#I LOVE IMPROV STORYTELLING SO MUCH

[cheese-water]

Generation Loss is a comedic tragedy in every sense of the word. Every character we see exemplifies this fact, but no one other than The Austin Show proves its truth.

We begin at the carousel. Austin, Gay, takes his turn by pleading for himself to live because he has a wife and children back home. The rest of the cast interrogates him about his “wife and kids,” clearly suspicious of his truthfulness without even knowing his dubbed “title.” Everyone in the room treats Austin like a joke.

In turn, so do we.

Next, we reach the closet and shortly after the failed drag show, Austin remarks, “Look, I uh… I didn’t expect to die here.” It’s a moment of pure honesty, whether we like it or not. It happens again when the Puzzler tries to party with them, and Austin has to angrily remind him that they are his captives and are actively trying to kill them.

Austin: “What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? We're trying to get out of here. I have children and wives— wife. One wife! What is this some sort of game? I’ve been stuck in hear for hours it seems. We’re trying to get out. Why is nobody else freaking out? We’ve got C4 strapped to our neck…”

It isn’t until Ethan’s death, his blood pooling out from underneath the door, Austin screaming at the others, begging them to have a reaction, to care about their circumstances, to care about death, that we finally understand Austin’s role in Generation Loss.

After all, in every great comedy, someone always has to play the straight man.

[snow-lavender]

man, the mental image of c!centross three sheets to the wind and telling c!ocie the same story about his horse fifteen times is really funny to me

[solarisgod]

✏️ — how long have you been roleplaying on tumblr? ✍️ — what other platforms have you roleplayed on? 🗒 — what is/are your favorite genre(s)/theme(s) to write? 🤔 — what genre(s)/theme(s) do you struggle to write the most?

✏️ — How long have you been roleplaying on Tumblr ?

I've been roleplaying on here for three years, four this May as we joined the rpc on my birthday! My first ever muse was a silly fourth wall breaking radio show host original character named Shane Anneghanz ( a wordplay for shenanigans— he picked the name himself ) who, out of curiosity, drank the liquid from a magic eight ball that resulted him gaining the abilities to time travel and see the past and future. Although I didn't write him for more than a week before I moved on to writing the Greek mythological Atlas for around a month! Joining Tumblr's roleplay community on a birthday is certainly quite Something of a gift to have, but with it bringing writing + creativity improvements with wonderful friendships and memories made makes it amazing despite it all. ♡

✍️ — What other platforms have you roleplayed on ?

Before I started roleplaying on Tumblr in 2020, I have only done so on this jcink forum that was inspired by Erin Hunter's Warrior Cats fantasy novel series, from 2013 - 2016. IRONICALLY, we joined this forum on my birthday as well! I know for a fact we also joined a few other jcink forums that were established after the one we first joined shut down, but, as we have complete no memories of them, I'm only counting the first forum. I really would like to start to roleplay on Discord; it looks very much more quicker and convenient to Tumblr, lmfao..

🗒 — What is / are your favorite genre(s) / theme(s) to write ?

I've always been most fascinated in writing and exploring metafiction and supernatural! The wonders and horrors that are beyond human compel me. Along with ( dark ) fantasy that center around folklore and mythologiesI I also enjoy romance a lot as I just get really soft and delighted writing out the shippy dynamics and interactions! In terms of themes, I extremely enjoy writing and studying the idea of how love is everything and everything is love. The fact that even when there is a moment of horror or tragedy, love is still there, and that has to mean something in the end. As well as I'm fascinated in playing with the character vs. the narrative vs. the creator, looking at it in a metafiction lens. The rage against Fate and the rebellion against the narrative themselves for anything, especially for love. Autonomy and identity ( and the lack of them ) are also few more themes that I love to write, as I love when the characters experience the harmonies and conflicts of their very selves! Lastly, I write and explore personifications such as life, death, sun, moon, etcetera, a lot when I just find them so fun and fascinating to think of and study on!

🤔 — What genre(s) / theme(s) do you struggle to write the most ?

I can't see myself writing horror and tragedies very well at all. Anything that involves sadness and suffering and death with the impacts of them. Angst have never ever been my thing as I get emotional and distressed in general cases quite easily and extremely, so writing and engaging in angst centric works deeply and consistently can affect my mental and emotional state to a great degree, especially if the subjected characters are whom I feel closely connected to. Although I can see the appeal of angst to other people! It's simply not for me with my softest starry heart. Science fiction is also something I have trouble writing mainly because our intellectual disability and ongoing amnesia makes our slow learning and poor memory a lot more challenging for me to explore and explain any scientific based concepts and details effectively. ( Like, I may be an ever outer space lover, but astronomy and astrophysics are few of infinite subjects we'll never be able to recall and understand fully and thoroughly due to their complexity, so I'll have more difficulty writing a story that involves space travelling or just roleplaying an astronaut muse, which is so annoying and frustrating. )

▌┊ MUNDAY ASKS ／／ : @POLTEGEI , ACCEPTING !

