alextir-creates

[alextir-creates]

“Come to America,

Where the streets are paved with gold”

My father tells me not to take the subway

Fitting, that he warns me away from

Down beneath the gilding

Where ours were not the only people

They have tried to bury, as if

“Give me your tired, your poor”

Was not a parasite’s siren call

And we were not it’s meal

Gluttonous still after gorging itself

Of everything it had stolen

He does not want to see my throat slit

Dead on the tracks in the company

Of the ghosts of my unnamed ancestors

—

“Gravesite for the Railworker’s Daughter”

by Alex Tir Zeng

#poetry #my writing #racism #racism against asians #and also #antiblackness #racism against indigenous peoples #because its disingenous to talk about racism in america without touching on those #esp wrt to railways #xenophobia #death #blood #violence

[alextir-creates]

Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon (Follow the Light) [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: T

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV

Summary: After facing what should have been certain death and loosing his purpose, Foulques of the Mist is at a loss as to how to move forward. Fortunately, the Warrior of Light has some ideas.

Content Warnings: Fantasy racism, Xenophobia

#my writing #fanfiction #ffxiv #ff14 #specific wol

[alextir-creates]

All Things It Devours [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: G

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV

Summary: After the business with the elpis flower, Hermes and the Warrior of Light have another talk. Unfortunately, one more conversation isn't enough to change anything.

#my writing #fanfiction #ffxiv #ff14 #specific wol

[alextir-creates]

I have a Ko-Fi!

If you like my work and have some spare change, please consider buying me a ko-fi! It'd be much appreciated.

--

I am not accepting commissions or requests at this time

#psa #ko fi link #ko fi promo

[alextir-creates]

Deus Ex Manderville [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: G

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV

Summary: Following her adventures with Hildibrand in Ishgard, the Warrior of Light asks Godbert Manderville for a favor.

It has...unexpected side effects

Content Warnings: Discussion of Canonical Character Death

#my writing #fanfiction #ffxiv #ff14 #specific wol #major character undeath

[alextir-creates]

High Republic Bookmark

Happy Pride Everyone!

I had the absolute pleasure of being commissioned by Pride Squadron to design a bookmark to be handed out at this year’s Star Wars Celebration! Now that Celebration has passed, I’ve been given the green light to post my work online for you all to see!

All of the characters featured here are canonically queer characters from Star Wars: the High Republic. It was an absolute pleasure to draw them, and an absolute pleasure to work with the folks at Pride Squadron

Star Wars: the High Republic and characters © Lucasfilm LFL

Art © Me

[Image ID: the front and back designs of a two-inch by eight-inch bookmark, displayed side by side. The back of the bookmark (right) is a rainbow gradient overlaid with the text “We are all the Republic” in the font classic of Star Wars. These words are bracketed above and below by the High Republic logo. Between the words “we are all” and “the Republic” is the Pride Squadron logo – which itself is composed a central circle (one half of which featuring the Rebel insignia and the other half featuring the imperial insignia) with rainbow wings.

Beneath this is a square logo reading "Alex Tir Zeng" with my business contact information ([email protected], https://ko-fi.com/AlexTirZeng). At the very bottom of the bookmark is a the notation ©LFL.

The front of the bookmark (left) is composed of four panels of character head shots, made to resemble a photobooth strip. The first panel features Vernestra Rwoh (a purple haired, green skinned, and blue eyed Mirialan girl) and Leox Gyasi (a blonde, pale skinned, blue eyed human man) standing shoulder to shoulder at a three-quarter view.

The second panel features Kantam Sy (a black haired, brown skinned nonbinary human with facial hair), their padawan Lula Talisola (a human girl with dark, voluminous brown hair that is partially in locs and brown skin of a slightly lighter shade), and Zeen Mrala (a pink skinned Mikkian girl with red eyes whose head-tentacles fade into purple). Lula and Zeen are seen cheek to cheek, with Kantam above them.

The third panel features Ty Yorrick (a brown skinned Tholothian woman with a gold head piece and blue-white head tentacles) and Ceret and Terec (a pair of nonbinary Kotabi twins with white skin and pale eyes surrounded by dark makeup. The twins are identical). Ty, standing behind the twins, is rolling her eyes, while the twins goof around in front of her. Ceret (left) is winking and sticking their tongue out, giving bunny ears to their twin, while Terec is cross-eyed.

The fourth panel features Jordanna Sparkburn (left) and Sylvestri Yarrow (right), Jordanna is a human woman with pale brown skin and wavy brown hair – the bits of which that frame her face bound in silver clasps. She is wearing something that resembles a brown poncho. Sylvestri is also a human woman, though with darker brown skin and 4C hair in an afro. She is wearing a red turtleneck and a blue jacket with gold detailing. The two are standing shoulder to shoulder, rather awkwardly looking away from each other. The background for all four panels is a pastel version of the same rainbow gradient featured on the back of the bookmark. End ID]

#star wars #star wars celebration #the high republic #fanart #captioned #lgbtq #pride month #pride 2022 #paint tool sai #digital art #commission

[alextir-creates]

What We Owe Each Other [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: T

Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Summary: …And more importantly, what we don’t owe each other.

