swallowed hard, but nodded–once, then again, a little more firmly this time.

“…Okay,” He said, the word soft but full of trust. “O-Okay.”

You leaned in and gave him a kiss.

It was gentle, slow, and unspoken–the kind that didn’t need to ask for anything. The kind that just reminded him he was still yours. Still enough. Still good.

When you pulled back, his forehead rested lightly against yours, and his hands remained where they were, settled protectively over the curve of your belly like he was guarding something sacred.

The baby stirred again beneath his touch.

And this time, neither of you flinched.

Just sat there in the quiet, holding each other–wrapped in warmth and soft light and the simple truth of your bond, waiting together for whatever came next.

The quiet knock came like a break in static.

You and Bob both looked up, heads lifting at the same time as the door creaked open and the med tech stepped inside with a tablet pressed against their chest. Their expression was professional, but there was a distinct glimmer of curiosity behind their eyes–the kind of barely-restrained intrigue that only showed up when science started tipping toward the supernatural.

“Hey,” The tech greeted, voice gentle but brisk as they closed the door behind them. “Sorry for the wait. We wanted to run everything twice just to be sure.”

Bob straightened on the edge of the exam table. You could feel the shift in his body beside you–shoulders rising, grip instinctively tightening over your hand as if to brace for something he couldn’t stop.

You stayed still, your thumb tracing over the back of his knuckles as the tech swiped through the tablet, pulled up a screen, and angled it slightly toward the two of you.

“So, we compared the blood sample we pulled from you,” The tech said, gesturing toward you, “With the fetal cell-free DNA that circulates in maternal blood during pregnancy.”

Then they paused, looking directly at Bob.

“And we compared both directly with your sample and a read of your original Sentry serum signature on file.”

Your breath caught quietly. Bob’s leg bounced once, then stilled.

The tech continued, eyes flicking back to the screen. “There are definitive traces of the serum’s presence in the fetus. Not the exact structure, but markers–identifiers–that mirror your serum signature almost exactly, including some of the same regenerative protein indicators we’ve flagged in your biology before.”They glanced up at you now, more focused.

“Which likely means that yes, the serum has been passed on in some form. And based on the movement patterns and the report you gave earlier about the lamp responding to emotional states or cravings…” They paused, lips pressing into a tight but impressed line. “…Your baby may already be exhibiting early-stage sensory projection or electrokinetic response. We’ve seen something similar in third trimester post-enhanced cases–but this… This is a bit earlier than we’d expect.”

You blinked, slowly. “So they’re…Already developing powers?” you asked softly, though it didn’t really feel like a question anymore. Just a breath. A confirmation.

The tech gave a small nod. “Looks like it.”

You felt the lump begin to rise in your throat–slow, thick, humming beneath the surface.

“So…They’re only going to get stronger?” you asked, your voice hoarse and tight. The tech offered a small smile, like they were trying to be as reassuring as possible.

“Well, yes. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” They glanced down at the readout again. “As long as you keep satisfying your cravings and listening to your body, the fetus will likely stay balanced. Think of it like…Emotional regulation but you’re doing it from within the womb.” You choked out a laugh at that despite yourself, and Bob exhaled a tense breath beside you, the corners of his mouth twitching.

“You just want to be able to keep them under control,” The tech went on. “Y’know what I mean? Stable inputs. Satisfied cravings. No high emotional spikes or power surges. As long as you do that, you and your baby should be completely fine.”

You and Bob both nodded.

His hand tightened slowly around yours again, anchoring you–his thumb curling along the side of your wrist, as if grounding himself through your pulse.

You looked up at him, then smiled faintly as you murmured, “Well, Sentry is going to be buzzing about this for the rest of the time I’m pregnant.”

Bob let out a soft, defeated groan and dropped his forehead briefly to your shoulder.

“P-Probably for the rest of our lives…” He muttered, half-laughing, half-dreading.

You felt his hand slide gently over the swell of your stomach again–warm and gentle–and you knew he was trying not to panic. Not to think too far ahead. But his touch lingered like a prayer all the same. The baby gave a little thump beneath his palm in response.

“Jesus,” He whispered under his breath, bringing his other hand to his temple, massaging it slowly, before adding, “He’s d-definitely buzzing already.”

You snorted and leaned your head against his, your smile widening just a little as the tech chuckled lightly and excused themselves, giving you space.

You didn’t say anything for a few moments after the door clicked shut.

Just breathed.

Together.

And let the truth settle around you like gravity–sacred, strange, and somehow just right.

[demgozellegs]

MORE RAMIEL WOOHOOOOO

the enchantment skill rune is carved into her back. im thinking that she got it from her family for their own nefarious reasons.

i have a lil artistic freedom with weapons and magic. i make is so that with weapons with effects (lunar, frost, embers, binding, etc) and magic (fire, healing, magika), the color of that effect/magic seeps under her scales and glows. kind of like coals in a fire.

i just think its neat :3

[purplexing-writing-and-concepts]

{Am I...a God? Neat!}

-Chapter Nine: Shadow’s Gaze Upon the Land-

(Y/n) sat at the table staring holes into the two males across from them. They listened as Childe and Zhongli explained the situation and Zhongli's intentions of performing a parting rite for Rex Lapis. The old god hummed but said nothing during the entire exchange much to Aether's confusion and worry, Paimon was far too busy eating the compensated buffet to fully engage with the topic at hand. "So you wish for our help with this...rite of parting as you say...what do you think Starlight? Are you up to that task? If not do feel free to refuse..." They said gently whilst still looking at the two with sharp eyes of scrutiny. Upon hearing Aether quietly agree the old god nodded their head. "Very well then...I'll leave the children in your capable hands Mr. Zhongli....do see to it that nothing happens to them in the meantime..."

While they said this with a smile the tension in the air was so horribly charged with hostility it was clearly an underlying threat. They then stood up ruffling Aether's hair and patting Paimon's head as they began to leave," I have some matters to attend to for the moment...I'll return for the children later..." (Y/n) said with a wave of their hand as they finally parted from the restaurant. They then made their way to a darkened alley before fading into the shadows. Once done they soon reappeared from the shadow of a balcony that was being reconstructed on the peak of Dragonspine.

"Ah back again...How goes things Dorian? Polaris?" They asked as they floated behind the two with a curious look seeing the creature that they created was bouncing about happily whilst the homonculus poured over what looked like blueprints or schematics. Dorian glanced to the side a bit before fulling turning around with a short bow of respect. "I see you've returned..."

This drew of chuckle from the god’s chest as they gently straightened his form before speaking, “No need for that now Dorian….I may be something godly but treat me as you would anyone else….” They finished with a smile before patting his head and floating upwards towards the floating pillar in the sky just as Polaris flew after them to catch up as well. Reaching the top of the Skyfrost Nail, (Y/n)’s eyes glanced around at the view before them. A soft smile graced their face as they then closed their eyes and began to concentrate their power into an orb. The orb of condensed magic cosmic magic began to grow rapidly before it was the size of the average wagon wheel. Spinning it they chuckled before opening their eyes and letting the orb float above them and continue to grow before it was big enough to cover the top of the nail like the flat end of a nailhead. “I suppose I’ll repurpose this….” They murmured to themself as the orb exploded into a wave the covered the entirety of Dragonspine into a ripple effect. The snowstorm cleared and the Skyfrost Nail began to crack more before breaking into smaller and smaller chucks of crystal.