[lunarharp]

comicky things etc

[ferdydurke]

Innit crazy that disco elysium was a ttrpg... hmmm. I always think about that

[aeide-thea]

unfortunate that i'm the sort of person who likes a lot of people who like D&D (vel sim.), but personally (tho respectfully and nonjudgmentally!) both hate and fear it...

[eliotquillon]

looking back i find it so funny how much i was dragging my feet and complaining about wayward being a cassia centric standalone because wayward is now 1000% my favourite of the two books and i care so much more about the side characters in it than the ones in witherward. i have read so much ya fantasy over the years that it’s very rare for my pre-read vibe checks to be wrong but hannah mathewson humbled me so bad with wayward lmaooo

[morrigan-sims]

Guys, I have one piece of advice for you that will seriously improve your time on simblr: If you love someone's story, let them know. Leave a comment, send an ask, whatever. Do it on anon if you're scared. And don't worry about coming off as unhinged. Honestly, the more details and rambling you put in, the better. There is literally nothing that makes an artist feel better than having someone tell them that they love their work.

So if someone's latest story post made you cry, tell them! Or if their edit gave you chills, tell them!!! And let me tell you a secret. Nothing motivates people to work on their stories more than knowing that other people love them and want to see more.

Nothing feels better than seeing someone answer your ask or reply to your comment, and seeing how happy they are. Trust me on this. It feels amazing. You'll make their day, and make your own day better too. And maybe, just maybe, you'll be the push they need to open their game and work on the next post.

Oh, and if you want them to love you forever, include details! Say what specific lines made you feel so strongly, or offer theories on what's going to happen next. Tell them who your favorite character is, or what antagonist is making your teeth grind. Storytellers put so much effort into their posts and their writing, and having someone pick up on the details is so immensely gratifying.

[bixels]

What has served as inspiration for your art style? I’m still trying to improve mine

So much.

Mid-1900s animated American films, from Disney to Don Bluth to UPA. Late-90s to early-2000s anime, especially OVAs (favorite studios were Madhouse and Gainax). Pre-digital comics: The Adventures of Tintin, Pogo Possum, Calvin & Hobbes, Peanuts, Little Nemo in Slumberland. Graphic novels: Hellboy, Blacksad, Jamie Hewlett's work. For individual artists online: my partner Tulliok, Snoozincopter, Alariko, Louie Zong, DeusExMakena, SachinTeng, SsSantine, brawlersworld, Tanjeronie, Carly Henson. There are more but those are the ones who come to mind.

This is an extremely random and eclectic list, but they've all influence the whole body of my work and style, from character design to film composition to storytelling to coloring to line weight. They all reflect something in art that I love: I love flat colors, I love heavy line weight, I love harsh shadows, I love drawing people, I love sci-fi and soft fantasy, I love romance and drama, I love the grittiness of pre-digital art-making, I love the cleanliness and clarity of digital art-making. Check out these works and artists, but they may not embody who you are. The best advice I can give is find and eat and savor as much art as you can and let it change you. Ask yourself why something speaks to you; it can be as small as the way someone draws an ear. Ask yourself why that artist decided to draw it that way. Then make it your own.

Your inspirations should be as multi-faceted as you. Have fun!

[magical-wishies]

Happy 2024!!

Time flies, huh? I'm so glad I got to draw consistently and I think I really improved a lot in such a short time span. Thank you all for the support, I love you all so much <3

I'm posting this exactly on midnight (Not really, but who's counting)! It's been a great year, and I'm so excited to continue drawing and just enjoying life from now on. Cheers! 🌅🎇

(Of course, I had to draw these two to celebrate :D)

Let's not forget about the artist recap everyone does!

A good line-up, I'd say! I'm satisfied with the improvement. Never thought I'd be getting to this point of skill, but here we are! (Lol)

Here are my artist goals for 2024, Kirby Edition:

1. Finish either a comic, two MVs, or an animation!

2. Add more storytelling to my drawings!

3. Create an AU and flesh it out!

4. Learn how to draw Traitor Magolor and Marx Soul (So i can feed you guys some food)

5. Branch out in terms of characters (I want to learn Gryll and King Dedede especially!)

I'm excited about the future now, so let's see how many I can do. That'll be a wrap for this post, wishing you all a Happy New Year!

