#how to create mind map in canva

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[keehomania]

girl ur literally my fav nct writer 🫶🫶 i just wanted u to know that i appreciate u answering the asks wholeheartedly hehe. in a mark lee brainrot rn, dom!mark x reader 🫡🫡

MARK LEE (마크이) — SWEETHEART (18+)

✧ MDNI

it had been perfect—like a dream you never wanted to wake up from. your relationship with jaehyun was everything that love songs were written about, the kind of smooth sailing people envied from the sidelines. it was golden, wrapped in honeyed moments, soft whispers, and lazy smiles shared in the glow of a setting sun. the two of you painted a life together, each day a new canvas, filled with color, warmth, and comfort. nights were spent with heads tilted back, eyes tracing the stars, mapping constellations in the inky blackness, sharing secrets that were only meant for the sky to hear.

paris was your sanctuary. the rented hotel room had the scent of wine lingering in the walls, cigarettes lazily curling in the air like an afterthought. it was there that you learned how to make jam by hand, the two of you laughing at the mess you created, fingers sticky with sugar and fruit. you remember the way jaehyun kissed your wrist, tasting the sweetness as if it were the only thing that mattered. those moments were pure. untainted. until they weren’t.

it wasn’t the heart-wrenching kind of betrayal you had heard about—where tears flood your eyes and your chest aches so much you can barely breathe. no, it was quieter. like a slow unraveling, a ribbon pulling apart from the fabric of your life, thread by thread. he had been cheating, living a double life that you were blissfully unaware of. the weight of it didn’t crash into you all at once, but it sank, settling deep inside your chest, colder than anything you had ever felt. you weren’t shattered—you were numb. how could he have done it? how could you have been so blind, so foolish, to miss the signs that were right in front of you? it was enough to make your head spin, the world tilting on an axis you no longer recognized.

the days blurred together after that, a haze of distraction and feigned indifference. you got on quicker than you thought possible, faster than anyone expected. maybe it was because you hadn’t truly felt the pain, or maybe because you didn’t want to. either way, you moved forward. it was easier to pretend that nothing ever hurt at all.

mark, though—he had prayed for this. he would never say it aloud, not even in the deepest, darkest corners of his mind. but he had. every time he saw you with jaehyun, every time he watched the way you kissed him, the way you melted into him, something inside mark twisted. and he prayed. he prayed that your perfect relationship would crumble, that something, anything, would cause a fracture, a break that could pull you apart.

he never wanted to admit it to himself. what kind of friend did that make him? jaehyun was his best friend—one of the only people he had ever truly trusted. but how could he look away when all he could think about was you? the way your hips swayed in the jeans jaehyun bought for you, the way your lips wrapped around the popsicles mark had handed you on a hot summer day. it was wrong. he knew it was wrong, but it didn’t stop him. something had been unlocked inside him, something dark, something he hadn’t known was there. and now that it was free, he couldn’t lock it away. he didn’t want to. no one else had to know, not yet. but you would. soon enough. he was ready to introduce that side of himself to you.

“fucking slut,” mark’s voice was low, dripping with something dangerous as his hand tightened around your throat. his thumb pressed into that sweet spot just beneath your jaw, the one that made your vision blur and your breath hitch. you could barely think, barely process the rush of heat between your legs, the pressure of his knee grinding into you, sending shockwaves through your body. there was nothing between you but the thin fabric of your panties and his jeans, and you were soaking, drenching his knee with your desire.

“is that what you are? a slut?” his words were a hiss, dripping with venom and amusement. you were, and you had only just begun to realize it. not in the way you might have thought before—this was something deeper, darker, something that only Mark had drawn out of you. you weren’t some naïve virgin, far from it. you had done this countless times with jaehyun, but it had never felt like this. he had always been too soft, too careful with you, like you were made of glass, fragile and delicate. it was almost ironic, given the way he had shattered everything with his lies and betrayal.

but mark was different. loud, funny, hyperactive—that was what everyone saw. that was what you had seen. this, though? this was something else entirely. something darker, something you’d never have expected from him. but you had learned your lesson about judging people by appearances. “yeah,” you rasped, your voice barely more than a breath as his grip on your throat tightened, sending another pulse of heat straight between your legs. “just for you.”

he scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk as his hand trailed upward, his grip loosening just enough to let you breathe, but not enough to let you think. his thumb tapped roughly against your lips, a silent command, and without hesitation, you parted them. the moment your mouth opened, he shoved his thumb inside, groaning when he felt your tongue curl around it, wet and obedient.

“you should see yourself right now,” he murmured, his voice low and taunting. his eyes flickered over your face, watching the way your lips wrapped around his thumb, your eyes glazed with lust. “he should see you right now.”

the shame that pooled in your stomach twisted into something darker, something far more exhilarating. the thought of jaehyun walking in, seeing you like this, seeing his best friend ruin you—god, it turned you on more than you wanted to admit. a part of you wanted it to happen, wanted him to see how far gone you were, how much you had fallen.

“he should, actually,” mark repeated, the dark glint in his eyes growing more intense. he pulled his thumb from your mouth, the slick wetness of your saliva still glistening on his skin. you watched in a haze as he reached for his phone, sitting on the edge of the desk. he picked it up with a smirk, his eyes locking with yours, daring you to protest.

“what do you think, princess?” his voice was a murmur now, a purr, as his fingertips traced the bare skin of your thighs, sending shivers racing up your spine. you could feel your heart pounding, could feel the weight of the decision hanging in the air between you. and yet, despite everything, despite the shame, despite the humiliation, you wanted it. you needed it. so you nodded. mark chuckled, the sound dry and amused, like he had expected nothing less. “exactly what i thought,” he said quietly, his eyes never leaving yours as he swiped the screen, fingers moving with ease as he pressed record.

mark’s grip on your throat tightened again, his thumb pressing down hard enough to make your pulse stutter, your vision blurring at the edges as the air thinned in your lungs. he reveled in your reactions, the way your lips parted, the small gasps and moans slipping out, desperate for more, needing more. there was a sick pleasure in the way he controlled you, the way he had you falling apart beneath his touch, completely at his mercy.

“look at you,” he sneered, his voice low and cruel as his eyes flickered from the phone screen to your face. the red light on the camera blinked steadily, capturing every moment, every sound, every filthy thing he did to you. “fucking pathetic. you think jaehyun could ever fuck you like this? like you deserve?” his words sent another wave of heat rushing through you, shame and arousal twisting together in a way that made your heart race, your core clenching with need. you couldn’t answer, not with the way his hand was wrapped around your throat, but the way you writhed beneath him said enough. you needed this. you needed him.

mark shifted his weight, his knee pressing harder between your legs, grinding against your dripping core. his free hand moved to your ass, squeezing roughly before landing a sharp, stinging slap that made you cry out. “answer me,” he demanded, his voice sharp as he delivered another slap, harder this time, the sound echoing in the room. “no,” you gasped, your voice hoarse as you struggled to breathe, your body trembling from the roughness of his touch. “he couldn’t.”

mark chuckled darkly, his eyes narrowing as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against your ear. “that’s right. he couldn’t. he doesn’t know how to handle a slut like you.” he spat the word with venom, and yet it sent a thrill through you, the degradation hitting you harder than the slaps, making you shudder. he let go of your throat just long enough to shove two fingers into your mouth, forcing them deep, pressing against the back of your tongue until you gagged around them. his eyes gleamed with something dark and twisted as you choked, and he pulled his fingers free, wiping the spit across your cheek.

“open,” he growled, and you did, your mouth parting obediently, your tongue resting against your lower lip as you looked up at him with wide, needy eyes. his lips curled into a smirk as he leaned over, spitting directly into your mouth. “swallow.” you did, closing your mouth and swallowing hard, the taste of him lingering on your tongue. he grunted in approval, his hand sliding down your throat again, squeezing as he pushed you back against the bed. his knee was gone, replaced by the rough fabric of his jeans pressing against your bare, soaking core, grinding into you as he smirked down at you.

“i should send this to him,” mark murmured, his eyes flicking to the phone, his hand tightening around your neck again. “let him see what his little princess looks like getting fucked like a whore.” your body betrayed you, a shiver of excitement rushing through your veins at the thought of jaehyun watching this, of seeing you like this, ruined by his best friend. mark grinned, sensing the shift, his hips rolling against yours, teasing, taunting you as you whined beneath him.

“yeah,” he said, his voice thick with amusement. “you like that, don’t you? you want him to see, you want him to know how much you need this. how much you need me.”

he didn’t wait for an answer, his hands moving to your hips, lifting you up just enough so he could pull your panties aside, exposing your slick, dripping folds to the cool air. he wasted no time, thrusting into you with a rough, punishing force that had you arching off the bed, your mouth falling open in a silent scream as he filled you completely. there was no gentleness, no hesitation, just the relentless pace of his hips slamming into yours, the sound of skin against skin echoing through the room.

“look at you,” he growled, his hand wrapping around your throat again as he fucked into you, hard and fast, the bed creaking beneath the force of his thrusts. “so fucking desperate for it. bet you never looked like this for him.” his words were a sharp sting, but they only fueled the fire burning inside you, the heat building with every rough, pounding thrust. you could feel the phone’s camera still recording, capturing every moment, every filthy word that fell from mark’s lips.