By this point the remaining crystal chunks floated around as the air around them compressed and spun them, like a rock tumbler polishing them to a fine finish. These refined crystals then gravitated towards each other before forming itself into a javelin style spear, glowing the same bright blue as the Skyfrost Nail had. “Perfect…hmm I’ll keep it simple and call it the Frosted Sky…” (Y/n) murmured to themselves once more as they floated back down to meet the curious gazes of the hilichurls and Dorian. Polaris was swaying from side to side in his typically happy dance, the sound of bell chimes ringing out as he cheered in praise of both the new weapon his creator had and the removal of celestial influence. “Dorian? I have something for you dear….” They murmured to old god said with a knowing look as they presented the javelin to him. “I’m aware you prefer the sword but I believe this polearm might serve you better in your question of self realization…and sorry not for your proficiency it will teach you how to use it best…..”

The blonde in question was slightly skeptical but regardless took the javelin from the god he’d begun to serve. As soon as his hands touched it he felt a wave of cooling like an icy wind wash over him. With a hum he swung the javelin to the side finding it to be with far more ease than he’d ever had wielding a sword, the ringing the weapon made as it swung through the air also gave a him a sense of awareness that he was deeply unaccustomed to. Yet despite this it felt oddly familiar as if there was a helping hand guiding his movements to wield this new weapon as if he’d done so always. “How…?” Dorian’s voice was now bewildered as home stared between the newly acquired weapon and (Y/n). “Simple…I just gave you a guiding hand is all…now use it well my dear Dorian…there will be changes to the monsters here and they will need both your and my guidance….but mostly yours as I will be busy for the next few days…If you truly need me that spear will call for me…take care everyone!”

They waved just before Dorian could speak and teleported back to Liyue.

As they exited the shadow cast by a nearby tree they took a moment to look around. Noticing that Zhongli and their children were all standing in front of Babu Pharmacy. Childe was also nearby laughing up a storm about a ‘Cocogoat’. Seems the old god was gone far longer than intended, they merely shrugged before approaching. “Ah greetings everyone I see you’re all in good spirits…” Aether smiled seeing his parent standing behind the no longer laughing Harbinger. Zhongli’s expression was slightly troubled at their presence and Childe was looking like a nervous kid that was caught being naughty.

Paimon’s smug expression as she floated past child acting huffy like an upset toddler making (Y/n) coo. “Oh it’s alright stardust…You couldn’t have known that little Qiqi was talking about Coconut Milk….” Though despite their comforting words they too were giggling about the situation with a knowing look. No one questioned how they knew what was being discussed. "But I suppose that means all the preparations for the rite of parting are completed yes?" The old god asked though it was obvious they already knew the answer. Zhongli cleared his throat before speaking, "Precisely...With that we shall be headed back to Yujing Terrace...Mr Childe, Dr. Baizhu, Little Miss Qiqi...see you soon..." As he left he could feel the eyes of the old god on him, and it took everything within him not to shudder at the feeling. Once he was out of sight (Y/n) let go of Paimon to let her float back to Aether's side as the two began to speak with Baizhu and Qiqi a bit more. Childe too had made his way out of the pharmacy shortly after Zhongli. Childe stood off to the side a bit as he calmed himself down from the good laugh he'd gotten from the situation, "So...you've been ease dropping I hope? What have I missed?" Instead of the voice he expected to hear which was that of his agent Ekaterina, he heard another familiar voice that instilled a sense of panic within him that he was unaccustomed to. "You've missed nothing other than my warning it would seem little harbinger...and no need to worry for Miss Ekaterina...she's back at the Northland Bank...though I can't attest to her mental state at the moment...poor girl seems rather...forgetful...." Once finished speaking they approached him before tapping his back," But I will throw you a bone for my own amusement...the Qixing are keeping the Exuvia in the Golden House....do use this information wisely...it'd be a shame really if you weren't able to fufill your mission of obtaining the Geo Archon's gnosis now wouldn't it..." Their voice came out almost like a purr that relayed the underlying threat to their words. "off you go~" They said with a gentle shove than sent him stumbling forwards a bit as the redhead quickly made his way down the long staircase without another word. With that interaction completed Aether and Paimon had just exited the Pharmacy having finished their conversation with Baizhu and Qiqi. "Ready to go you two?" (Y/n) asked with their usual chipper tone as they gentle pinched both companions' cheeks. Receiving a nod from their blonde son the old god then began to lead the way to Yujing Terrace.

[kaccvcate]

I have great news from the field! We thought my yaupon cuttings were all dead due to my supreme incompetence, but actually they just went into shock. (my roommate dug one up and it had tiny roots despite looking like a crumby lil dead stick.) Yaupon is one of the important psychoactive native medicines not outlawed by the colonial government, you can buy cuttings from this etsy store as well as others. It is the only native caffeinated plant to North America, it used to be extremely common and widely cultivated. When the leaves are roasted, you can make a drink that is stronger than coffee and rather bitter when prepared traditionally, or similar to black tea if you follow the directions on most commercially sold packages. It's nice with honey, or neat as I usually prefer. One interesting thing is that it was traditionally drunk at room temperature, as the Mvskoke home country is very hot and humid. I believe after colonization this evolved into the modern practice of drinking iced tea in this region, one of our charming and unique local staples. It's a very strong and hard to kill plant, evidenced by how it survived my care (I plant and forget 😎 too busy leading the revolution.)

Another important one is heles-hvtke aka "native american ginseng," which I planted from seed in January. It actually came up a bit early despite being left out in the frost where it shouldn't have been at least once (see above.) It grows quite far north so can handle a lot of cold, and its native home reaches as far south as Florida, it's very adaptable. Heles-hvtke takes a long time to grow, so it was so satisfying to see it finally sprout. It has a very bitter taste compared to ginseng, aka "Korean ginseng," but in my experience it has the same or more benefits for your focus, memory, and heart rhythm. I got my cuttings and seeds from this etsy store, which seems to be the only one selling it. You can combine these two to make a potent drink. I boil a two inch section of root for 20 minutes in with about three heaping spoonfuls of yaupon per cup, for the traditional style drink as best as I can recreate it (I would experiment with making it stronger based on historical description, but unfortunately yaupon was quite expensive for me to buy dried.) Historically in the Mvskoke nation, yaupon was called "the black drink," and people would have added heles-hvtke or other plants to enhance the flavor or stimulating effects if they so chose, as we do with our coffees and teas in the modern era. If you want the full benefit of heles-hvtke, eat the root after boiling, the taste is quite sharp but the effects are lovely if you can handle it.