[factual-fantasy]

FNAF Recap/Repair project Update: (Moon Malfunction is stinky now) :’}

Okay, so I have a pretty bummer update about my fnaf recap project. So in my Recap/Repair Project explanation post, I commented this, 👇

This post was basically going to say “The next part in the timeline is this comic that I already made months ago called “Moon Malfunction”. I went through the comic and only 1 bubble of dialogue needs to be corrected. Other than this one text bubble, the entire comic fits into the canon. Here’s a link to Moon Malfunction so you can go read it! :DDD”

I worked so hard on this comic, and it took me weeks to complete. I thought it was beautiful and I was so proud of it when I made it. So I was very glad I was able to reuse this comic for my timeline, and not let any of that hard work go to waste..

..But I cant reuse it.

I wanted to salvage this comic so much, that I brushed past most of the inconsistency's and said “good enough”. But the truth is, its not good enough. Not to me.

This comic is majorly outdated. As much as I love it, DJ and Moon aren’t acting quite right. DJ would respond to this situation differently now that I have re-written his character. And now that the nature of the virus has been thought out properly, Moon would be acting different too.

Also the comic as a whole is just, not how I would make a comic nowadays. My artwork has improved since then, and my ability to make coherent comics even more so. I can see where I would have drawn scenes differently. Where I would and would not have done close ups. AND this comic was shortened quite a bit. Because of how much drawing I had to do, I trimmed it down, so the pacing is kind’a rushed. Nowadays I’m not afraid to take some time and let the comic drag on to get the story across better.

Basically. Because I completely re-wrote this AU. This comic just doesn’t fit quite right anymore. Which sucks that I have to scrap it.. but its worth it. I love FNAF. And I really care about the quality of my storytelling in my AU. I want to make it good. I want my love for FNAF to be seen in how much effort I put into making my AU as great as I can possibly make it.

Which means I’m going to take the time to sit down and re-make this comic. The next part of the recap project will not be a short post. Its going to be a giant comic called “Moon Malfunction 2.0″ (probably). And once its done, THEN I can get to game night and the rest of the au.

Also during this time. A lot of other time sensitive projects I have are becoming.. well. A problem. I’m running out of time to get them done-

So while I’m writing Moon Malfunction 2.0, I’m going to be working on some time sensitive IRL projects, amongst other beloved projects that I refuse to abandon, 

BUT! Not to worry! I plan to not leave ya’ll without any content. I’m gonna do my best to drop a sketch or meme here and there, whether it be FNAF, TF2, OCs or otherwise. So just sit tight, for now, I’m gonna try to get through these projects 1 by 1 and get Moon Malfunction 2.0 out as fast as I can. See ya’ll soon!

Hopefully-

[adamsmasher]

Okay it's after 1am and I've had a lot of wine so obviously it's time for a late night wall-of-text post, but this time it's less likely to piss off your weird uncle or whatever because once again, I gotta talk about the best $4.99 a month I've ever spent.

Please, if you haven't yet, I'm begging you to look into all of the incredible content available on the Dropout.tv streaming service (formerly known as College Humor) . Not only did Whose Line Is It Anyway's Wayne Brady say that the Dropout crew are the only ones doing improv comedy on the same level as Whose Line, but they were also one of the only studios/streaming services allowed to work during the writers' strike because their contracts went above and beyond industry standards. (And, from my own observations, Dropout LOVES hiring queer, trans/nonbinary, and BIPOC performers + crew. Obviously I don't know much about the industry, but they seem like one of the most inclusive companies in Hollywood.)

"Alex, thanks for the recommendation! What shows do they have that you think I'll like?" Oh, you're asking me to gush about my favorite tv shows? Don't mind if I do!!!

Are you D&D curious, but took one look at actual play shows like Critical Role and thought "6 hours an episode? and there's like 750 episodes or whatever? oh baby not my adhd ass..." Don't worry, me too (sorry CR I love you I promise). But Dropout has a show called "Dimension 20" where comedians play Dungeons and Dragons with emotional, immersive storytelling, gut-busting laughs, and spectacular set design that makes you forget it's a fully improvised series controlled by the roll of the dice. They even did a miniseries perfect for D&D beginners called "Dungeons and Drag Queens" where absolute novices and Drag Race royalty Jujubee, Monet X Change, Alaska Thunderfuck, and Bob the Drag Queen embark on an adventure full of mystery, intrigue, and stupidity. I mean, Alaska plays a muscle-bound, axe-wielding, caveman-grunting Orc named Princess, what more could you want? Plus, the primary game master Brennan Lee Mulligan is so easy on the eyes. Oh, you're not into dorky ginger dudes? How about Aabria Iyengar, a 6 foot tall goddess who's equally as nerdy as Brennan but loves basketball. that's right, if nothing else, there's eye candy for every person in every season.