“bet he didn’t know what to do with you,” he continued, his voice a low snarl as he slapped your ass again, harder this time, leaving a red handprint on your skin. “bet he didn’t know how to fuck you like this. didn’t know how to make you beg for it.”

you were already so close, your body trembling, every nerve on fire as he drove into you mercilessly, your breath coming in ragged gasps as you clawed at the sheets, desperate for more. mark’s grip on your throat tightened, cutting off your air just enough to make your head spin, your vision blurring as the pleasure built and built, coiling tight in your belly. “come on,” he taunted, his voice rough as he leaned down, his lips brushing against your ear. “I want you to cum for him. cum for me while he watches.”

that was all it took. your body shattered, pleasure ripping through you in waves so intense you could barely breathe, your vision going white as you screamed his name. mark didn’t stop, fucking you through it, his thrusts rough and brutal as he chased his own release, his hand tightening around your throat as you convulsed beneath him. with a guttural groan, he came, his body tensing as he buried himself deep inside you, his hips jerking against yours as he filled you, the warmth spreading through your core. he stayed there for a moment, panting, his hand still wrapped around your throat as he rode out the last of his orgasm.

then, with a smirk, he reached for the phone, lifting it from the desk as he pulled out of you. he angled the camera down, making sure it captured everything—your wrecked, trembling body, the sticky mess between your legs with his hot cum seeping out of your cunt—the evidence of his release dripping out of you. “perfect,” he murmured, his fingers tracing your thighs one last time before he stopped the recording, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

✧

a/n: this was soo rushed i’m sorry lol but it’s 9 am and i have an mun meeting in an hour!! also ily u sound like such a sweetheart omg so cute

[katescribblesabit]

I absolutely adore your art style! Do you have any tips? Specifically for the fairies cause I am struggling to draw them.

thank you so much! well, this is gonna be a long post.

Im gonna be real, the best art advise anyone can give you is to use references and to break complicated stuff down into easier shapes. for example:

this is my basic body skeleton! i always start with the circle of the head and work my way down to the feet. i have highlighted some part of the body which are actually just simple shapes.

the center line down the middle of the torso also helps me draw on collars, bra cups, ties, or any other more difficult clothing more accurate!

However i have to ask you, are you comfortable while you draw?

I remember when I first started drawing digital, i was really uncomfortable with the basic set up of my program. The white canvas and the light setting of the program was really bright and irritated my eyes. And the contrast of the pure black I used for drawing wasn't really helping. sketching and doing line art was my least favorite part of drawing because of this.

you don't have to draw on a white canvas, you can also use multiple colours for sketching if you wanted. Once I stoppend using a pure white canvas I noticed i stopped staring at a empty canvas not knowing what i wanted to draw anymore!

also sometimes when a drawing doesn't want to look right, i switch back to traditional. idk why but when my brain sometimes struggles with a specific pose or character design, it comes to me a lot more easier when I switch back onto paper. i guess the change of scenery opens up the creativity again haha.

don't be afraid to simplify stuff, you don't have to draw everything! As long as it still translates to the thing, it should be fine.

these two are a bit clip studio exclusive,

but Gradient maps! god how I love my gradient maps, it just makes the colours pop! I never draw without it anymore. I always pick the sunset gradient, put it in Linear light mode and put it on 10% (cus its really saturated on 100%)

usually i have it on while i sketch and line, and turn it off so i can properly colour and shade. i turn it back on at the end again

the clip studio assets has a lot of beautiful stuff in there created from other users. (a good amount for free too) for example I got the lace pattern of my shawl from there. and its really easy to import the downloaded stuff into the program.

now this is a drawing hack that blew my mind when I first saw it! i use it all the time and I just have to share this!

whenever you want to draw something random like sparkles, stars, bubbles, feathers, falling leaves, or anything that you want to float around your characters, position them in the form of a triangle.

its even better if you put two points of the triangle closer together and then the third further away. this makes it look random but still looking appealing to the eye, and not oddly placed.

now that thats out of the way! Fairies! The one thing i struggled with when drawing them first is their hair. I suggest looking through the fop tag to see how other people have drawn them and take inspiration from your favorites and make up your own. (do not trace tho! that should be obvious!)

when I draw hair I think of it separated in two parts, the front and the back. I usually start with the front hair pieces, then draw in the jaw, ears and rest of the head, then continue with the back section of the hair.

the only outliers of this are Timmy and Peri. when I draw Timmy (Ymmit as well) I start with his hat, before drawing his hair. Since I draw Peris hair-swirl over his hairline, i start drawing his upper back hair style first before drawing his head and then his mullet.

wings can also be tricky. the fairy wings i have given then have a more butterfly look. if you also want to base off the wings to real life animals or bugs you can use them flying as references to. Or you could even cut out the wing shape out of paper, fold it in the middle and take pictures in the angle you desire.

I hope this somehow helped, I thought about what could have helped me if I had known it sooner. even if most of these were for generic drawing.

[doodlemcjazzhands]

do you have any tips on drawing backgrounds. I struggle with them so much and can’t always make them cohesive with the drawing yk

Oh man, yeah. I do indeed know, all too well U_U Backgrounds are a STRUGGLE

Here are some things I’ve picked up, that have helped make them a little less difficult (feel free to take what you think might be helpful and then scrap the rest!):

1. Map out your Composition, Tones and Colors in a Rough Thumbnail

-I think the main thing that helps me, is planning. If you’re gonna do a background, don’t think of it as an after thought. I find it’s helpful to plan out the background at the same time you’re planning the character pose, rather that just slapping in a background, once the character is already finished. It’s like a little dance, making the environment work to accommodate the character while simultaneously making the character work to accommodate the BG.

-I usually do a small thumbnail and color key before I actually go into the drawing itself

-I like to think of the thumbnail like a little roadmap that I can always refer back to when I’m stuck. It's something that is easy to experiment with and will help me keep the big picture in mind, while working, rather than fussing over all of the small details.

-you can plan how you might want to use light and other elements of the bg to frame important things, or point and lead your eye to the focal point, or divide up the frame.

When I’m working on the actual drawing, I’ll always keep my thumbnail visible off in the corner of my workspace, just as a reminder of where I want to go with the piece, and to keep it available to color pick from, when I want to.

2. Try Sticking to 1 or 2 Dominant Colors and try not to stray too far, unless it’s an intentional accent

I usually choose 1-2 main colors and then paint bucket fill the canvas with those colors as a base, before I even start on the "cleaned up" linework. Then when I start painting, for real, I choose my colors based off how warm or cold they are, compared to the main color(s).

So say, for example, I want the dominating color of the illustration to be red, if I’m coloring an apple (that is naturally red) I would keep it the same hue, but might change the tone or saturation. However, if I’m painting a carrot (that would naturally be orange) I might just shift the hue to be a warmer red, rather than a full blown orange. Conversely, if I wanted to paint a naturally blue sky, I would shift the hue from red to be a bit colder, maybe more of a purple, but not necessarily a true blue.

*sometimes the saturation can mess around with a perceived color as well, (like how a desaturated yellow, will often look green), so I find there’s a lot of trial and error and messing around to be done with color, which I guess is half of the fun :P

(obviously this isn’t the only way to approach color, but I find it helpful for reigning myself in and keeping things a little more cohesive)

3. Add Depth

-Think of your environment as a 3D space with overlapping elements. Consider what your foreground, midground and background elements might be, to give depth to the drawing.

The further away something is, the less details the human eye can make out, and atmosphere will create a sort of hazy look to things that are set far away. So to mimic this effect for things that you want to recede into the distance, you can use less saturated colors, less contrast, do less detail, less line work (maybe even go lineless) and use slightly cooler colors. Maybe even add a little gaussian blur if it looks good. Conversely, for things you want push forward, just do the opposite (higher contrast, higher saturation, heavier line, more detail ect.)

4a. Study and Play with Lighting

I think lighting can be a big factor in helping make a character feel like they fit and belong in their environment. Study how light works and interacts with the world and think about how it might effect every element of your environment. How does it break apart when it’s going through something translucent? Is it going to cast harsh or soft shadows? Are there multiple light sources? Are they different colors? different intensities? Is the light source visible or not? Is it a controlled beam of light, like a laser, or more open, like the sun?

4b. Make use of Reflected Light and Color

So, when light hits an object, that is near another object, some of it’s color can be reflected onto the nearby object, if the angle is right. So for reflected light, I usually add a clipping mask layer to the affected object and add a gradient coming from the first object, using a color that has be color picked from the first object. Then I’ll turn down the opacity to my liking.

^(Ok, this first example of reflected light is super subtle on Sirius’s jacket, but it’s a little clearer to see the reflected light from the tub reflecting onto Sirius’s face and Remus’s arms, in the second example)

5. Add a Little Bit of *Spice*

If by the end of my coloring, I still want to do some tweaking, these are my general go to’s:

-Edit with filters and/or gradients. If you’re working digitally, play around with blending modes. You can make a new layer, fill it with a color or a gradient, then see what different blending modes and levels of opacities will do to it.

-Color your lines so that the black isn’t so harsh against the other colors in the scene. Sometimes I like to go completely lineless in some areas, if it's an area blown out by light, or is maybe pulling your attention away from the focal point

-You could add a little bit of grain and noise (to do this in photoshop, make a new layer, fill it with a grey colour (or experiment with other colours) then go to filter>noise>add noise>ok and turndown the fill and maybe change the blending mode)

-Adjust the levels, if you’re still not fully satisfied with the contrast, you can adjust the levels (ctrl +L in photoshop)

-Adjust the Color balance if you're not fully satisfied with the saturation and colors (ctrl+ B in photoshop)  

Ok, gosh, there’s so much, but I think I’ve rambled on long enough… hope this helps and wasn't too obvious or convoluted!

Good luck!!

[anyataylorjoys]

I was asked to put together a demonstration on how I did the analog selection effect in the first gif of my Final Girl set which mostly involved elaborate keyframe work and was like a living hell. This will be a much more simplified version for comprehensive ease, but still very wordy.