My plants are all going to my cousin who is of Seminole descent, she's taking them and herself back to the homeland in Florida. She's a much better gardener than me, so don't worry, they're in safe hands :)

[possibilistfanfiction]

arcane: new years? (and hny irl too!!!)

[something small but on time, so that's a win at this point lol. just jinx & vi, we love sisters! & hny!!!]

//

you take powd—jinx to the mountains. at first, your sister had pouted, claiming she wanted to go to a party, that she'd missed out on it last year, but when you'd shown her the small cabin you'd rented, the snow and the fireplace, she'd softened. 'next year, then,' she'd said, 'promise we'll go to a party.'

you had; you're still getting used to making promises that don't feel like ones that you're inevitably going to break, that you spent years breaking, ones that cracked both of your whole worlds open. the ground shifts beneath you still, hard to trust, when you say, 'we can even host, if you want,' but it's worth it when her soft smile turns into a mischievous grin, one you recognize from when you were small, when you both hadn't hurt so much yet.

it's beautiful here, though, the grey granite stretching up to the sky, imposing and almost out of nowhere, plates shifting with such force eons ago, the shale and slate still here today. there are lakes dotted everywhere, clear teal and turquoise and blue, a different blue from the depthless sky, bluer still. the air, thin and freezing, is clearer than you'd probably ever breathed in your life; although it's biting cold, you bundle up and drag an air mattress out of the cabin so you can put it on the snowy deck outside. jinx follows, arms bundled with sleeping bags and blankets, her ski mittens on, her cheeks rosy and her eyes clear. she sets up your little nest while you go inside and get the two hot toddies you'd made in nice travel mugs vander had gotten you both for christmas, part of a growing pile of nice gear you'd accumulated over the past year you'd both gotten into climbing.

when you come out, mugs warm in hand, jinx is staring up at the sky. 'there are so many stars,' she says, her breath frosting a trail of ghosts up toward them.

you settle down next to her; she takes her mug. 'not as exciting as a party, i know, but i thought it'd be nice.'

she smiles at you, real and kind and here, a profound gift. 'yeah, vi. it is.' she ruffles your hair, grown back to how you actually like it, choppy and messy, with one side buzzed, instead of the neat crew cut you'd kept for the first few months of the year after you'd fully started at your fire station, trying so hard to look professional and respectful until your lieutenant had casually mentioned that no one cared, about your past or your tattoos or your hair — that you were one hell of a firefighter and that's all that mattered. you roll your eyes, understanding what she's saying — i'm glad you have people who care for you; i'm glad you get to be who you are — and pull a warm beanie on.

you lean back against the pile of pillows jinx has set up. 'you've had quite a year too.'

this time last year jinx was still in the hospital, in and out of episodes with periods of lucidity that brought equal parts hope and deep, profound grief, while her care team worked to figure the right combination and dosages of medications; this time last year, sitting in the cold under a sky full of stars with your sister, knowing who you are and speaking only to you, was beyond what you'd dared to hope for.

jinx blows out a breath, her cheeks fuller than the were a year ago too, her body still small and slim but healthy and strong, warm beneath a nice winter down jacket she's worn without any complaint. her first semester at university had just finished up, and she'd sailed through it, enjoying her classes and doing well in them, managing her medications and their side effects without an unmanageable or overwhelming amount of help from you.

'first one in a while i don't mind remembering.'

it's quiet, the way she says it, and you know you were right to bring her her, to come here with here, to sit with her in this beautiful place that knows nothing of the grief and the terror and the hurt; this place that can hold it all the same.

'well, cheers to that.' you hold your mug up.

'to many more years we want to remember,' she agrees. you see more and more of your little sister every good day that happens, shining through in moments like this.

you toast and it all feels lighter as you wait for midnight. you tease jinx about all the time she's been spending with ekko, which makes her grump and blush at the same time, and she teases you for having no girlfriend. you don't push the issue, that between picking up shifts at the last drop while you finished at the academy and then your job, plus helping to manage all of jinx's appointments and medication, you haven't had a whole lot of time to even think about dating, let alone emotional capacity to care deeply for another person. there's room opening up in your heart, though, just maybe.

'well, my resolution for the new year is to find you a hot girlfriend for me to annoy.'

you laugh, and she laces your fingers together and rests her head on your shoulder, snuggling into your side like she used to do when she was little. 'can't wait.'

eventually, as time does, it passes and the year is about to turn. jinx perks up, shaking off the sleepiness from the night and the splash of whiskey in her tea, and grabs a little remote from her pocket, grinning.

'there's no way you're about to set off fireworks in the middle of the mountains.'

'ew, no. i hate wildfires and disrupting the delicate flora and fauna. that's so lame and uninventive.'

she's so serious, rolling her eyes at the mere thought of it so hard that her head moves, that you have to laugh, happy. just, happy.

'but,' jinx continues, and your watch ticks down the seconds, 'happy new year, vi.' she pushes the red button on the remote and there are some small poofs from the snow. tiny machines fly up and scatter glitter everywhere. it's really beautiful, and it makes you a little breathless, suddenly like you're about to cry.

you tug her to you, kiss the top of her head. 'happy new year, little sister.'

'it's biodegradable glitter, obviously, by the way. i manufactured and tested it for months.'

your laugh is wet with tears but she joins in anyway. there's rainbows of glitter on the snow; jinx had planned this for a long time — faith in the passage of time, and the resolution of pain, and celebration, just for the two of you.

'it's gonna be a good year,' she says. 'i can feel it already.'

'yeah,' you agree. 'me too.'

[cephalonserotonin]

Devstream 180 Notes

This is a long one, folks.

brought to you by creative lead Rebb Executive Producer Dick Wolf

New dojo contest to kick off a transition to cross-save dojo world… see forum post

Pride Campaign 2024

is active now until the end of June! a new glyph, display, and wings in lovely rainbows!

Jade Shadows update coming June 18!

features a new cinematic quest: Jade Shadows. It picks up after The New War (so it's got TNW as a prerequisite) where the storyline of the Stalker left off. Rebb and the crew request that folks not spoil the quest for others after playing it. Use spoiler tags if possible! Quest runtime ~ 25 min There's a teaser for the story quest, featuring the Stalker hanging upside down like a bat:

New Warframe: Jade!

Pablo describes her as a support frame. Her passive is two aura mod slots which is kind of crazy ngl

Her kit briefly summarized:

1: throws a little mote with an AOE effect of healing for allies and increasing damage taken to enemies

2: cycle through various squad buffs. The UI art for these is really gorgeous

3: a debuff: enemies in her sight are slowed and lose armor. You also revive any dead allies in your vision.

4: floating and a zappy exalted weapon. It's kind of like Hildryn's four but basically better in every way because you can actually set off large amounts of damage and fly higher and faster. The exalted weapon has synergy with her 1 and 2.

As Pablo mentioned, Jade's abilities provide a lot of combo potential, good for any "min maxers" in the audience.