"Oh, why aren't there any good game shows on TV?" you wonder, wishing that the Game Show Network could come up with something that isn't a lame remake of a free-to-play phone game. Well how about Game Changer, "the only game show where the game changes every show (except for [...] Game of Games, Taskmaster, and a few others that have come to light AFTER [Game Changer first aired]. That's right, [the] players have no idea what game it is they're about to play. The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning." And yes, I did sit there and watch the beginning of an episode to make sure I was accurately quoting Game Changer host (and Dropout CEO) Sam Reich's description of his flaghship game show that has THREE separate spin-offs. (for context, he only mentions the other shows that copied his in the one episode I pulled up to get an accurate quote. could you imagine how uncomfortable it would be if he said that every episode? hah!)

Are you more of a traditional Whose Line fan? Look no further than Game Changer spin-off Make Some Noise, where contestants act out "improvisational prompts that [they have] never seen before, isn't that right contestants?" ("We won't know if we've seen them before or not until we see them!" Brennan insists every time he's on...)

You like musicals but wish they were less... ya know, scripted? Check out "Play It By Ear", a fully improvised musical! (you may be familiar with its primary cast members Jess McKenna and Zach Reino from the podcast that inspired it all, "Off Book: the Improvised Musical Podcast with Zach and Jess")

Or maybe you're more into trivia, cuz you're a total nerd like me (and every single performer that's ever appeared on dropout.tv). How about "Umm, Actually" where contestants are given an incorrect statement and have to buzz in to correct it - but you have to say "Umm, Actually" first!

Straight up, you can't go wrong on Dropout. Please, check it out. They're nearly doubling the amount of original shows they have in 2024, and no other streaming service is doing it like them. If I haven't convinced you yet, get the 7 day trial and give em a chance. There's no referral code I can give you that gives me some sort of kickback or whatever, I genuinely wrote what looks like a thousand word essay about Dropout at 1am just because I love them so much.

[plutosunshine]

Your sense of humor

Mercury in Aries

Your sense of humor is straightforward and even edgy. You can kill people with your words. However, it makes you super funny. You like to be goofy and silly with friends. Your bold, open and honest style of communication adds charm to you. Your jokes are fast and this makes them even funnier because one of the main rules of good humor is a sudden fast joke. Everybody who has Aries Mercury!!! If you hide or suppress these talents, they will destroy you from the inside. You need to forward your sarcasm to the world, not inside yourself.

Mercury in Taurus

Mercury in Taurus is not as fast as Aries Mercury. However, it has its advantages. This Mercury has not a fast reaction but it doesn’t destroy its sense of humor. Your humor is so practical and precise that others can’t help but laugh. You are sarcastic and you know how to say something at right time. Sometimes people don’t expect a joke from you but it comes out and kills everybody. Did I mention sarcasm? Oh yes, I need to mention it again because omg Taurus Mercury owns it! Remember George Carlin? Yes, he is the owner of Taurus Mercury.

Mercury in Gemini

Gemini Mercury knows a little bit of every topic so your humor may depend on the person you are with. You adjust your sense of humor depending on the situation. Your humor is fast, optimistic and smart. Everyone thinks that you are witty and you were born to joke. You need to be appreciated for your humor. Also, you like to play with words and meanings. These jokes are easy to create for you. Your Mercury is in Gemini so people think you are so smart and know everything and sometimes they don’t notice that you don’t go that deep.

Mercury in Cancer

Cancer Mercury often has a very good memory so it affects the sense of humor. You can remember something nobody already does so you successfully use it to joke. Cancer Mercury natives rarely joke about their families. It is something sacred for them. You intuitively sense the mood of your surroundings and that helps you to be on the same wavelength as others. Your jokes are rarely offensive and others adore that about you. The only way you can insult somebody is when you don’t even understand that it is offensive. Usually, you don’t do that on purpose.

Mercury in Leo

Leo Mercury natives have very special facial expressions; they are artistic and unapologetically funny. If you have this Mercury, you MUST joke. It is your nature. You are a very good storyteller. Your expressions and even gestures color the story. Everybody understands your sense of humor. It is mostly optimistic and light-hearted. If the rest of the chart allows, you are the center of the party. Even if other planets are more introverted, you still need to express your talented Mercury. Maybe only in your friend's circle!

Mercury in Virgo

Here we go again, of course, earth = sarcasm. We can’t escape that. Your sense of humor is critical and detail-oriented. You notice little details and use them in your jokes. It impresses others because of the surprise effect. They don’t expect that somebody can notice such little things. Virgo Mercury natives are smart. They show it anytime and everywhere they go. Some people may think that you are even arrogant but it can be possible only if you don’t work with your Mercury. I advise you to read more because it will affect you so well and will improve your sense of humor.

Mercury in Libra

Your sense of humor is logical and soft. You don’t like offensive jokes (but watch out for Mercury-Mars aspects). You are diplomatic and even your jokes have this “not to offend anyone” attitude. That is why others love your humor so much. You talk politely and choose your words carefully. Libra Mercury has all the chances to be the queen/king of the party because of the wit, intelligence and “loving everybody” attitude. Depending on the rest of your chart, you have the potential to be a social butterfly.