This tutorial is for intermediate/experienced level gifmakers who are already familiar with gif-making, keyframes, and layer masks, and this will serve more as a guide than anything.

If you are not comfortably experienced with the above, this may be difficult to follow because I won't be elaborating on every detail, but if you're still interested in recreating something like this regardless, I suggest checking out the below tutorials first:

Giffing 101: A Comprehensive Guide by redbelles

Clipping masks vs. layer masks by kal-kestis on usergif

Shapes and putting gifs inside them by nobie

Create your canvas, make your shapes and align them in the positions you want them to be in. Then get the gifs you plan on filling your shapes with created on standby.

Things to keep in mind before starting: 1. Many of you may have already learned through experience that photoshop has a tendency to create duplicate frames when you are working with multiple gifs on one canvas. It typically occurs when you don't have the same number of frames in all the gifs that you're combining onto your canvas, or rather, your clips are not perfectly aligned. OR when you are working with keyframes, but this time we will have an exception to that rule for what're doing so I won't be discussing the 0.03-interval rule here but if you're curious, it's fully explained this this tutorial by nik on usergif.

To be on the safe side, load in the same number of frames for all gifs. I usually just load in however many frames for each, and then I trim the clips on both ends to be the same, but they have to be exact. If even a single integer is out of place in timeline, you could still risk getting duplicate frames at the end. 2. When making an edit like this, you have to consider the amount of time you have from start to end to make the transitions and rationally plan them out in the space you have available. The more shapes you use, the more frames your gifs will need to be composed of.

3. If you're trying to get the same effect as in my Final Girl edit, where the black & white is default, and the color phases in and out, my goal here is for the color to be visible for at least 10-15 frames each gif, so with 3 gifs, I figured around 65-70 frames would be a good range.

For my first gif, I intentionally loaded in my gamble of 68 frames. For the other two, I loaded in all that was capped in the folders, moved the clips into the positions I wanted them to be in, put them in their designated layer masks, and then trimmed the clips on both sides to match the initial 68-frame clip. ❗️Remember that they have to be exactly aligned like this and all other trimmed off clips deleted before you start your key-framing❗️

Next you wanna make a group for each gif (highlighted in yellow for visibility) to put your coloring adjustments into with a layer mask for their designated shapes, which should look like this in your layers, and like the below in timeline once aligned with the rest of the clips.

I also just tucked the shape layers into the coloring groups to clean it up. But if you plan on creating frames for the gifs, I suggest you move those layers to the bottom and keep them until the end when they can be used for borders, but if not you can make new shapes later.

Assign a black & white gradient map to each gif with a clipping mask on top of your coloring groups.

Now lets say you're not pleased with the outcome of the black & white like for mine, it desperately needs brighting and contrast.

Add your brighting adjustments as needed, and give every adjustment its corresponding layer mask like below.

Next, duplicate both your gif layer and your coloring group, then select both duplicates, as well as your new b&w color adjustments and convert them into a smart object together.

You should now have your original gif + original coloring group, and one single black & white gif on top.

Do this with the rest of the gifs! If you want, you can also combine your original gif and coloring group into a smart object so you have one colored gif, and one black & white counterpart for each.

Now we add the key frames!

You're going to be adding opacity keyframes to your black and white gif layers only. Decide which gif you want the color reveal to start with, and what your reveal pattern is going to be.

I chose to reveal the color of my first gif 11 marks in, which means I need to add a key frame at the 10th mark as well. This is because we don't want a literal "fade-out" effect, we want the change to be immediate. The first key should be at 100% opacity, and the second at 0%. You shouldn't have to worry about duplicate frames upon conversion because all keyframes will only be 1 integer apart.

Once you've decided where your next reveal will start on your second gif of choice, repeat the process.

Then you have to add more 2 more key frames to the prior gif to transition it back into black & white. This needs to occur simultaneously as the next gif transitions into color. Where one starts, another ends, and where one ends, another starts, etc.

Follow this process until you have 2 pairs of keyframes on all your gifs (your final gif should only have 1 pair). Whether you want the transitions to be evenly spaced is your choice and I think it looks cleaner that way. For my final girl set, I was trying to simulate an analog effect similar to making a player selection in an old video game so they were placed methodically to be "jumpy". But play with the keyframe intervals between each gif to get them to look the way you want.

Your keyframes should look like this in the end for reference:

Circling back to adding borders, it's the same keyframe process, but on new shape layers on 0% fill +stroke to serve as the border (if you deleted your shapes earlier). Try adding an "outer glow" blending option to make the border more prominent. Then, make sure the opacity keyframes on the shapes align with the keyframes on the gifs.

If you have any further questions on something not elaborated enough on, my dms are open!

[weirdagnes]

Since i can’t pour energy into writing a whole fic/drawing stuff yet, I’m gonna dump some headcanons I have on Mishuggy.

(Long post ahead)

Shanks only bathes in the sea so its smell became his trademark scent. Buggy loves the seawater scent on him. He can never bathe in the sea anymore, so it brings him comfort when he cuddles with Shanks bc it’s the closest he can get to being in contact with the sea without feeling weak. Every time they meet, Shanks makes sure to bathe in the sea first before meeting Buggy so cuddle time will last longer.

One of Mihawk’s stims is running his hand through Buggy’s hair.

Mihawk is a night person, Shanks is an insomniac, Buggy is a morning person. Mihawk often joins Shanks when he can’t sleep, some wine and talking. Sometimes they’d be quiet and admire a sleeping Buggy.

Buggy’s voice gets low and rough often when his social battery is drained or he’s not in his stage persona (which is a very rare occurrence). Mihawk finds this incredibly attractive.

Shanks absolutely adores Buggy’s voice cracks.

Shanks is the best kisser, Mihawk is the most awkward/timid, Buggy has the most kissable lips (Shanks loves it when his lipstick leaves stains) but because of his nose, he’s the most awkward to kiss (if you’re not a professional Buggy-kisser like Shanks!)

Mihawk may not prefer lips-to-lips kissing, but he does love kissing other parts of the body like the hands, the shoulder, etc.

Buggy’s lowkey attentive to Mihawk’s infodumps on different kinds of blades, its uses and history. He’s fond of blades as well but more on short blades like daggers and machetes. He loses his mind seeing how cool Mihawk’s cross pendant knife is, and couldn’t resist showing off to him the hidden knives and explosives in his body (Mihawk wonders how he has not killed himself yet by accident).

Mihawk kinda cringes on Buggy’s habit of licking knives. He asks how has he not cut his tongue yet, Buggy is like “Hawky are u fr” then he chops off his tongue and Mihawk is horrified but quickly felt stupid remembering Buggy had devil fruit powers.

Buggy loves cherries and other sweet fruits. Hates pineapple way before he ate the Chop Chop fruit, and his distaste for it increased after eating it.

Shanks likes fish and Mihawk likes vegetable dishes (borderline vegan at this point).

Buggy loves warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows, gold). It just so happens that Mihawk and Shanks are associated with red and yellow.

Even though Mihawk and Buggy are complete opposites of a spectrum, they surprisingly get along well in terms of hobby. They both like to read, for one. Mihawk will mention a book in one of his infodumps and Buggy will be like “Oh yeah I love that one chapter where…” They both like art as well; Mihawk drew and painted in his free time when he was living in the castle, preferring still objects, dead sceneries, and chiaroscuro lightings.

Other than performance art (acting and acrobatics), Buggy is into cartography and drawing landscapes with oil pastels, but he often does maps more. When he does draw landscapes, the subject are often places where he has strong fondness/feelings of (his circus tent, Loguetown, the sea, etc). He uses small paper mediums and tucks them away. He only got to try painting when Mihawk offered. They had fun and created abstract - Buggy splashes paint spotaneously and generously, Mihawk feels the waste of paint but eventually lets loose (Buggy’s encouragement) and tried stroking the paintbrush like he wields his sword (when the canvas was slashed, they considered it a finished artwork).

Buggy and Mihawk also likes shiny things. Buggy loves treasure-finding more as an activity sure, but opening a chest full of shiny gems and trinkets is also what makes it enjoyable. He’s fond of jeweled earrings and rings but would rather keep them in a chest than wear them daily. Mihawk’s fondness for shiny things began with blades, but it also extended to shining gold colors. He’s not fond of gold for wealth purposes, he just likes shiny things.

Mihawk hates swimming whereas Shanks and Buggy love it (Buggy loves it more, but can’t do it anymore after eating his devil fruit). Mihawk hates getting wet for a long period of time + swimming is a strenuous activity, but he only learns it bc it’s a necessity for survival esp he travels by sea (and also bc there was one time where he almost drowned and its one of his most embarrassing memories. He was glad he travelled alone bc he’ll die of embarrassment forever if anyone lived to see that)

Shanks is a generous gift-giver. He isn’t materialistic himself, but the moment either Buggy or Mihawk express a passing comment about a rare wine he wanted to try someday or a map he wants to get his hands on - you got it. Shanks WILL find a way.

Whenever they go out together, Mihawk cringes at their fashion tastes. Shanks is more of a “this shirt is 10yrs old but hey its still usable” kind of guy. Buggy wears the most eyestrain clown outfits ever that will make you wonder “how did i end up with this guy”. In Shanks and Buggy’s head, they think Mihawk is an edgelord with his dark outfits on every occasion. Despite all this though, they find each other handsome.

[mythicalviper-fr]

hi! Thank you for making your guide, it’s been so helpful as a new skin artist. I’m still confused about how to make good festival submissions (?) I thought my submission for Rockbreaker’s Ceremony fit all the conditions you talked about but no one seemed interested in my skin. Do you have any advice on how newer artists can make a good entry?