Jade's three signature weapons: the Cantare throwing knives, the Harmony scythe, and the Evensong bow (a variant on the Dread).

The Ascension game mode: "what if Warframe but up?"

Non-endless There's a giant elevator you have to feed with energy. The team's video crashed so Rebb gave what I'd call an excited 12 year old's description of the game mode instead which I loved:

There's this giant elevator that needs energy to go up. So you have to keep feeding it ionic charges so you rise out of the depths. And as you're feeding, the Corpus are there! *excitable machine gun noises* And then you're like, oh god! And then you have to, like, jump around-- but if you fall out of the elevator, you better hope you're good at parkour, and that you can read the level to get back up! and back up! and back up! And then: you have to make it to the top. But that's not all. Once you get to the top of the elevator, you gotta escape. You gotta make a run for it before the Corpus hold you back! Aahhh! Aah! Ah! …and that's Ascension. :)

Once we finally watch the video preview of the game mode later I think it looks fun. The level looks really neat; I love the graphics of the inside of the elevator. There's a new Jade Light eximus enemy here but I can't really tell any details about it quite yet.

ORDIS IN LARUNDA RELAY!

He's hosting the clan operation Belly of the Beast (featuring above Ascension game mode). In his shop is the Asteria ephemera, which evolves with community participation. Also some arcanes… and a beautiful skin for the Hate.

"If you're a hater, this is for you." Hilariously the arcanes are capped at 42 each because apparently in Gargoyle's Cry certain players went crazy burning themselves out to stock up on arcanes, and the team is trying to prevent that (and players blaming them for their own bad choices, as always). Two full sets each is more than enough, frankly.

Status Rework!

Blast now does a secondary detonation, or if hitting 10 blast procs, creates an AOE explosion. This is exactly what I have been wanting for ages so I, personally, am thrilled.

Magnetic now scales with overguard and shields the same way, and also does a secondary punch of damage (and an electric proc!) once the shield is broken.

Cold should freeze enemies more often now… and came with a free Frost rework! Now Frost's abilities give proper cold procs, thus freezing enemies, which is now standardized across his abilities. His 1 has been buffed and his 3 snowglobe has been modified (to allow shooting from in to out but not out to in). He has a new passive: his armor scales with the number of cold procs enemies have (like the defensive version of Ember).

There's a lot of testing going on right now on the interaction between ragdolling and freezing enemies.

There's a change to damage vulnerability mechanics which I didn't quite follow; seems to be mostly a simplification of the system.

Armor damage attenuation scaling, as mentioned in the last devstream, now has a cap, meaning corrosive procs should be more effective.

Yareli Deluxe

...looks like eldritch coral?

Next round of TennoGen

…finally comes with a Lavos skin, which is plague doctor themed.

Some augments (Protea's is probably OP), decrees (list shown below is incomplete), and arcanes

UI improvements!

In the upgrade screen: duplicate mod config button, indicator for substats, increased mod polarity

Augment list viewer in the abilities screen

Community customization table where you can copy others' fashions. Great news for gamers too unoriginal to make their own fashions, I guess. Coming at first for just Excalibur, Mag, Volt, and Jade.

Quick Access (fast travel wheel) for more areas like the dormizone.

UI autoscaling with resolution (to prevent tiny UI bars for people with huge resolutions), also coming with ability to scale the UI back down.

"Donut numbers" for damage view that do not cover the enemy you are shooting (old way can still be switched back to, called "cloud.")

Awakening quest has a lil fashion preview now!

Loadout hot swaps conveniently directly from the starchart!

QOL!

Cap on adversaries (liches and sisters) at 150. For the sake of database health. The programmer in me is mildly concerned that there was no limit before this.

Semi auto becoming full auto (see last devstream for more detailed description).

Automatic selection of last relic during endless relic cracks.

Streamlining necramech acquisition.

Unifying melee finishers and mercy kills (both with mechanics and appearance).

The return of Heirloom skins: starting with community art this time

First major change (from last year's disastrous heirloom launch) is the heirloom collections will now be released one warframe at a time.

Ember Heirloom is also a purchased fanartist concept!

Two paths to acquire it: a temporary paid path (for money, comes with some plat) and a plat path that will be available until next heirloom launch (and you can purchase the cosmetics individually!)

This is much better than last year's Heirloom launch, which, as aforementioned, caused a lot of community strife.

molten booty

And finally, the TennoCon 2024 schedule:

[bonnibelleangelica]

STATUS QUO: BEHIND THE SCENES

So I drew this for a book promotion and decided to be extra as fuck, so the fancy shit at the bottom is the scientific name of a real North American mushroom (deer mushrooms) and I created a suffix that basically means “effected by catalyst” to go on the end.

The catalyst crystals were tricky because I wanted them to look delicate, like frost, but in this art style, fine details just don't work. I do like the icicle things though, and I can draw crystals blindfolded now so that’s neat.

Fun fact! Did you know katalysis means “to dissolve” which is perfect because my magic system relies on catalyst being water soluable, ending up in all the drinking water AND the food chain?

Check out my book Status Quo here> @statusquoofficial

[niuttuc]

My Favorite Cards of 2024: Duskmourn: House of Horror

The year is pretty close to over, so let’s go back over the sets released this year (with new cards at least), and go through a few of my favorite cards from that release. I’ll group together stuff released together, in this case it’ll be the main Duskmourn set and the commander precons. Extra reprints as special guests might also get a mention. I’ll probably go through one set a day for the next week, though I might skip some days for personal reasons.

Duskmourn's flavor in specific didn't resonate much with me, so I'm likely to focus exclusively on mechanics for this one.

Probably the biggest success of Duskmourn in my opinion is the cycle of Overlords. In what might be the best redo of the Titan cycle since the original, and possibly even better than those, all five of them are competitively viable in multiple formats without being auto-includes in every deck of their colors or feeling oppressive to play against.

Of course, some, like the green ones, are a bit better than others, but overall, all five of them found homes, and that's a really, really narrow window to aim for. An impressive feat of design that WotC managed to hit, and they play even better than OG titans thanks to impending by offering options earlier in the game too, not being locked to a 6 drop cost.

From a purely design perspective, this cycle might be at the top of the entire year for me.

A second cycle? Duskmourn brought to the table not one but TWO excellent enchantment creature cycles, and the Enduring Glimmers are also generally very impressive. Again, all of them are excellent in both commander, standard (except maybe the red one so far) and beyond. Entire new decks have spawned around them, or they're good additions to existing decks too. None of them are entirely unique, but adding more resilience to enchantment effects and a body makes them much less of a commitment to deploy.

While they are very strong, I'll dock them a point or two compared to the Overlords because that resilience can be a bit oppressive to play against or warp an entire format's removal with as strong as they can be.

If you put enough bad things together for a cheap cost, it becomes good. Sheltered by Ghosts is something like that. While it opens you to huge blowouts as an aura AND an oblivion ring, the added ward and immediate swing of the lifelink makes it worth the risk to play in Constructed, and that's quite impressive. At points, it feels a bit too much, but this is likely what this kind of effect needs to see play.