Mercury in Scorpio

Of course dark humor. Humor that is not understood by everybody. You have a very special sense of humor. Most of the time you are sarcastic. This Mercury has a very interesting detail: when you joke, others often can’t understand if is it a joke or an insult. Also, Scorpio Mercury is very observant. Jokes may contain some not-pleasant observations of others. You see what other people hide behind their masks and joke very painfully about that. When you are with close friends, your humor is the best, they adore you.

Mercury in Sagittarius

Born entertainer! You tell stories like no other. With Leo Mercury of course. Your sense of humor is light-hearted, optimistic, straightforward and honest. Sometimes people laugh because of how sincerely and honestly you talk. You can talk about the topics everybody is afraid of. And you just don’t understand what is wrong. Sagittarius Mercury can be too straightforward at times and doesn’t see that someone is insulted. It is because of the careless nature of Sagittarius Mercury. And there is where your open and sincere sense of humor comes from.

Mercury in Capricorn

Of course, again it is sarcasm. However, if Virgo Mercury is more flexible, the sense of humor of Capricorn Mercury is drier. It is based on concrete facts and logic. Sometimes people don’t like the reality so it can be insulting. However, Capricorn Mercury is just no joke. It knows facts and jokes about them. Cynical and dry at times, but it is the nature of it!

Mercury on Aquarius

This one is considered a genius or crazy. No in between. Your sense of humor is unique and unusual so not everybody understands it. Of course, your friends’ circle adores you. Your jokes sometimes come out of nowhere all of a sudden. Unpredictability and uniqueness make your sense of humor unusual. You often use very random facts in your jokes. Your humor is creative, a little bit cosmic and not from this world.

Mercury in Pisces

Your sense of humor is creative and bright! You create such beautiful and unbelievable stories! Unbelievable is the key word here because let’s be honest you like to add some inexistent details to the story. That makes the story and your jokes more colorful! Also, you are the type of person who jokes like crazy at the party and all of a sudden you disappear and become silent. When you are in your “peopley” phase, you are the best entertainer but when you don’t feel it anymore, you just leave.

[ittybittybattyart]

Finally beat everything from Pokemon scarlet and I’m hyperfixating on it haha, I’ve always loved Pokemon and I’m so glad I got to play this, the last gen I played was 7 (moon(Guzma my beloved)

There’s a lot of characters I like from this game that I’m hoping to draw (Rika, Geeta, Jacq, Hassel, Brassius, Ryme, Carmine, Drayton, Amarys, Giacomo, Eri) but I thought I’d start with one of my absolute faves Kieran! (Tied with Arven)

I really resonated with Kieran and Arven, it’s so cool to see the improvement in the storytelling/character writing with Pokemon, I hope they keep it up and keep improving too!

Semi personal rambling of why I relate to this dude under the cut

If this game had come out when I was a tween/teen I would’ve resonated even more with Kieran than I do now, since I was dealing with a lot of similar stuff at that time.

I’ve gotten to a much better place with myself and situation in the last five or so years, most of these unless otherwise said aren’t things I really struggle with anymore but I was so reminded of my younger self while playing through Kierans story

The self esteem problems and wanting to prove others wrong about what they think of me, the passive and overt bullying from others, the need of validation from others, especially those I admired/envied. Additionally the constant setbacks in life and trying to achieve my goals despite it and the envy of other people’s lives that seemed easier than mine

… also some of the obsessive tendencies just like generally, I'm extremely monotropic so its VERY difficult to get me to focus on something I'm not fixated on already, I will talk about it without even realizing and do it for days/weeks/months its still something that really effects me, I'll fixate so hard i dont sleep much for weeks and forget to eat/drink kind of levels, I've always been like this (AuDHD)(I'm working on taking breaks and self care in this regard tho)

Therapy really helped/helps (Kieran please go to therapy lol)

[historianthesecond]

Hello ^^ I hope you're doing alright c: I would rlly rlly love if you could do a fic with (dad) Nikolai maybe, and a f!reader that is an artist? Perhaps she draws or paints on her free time hehe

Thanks!

Hi! I'm doing well, thank you :3 I wish you're okay too, Anon And sure thing! I did something jkhjfjkf, I hope you like it ✨

Also I swear I'm working on the ongoing fics 🙈🙈 sorry for being like this it'll happen again

Masterpiece

Nikolai Lantsov x Fem!Reader---2.3K----SFW

Summary: Nikolai visits your atelier to see the latest painting you're working on.

Tags: Established Relationship| Domestic Fluff| Very much plotless fluff tbh| I did put a baby in there so watch out

Bouquet in hand, Nikolai thought he was silent enough while entering the queen’s atelier.

His boots were muffled by the carpet dotted with painting stains through the years, the wind moved the branches of the cherry trees outside, carrying a sweet essence of summer and growth.