I'm happy the guide's helped! It is less of a checklist and more on how I personally approach the contest. There are a lot of things I don’t think I described well technique-wise, so I’ve considered making step-by-step tutorials to approach each contest that would better encapsulate the win conditions I described. But for now, here’s one way you can approach a contest, particularly if you’re a new artist.

1. Pick Your Breed (and Battles)

Breed variety, as I stated in the guide, is the Number One reason I win any contest. This is where I think I should’ve gone more into why I favored the Ridgeback F base - it’s important to pick a canvas that will not impede your ability to create and more importantly, a canvas that makes you comfortable as an artist. Ridgeback F has a big wingspace that serves as a good canvas and the anatomy is easy (for me) to design on, which is why this is the canvas I default to.

Here are some of the best “starter” canvases for new artists, in my personal opinion:

Wildclaw M and F: these bases, particularly the F pose, don’t get many submissions (look at their submission rate in the Gala!) They have a standard dino anatomy that’s easy to understand and work around.

Fae M: Fae rarely get entries. The big wingspace is a great canvas, and more importantly, the M Fae canvas is pretty small compared to the others, so it’s less daunting. The shrimp posture can be a bit hard to grasp, but you can honestly just do a wingcent.

Coatl M and F: Coatl is a great base for new artists if shadows and lines are disrupting your creative process, because they don’t have as much of those. (You can also turn shadows/lines off while you’re drawing. I usually have shadows off and lineart at 30% opacity. Just remember to turn them back on when you submit!)

2. Theme Your Skin: Canonical Elements

August goes into this better in his guide, but you generally want to stick closer to canon. Think of skin contests like an art contest for a fandom. If you were submitting to, say, a Percy Jackson art contest, you’ll probably draw inspiration from Greek and Roman mythology, not Aztec or Chinese mythology. Flight Rising is the same. So, here are canonical places you can draw inspiration from:

Past festival familiars and apparel

Existing vistas, scenes, and World Map locations

Artistic interpretations of the canonical lore

If you do want to go outside of canon, my suggestion is to pick a neutral element. This means something that doesn’t have any religious/otherwise connotations, and is still related to the flight. I.e.: icy mountains for the ice flight, different types of minerals for the earth flight, different types of plants for nature. You are making an official item for the site, so work with that in mind.

3. Skin Composition: Balance

Composition is how the elements in an art piece work together. I struggle a lot with it, so I am not the best person to speak on this. What I’ve found that works for me is focusing the canvas on one big thing and putting small elements around it. That big item is usually wings, which is a great neutral component that can take on attributes of different elements. If you look at my skins, they usually follow the equation of skin = 1 big element (wings, bones, crystals) + 2 small elements (gradients, sparkles, butterflies, leaves, flowers).

[RBC 2023 = bones + crystals + rocks] [TC 2022 = wings + gradient + wispy shadow things]

4. Skin Execution: Actually Drawing the Thing

The best part of festival contests is the skill bar is quite low. I am going to contradict myself slightly by saying you do need a basic understanding of how to draw, but aside from that, contests are forgiving if you aren’t an experienced artist. I had six months of experience when I won my first contest and more recently, I was drawing with zero wrist mobility. These are some of my recent skins that were created when I could not render the way I usually do or use line weight.

[TCC 2023 & ROR 2023] 

In comparison, here are skins when I could render and line weight.

[WS 2023 & GG 2023]

Importantly, all of these skins won. So that’s why, from my perspective, whether you’re an experienced artist or not, whether you know how to render or not, is not the point.

I don’t want to imply that you don’t need any skill to win a contest… it is a contest, after all. I think what I’m trying to say is: to make the best entry you can, you need to know the skills that complement YOUR art style. It isn’t necessarily the skill difference between artists that determines who wins, it’s how you use the skills you have to bring out the most in your piece. 

There is no one way to making good art. And the hardest obstacle as a new artist is finding out what enhances your art style. You may not even have an art style yet, and that’s okay. That’s why it’s vital you continue exploring - which contests are great for.

Again, everything in this post is only what I have personally observed. This approach will not work for everyone, since everyone’s creative process is going to be different. But I hope this is a good bare-bones, structured, guide as to what I personally focus on – and I hope that it’s good for reference, even if the specific steps aren’t helpful for you ^^

[kyokosasagawa]

I started writing "4 srs" this month and I like how free and accessible writing is, so I'm recommending free software I've experimented with that might help people who want to get into the hobby!

“Specifically Created for Writing Stories”

-------------------------------

Manuskript – Story organizer / word processor. Has an outliner and index card function, along with distraction free mode. Lets you switch between different templates such as a non-fiction mode or a short story.

Bibisco – Novel writing software that includes writing goals, world-building, distraction free mode, and a timeline.

“I Just Want to Write”

---------------------------

LibreOffice – Microsoft 365 alternative, but free! LibreOffice Writer is what I wrote this tumblr post in before I posted it. Also if you copy & paste the text into the Rich Text Editor on AO3, it seems that it actually converts it properly. Nice! No need for scripts.

Note-Taking

-------------------------------

Zim Wiki - note taking application that is very, very lightweight (1.1mb). It functions with a tree structure, so I’d personally recommend it for world-building and character bios. There are built-in plugins that also turn it into a good software for task management (it even has a article on how to use it for GTD) and journalling. See also: CherryTree (2mb), which is a more outdated-looking app, but functions similarly.

Obsidian MD – The Big Boy. markdown note editor that has been adopted by personal knowledge management fans---if it doesn’t do something you want it to do, just look in the community plugins to see if someone has already done it. Some unique non-word processing related usages I’ve found is the ability to create a table of contents dashboard, a image gallery for images, embedding youtube videos and timestamping notes, so forth.

Logseq – A bullet point based markdown note editor that also has PDF annotations, Zotero integration, flashcard creation, and whiteboards. Best used for outlining projects due to the bullet point structure.

Joplin – A modern app comparable to Zim Wiki, it’s basically just a note-taking software that uses folders and tags to sort easier. Looks prettier than Zim Wiki and Cherry Tree

Notion – An online-only website that allows usage of different database types. Free for personal use. Note: I dislike the AI updates that have been making the app lag more. I prefer the others on this list.

Mind Maps

-------------------------------

Freeplane – So much goddamn features, including a ton of add-ons. Looks somewhat ugly, but it works for anyone willing to spend a while learning how to use it.

Mermaid – Text-based diagram creator. Can be used in apps like Joplin, Notion, and Obsidian.

Obsidian’s Canvas – A core plugin for Obsidian, it deserves its own mention in that it allows you to create embedded notes of the mindmap nodes. Thus, if you want to create a 20-page long note and have it minimized to the size of a penny on the mindmap, you could.

Other Things That Might Be Of Interest

Syncthing - A free software that allows you to sync between two or more computers. Have a desktop but also laze around on a laptop in bed, coming up with ideas?? This is your buddy if you don't want to use a online software.

[blissfullyunawares]

5 Days of Helping You Outline Your Next Novel

Day 4: Types of Outlines

Follow along for all 5 installments of the mini series: helping you outline your next novel

did you miss the beginning of this series? here you can find [day 1] and [day 2] and [day 3]

Not all writers will want to outline their novel in the same way, so today’s post is about 3 of the most popular types of outlines.

The Snowflake Method

Start with a strong one sentence / short paragraph that tells what happens.

Outline major events / conflicts.

Develop individual character arcs and descriptions.

Expand each paragraph into a full page.

Add details until you have a full story map.

Best for: writers who want structured development

The One Pager

Keep it as simple and straightforward as possible with a one page outline.

It would include:

Premise

Main Characters

Key Plot Points

Central Theme

Best for: writers who want freedom to improvise in the moment

The Boards Method

Create an organized system (determine how many sections you want)

Write scene titles / synopsis and add important details

Arrange into a timeline or other structure that makes sense for you

Best for: writers who have scene ideas and want liberty to arrange them

Bonus: Visionary Design

If you use Canva, you might take a look at using a Canva whiteboard to mix each of these styles into one complimentary structure for your writing outline.

With Canva, you can

mind map and connect relevant data

insert notes and thoughts

create vision boards for story ideation

drag and drop elements freely

organize new ideas into your existing outline

Best for: visual learners and writers who want detailed flexibility in an open format

Comment below and share your favorite outlining format or tools. I love to use Obsidian!

you can find day 5 [here]

your reblogs help me help more ppl 💕

follow along for writing prompts, vocabulary lists, and helpful content like this! <333

✨ #blissfullyunawaresoriginals ✨

[brotrustmeicanwrite]

How do you balance maintaining a consistent writing routine?

Oh boi if only I could actually do that. Ok here we go~

Writing Creating Consistently

Creating consistently is one of the biggest challenges for any creative out there, not just writers. But despite so many people experiencing the same exact problem there is no universal solution. And the reason for that is simple: every person is different and the reason behind their struggles are just as diverse as humanity itself. For some it’s just difficulty keeping a habit alive, for others it’s circumstances of life and for people like me it can even just be their neuro-type.

But it’s not like there’s nothing you can do. So, here are two ideas to try to write more consistently, for both the organised and the chaotic:

Journaling +

This idea works best for those who don’t struggle too much to keep a habit alive or those who already journal or do something similar regularly anyway. Basically all you do is add a daily writing task to your routine. It can be anything like writing a short paragraph, working on character details or even just researching something. What exactly you do doesn’t matter as long as you’re doing something. But the most important thing to keep in mind is to keep the task tiny.

Once we start doing something, more often than not, much more will follow naturally. But if we make the task too big, we risk ending up dreading it. For that reason, your daily task should be something easy that can be done in no more than 5 minutes. That way you’ll get the satisfaction of doing something almost every day and don’t disappoint and demotivate yourself with piled up days of being unable to fullfill your goals.