I do like my clones, and Silent Hallcreeper is a two mana clone that comes with a lot more play to it. How it wants to be played is as an unblockable saboteur that runs out of value at some point and becomes another creature to keep on rolling. But in practice, there is actual decision to the order you do things in, and that's excellent gameplay. Plus, the fact you can use a Silent Hallcreeper to copy a different Silent Hallcreeper to reset the mode choices and keep doing that is neat, even if it isn't particularly relevant.

Come Back Wrong is a removal with a lot of potential upside, enough that you'd occasionally consider using it on your own creatures as a terrible removal spells! In this era of ETB triggers everywhere and Overlords, it can be a lot of extra text added at the end of your removal. It's certainly more fun than playing a more efficient removal that just kills a thing!

While I'm no horror fan, be it movie or otherwise, one gotta appreciate a good top-down design. The fact this one is good enough to see some niche competitive constructed play as an incidental thing that happens rarely but creates stories is the perfect place for it to end up. And it brings the pair of cards to this list!

Frost Lynx, how far you've come! Floodpits Drowner is incredibly pushed as far as this slot for limited, enough to land at constructed tables. Yet definitely not too far, when it comes to that. Still, an impressive Merfolk in a set where one wouldn't expect those.

One mana targeted graveyard hate on an artifact is already pretty impressive, something we somehow haven't seen up until now. But Ghost Vacuum does more than that, in decks that can make use of it, it's a graveyard hate piece that incidentally turns into a wincon late in the game, or if you draw multiple copies. I've had decks wanting to mainboard this graveyard hate just for the chance at the second mode, while incidentally hating on graveyard synergies. That's neat!

Blinking stuff is fun, and Niko does the blinking thing in a very unique way, where it's not JUST about etbs, in fact they encourage you to have more to it than that. When you use them, you might get back an etb trigger, but you also get two or more copies of the creatures to activate or attack with! And then Niko themselves have an etb effect that slowly digs through the deck, so that other blink effects in the deck will have a target!

A blast to play with overall.

[practically-an-x-man]

How would you whump Jamie, if given the chance?

Oooooh, interesting!! I've got a neat idea for this one...

I'm gonna go with a magical mirror spell, but on a delay.

Picture this: Jamie's out on the battlefield and comes across another magic-user. It's a tough battle, but Jamie's the more accomplished magic-user and comes out on top. But just before her opponent dies, they cast a mysterious spell...

It doesn't seem to have any effect, and Jamie does her best to magically cleanse herself of the spell before moving on to the next foe. It seems to work, the spell has no ill-effects from what she can see, and Jamie keeps fighting.

Six hours later, she's lounging on the couch with Maya, watching TV with the subtitles on, total domestic bliss... and suddenly it feels like a massive hand is crushing down on her forearm. Jamie has just enough time to remember casting the same spell on one of her opponents during the battle before the bones in her arm begin to fracture - and there's nothing she can do to stop it. The spell only lasts as long as it did when she cast it, but that's still enough to break her radius and/or ulna.

And it doesn't end there. There's a burst of bitter cold that overtakes her entire body - she'd frozen one of her enemies solid in the fight, and while being part Frost Giant is enough to protect Jamie from the worst of the reflected damage, it's still agonizingly painful until it passes.

She's temporarily blinded, beaten, bruised, and all manner of even more creative tortures. The more vicious she was in the battle itself, the more painful she experiences it to be now, and there's absolutely nothing she can do to nullify the magic because it's already happened.

It doesn't kill her, of course. She'd intended that magic for humans, and she's sturdier than an ordinary human. But it's physical pain and injury on top of whatever mental torment she may receive through the realization of just how much pain she really causes her enemies. After all, it's hard not to care about that pain when you're in agony yourself.

[cream-and-tea]

LAY ME DOWN. chapter six excerpt. unedited. featuring: fivers attempt at honest conversation at a very bad time, the first of many. a category five Pallas Mental Illness Moment. thoughts of violence.

[transcript under the cut]

don’t ask if i’m posting this excerpt just to make this joke. you already know the answer. anyways me when i try to comfort the teenager that HATES me.

TAGLIST (ask to be +/-). @vellichor-virgo @transmasc-wizard​ @houndmouthed @muddshadow @just-wublrful @corkywantstowrite @shrunkupthejams @andromedaexists @kingsinking @lungs-and-gills @lychniscitrus @phantomnations @onomatopiya @sapphos-scientist @arctic-oceans @perilous-prologue @redbloodprose

Pallas leans their head against the stone railing and tries to think calming thoughts. Colour-coded notes, pens lined up in a perfectly neat row, the feeling of freshly laundered clothes against their skin, old-book smell, sticking their thumbs into Calliope’s eyes and watching his head explode like an overripe melon dropped onto concrete…

No. Not that. Not now. Cold water. The bite of frost in early morning air. Coffee so hot it scalds their taste buds going down. Slowly, infinitesimally, they allow themself to breathe.

Then sound, the scuff of a boot against the floor. For a split second of stupidity Pallas considers that merely thinking about Calliope has summoned her to torment them like some kind of bloody mary demon. They spin sharply on a heel, bristled, already narrowed in on a heartbeat and ready for a fight; only to find someone far worse darkening the tower door.

The man, tall and rangy with waves of blond hair pulled unsuccessfully back from his face, stops dead in his tracks, hands raised in the universal gesture for surrender. Fiver (as in the fictional rabbit, not the currency) looks, as always, like a problem that should have been dealt with years ago.

Pallas narrows their eyes, not moving an inch. “How did you know I was here?”

He shrugs, signature laissez-faire smile painted across his face, signature gaudy coat brushing just above his ankles. He's wearing red heart-shaped sunglasses and the overall effect is patently ridiculous.

Pallas isn’t certain why the Director tolerates Fiver at all. He’s a wanderer and a wretch who doesn’t even have his name logged in the ledger. He appeared out of the blue when Pallas was a child and has spent the years since darting in and out of The Library's halls whenever it suits him, like a stray cat who only wanders back when the weather gets cold. He’s far past the age of a student and yet hasn't taken up any official post, so Pallas has deduced that he is either an man so abominably foolish that the Director considers him below her notice, or he somehow holds knowledge that could be useful to the cause, in which case it’s not their place to question her. They don’t have to be cheerful about it though, not when Fiver knows things about Pallas that no one should know and insists on popping in and out of their life as if he doesn’t.

“Lucky gue-”

“You followed me.” Pallas cuts him off so they don’t have to listen to his voice. They narrow their eyes. Fiver takes a step further onto the balcony as if he has any right to.

“Calm down pal-o-mine, my ears were popping three floors away. I think everyone in this building can tell you’re out of it. I came to the place furthest away from everybody else. Trip not go so well?” He has a smile like the Cheshire Cat, it doesn’t once slip from his face. Instead of answering Pallas turns around to face the air. That’s right, they think, you’re so little of a threat to me that I don’t even care that I’m leaving myself exposed to attack from behind.