Your soft hums flooded the still room, lulling your firstborn, Prince Dominik, his tiny figure laid on the automated rocking crib that Nikolai had still to improve with the way it squeaked when the baby grabbed the bars during his first attempts to sit all by himself.

But it seemed Nikolai wasn’t that good at sneaking around anymore, because he was barely closing the door as slowly as he could manage to not startle you on your diligent work, when he heard the excited gurgle of his baby, a tiny hand reaching upward as the other one was busy grabbing the fox plushie Nikolai had proudly commissioned to a toymaker in one of his business trips to Os Kervo.

You turned your stool, palette cradled on your hands, a brush hovering midair dangerously close to the canvas.

“Oh! Hi,” you said, leaving the brush aside to quickly stand up, your figure so conveniently covering the painting. With your hands clasped together, he could read that his surprise had worked to get you all flustered and shy.

Nikolai had always tried to sneak around when you were painting, even when you were embarrassed by the enthralled gaze he'd sent your way as if you'd been crafting stars and galaxies instead of just mixing colors together to paint landscapes and people.

In those times, Nikolai had wished to be better at artistic activities besides his mastery of storytelling. He loved the way how the little prince giggled, legs kicking happily as he switched his voice’s tone to match the characters in the pop-up books; and how you snuggled closer to his side, gaze glued to his face as if somehow, he could be much more marvelous than the story he was narrating.

He wanted to paint you like this, with your back relaxed and a beam so delighted that made your eyes squint, the golden light of summer days bathing you in a heavenly sight around your ivory and deep green dress that made you look like a fairy. Nikolai made a note to thank the seamstresses to help you customize your old summer dresses with new cuts and additions after his baby's birth.

It made you feel more like your old self at the same time your mind accepting your new role as a mother, just as you slowly took on your place as a ruler.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, my love," he said, finding himself sheepishly handing you a tiny bouquet he had picked from the garden on his way to his workshop. “I missed my two stars, so I thought about visiting.”

You smiled, hugging him by the waist to pull him close enough to steal a kiss. “They’re so pretty,” you said, looking at the tulips and carnations between your hands.

He caressed your cheek with his thumb. “They must have tried to imitate the queen’s beauty at the best of their capacity.”

"You're so cheesy," you said, and he felt the warmth of his cheek increase under his touch when you put the flowers in an empty vase you’d used to practice your still lives.

“Glad I haven’t lost my charm.” He winked at you, turning to greet his child. “Hi there, little pup,” he cooed, quickly picking Dominik up, the familiar weight of the baby against his chest. “How is it that you grow so much every day, hmm?” The little prince smiled, showing him a toothless grin, though Nikolai could see the baby’s gums starting to swell. “I will get you a teething ring for you to chew tomorrow, little one.”

Dominik gurgled, hands bouncing up and down against his arm.

“Now, why don’t we see what mommy is doing?” Nikolai muttered, turning to look at the canvas and the table tucked in a corner of the room, in a perfect distance and light from the windows.

You were standing between him and the painting, your overall open so Nikolai couldn’t see the work quite yet, eyes averting his.

“How come you’re hiding something from me,” Nikolai joked, his voice tinted with fake hurt, trying his best to send you his best puppy stare. “When your husband has shown you his bare soul.”

"Oh, you mean on the honeymoon?" You answered because you couldn't help it. You pretended to frown; lips pressed in a line to stifle your growing smile. “I can’t show you because it’s not finished.”

“Let me tell you that if my pup weren’t here, I would’ve answered about that honeymoon of yours,” Nikolai said in a mutter. “But we’ll talk later about that. For now, I’ll settle with saying that it’s not fair because the pup has already seen it.” Nikolai looked down at the baby, swaying him gently. “What do you say, little one? Do you like it? You must have such a refined taste already," he added, seeing how the baby tried to grab his father's rings to inspect them closer to his mouth. “My little magpie, aren’t you?”

“You’re just too curious for your own good,” you nagged at Nikolai, allowing him to take one of your hands, his fingers poking the spots where some drips of paint had fallen as you worked. A hand gently took yours toward his lips, where he kissed each fingertip. "Hmm… are you trying to convince me?"

“Is it working?” he asked, eyes twinkling with the same mischief you’d seen in your child’s gaze as he grabbed one extra handful of carrot cake from your plate this very morning.

“No,” you said, and Nikolai changed his strategy to tickle your sides, grinning at seeing your figure wiggling around, careful not to topple over the canvas behind you. “W-wait! That’s cheating!”

"It's a strategical move, my lovely," Nikolai chuckled, hearing Dominik laugh copying yours. "But can you blame me? Your work is always as breathtaking as yours."

You huffed, feeling your cheeks hot despite all the years you'd been hearing him throwing compliments at you as if he were still wooing you. His hand on your hip moved you aside slightly, letting him peek at the canvas.