Tiny Book

This technique works best for the more chaotic (and/or audhd) type and is the one I personally use for both writing and art. The basic idea of this technique is to simply always have something on you to catch your random bursts of inspiration throughout the day. For most people this will probably be their smartphone and maybe one of those cheap mini pens with the rubber stylus at the end. If you don’t like the notes app or just writing stuff down in a text document (or a hundred separate ones) here’s some apps that I use(d in the past):

Obsidian - very similar to a notes app, except you can link documents and build your own little Wikipedia. Including the clickable links within text and all.

Concepts - gives you an infinite canvas to take notes and draw stuff like mind maps. You’ll need a stylus for this one if you don’t want to write with your fingers. There are in app purchases but you really don’t need them and I’m using the free version with no problems too.

Campfire Blaze - (also as website) is specifically built to plan and share your writing projects. It has a lot of pre built functions to plan characters, maps, lore, magic systems etc.

Story Plotter - very similar to campfire except the focus is on structuring your story. A lot of people swear by it but I personally can’t give much more details because it just isn’t my style of program.

If you’re more of the traditional type though, get yourself a small notebook to always (and I mean always) carry around. Preferably a durable one that fits in your pocket and has a loop for a pencil. Also I recommend using a short technical pencil with an eraser at the end to avoid having to carry that and a sharpener around. Remember, we want the most comfortable quick and easy access so it doesn’t become a hassle to always have access to your materials.

On that note,

Why oh why, IKEA, did you stop making those cute but sturdy notebooks? That’s it, we’re breaking up. Søstrene Grene, you’re my new paper supply girlfriend. You may be more dainty and delicate, less sturdy than Ikea, but at least you’re there for me.

Ok but seriously, tip for the artists: søstrene grene has those teeny tiny blank books with really nice paper (easy 100+ pages) that fit into even a women’s front pocket and are perfect for quick thumbnailing. Just make sure to enforce the binging by putting some washi tape ore sum around the edges and glue it down on the backing bc they fall apart easily.

Anyway

Happy writing creating <3

[grey-sorcery]

Related Articles

Visualization Vs. Conceptualization Visualization, Reiki, & Fascism Introduction to Gnosis Basics of Spellcasting Spell Design Introduction to Energy Work Energetic Constructs The Subtle Body Energetic Senses The Cost of Energy Work

Introduction

Visualization is a tool that harnesses the power of imagination and perception. Through the deliberate creation of detailed mental imagery and the infusion of unwavering clarity, one can navigate the vivid construct of the mind, fostering a profound connection between the envisioned reality and the path to its actualization. Aphantasia, a cognitive condition characterized by the inability to summon voluntary mental images, engenders a distinct disadvantage in the realm of visualization-oriented practices. This social bias, predicated upon the assumption that all individuals possess the ability to visualize, inadvertently marginalizes and devalues the lived experiences of those with aphantasia. Consequently, the prevailing emphasis on visualization as a means of manifestation perpetuates an exclusionary paradigm, reinforcing ableist narratives that ascribe lesser worth and potential to those bereft of this inherent cognitive ability.

How to Visualize

Visualization is a cognitive technique that enables individuals to create vivid mental imagery of desired outcomes. By skillfully employing this method, one can effectively construct intricate mental pictures, harnessing the faculties of imagination and perception. To embark upon this journey of mental creation, find a tranquil space where external distractions are minimized, affording the mind an undisturbed canvas. Close one's eyes, and let the mind's eye unfurl, summoning a scene of vibrant clarity. Immerse oneself in this vivid realm, invoking the senses to weave a tapestry of sensations that engulfs the mind. Envision textures and colors, conjuring a panorama rich in detail, akin to a masterful painting springing to life. With each breath, deepen the connection to your vision, rendering it palpable and immediate.

Pit-Falls of Visualization

Visualization is ubiquitously viewed as a means of manifestation and widely considered a form of energy work. This consensus couldn’t be further from the truth and is based on innate ableism and class separation, which is invariably tied to white supremacy (Ref. Law of Attraction & New Thought). Developing a reliance on visualization as the cornerstone of your practice rather than it being merely a tool, similar to correspondences, will result in rendering your spellwork ineffective at worst, and inefficient at best. Visualization operates within the confines of the human mind's perceptual boundaries, restricted by the limited range of experiences one has encountered. As a consequence, attempting to conjure images or concepts beyond one's experiential scope may prove evasive, as the mind can only reference and synthesize familiar elements. This inherent limitation hinders the user by immense amounts in terms of innovative approaches to witchcraft, responsibly processing UPG & biases, interacting with spiritual entities, and utilizing higher spatial dimensions in spellcraft.

Visualization in Use For Gnosis

Firstly, the process of planning spellwork, visualization serves as a cognitive map, aiding in the construction of a comprehensive framework within the practitioner's mind. This mental blueprint allows for the seamless integration of various components, such as symbolic representations, ritualistic gestures, or energetic alignments. Through the meticulous visualization of each step and component, practitioners establish a sense of coherence and intentionality, ensuring a harmonious orchestration of their magical endeavors. This also aids in generating a space that is free from distractions.

Secondly, By harnessing the power of vivid mental imagery and immersive cognitive projections, individuals can establish a connection between their consciousness and the decided state of gnosis they seek to embody. Visualization becomes a catalyst for heightened awareness, engendering a state of deep insight and transcendent understanding that could potentially surpass ordinary meditation.

Effective Applications in Spell Design

Visualization facilitates the embodiment of memories, correspondences, divine/spiritual connections, and abstract concepts, enabling practitioners to fully immerse themselves in the spell's essence. By mentally experiencing the sensations associated with the desired outcome, practitioners establish a continuous plan of action that encompasses all associated nodes, constructing a threshold with reliable accuracy. Furthermore, visualization can aid in conjuring emotions that one may use to fuel a spell, by then energetically channeling that emotion through the subtle body during the working.

Effective Applications in Energy Work

When first learning energy work, visualization can aid immensely by creating mental frameworks that can be used to guide energy into desired forms. As an example, by picturing a sphere in your palms, you may then begin to manipulate energies within and around your subtle body in order to get it to fit within the confines of the sphere. One may even visualize rotation within a construct, or other properties in order to have a better comparison for the desired outcome. Using visualization specifically for creating simple energetic constructs will always be effective and will likely not become a detriment. However, if visualization becomes too ingrained into your energy work, it may eclipse the genuine work you’re doing and replace it with imagination. Beyond this, visualization cannot be used effectively to create constructs in higher spatial dimensions. 

Other Potential Uses

Symbolic Empowerment: Visualization can be used as a tool to observe objects, talismans, or symbols within personal meaning and power, establishing a profound connection to harness their correspondences.

Divination: Practitioners can utilize visualization to immerse themselves in the imagery of divinatory tools like tarot cards, runes, or scrying mirrors, facilitating a deeper understanding of the symbolic messages conveyed.

Spell Component Activation: Visualization can aid practitioners, mentally, when charging and activating spell components through energy work such as herbs, crystals, or oils, imbuing them with desired qualities or intentions prior to their incorporation in spellwork.

Ancestral Connection: Through visualization, practitioners can engage in ancestral work by envisioning their ancestors to help when communing, seeking guidance, wisdom, and blessings from them.

Dreamwork: Visualization aids in dreamwork practices by actively envisioning and intending dream recall, lucid dreaming, or specific dream experiences, enhancing the practitioner's ability to explore and learn from the realm of dreams.

Effective Alternatives to Visualization

Conceptualization: Embrace the power of conceptualization to articulate and comprehend desired outcomes with intellectual precision.

Scientific Integration: Incorporate empirical knowledge and logical reasoning into spellwork, aligning intentions with a metaphysical understanding of how spellwork can interact and move through aspects of the current scientific model.

Abstract Concepts: Explore the realm of abstract concepts to fuel spellwork endeavors, delving into profound abstractions that transcend visual imagery.

Metaphorical Language: Utilize metaphorical language to create resonance and evoke desired transformations, tapping into the depths of the mind through symbolic associations.

Cause and Effect: Formulate spells by synthesizing theoretical constructs and understanding the intricacies of cause and effect in the manifestation process.

Energy Transference: Explore energy transference as a key aspect of spellwork, understanding how intent, passion, gnosis and energy work interact and influence outcomes.

Symbolic Representations: Embrace the power of symbolic representations to convey intentions, utilizing abstract symbols with personal significance.

Rationality and Spirituality: Harmoniously integrate rationality and spirituality, blending scientific comprehension with metaphysical exploration in spellwork.

Intellectual Precision: Focus on precise and clear articulation of intentions, utilizing intellectual faculties to direct the working towards desired outcomes.

Energetic Senses: By relying on senses inherent to the subtle body, visualization becomes obsolete when it comes to energy work. 

These alternative approaches empower individuals with aphantasia to engage in spellwork that transcends visual imagery, leveraging conceptualization, scientific understanding, and abstractions to manifest their intentions and connect with the depths of the mind.

Interested in my other articles? You can find my masterpost here.

Patron Shoutouts!

Megan Kipp Jinsu

Thank you for your continued support! My patrons help me maintain the drive to create content and help me keep food in my pantry.

My patrons of Mystic tier and higher had access to this article a week before it was public! To see other perks of supporting me, click here!

This article was reviewed by and contributed to by ChatGPT. I asked ChatGPT to edit the language to be more descriptive in hopes that it would be easier to understand? What do you think?