“Yeah, it’s like that sometimes,” Fiver continues lightly. “Hope it wasn’t a total horrorshow at least.”

Pallas crosses their arms on the railing and leans their chin on them. If they ignore him long enough eventually he will give up and leave. Still the footsteps draw closer and then, horribly, he appears next to them, leaning his arms against the railing as well. They resist the urge to move away, opting to keep staring straight ahead and trying not to think about the dirt smeared on their cheeks or the pine sap making their fingers stick together or their messy hair or anything else that will confirm to Fiver that they’re just as weak as he obviously believes. Heat floods to their face, ugly and rioting. What does he know? What does he know about anything?

They want to wash their jacket. They want to take everything out of their jacket pockets and arrange it all on a table and throw out anything that’s useless and then wash their jacket and then after it’s clean put everything back in the pockets and feel satisfied about all the excellent objects they have in their pockets and how well organized it all is. They don’t want anyone to look at them. They don't want to talk to Fiver, especially today, when thoughts that usually stay locked in the back of their mind have been so quick to claw their way to the surface.

[interdimensionalburnout]

>> ((from seashaper)) [An elegant, silvery gauntlet trimmed in blue and white arrives in an airtight transparent plastic box; a white gem shimmers from the back of the hand, and its fingers taper into curved points. Though sealed within the internally warded container, it puts off a malevolent, cold energy. A piece of stationary detailing its abilities appears on top, signed in neat calligraphy at the bottom by Rook:

'Benefits:

Resistance to cold-based damage.

Allows interaction with ice as if it were a textured and walkable surface.

Attacks with weapons channel its power to imbue the impact with ice.

Allows repeatable and rechargeable but limited use of ice control based spells: Ray of Frost, unlimited. Cone of Cold, 3 times a day. Wall of Ice, 1 time per day.

Tips of gauntlet can carve and engrave in ice as if they were heated metal.

Curse effects, based in lingering hostile spiritual energy:

Refusal and inability to part with the item.

Gradual ice-based transformation of a metaphysical nature that becomes primarily dangerous in the moment of death- emotion, sympathy and empathy slowly decrease along with melanin and body temperature, eventually leading to an instantaneous and permanent bodily polymorph into solid ice.

Absolutely do not put it on. Based on its other effects and overall nature there is a high chance of the gauntlet freezing to the skin of the wearer until death or violently removed. Thank you and be careful. -- Rook.']

@seashaper

>>You and Maria had the thing set up to arrive in your engine room, where you do all the analysis for artifacts (usually before you chuck them in said engine), and almost instantly your own psionic reception picks up on some kernal of a malicious thought inside the glove. You don't think it can talk, but you find you can exchange thoughts and feelings with it. Maria's busy reading Rook's compiled information when she notices your exposed eye's gone all slack, distant, and asks,

>>"You feelin' alright, Berrberr?" All at once, you find yourself unsettled by the probing, enticing essence in the gauntlet, and ripped from your conversation by 'Berrberr.' Your head snaps to Maria, then back to the glove, which quickly goes from "C'mon, just put me onnnnn" to "OW IM JUST A WIDDLE BIRTHDAY BOY" once you've jabbed the container hard enough to jostle the little bastard into the walls of its plastic prison. Maria's head jerks backwards in surprise, seemingly amused at whatever interaction she missed.

>>You look at Maria, the tips of your ears a little red, and say, "Berr... Berr? Ay?" Maria's expression is cool, her poker-face unbroken; you won't be getting an explanation about whether or not "nickname status" means you're a step further out of the dog house. She swaps the container for the note, taking the glove to your examination table and pulling an adjustable arm down, winding the claw open before donning an apron of shadow, pulled from under the table and the ceiling above. After browsing over the tag, you make your way to her.

>>The container lid is flipped off with the casualness of experts, and the care of novices, but there's masterful hands at play here, and you both put experienced eyes on the thing under a harsh white examination light. You take a metal rod and poke at the gauntlet, and instantly reel your hand back as the rod sticks to the side of the thing. This could be fun.

HEY ROOK WE GOT YOUR GLOVE!

I think Partition might be able to let me talk to whatever essence is behind the curse! It's kinda rude tbh.

[hyenabeanz]

My in depth reactions to the names and logos. First overall is: I don't hate any of the names. They're all okay. 🎉

Minnesota Frost: The name is fine to good. It's going to make a killer arena chant. "let's go frost" is three syllables so will avoid the sing song of four, and ending on a hard consonant? That's gonna sound goooooood in the X. It'll be like the "we want the cup" chant since we swallowed the third "the" syllable mostly anyway and damn it was a kick. @hsavinien also pointed out "killer frost, killer frost" which mmmm tasty. The logo is.... Okay. My main problem with it from an artistic standpoint is they gave it a long tail which is clearly making it a bitch to put on merch and stuff. It looks off center on a lot of things. They need to smush it up a little. But I'm not super worried about logos because those are more easily changed than names. I require a yeti mascot

New York Sirens: Sirens is neat for the ability for it to play on city noise, goal siren, and ferocious sea monsters. I know some people are cringing because of that last one because siren can be a little gross applied to women on a mythological level but uh, I'm here for owning the powerful man eating sea creatures. The logo is not awful. I think New York's text logo is the best one, that echo effect on it is cool. I'm less into the NY but idk it's growing on me. If their mascot isn't a rat mermaid they're wrong

Ottawa Charge: my other favorite team. Oh babies, what have they done to you. The name is fine. The logo is not. It evokes the Flames. It's kind of just awkward and abstract looking. It looks like a logo for a group home. I really liked their black and red, it did not need yellow. Uffda.

Boston Fleet: eh it's ok. I truly think Wicked and leaning into witches would've been cooler. Fleet is a generically interesting name I guess. The logo makes sense. to me it's safe, kind of boring, but inoffensive. Which is fine, and the vast majority of sports logos. I am glad I don't have to be tempted to get a Boston jersey like I would've if it was witches lol 😏

Montreal Victoire: RIP the pronunciation outside of Canada. Cool name though. Logo is a little busy for me but is evocative of a but of heraldry which is always neat and fitting (no one's jerseys are cooler than the German national team, for example.)

Toronto Scepters: the name is ... Fine. It is no longer problematic to women so that's good, but I feel like they went with a slightly more colonial than necessary team name. Scepters aren't unique to European culture, but combined with the logo and styling it does evoke that particular type. It is unique though. And Reign would've stung, because I know Minnesota will want to still casually use purple reign. I don't like the logo. I loved Toronto's clean blue and white, and that yellow is not it. I in general don't like that text logo style even though its classic. It also is just the St. Thomas logo with a holy hand grenade on the top instead of a shield, in worse colors. And as a Katie, mortal enemy of the Tommies, there's just a natural visceral dislike there. 😏 But it's not the torch. So. Win. 🎉

So, my Minnesotan based review: could be worse.