Obi-Wan and Satine don’t have the kind of relationship the galaxy seems to expect them to have. Post-Voyage of Temptation and after twenty years out of communication, the two of them have a conversation about why.

#my writing #fanfiction #lgbtq #star wars

[alextir-creates]

Voide by Tigrette-of-Fire

In which I actually fulfill my intentions to complete a series of something, have a knee-cut of Voide, other liege-lady of my heart, to accompany Darkstar’s. Voide fights with a short-staffed guandao in addition to her fists (Voide is the heaviest hitter on Star Force when it comes to hand-to-hand combat), and is dressed in a Chinese hanfu as well. If I’m honest, I think this one turned out better than Darkstar’s - namely because I have more practice and I wasn’t an idiot who put in three light sources this time around.

Wanna buy this piece? Go here to my redbubble!

[Star Force Character Refs] [Darkstar]

#star force #uncaptioned visual #digital art #art #paint tool sai #original work #my ocs #original character

[alextir-creates]

EDIT 11/20/17: Her skin was too grey, so I fixed it EDIT 12/04/17: More glow to the hair

So remember those superheroes I drew a while back? Have a fullbody (or, well, a ¾ body) of Darkstar, liege-lady of my heart, featuring costume and weapons designs. I’m pretty sure I died trying to shade this (why the fuck I thought it was a good idea to put three goddamn light sources in this is beyond me atm), but regardless of any inevitable fuck-ups, I’m actually really happy with how this came out. This piece is also posted on my deviantART here.

She’s wearing a modified version of the Chinese hanfu (check out the style I modeled hers after) and wields a meteor hammer - though with lanterns instead of the usual weights. I also used this tutorial for the background.

Wanna buy this piece on a number of products? Go here to my redbubble!

[Star Force Character Refs] [Voide]

#art #paint tool sai #digital art #my art #my ocs #star force #original work #uncaptioned visual #original character

[alextir-creates]

An Hourglass in Zero Gravity [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: T

Fandom: Star Wars

Summary:

There’s a space between being and nonbeing where time ceases to be an obstacle.

Nineteen years after the rise of the Galactic Empire, Obi-Wan Kenobi is cut down (and yet not) at the hands of his own apprentice. Thirteen years before the genocide of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi wakes up.

Things were never so simple as living and dying linearly.

Content Warnings: None for the prologue, but content warning for sensory overload in chapter 1

#my writing #fanfiction #star wars #the hourglass verse #fic update #rip reblogged to main instead it’s fine

[alextir-creates]

Any time can be gourd time if you aren’t a coward lmao. A baby hat knit by commission using Sassy Street on Ravelry’s “Pumpkin’s Beanie” - with the modification of not doing a garter stitch edge and instead just extending the ribbed portion so a lip can be folded up.

This was a commission done for a family friend, HOWEVER, I am hoping to be able to open up knitting commissions (and maybe even drawing commissions) to folks at large later this year. I’ll keep you posted when that happens!

Image ID under the cut:

[Image ID: a photo of a knit beanie for a baby. It is shaped like a pumpkin, with a large, ribbed, orange base with a folded up lip as a brim. It is topped by a stem and two curling vines of varying length, made in green yarn. The beanie sits on a medium brown wooden table, a wood floor and part of a stair visible in the background. /End ID]

#knitting #textiles #captioned #commission

[alextir-creates]

Two sets of mittens, both as gifts and both knit using LeeLeeKnits’s “Bulky Cable Knit Mittens” pattern! I found this pattern to be really fun, and altogether a quick knit.

Image IDs under the cut!!!

[Image 1 ID: a pair of knit mittens lain with their wrists crossed. Each mitten has a braided cable down the top of it, from wrist to finger tip. This pair of mittens is knitted with variegated yarn, and are striped grey, cyan, navy, and teal. The mittens are resting on a medium-pale wooden countertop, next to an unpainted wooden bird-feeder (which is shaped like a gazebo) and a ceramic vase with a twisted neck drip-glazed green over the brown body glaze of the vase. /End ID 1]

[Image ID 2: a pair of knit mittens lain with their wrists crossed. Each mitten has a braided cable down the top of it, from wrist to finger tip. These mittens are dark grey. They sit on a medium-pale wooden countertop on which a green, white and pink doily lays at the black metal base of a lamp. /End ID 2]

#knitting #textiles #captioned #gift work

[alextir-creates]

Cotton-polyester blend

Run between my fingers

Hang upon my needles

Until my love is something solid

Enough to take hold

In the moments where words fail me

So this child is safe and warm

Without remembering my face

And I can keep you safe

When you’ve forgotten my name

—

“Tángjiě, Àyí (Agū)” by Alex Tir Zeng

#poetry #my writing #original work

[alextir-creates]

Convertible mittens for a kid I knit as a holiday gift!! I used Nancy J. Thomas at Yarnspiration’s “Flip-Top Kids’ Mittens” with a few modifications (namely only using one color instead of two lol)

Image ID under the cut!