[rickie-does-random-stuff]

Season 1

1a: Starting Point

Zephyr Masden loved nothing more than spending his afternoons chilling on the golden beaches of Plymouth. He had been surfing for his entire life, pretty much. And by that, I mean since he and his family first moved here, which was back when he was seven, and his younger brother Caius had just turned six. Their father taught the two boys how to surf that summer, and they continued this activity ever since. Sometimes, their other friend Rowan would show up and join them. And when Rowan moved away with his family, they’d hang out with the other local Kai (Kailan Kobe, who worked at the ice cream truck. Nice guy).

Zephyr and Cai couldn’t be more different. The juxtaposition between them was striking, like night and day colliding on the canvas of life. 

Zephyr preferred to go with the flow. He was this carefree, laidback individual that just went wherever life seemed to take him, much like ocean waves that he’d often ride. Pulling him through the vast endless waters of his world, with him doing little to control where he lands.

Caius, on the other hand, never allowed any external factors to cause any ripples in his world. He created the waves and moved himself through the ocean of life. He was the “smart” brother. He was studious and disciplined. He got great grades. He was sensible and kind. He never got into trouble. All the teachers in school loved him… Zephyr couldn’t say the same thing about himself, unfortunately.

Cai always had an idea of what he wanted his life to look like. He had dreams and goals, and he’d actively push himself, working hard to get himself there.

In terms of how they went about life, they had nothing in common. But they were the best of friends nonetheless. Zephyr loved his brother more than anything. They had a strong and special bond. 

They did everything together growing up. They especially loved to surf together, and spend time on the beach. They each had their own unique surfing styles - Zephyr’s was like freestyle dancing with the ocean’s whims, while Caius, with his naturally analytical mind, had taken to surfing with an almost scientific precision. Both brothers spent years mastering the art of  harnessing the raw power of the water as they surfed. They were the yin to the other’s yang. Two halves of a perfect, harmonious whole.

But that was before Caius had to leave for AU.

Aurelian University was a fairly new educational institute. Zephyr didn’t know too much about it… but he did know that it was located on a mysterious island in Europe somewhere. And that it was relatively hard to get in… not that you needed to be a genius or anything, but you could tell they were rather picky with who they accepted (on top of having the grades, they also made you sit a bunch of entrance exams?). It was all very suspicious. Even the fact that the island itself is nowhere to be found on most maps added to the mystery of it all. Some people wondered if the place even existed.

Zephyr should have applied for university last year. At least, that’s what everybody told him. And pretty much everybody in his class had done so. But it just didn’t feel right. And sure, he didn’t get the grades to apply to the few university courses he did find interesting, but that wasn’t really anything to do with it. He just wasn’t interested in going to university. He never really had been.

Zephyr never really liked school. He wasn’t good at it. Not like Cai.

The weeks leading up to Caius's departure were tough. Zephyr kept telling himself he should be happy for his brilliant brother getting into such a prestigious school. But the thought of the endless summers spent surfing together coming to an end filled him with melancholy.

Zephyr tried not to let it get to him when Caius left for that weird university on the mysterious island. He really did. But deep down, it stung.

They had been inseparable growing up. Surfing buddies and best friends through thick and thin. No matter how different their approaches to life were, they complemented each other perfectly. Zephyr was going to miss having his straight-laced, logical brother around to balance out his carefree spirit.

The last day was by far the hardest.

"You better not forget about me when you're off becoming some big shot professor or something," Zephyr told Caius as they surfed the morning before he left.

Caius just laughed. "As if I could ever forget you, bro. Don't worry though - we'll always have the ocean between us."

Those words didn't provide Zephyr much comfort.

He and Mum dropped Caius off at the airport later that day (Dad would have come as well, but he had to go to work). As he watched his brother's plane take off, he felt unmoored, like the ocean had swept him out too far with no shore in sight.

The first few months without Caius around were really difficult for Zephyr. He tried to spend as much time as possible out in the waves, surfing until exhaustion replaced that aching loneliness. But even the soothing rhythm of the ocean seemed off without his brother riding beside him.

In the past, Zephyr could always count on Caius to ground him when he felt too adrift. Now he had to find his own anchor. Slowly, through cherishing little routines like prepping his surfboard or watching the sun rise over the beach, he started feeling steadier.

He spent more time with Kai and the usual beach crowd to keep his spirits up. Though it wasn't the same as having Caius around, at least he had good people to remind him that his free-spirited way of riding through life didn't have to be a completely solitary journey.

Zephyr knew he couldn't just tread water while his brother moved on to bigger things. He had to dive forward and pursue his own passion - allowing the ocean's perpetual motion to carry him towards his next adventure, wherever that might be.

___

Beach cleaning.

That's it. That's his latest adventure. His new life purpose.

I mean, he already spends every day at the beach. It's practically his second backyard. He may as well clean it, right? It started with just picking up litter he'd see during his daily surf sessions. He simply wanted to make the place a bit more tidy. But it grew into a habit, which grew into a deeper interest in the state of the environment.

For a while, Zephyr found purpose in beach cleaning and environmental activism. Seeing the harmful impacts of pollution and litter on the ocean he loved so much sparked a fire in him. He started organizing regular beach clean-ups and awareness campaigns in the community. Zephyr soon got passionate about preserving the pristine beauty of the oceanfront that meant so much to him. He started organizing community cleanups and lobbying local businesses to cut down on plastics.

At first, his parents were relieved to see Zephyr so passionate about something positive. "It's great that he's finally applying himself to a cause," Mum remarked one time. "I'm proud of you. It's so great to see you care about more than just catching waves."

However, Zephyr's zeal began verging into obsession. Before long, Zephyr's environmental crusading verged into extremism. He became that annoying militant vegan who wouldn't shut up about carbon footprints and zero-waste living. He started showing up at town halls and protests, ranting about unethical corporations. He was getting increasingly outspoken and never failed to call out anyone who so much as dropped a candy wrapper on the beach. He started getting into heated confrontations with beachgoers over using plastic straws or styrofoam coolers.

"Dude, chill out! It was an accident," Kai had to defuse one situation where Zephyr was berating a kid for spilling a can of Diet Coke.

Zephyr's tunnel vision when it came to environmental purity made him seem erratic and confrontational. His parents and friends grew worried about him.

"Dude, chill out. It was never that deep. You're taking this too far," Kai told him one day as Zephyr was berating him for selling ice cream in non-compostable containers.

"We're all for protecting the planet, but you need to find balance. This obsession is getting out of hand," his dad cautioned.

Zephyr just brushed them off, convinced he was righting the course for the environment and humankind, as well as himself. After all, he never felt like he had a true reason for being before - aside from things like surfing, he was never really good at anything. He never felt like he had a purpose in life, and that feeling only intensified after Cai left. This is all he had now.

He got more and more reckless in his pursuit of his cause, trespassing onto private beaches to do cleanups and once even trying to chain himself to a bulldozer demolishing the last undeveloped plot of beachfront. He got into a lot of trouble for that, but it could have been worse (a fact that didn't seem to reassure his parents all that much).

One night, about a week later, Zephyr's mum and dad tried voicing their concerns to him one last time. "We think it's great you've found a passion, but you need to find a healthier middle ground, son," his mom said gently to him.

Zephyr instantly got defensive. "Are you kidding me? The planet is dying! If no one makes changes, what kind of world are we going to end up leaving behind?"

"Your mother and I just want you to have... some direction in your life beyond this," his dad attempted. "You shouldn't put every once of your time and energy into this one thing. You're young, and you should have a life of your own and be able to have different experiences and-"

"Oh, so now caring about the environment isn't good enough 'direction'?" Zephyr fumed. "At least I'm doing something meaningful instead of just drifting aimlessly!"

The tense conversation devolved into a heated argument. Mum looked pleadingly at Caius's empty chair at the table, silently wishing that her more level-headed son was sitting there with them.

Well, all of them wished Cai was here. But he's not. Not anymore...

___

"You're ridiculous, mate," Kai told Zephyr after having to retrieve him from jail. Again. Long story.

"I have said it before, and I'll say it again - you need to chill out!" he went on. "This obsession with trying to single-handedly save the world is getting out of control!"

Zephyr opened his mouth to protest, but Kai cut him off. "Don't even start, dude. I'm all for protecting the environment, but you're taking this way too far. You need to find some balance in your life again."

Zephyr slumped in the passenger seat, knowing his friend was right but too stubborn to admit it. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

Finally, Kai spoke up again. "You know, I think deep down this is all still about missing Cai."

Zephyr's head whipped around at the mention of his brother's name. Kai gave him a knowing look.

"Ever since he left for that weird university, you've been... not quite yourself, mate. I think you're using this environmental crusading as a way to try and find your purpose, but it's just a band-aid for the real issue."

Zephyr couldn't argue with that. As much as he championed his causes, they hadn't truly filled the void Caius's absence left. He missed his brother - his surfing buddy, his voice of reason, his other half.

"Maybe..." Kai began carefully. "Maybe it's time you went and saw him at this Aurelian place. Get your anchor back, you know? It's time for you to go on a quest to figure out what you really want from life. So go. Go visit your brother at that university, and get yourself some perspective."

The idea of reuniting with Cai after months and months apart quickly lifted Zephyr's spirits. But then practicality set in. "How the hell am I supposed to get to that island, assuming it even exists? I don't have the money for that."

"Well, you'd better start figuring it out then!" Kai grinned. "Do your research, get a job or something to save up. Having a goal to work towards might be exactly what you need right now instead of just...endlessly raging at the system."

Good idea, Kai.

As soon as Zephyr got home, he started scouring the internet for any information about Aurelian University and its mysterious island location. The findings were...perplexing to say the least.

The university's website provided little in the way of concrete details, displaying only vague philosophies about "unlocking the boundless potential of the mind and spirit" through "holistic education transcending limits." Conspiracy theory message boards claimed Aurelian was a front for everything from military experiments to druidic cults.