Eyes drawn to each careful brushstroke that could tell so much without having a word on it, soft taps and gentle sways of painting overlayed in an uneven texture Nikolai sometimes had the urge of touching. Each one of them built the image of how you had imprinted him inside your heart; with bright eyes and a soft smile, hair perfectly accommodated except for some curls that had started to fall on his brow, without the royal badge. Only him.

He liked this view of himself, the closest he could share with someone besides the royal persona he had crafted ever since returning from his life as Sturmhond.

That’s why Nikolai had taken several of your paintings to put them around the places he spent more time in, as a reminder of who he really is. His office, with the double of both of you portrait you helped the court painter to finish when he hurt his hand in a horse race, with the both of you side to side, dressed in your wedding attire. Another one in the meeting room, a portrait of him during his coronation—seemingly egotistical, with a deeper meaning embedded in each brush stroke that he did not wish to share with many people.

His favorite was a self-portrait of you, with loose, free strokes of painting and barely any sketch underneath. You were smiling, with a hand against your cheek, elbow propelled over a desk. You had painted it when you were still unmarried, and Nikolai had to ask you for that painting as a wedding gift. By that point, you were incapable of telling him no, even if part of you still felt slightly embarrassed by the place of honor your self-portrait had on his chambers aboard the Volkvolny, right in front of his bed.

“So you can be with me every night,” Nikolai simply said when you asked him about it, on your way to your honeymoon.

“I don’t want to imagine what my poor painting had seen in this chamber,” you said before thinking, which made him burst out laughing.

“You have a very dirty mind, my queen,” he muttered with a knowing smile, his hands pulling you toward the bed.

The one you were working on right now was to celebrate his upcoming birthday. Another portrait of himself in casual clothes, with Dominik sitting on his lap as both father and child gazed at each other in awe, eyes sparkling with love and curved lips in the purest expression of joy. You had to try and capture such a moment, quickly sketching in the far end of your accounting book—and you had done so.

Nikolai held his baby tighter at seeing the painting, feeling his heart melt at the realization that his hands were already used to carrying Dominik that way, he was so used to being a father that he hadn't stopped to consider how it would look, such class of love pouring out of him every time he got to hold the little prince.

"I have to say this is your best piece yet, my love," he said in a faint breath, feeling a knot on his throat he tried to clear. “You managed to picture me all fatherly and handsome.”

You chuckled, wiping the painting off your hands with a wet towel to brush away the messy locks of hair off the baby’s forehead. “You say that as if you’re not always handsome.”

He clicked his tongue, amusement dripping from his tone. “Ah, yes. My bad. Sometimes my wife doesn’t say it that often, so I tend to forget.”

“Your subjects say it every time they see you printed on the money,” you muttered. “I can’t risk stroking your ego too much.”

“Is that jealousy I hear?” Nikolai teased, stepping as close to you as he could with the baby against his chest. Dominik looked up at you, trying to grab the myriad of dry-painted stains in your overalls. “Don’t you worry, my sweet, my heart is only yours.” Nikolai kissed the baby’s head. “And yours, of course, little pup.”

You tried to stare at him. “I said it because if you get too cocky, you’ll get misbehaved, and if you get misbehaved, you’re going to teach Dominik your ways.”

He laughed, making the baby in his arms giggle along. "I couldn't dream my lovely queen won't scold me if I ever overstep,” he said, eyebrows arched to accompany his teasing.

“Hmm,” you said with a soft smile, slipping out your work clothes. “And what do you plan to do now, Your Majesty?”

“I thought about reading a book here while my pup takes a nap. Maybe we can be your models again,” he added with a smirk. “We know who your favorite subjects are, after all.”

You helped him settle on the couch, moving the cushions away to make space for the both of you. “You want to read a book with me in here?” you said with a chuckle. “I thought you get distracted too easily?”

Nikolai nodded. “I will have to focus very hard not to be distracted by my stunning wife, but it’ll be worth the effort.”

You smiled, leaning against his side so he could embrace you with his free arm. “You better not distract me too, because I have to finish the painting today, or else it won’t dry for your birthday party.”

He kissed the top of your head. “If I weren’t holding him, I would have dared to disobey you, my queen.” Nikolai looked deep into your eyes, gaze sweeping down to your lips as by custom. “Because there’s no need for a present—you had already given me the best gift that could ever exist.”

Your eyes went down to the baby that was starting to doze off, eyelids heavy as his head rested against Nikolai’s arm.

He followed your gaze, a gentle smile drawn on his face, every word muttered so close to your ear that his breath moved some tiny locks of hair there. "I'm referring to your love because without it none of this would've happened." Nikolai leaned in to kiss your lips, a gentle caress that poured all the adoration he felt for you, one of his hands cupped your waist as the other cradled the beautiful masterpiece that was the product of such shared devotion. “I love you so much, my sun. Words can’t properly describe it.”