[fox-bright]

So here's a thing I'm seeing all the time now and wish that I weren't! Guess what--baby's breath, gypsophilia, those pretty white flowers at the corners? They're toxic. Hydrangeas are toxic. Daffodils are toxic. True lilies are toxic. Tulips are toxic. And I've seen them ALL on cakes recently! And sugar, right, sugar does this neat thing--have you ever mixed a tablespoon of granulated sugar into a bowl of sliced strawberries? How soft and sweet the berries get, how quickly. That's called "maceration," that effect, and if you remember your middle-school lessons on osmosis, that's what's happening. The sugar draws the liquid from the fruit's tissues. Buttercream has a lot of sugar in it. But instead of making delicious syrup, the frosting's macerating effect can free up poisons from inside the flower's tissues, drawing them into the cake to be consumed.

Most of the flowers aren't going to kill anybody, in the amounts that you'd get from a cake, but who wants to have heart palpitations or gastrointestinal distress on their wedding day? And think, too, about the infants licking frosting from their mother's fingertips, for whom so much smaller a dosage can be dangerous.

And some of them, ARE really bad. Tulips and Peruvian lilies have tulipalin in them, which can make humans badly sick. Hydrangeas, beautiful puffy blue blooms, have hydrangin in them--that is what's called a cyanogenic glycoside, which will turn to cyanide in your belly as you digest it. The baby's breath on this cake is mainly an irritant, but consumption can cause breathing problems and tachycardia, either of which can kill a person in the wrong circumstances.

There are so many flowers that are safe to eat. Roses, violets, marigolds, zinnias, hibiscus, sunflowers...big showy flowers, little delicate ones, there IS a flower for your needs that won't end up poisoning your wedding guests, provided that you get them from a source that does not use pesticides. (So no grocery store roses, sorry; a lot of those pesticides are neurotoxic).

I love baking (for several years I'd be introduced to someone only to have them immediately say "Oh, YOU baked those cupcakes!" and I did my own wedding cake), and I'm a Master Gardener with about twenty years of experience at gardening. I'd encourage absolutely anyone to try out either hobby, and I don't mean this post to be discouraging. Just gotta make sure you're going about it the right way!

I'll gladly give anyone who needs it a list of flowers that are safe to eat, and my Asks are always open.

crybaby.cakes__

[k1lig]

Recommended Modern Minimalist Garage Door Design

In the fast-paced modern life, minimalism is not only an aesthetic trend, but also a core concept pursued by many families in home design. As an important channel connecting the outdoors and the indoors, the design of the garage door is also worthy of attention. Especially today when the overall architectural style is emphasized, a modern minimalist garage door with simple lines and refreshing style can not only enhance the texture of the residential appearance, but also reflect the taste and life attitude of the homeowner.

This article will focus on the characteristics of modern minimalist style, introduce several popular garage door design types, recommend suitable materials and color combinations, and provide purchase suggestions to help you create a beautiful and practical modern home facade.

What Is Modern Minimalist Style?

The modern minimalist style emphasizes "less is more" and creates a clean, neat and bright space atmosphere through the design method of simplifying the complex. Its core lies in emphasizing the functionality of the structure and the essential beauty of the material. Common features include:

Clean and neat lines: mostly composed of horizontal or vertical lines, avoiding complex patterns.

Elegant and unified tones: neutral colors such as black, white, gray, and wood are commonly used, which are more refreshing and tidy visually.

Materials pay attention to texture: metal, glass, wood grain and other materials are selected to highlight the quality through detailed craftsmanship.

Hidden design: For example, hidden handles or seamless frames enhance the overall sense.

This style is particularly common in new homes in North America, Europe, and East Asia, and is particularly favored by young families, designer homes, and high-end villas.

Recommended Types Of Modern Minimalist Garage Doors

1. Horizontal aluminum strip texture door panels

Aluminum alloy materials are light and durable, suitable for making evenly distributed horizontal stripes or concave and convex surfaces, and enhancing the horizontal visual extension. The door panels can be made of matte black, dark gray, champagne silver and other colors, which perfectly blend with the facades of modern buildings.

Recommended reasons: The appearance is very modern, corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, suitable for urban residences and high-end communities.

2. Large area non-grained glass garage door

The door body is constructed using tempered frosted glass or black frame transparent glass, with a metal frame, which is transparent and full of technology. The glass door can effectively introduce natural light during the day and present a soft lighting effect through internal lighting at night.

Recommended reason: Standard configuration of modern minimalist residences, suitable for users who pursue architectural technology and visual transparency.

3. Original wood texture composite board door

The outer layer uses high-simulation wood grain composite board or aluminum alloy covered with wood grain film, which combines the warm texture of wood and the practical performance of modern materials. Common vertical splicing or flat push design, calm and atmospheric.

Recommended reason: While maintaining the minimalist style, it adds a natural atmosphere, suitable for users who like natural elements and value structural durability.

4. Hidden frame integrated door

Adopt hidden tracks or embedded designs that are integrated with the exterior wall to achieve a true "door-wall integration" visual effect and create a futuristic residential facade.

Recommended reason: The presence of traditional doors is almost invisible, with a strong sense of design and spatial aesthetics.

Material Recommendation And Comparison

Aluminum alloy is light and durable, has good corrosion resistance, and a simple appearance. It is the first choice for modern minimalist style.

Tempered glass is transparent and technological, suitable for users who like bright and fashionable styles, but privacy and security should be paid attention to.

Wood grain composite board looks like solid wood, but it is more weather-resistant and maintenance-free, taking into account natural beauty and modern practicality.

Solid wood doors have good texture but high price, and are easily affected by climate. They are not recommended for modern minimalist style residences.

Although PVC door panels are cheap, they have poor texture and short lifespan, and are not suitable for users who have requirements for appearance and quality.

Aluminum alloy, glass and wood grain composite materials are generally recommended, which are both beautiful and durable.

Some Suggestions For Purchasing Minimalist Style Garage Doors

Pay attention to the door structure: choose a sandwich panel structure with an insulation layer to improve energy saving and sound insulation.

Look at the surface process of the door panel: It is recommended to choose anti-scratch matte spray or laminated door panels, which are durable and more beautiful.

Pay attention to tracks and hardware accessories: Silent track system and traceless guide rail design can greatly improve the daily use experience.

Matching intelligent opening system: wireless remote control + mobile phone App + emergency manual opening design is more in line with the needs of modern families.

Customized service: Choose a brand that supports color, size and material customization to ensure a high match with the overall architectural style.

Summary

Modern and simple style garage doors are an important part of space design. Whether it is the calm metal texture, the warm wood grain effect, or the transparent glass door body, a reasonable combination can add a unique temperament to the residential facade. When purchasing, we should not only pay attention to its appearance design, but also comprehensively consider the material, structure, functionality and other aspects, and choose a modern and simple style garage door that is both practical and beautiful, so that the home will be more stylish starting from the door.