The most useful lead seemed to be mentions of a privately chartered flight that departed from a remote airstrip in northern Scotland, intended to shuttle new students to the island at the start of each semester. But even finding the exact departure location proved challenging.

Zephyr spent weeks deep down a rabbit hole of research, corresponding with amateur sleuths who had dedicated alarming amounts of time to cracking Aurelian's secrets. He started working part-time jobs to squirrel away savings for the potential travel costs and whatever other expenditures gaining access to this place might require.

His parents were relieved to see Zephyr's obsessive energy getting redirected towards a more positive goal for once. Though they questioned his efforts to essentially stalk Caius at his university, they didn't balk too hard after witnessing how much more balanced he became.

Zephyr was finally regaining his drive and sense of purpose - no longer just aimlessly crusading, but actively working towards something meaningful. Or at least, he hoped a reunion with Cai would help ground him again and provide some clarity.

After several months of planning and preparation, Zephyr managed to uncover the coordinates for the remote Scottish airfield that hosted Aurelian's ferry flights. As Zephyr headed towards his grand adventure in this strange new world that was the enigmatic island university, he couldn't help but feel a stirring sense of excitement for what awaited him. He scraped together enough money for a one-way ticket, ready to take a leap of faith in search of his brother...and maybe some answers about himself in the process.

Surprise! Only 8 months late lol. Here is the first chapter/episode of AU! What do you think will happen next?

[yuzurujenn]

[2024.12.06] Sports Hochi - Yuzuru Hanyu's birthday countdown series: MIKIKO

MIKIKO: Yuzuru Hanyu - “You still have that talent hidden inside you?” Countdown to his 30th birthday

Yuzuru Hanyu (29) will kick off his 'Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR' on the 7th at Saitama Super Arena, the day of his 30th birthday. The production will be directed by MIKIKO, one of Japan's leading choreographers. MIKIKO, who also worked on 'GIFT' and 'RE_PRAY,' spoke about the evolution of 'Professional Skater Yuzuru Hanyu' and her thoughts on the 'ICE STORY' they will be creating together. (Interview and Composition by: Megumi Takagi)

― How did you feel when you first received the request to direct "Echoes of Life"?

"I was approached right after finishing 'RE_PRAY,' so I honestly had concerns about whether I could create a new piece within a year. But I immediately started thinking, 'What can we do next?'"

― How did your experience and learnings from 'GIFT' influence 'RE_PRAY,' and how do they connect to this third installment?

"I feel that we are getting closer and closer to the ideal shape we’ve envisioned. Since it’s an 'ICE STORY,' the ideal would be a new kind of work where the 2D world of a film and the 3D world of a performance intersect in a delicate balance, making the audience feel like they are watching a movie and a play. In 'RE_PRAY,' we used the motif of a game and tried to bring the world from the screen directly into the venue space. This time, since it’s a story written by Hanyu, I hope that, based on the lessons learned from the past two works, the audience can immerse themselves even more deeply into the world of the story."

― The beauty of the projection mapping is always overwhelming. What are some of the unique aspects and joys of using the entire ice rink as a canvas in an ice show?

"We focus on using the speed and dynamism that only skating can offer, so we are particular about linking the choreography and the projections. The synergy between Hanyu-kun's precise skating and the projections is truly amazing, and I'm looking forward to it as a spectator too."

― 'The Chicken, Snake, and Pig' was the first performance you choreographed in full. What was the reason for choosing this song, and what did you focus on in your choreography?

"When I first read the original draft for 'RE_PRAY,' the lyrics and worldview of the song 'The Chicken, Snake, and Pig' came to mind, so I suggested it. I envisioned choreography that would make you feel that Hanyu's figure—struggling and suffering as he moves forward on a path where there is no choice but to continue—is so beautiful that it’s almost frightening! I created it with the intention of conveying raw emotions through the upper body movements in the choreography."

― 'RE_PRAY' was Hanyu’s first solo tour. What new discoveries did you make during the tour?

"I think it’s tough for the performer to maintain motivation and stamina, but the charm of a tour is that, even with the same performance, each time it feels like a different show. It was very enjoyable to continue refining the direction to match each venue."

― Even during his competitive years, it was impressive how he poured all his energy into the exhibition after the competition. From your perspective, MIKIKO, who is working most closely with him to create the show, how do you see Hanyu's passion, effort, and curiosity?

"I am constantly amazed, thinking, 'You still have that talent hidden inside you?' Hanyu-kun is a genius who works hard, and it requires determination and readiness from the staff around him, including me. But I think this mutual synergy is an ideal relationship in creative work. But that level of passion is probably just natural for him, so I hope it will continue to influence everyone unconsciously moving forward."

― July marked two years since he turned professional. From MIKIKO's perspective, how has "professional Hanyu Yuzuru" evolved and changed?

"I think his perspective has definitely broadened, and he no longer seems afraid of challenging new things. His 'otaku' qualities (a compliment) that he had accumulated outside of skating are now being used in his creative work, and I believe he’s evolving both as an artist and as a creator."

― As a professional yourself, MIKIKO, what does 'professionalism' mean to you?

"The power to believe, the power to never give up, and the power to have fun."

― As a fellow professional performer, what is the scenery you see with Hanyu?

"A vivid, beautiful, tranquil, sacred scenery."

― The press release for 'Echoes' described it as 'a story that questions the essence of 'life' and 'living,' with the theme of life's journey and growth.' What kind of tour do you want this to be?

"We're putting our heart and soul into this tour so that it will reach the hearts of the audience who come to see it. I would be happy if this tour can become a source of strength for as many people as possible, helping them find the power to 'live' from tomorrow onward."

― The opening performance will be on Hanyu’s 30th birthday. Please give a message to him as he enters his 30s.

"You're finally 30! Age has caught up with you. Use your boyish purity and god-like insight to gain experiences that only someone in their 30s can have, become an even cooler person, and save the world!"

(*Note: One of the three new programs performed at “RE_PRAY,” a song by Ringo Shiina. He danced bewitchingly in a narrow, straight space lit by red light, wearing a black costume.)

◆Hanyu's past "ICE STORY" series 　▼GIFT　On February 26, 2023, he held the first solo performance by a figure skater in history at the Tokyo Dome. He performed 12 pieces, including new songs, for two and a half hours. 35,000 people attended. 　▼RE_PRAY　His first solo tour performance, incorporating the ethics and values of the world of games. From November 2023 to April 2024, he toured Saitama, Saga, Yokohama, and Miyagi. He performed 12 pieces for about two and a half hours.

◆MIKIKO: Head of the dance company "ELEVENPLAY." As a director and choreographer, she is active in a wide range of fields including art, music, and technology. She is one of Japan's leading choreographers, and has choreographed music videos, anime, commercials, and stage productions for various artists including Perfume and BABYMETAL.

◆ "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" 　▼ Saitama performance (Saitama Super Arena): December 7th, 9th, 11th, 2024 　▼ Hiroshima performance (Hiroshima Green Arena): January 3rd and 5th, 2025 　▼ Chiba performance (LaLa Arena Tokyo Bay): February 7th and 9th, 2025

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20241205-OHT1T51142.html?page=1

[senditcolton]

congrats on 1k!!

may I request a “lead me to the garden” chai cookie with andrei svechnikov and the prompt “❀ gardenia (secret love) — “i don’t love you any less just because no one else can see it.”

I read it and immediately thought of your prince andrei au so maybe you could incorporate that but you don’t have to and I know i’ll still love it!!

it turned out little more angsty than expected (you can thank the Speak Now Vault Tracks for that) but i promise it has a happy ending (which you can also thank the Speak Now Vault Tracks for).

word count: 2.3k

It had been almost two months since the crown prince of Karolyna secretly proposed to you on the balcony of his room under the midnight moon.

Two months of serving Prince Andrei as his royal portrait artist while loving him behind closed doors. Two months of watching his father and other members of court urging him to marry a princess. Two months of waiting – for what, you weren’t entirely sure.

For Andrei to stand in the middle of the throne room and declare his love for you?

For him to give you the Svechnikov ruby to replace the braided twine on your finger?

For him to marry the Princess of Roslindale – a smart political match considering the tenuous friendship the countries shared – and keep you as his mistress?

For Andrei to realize that you were nothing special and abandon you for someone more suited for a prince?

He swears he loves you. He tells it to you at the end of every night you spend together. He is steadfast and determined to make your union work. But there is so much time between then and now and millions of questions to answer before that became a reality.

And even if the two of reach that moment – where you are happily married and received the new title Queen of Karolyna with the new King Andrei by your side – there would still be many obstacles to face.

If you and Andrei created a life together, it wouldn’t be easy. Hell, it wasn’t easy now but you knew in your bones that if you went through with the marriage, there would never be a moment of peace.

That was one thing that he couldn’t promise you: peace. And that terrified you.

All you wanted and yearned for was comfort and contentment and stability. That’s what got you out of bed every morning. That’s what drove you to perfect your talents. And when you were offered the job in court, you thought you were shown the path to achieving that dream.

But then you had to slam that door shut by falling in love with the one person you shouldn’t.

That pressure caused by the weight of all the possibilities and all the ways this could go wrong has you up well past midnight, the candlelight flickering around your studio the only company as you let the meditative strokes of your paintbrush soothe the wandering of your mind.

You are so caught up in your work that you don’t hear the creak of the studio door opening, focused on the image – the feeling – that you wanted to capture.

“It looks beautiful so far.”

Andrei’s voice startles you out of your state and you spin to find him lingering a few steps behind you, a candelabra in his hands and a soft smile on his face.