[Image ID: a picture of a pair of mittens that are convertible between full mittens and fingerless mittens. This is done by knitting a flap top that can be buttoned back. The mittens are light blue with brown buttons, with the one on the left in the fingerless configuration. The mittens sit on top of a folded cream placemat, which in turn sits on a large silver dish. The dish is sitting on a floral orange tablecloth and has white flowers and part of a clear vase reflected on its surface. /End ID]

#knitting #textiles #captioned #gift work

[alextir-creates]

The Trouble with Transporters [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: T

Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Wars: the Clone Wars crossover

Summary: Contrary to what Dr. McCoy might say, transporters weren’t actually all that dangerous. Sulu knew the statistics; the odds of death by transporter were about even with those for death by shuttlecraft accident - which while nonzero, certainly weren’t worth putting your day on hold for. The overwhelming majority of transports were perfectly safe. They got you from where you were to where you wanted to be - nothing more, nothing less.

This was not one of those times.

AKA the Anakin and Sulu Swap AU

Content Warnings: surface level discussion of the potential medical consequences of transporter malfunctions, including impaling

#star trek #star wars #star trek tos #tcw #fanfiction #my writing #the trouble with transporters #crossover

[alextir-creates]

Sympathy For Monsters [Ao3] [FF.N]

Rating: M

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Status: Work in Progress

Summary: Sometimes men try to prey on women, and sometimes those men are titans, and sometimes those women are the Goddess of Death. In which Hela is Loki's daughter, not Odin's, and she won't take harassment sitting down or without back up. The universe might also get saved in the process.

Content Warnings: Referenced Sexual Harassment of a Minor by an Adult (Villain), Past Child Abuse, Mythology-Based Violence, Fantasy Racism

Chapter-Specific Additional Content Warnings Under the Cut:

Chapter 1: If Hel is a Teenage Girl...

Additional Content Warnings: Referenced Genocide, Guns

Chapter 2: On Thanos's Wrongdoings

Additional Content Warnings: Referenced Genocide

Chapter 3: Loki Commits Crimes

Additional Content Warnings: Referenced Torture, Referenced Attempted Suicide

Chapter 4: The Boys are Back in Town

Additional Content Warnings: N/A

Chapter 5: Meet the Family

Additional Content Warnings: N/A

Chapter 6: The Allfather's Judgement

Additional Content Warnings: Imprisonment

Chapter 7: The Sorcerer Supreme

Additional Content Warnings: Panic Attack, Referenced Mind Control

Chapter 8: Amateur Philosophy in Mind Tricks

Additional Content Warnings: Panic Attack, Referenced Mind Control

Chapter 9: Lunar Interludes

Additional Content Warnings: Referenced Massacre

Chapter 10: Bread, War, and Roses

Additional Content Warnings: N/A

Chapter 11: The Meeting of the Minds

Additional Content Warnings: N/A

Chapter 12: To Build an Einstein-Rosen Bridge

Additional Content Warnings: Discussion of Potentially Lethal Self-Sacrifice in the name of the Greater Good

Chapter 13: Road Work Ahead

Additional Content Warnings: N/A

Chapter 14: Insomnia Cookies

Additional Content Warnings: Discussion of Voluntary Entry into a Medically Induced Coma

Chapter 15: Don't Know Where, Don't Know When

Additional Content Warnings: Voluntary Entry into a Medically Induced Coma

#my writing #fanfiction #sympathy for monsters #mcu #sexual harassment #pedophilia #abuse #genocide #fantasy racism #violence against children #torture

[alextir-creates]

This is the Philosophy of Non-Attachment.

It is to Love unconditionally, to understand

Love as an action, and so to

Know love has nothing to do with it at all

The feeling is inconsequential.

As all feelings are, in the face of such things

There is only what is right

And so you do it, to the best of your knowledge

(Which, you could say, is too a form of Love)

Good for the sake of Good

For it is greater than yourself

And I do not know how to tell you this is gentle

That love the feeling comes so easily

In the wake of Love the Action

As do forgiveness and mercy

And how simple it is to be kind

—

“Translational Mutagenasis via Missense”

by Alex Tir Zeng

#my writing #poetry #religion #an alternate title for this one could be #buddhist frustrated in the face of being talked over #and being called cruel simply because they do not understand #original work