[jcmarchi]

8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Creating Sticky Elements — Speckyboy

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/8-css-javascript-snippets-for-creating-sticky-elements-speckyboy/

8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Creating Sticky Elements — Speckyboy

Modern websites often feature extensive scrolling. Long pages are common on desktop devices, but are even more frequent on mobile screens. The practice creates usability challenges for tasks like navigation and referencing important information.

That’s where “sticky” design elements come in handy. They allow users to scroll without losing access to your site’s menu. You can also use them to keep ads in view, attach social media sharing buttons to the viewport, or create fun special effects.

Implementing a sticky element can be simple, as CSS has a dedicated position property for this function. JavaScript can be used for building more robust features. As usual, there are several methods to achieve your goals.

We searched the CodePen archives to find interesting examples of sticky elements in use. Below, you’ll find various options that enhance the user experience. So, get stuck in your easy chair and be inspired by these code snippets!

Pure CSS Header Animation to Sticky Navigation

Created by Amit

Sticky headers are among the most popular use cases. On Chromium browsers, this snippet uses CSS to transform a tall and narrow header into a full-screen bar upon scrolling. Unsupported browsers receive a narrower, taller, sticky header. Keyframe animation is used to create smooth transitions. The feature is useful, lightweight, and attractive.

See the Pen Pure CSS header animation to sticky nav by Amit

Sticky Responsive Sidebar Navigation

Created by Areal Alien

Sidebar navigation can also take advantage of staying put during scrolling. Hovering over the sidebar expands the navigation to include text labels – it works on mobile too. However, you might also reserve this concept for large screens and use the traditional “hamburger” menu for mobile.

See the Pen Sticky responsive sidenav by Areal Alien

CSS Sticky Table Header & Column

Created by Mike Golus

Long HTML tables can be a pain to read. You have to memorize the column headers to understand the context. Sticky headers make even the busiest tables easier to read. Using position:sticky (and a few other tricks) on the first row and column enables scrolling without losing sight of key information. The examples in this Pen demonstrate how it’s done.

See the Pen CSS Sticky Table Header and Column by Mike Golus

Long Scroll Sticky Sections

Created by Burmese Potato

Here’s a unique way to denote the various sections of a long page. Scroll down the page, and the episode number (displayed in the left column) sticks until you reach the end of the section. The snippet combines sticky positioning with the calc() property on the container’s height to keep the number in view. This little bit of CSS adds a nice touch to the user experience.

See the Pen Pretty Sticky by Burmese Potato

Just Another Sticky Section Layout

Created by Misala

Sticky design elements can also be used to show off product features. Scroll down this page and watch as featured text and videos change. The layout occupies the entire screen viewport and is responsive for mobile devices. It’s a high-end feature sure to capture a user’s attention.

See the Pen just another sticky section layout by misala

Multi-Navigation Sticky Bars & Layout

Created by Den

This snippet asks the question: What if you have more than one navigation bar? The first bar is sticky by default. Scroll past a few sections, and a second sub-navigation bar lines up underneath. That second bar also features a neat frosted glass look as content scrolls underneath.

See the Pen Sticky layout + filters #2024 by Den

Sticky Video with CSS @container scroll-state()

Created by Jhey

We’re seeing more websites implement sticky videos, where the presentation sticks to the bottom corner upon scrolling. It allows users to view the rest of your content without losing sight of the video. Here, CSS container queries are used to reposition the video player. Use the included config panel to see how different settings impact the animation effects.

See the Pen CSS @container scroll-state() faux PiP video by Jhey

Dynamic Sticky Sidebar Component

Created by Ryan Mulligan

Features like shopping carts are a perfect fit for sticky sidebars. The UI makes it easier for shoppers to keep track of their cart and, most importantly, finish their purchase. This sidebar widget keeps track of cart contents and sticks to the screen while you scroll in the page content area.

See the Pen Dynamic Sticky Sidebar Component by Ryan Mulligan

Stick With What Works in Your Designs

We may think of sticky elements as being used for site headers and navigation. However, the examples above show that they can do much more. There are so many creative possibilities for informing and entertaining users.

What’s more, CSS can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Several snippets in this collection don’t require a single line of JavaScript. Still, it’s nice to know you can add some DOM manipulation when needed.

We hope this collection sparked your imagination! Check out our CodePen collection for even more sticky snippets.

Related Topics

Written by Eric Karkovack

Eric Karkovack is a web designer and WordPress expert with over two decades of experience. You can visit his business site here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

[lovethatdoor12]

Why Accordion Doors Fit Rockwall Homes Perfectly?

 Accordion doors might be the ideal home modification for you as a Rockwall resident wishing to make your living area more open, contemporary, and practical. These exquisitely made folding glass doors truly turn walls into windows by bringing light, air, and vitality into your room.

 Our premium, handcrafted accordion doors at Love That Door fit Texas lifestyles and enhance Rockwall's many architectural designs.

 Describe Accordion Doors.

 Often referred to as bi-fold doors, accordion doors open a full wall by folding and sliding several panels to one or both sides. Closed they present a neat, modern look. When open, they provide a flawless indoor-outdoor transition perfect for hosting events or just appreciating a breathtaking Rockwall sunset.

 The Rockwall Lifestyle Reflects Open-Concept Living.

 The lovely lakeside communities and breathtaking views of Iron front doors rockwall provide the ideal setting for a house that straddles both indoors and outside. accordional doors:

 Utilize natural light.

 Give patios, decks, and pools wide-open access.

 Improve airflow and view.

 Help the movement toward open-concept living.

 See your kitchen or living area extending naturally onto your balcony or backyard. Accordion doors help to realize that desire.

 Designed with Texas Conditions in mind

 Texas heat, wind, and seasonal changes call for doors beyond appearances. Our accordions have:

 Thermally fractured to increase insulation's effectiveness

 Weather-sealed to stop drafts and dampness.

 fitted with low-E, double-pane glass to minimize heat absorption

 built from high-grade aluminum resistant to warping and corrosion.

 For your Rockwall house, they are a wise investment as they mix longevity with elegance.

 Custom Designs Suited for Your Taste

 Every accordion door from Love That Door fits your house. From:

 Two to eight panels in arrangement

 Black, bronze, silver, and more many frame finishes

 Customizing hardware and locking mechanisms

 Glass choices go from clear to frosted or ornamental designs.

 We ensure that a product fits your taste and the layout of your house.

 Why do Rockwall Homeowners Value Love That Door?

 We provide architectural enhancements; we do not only install doors. Love That Door is well-known for fine workmanship, professional installation, and personal service having years of expertise in Rockwall and around the DFW area. Our staff is aware of local rules, climatic requirements, design preferences, and local codes—so you obtain a faultless and functioning product.

 Final Thoughts

 Accordion doors are a remarkable method to change your Rockwall house, converting walls into flexible glass and common rooms into amazing living spaces. Get ready to practically and metaphorically widen your horizons; reach out to Love That Door now.