Part of you wanted to hate him for how beautiful he always looked, even in nothing but soft tan breeches and a white shirt. Hating him would’ve made things easier, less complicated.

You don’t give much of a reply except a small smile and you turn back to the canvas, your mind mapping out the colors still needed, examining the positioning of the bodies, looking for flaws, like you always did. One of the downsides of being an artist; you sometimes couldn’t stop looking for something else to fix.

Usually, Andrei let you work, silently sitting at your work table or milling around your studio, studying your other in progress pieces. You think that is what he was going to do now until you feel his strong arms wrap around you.

“Is it us?” he asks, staring at the gentle embrace of the lovers on your canvas.

“A fantasy of us.”

The words fall out of your mouth before you can stop them, slipping out from the most secluded parts of your heart. You can feel Andrei’s energy shift as his head pulls away from your shoulder and you know that his brow is furrowing in confusion.

“What do you mean; fantasy?”

You knew if you spoke the truth, voiced the fears that had been lingering in your mind and haunted you every waking moment, you knew what his response would be:

I don’t love you any less just because no one else can see it.

It was a pretty lie, one that you believed long ago. But now… you don’t think the lie could sustain you anymore.

You weren’t royalty. You weren’t cut out to be a royal. And even if Andrei could uphold his word, there was still so much trouble that could come from your marriage. Your union could snub many powerful allies. The people of Karolyna may never accept you, no matter how much they loved their prince.

You wanted the people to love you but more importantly, you never wanted to turn them against Andrei. Which you could easily do by loving him. You could put him at risk from assassins, rioters, malcontents. And if that happened, you would never forgive yourself.

You loved Andrei. You loved him so much that you knew that the choice you had debated pursuing was the right one.

So, instead of responding to him, you set down your paintbrush and your hand moves to your fingers. Your fingertips trace the braided pattern of the canvas strands one more time before they grip the edges of your makeshift ring and pull it off your finger.

With a small shrug, you shake from Andrei’s hold, feeling his touch disappear from your body before taking one final deep breath before facing him. You can’t stop the way your heart aches when you see the bewilderment on his face. And you knew that that aches would only worsen the more you continue.  

But you had to go through with it.

Wordlessly, you grab Andrei’s hand, memorizing the way it feels in yours before you place the woven twine into his palm, closing his fingers around it.

“It’s very beautiful,” you whisper, the word slightly sticking in your throat. “But it’s not for me.”

“What do you mean?” he asks, his own voice thick with hesitation.

“I can’t do this Andrei. Marry the Princess Patrycja, bring peace to your kingdom and country, fall in love with someone who deserves you. This is what’s best. Trust me.”

“But… you are the one I want,” he exclaims, his accent coming in stronger than it had previously. And before you can stop him, he reaches out and pulls you into his arms, one of his hands lifting your chin, forcing you to look in his eyes.  “I don’t want anyone else but you.”

The way he says those words almost makes you relinquish control, ready to rescind all your previously spoken words. But you know you shouldn’t.

“I can’t accept that,” you repeat.

“Why not?”

“I just can’t, Andrei.”

“Please. Talk to me,” he begs, pulling you tighter and you have to force your eyes close before you lose yourself in his deep brown irises. You can feel his chest heave underneath your palms as he speaks again. “Please.”

His voice breaks as the last word falls from his mouth, a perfect punctuation to his desperate plea and this time, you can’t stop the tears from rolling down your cheeks. You bury your face into his chest and he grips you tighter. And from the way he is holding onto you like a lifeline makes a part of you believe that he would never let you go. Or perhaps, it was because he knew this was the last time he would get to hold you like this.

The thought makes you sob harder and you curse fate, thinking that there was nothing crueler than for it to bring you to the man who made you feel complete only to have you meet him in a place where your love could never work.

“I love you,” you say, the words falling freely. “You have to believe me when I say that. And I know that a part of me will always love you. But it’s not enough. I used to think it would be but…”

You sniff, pushing back any lingering tears as you lift your head. After brushing away the droplets still on your skin, you take a deep breath before you step back. Your heart breaks a little more when you feel Andrei’s hands fall from you without a fight. But you build that necessary wall, as strong and impenetrable as the outer barricades of the very castle you stood in.

“I will continue my work if you need anything else from me, your royal highness. If you are no longer satisfied with my work or my presence, I will relinquish my role here,” you say, your voice shifting into the professional detached tone that you had perfected long ago.

Andrei doesn’t say anything else. He must have realized that there was nothing he could say to make you change your mind. Instead, you are forced to watch his own face shift into polite indifference as he gives you a small nod before turning heel and exiting out the door of your studio, once again leaving you alone with your paint and candles.

There was a time when you thought that having Andrei by your side, knowing that he would die for you, would be enough to pull you through all the hardships that you would face.

Perhaps it would’ve worked if he wasn’t the prince and you weren’t the royal painter. But it wasn’t meant to be. Not in this life.

But maybe in the next.

*~*~*~* 164 years later *~*~*~*

There was a certain kind of peace that washed over you every time you entered an art museum. You could never explain it, even to your closest friends, but it was a part of you, as real as the blood pumping through your veins.

The pictures of history, of memory, of myths, of fantasy, of emotions. All painstakingly brought to life by someone using nothing but paint and some canvas. All collected and put on display for you to enjoy.

So, when you were lucky enough to enjoy a trip to Italy over the summer, you knew for a fact that you had to visit the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan to see the foremost collection of famous masterpieces. You had spent hours wandering the expansive hallways, taking in all the artwork lining the walls and you swear that you could spend all day here.

You wander into the thirty-eighth room and look around, incredibly happy to discover that there were still new pieces of art for you to see and examine. You are about to start your usual path around the perimeter of the room before a painting in the small center wall catches your eye.

It wasn’t anything special: it was an oil painting of two lovers embracing, portrayed in the stylings of classic Romanticism. But there was something inexplicable, some indescribable force, that drew you towards the canvas, the sound of your shoes echoing as you walk over.

When you reach the painting, you immediately bend over to read the plaque next to it.

“The Kiss or ПОЦЕЛУЙ was discovered in a hidden unknown room of the St. Petersburg Palace in Moscow, Russia twenty years ago. The artist and origin of this painting are unknown, although based on technique, subject matter, and location of discovery, some postulate that the painting may have originated in the small country of Karolyna, a monarchic city-state that was absorbed by Russia shortly after the Bolshevik government took power.”

You look up at the oil painting, your eyes dancing over the brushstrokes. It was beautiful. You could see the detail the artist put into every portion of the canvas. But it was more than just aesthetically pleasing. You swear you could feel the exact emotions the artist felt when it was painted.

The way the female subject grasped her lover’s shoulder, as if she never wanted to let him go. The way the male subject cradled her head, letting her know she was safe. How his hand was resting on her cheek with the utmost tenderness, a gesture of true love.

“It’s very beautiful.”

The accented voice pulls you out of your reverie and you turn towards the sound.

Perhaps it was the feeling the painting caught you in still lingering on the edges of your consciousness, but you swear you recognize the man standing next to you. You had never met him before, that much was certain. But there was something about him – the cut of his jaw, the fall of his hair, the warmth of his brown eyes – that made you feel as if you had always known him.

“It is,” you reply.

“Are you a fan of art?” the stranger asks, still staring up at the framed portrait.

“Yeah. Wherever I go, I have to stop at the local art museum. You?”

“My friends think it’s odd, considering my profession, but I’ve always been drawn to artwork. Especially paintings.”

“You made a good choice then. There are so many beautiful paintings out there in the world. Including this one,” you say, your voice light as you turn your body towards him. The stranger mirrors your movements and the moment your eyes connect, butterflies erupt in your stomach. And if you were as good at deciphering real people as you were at interpreting artwork, it seemed like he had a similar reaction.

Years from now, when the two of you are huddled over a cardboard box of photos – a collection of the life you made – you will think back to this moment. The time you met in a crowded room in a foreign country.

There was no proof that you were meant to find each other or that you were meant to be together. But you both just knew.

Your love story started the moment he held out his hand to you, an achingly familiar smile on his face.

“Hello. My name’s Andrei.”

[tumbochka-does-art]

hey friends,

here's a website to watch videos together with online people

one that even worked for me (in the us) and my loser girlfriend who's in crimea (and everything is blocked)

https://www.watchparty.me

you're welcome

Edit:

adding a few more websites that are useful n formatting this better, since the other one stood out to me with the fact that it worked for my loser gf and that it didn't require creating an account.

If i don't mention smth it doesn't necessarily mean the site doesn't have it !!!!

kosmi.io

Requires an account to host the room, not to join

The rooms you create are permanent, meaning you can use them another day with the same settings remaining

Supports url links to stream any content, screen sharing and casting a file you have on your computer (also there's a Spotify option which i haven't seen before?)

Has multiple game & activity options (there's even a shared piano, how cool is that?)

Read the reviews, a bunch (?) of stuff is paywalled

watchparty.me

No registration or download required, just as it says on the front page

Supports url links, screen sharing, casting a file, n YouTube and stuff

Has the playlist feature, which is nice if you don't want to look up each new video

You can lock and make your room permanent (enables passwords, disabling chat, kicking users) if you have an account + custom urls if you're a subscriber. you can also make multiple permanent rooms if you're a subscriber

gather.town

Requires registration, the free trial is 30 days

Is designed like a game, lets you create your own space with different map themes, etc.

^^^ you can edit your character n it's rly silly

It says it works better in Chrome and chrome based browsers, keep that in mind

Wander around n find out the different features on here :)

magma.com

draw with your friends!

not sure, think it requires registration to host the room

without a subscription, you're limited to 4 canvases in one room

it's pretty nifty for a website that lets you draw on one canvas with a big amount of other ppl people