You cradled his cheeks with your hands. “I love you, too, and I hope you can see it in my paintings, but you can’t use the pet name I’ve given you for myself.”

Nikolai kissed your lips. It was still just a peck, but he lingered, tasting the remnants of apple juice you’d been drinking. “My sunflower,” he corrected, which earned him a kiss, a real one this time, because baby Dominik had fallen asleep between his father’s arms as he usually did every night. “My queen. My love.”

You folded your legs next to your body, to propel yourself closer to him, your head against his shoulder, one of your hands woven with the one that had you embraced. “I think you’re wrong in one thing,” you said after a while, hearing the deep mix of rhythmical breathings of both your husband and your child.

He looked at you from the corner of his eye. “A very bold statement.”

You nudged his arm with your hand, softly enough not to wake up Dominik. “I think my best masterpiece is right there,” you whispered, your hand hovering over the messy locks of hair swirling atop his baby’s head.

Nikolai kissed your forehead, and you could feel the outline of his smirk. “Ah, but he’s more of a collaboration, don’t you think?” You gazed up at him, head tilted to meet his lips midway. “Still, I’m curious of knowing how our next masterpiece would be,” he commented, his tone non-committal.

You laughed silently, your giggles muffled by his kisses. “Me too.”

[ash-says]

hiii ! i love your post about being audacious 🩷 do you have any tips about improving people skills/ being more charismatic? thank youuuu 🤭

Hello girlll!!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the audacious post. It's one of my fav tbh I literally came up with it while I was cooking. So coming to your question let me see how I can help you out tbh I share my opinions and what has worked for me so far. So practice discernment and take everything with a pinch of salt✨✨

Tips to improve People Skills/ Being more Charismatic:

1) Find your USP:

USP means Unique Selling Proposition. What makes you unique and I mean it in a personality sense more here. You can extend it to your looks but start from a personality trait cause it will be forever and very personal to you. Even if someone copies it, it will always be a cheap one.

I will elaborate on this with an example:

One of my ex colleagues was really good at socializing. He was 27 years old but I kid you not he looked like a 20 year old or even younger at times. He had a boyish charm and he used it to his full advantage. He literally had a child's energy and would jump here and there in the office, act like a literal child when not working. He had a refreshing energy to him the type that reminds you of your childhood days. Heck after a meeting with the CEO he used to watch cartoons to destress and made us watch it too so we could also relax but when it came to work he was smart, efficient and knew how to use his easy going socializing energy to generate sales. So you get my point right?? Find what attracts people to you or what value you can offer to them.

2) Knowledge. Education.

I personally swear by this. Be as disgustingly educated as possible. Know about various topics at least the basics of current trends or what's hot and some off topics. This adds dimension to your personality and helps you to hold a conversation with anyone. Plus you never run out of topics to speak on.

3) Confidence. No elaboration needed.

4)Sense of humour.

Why bore people to death by reciting the merciless nature of Julius Caesar when you could present it as a joke when something relatable comes up??? People are more likely to find you charismatic if you can make them laugh.

5) Master the art of Storytelling

This!!! Right here is a cheat code I tell you. You don't have much knowledge to speak on for now? Fine as you gradually work on it hold conversations by sharing bits of your life in a colorful way. Engage people with your life stories. Make them fun and a little dramatic. I am not advising you to lie. There's always a way you can convey something in an entertaining manner. Master it. I personally use it a lot and it's fun to connect with people cause they too loosen up and share their stories and then you link it up with your sense of humour by adding a nice comment or comeback.

Warning : Never share details that are very personal to you. Only share funny incidents and situations that won't bring you in trouble if gossiped about. Practice with discernment.

6) Learn positive body language and develop empathy. Empathy truly helps you in connecting with people on a deeper level and creating a bond based on trust and emotions.

7) Smile. Don't grin like a fool but when you see someone you know make a note to address them. Wish them good morning ,etc . Pass a genuine smile towards them. Be polite.

8) Be genuinely interested in other people but not in a nosy way instead in a healthy way. Help them out if you can. A good deed never goes to waste.

9) Have a positive outlook on everything. No one wants a pessimistic person around them. Even on days you can't. You know the mantra ," Fake it till you make it".

10) Support people. Be kind. Soft spoken. Know your place. Don't downplay yourself in front of people who are clearly not at your level and don't overestimate yourself in front of people who are professionals in those fields. Get a grip on how to act with whom. You won't know it until and unless you won't do it. Have a strong sense of self, be opinionated, confident and be witty. It's fun that way. Push your limits and don't be afraid to network with new people and talk to strangers. Who knows what will happen??

Possibilities are endless.

I hope this helps you out✨✨